Utilizing 2 pits in practice

[vaulternick]

I have been fortunate enough to get a second set of pole vault pits. I coach at the high school level and do a fairly poor job of recruiting, but manage to have 22 or so vaulters on a team size of about 180.

With one pit, I would have half of the vaulters do a running workout while the other half vaulted. Then, the following day, I would switch the two groups.

Now that I have 2 pits, have any of you other coaches, actually ran practice using both pits at the same time? Do any of you know who does workouts with large groups on 2 pits?

I am primarily concerned about safety and I believe I am going to have one pit work on a straight pole from 3 strides (little to no supervision) while the other pit (with my full attention) will work on full run.

So what do you think? Advice, thoughts, concerns: Let me know.

Coach P

[AVC Coach]

How are the pits positioned? As long as you can effectively watch both at the same time you're a lucky man to have those tools at your disposal.

I have two pits (one at each end of the ruway) at our outdoor facility here at my house. We only use both at camps during short run drills with multiple coaches. We're constructing an indoor facility that will feature a pit at each end of the building using separate runways 10 feet apart from edge to edge. It would be a stretch to supervise both pits at the same time by myself, depending on the format.

I like your idea of your practice organization, provided you can supervise both pits by yourself. I'm interested to know how it works out for you.

[vaulternick]

The pits are positioned linearly on the homeside of our track. I would have an excellent view of both pits from the stadium, but they are at least 165 feet apart.

I am thinking about setting up some cones at 40 feet on one runway, with a strict rule of Nobody starts farther than the cones. I think they could get a ton of rock-back on a straight pole drills in, while I'm working on the full run with a different group.

The other consideration is that these are all beginners to amatuers at best. I have group sizes of about 8-11 on a pit per vault day and this could double the amount of vaults that they could get in at practice.

[achtungpv]

We're constructing an indoor facility that will feature a pit at each end of the building using separate runways 10 feet apart from edge to edge. It would be a stretch to supervise both pits at the same time by myself, depending on the format.

Did you consider nesting one pit within the other, pic below. I've always thought that if I had a building I'd do it this way so I could watch both pits easily at once. One runway would be shorter but fine for most girls, beginners, and short runs. However, it'd be better to use bungees on that runway if you're running both at once so you don't knock someone unconscious.

[souleman]

Another option you have (especially if you have a team of 180 with 22 vaulters) there's got to be a volunteer coach (Dad that used to vault, or a masters vaulter) out there that would love to come and help you. As Bubba has said a number of times, find a guy (it was him at UC Irvine) who needs a place to jump because he wants to get back into it, and have him come and help coach in exchange for that place to jump. Masters vaulting has exploded in just the past few years that I have been back. I'll bet you can find a guy out there that would be willing to volunteer coach in exchange for a place to jump. Then you'll have coverage on both pits. Good luck..............later.........Mike

[AVC Coach]

Did you consider nesting one pit within the other, pic below. I've always thought that if I had a building I'd do it this way so I could watch both pits easily at once. One runway would be shorter but fine for most girls, beginners, and short runs. However, it'd be better to use bungees on that runway if you're running both at once so you don't knock someone unconscious.

I actually considered that originally, but went with having a pit at each end. We'll have 12' x 12' roll-up doors at each end, so it will be a treat to enjoy a little tailwind when the weather's nice, plus a few other reasons including the crossbar thing.

[mjaubbs40]

Gotta love it! Indoor tailwind. Nice.

[ladyvolspvcoach]

Not to throw cold water, we have two pits in our outdoor facility here. I dual coached with agapit a few years ago with the Knoxville Track Club. We had 23 kids vaulting. The real problem comes when you have kids who are trying to vault some good heights mixed in with kids who are just learning. You have to be able to give the appropriate amount of attention to each level of vaulter. That is very difficult with a wide range of skills. IE. the beginners will take all of your or any assistant's time that is available. But SO will the advanced vaulters with very different focuses...

[vaulternick]

I completely agree. Today I counted 20 vaulters and they all but 2 or 3 vault below 11 feet. I completely understand about time management. I always weigh more heavily on giving kids a shot even if they don't have much talent as long as they are willing to work for it.

Both of our pits are outdoors, but being in California, the weather is just starting to warm up into the 60's this week. It makes for some good "winter vaulting".

So I am starting to think that having two pits is a blessing, but that not too many other coaches find themselves in the same boat. So far, getting a volunteer or a former vaulter to run the other pit is the only suggestion that someone gave me.

I am starting to think that across the country, NO ONE runs two pits with only one coach. I will let you all know how it goes.

[lonestar]

At my old facility, I had 2 pits side-by-side and coached both at the same time, standing in between the runways, and basically playing traffic cop. I called it "fast food coaching." High quantity, low quality. In my new facility I have a pit on each end of the runway, and we just jump on one end depending on the wind. I'm a bit of a control freak, and don't like to leave kids to do drills by themselves 1) for liability and 2) because they'll reinforce bad habits. I agree with Souleman that you should either find a knowledgeable volunteer to help, or go with your split days arrangement from last year. One thing Earl Bell does in camps is have half the group "bartend" (set standards and put the bar up) while the other half jumps, and then switch halfway through. Unfortunately, most coaches use a bungee instead of a bar, but that's a whole other discussion.

[rwelch]

My first and foremost recommendation would be to get another coach, someway, somehow. Whether it be a volunteer or paid (if your schools budget can afford it.) Maybe you can recruit one of the other position coaches over to help supervise. The biggest problem I see would be not being able to actually coach your better vaulters to improve.

One other suggestion would be to break the team into "JV" and "Varsity", and have dedicated times for each. This way you would be able to weed out the beginning vaulters who probably won't stick with it. Nothing is worse than spending a bunch of time with a kid to have him decide vaulting isn't for them.

Either way, get help or reduce the # of kids you coach at one time. They deserve it and so do you.

[mjaubbs40]

Both of our pits are outdoors, but being in California, the weather is just starting to warm up into the 60's this week. It makes for some good "winter vaulting".

You have no idea how jealous I am of your "winter vaulting" weather!
Check out the weather in Warsaw, NY:
http://www.weather.com/weather/local/14 ... =whatwhere