Ways Equipment Can Influence Technique

[rainbowgirl28]

yeah its at the back, maybe it was the pole I was using(it was longer than the pole I'm use to, but the box sucked, the pit was great though, a little hard but great

Just because the pole is longer does not mean you need to raise your grip, it sounds like maybe you weren't ready.

[spill21]

yeah your right I wasn't penetrating half as much as I needed to, to be safe either

[OH-IOvaulter]

I just wanted to thank Tim for talking about something that most people don't even consider. Even though the possibility is greater that the vaulter is different meet to meet, considering things such as box depth, especially with older pits, with regard to penetration is something that can be adjusted for. Thanks for the info and for starting a great thread.

[mooski33]

so what are the legal demensions of the box? I'm helping coach at a high school and the runway is being resurfaced, but they aren't planning on putting a new box in--just raising the runway slightly. So although the size of the box isn't actually changing, it will be lower than previously because the runway will now be raised. Our head team coached asked the head PV coach if this was alright, and he gave him the OK. I want to address this with the coaching staff if it will affect the safety of the vaulters.
thanks
ml

[superpipe]

The top edges of the plant box must be at ground level ( runway surface ), not below, not above. Besides being obvious, it's a hard rule. See article 12 in the NFHS rule book here:

http://bsdweb.bsdvt.org/~pdvorak/vttfof ... page58.JPG

[mooski33]

Thanks for the info--I have fwded the information on to our head coach. He's usually very good about rules and safety, so I imagine he'll rethink the plan.
I think this really was a great topic to start--it really isn't something that all that many people think about! It definitely has made me more aware of the facilities (and hopefully our head coach too!).
Thanks!

[LHSvaulter]

The most surreal moment was when a dove fluttered between Igor Potopovich wearing his red USSR uniform and Pat Manson wearing his red white and blue USA Team colors. Both reached up and caught the dove at the same instant as about fifty flash bulbs went off. Pat's teeth actually sparkled. The picture was on the front page of every newspaper in Athens the next morning. In some of them you could just see my legs sticking out from under one of the speakers where I was trying to rescue one of the poor dying doves. It was a symbolic moment for everyone involved, except, of course, the doves.

Does anyone know where I might be able to find a copy of this picture?

[Tim McMichael]

Pat called me last week and said that he found that very picture while he was going through some old boxes. Maybe I can get him to post it.

[LHSvaulter]

That would be amazing. I've been talking with him via email ever since the camp I went to at Disney's Wide World of Sports last August where he was the coach.
Provided I can save the funds after having to pay off an unmarked 2002 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor with 20,000 miles, I want to go to one of his camps out in Colorado.