Helmets

[Robert schmitt]

Yeah Becca and it's a band aid that's a lot cheaper than making sure there is enough soft landing area for the vaulter. Don't get me wrong I think the helmet issue is probably more good than bad. I Think larger mats would help decrease head injuries and bodily injuries, like my broken back.

[thornhillj]

you know, bigger pits would be nice....and i am glad that my university provides them, but what about high schools like mine that can barely afford spikes for all the athletes??? if the pits didnt cost so much dang $$$, then we could probably handle the bigger pits!!

[rainbowgirl28]

you know, bigger pits would be nice....and i am glad that my university provides them, but what about high schools like mine that can barely afford spikes for all the athletes??? if the pits didnt cost so much dang $$$, then we could probably handle the bigger pits!!

Your high school paid for spikes?!

[thornhillj]

yeah...vaulters got sprint spikes...you know...the solid black nike ones with the white check...the ones that cost like $15???

[zack]

I've those guys in texas were spoiled The only provided for us was our uniforms.

[rainbowgirl28]

Yeah I never got spikes! Just meet sweats, workout sweats, and uniforms.

[zack]

Sorry about the grammar.

Seriously, I've read some things by Dr. Spencer Chang and another M.D. that talk about hyperflexion injury and how a helmet could possibly exacerbate these types of injury. He has also said that most catastrophic vaulting injuries occurred in the neck/spinal area which is something a helmet cannot prevent. I am trying to paraphrase here so I hope I got it right.

That being said the only way to prevent injuries is proper coaching, equipment and the athlete staying in control. I don't know how many HS vaulters I've watch nearly kill themselves simply because they fail to plant well at all and then their coach says absolutely nothing about it.

[thornhillj]

the purpose of the post was to say that vault pits are too expensive.....not to hear your smart alec remarks

[mooski33]

Alright guys, as a proud helmet-wearing vaulter, I am here to put in, as becca put it, my "2 cents worth":

I wear a bright yellow helmet with stickers my boyfriend made for my plastered all over the place, and I do this by choice. It came up in my family when a few deaths were really publisized last season and there were articles all over the place about vault safety. My parents heard about the helmet idea, and told me they were considering it, but they said they would never make me wear one. some quick background on me: I used to play soccer, but got several (enumerated) concussions playing, there for I had to stop and switch to xc..my doctor had already told me that if I wasn't careful, I would be out of every sport, for good. With this in mind, my parents came to the conclusiong that they would like me to wear a helmet. I had no problem with it at all. I laid it down for them, I said that if it bothered my vaulting at all, that helmet would go into storage, but honestly it didn't bother me one bit. Yea it is a little warm when the weather gets nice, but its bearable.
I am a fairly consistant vaulter who lands where I am supposed to, but what if I do go up on a bad vault, and my head hits the standard..I would be thankful for that helmet then. Obviously, that helmet won't save me if break my neck, but its the possibility that it may save me in other incidents that makes me want to wear it. If it doesn't hurt, but could help, then why not wear it?
as for the possibility of me becoming over confident due to my helmet, it is purely based on individuals. I personally have not been effected in that way, I vault the same.
I agree with nearly everyone else in that the best way to decrease the hazards of pole vaulting is to increase the coaching expertise, but that will come with time...honestly, in ten or so years, I hope I'll be near a school that wants to me to help out as a vault coach, and Ibet there are quite a few of you who feel the same! I may not be the best coach ever, but with my pv background, I know the basics, and know I can keep things safe.
And honestly, who wouldn't want to wear a bright yellow helmet? Polevaulters are all about individuality (we pole vault for goodness sakes!), why not add something to make us even more unique? It definitely shouldn't be mandatory, it may effect some peoples vaults, but if it works, why not?
sorry its such a long post, but I've got lots to say. Knowing me I'll think of something else later to, and I may repeat the same things I've said agian later..so keep that in mind! feel free to ask any questions at all! -molly

[vaultovau]

well well, to tell you the truth i would never wear one personaly. but i think that some poeple are better off with them, ive gone to meets where these cats take poles and hold two feet from the top of the pole. even though they are beginers, their coaches should get them to use proper poles. when i was first begining jumping, the first thing my coach tought me, was safety. i learned the proper way to land in the pit, the proper way to come back down onto the runway if i was ever to not make it into the pit. we also did alot of gymnastics which made me like a cat in the air. i owuld always land on my feet and roll out of it if i was landing off the matts. (which didnt happend often) so when it comes to wearing the helmet, i htink its not gonna help me that much, yeah that might sounds cocky, but ill take my chances without one. ive been jumping for 4 years and ive had my share of falls and crashes, but ive always walked away with a bruise or two.
but the choice is all up to the athlete though... yes you might feel safer with one on, but you also have to realize that its not gonna save you from all injuries. its a choice that youll have to make, if you feel better with the helmet then use it. but i dont think that it sould be made a rule so you HAVE to use them... safety is always first, and if you feel off balance during the run or after take off, then you should prolly think twice about finishing that jump. ive bailed on a few jumps myself cause i didnt feel comfortable and im sure that it saved me from a few injuries....
but dont let that helmet be a false sense of security, it MIGHT save you from head injuries, but its not gonna be much help from breaking anything else...

[vaultovau]

oh yeah and mooski what exactly are you doing in that pic of urs?

[rainbowgirl28]

oh yeah and mooski what exactly are you doing in that pic of urs?

That's Molly starting her aggressive run