NFHS Updates

[Russ]

Yes, when I read this rule about etchings the first thing that I thought about was the consequences for all of the older Altius poles!

I would really like a clarification from the NFHS. Did they really mean to make all of the old Altius poles illegal with one stroke of the pen? If not and if the old Altius weight-label-etchings are legal, would the NFHS be willing to issue a clarification that states that the rule only applies to " code etching for the manufacturer" but not to etchings used by the Altius corporation for purposes of weight labeling?

If no one else will do it, I'll call Becky Oakes at the NFHS and try to get to the bottom of this.

Or in the alternative, will the Altius company mail us weight labels for all of our old inventory & designate a distance from the top (4 inches, perhaps?) where we can place it?

If the rule outlaws all of the Altius that we've been using for years it would just be awful! It would border on criminal in my mind. Why would all of my perfectly good Altius poles suddenly become obsolete with one extraordinary, arbitrary rule change?

[ashcraftpv]

Do we know who the people are that are making these recommendations for the rule changes and those that are approving them?

It seems to me that if they have to change a rule back the year following a change, that the people involved either aren't knowledgeable enough about the event or are just not having enough open discussion about it.

As a high school coach, i'd like to know who's making the rules...

[Russ]

Funny you should ask. As far as I know there is a committee from around the country. I know that this year they asked for input from Brian Carrel at Gill. I spoke with both Brian & Jan at some length about making a rule to provide extra time in a situation where a single vaulter (say at the end of a 5-alive rotation) gets left alone being the only one at the height. In that situation, technically speaking s/he only has 90 seconds to jump. That's a dangerous situation I think. The NCAA and USATF rules give a vaulter in that situation 3 minutes. We (Jan & Brian & I) proposed that as a rule change. But when the changes were announced, that one (which I believe made sense!) wasn't there!

So I'm not sure to whom they are listening if they are not listening to one of the world's leading equipment manufacturers and the National Safety Director. Pretty puzzling, eh?

I see that next year the pole vault is on the list of rules for "emphasis." A couple of years ago I tried to put together an ad hoc committe to propose some rule changes, but I dropped the ball, getting busy with other projects.

I don't know whether they'll listen to me (a lawyer/law professor/pole vault coach, for God's sake), but I'd like to contact Becky Oakes & see if they'll allow me to participate in their meetings and deliberations next year. Heck, I'll pay my own way to Indianapolis if they be willing to listen.

Maybe folks on this forum would like to start thinking about proposals. I can compile them and start making inquiries with Ms. Oakes.

[Vaultref]

Russ,
for the past three years now I have through my state interpretor filed the proper paper work to the NF to implement a "consecutive jump" rule which would allow for additional time by the vaulter or high jumper.
Just like in all the other rule codes.
That's the proper way to get the NFHS to consider a change, as it must include exactly the changed areas and a rationale. I even wrote a casebook situation.

One of those years, that submission made the "survey" where people get to vote in favor or not in favor.

It did not make the survey this year and again was apparently shot down in committee if it even made it that far.

Might want to ask Ms Oates about that one if you do make contact. It's a good fair rule that's easy to administer.

It's going in again next year.

[rainbowgirl28]

Altius started putting traditional weight labels on their poles within the past few years, so any new Altius poles would not be a problem.

It's the same rule that made all old Spirits illegal (they didn't have weight labels either) a few years ago.

I love everyone at Gill, but I think the NFHS listening to one manufacturer is unwise. It would be like if they were listening to a different company who told them to ban all poles that were not engraved (banning Gill poles) or told them to ban poles that were not engraved on top (banning ESSX poles).

The rules need to be written in a way that does not ban thousands of perfectly legal and safe poles out there.

The truth is, the only company who would ever say the following:

Most poles have an etching on the pole which is a code to the manufacturer. This code most frequently does not correspond to the proper weight rating for the pole. The rating appearing as the mark in contrasting color is established by the manufacturer is clearly visible and serves only this purpose. The requirement is for purposes of risk minimization and should be adhered to strictly.

is Gill because they are referring to their bar codes under the fiberglass. I don't think any other manufacturer would argue that their engravings are hard to interpret, especially when it comes to the weight rating of the pole.



I don't fault Gill in any of this, I fault the NFHS for not doing research on what other products are being used in the market.

[Tim McMichael]

Ooops. Now I have a problem. Jack is jumping on a set of poles beginning at 16.0 flex and ending at 14.5. I guess they made these without high school rules in mind. They only have the engravings at the top of the pole.

[Tim McMichael]

I know I will get utterly slammed for this, but what about the ultimate rule change of all. Stiff pole only in high school. I would be for it if it meant the difference between keeping and losing the event.

[powerplant42]

It might cause even more problems... but it would ultimately be safer, and it would teach people the RIGHT way to jump.

[AVC Coach]

I know I will get utterly slammed for this, but what about the ultimate rule change of all. Stiff pole only in high school. I would be for it if it meant the difference between keeping and losing the event.

That would go over like a poot in Sunday school! Every pole manufacturer would lose a ton of money since every high school would really only need one pole and could sell their stockpiles to schools without poles.

True, it is the best way to learn to vault correctly and stiff poling should be a part of every young vaulter's training..........on a regular basis.

[Tim McMichael]

I know I will get utterly slammed for this, but what about the ultimate rule change of all. Stiff pole only in high school. I would be for it if it meant the difference between keeping and losing the event.

That would go over like a poot in Sunday school! Every pole manufacturer would lose a ton of money since every high school would really only need one pole and could sell their stockpiles to schools without poles.

True, it is the best way to learn to vault correctly and stiff poling should be a part of every young vaulter's training..........on a regular basis.

Expense is one of the reasons athletic directors are so quick to drop the vault. They cite safety, but their minds are on the budget and buying that new sound system for the football weight room. If it came to the prospect of the complete loss of the event, the pole makers would come on board. Something is far better than nothing.

[rainbowgirl28]

Expense is one of the reasons athletic directors are so quick to drop the vault. They cite safety, but their minds are on the budget and buying that new sound system for the football weight room. If it came to the prospect of the complete loss of the event, the pole makers would come on board. Something is far better than nothing.

Losing the pole vault will not be a big sudden dramatic move. It happens year by year when a school drops the event, a League drops the event, a district drops the event. All of a sudden a State (Utah currently, for example, or Iowa in the past) sees there are very few schools/League/Districts within the State that support the event and they begin to reconsider.

[Bruce Caldwell]

We all need to work together meaning the NFHS and the manufacturers, as well as the vaulting community.
I have made myself available for consultation to the NFHS on many occasions for FREE as I am sure the other manufactures have too! I would hope that they have learned that making rules without consultation is dangerous to the athletes as well as the industry.
There is a specific reason as to why we engrave the pole on the butt side and apply a label to the top side.
Safety is our prime reason.
Some vaulters pull their pole out of the bag butt first, with an engraving at the butt which is also the thickest part of the pole, a vaulter will easily see his or her size pole she is selecting.
And others pick up the pole from a stack and see the top of the pole first where the ring is located and can easily determine what size pole they are on.
Two years ago we added an ESSX logo to our ring band to remedy those who Choose to alter the band size.
Now the serial number of the pole is embedded in the pole and the ring includes the serial number to insure authenticity for the weight of that very pole. The flex number is also on the 1"tall ring band with a warning not to hold above the band!
Our ring band is located exactly a measurement from the top of the short side of the sail up the pole a distance base on the length, so this label may be located visually different on each pole but is in actuality more accurately placed than other poles.
In addition we have a smart label on top of the 1 inch ring that tells the vaulter this pole's ESSX (X-flex) number its (G-flex) number, its (S-flex) number and its (A-flex) number! I am sure those who can read between the lines here can figure this out without me imposing on trade names! We also have a (GO Up to pole #) that tells the vaulter and the coach which pole is the next one if moving up in length and on a bad weather day or practice day the (go down to pole #) size equal to this very pole.
We also engineer our poles to the exact specification to insure the soft side and the pre-bend are lined up.
You may wish to read how our poles are made at http://www.officialessx.com
Vaulting is fun we want Johnny and Mary to jump higher that is our #1 goal.
Making rules or suggesting rules that do not encompass all poles out there is not how to make the event safe or to protect the event from extinction!
We are in the business to build the event to make it safer, affordable, and fun!!
And I am sure you the reader are for the same objective!

Bruce Caldwell
ESSX