40% of the top 20 ranked vaulters do not make National

[hiphipjorge]

Although not a big fan of the regional meet system because its tendency to leave home athletes that should make the meet, it does show fitness prior to the big event. Some would say it makes it honest at the end of the season.

[Vaultref]

Although not a big fan of the regional meet system because its tendency to leave home athletes that should make the meet, it does show fitness prior to the big event. Some would say it makes it honest at the end of the season.

That's the way I look at it too.. Just because someone blasts some huge height in his/her first meet of the year and from then on, a downhill spiral doesn't make him/her better than someone show starts off slow and improves every meet. That person has a better shot in the regionals and should deserve to continue on to the nationals if he/her meets the qualifying standard.
just my 50cents worth on this.

[rainbowgirl28]

I think in general the concept of regionals is pretty fair. I like the idea of an athlete having to show fitness and I wouldn't want someone to automatically get in if they had a fishy mark and weren't close to it all year.

However, I think from a fan/media perspective, it hurts the sport when the top athletes fail to qualify to Nationals. Any pole vault fan who would have wanted to watch NCAAs would have been dying to watch Andrew Irwin. Selling tickets and having better storylines for TV is not a bad thing either.

I wouldn't want to see it go back to a top 16 list, I do think that the weather conditions, etc, are too uneven across the country, and you do want the athletes who are ready to jump high now. But I like having a few spots go to the season list to make sure the biggest names get in. If one or two slip in who don't really deserve it, that's not the end of the world. In recent years, the last few qualifiers from the weakest region have almost always been way outclassed when they got there anyway.

[hallvaulter]

This topic comes up every year. As much as everyone hates the system, it not like someone is trying to trick the athletes. The system may suck, the meet may be a marathon, it takes forever, but entering the meet, no one is confused about what they have to do to qualify. Out of 48 people in your specific region, you have to out jump 36 guys to take a spot. That is clear.

[fieldcoachrjl]

I had an athlete last year that was in that top 40% last year. It's not a good feeling but, I certainly respect the process and agree with it. I am probably in the minority based on responses here. I have also coached athletes who thrived on head to head competition, they never walked into the meet in the top 10, or even the top 15, and yet they found a way to score.
It seems like we (the track and field world) are afraid of head to head competition. You read about it all the time, top level athletes go out of their way to avoid racing each other at meets. I understand most of those reasons are driven by money, sponsorship, etc at the pro level.
I like VaultPurple's comparison to the NCAA Basketball tourney. You have to show up and play or you go home. Duke was defending national champions, they had to earn their way into the tournament. They didn't get a "bye". This year they ran into Lehigh in the first round and bowed out. That made for a great storyline and IMO, that is what college athletics is all about. Does that make Duke a bad team? No, they just didn't have a good day. I don't think anyone will argue that Lehigh was a better overall team, but they were on that day.
Look at the pinnacle of our sport, the Olympics. Do the best vaulters in the world get an auto pass to the finals? No, they have to make it out of the prelims. Well, we just had our prelims and there were some upsets. It's sport, it happens.
I'm not knocking anyone out there who didn't get through. I have been on both sides, athletes knocked out who should have made it based on rank, and athletes who shouldn't have made it that did and went on to AA honors. Good luck to everyone next week.

[zipsDIGSpv]

My sentiments exactly fieldcoachrjl! Well said!

[Bubba PV]

The best US athlete may not even make the Olympic team. You have to be at your best that day. There are many arguments for and against but the Olympic Games don't discriminate - today is your day to shine or not. So why wouldn’t the Trials be that way; or NCAA? Someone big always slips down and someone barely known always comes up big. That’s a very exciting prospect.

In 1975 I was the 10th ranked NAIA vaulter at the start of the meet and I won Nationals. In 1976 I had the 6th highest mark going in and won again. Neither time did I expect anything but to do my best. Fortunately the next year my buddy Billy Olson took over and I had graduated. ;-)

Andrew Irwin is a freshman and superstar already. I’m guessing this little “setback” is going to drive him to a place he may not have thought possible very soon. I’m expecting massive things for that kid. So sorry about today but I’m very excited about your tomorrow. So Andrew - go make the Olympic team!! Stranger things have happened and he has the A standard. My 2 cents. Bubba

[dj]

hye

Bubba I think your statement is the bottom line and is correct….

Everyone has the opportunity to step up and make the team… the way track has always been…

Although I don't like the current system, long drawn out meet, no "fan" base and condition that could change rather quickly (the 100 was determined by 1.0 wind and another heat with 3.0) the opportunity is the same for everyone. They do need to set the bar the same and let the vaulters "jump out" and continue to jump for max height/PR's..

dj

[stangarstokkvari]

Although I don't like the current system, long drawn out meet, no "fan" base and condition that could change rather quickly (the 100 was determined by 1.0 wind and another heat with 3.0) the opportunity is the same for everyone. They do need to set the bar the same and let the vaulters "jump out" and continue to jump for max height/PR's..

As a vaulter who was towards the top of the national list, regionals was always a waste of a meet for me (other than it qualified for nationals) and very hard to get motivated for! Going along with what dj said, for pole vaulting you leave Wednesday with the rest of the team and waste half a week just waiting to jump one time on Saturday (not like the other events who have multiple heats/trials) in front of nobody, since no one other than the athletes and some parents show up.

I think they should just do a descending order list like indoors or cut the field at regionals in half and let people jump to completion.

When I competed I would usually enter the competition no lower than 5.20, so at regionals I would warm up (more like take 1 jump on the runway and call it, since it took 15 minutes to get through the line in warmups) knowing i had to sit and wait for 2 hours until the bar got to my opening height, take one or two jumps (not being able to finish) and call it a day. Last time I went to a regional meet i did exactly that, I showed up, took 1 warm-up jump and 1 jump in competition and the meet was over. WHAT A WASTE, i could have thought of a lot better things to do during that time to prepare me for nationals. How do they expect the top tier of jumpers to get motivated for that? If they want to keep the regional system similar to the way it is then they should take top 10 from each region then have 4 at large (highest seasonal marks) like they did at the beginning or my career.

[dj]

thanks stangarstokkvari

you finally said it from the right perspective, the athlete

it does not prepare you for nationals and can actually put you in the wrong mind set....

too much can change in the hours that it takes for the best vaulters to just get one jump in.......

wind, temperature and even shadow/shade… can change anything that was set up hours before.

If you "run through" is a little off you don't get another one… and with the pole and grip having to be matched with the 'conditions' it's a 50/50 at best.

Only the "smartest and experienced" have a chance to beat the odds.

dj

[carryabigstick]

4 of top 5 came from West

But.....

4 of top 8 from East, 7 of top 12 East,

Good national distribution there