Article on Kid Without Pits (NY)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/toda ... 04s4.shtml

Pole vaulter Rosado overcomes adversity


By Joe Jenkins
For the Poughkeepsie Journal

Pole vaulter Roy Rosado attends track and field practice every day, but rarely gets off the ground.

And despite his ability to get quality hours of practice time in, Rosado, a sophomore at Roy C. Ketcham High School in Wappingers Falls, has earned a reputation as one of the top pole vaulters in the area this season.

Rosado is no longer allowed to practice on the mats at Ketcham. They have been deemed unsafe. Money for new pole vaulting equipment was not in the Wappingers School District athletic budget for this year.

''Normally, when a new mandate is handed down, we have two years to comply,'' Wappingers athletic director Jennifer Simmons said. ''But this one went into effect immediately which meant there was no room in the budget for it.''

Simmons went on to say that the district hopes to upgrade the pits, but expenditures will be large.

''Ketcham will require totally new pits,'' she said. ''that will cost the district about $10,000.''

Rosado has been forced to travel to Arlington High School once a week in order to spend any time in the air.

''There's always that down feeling because we don't have the right equipment,'' Rosado said of going to practice at a rival school. ''I'm stuck doing pole plants and pole runs.''

According to the USA Track pole vault glossary, there are eight phases involved in a vault. Doing pole plants and pole runs only gets Rosado through the first three which are the grip and carry, the approach and the plant.

The final five phases which include the takeoff, the follow through, the swing-up, the invert through release and the clearance, all take place while in the air. These cannot be done at Ketcham.

''It's pretty tough,'' Rosado said. ''You really can't get the experience or the feel if you aren't in the air.''

Works out at Arlington

Rosado then has to try to pack all of that feel and experience into just two short hours a week in the Arlington gym.

''There are times when we show up late because we have to figure out transportation to Arlington,'' Rosado said. ''Then it's pretty much like a meet. I wait in line and get about 10 jumps in.''

Rosado started to participate in track in eighth grade while still living in Beacon. Christina Rosado-Cappello, Rosado's mother, recalls when the pole vaulting craze began.

''It started in Beacon and none of the other kids wanted to do it,'' she said. ''He hit eight feet right off the bat and everyone knew he was a natural.''

In the two years since, Rosado has managed to raise his personal best to 13 feet.

The top vaulter in Section One is Hendrick Hudson senior Brian Zubradt, who has cleared 14 feet.

Rosado gives much of the credit for his growth to his volunteer coach, Norm Cyprus.

''He helps me out a lot,'' Rosado said of Cyprus. ''Without him I wouldn't be anywhere close to 13 feet.''

Cyprus believes that Rosado's potential as a vaulter is limitless.

''It's important to remember that he is only a sophomore,'' Cyprus said. ''But I really do expect big things out of him.''

Thirteen feet is not only Rosado's personal best, but it looks to be the magic number for him this Friday at the Section One Class A meet being held at West Point.

If Rosado can match his personal best, and finish in the top three at the meet, he will qualify for the New York state qualifier at West Point on Feb. 29.

Not bad for a kid who isn't even using the right equipment. Along with outdated mats, Rosado isn't even using the right pole.

''As you get better, you start to use a stronger pole,'' Cyprus said. ''But the school doesn't buy the poles. It's like coaching with my hands tied.''

Rosado is currently using a pole that he purchased, but has out-grown. Cyprus has been trying to lend him some of his poles to work with, but the limited practice time makes it difficult.

Even with his accomplishments, Rosado remains just as grounded as his practices at Ketcham.

''If I had more time, I would have a lot more experience,'' Rosado said. ''I still have some flaws in my technique I need to work out.''

[achtungpv]

It irks me whenever an AD complains about the 10K price tag for pits. Do a little research, there are plenty of quality pits available for a lot less. The absolute best pit made in the US, IMHO, is from Elite Athletics would only run around 5K for the HS minimum size.

http://www.eliteathletics.virtual-space.com/polevault.html

I'm in no way affiliated with them, but I know quality when I see it. He's also been known to cut great deals for people as long as you don't act like an a$$.

[Bruce Caldwell]

YES SAME HERE TOO

Mark a 17'4" vaulter at Elite makes a great PV system.
We can sell a pit larger than the rules for less tha $6995.00 with a few whistles the others do not have in their system? Like school logos etc.

I bet that coach pays full list for everything???
Some schools are businesses and some are not I guess!!!

[Skyin' Brian]

yeah, pits are expensive, but when you look at the cost of some things, they arent that bad. the cost of the entire track surface for example.

[lonestar]

It irks me whenever an AD complains about the 10K price tag for pits. Do a little research, there are plenty of quality pits available for a lot less. The absolute best pit made in the US, IMHO, is from Elite Athletics would only run around 5K for the HS minimum size.

http://www.eliteathletics.virtual-space.com/polevault.html

I'm in no way affiliated with them, but I know quality when I see it. He's also been known to cut great deals for people as long as you don't act like an a$$.

I absolutely agree with achtung here. I've had an Elite pit in my back yard for 2 years now, enduring the brutal Texas sun in the summer, violent wind and rain in the winter, and has probably had a million something jumps on it (averages between 500-1000 jumps per day year-round), and it is still in excellent condition. No tears in the weather cover, no broken handles or dee rings, and the foam hasn't gotten dusty like so many pits do. Great prices also. Marc Hintz, the owner of Elite, is a terrific guy and will work with you on whatever you need. Give him a call at 800-343-8460.

[achtungpv]

Seriously, give me 10K and I'll get an Elite pit ($5000), the most durable standards out there (catapole $1100), have smokinvaulter1 build me a board runway for $1000, and get a series of 15 Altius poles for under $2900 and I'll still have enough left over for a case of Bass and a bottle of Tito's Handmade Vodka. Now, that's living.