Altius at Saugatuck in late July

[altius]

I am posting this extensive bio because ‘grandevaulter’ - George Sipes -has taken a BIG chance – even a risk- and invited me to conduct a clinic with him at Saugatuck, MIch. the week of July 21 -25. I say ‘taken a chance’ because it is clear that there is little interest from other coaches and athletes in Michigan who may not know of my background so the turn out may not meet his hopes. However there is one coach in Michigan, Jordan McClellan, who flew to the clinic I was involved with in Minneapolis last year, who may be able to provide a reference for the quality of my work.

I note that many folk advertising clinics place great emphasis on their personal vault performance. I don’t simply because my pr in the vault is 8’!!” in the one session I did at Loughborough College in 1957.
However I take great comfort from the philosophy of Arrigo Sachii a very successful Italian soccer coach who had never played professionally. In response to the continual criticism he faced on that count – despite his success in winning two European Championships with Milan - he observed, “You do not have to have been a horse to become a jockey.”

However I began teaching the vault in 1958 – one of my students in 1964 was Steve Chappell, presently CEO of UCS Spirit - and I have been teaching and coaching the vault on three continents since then! More importantly I have studied with many of the great coaches of the world –Anje Krysynski coach of Olympic Champions Slusarski and Kosakeiwicz, Alex Parnov coach, of world champion Dimitri Markov and World and Olympic Champion Steve Hooker, Dr. Jean Claude Perin, coach of Olympic champion Quinon and course Vitaly Petrov who most readers would know of. He has visited Australia three times at my request and on one occasion in 1999 he spent three weeks with us. In addition I have attended the Reno summit on numerous occasions and have twice been a keynote speaker. And of course some of you will know of my ongoing friendship with Roman Bothcarnikov –an outstanding authority on the vault in the USA .

Over the past ten years I have been working at vault clinics along with some of the USA’s best coaches and am presently assisting Rick Baggett, one of the most successful coaches on the West Coast.

However of even greater importance, I have had immense success teaching and coaching the pole vault in the track and field backwater of Adelaide, South Australia. The list in BTB2 of some of the boys I coached between 1986 and 2000 - begins with Keiron Modra who, although legally blind, jumped 14’9, and ends with Patrick Jesser at 17’9”, while the girls go from 10’10 to 13’10 in the period 1996 to 2003. Not earth shattering but in the context of Adelaide pretty good. Three of these athletes went to the world youth -Under 18 -champs and seven to world junior - under 20 - championships. Naturally I have coached dozens of other young athletes from beginner to the lower level but stopped my list at a point that I thought would make sense to US coaches. Note that all but three of these athletes, two boys and one girl, first touched a pole under my direction – they were not ‘inherited’ from other coaches.

While my focus had always been on helping young athletes, I was fortunate enough to work with Victor Chystiakov - 5th in Sydney - and Tatiana Grigorieva – silver medal in Sydney -as a technical adviser for a period – and saw them progress to 5.95 and 4.50 – before realizing that they needed a better coach than I was and sent them to work with Petrov in Italy.

Then of course I have attempted to present my approach to teaching and coaching the vault in the two ‘Beginner to Bubka’ books and accompanying DVDs. Writing a book is a great experience for clarifying ones thoughts – almost a PHD!!

After retiring from coaching in 2003 I returned in November 2012 at the request of the coaches in Adelaide, to become a mentor. Since we all know it is possible to make outrageous claims on the internet I would submit the following evidence of my recent work.

Anyone going to the World Juniors in Eugene with see the impact of that work if they watch Kurtis Marschall jump, for his technical model represents what we are aiming for in Adelaide. At just 17 – with a pr of 16’7” - he is unlikely to make the final unless he jumps out of his skin, but he will gain great experience for the next junior championships in 2016. He has improved from 13’3” in December 2012 to 16’7”, in sixteen months. His great friend and competitor, Declan Carruthers,has improved from 12’4” to 15’10” in the same period.

Finally I refer readers to the link to the film I have posted in the beginners section showing the 12 year old girl who I began teaching to vault in late November 2013, who after between 30 and 40 sessions basically only training twice a week - jumped 3.00m/9’9” at our National Under 14 champs. So far this post has only received two comments – and one of those was from my good friend pvstudent! Perhaps she is not as good technically as I think she is!

I just hope a few more folk will help support George with this clinic – enthusiasm should always be rewarded. I would love to see you there –you might just learn something that will make your coaching easier and more successful.

[grandevaulter]

West Michigan welcomes Alan Launder!! Registration is now open at Michiana timing. Here's the link. Hope to see you there. http://michianatiming.com/saugatuck-pol ... n-launder/

Saugatuck is about two hours from Chicago, Three hours from Detroit.

[grandevaulter]

I once read an article about track coaches. In this article it said that even a monkey with a stop watch has a chance of success, by chance alone. I think the same holds true for the pole vault. Are you, or is your coach a monkey with a pole vault pit? Don't be a monkey with a pole vault pit!!

Come to our Clinic with Alan Launder. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saugatuc ... 2918971207

[grandevaulter]

I recently found this piece from a regular old High School coach (a guy that I bumped into at the year prior state meet) that had this years Mhsaa D-4 boy State Champion (and new state meet record) and girl runner up. https://www.facebook.com/notes/phil-eic ... 2082134068

The other thing that I found out is that there are more coaches around the State Meet that use BTB2 than I imagined. Yes, regular old high school coaches, being bound by interscholastic rules, picky school administrators and only one pole vault pit can produce State Champions. The picture becomes clearer.

[altius]

Sure that you will all be pleased to learn that Kurtiss Marschall (17), our latest young vaulter to make it to international level, jumped a PR of 5.10/16'9" at a warm up meet in Canada for the World Juniors.

[rainbowgirl28]

Best of luck in the upcoming clinic!

[altius]

Well the clinics in Helena and Billings went well but you would have to get confirmation of that from Bill Hurford and Scott Palin on that!

But the cross country odyssey in the Camaro came to an end just outside fargo ND when the car decided that it needed a service very badly. Rather than risk it by driving it on to Minneapolis we took it back to the air port and had to trade down to an Altima. Good job we did because we got stuck in jams in Minneapolis and it would probably have blown up.

Still we did over 3000 miles in the Camaro through some great country - Northern Oregon, Eastern Washington, North Western Idaho and into Montana - great driving at 80 most of the way in those states - except where the interstate is falling apart - but North Dakota and Northern Minnesota leave a lot be be desired for a tourist!!

Today through sunday a clinic here with Phil Ericson and then on to Saugatuck with George Sipes - hope he has some folk there to work with. Then off to the UK and Europe for a few weeks

[Flyin' Bears]

Glad you made it to Minneapolis, Alan! I was so grateful to have you put on a clinic here in Billings, MT. I have owned the book for years. It is my "Pole Vaulting Bible". Even though I have read the book several times the clinic connected a few of the dots. Montana will have better coaches and greater heights, because you drove your Camaro through and stopped by to give us some things to think about.

Attention Coaches: All of the athletes will gain from this clinic, but if you are a coach you should make every effort to be there. (I had 5 athletes) It was interesting to see what Alan said to and about each of my jumpers. The book, DVD and clinic will effect what the Flyin' Bears for years to come.

Thanks again Alan. You efforts in Montana will make us all better!

[KirkB]

... North Dakota and Northern Minnesota leave a lot be be desired for a tourist!!

What do you mean no tourist attractions? Didn't you see all the Wall Drug signs? And didn't you get your free cup of ice water?

Kirk

[RMA]

The Camp in Helena, Montana was Amazing. Even our street vault was good with a record of 51 athletes from age 56 down to 11. There were many new Personal Bests. Rocky Mountain Athletics was extremely lucky to of had Alan Launder for 5 days to coach and help with the athletes. The Athletes were open to learning and wanting to improve and understood that change is hard, especially in the middle of a competitive season. My athletes strive to be successful and have a new drive showing through hard work and new motivation because of Alan. The Petrov Model is the way. I learned from Alan how to become a better coach. I am lucky to have Alan as a mentor and a friend. If I become half of the coach Alan is I will feel successful in my life. I am lucky to have been part of two of Alan's camps and to have had him at one of my camps. To Alan thank you for Changing Daniel's out look on this sport. The confidence he has now is a great thing.

Thank you!

[grandevaulter]

There will be 15-20 vaulters. The Michigan D-4 State champion and record holder will be here and 4 coaches signed up. We have room for more, so come over and sign up on site. Saugatuck High School. We start at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday evening with an informal competition. 9:00 to 5:00 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Approach drills, plant drills, high bar work and film sessions. Alan will explain the key elements of the Petrov/Bubka technical model and how they can be exploited by young athletes through certain drills and simple instructions. He is dynamic, a must see in person.

[RPVA03]

I just had Alan in Minneapolis MN for a clinic this last weekend. Both athletes and coaches LOVED it! It was the best clinic I have ever seen. Alan is easily the most knowledgeable coach and best teacher of pole vault and coaching pole vault in the world. If you are at all serious about your vaulting or coaching you MUST be at this Saugatuck clinic. It will likely be your last chance to learn from this great man.