National Pole Vault Safety Certification

[lonpvh]

Sorry Dean, I have to still disagree with you. A certificate doesn't make you an expert. If you want that level of professionalism in the pole vault, then your gonna have to get the people that have devoted there lives to it, gone to school for it, and spent countless years studying it. Your just giving permission for the average joe to call themselves and expert. Is this certification a good step?? Of course, I just personally thing it will have to be a WHOLE lot more involved. Lets put limitations on who can actually take the test. LON

[dstarkey]

What exactly do you disagree with? We don't state anywhere that you are an expert if you are certified. We are certifying that someone has taken the time to read the materials and understand some basic concepts in saftey and beginning progressions.

Unfortunately our sport does not have an abundance of people who devoted their lives to pole vaulting. This program is designed to take a coach that has no knowledge of pole vaulting and gives them some tools so that they can coach safely and effectively. There are many good coaches out there who do not necessarily need to be certified but will for the sake of the sport. There is no way to determine who is a good coach and who is not.

I agree with you that we need to get a whole lot more involved. We have many plans for making this process better but we needed a starting point. This is not just a Dean and Jan project. It is a collaboration of a cross section of the pole vault community. We want EVERYONE involved.

If you have any ideas of your own let me know.

Dean

[lonpvh]

Like I said, I don't think its a bad thing and I'm glad to hear that this is a start, and lord knows if it saves one person its a success. I'm just scared of the people who say, well I took the certification and thats all I need. I would in a perfect world prefer all to be coached by someone who is highly qualified, and maybe we shouldn't sell ourselves short of that. I do agree that something is better than nothing and even the best most knowledgable coach can make a mistake or two. How many people did you guys involve in the process. I would feel better if it was a concensus agreed test. Well, that enough. Late, LB

[RamVault09]

Greetings.....

Well, I think that this certification process is a good thing, However, a question has popped into my head that might be worth examining.....

.....of the thousands of high schools in the United States, there is usually some admirable coaches that take on the challenge and responsibility of persuing some knowledge about the vault in order to provide the athletes in his area a fighting chance at the sport.

Then, you have the coaches that will take over the vault, in his high school, simply because no one else will. Babysiters so to speak. I believe this to be true in alot of high schools across the country. No one knows enough about the sport to coach it! This is where the Certification comes into play and is a good thing, and necessary no doubt.

BUT, do you really think every high school coach will put forth the time, effort, and the necessary finances in hopes to supports an event they, in the first place, didn't even care that much about??? They're just overseeing the vault for the sake of someone overseeing it, not because they "want", or are "willing" to be involved.

As for my question.......Might we see a decline in the participation of pole vaulting????

I think there will be a lot of coaches that will just plainly say "nah". Hundreds of student athletes will be left without an opportunity to persue a sport in which they believe they have a fighting chance. What will we say to that?

Who knows? I could be as far off as my take off step!

Just my OPINION. Thanks.

~~ Pleasant Planting ~~

[rainbowgirl28]

Someone had to finally make the commitment to do someting like this but who has the time or money to spend? This is one of the reasons it has taken so long to get sometihing like this going. This was no easy task.

How many of the USATF PV Development staff did you guys ask for help? There are about 9 regions and I don't see any of the regional chairmen or coaches on the certification advisory board.

Regional Safety Certifications- We know there has been some work done
regionally on safety certification. However, this country needs an
nationally accepted program that has the ability to educate ALL coaches, in the basics of pole vaulting the same way. We cannot rely on individual regions, or clincs to do this on there own because their is no assurance that the curriculum taught at these events will be adaquate. Our plan is to build a nationawide network of coaching clinics and camps that help coaches and vaulters pass a national certification test. It is our hope that this will help reduce accidents and liability. We feel we can do this by offering a generic program that educates and tests vaulters and coaches the following areas:
1. HS rules
2. Safety
3. Basic skills progressions
4. Pole Vault Energy equation and landing in the PLZ

Have you personally reviewed the material being taught in WA? Those clinics offer something an online course never will: hands-on learning. Any coach from the NW can assure you that the material taught in the clinics, or any of Tim Reilly's camps, goes beyond adequate!

[natdog]

I think we have allready lost hundreds of high school vaulters, because many schools will not be able to afford a new pole vault pit that meets the new minimum size regulations. Not that I think it was a bad idea. It should have been done years ago. Educating the novice coach is probably alot better and cheaper.

[zack]

To add something to Becca's post Tim Reilly has worked hard to get the WA State certification process started and you can read his coaching philosophy at http://www.nwpolevault.com/pages/safety.html.

[wacky274]

I do agree that we will, and probably have lost lots of vaulters, and i just wanted to comment on how unfortunate it is. I feel that something to improve coaches knowledge of the sport shoudl have been done before the pits should have to have been changed. Just my thoughts.

[gpc3]

We have to start somewhere. I'm sure Jan has only the best intentions and a) it's going to evolve, and
b) no one is making any coin on this
I agree that this certification could actually be dangerous by makingsomeone feel that he's (she's) qualified to teach PV safely, when he really doesn't have the background. I've been coaching for 10 years now and I'm still on a steep learning curve - which is the REAL problem. No one can ever know enough, so we might as well get started on the ground floor and do SOMETHING. I'll end up sending in my $40, but I'm in the choir already and as much as I need it, 90% need it more (aren't I special?) and won't get it. Let's get on board with this and see where it goes. Maybe something else will come up and supercede this, but we are not there yet. The WA cert sounds interesting.
I DO agree on the $20 EVERY year thing. That's too much. Perhaps 3 years for $20 or $10 a year.
We should be desparately seeking solutions (like this attempts) or the event really will go away. So unless you got something better, please support those who are trying. I'm stuck in a PV vacuum in Jacksonville, FL and can use all the help I can get.

[capitalizing?]

ok lets think about this pole vault certification board. As of 2002, there are over 15,000 high schools in America who field a track and field team. Now lets imagine a MANDATED certification for saftey in the pole vault. Jan and his crew have a great idea, and couldn’t have been more timely, given the recent deaths. With many schools in America thinking about dropping the event in light of the safety issues, the idea of a nationwide safety certification is great. BUT where does the money go? Hmm NOT to the State associations. NOT to the usatf. I bet less than a third of it would actually go back to the sport. Add onto that the renewals each year at a proposed $20. $40 IS asking a lot from the average high school coach. Not to mention the sport is the most expensive event in track and field, with poles costing over $200 and pitts being one of the most expensive pieces of equipment.

I feel this board is a sort of attempt to capitalize on the recent tragedies, and the intensified national concern for the safety of the event.

[rainbowgirl28]

I feel this board is a sort of attempt to capitalize on the recent tragedies, and the intensified national concern for the safety of the event.

I don't think they are at all. I just think perhaps they overestimated the amount of money they will need to collect from each coach in order to make it happen.

[Decamouse]

It is pretty hard to project how much money it could - might - maybe - and throw out conjecture about capitilizing - how do we know that the plan is that if capital is available - we end up with a web site with listing of coaching creditials, latest cert. - possible advanced levels - like USATF Coaching Levels - This could develop into an amazing tool and resource, could fizzle - but I have seen the HS coaches with absolutely no knowledge of the event - even if it is a place to get started it has some merit - I personnelly have been coaching awhile but am still open to new ideas - what works - how to explain things differently - lets not forget Jan dand his group does have WR and Olympic medals to their resume as well.