I started jumping in 7th grade after I was eliminated from the 4 x 400 Relay in a time trial. In 8th grade I jumped 10' 6". After graduating from college I came back and started coaching in my home town to find out they dropped the event in the middle schools. It has made it very hard recruiting vaulters who don't even know what I'm talking about.
Anyway, we have made it work with 5 jumpers going 16' or higher in the last 10 years!
My son started jumping very early. He jumped 5' 6" as a 5-year-old, 6' 6" when he was 6, and 7' when he was 7! He then found soccer, basketball, and other sports his friends were doing. He came back to the event this summer and has gone 13' 0" indoors as an 8th grader. His middle school doesn't have track & field
so we will have to keep doing club for now. Good luck to all vaulters this spring (if spring ever comes in Indiana. 6-8" of snow tomorrow)
I would much rather work with 100% heart and 75% talent than 100% talent and 75% heart!