How important are team points..........to you?

[Lord of the Poles]

In High School I cared about the points, I loved my teammates and wanted them to excel, we were district champions many many times during my class's time there. I wanted to PR bad, yes, but I still wanted to place as high as I could so I could be a decent contributer to the team.

In College, I only care about myself and the other vaulters. All I want to do is to do well and get the great PRs that I want. If I happened to score a point or two for the team: GREAT! but it didn't devastate me when I don't place. It only devastated me when I did bad vaulting.

[souleman]

The main reason I brought it up was more supportive than adversarial. I've read where a number of the contributors are not happy or maybe appologetic about their PR's. Take a look at the site. We have 8 foot jumpers and 19' plus jumpers on this site. It can get a little disheartening for the 8 footer I'm sure. But the silver lining is, if that 8 feet gets the points necessary for your team to place or win a meet, you've done your job and your team places or wins because of you. Doesn't mean you stop trying to improve, but instead be happy with what you are doing. I remember back in High School ( Oh God, the ol' guy is going to tell a story) anyway, I wasn't really taking "the team part" very seriously. I had senioritis pretty bad. One of the sprinters made the recomendation that I get my head out of my *ss and start contributing. This was 34 years ago but I can remember is words, he said, "c'mon Souley, you gotta knock that sh*t off. Your first or second place points are the only points that this team can put in the bank before a meet even starts. We need them". He got me right between the eyes, but it made me think and obviously it made an impression. Ok, that's it for now. Later..........Mike

[CowtownPV]

As a coach, most of my vaulters have been the best athletes on the team. Some meets we try to win as a team ( home meet, district meet) and they do several events. Some meets they get a chance to jump high and we don't worry about other events. I once saw Billy Olson leave an attempt at an American record to go run the 100 because his team was trying to win a conference title. Track can be alot of fun as a team sport when you have a good team.

[captaintrips]

my entire team thinks the pole vaulters are slackers until last year at the county meet when we swept 1rst second and 3rd, just the 3 pole vaulters had enough points to come in 3rd place at the meet, now we start to get more respect but they still think were slackers until the meet comes around and we save there asses

[vaulter0512]

Well im still in High School and care alot about team points!! !! I think it may be because I just dont vault i also run the hurldes...Long jump and run relays...At most meets boys and girls go 1-2-3 which gives our teams a great boost. But Knowing that our team is going to win helps make me wanna do even better. i think its the relay in me lol But i care alot about how im going to jump at the same time..because it is about me!! lol

If i have a bad day in vault then i try to make up for it in the other events...or like wise bad day in one event make up for it in another. why not show the whole state that you have a good track program instead of just having star athletes here an there...because the stars will still shine anyways!!! even more actualy. b/c it may seem you're carrying that team!! lol

[lonestar]

I agree 100% with the me me me attitude but, if you do every thing for your senf and just jump you high like normal aren't you doing it in a sence for the team any way. just another way of looking at it? I don't know, I was never been in a real team situation or maybe I have and just don't realize it. but i can admit, i always do jump for good old #1 ..... ME

I agree Adam. I was always there for me, and then for my vaulter teammates, and then the rest of the team last. If we did our job, the team benefited, but track is an individual sport, and pole vaulting even more individual than most other events - we're becoming our own sport outside of track and field.

[hallvaulter]

i think when a vaulter enters a competition, the first thing on their mind should be winning for their team, the next thing should be doing as well as they can

[BethelPV]

My opinion is this. I try to do my best everytime i step out on the track. I do this because if I do my best then... One, it will benefit our team greatly...Two, I would feel like crap if I didn't try my best. Team points have always been important to me. Through high school I did the PV, LJ, 4X1 and 4X2. In college I am going to be doing the PV and 4x1. Indoors I run the 55, and I do it cuz it will be better for the team. If you are self centered, that is not being fair to your teammates who come to root you on and hope that you perform to the best of your ability, and these are the same teammates who stand behind you whether you have a good day or a bad day! Just my opinion.

Zachmo

[vaulter894]

It really depends on the meet for me, this passed weekend it was team scored so when I was asked to go in a relay I said OK when is it and I knew that the team may need the points, but other meets are individual only, so I am for the team but when it is needed i guess I would say

[Ali~PVC]

My team is District and League Champs this year. I think that it is really cool to win as a team. BUT...the head coach of our team makes such a big deal about points, it is so annoying. Sometimes he just looks @ you and only thinks about points, not the person. @ the District meet, pole vault scored something like 27 points, and we don't even get mentioned. I think that the whole team is against the pole vaulters...

[LancerVaulter07]

to me, this year as a sophomore they mattered to me
because i needed to earn so many to win my varsity letter
but now from junior year on, i will be more focussed on a
new PR every time and breaking my school and county
record. i think it really depends on the way you lookt at it...
i mean i'd love for the meet to be tied and vaulting still going
and have it come to a last jump ti win or not, that's always
cool but i like vaulting because it is kind of individual and i
play football in the fall and im really competive so i know
when i lose in a meet its because of me and not a kicker that
missed a chip shot Fg or something...

[BigStick Club]

I've had a pretty bad 'team' experience I guess.

On my team (BH), no one cheers the vaulters, no one congratulates us, we're not written about in the paper. When we put our poles on the bus with polite requests to not step on the poles, especially with spikes, they do it out of spite.

Combined with that and the knowledge that when our girls team (numbering seven) has no chance of winning against teams of 20+, I pretty much don't care about our girl's team standings.

I jump first for myself, then I go over and try to help my little vaulters jump their best.