new coach but old vaulter

[jeffschu]

I am wondering if what do you guys do druing the pre season for work out/ drills. In my situation I am in a small HS and all I have asked is that we do drills 1 day a week. Our school just forked out a huge chunk of change on the Swing up( witch is AWSOME), yet the motivation and self drive is not here. One kid has hanging-butt-syndrom and also has an answer for everything, big bend = big jump. Another guy is a meathead in the gym but after school he likes to blow stuff up. Any ideas on what this rookie can do to help motivate these cats.

[patybobady]

Wow, bad news bears...Sprints, technique runs, accelerations, plyo's (boxes), sliding box, kip-up's, etc...

Good luck.

[LPVG]

Hi Jeff"
Sometimes it is better to cut your losses and run. These "vaulters" sound like big time losers. They probably don't want to do whatever you think up and/or suggest to them.

Get the Beginner to Bubka Book and look at his drills. There are a bunch of other drills woven throughout this site. Don't concern your self with the amount of money that was spent on a turnup toy. The real deal is to attract kids that want to work hard and have fun. If you aren't not a regular teacher at your school, connect with the athletics department. Tell them what you are looking for and they should be able to supply you with some candidates. It may be slow, but there are kids out there who want to jump. If you recruit them, and they are really excited about jumping (and you have their confidence) they will recruit for you. Your program will grow.
Keep in touch
LPVG

[AVC Coach]

Wow! Sounds like you need to clean house. If a kid isn't self motivated, they are NEVER going to succeed in pole vaulting. Like LPVG suggested, go recruit some new kids.

[souleman]

I agree with the recruit some 'new-bees" approach. You might try a one on one with the two guys that aren't going with the program to find out what's really going on in their head. If they're in high school and not jumping 13 to 15 feet then they need to do stuff to help them get there. That stuff is the stuff you are going to show them and they have to do to get better. It could very well be that their actions (or lack of) is resistance to change which I'm sure.....no....I'm positive, we coaches, when we were in high school never ever did. Right? If there is potential in the two, you can't give up on them. Nobody said this would be easy. And ya know what? It's not. After all, they really might know something that you don't and could help the new-bees. For the new recruits, the teaching manual is out there and it is Beginner to Bubka. The hot dogs might play their game until one or two of the new-bees out jumps him and keeps out jumping him. Trust me, I'm not scolding, I'm just reminding you that you are the coach to ALL the vaulters......the eager beavers and the boneheads alike. Later...........Mike

[vcpvcoach]

This topic reminds me of the first school I coached at. My first season, I had two boys, one a senior and one a junior. Both had a pr of 12'6" without a coach the previous season.

The senior was a good athlete and had good form but he would abort about half of his jumps even though he landed right in the middle of the PLZ. He missed half the practices. Talked trash about me behind my back. Generally, he pain in my backside.

The junior was a excellent athlete. He did the drills and pole runs with out complaining. He work hard and started moving up poles and hieghts.

When he cleared 14', a new school record, I started to see a change in the senior. He start showing up and working the drills. he eventually cleared 13'6" and was third in our league behind the junior and an athlete from another school.

For me, I stuck it out and had great results without changing the way I coach. The best was the next season, the junior made it to state and was the only athlete from our school to qualify.

BTB is a good source of info but I use Jan Johnson's Sky Systems. It just works better for me.

Let us know how your season went.

[cormanac]

"When you lead a horse to water and it doesn't drink sometimes it is best to force some water down it's throat or give the horse to someone else."
-Boo Schexnayder, LSU

[GeorgeN]

Hello: I am an old vaulter, new hs coach, ex Air Force pilot.
I mentioned the military part because I learned some things from the military which can be applied to coaching. The first thing is to always be hard on the students at first. State your oblectives and rules. For instance, I give my students a handout which states what I expect of them. If they disobey me, such as by using a pole I told them ot to use, or if they refuse to participate in 200's or push -ups, then they are sent home for the day and they cannot compete in the next meet, no matter how good they are. You must not give in. Son't allow them to walk allover you or you become a friend, and not a coach.

George