Why don't high school best make it to International level?

[agapit]

Two Other points that should come up:

Lawrence is always being used as an example of a Russian/Petrov/Agapit influence: He is a good example:

Lo was a consistent 5.90 with a PR of 5.98(22 years old) when he left Tennessee.
dj

Guys you don’t know what you are talking about. Lo came to Tennessee from High School at 5.30 or 5.40. he jump 5.80 in 1992. I remember we were watching him with Petrov in Reno. His pole bent before his left foot was on the ground for take-off. It was unreal. Than Petrov told him to switch from Decathlon to Vault. That is how I met Lawrence.

We were sitting and estimating people in Atlanta with Ryzih (Germany), Alan(Australia) and I and we put everyone on the height. I did not work with Lo than and I believe we all put him at 5.70m. He vaulted 5.80 about 10 times before the games that year and 5.98 at home in Knoxville. He never vaulted 5.90 before he did 5.98. First 5.90 was Champion at US outdoor 1997.

[agapit]

What do these currently have in common:

Olympic Record 5.95
World Athletic Final Record 6.01
Collegiate Record 5.98
American Jr. Record 5.71, second on world list
Penn Relays Record 5.80
Sea Ray Record 5.85
Mt Sac Record 5.80
Last 3 US Olympic Trials Champions (12 years, not a bad run)
1/3 of the last 6 men's Olympic PV medals won(not a country)

Answer:

Tennessee Alumni (no not a country)

is this the kind of info that fits here????

dj

dj what is your point?

I personally think I have contributed to UT tradition since 1996 and even earlier. I am proud that I was a small part of the success of the Australian vaulter and I thank Alan for the guidance and opportunity that he provided in 1991 for me to become a part of the worldwide vaulting community.

You do not have to joint our cult. You can pick your own authorities and models or invent your own. That is fine. I know who I am and I am not playing who’s bigger game. I say what I say because I know. Truthfully, I do not even care if anyone listens. I am compelled to say things because it would be a crime against the chain of my teachers to burry the knowledge.

Regards

P.S. It would be silly to assume that what we were doing with Lawrence since 1996 did not influence Mack. After all we have always had a good relationship and direct exchange of ideas and visual demonstrations. Remember we were in the same pit for many, many years.

[gtc]

Back on topic here. I think alot of kids forget where they came from and what it took to get to a certain level in the first place and think they can now do it on there own or just move on to another coach and keep progressing. In reality they may be better off going back to there roots so to speak. Probably why Rocky had to go back to the old rat infested gym to get the "eye of the Tiger" back

[CowtownPV]

This happens in all sports, high school star never makes it in college or past college. Sometimes the athlete is to blame, they get away from home and start to party too much etc. Some can't handle not being the stud anymore.(A college freshman jumping 17'0 won't win all his meets like he did as a HS senior) I also see more kids who over jump in HS now which can lead to burn out. With all the different meets and jumps some kids are probably competing in 40 meets a year. Another thing I have seen in all sports some kids are the stud in HS with never really working hard and don't want to do what it takes to be successful at the next level. I have seen boys in HS who have jumped 5 meters with no real training just jumping all the time and they freak when the college coach gets them in the wieght room and on the track. Its really hard to predict which young kids have what it takes to make it at the next level.

[Tim McMichael]

Pat Manson and I were talking about this very subject a couple of weeks ago, and we came to the conclusion that more often than not what is missing is the passion to pay the very high price to reach the highest levels. He told me about hanging a crossbar above his bed a the right distance away so that clearing it would be the last thing he saw going to bed and the first thing he saw when he woke up. I told him about running down the runway till my feet and hands were bleeding. That is the kind of thing it takes, and that is what is missing from so many young athlete's experience. The question is - how do you teach it?

[htheodore]

This is not something you can teach. As you said, they must have a passion for the vault. Or maybe it is not just the vault. Maybe it is a passion to be succsessfull. As a coach, I used to try to talk the stud athlete into learning how to vault. Being a stud athlete meant they were already good in the other sports they were playing. In the past, coaches of other sports would make them choose or specialize in their sport once they got in high school. Sooo.. they usually choose the other sports where they are already very successfull. I now look for the kid that has the physical profile for being a good vaulter, but very coachable. The kid that is looking for a sport to excell in. The kid that has always finished behind others or was second string in the other sports he/she played because nobody took the time to develope them. A kid that has something to prove.

You can lead a horse to water... but you cant teach him the passion needed to drink more than all the other horses .

[baggettpv]

I have a workout that determines if a kid has "It" Being the competitive spirit and drive to work thru the activities....Interesting that in the last 20 years the number of kids with "It" has gotten smaller. This year was very small. In 1987 we had about 20 of the 30 in the group doing the workout..
I have talked to Sports Psychologigist about this characteristic and they say it can be developed. I don't believe that tho. You either got it or you don't. Ask your athletes what they see when they walk into a comp. and look at their competitors..the answers might be interesting.

Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC

[AVC Coach]

You guys have some great points! Not many have "IT"! It's very frustrating to have a kid loaded with natural ability physically, but their first destination on their mental map is the boyfriend/girlfriend, cell phone, car, etc.

[htheodore]

Or Pokemon. I hate it when that happens

[Lax PV]

I have a workout that determines if a kid has "It" Being the competitive spirit and drive to work thru the activities....Interesting that in the last 20 years the number of kids with "It" has gotten smaller. This year was very small. In 1987 we had about 20 of the 30 in the group doing the workout..
I have talked to Sports Psychologigist about this characteristic and they say it can be developed. I don't believe that tho. You either got it or you don't. Ask your athletes what they see when they walk into a comp. and look at their competitors..the answers might be interesting.

Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC

What's the workout? If you think it would be easier to email as an attachment, that's cool too... I am just really interesting in knowing...

andrew.soderstrom@gmx.com