Summer camps, Skyjumpers v. Slippery Rock

[VTechVaulter]

altius asked me to pass this along

he will be attending both girls camps
and the second guys camp

[baggettpv]

Why not consider coming to Oregon City to train with WSTC LLC for a week? Not a clinic but a week long training session.

Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC

[superpipe]

Does Slippery Rock or Sky Jumpers ( Kutztown, PA Location ) have any extra training devices on site? Rope Swings, High Bars, Rings, Trampolines, etc... I couldn't find anything about stuff like that on their websites. I've been to Fiberbenders ( when it was Sky Jumpers ) way back when and Lance's facility is amazing in terms of having all of the extra training equipment I listed above. Any camp can have pits, but the extra training equipment really makes the difference. This assumes the coaching is good of course. I'm not exactly a personal fan of Lance Atkins myself, but his facility and coaching staff, when I was there, was fantastic. I learned the most from the extra training equipment mostly because this is the kind of stuff most vaulters never have access to. You really learn body awareness with this stuff.

[Cooleo111]

Slippery Rock doesn't have the trampolines and ropes and rings that FiberBenders has, but in their place there are lectures that teach a great deal about the sport and a ton of great drills that require no extra equipment that you can't find at any track facility (i.e. hurdles, stubbies). In terms of coaching, Slippery Rock has a very qualified staff, some of which coached at Sky Jumpers with Lance.
I personally like Slippery Rock because they highly emphasize safety, and you learn so much about the vault, including how poles are made, the mechanics behind the proper technique, and a vast amount of other information. They don't just teach you HOW to vault properly, but WHY it is you should vault properly. I did enjoy the rope swings and trampoline drills at FiberBenders though, so I can't argue against those and I haven't been to Sky Jumpers so I can't vouch for anything there.
I think if you are really looking to improve, you should check out all of these camps (and others) on your own, that is of course if you have the time and the money!

[SlickVT]

Fiber Benders, Skyjumpers, and Vertical Assault are all top-notch camps. I have been to all three at some point as a spectator/vaulter/coach at one point or another, and all are teaching the same principles of vault development. Lance, Jan and Mike all have resume's that speak for themselves.

I have to give an extra push to Fiberbenders. Lance has been like a second father to me for years, and being a coach there for 5 years, I can honestly say the approach that they are taking as a step by step through the camp is probably the most effective I have ever seen for improvement. IT took a few years to get right, but it is pretty sweet for a beginner/intermediate vaulter looking for improvement.

As for Slippery Rock, I have not attended their camp. I do, however, have lots of friends that have attended and/or helped out there, and the only thing I can say is that taps (which no one has said do not happen there) and really narrow handgrip on poles is not a safe combination.
If I am wrong, please feel free to correct me and put me in my place.

PS. Pennsylvania is on fire for camps that are available in the area. Especially eastern PA...

[baggettpv]

We have:
Rope
Sliding Plant track
Pully
Med balls
Pillates balls
Squat Rack
Incline bench
Dumbbells (5 to 65)
Olympic bars w/ 400 lbs)
Horizontal ladder
Uneven Bar
Rings
Parallel Bars
High bar
2 polevault pits
1 high jump pit
Misc. 24" and 30" crach pad
plus a killer music and video system

Clinics all summer, professional coaches in all the areas.

Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC

[sooch90]

We have:
Rope
Sliding Plant track
Pully
Med balls
Pillates balls
Squat Rack
Incline bench
Dumbbells (5 to 65)
Olympic bars w/ 400 lbs)
Horizontal ladder
Uneven Bar
Rings
Parallel Bars
High bar
2 polevault pits
1 high jump pit
Misc. 24" and 30" crach pad
plus a killer music and video system

Clinics all summer, professional coaches in all the areas.

Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC

If only you didn't live on... the other side of the country

[Branko720]

Hey I don't know if anybody saw my post in the northeast region but I am working with athletes the entire summer with my club, Apex Vaulting. If anybody is looking for a place in the Bergen/Passaic county areas in Northern New Jersey it's a pretty sweet deal.

[Ethan]

i went to a slippery rock last year and it was great they have all level of kids and coaches. They do cram a whole lot of information in a short period of time but it is good they show you what drills you need to do and what a practice should be there two drill sessions two vaulting session and a class room session every day you get a lot for even each day. You get a dvd of you with some jumps and the coach showing whats needs to be done to correct that jump. But the main thing i liked was the pole selection they had every pole weight and size and usually two or three deep with it. So you could move up and down size and weight easily. it was really fun you sleep in the dorms and eat at the cafeteria there and meets lots of cool people theres about 100 kids there

[2-15-46]

A couple of us Geezers from Ohio and Michigan are going toSlippery Rock for a Masters Meet Sunday the 24th..... what is the pit like?? anyone know??

[HHSPVCoach]

For those considering Slippery Rock camps this year, here's something to keep in mind. The man behind the camp, Mark Hannay, (also of PVEI.com fame) is no longer associated with SRU. Now, it's bad enough that he's not going to be there, and the fact that Alan Launder will not be there, BUT Mark apparently also owned much of the equipment that was used for the camps. This included poles and pits and he took them with him when he left so things might be a bit different this year....
In the past I've recommended the Slippery Rock camps to all of my vaulters as one of the best in the country, but this year I'm a little worried that it might not be quite up to par. Time will tell.

Coach Phil
Hemlock, MI

[powerplant42]

It turns out that Alan Launder did show up for at least the second boys' camp this year, and that there were four operational pits, with about a hundred campers. Hannay wasn't there, but it was still a great experience. I was told that he would not be running this year's camps because of personal issues, but I don't know.