This is a look at recent developments in pole vaulting in the USA.
Things are looking up, says Olympian Jan Johnson, who has been a prominent
vault coach and camp director for more than 20 years.
The problems in track & field, we hear about them all the time. The lack of TV and major sponsors, the high turnover of coaches, the loss of scholarships at the collegiate level, etc., etc. Perhaps more than any other event, the pole vault has been at the focus of this crisis. Undoubtedly you already know the reasons. It's expensive , it requires supervision and it can be dangerous. But in spite of these problems, it seems to be making a strong come back as a result of some smart marketing, some key rule changes and the intense efforts of a group of diehards known as the National Pole Vault Development Committee. Comprised of a highly capable group of activists from all walks of life, this group has begun to reshape the very foundation of pole vaulting in America. Committee chairman Bob Fraley of Fresno State calls it, "the |
Mafia system," but really it's just good old-fashioned networking and some hard work that is making the difference. To be sure, an enormous amount of work still needs to be done, but in the past three years so much has happened that the future of pole vaulting in this country has not been so bright in nearly two decades.
First and foremost Fraley has done a masterful job of organizing the National Committee. His leadership has tied the group together with a specific agenda of important pole vault topics such as regional coaching and competition, education, safety, elite athlete support and communication. But perhaps more importantly the committee has the much |
broader task of promoting the event in
America. The Reno Summit has helped tremendously in this regard. The Summit, which is one part clinic, one part sales meeting and one part com- petition, has been a great forum to unify and strengthen our position.
1995 was our first year under three landmark high school rules. These new rules have been controversial, but they will effectively improve the safety of high school pole vaulting. These changes deal with padding hard surfaces around landing mats, maximum grips on poles, and the vaulter's weight not exceeding manufacturer's pole stiffness. In essence, these rules really mandate |
By Jan Johnson, Sky Jumpers Vault Camps
Track coach -1