Re: Altered letter to Jan from a concerned coach

Subject:

Comments:
: : The following letter was altered by Bruce Caldwell to remove names of persons and schools, However the intent is there and the message is the same for all. : : Please read! : : LETTER TO JAN JOHNSON : : OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS CONSIDERING dropping the PV event due to not getting the money or ordering their new regulation pit in time for the season/// We have one that meets the specs the other schools in the district do not. : : what can we do???? : : FROM A COACH who loves the sport. : : I don't understand why they punish the one school that has complied by eliminating everyone! It seems unfair. I think MOST Schools should consider the following plan of action: : : 1. Allow all schools to pole vault at a main facility or any HS location that has a landing pad system that meets the new High School minimum standards. : : 2. All schools which decide to PV should be mandated to have a coach in place whom has passed the on-line basic skills and safety certification curriculum at the Pole Vault Safety Certification Board web site at www.pvscb.com The course is designed and formatted for the beginning coach or vaulter. The curriculum contains four basic parts with testing for each portion: HS rules, Safety, Pole Vault Energy Equation, Basic skill and progressions. The cost of the course is only $20. Upon completion the applicant gets a copy of the HS rulebook and a certification card. : : 3. In addition, High schools that still want to vault should be allowed to if they can provide a certified coach, and a safe facility. These schools should consider the option increasing their landing pads dimensions by simply combining landing pads from other schools who don't wish to continue and placing a common top pad over them. This can be easily done with base unit sections of similar heights, by adding three base unit sections from one landing system to another, so that the new system now has 4 base unit sections across the back with two additional base unit sections long ways across the rear of the system and adding a new top cover. The top cover I recommend would need to be approximately 21'-22’ x 23'. Its approximate cost would be only $1300-1500. : : Please keep in mind that you will also need standard base padding, and box collar padding, which you may already have since old wrestling or gymnastic pads can be used for this purpose. : : : : Sincerely, : : Jan Johnson : : National Pole Vault Safety Chair : : Co-director Pole Vault Safety Certification Board : : www.pvscb.com : : In Illinois they are going to allow off site vaulting the day before a meet that doesn't have the vault.This will be at a central site to all schools.This will allow schools that have new tracks to host major meets even if they don't have the vault.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL: