PoleVaultPower.com

an athlete snapped a pole last night. This was a new carbon pole purchased in december, used heavily by 1 vaulter who does not overbend (when I coach her but she goes to another coach most of the time) and takes great care of her poles. She was pushing all the way through her vault with her bottom arm, but the pole still wasn't over bending, she just wasn't able to get inverted or come close to finishing her swing. When I tried to correct the bottom hand push it was clear she attempted to not push with it on 1 jump, but appears that she disregards my coaching these days(but thats a topic for the coaches section. I guess the final question is what would cause this pole to break? Is blocking out the bottom arm enough? if not what could have caused it besides damage caused to the pole outside of vaulting?

How many pieces did it break into? Do you have any video of the break?

Sometimes a flat takeoff will cause the pole to bend lower than it was designed to, and make the pole break without a massive pole bend.

It was just below the sail piece and yes it was a flat take off. She was coming in under on most of her jumps, not much but a few inches. We moved her steps back to adjust on the jump that broke the polebut she has a tendency to still come in under

Correction...the pole broke at the top of the sail piece

good morning,,

saw another one break at the corners of the sail piece.. top and bottom..

any chance the pole hit the standard pegs or an extension... sometimes this is in the area of a break..

we used to put towels or shoes on the standards where the handles are for adjustment..

i'm not sure what the rule for 'catching" the pole is but most of the high school meets i have been at they don't let anyone catch the poles..

i think they are concerned that the athlete want "push it back" and the catcher will save the jump..

cost schools a lot with damage..

dj