Drills for beginner vaulters for turning

[gjb]

Some coaches I know are not concerned about teaching the turn for beginner vaulters because they want (and I agree) to emphasis the approach, plant and take off first before teaching the rock back (inversion) and turn. When do you recommend teaching a new pole vaulter how to turn and what are your favorite drills?

Thank you.

Gerry Byrne

[AVC Coach]

I try to teach it as early as possible to my young beginners once their take-off and swing look good. Mostly for them to experience some early success and feel like the more advanced kids.

We do what I call a "cat drill" where the take off, swing, pull and turn.....landing on their feet in the pit facing the runway without letting go of the pole. We just progress from there with a low bungee and learning to throw the pole back.

[rainbowgirl28]

Beginners don't need to worry about getting inverted. Once they have mastered a decent takeoff in the sand, they can start swinging and turning in the sand, going for distance, not height. You can string a bungee between two hurdles to give them a visual.

Your better athletes will quickly be able to master this and take it to the pit, but this sand vaulting over a very low bungee is especially great for timid girls, or very young (small) vaulters (like age 12 and younger).

Over time as they improve this will transition from being a mostly horizontal skill to a more vertical skill.

[baggettpv]

It's all in my "Coaches Hip Pocket Guide to Pole Vaulting". Email me for a copy. By the way I write this in 1986.

Rick Baggett
WSTC

[baggettpv]

Forgot to say that I only have about 100 left from the original printing in 1998 of 1500.

Rick Baggett

[higherflyer]

I think the athlete should master the take-off and swing before learning to turn.
When learning to turn they should learn gradually by turning onto their side staying next to the pole because the turning is a big reason vaulters separate from the pole.

I had an beginer vaulter in Reno this year that had not learned to turn yet and the coaches from her pit tried to teach her the pull turn and push onto your belly, a drill I do not use as people can land wrong which is exactly what happened.
She ended up with a broken collar bone and a fractured scapula, yes landing in the pit on her head and shoulder because she got separated from the pole.

My opinion is that they should not have been teaching her that drill, as she was a beginner.
I see it as a more advanced drill if anything.
Me personally, I have never used the drill and will continue not to use the drill!

[vcpvcoach]

Bravo, Kevin. I totally agree.

One more point, when your vaulters are learning to turn, never let them wear spikes because they tend to land on their feet. I had a girl catch a spike and end up with a severe ankle sprain effectively ending her season just before sectionals.