You know you're a true pole vaulter when...

[birdi_gurlie]

So, we all know the famous "you might be a REDNECK pole vaulter if..." list...
But there is no "You know you're a true pole vaulter when..." list.
So...let's start one!

...when you look at a low-clearance sign and think either "Wow, I can vault over that!" or "I hope I can vault over that soon!" [or some variant of the two.
...when you can convert meters to feet/inches in seconds...but you're quickest when it comes to 3-6m conversions.

[Tim McMichael]

If you hang a crossbar above your bed so it is the first thing you see when you wake up and the last thing you see before you go to sleep.

If you have ever had that dream. (True pole vaulters know what I mean.) You are at the meet but can't find your poles. You have your poles but can't get to the meet. The runway has stair steps. You are on the runway and suddenly realize you are not wearing clothes. It's an indoor meet and the bar is on 18' but the roof is only 19' high. Or any variation on that theme.

[KirkB]

... If you have ever had that dream. (True pole vaulters know what I mean.) ...

You dream of vaulting in zero-gravity, where you just seem to be soaring higher and higher ... never-ending ... until you wake up and snap out of it.

Kirk

[H.I.S.]

You could say there are 3 types of people in the world

People who never want to even try pole vault because it is too hard or scary

People who try it, even make a crossbar, but are not that into (still can't believe someone would quit after clearing a crossbar but eh)

And the person who makes a crossbar and his already working at the next hieght, the person who will love this sport unconditionally and perform all of the acts described above.

The 3rd person is a true pole vaulter

FYI. I hate dreams of pole vaulting naked!

[birdi_gurlie]

...if everything is fixed with athletic tape, not duct tape.

Okay...you could theoretically say this about any trackster...but it seems that EVERYTHING that breaks on our team is fixed with athletic tape.
In fact, in both coaches's classes, [Sports med and math] if you need tape, it's going to be athletic tape bc they don't have anything else. [GRANTED, the math one barely ever has athletic tape, but everything is fixed with that.]

[baggettpv]

When you spend a quarter of a million dollars on a place for kids to learn how to jump. Thats when you know when you are into It!

Rick Baggett
WSTC

[powerplant42]

When you'll browse PVP instead of studying for the SAT.

[birdi_gurlie]

-When your notebooks have little vault flipbooks on the edges.
-When you make a flipbook out of a teeny notebook that's not only has correct form AND proportions.
-When you refuse to miss practice for ANYTHING...doctors/orthodontist visits are either before or after, you go back to practice right after you get a shot or filling or something...etc...
-When you go on vactation, you still practice and work out...be it through gymnastics exercises on a pull up bar, walking on your hands, or using the "poor man's gym"

[KirkB]

When you walk thru a park or playground and see that highbars are EVERYWHERE!

Kirk

[powerplant42]

When even as a high school kid, during the summer, you'll get up at 5:30 to walk 3/4 mile to a track and make your top hand almost bleed from doing so many walking plant drills... (My day today! )

[powerplant42]

When you build a high bar in your back yard.

[VaultPurple]

When your girlfriend starts getting jealous of all things track related.