National Pole Vault Safety Certification

[Russ]

I suppose that I'm probably the newest adviser on the pvscb. I'm a non-paid volunteer. As I mentioned once or twice, I'm writing a journal article about the legal aspects of pole vault safety. I'm guessing that my article will be published somewhere in the next 6-8 months. So I approach the topic from a law professor's perspective.

I see a number of positive aspects of coach's certification. A mandatory certification rule would increase the likelihood that all coaches will have a minimal level of understanding about rules, risk management, general safety, teaching progressions, and the basic physics involved in the sport. During my first 2 years in high school, I had a track coach who didn't know anything about the pole vault. I tore cartilage in my knee at the beginning of my freshman year (vaulting without a pit). Luckily my father started finding books for me to read (he was a college professor) and he read them too. I can't imagine what my experience would have been like if we had failed to educate ourselves. My last 2 years in high school, I transferred to a school where the coach was exceptionally good. I vaulted 3 feet higher and never got injured.

The pvscb materials are very good. They review rules, many, many beginning progresssions, tons of very good advice, and excellent information about safety. If every high school coach could demonstrate a mastery of the pvscb materials, the incidence of injury would surely decline. The educational aspect of certification is key. The more that coaches know, the better off the vaulters and the sport as a whole will be. Certification also should help decrease insurance costs too. This seems to be a win-win situation.

[rainbowgirl28]

I appreciate members of the PVSCB answering our concerns, and I also appreciate them lowering the cost

[ashcraftpv]

Well, i just passed the Pole Vault Safety Certification Board exam(on my first try) and am now a card carrying member! I was a bit skeptical of it at first, but the amount of information made available to you to "brush up" for the exam is worth the $20 alone. I think Jan should publish his study materials into a book and sell it.

I'm going to officially put my stamp of approval on it. Even if you DO think you're the know-it-all coach that doesn't need to have some one else tell you that you know what you're doing, cough up the $20 and do it anyway. The $$$ goes to a good cause and the test shouldn't be hard, cause you know what you are doing? right?

[Cpvault]

I know I'm a bit late on this one, but if anyone is still reading this post I'd like to chime in (I'll be short and sweet). Millions of people in the U.S. have businesses, these businesses are there to make money. Period. They make money capitalizing on almost anything you can think of, and never really benefit anybody. It's refreshing to know that Dean and Jan are doing something that has great benefits for the pole vault community, from its coaches on down, everyone will see only positive effects from this certification. I'm not sure when it leaked into people's brains that anyone associated with the vault should work for Free!!! It's rediculous, so be happy that the PV community has good people in its corner to save this wonderful sub-culture from extinction. And it anybody thinks one or two people are getting rich off this, then you certainly have no experience with the vault or its people. Will the certification make you a great coach? Of course not, but it will begin to create some sort of uniform legitimacy for coaches associated with it. It's a great beginning.
--CPvault

[Lax PV]

Not to bring this old cat out of the bag... bt I am gonna. hat are people's thoughts now? A couple years after the fact.. I realize that just because someone has a credential doesn't really mean that they know how to apply the knowledge that they were tested on, however, it seems like the cert. it is a good start to educating people (in at least a minimum extent) about the safety and dangers in coaching novice pole vaulting.

I would imagine that the cert might look good on paper and whatnot to a potential head coach... but a few years after the cert. became available, are more people becoming certified?

[rainbowgirl28]

Many states now require some sort of certification at the high school level. Some states use Jan's program, some use their own, and some allow either.

[kmonty51]

I am one of those PV coaches referred to in some of those old posts on this subject. I coached HS track and field (hurdles & horizontal jumps) for many years, then retired. Three weeks before our season began last spring, I was brought out of mothballs to coach pole vault at our high school. The previous coach had moved away and they would have had no pole vault as an event had I not agreed to rejoin our coaching ranks.

The first thing I did to prepare was to get on-line. I found the PVSCB site and got certified. Though I consider myself reasonably intelligent, I did not pass on my first attempt - but I feel I gained enough starting knowledge to know what vaulters should and should not do from a safety standpoint. I asked tons of questions from other vault coaches that we were competing against. Their helpfulness was one of the most refreshing things I've encountered in my many years as an athlete and a coach. I went to one of Jan Johnson's Skyjumper camps over the summer, and despite no prior vaulting experience, found myself a place to try the things I learned as a registered observer (only my 8th grade son got to witness that special treat!).

The PVSCB materials were invaluable to me as a very raw PV coach. Granted, I pursued more knowledge, and will continue to do so, but without the PVSCB, I'm not certain I would have agreed to coach again. I am now a total pole vault geek, with a son who has developed a strong interest in pole vault. We're headed to another Skyjumpers camp near Chicago in February.

In summary, the PVSCB is a wonderful point for coaches like me (and if the event is to last, there will need to be lots of people like me) to begin. It certainly is not enough if one wants to become good at coaching the event, but a great starting point!

[Lax PV]

Being from Wisconsin... do I know you?

--Andrew

[kmonty51]

I coached at Eau Claire Memorial in the 80s and 90s. Had several kids place at the state meet in Lacrosse (also Madison before LaX), including a state champion triple jumper. Obviously, I'm back coaching at Memorial after a several year "hiatus." Where are you from? -Ken M. (Monty)

[Lax PV]

I coached at Eau Claire Memorial in the 80s and 90s. Had several kids place at the state meet in Lacrosse (also Madison before LaX), including a state champion triple jumper. Obviously, I'm back coaching at Memorial after a several year "hiatus." Where are you from? -Ken M. (Monty)

Jumped down in the Milwaukee area in HS at Waukesha North, then went to UW-La Crosse in college... now I am out in San Diego... hope to start jumping again next summer..

[lonestar]

Jumped down in the Milwaukee area in HS at Waukesha North, then went to UW-La Crosse in college... now I am out in San Diego... hope to start jumping again next summer..

What's this next summer crap Andy? I thought we were going to break out our "Biomechanist Assistant" pv skills in Reno this year?



Kris

[Lax PV]

HAHA im down for reno, im just saying that I will be full swing next summer... gonna try get hooked up with some poles from some dude down in texas..