Who is qualified to give technical advice on pole vaulting?

vault3rb0y · Unread postby **vault3rb0y** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 9:20 pm

This a topic that came up in other threads, and i think its about time we adress it. I admit my opinion is biased, as is almost everyone else's opinions on this issue, but I believe that everyone, regardless of how much you study pole vaulting and for how long, can bring new things to the table. However opening up your opinions should automatically subject you to others proving you wrong, and telling you why you may be wrong. If we all were to say "no novice vaulters can give technical advice", the first question that comes to my mind is, "who decides when someone is a novice or not?". being not qualified to give advice is a very vague statement, and makes one ask, how long do i have to vault, how much do i need to know, or how high do i need to jump, to be considered qualified? Theres no definite place to draw a line, so my opinion is that on a website created for vaulters to talk to one another and discuss the best way to vault, we should all be encouraged to do so!! Of course, it is not be appropriate for a 16 year old high school vaulter (like myself) to be critiquing an elite 17-18 foot vaulter, and i dont plan on doing so, because i probably dont have anything to add. But sometimes i believe a 16 year old vaulter video critiqueing another 16 year old vaulter is better than many coaches critiques, for the simple fact that they may have just gone through the exact problems someone else is having. Anyway, thats my piece, and i would love to open my mind to what everyone else feels on this issue, the floor is yours.

Unread postby **rainbowgirl28** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 10:39 pm

I debated banning high school vaulters from giving technical advice on here. The moderators felt that was not the best approach.

Unfortunately, the more knowledgeable coaches on here often do not step up and correct bad advice (probably because doing so feels like beating your head into a wall).

So the blind lead the blind and everyone else runs out of gas trying to show them the way.

Tim McMichael · Unread postby **Tim McMichael** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 11:02 pm

Rainbowgirl

One of the reasons I don't reply more often to advice that I feel is transparently wrong or questions that I feel are frustratingly simple is that I am not sure anyone would appreciate me saying the same things over and over again. I would be happy to answer more questions and offer more advice. I just don't want to come off as a know-it-all who has to chime in on every subject, and since most of the better experienced and more knowledgeable coaches here tend to leave the simple questions and repeated errors alone, I do so as well. I am not sure that anyone else feels the same way, but I often do not post out of deference to my peers.

SlickVT · Unread postby **SlickVT** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:36 pm

rainbowgirl28 wrote:I debated banning high school vaulters from giving technical advice on here. The moderators felt that was not the best approach.

Thats a good idea.

MightyMouse · Unread postby **MightyMouse** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:32 pm

How about listing credentials next to your name (like below your location) - so we can have a bit of an idea who is legit?

smokinvaulter1 · Unread postby **smokinvaulter1** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:40 pm

Bad advice is how vaulters getr hurt. swing upside down off the ground and landing in the box. Let the more educated people give advice.

Unread postby **rainbowgirl28** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 4:01 pm

MightyMouse wrote:How about listing credentials next to your name (like below your location) - so we can have a bit of an idea who is legit?

Because I would have to MOD the board to do that, which I don't have the skills to do, and it causes problems when you upgrade the board.

I used to have a thing that listed age, but it died when I upgraded the board a year or two ago.

I have to keep the board up to date because of security issues.

Barto · Unread postby **Barto** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:56 pm

I do not believe anyone should be banned from offering advice. My original issue from the other thread was with the type of advice given. Any high school vaulter should be able to describe what is happening accurately; however, I feel they get into trouble when they start giving tips on how others can correct their mistakes.

Have fun,
Barto

vault3rb0y · Unread postby **vault3rb0y** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:04 pm

smokinvaulter1 wrote:Bad advice is how vaulters getr hurt. swing upside down off the ground and landing in the box. Let the more educated people give advice.

I totally agree with someone not giving advice that will hurt another vaulter.

bvpv07 · Unread postby **bvpv07** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:11 pm

vault3rb0y wrote:
smokinvaulter1 wrote:Bad advice is how vaulters getr hurt. swing upside down off the ground and landing in the box. Let the more educated people give advice.
I totally agree with someone not giving advice that will hurt another vaulter.

I don't think that it's done intentionally by any means, it's just that ignorance often offers up dangerous/impractical advice that will not help improve someone's vault.

We all hope that if people do take advice from this board that they always check with a competent coach before they try it out, perhaps learn from them why the advice is poor (if it is), and then get a greater understanding of what they need to do.

Often we learn the most from our mistakes (I know that I do), so misinformation, as long as it is corrected, is not always a horrible thing.

The problem is with getting it corrected...and I can completely understand why some of the more qualified members don't always do this (the banging your head against the wall/preaching to the deaf/someone's just going to attack me for telling them they're wrong scenarios that they neither want to nor have the time to deal with).

vault3rb0y · Unread postby **vault3rb0y** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:12 pm

Ok, so ive tried hard to see things from others perspectives, and i think i have come to agree with a lot of what you have said. Despite personal attacks and attempted intimidation in private messages by a 30 year old man, i will have to rethink my approach to giving advice on this site, as maybe all high schoolers should. Obviously, around the country, high schoolers will give advice to others at meets and practices, and any advice can be good advice in that setting, but this is a site where people should come to make sure they are getting to hear exactly what they should hear. Thats why i will try to avoid giving any advice on vaulting, no matter how simple the matter. I just hope everyone realizes that my advice-giving was not meant to assert myself as an advanced vaulter.... but simply to help others as i do at track meets. But this isnt a track meet, and i thank you for helping open my mind in this issue. See you in the threads!

ADTF Academy · Unread postby **ADTF Academy** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 7:52 pm

Simply put in the US we have to many coaches and not enough pure athletes. Honestly one of the worst things I see is at high school meets when everyone is trying to coach a kid. How is this helping them if you have never worked with them before. You know nothing about their training, experience or knowledge. I had a young lady once who jumped 11.5 feet in high school and she was at a meet and cleared a bar and some other guy vaulter came up to her after and started telling her what she was doing wrong. She simply looked at him with a cute smile and said, "Thank you for the advice, but your not my coach, if you want to hit on me thats one thing, but I don't need your advice on the vault." I couldnt' stop laughing.

There is absolutly nothing wrong with becoming a student of your sport, learn as much as you can from as many people as you can, but first and foremost be an athlete. Honestly, if another vaulter really wanted to know what to do they would find someone to work with. If someone asks you go hey man you should talk to this guy or girl they have really helped me. We have a little vaulting group come check us out.

To many simple want the quick answer and won't take the time to learn things the right way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a recreational vaulter. As long as they are safe who cares. Not everyone is going to be good at this sport. A certain percentage is doing it for fun and the less they are coached the better. If they are safe let them be. Others what more and those are the ones that are willing to seek out coaching.

A perfect example would be what would you rather do play a game of pick up basketball or sit alone and practice your layups and free throws.

Those that are willing to be alone and practice will take this sport to the next level. If your in that realm find a coach in your area and use that person as much as they can help you. Then progress till you find someone who can help you acheive the level you want (pick the right college).

Simply put if your #1 goal is you, as an athlete, than you shouldn't coach. Enjoy being an athlete cause you will hit a point when your body won't allow it anymore. Then you can sit back and talk about the good old days.

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