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VTechVaulter wrote:it really pisses me off when the officials tell us we cant have someone standing near the pit, and then they don't catch the poles. very frustrating

[color=blue][b]We need to make it mandatory to have pole catchers at meets.
We need to write to the NFHS and suggest this to be a High School rule
Poles that break 34â€Â

one question, who would get in deducted if you didnt catch the pole? you cant catch your own?

at most of my meets, the officials,( one of my coaches or coaches i know) make sure to get someone to catch the poles.

newPVer wrote:one question, who would get in deducted if you didnt catch the pole? you cant catch your own?

The only deduction I see is from the pocket book. If a pole breaks it cost $$$ to replace it.
School funds, Dad's wallet, hard work at the part time job, Booster clubs are all potentially deducted.
A rule to help make the vault safe, one that will build the event and not allow the event to be cancelled due to problems and costs.
That is why we need a rule so officials have a guide to follow to make the event safer.
Bruce

Please tell the person who doesn't care about catching their $350.00+ pole to call me I have some poles for sale.

I agree completely that poles should be caught to protect them from damage. My question is how can a pole catcher prevent a pole from hitting a standard? That seems to happen when a vaulter goes off to the side and bails on a vault, pulling the pole with him/her. It seems to me that padding the standards would be the best solution for that aspect of the problem.

- master

has anyone ever tried putting a cut tennis ball on the top of a pole to keep some of the nicks and cracks from occuring when it isn't caught? I haven't but have heard of it, but never tried it.

i've never heard of a tennis ball, but all of my poles have a rubber cap on the top, i dont really know what its for though.

ESSX wrote:

newPVer wrote:one question, who would get in deducted if you didnt catch the pole? you cant catch your own?

The only deduction I see is from the pocket book. If a pole breaks it cost $$$ to replace it.
School funds, Dad's wallet, hard work at the part time job, Booster clubs are all potentially deducted.
A rule to help make the vault safe, one that will build the event and not allow the event to be cancelled due to problems and costs.
That is why we need a rule so officials have a guide to follow to make the event safer.
Bruce

I agree poles should be caught, teammates and/or coaches should catch each others steps. Teammates need to help and encourage each other. Everyone lining at the back of the runway is not the way to help each other. Towels and/or other padding should be put around the standards to protect the poles if the pole hits the standards. Also, poles should be protected when at meets (pole cases, not laying them on the ground). For safety, it is critical to be very careful when pole vaulting, not taking things for granted, such as taking care of your equipment, understanding the surroundings and how one is feeling that day. If you take care of your poles, they will not break. The reason most poles break is because of people not taking of them (dings from leaving them on the ground, not catching them, hitting the standards).

my coach said he didnt really care if the pole hits the ground but i always get somebody to stand @ the end of the runway and catch it anyway because it is for my safety i have already had a pole snap because of crack and i dont want it to happen again

I think from a meet directors standpoint, there should always be a pole catcher if ANY of the vaulters asks for one. Someone vaulting has the right to have someone catch their pole.