PoleVaultPower.com

This summer one of my athletes that graduated from high school has been inquiring about competing in the vault for University California: Riverside. The school does not have poles or a pit, but the athletes family very generously offered to pay for both. Despite this the school still declined the offer stating they could not afford to maintain the vault program after he graduated.

In addition they told him he could not train off-site with any other coach since this would violate the NCAA rules in regards to the number of coaches allowed for a track team.

We were both very disappointed, and a little shocked. How a school expects to have a serious track program giving up 20 points a meet is beyond me. Let me know what you all think.

ArcadiaPV wrote:In addition they told him he could not train off-site with any other coach since this would violate the NCAA rules in regards to the number of coaches allowed for a track team.

If whatever coach was willing to coach him was NCAA compliant, he could become a volunteer coach for the school. The NCAA specifically allows for a volunteer pole vault coach to not count against the allowed number of coaches the program has. The head coaching staff may not know that since they have never had vaulters.

They probably also would not be willing to admit they are wrong.

Portland State is in the same boat. But they are getting rid of the Head coach and starting all over. Maybe they will get a clue that we are within 20 miles of downtown Portland!

Rick Baggett
WSTC LLC