Ryan Adler Accident 2005

[SlickVT]

THANK YOU ALTIUS. I AGREE 100%.

[rainbowgirl28]

Video interview

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/new ... etail.html

[Russ]

I've kept my nose out of this thread until now. Sorry but I feel compelled to respond to the post by Altius, a person for whom I have a great deal of admiration and respect. And although I heartily agree with one of his points, to wit, that education and proper coaching are critical, I must take exception to his suggestion that Ryan's accident was caused by poor coaching (based on one photograph).

Many of you know that I teach Sports Law at New England School of Law (Boston) and that I've written 3 law review articles on the topic of the legal aspects of pole vault safety and liability. I'm also a high school coach, and I've coached at Jan Johnson's Skyjumpers camps for the past 3 years. I'm on 2 ASTM safety committees and I've done coaching/safety clinics in Reno and for the Wisconsin Track Coaches association.

I have a couple of vaulters whom I coach who frequently look exactly like Ryan in that photo. I've had them do hundreds - if not thousands - of simple progression drills from 3 and four lefts. But often the body doesn't always do what the brain asks of it. Otherwise, every basketball player would make every free throw and every pitcher could throw a strike every time.

I personally have absolutely no first-hand knowledge about the quality of Ryan's coaching prior to his accident, but I consider it boardering on unprofessional - but certainly ill-advised, at the very least, in our litigious society, - for someone on this board to suggest (again based only on one photo as evidence) that Ryan's coach was at fault. In my articles I spend dozens of pages painstakingly analyzing and evaluating the legal nuances that courts have considered when deciding whether negligence was the cause of a pole vaulter's injury. It simply struck me as wrong to point an accusatory finger without having all the facts. This is a very dangerous sport. Dozens of variables affect any given vault. Lives hang in the balance, literally. Without more facts, I think that we have no business suggesting that a coach is at fault. Let's not jump to any conclusions.

If I'm reading too much into your post, Altius, please accept my apologies. But if you are actually accusing Ryan's coach of negigence or fault on the basis of one photograph as your evidence, I urge you to rethink your position, and, perhaps, offer an apology of your own.

I'll be happy to e-mail copies of any of my journal articles to any one interested. One is about safety and negilgence (published by the University of Texas). Another is a legal analysis of the High School (NFHS) pole vault rules (published by Marquette University). And the third is an analysis of product liability and commercial law claims (also published by the University of Texas).

[mowad1]

Dear Altius,

your comment on that picture bothers me a bit. The photo looks quite familiar to vaults prior to the days of fiberglass. Indeed it looks like this vaulter is holding too low to flex the pole. The most important thing that is fundamental to the vault is the approach and take off. By this picture you cannot tell what type of approach or take off he has. At the developmental level the finish is not nearly as important. I am not sure if you are the same person who spoke at the Reno Summit two years ago. That person criticized the USA for poor teaching at the developmental level and praised the approach and take off mechanics the derived from Russia. Your criticism this time is not based on much, thus I don't think that it should have been said.

[Becky]

I thought I would update a lot of people who don't realize what the facts are. I just graduated in 2004 from the school this boy went to. I was a pole vaulter and I loved everything about it. What happened to Ryan was a freak accident that happened at a different school. Every one of the school's mats are up to standard due to the new ruling in the WPIAL that they had to be a certain size. In this accident it didn't matter how big the pit was. This was a freak accident but it was however preventable in ways that I'm not going to go into except that you need to listen to you coach and what to do during a vault. Everyone needs to take this as a learning experience and stop clowning around.

[Becky]

I just noticed the picture that was on this site as well. This picture was taken at a different location than where the accident occured. What people don't realize is that sometimes there is a lack of coaching. I know first hand that this high school is struggling without the coach that they had for the past how many years. He was an inspiration to me and kept me going when I fell and got hurt. Thankfully I never got seriously injured due to my coach being right there to catch me when I fell and help me back up on my feet. Ryan is a bright and wonderful kid who has a lot of potential. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be right back there on the runway next spring. I loved watching him vault because he has was it takes. It's just a shame that his first season had to end so suddenly. Keep Ry in your prayers as he goes through the rest of his recovery the family really does appreciate it.

[MightyMouse]

It is great to learn that Ryan is on the mend. Like many on this forum I have followed his story with interest and concern.

However coaches and athletes and parents must learn from what happened. The single photograph we have of Ryan jumping - on top of the bar - suggests that he had really no idea of what he was attempting to do and virtually no control. sadly he was an accident waiting to happen. Unfortunately i suspect that there are many other youngsters out there trying to master this event with little or no effective coaching.

This is not about facilities or about spotting but about applynig some basic principles of instruction - specifically the notion of progression and doing simple things well before moving on. It is clear to me after reading literally hundreds of posts on this forum that the ignorance about the pole vault, even at the most basic level, is mindboggling. Until coach education is improved there are going to be more accidents like this one.

I couldnt agree with you more altus, about the lack of general knowledge of the event and the need for coach education. 50% of the vaulters i see are out of control and dangerous

I dont know enough about Ryans situation to put him in that category,
I just hope he gets better soon!

[khschick89]

Hey guys and girls this is one of ryan's former students at knoch high school i want to let you know that he is doing very well, he's talking and i've been down to see him! He actually responed to one of his friends on the phone and he's doing good at responding with the doctors and his family. Just keep Ry in your prayers though i know he's been in all of ours at school since that terrible day.. but he's strong and he'll work his way back to full strengh!! keep emailing him, his family is so nice, i love them all, and your few words go a long way!! thanks so much!!!

[MightyMouse]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune ... 33897.html

Link from PVEI-

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05177/527483.stm

Knoch vaulter's recovery continues

His thumbs-up after weeks in coma gave family renewed hope

Sunday, June 26, 2005

By Kathleen Ganster

When people hear of sports injuries, they're usually linked to contact sports like football, hockey, lacrosse, even basketball. Most probably wouldn't put track-and-field into that risk category, but pole vaulting can be very dangerous.

Just ask the Adler family, of Penn. Ryan Adler, 15, was injured April 18 when he stalled during a 9-foot pole vaulting attempt in a meet at North Allegheny High School.

"I took a photo, set my camera down, and literally 30 seconds later, he went up, stopped and went back down, sort of upside down," said his mother, Lisa Adler, who was watching from the stands. The young man landed on the hard ground, head and shoulders first.

Ryan's older sister Maria, 17, who was also participating in the meet, raced over to her mother crying.

"I took her by the shoulders and said, 'Maria, God is in control of this situation. We have to trust him. There is a time to cry and a time to be strong. We must be strong now and we will cry later,' " said Lisa Adler.

The two rushed to Ryan's side as he lay unconscious and unmoving on the ground by the vault pit. "We went up over and he was just lying there, snoring away," his mother said.

The young athlete was rushed to Children's Hospital.

What followed was a harrowing path toward recovery that challenged the faith of the close-knit family. They talked about the experience during a presentation last Sunday at North Way Christian Community in Pine.

At the time of the accident, Ryan's father, Dan Adler, and his brother, Chris, 19, were in Thailand.

"We were on a mission trip to help the tsunami victims. Of course, I was really emotional, but I had to compose myself for Chris," said Dan Adler. It took 48 hours to get back to Pittsburgh.

"I wanted to be with Lisa and Ryan," he said. "I was afraid Ryan would die."

Father and son arrived in Pittsburgh on April 21, in time for what Lisa Adler calls "the terrrible Thursday."

"It was the worst of all of the days. Ryan was in a coma but started to stir. The brain pressure kept increasing. The doctors decided it would be better to put him in a drug induced coma to try to keep the pressure down."

Ryan had injured his brain in several places.

"They showed me a picture of his brain and said, 'There is a hemorrhage, there's another one. Oh, there's another one.' In all, there were about a dozen," said Lisa Adler. "We later learned that with Ryan's type of injury, there is a 45 to 50 percent mortality rate."

Ryan was in the coma for almost two weeks when one morning his mother thought she noticed a difference. "He was semi-awake and getting more and more agitated."

When the doctors came in, one of them asked Ryan to wiggle his toes.

He wiggled them slightly. His mother asked him for a thumbs up. He barely lifted his thumb. Then she said, " 'C'mon Ryan, give me a good stiff one.' And he put it up like this," said his mother, giving the thumbs up sign to the audience.

She and the doctor started to cry.

"We didn't think this boy was ever going to wake up.' " said Adler.

Ryan's recovery continued at a rapid pace. "He couldn't even sit up when he first came to. His physical strength at this point is amazing," his mother said. Ryan was released to the Rehabilitation Institute of Pittsburgh, where his therapy continued, but he was soon released.

"He just kept improving so they sent him home," his mother said.

Ryan, who was in ninth-grade at Knoch High School, received permission from the school board to waive his studies for the rest of the year.

"He has always been a straight-A student," his mother said.

Although the time surrounding the accident was horrible for his family, Ryan remembers nothing of what happened.

"I don't remember about that day," he said. He will continue physical, occupational and speech therapy for several months.

As for track, Ryan doesn't plan to give it up. "I think I'll throw the javelin," he said.

[pelle3]

By Bill Beckner Jr.
VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
Friday, March 24, 2006
Source

Eleven months ago, Ryan Adler's life flashed before his eyes.

What started as a simple pole vault, ended with Adler virtually unconscious, lying on his back with little memory of his horrific fall.

He was placed in a medically induced coma to reduce pressure on his brain, then underwent weeks of rehabilitation to help him recall how he used to live.

Today, after school, Adler will go to his team's first track meet of the season -- to compete.

"God is good," said Adler, who will drop the pole vault and try his hand at the javelin and discus.

It's a new season, and the brave sophomore from Knoch High School has a new outlook on life.

"Physically, I think Ryan is stronger than he's ever been in his life," Knoch track coach Wess Brahler said. "He's made a huge effort to come back, physically. He's such a great kid. He's worked so hard to get to this point."

April 18 will mark the one-year anniversary of Adler's devastating nine-foot fall during a vault attempt at North Allegheny High School. He let go of the pole in mid-air, crashed awkwardly onto the vaulting mat and suffered trauma to his head.

The accident happened a week after he tied the school's freshman vault record of 10 feet, 6 inches.

After such an injury, most athletes would shy away from a return to competition, but Adler is viewing his accident as a bump in the road.

Some would argue that his sheer determination helped with the healing process. It also appears to be the driving force behind his return.

"I made my decision to come back when the doctors said I could do anything as long as I don't hit my head," Adler said. "I like track a lot. I knew I wanted to keep going."

He'll be rough around the edges in the javelin and discus as he works on his technique, but who can critique an athlete who's been through so much in such a short time?

"I look back, and all of this doesn't seem real," Adler said. "It's amazing how God has helped me."

Adler, who said he also may do some sprinting later in the season, said he'll miss pole vaulting, an event he says is the most fun.

"We scrimmaged Freeport the other day, and there was pole vaulting at the end, as usual," Adler said. "I watched it a little, and it was killing me that I couldn't do it. It's so fun. But I know that wouldn't be smart for me. It would be selfish for me to do that. If something happened, it would be so tough for my family, and I don't want to see them suffer again.

"If pole vaulting could be totally safe, I'd do it in a heartbeat."

Adler's close-knit family believes its prayers have been answered.

"I believe the only explanation is that God did something extraordinary for Ryan," said Lisa Adler, Ryan's mother. "Ryan's got such a steadfast spirit."

Also, Adler mostly is caught up in the classroom, although some teachers still have to hand him notes.

"I still try and keep (notes) myself," said Adler, who has not seen a doctor since before Christmas. "I got straight A's the first and second nine weeks, and I'm pretty sure that's what I'm getting this term."

Adler isn't much for public speaking, but he offered to get in front of his peers at school orientation.

"I got up and told everyone thanks for their support," Adler said. "I was a little nervous at first. But I speak at my church sometimes, so it wasn't too bad."

Brahler expects Adler's return to help motivate his team.

"Ryan works hard, and he wants to learn," Brahler said. "Those are two key ingredients."

[Sandymanyo123]

what a strong human being