Looking at Colleges

[fchipr]

Thanx for those results.

It is helpful as we put together the "college of Interests" list for my 11th grade PVr. We are naturally looking to gain a full ride (tuition, dorm) somewhere.

So besides geography, we look at the T&F team, program and facilities (indoor yes/no) as well as the specifics of the PV team- things like how many vaulters, performances, how old (ie are they graduating their good guys in 2 yrs when my 11th grader would be available?, etc).

We like to ascertain his fit to that PV team (given a 15-6 or 16-00 or better, mark) so that IF money for a PVr (or multi event guy) was likely to be available for 2008 for that given T&F team and a PVr would appear to be needed, we could be positioned and will have already marketed himself. This assumes obviously the have in the past scholarshipped PVrs.

One reason we like the big Invites and Reno summit, and an Indoor season foe west coast PVrs. If we do our homework prior , he has pics of the head coaches, PV coaches, and Pv'rs on the teams from the colleges of his interest that are attending the given invite, summit or all comers, that way if an opportunity can be created (thru friends in the PV community, or ourselves) or is stumbled upon, he can make a personal introduction of himself to any of those folks at the meet, then follow up later with jump status of the 2006 season, etc to keep himself in their memory for when the time comes to commit for a 2008 season at college.

At least its a plan. And were following it, next milestones are the toughest...... getting the higher marks beyond indoor.

He plans to hit Arcadia and Mt Sac in Ca, besides our favorite Reno-Summit trip he already did this season. Then its time to jump with the big boys at the California meets leading up to and including the State meet!

Tough class this year in Ca. and the 1500+ high School that participate. It takes 14-10 or 14-11 at the last meet prior to State (Masters) to get you in if you don't make the (I think top 9 ) cut-off height. Which this year, I suspect will be closer to 15-3 or 15-6. Good news is, next year the battle will be substanially changed as the hot shot Juniors this year (so far) in Ca are considerablly less in number.

Fingers crossed, training hard, going thru poles, lengthing runs, holding high, starting high. We will see. It will be fun #1, and will be eciting no doubt.

Well,... long winded reply just to say thanx!
I (we) appreciate your effort.

Coach Chip
Chino Hills High School
PV Coach

[rainbowgirl28]

Well make sure to read this thread thoroughly http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1921
and remember that full rides for a one event athlete are nearly impossible to come by.

[CSUSMVaulter]

Unless your name is Scott Roth.

[bvpv07]

Unless your name is Scott Roth.

and you go to Washington

Remember that the other schools that he was looking at wouldn't give him full ride...and still others in CA do not make athletic scholarships available until you are a sophomore.

[CSUSMVaulter]

A guy I went to high school with, A.J. Acosta, got a full ride 5 year scholarship to run at U of Oregon starting next year.

[rainbowgirl28]

A guy I went to high school with, A.J. Acosta, got a full ride 5 year scholarship to run at U of Oregon starting next year.

Scholarships are on a year to year basis. No NCAA school can promise someone a scholarship for more than a year.

Key word with your friend is RUN. You can get full rides in track, but they are a lot easier if you are doing multiple events, which most pole vaulters do not do.

[rainbowgirl28]

I split this into its own thread.

[VaultMarq26]

A guy I went to high school with, A.J. Acosta, got a full ride 5 year scholarship to run at U of Oregon starting next year.

Scholarships are on a year to year basis. No NCAA school can promise someone a scholarship for more than a year.

Key word with your friend is RUN. You can get full rides in track, but they are a lot easier if you are doing multiple events, which most pole vaulters do not do.

Are you sure....i have a signed contract that promises me 4 years of scholorship reguardless of performance

[rainbowgirl28]

That's what we learned in my sports law class. ncaa.org is down right now, I will go on there later and see if I can find a hard and fast rule.

[fchipr]

Points well taken folks, albeit none of them new. We never said anything to suggest we did not know the 1 year at a time guidelines. And the sophomore start point is relevant although not a blanket policy.

And if your a 17'6" Hs vaulter, it doesn't matter how good you are if the particular school already has five 18 footers, they just are not in the market....multi event or not. Thats why the extra homework to see if there may be a legit need a hotshot freshman can fulfill (even if thats for yr 2 or so) AND to look at historically on the given team how many of their current PV team is given tuition help/scholarship. If that answer is none, and never, then your pushin a wet noodle up hill. Thats a no brainer. And are you talking a USC or Stanford where tuition is out of sight or you talking about a Cal Sate (not UC) institution where per unit costs are less than a dorm room per semester. I know a vaulter at a Cal state that is a junior now just going over 15, and he is on year 2 of tuition + dorm. So its a question of due dilegence, luck on timing for available funds for a PVr and who ya know...nothing too new there eh?

It is understood that a track team has a finite number of scholarships to deal with (for Girls and Guys). ...its is also a function of priority within the AD. USC loads the football team with x % of the total, and what gets left for T&F is about the same for water polo or hop scotch (not many) But as I recall, Idaho State has let between 9-11 per year(girls and guys) the last 3 or 4 out of 5.

Don't forget its who ya know too. Heck look at the bay area connections of Granite Bay.

Besides, isn't a 16 footer out of HS college T&F material? Yep. Just gotta find the right match. In fact, Besides it loks like 5 of the 50 states probablly make 90% of all your 16'HS pVrs anyhow. How many per year? That plus available scholarship money for T&F is what your competeing against. Oh those 5 I figure are: Ca, Texas, Ar. Fla and NY

So your points are all valid. No big argument here. Your tone is just off, and you all seem to be telling us it can't be done or its slim chance.

Thats good because then I know we must be on the right path.

See ya,

Oh, ever hear of a PVr named Skipper....he can run another event or two (or 9 others), and 17' decathaletes usually score darn near 7000 too...and 2 of the 3 I know started as Vaulters not shot putters.

cheers

[rainbowgirl28]

We never said anything to suggest we did not know the 1 year at a time guidelines.

I was replying to a later reply to your post.

And if your a 17'6" Hs vaulter, it doesn't matter how good you are if the particular school already has five 18 footers, they just are not in the market....multi event or not. Thats why the extra homework to see if there may be a legit need a hotshot freshman can fulfill (even if thats for yr 2 or so) AND to look at historically on the given team how many of their current PV team is given tuition help/scholarship. If that answer is none, and never, then your pushin a wet noodle up hill. Thats a no brainer. And are you talking a USC or Stanford where tuition is out of sight or you talking about a Cal Sate (not UC) institution where per unit costs are less than a dorm room per semester. I know a vaulter at a Cal state that is a junior now just going over 15, and he is on year 2 of tuition + dorm. So its a question of due dilegence, luck on timing for available funds for a PVr and who ya know...nothing too new there eh?

You are right on that you need to do research and find out what a school already has and where they are headed in the next year or two.

I worry that you guys are a little too focused on scholarships. There is more to life than an athletic scholarship. The number one thing is finding the right school for that athlete. If they are SERIOUS about improving as a vaulter, the right school may not be the one that offers the most money.

There are tons of vaulters in college who went with the school that offered the most money and it ends up not being a good fit and they never improve, or if they do it is not as much as they wanted to.

Obviously money doesn't grow on trees, but there are other financial aid options available. In your search for a college, don't dismiss a school just because they are unlikely to offer a scholarship. Come up with a list of schools that are a good fit for your athlete, and don't let the scholarship offers be a big factor until the end. If a school that seems like it will be a great fit is offering a great scholarship, then that is awesome! But if the only schools offering big money don't seem like places he is likely to develop as a vaulter, be wary.

It is understood that a track team has a finite number of scholarships to deal with (for Girls and Guys). ...its is also a function of priority within the AD. USC loads the football team with x % of the total, and what gets left for T&F is about the same for water polo or hop scotch (not many) But as I recall, Idaho State has let between 9-11 per year(girls and guys) the last 3 or 4 out of 5.

There is an NCAA maximum number of scholarships for track and field. More for the girls than the guys. Some schools may not be fully funded, in other words they offer less than the NCAA maximum.

So your points are all valid. No big argument here. Your tone is just off, and you all seem to be telling us it can't be done or its slim chance.

You have a very good change of getting a SOLID scholarship somewhere. Just don't get too hung up on it being a FULL scholarship.

Oh, ever hear of a PVr named Skipper....he can run another event or two (or 9 others), and 17' decathaletes usually score darn near 7000 to...and 2 of the 3 I know started as Vaulters not shot putters.

cheers

If your kid is college decathlete potential, then he is a lot likely to get better offers. The best way of showing this to coaches is having him do other events like the 100 and the long jump, to show he has some raw talent. If he really is interested in decathlons, then have him do them in the junior olympics.