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I am a senior in High School this year, and was wanting to compete unattached in some of the college meets in my area. Does anyone know the rules/regulation for high school vaulters competing unattached in collegiate meets? How would you enter yourself in the competition? Also for the competitors, does it get on your nerves when someone competes unattached, especially someone that is in high school? Is it be a good way to try to advertise yourself to colleges?

Check with your high school association. Lots of states have rules that prohibit this.

Most colleges do not allow unattached high schoolers in their meets, but it does happen.

It never bothered me to have unattached high schoolers in the meet, even if they beat me. I jumped unattached in a few meets when I was in high school. I got my butt kicked, but it was good because I won all the high school meets I was in my senior year.

Some colleges host high school meets. You would be better off trying to get into one of those, or competing at state, any of the national meets, simplot games, golden west, the pole vault summit, etc.

You can compete at numerous "High School" meets, held at various colleges in Ohio. There are meets at Ceaderville, Findlay, Bowling Green and Capitol to name a few. The indoor schedule is usually posted on the oatccc.com website. It may not be up yet though. Good luck!

Just be mindful that if your vaulting in a competitive meet, opening might be close to your PR or above it. That may be unfortunate if you NH or only make one bar. You will have had the frount the entrance fee your self. Blowing that much on one bar sometimes isn’t worth it. When you compete for your own school you don’t have to worry about that.

HOWEVER, competing younger in an older crowed will get you more competitive and have a feel for what a real meet is, so when you compete at your HS meets you will be more composed and feel allot more comfortable.

In terms of recruitment, coaches are always looking for jumpers, but there are so many rules to recruitment that it may be difficult for them to talk to you. But once you jump that big bar in a meet it is documented and coaches will be able to research it.

At the colligate level coaching is only 1/3 or a coaches job, the rest of the day is spent contacting recruits, searching the web for results, and looking to improve their team. SO my advice to you, compete in real meets as often as possible get allot of experience under your belt, and when you jump those big bars, the right people will notice.

good luck

Thanks for the advice. I am wanting to compete in college meets because I am from KY and last year I won state by 4 feet. I am a good vaulter but nobody should win a state meet by that much, there just is not any competition. I want to compete in some of the college meets because I compete better when there is competition. What I have been doing to find competition is to leave the state.

What would you say is the average starting height at college meets for guys?

here at psu lowest i have seen is 14' 9"

KYSEAMAN wrote:Thanks for the advice. I am wanting to compete in college meets because I am from KY and last year I won state by 4 feet. I am a good vaulter but nobody should win a state meet by that much, there just is not any competition. I want to compete in some of the college meets because I compete better when there is competition. What I have been doing to find competition is to leave the state.

What would you say is the average starting height at college meets for guys?

Look around. You will find heights of 15+ for big meets at large schools and often times heights in between 13 and 15 feet at smaller schools.

KYSEAMAN wrote:Thanks for the advice. I am wanting to compete in college meets because I am from KY and last year I won state by 4 feet. I am a good vaulter but nobody should win a state meet by that much, there just is not any competition. I want to compete in some of the college meets because I compete better when there is competition. What I have been doing to find competition is to leave the state.

What would you say is the average starting height at college meets for guys?

I agree with you. You should get in some college meets. You have no competition. I recommend you look up all the college meets being hosted in the area you are willing to drive. Call the coaches of the home schools and ask him to enter you as an open competitor. If your 18 it might be best not to tell that your in high school. Just don't mention it. You could also ask your HS coach to call for you. You might have a better chance that way, especially if you are still 17.

JC's often start around 12 feet. When I was in college, most regular meets starting was 14. Please tell us you're over 16 feet. If 2nd place was less than 12, that is very, very sad.

jumpbackin wrote:

KYSEAMAN wrote:Thanks for the advice. I am wanting to compete in college meets because I am from KY and last year I won state by 4 feet. I am a good vaulter but nobody should win a state meet by that much, there just is not any competition. I want to compete in some of the college meets because I compete better when there is competition. What I have been doing to find competition is to leave the state.

What would you say is the average starting height at college meets for guys?

I agree with you. You should get in some college meets. You have no competition. I recommend you look up all the college meets being hosted in the area you are willing to drive. Call the coaches of the home schools and ask him to enter you as an open competitor. If your 18 it might be best not to tell that your in high school. Just don't mention it. You could also ask your HS coach to call for you. You might have a better chance that way, especially if you are still 17.

JC's often start around 12 feet. When I was in college, most regular meets starting was 14. Please tell us you're over 16 feet. If 2nd place was less than 12, that is very, very sad.

No it is even worse....I won at 14', but that was for my division....I was the overall best also with a 14' jump by a foot and a half!!!and it was one of my worst jumping days ever. I have since been over 15' and 15'2" in meets, and have recently gone 16' but it isn't official. So this upcomming year high school meets will be reallllly boring. At meets here in KY I have won every meet at my starting height.....KY is horrible I know.

can i please move to your state lol. jk. ya i shoulda taken like 7th or 8th, mebbe 6th in the state last year with a 12 ft vault but i didnt even get to go. the sad thing is that my region is the only one in the state that had someone vault over 12 ft. i took 5th in the region so i was kind of disappointed. got beat by some kid who suddenly went from 11' to 12'6" and back again at states. kinda gay but w/e me and my friend are gonna blow kids away this year.

I can't think of any colleges (off the top of my head) in Kentucky that are big time vault schools. I don't remember ever seeing any good vaulters from Univ. of Kentucky, maybe Louisville has a couple.

That means odds are probably good you'll be able to clear some bars in almost any collegiate meet in the area.

Also means you might want to look at going out of state for college

rainbowgirl28 wrote:I can't think of any colleges (off the top of my head) in Kentucky that are big time vault schools. I don't remember ever seeing any good vaulters from Univ. of Kentucky, maybe Louisville has a couple.

That means odds are probably good you'll be able to clear some bars in almost any collegiate meet in the area.

Also means you might want to look at going out of state for college

I am about 90% sure I am going to leave the state.....but we used to have a good vaulter here in KY, Chip Heurer who now vaults for Oklahoma.