Need help with coaching in San Francisco public schools

[dpiechota]

Hi all,

First time poster and newbie coach here. ( 5 months.). I vaulted in high school and JC ( early eighties ) without really any coaching, and ultimately PR'd at 14'6. Fast forward to this past January. My son was a freshman and wanted to pole vault but his high school did not have a PV coach. Next thing you know I am volunteering and coaching not only him but about 25 kids from four different schools ( no PV coaches in any of the San Francisco public schools). I quickly had to find a system for coaching. Fortunately, in the age of the Internet there is a vast amount of information to help with this. I quickly gravitated to the simplicity of Alan Launder's BTB approach in teaching kids to vault. With the BTB method as a base, and reading as much as I could from many sources, and some of my own experimentation, I was able to help there two kids over 10'6 and one over 10 feet. (As it turns out, my son was one of those kids over 10'6 and at this point has the most potential, as he has the most developed technique, and raw strength and speed. )

But it was a lot to manage on my own. Further, I began to have the desire to have a program for the San Francisco Public schools that sustains itself beyond three years from now, once my son graduates high school. Although I have loved coaching and am somewhat obsessed with the event again, and how to help this kids reach their potential, I can only devote part time attention to coaching.

Is there anyone out there in the SF area who is interested in helping me out with coaching? Does anyone have any advice in seeking out the help I am looking for? While I have found the Petrov model as presented by Launder extremely useful as a pedagogical tool, I am not dogmatic and am still wide open to many influences and ideas. Would love to have any kind of help I could get from more experienced coaches.

Thanks,

Daniel Piechota
Pole Vaulting coach - Lincoln High school - SF