Coaching interventions

[mjaubbs40]

Tonight, as an opposing coach I had to ask another coaches athlete to stop vaulting at a meet because I felt they were unsafe. Unfortunately I asked him after he crashed into the right standard instead of before. Here were the symptoms: he was way over bending the pole and not penetrating. Then the pole just threw him and not always in a predictable manor. My analysis:
Run--way too long
grip--way too high
pole--way too soft (13/40 and I'm sure this kid weighed over that--not to mention the poor takeoff that still crushed the pole)
Not a good combination.
He somehow made 10-6 by planting the pole at best by his ear and just barely penetrated.
His coach couldn't understand my concern and only said, "he's made 12' before."
I asked them politely out of concern to lower his grip and move to a stiffer pole. They scratched.

I know there have been conversations/threads about "coaching interventions" and I thought I'd start a thread sharing stories to see what happened.

[master]

Good for you. You did the right thing although I'm sure it was uncomfortable for you.

- master

[ashcraftpv]

I always use the 3 strikes rule. First unsafe vault, I politely ask the vaulter or coach to correct the unsafe behavior and explain how and why. If it happens a second time, I ask them again to correct it and warn them that one more jump like that and the vaulter is done jumping. Third time, vaulter is done. no questions asked. This usually applies to consecutive jumps, as any smart coach or vaulter will either take the advice or correct it themselves. about 95% of the time its because of a vaulter overgripping.

[mjaubbs40]

You did the right thing although I'm sure it was uncomfortable for you.

- master

The most uncomfortable part was feeling like I had to justify my qualifications and knowledge to the other coach who looked at me like I had 2 heads.

[stormvault]

It is too bad that the performance (12') or bending a pole is an indicator of proficency to some coaches.

To play devil's advocate, at what point does it become other coaches responsibility to shut a kid down? Should meet management have a say? If it is not your athlete are you held liable if that athlete gets hurt?
Of course, in your case mjaubbs40, where was the kid's coach?

[mjaubbs40]

To play devil's advocate, at what point does it become other coaches responsibility to shut a kid down? Should meet management have a say? If it is not your athlete are you held liable if that athlete gets hurt?
Of course, in your case mjaubbs40, where was the kid's coach?

The coach was at the pit and with the athlete the entire time. At no point did I hear any conversations trying to improve technically or perform a safer vault--just about how high he was jumping. He was definitely a nice guy, just with inexperience at the vault. Heck, I've only been coaching for 9-10 years and still can learn a ton, through experience and interaction with others who share their knowledge and experience--which was basically what I was trying to do with him.
I'm not sure how liability would work, but I'm sure an aggressive lawyer would make life miserable for all involved. That might be a good question for Russ.

[vaultman18]

I think liability would fall mainly on the coach. But if it is at your facility and you are hosting the meet I say stop the kid you can always insist on safety at your own pit.

[AVC Coach]

Good call. I have only made that call a few times. Safety first! It's got to be the responsibility of the event official to make sure everyone vaults safely, regardless of their pole vaulting "expertise".

[CoachT]

Good for you. You did the right thing. It would have been harder to watch someone get heart. It is not easy to do the right thing, but what you did, was for the safety of the vaulters. I have had to do it myself and it does not feel good, but I know that kids is still walking and breathing today. That is what is most important.

[SinCity]

hart. (hurt) fill (feel) importation.(important).

Forgive T, he's from Oklahoma. Gotcha Again Ha Ha

[SinCity]

I guess CoachT is smarter than he looks, because he used the editor, to make me look crazy. Kuddos T for using technology to your advantage

[BadMotherVaulter]

We had a situation at our Sectional last night that made me feel pretty sick as a coach...

A senior vaulter who's a 13'+ jumper from another school has been overweight on his poles all year...

I'm not 100% positive on what exactly went down, but he was jumping on poles at the least 10lbs under his weight... and my team's other pole vault coach ended up calling him out on it and taking it to the official. Since he made the jumps and i guess the coaches had his weight marked wrong or knowingly were allowing him to jump on poles under his weight, he got disqualified.

He's a hell of a nice kid, and it was a bad way to go out at the sectionals nonetheless. It sucks that the only time officials are required to weigh athletes before vaulting is at the state meet. Plus if his coaches had done the right thing since the start of the season and had him jumping on the right poles, he'd have been jumping last night, and could have advanced.

What a hard call to make.