PoleVaultPower.com

Hey everyone, I was just wondering who your coach is and what did he used to do before coaching. Did he ever vault and if so where and how hi? Theres been alot of news about how theres a lack of pole vault coaches in th U.S. but I just find that hard to believe.

At UofA my coach is Tom Hays:
During his tenure at Arizona, Hays has helped develop Arizona into the top Division I school in the nation for pole-vaulting. In four seasons, he has coached 10 All-Americans and has seen the school record broken several times. A native of McLouth, Kan., Hays earned a B.A. in physical education from Kansas in 1989. While at Kansas, he was a six-time All-Big Eight Conference pole vaulter. He and his wife, Rebecca, have four children - Amanda, Ryan, Kevin and Kara.

Who are you az?

My coach is the COOLEST! Charlie has coached at Interlake for a very long time. He is one of the people who have been at Interlake the longest… including teachers. He is an Architect. He is married to Shannon, and has three great kids, Nick, Tyler, and little Zac. They are wild and crazy kid, but so much fun. Charlie went to Shelton high school, and then to Columbia for college. He is good at almost every sport, and is amazing to me. He is one of the best men I have ever met. I was so lucky to have him as my coach. I don’t know much about how high he went, but it doesn’t matter because he is one of the best coaches you will ever meet. He is amazing.

Gosh I have worked with a lot of coaches...

Here are a few and what they used to do...

Ron Johnson (Snohomish HS, WA) - Used to pole vault for Snohomish HS, then UW, then Willamette Striders. Went 18-0.50 not long after college. Held the Seattle International Meet Record until Matt Phillips broke it this year. Now he is a firefighter and has a baby

Mike Mikos (coaches all over in WA) - Set a lifetime PR as a masters vaulter and had a world record or US record or something, but I think Dennis Phillips broke it.

Dick Henrie (Bellingham, WA) - Old school vaulter like Mike. They both vaulted around the time of Casey Carrigan! I don't know how high he used to vault, but his sons both vaulted for Nooksack Valley HS, and Josh is getting back in to it. Dick still plays around with it, but he doesn't compete usually.

Bobby Haeck (South Lake HS, FL) - He used to vault for Florida State.

Charlie Shugart (Interlake HS, WA) - Amy's coach! Amy I forget how high he told me he vaulted... he said it was good for the Ivy League, but not great. He jumped a couple meets this summer though! Cleared at least 11-6.

Aaron James (University of Georgia) - I forget now where he vaulted in college! He wasn't that good though, he is a much better coach than he was vaulter. I think I will probably be the same way

opalkak wrote:Who are you az?

Whats up kev, this is Adam.

Well my H.S. coach was Mr. Johnson. He teaches Spanish now but it was too long ago to tell what he used to do cuz he has been coaching for 25 years. But he was one of the most influential people for me in H.S. He was going to pole vault but he told his coach no and blew his chance to be good.

We won't mention much about my high school coach since I only vaulted 1full season and three meets. His most insightfull advice was "pretend you are a ball uf mud on the end of a stick that is being flicked in the air!" I hope my high school no longer has him as a vault coach.

In college I was a orphan for two and a half years the vaulters just tried to figure stuff out on thier own. My junior year we finally got a coach, Gerry Krause. He was, until recently, a instructor for Sky Jumpers. He vaulted in the transition time when fiberglass poles were just becoming available late 50's early 60's his PR was 15'6". He vaulted with Jan Johnson right as Jan was getting started I believe.

Gerry, coached at my college for three years. He had six different men and two women qualify for nationals over that three year period. ( prior to that we were lucky to clear opening hieght, see before mentined high school coach) He had three seperate vaulters claim Eight All-American titles, Women's DIII national record, and one olympian- One time American record holder (Mel Mueller). Mel was not the women's national record holder. She had finished all of her eligability. Prior to begining to vault.

Gerry was awsome, he stopped coaching when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He is a wild life artist and does a lot of bonze work and jewlry. Those of you who know me, if you have ever seen my gold necklace of a pole vaulter, Gerry designs and makes them. These pendants were given out as prizes at the Reno vault summit to the top male and female competetors, at least for the first two to three years of the summit. He also sold them on Eastbay (not E-bay) for a while. Now I think you need to contact him directly. The pendant idea started out when he made this butt ugly tie clip for himself(the design was cool but this thing huge and obtrusive) when the head coach forced him to wear a tie to the conference meet. I asked him if he could make me a necklace similar to the design and that is how the pendants got started.

There you have it in a nut shell.... My wife is hasseling me to get off. more stories latter

Awsome story!!! I know there are more like it out there. Lets here em. It only takes five minutes to give apreciation to the man or woman who got you where you are today!

Robert your necklace does indeed rock

Well i hope my summer coach wont be too upset with me. But i forgot to tell you guys about Becca. hehehe she was my summer time coach. I would go with her to King's H.S. so yeah she used to go to UF now she goes to UG. its kinda confusing but we love her anyway

xtremevaulter wrote:Well i hope my summer coach wont be too upset with me. But i forgot to tell you guys about Becca. hehehe she was my summer time coach. I would go with her to King's H.S. so yeah she used to go to UF now she goes to UG. its kinda confusing but we love her anyway

Awww thanks Too bad you injured your sternoclastmoidthingie at camp , you would have gone 13 for sure.