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My daughter came into a situation where the high school meet she went to has an old pole vault mat which has the front cut out rises straight up immediately after the plant box at a 90 degree angle. I reviewed some of my pictures that show the mat stopped the bending pole from moving on its normal curve which resulted in situations where vaulters are being sent back or side to side and fell on the plant box. In the HS Federation rule book it said "the front cut out of the pole vault mat shall be tapered away from the planting box so that it allows the pole to bend uninhibited". Is this only a suggestion but not a requirement?

those rules are RULES, not suggestions. That vault pit needs to be updated...that's dangerous

The school official told us that their mats are legal . Anyone know who I should contact to verify this?

I thought it was just a firm suggestion, not an actual rule, but I haven't seen this year's rule book.

A box collar is mandatory. At a facility like that, try to convince them to move the pits as far back as possble, to give the pole a little more room.