Scholarships

[pvdad81]

I dont think any vaulter should start vaulting, or continue vaulting, if they goal in the vault is to get a scholarship. 12.6 scholarships means that there is 1 scholarship if you are lucky, given to an entire program of vaulters. Divide 1 by however many vaulters you have, on average i would say 3-4, and assume that right out of high school you are able to jump into that program, you are looking at 25% for jumping 16' 4.75" on average. That wins nearly every state championship and places in all of them. Vault because vaulting is FUN! Otherwise you'll end up in college with a partial scholarship wondering what you're doing there becacuse you already achieved your goal.

From the first day that I put a pole in Jonathans hand in the 9th grade, my goal was to get him a scholarship. I told him that I was able to vault in college on a scholarship and he could too if he worked hard enough. You will not jump 16'1" in high school if your only jumping for fun. It's taken alot of effort to get where we are now. We've doubled our seasons by jumping all summer. We've given up vacations. Instead, we've gone to track meets. While other kids are out having fun, Jonathans been training. While other kids spend time at jobs earning cash, Jonathans been spending time at his job,training. Ive done my best to get him the best coaches I could afford on a limited income. I've gambled and put money that I could have saved for his college and bought poles, camps and coaching. Even though he has earned a D1 scholarship, It hasn't paid off yet. But wait and see, I have alot of faith in Jonathans abilities. And by the way, we've have had alot of fun and met alot of great people in the PV world along the way!

[kev44000]

Well said. That is what it is all about.

[rainbowgirl28]

From the first day that I put a pole in Jonathans hand in the 9th grade, my goal was to get him a scholarship. I told him that I was able to vault in college on a scholarship and he could too if he worked hard enough. You will not jump 16'1" in high school if your only jumping for fun. It's taken alot of effort to get where we are now. We've doubled our seasons by jumping all summer. We've given up vacations. Instead, we've gone to track meets. While other kids are out having fun, Jonathans been training. While other kids spend time at jobs earning cash, Jonathans been spending time at his job,training. Ive done my best to get him the best coaches I could afford on a limited income. I've gambled and put money that I could have saved for his college and bought poles, camps and coaching. Even though he has earned a D1 scholarship, It hasn't paid off yet. But wait and see, I have alot of faith in Jonathans abilities. And by the way, we've have had alot of fun and met alot of great people in the PV world along the way!

While I don't disagree with the sentiment, I would never recommend taking money that would have been saved for college and using it on pole vaulting in hopes that it will pay off into a scholarship. What if he had had a career ending injury this year? What if he has one next year? College scholarships are one year contracts, there's no guarantee he'll have it for all four years, especially at a school that just last year eliminated it's entire pole vault program.

But the kind of motivation you describe is absolutely what it takes to jump high. Hopefully he has enjoyed it as much as you have!

[CowtownPV]

.[/quote]

From the first day that I put a pole in Jonathans hand in the 9th grade, my goal was to get him a scholarship. I told him that I was able to vault in college on a scholarship and he could too if he worked hard enough. You will not jump 16'1" in high school if your only jumping for fun. It's taken alot of effort to get where we are now. We've doubled our seasons by jumping all summer. We've given up vacations. Instead, we've gone to track meets. While other kids are out having fun, Jonathans been training. While other kids spend time at jobs earning cash, Jonathans been spending time at his job,training. Ive done my best to get him the best coaches I could afford on a limited income. I've gambled and put money that I could have saved for his college and bought poles, camps and coaching. Even though he has earned a D1 scholarship, It hasn't paid off yet. But wait and see, I have alot of faith in Jonathans abilities. And by the way, we've have had alot of fun and met alot of great people in the PV world along the way![/quote]


I am glad it worked out for you but over the years I have seen more that it didn't work out for. I have seen parents take thier kids to every camp and coach around and still they don't qualify for a scholarship, at least not a full. If the only way a vaulter can go to school is on a full ride then I guess that should be their top priority, if not things like coaching, team mates, pole selection, meets the school attends and academics should be important too. A full scholarship to a school that has no vaulters, very few poles, limited budget to get new poles,or to travel to any big meets and a coach who will be coaching several other events and the PV isn't one of his favorites won't make you a great vaulter.

[nitro]

The past few posts are talking about offering an 18 foot high schooler 50% and thats an insult.... And 11'6" girl High schooler and volunteer coaches... yadda...
As a non-scholarhisp NCAA athlete I am sort of insulted with some of the above commetns.

(to go along with purple vaulter said)

D1 track and field only have what 12.6 scholar ships to offer men and about 18 for women, so a coach's ability to offer more to a female is very reasonable, there is more money to offer, further more different teams have different needs... Why would they commit themselves a student who can only do 1 event. In a championship vaulter is only going to win 10 pts, You get a diesel sprinter that can run the 2, 4, 4x4, they can get up to 40 points in a meet. Same is true with distance and throws. Just because an athlete is good doesn't mean he/she needs or DESERVES a scholarship. Athletics at the college level is more of an opportunity for the student, and by no means is meal ticket. If a team can offer more to a student who really doesn't have the means to go to university then maybe more than 50% is appropriate. Even then a Student- Athlete has some opportunities to negotiate. "Look, School X offered me 60% where you offered me 50%, If you can get me 75% I would much rather to come to you".

Some coach's theories is to spread that amount out, so 10% here and there you can have a much larger pool to give to students. UCLA has 4 or 5 guys jumping 4.90 out of high school who are just want an opportunity to be on the team. Many people from my area have suggested that Vtech doesn't even offer scholar ships to their freshmen vault students because they have a method to get their team to jump high regardless.

Furthermore, the recruiting process only allows for so much face time with the coach and athlete, if a school commits 100% to an athlete and it turns out he is a head case, or not willing to listen, or just a bad guy with no work ethic, the school really has put them selves in a bad position. For some coaches adding 10-20% a year with confrence points makes more sense. Student Athletes have opportunities to do what normal students can not, and should not be offended by the opportunity to go to university at a discounted rate.

cheers
-bel

i didnt want to get involved in this post but i agree 100% with what your saying about the scholarships. A school that is trying to put together the best team isnt going to put out a lot of money for a pole vaulter they want athletes who can do multiple events. sprinters can do 3 distance runners can do many throwers can do 2 or 3 and some long/triple jumpers. then if they can get a pole vaulter for cheap that can get them some points thats what they want. smaller schools will give out full scholarships because they cant get those athletes that can score 30 points a meet so they are just trying to get as many points as they can. A full scholarship would be nice but its not always about the money and just because a school wont give you a full scholarship doesnt mean they dont want you or dont think your going to be great but they are trying to put together the best team they can because thats their job and if they dont they will loose that job.

Student Athletes have opportunities to do what normal students can not, and should not be offended by the opportunity to go to university at a discounted rate.
-bel

Without the scholarship athletes have so many advantages and opportunities that normal students dont get and should be very grateful because those are going to help them graduate and go on with their life with a degree which is the reason for going to college. On top of that if someone is going to get a discount rate for those advantages that is great and should be very glad because most people dont get those advantages.

[Pogo Stick]

Small introduction: Petrov was coaching Sergei Bubka since he was 10 to his late 20's. During this period, he had no pressure to peak Sergei when he was 15 or 18 years old to get scholarship or to justify time and money invested in his long-term development. This unique position was, and still is, unimaginable in USA unless your father's last name is Bell, Dial or recently Duplantis. Even then this is just small family business with not lot of support outside the family. No offence please to parents who are coaching his own childs - I think this is the one of the most hardest jobs on earth.
Take a look at Bubka's progression until 20:

Code: Select all

years   m   ft
12   2.70   8' 10"
13   3.50   11' 6"
14   3.60   11' 10"
15   4.40   14' 5"
16   4.80   15' 9"
17   5.10   16' 9"
18   5.40   17' 9"
19   5.55   18' 3"
20   5.72   18' 9"


I am sure lot of US vaulters had or have better PB's than Bubka at ages 12 to 18. I am not familiar at all with college recruiting system but I am wondering are his results good enough to provide him scholarship at US college with good vaulting program and access to good coach?

[rainbowgirl28]

Small introduction: Petrov was coaching Sergei Bubka since he was 10 to his late 20's. During this period, he had no pressure to peak Sergei when he was 15 or 18 years old to get scholarship or to justify time and money invested in his long-term development. This unique position was, and still is, unimaginable in USA unless your father's last name is Bell, Dial or recently Duplantis. Even then this is just small family business with not lot of support outside the family. No offence please to parents who are coaching his own childs - I think this is the one of the most hardest jobs on earth.
Take a look at Bubka's progression until 20:

Code: Select all

years   m   ft
12   2.70   8' 10"
13   3.50   11' 6"
14   3.60   11' 10"
15   4.40   14' 5"
16   4.80   15' 9"
17   5.10   16' 9"
18   5.40   17' 9"
19   5.55   18' 3"
20   5.72   18' 9"


I am sure lot of US vaulters had or have better PB's than Bubka at ages 12 to 18. I am not familiar at all with college recruiting system but I am wondering are his results good enough to provide him scholarship at US college with good vaulting program and access to good coach?

Most US kids never touch a pole until age 14 or 15 at the earliest, and in a given year there are maybe 1-2 kids at 17'9 or better. Yes, Bubka's marks were good enough to get him a scholarship at a good program.

[Tim McMichael]

While it is true that a lot of coaches go after the sprinters and distance runners to maximize the potential for points, this can still be a strategic mistake. When I went undefeated my senior year at OU, I scored more points by far than any other athlete on the team. I don’t think it is wise to pass up the best talent available, no matter what their event.

The other thing to consider is that the other teams who are not recruiting field events are extremely vulnerable in that area. The parity of talent in the sprints and distances can dilute the points available. This means domination in the individual field events can be the decisive factor in winning a meet.

Traditions are also important. I think it is always wise for a head coach to honor his school’s tradition of success in individual events. Once a history of excellence is established, it becomes much easier to recruit in that area. It can take decades to build a tradition and only a few seasons to ruin it through neglect.

scholarship athletes have so many advantages and opportunities that normal students dont get and should be very grateful

When I was helping with Chip at OU, the first thing I noticed was all the equipment left at the track. Every day, after everybody had gone home, there was hundreds of dollars worth of shoes and tape and spray and uniforms just left laying around. I couldn't believe it. The first thing I was going to do if they hired me was to take all of that stuff and put in in a box and not give it back until people started appreciating the advantages of being a part of a program like OU. For all of its disadvantages, one thing that our University system often does well is financial support for individual athletes' competitive needs. A 17' vaulter at OU has access to equipment, facilities, and travel arrangements that many professionals don't have. This is another consideration that I think should be taken into account when choosing a school.

[nitro]

While it is true that a lot of coaches go after the sprinters and distance runners to maximize the potential for points, this can still be a strategic mistake. When I went undefeated my senior year at OU, I scored more points by far than any other athlete on the team. I don’t think it is wise to pass up the best talent available, no matter what their event.

The thing is the good programs already have athletes jumping high, which is what makes them good programs, so to invest another scholarship into a pole vaulter is very hard for the team to do

[jschools]

This is an interesting discussion...My son is being recruited by a D1 School and not even thought about by a couple of D2 schools. The reason being is that the D1 school is very selective and they are excited about a decent pole vaulter that meets their standards. Whereas, the D2 school have more relaxed entry standards and can get vaulters of his caliber a dime a dozen. So, the scholarship issue about heights is not just about heights, but also academic standards. By the way, the D1 school that is recruiting him does not offer any scholarships!

[kev44000]

This is an interesting discussion...My son is being recruited by a D1 School and not even thought about by a couple of D2 schools. The reason being is that the D1 school is very selective and they are excited about a decent pole vaulter that meets their standards. Whereas, the D2 school have more relaxed entry standards and can get vaulters of his caliber a dime a dozen. So, the scholarship issue about heights is not just about heights, but also academic standards. By the way, the D1 school that is recruiting him does not offer any scholarships!

There cannot be a scholarship issue about heights if the school does not offer scholarships. All the D1 schools that recruited my son, that offered scholarships did so on his performance on the track first. If you do not have the the performance standard you will not be recruited in the first place. An athlete does have academic standands that have to be met for any school.

[bel142]

Going along with the above. Cornell (to my understanding) does not offer any of their athletes scholarships, however because they allow for such a huge amount of people on their roster they usually have a decent program.