What does each state currently say about helmets?

[rainbowgirl28]

Here is some feedback I got from various people on Myspace:

California MVAl which is part of NCS requires helmets to be worn during league meets but at invitationals you don't have to. I generally wear mine at practice when i am on a new pole, new run, or generally trying somthing new.
Toby wears one so...
~~~~
i don't really know, i know i don't wanna wear one though
~~~~
I'm not required to wear a helmet by any one, the league or my parents, so there are not requirements. I do know people however that do wear helmets but I think they just wear skater helmets.
~~~~
In Minnesota we wear helmets... I'm from *****... we have to wear them because a guy died pole vaulting b/c he was upsidown and he fell on his head.. we don't mind wearing them.
~~~~
My district doesnt make us wear helmets, but ive heard rumors that we might start using them because pole vaulting is getting more popular out here

And The TAAF (Texas Amature Athletic Federation) didnt make us wear them either.
~~~~
I personally dopnt wear a helmet because it gets in the way. but i know that at the Don Hood's pole vault camp at texas tech youre required ot wear one.
~~~~
There is no legislation or requirements in Australia to wear a helmet when vaulting. I have only ever seen 2-3 vaulters wear helmets, one being Toby Stevenson. All have been US vaulters.
Cheers
~~~~
i was forced to wear a helmit in college by *********. did i need to wear one, No. did it affect my jumping?, at first yes, but all and all not really no. did i feel dumb wearing it? yes sometimes but i would feel better when i won the meet. do i think some kids need to wear one, yes. will a helmit stop kids from getting banged in the head, yes....maybe. will it stop kids from going off the back of the pit and breaking there necks or landing in the box and breaking there necks, prolly not. helmits are not needed with qualified and safe instructors. this is just a few of my feelings on helmits. have fun.
~~~~
I am not required to wear a helmet, and am strongly against it. The vast majority of pole vault injuries do no occur from the vaulted hitting their head on box, the ground or any other outside obstacle. Rather vaulter more commonly hyper extends their neck or back, causing severe problems such as pulled or torn muscles in the neck and back and also spraining the upper vertebras. The result is often taking the vaulter out of commission for several weeks, or worse a season or career ending injury. In the worst cases, temporary or permanent paralyzation can occur. Wearing a helmet only increases the angle at which the neck and back are bent on impact of the mat. I believe that the risk associated with wearing a helmet is actually greater than going with out one, seeing as how impact damage to the brain is extremely rare in our sport.
Take it for what it is, that’s my 2 cents.
~~~~
I never had to wear a helmet when I pole vaulted in texas. All the way up to State, I never had to wear em. Some people wore em but that was their own preference.
~~~~

[cdmilton]

In Minnesota...

Had the men's big ten meet been somewhere else in 2002 the schools in that five state area probably wouldn't be wearing helmets. That is my opinion.

As for why Minnesota wears helmets when you have the meet staffed by coaches on the advisory board, the powers that be made a decision that they felt would keep kids safe. The amazing thing about helmets is that well before this happened we had prominent national coaches requiring kids to wear helmets at their camps. I remember one camp that they had a box of protek helmets and a kid that didn't bring there own had to purchase one.

So we wear helmets. As a lowly coach in this great state what am I to do? Tell my kids not to wear helmets because our legislative body is wrong? Have them wear helmets because our legislative body says we do?

Curious, where do you coach at?

[rainbowgirl28]

So we wear helmets. As a lowly coach in this great state what am I to do? Tell my kids not to wear helmets because our legislative body is wrong? Have them wear helmets because our legislative body says we do?

Take an active role in your coaches association and state association. Lobby them to remove the mandatory helmet rule. Get involved!

[vcpvcoach]

http://www.mshsl.org/mshsl/activitypage.asp?actnum=429

Click on the about link and go to the bottom right corner and click on the link to their rule interpitation of rule 7-5, Article 3.

The rule reads, "The manufacturer must include on each pole: the pole ratring that shall be a minimum of 3/4 inch in a contrasting color[i] located [i]within or above the top handhold position; a 1-inch circular band indicating the maximum top hand hold position being determined by the manufacturer."

The MI rules states, "The coach can mark the top handhold position (6 inches from the top of the pole) and can write the correct weight rating of the pole (taken from the engraved information) in a minimum of 3/4 inch numbers in a contrasting color, located within or above the top handhold band. If the pole is not marked in the above manner, it is illegal until it is properly marked."

Two problems that I can see here,
1. Some poles manufacturers don't engrave their poles. Gill puts their makes in the glass of their poles.

2. Coaches shouldn't be making poles. The NFHS rules makes that clear. (Don't get me wrong. I wish that we were allowed to do it here in IL. I had two pole disqualified until Spirit sent me the bands. It was a hassle because I had to take a photo of the engravings and send it to Spirit."

Just another screw up from the lay persons rules committee.

[/i]

[sam-o-]

Well, in Texas we will be esuing that law in about 1-2 years. We are waiting until that or a new polevault helmet company makes one.

[JumpinSkiing]

New Hampshire hasn't mandated helmets yet, and I hope they don't. A neighboring school does mandate helmets themselves because a few years back someone died, not sure of the whole story.

[rainbowgirl28]

Well, in Texas we will be esuing that law in about 1-2 years. We are waiting until that or a new polevault helmet company makes one.

I just talked to the guy from the UIL today and that is definitely not a done deal. Not even close. Where are you guys hearing that it is? The coaches association?

[LHSpolevault]

MA doesn't require helmets.


Quick question... I know this might be weird... but how would you land in the plantbox on your head?

[rainbowgirl28]

MA doesn't require helmets.


Quick question... I know this might be weird... but how would you land in the plantbox on your head?

If you let go of the pole while you were hanging upside down over the box, or let go of the pole and somehow flipped into the box.

NEVER let go of the pole!

[LHSpolevault]

MA doesn't require helmets.


Quick question... I know this might be weird... but how would you land in the plantbox on your head?

If you let go of the pole while you were hanging upside down over the box, or let go of the pole and somehow flipped into the box.

NEVER let go of the pole!

that's what i was kinda getting at. Thanks Becca

[euroeva]

I have to wear a helmet that looks like the one on the article but says simpson on the front. This is only during outdoor meets in Philly. For indoor or meets in the suburbs we don't have to wear them.

[mpelk08]

South Dakota doesn't require high school students to wear helmets. The state doesn't require it at least. Schools can require students to wear helments when they vault. The school that i go to in Lemmon, SD requires me to wear a helmet when i vault.