Central Section Pole Vault

[fiberglasspilot]

For years I have had listen to comments about how weak our section is in the pole vault...primarily from distance people.  It's always been a kick in the teeth when you have an athlete make it to the state meet and then someone tells you it's no big deal because our section is so weak in that event.  I dare someone to say that this year!  I would say the last three years our section has produced some highly competitive vaulters.  It's nice to see our event on the rise...

Last year we had 4 or 5 guys qualify to RFD indoor meet.  This year we had 7 athletes go 14'0 or better in early February...and one over 16'.  Not too shabby! 

[tracknut]

the clovis schools have really led this resurgence.  seems like every year clovis east has had severl vaulters over 14'6.  buchanan and clovis have one every year near 15 now.  top that off this year with ramey and fraley at 15'0 and 16'0 already and it's looking to be a great year!

[Gurf]

Central finally purchased a pole vault pit. They now need a coach. Any suggestions?

[fiberglasspilot]

the clovis schools have really led this resurgence.  seems like every year clovis east has had severl vaulters over 14'6.  buchanan and clovis have one every year near 15 now.  top that off this year with ramey and fraley at 15'0 and 16'0 already and it's looking to be a great year!

Indeed it is...

Not that it matters...but for the sake of accuracy...I believe CE has carried at least one 15 footer every year since Pancotti went 15-2 his junior year in '05.  They had a 16 and a 15 footer in '09 and two 15 footers last year...although they didn't compete well at the valley championship.  Again...not that it matters... :D

Last year...CW, Clovis, Buchanan, Liberty, Lemoore and CE all had 15 footers at the section championships...not a bad competition.  Between Fraley and Ramay...and a nice group of young vaulters coming up...this year should be much of the same.  Then...we have the girls.  Who have also improved collectively in the last few years.  I think Monteverde has a lot of potential to give our CS record a run...should be fun to watch.

Gurf...good luck.  They are just hard to come by these days.  If I come up with any candidates...I'll send you a message. 

[tracknut]

Central finally purchased a pole vault pit. They now need a coach. Any suggestions?

was hoping to hear they'd get one.  Talked to the head coach last year when we bought new mats.

I know quite a few ex vaulters, but none with alot of extra time on their hands.  I'll ask around as well.

And pilot, sorry to have underquoated the CE vaulters.  :p  See you saturday!

[Frontier]

Definitely getting a lot better. Out of the Kern County though I'd think it's safe to say that Ramay is just about the ONLY vaulter to have a chance at qualifying to State. I think that last year the Central Section did a good job at representing the Valley .. I mean besides Mater Dei, I think that the Central Section did quite well.

[Gurf]

How does everyone keep their mats from being destroyed? Like I said Central bought pits but has no shed like Madera. What is the next best way to keep them safe?

[tracknut]

you can never keep them completly safe without locking them in a shed, but you have a few options.  sanger likes to use older sections of chain link fence and run chain through the outside chanels to lock them down.  this prevents anyone from jumping on or moving the mats at all, but not from stabbing or slicing the cover.  in kingsburg we haven't had too many issues so at this point all we do is run some cable chain through pvc to lock the pits down.  all it does is prevent anyone from moving the mats and limits the amount of jumping someone could do safely.  you can pick up chain, locks and pvc for less than $100.  negative of the chain link fence option is potential tearing of the top cover.  negative of just pvc and chain is people can still jump on the mats.  the biggest issue we've had in the past was kids trying to climb the standards.  we now move ours in on weekends to prevent that kind of damage.  good luck and let me know if there is anything else i can do to help.

[tracknut]

side note and very late notice, but if you have free time tomorrow morning tulare western is having a track clinic.  clovis east's pole vault coach a.j. blackburn will be talking about the vault.  in my opinion he's the best vault coach in the valley and worth the price of admission.

[tracknut]