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Gill Athletics is the official equipment supplier of the NCAA Track & Field Championships.
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CONTENTS y r a nu
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FROM THE EDITOR
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STRONG ANKLES FOR STRONG VAULTS
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GENERATIONS OF SHOCKER LEGACY PERSISTS
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Cover photo by Curt Rierson
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FROM THE EDITOR The Christmas festivities are done, and we hope you faired well and are ready to press through and head into the 2018 calendar year! No sense in looking back, the future is where all your goals are waiting for you.
Pole Vault news, “Adrenaline junkie Jax Thoirs hoping to vault his way to Gold Coast glory” (Adrenaline junkie Jax Thoirs hoping to vault his way to Gold Coast glory (2017). Retrieved from http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/15776047. Adrenaline_junkie_Jax_Thoirs_ hoping_to_vault_his_way_to_ Gold_Coast_glory/) “Opinions divided on private instruction as supplement to high school track and field coaching” (Opinions divided on private instruction as supplement to high school track and field coaching. (2017). Retrieved from http://www. baltimoresun.com/sports/ high-school/bs-va-sp-indoor-
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track-feature-2017-story.html) On the cover, Wichita State University with Coach Wilson and his crew of top-notch athletes. This month Samantha our lead writer knocks it out of the part for the start of 2018 with research and expertise. Back to the main article about Wichita State University and all that they have to offer. “Wichita’s athletic facilities are second to none, and the track team reaps the benefits. Cessna Stadium houses the outdoor track, along with 30,000 seats for spectators and, every spring, the Kansas High School State Championships.” Coach Pat Wilson knows how to motivate and looks for any athlete that is willing to put the work in for his program. Great read and fun to see an exciting program. It’s all about the ankles, and Kreager Taber has a fun-filled and inciteful message about the necessity and use of the ankle. “If an athlete injures
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their ankle by rolling or twisting it, the injury can strain the calf muscles that stabilize their ankle.� Prevention and strength are key, and Kreager has what it takes to get you down the right track when it comes to
ankle strengthening and mobil- pole vaulting right around the ity. Check out this read; you will corner. not be disappointed in what you learn. Good Job! Doug Bouma Editor, Vaulter Magazine 2018 is going to be a big one, Vaulter Club Inc. so get ready for fun pack year of editor@thevaultermag.com
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STRONG ANKLES
FOR STRONG VAULTS By: Kreager Taber A vaulter’s success is built from the ground up. If their ankles are weak, immobile, or unprimed for the impact of the pole vault approach, their potential could be cut short due to injuries. In order to prevent ankle injuries, and the shin, knee, and hip problems that can arise from ankle
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issues, a vaulter’s training should include exercises to strengthen the ankles and increase their range of motion.
If an athlete injures their ankle by rolling or twisting it, the injury can strain the calf muscles that stabilize their ankle. This decrease in stability leads to a greater likelihood that the same ankle will be rolled in the future, and can also make the athlete’s body work harder to compensate for the weakness and lack of stability. The body could initially alleviate the pressure on the injured ankle by hyper or over-pronating with the arches of the feet, putting additional strain on the knees and the hips and leading to a greater likelihood of injury. The knees and hips are also stressed through a lack of mobility in the ankles, which is most noticeable when the athlete is weight lifting. Exercises that are helpful for building the strength required for powerful vaults, such as front and back squats, deadlifts, and the Olympic lifts, rely on the ankles to be mobile enough to absorb some of the strain of the movements. However, if the vaulter’s ankles are immobile and don’t have the appropriate range of motion to execute the lifts correctly, the
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strain put on the lower body will be absorbed by the hips and the knees.
To check if ankle range of motion could be an athlete’s weak spot, check to see if they flare their ankles out while squatting. Similar to how the wrists turn outwards in handstands if they aren’t flexible or strong enough to support the body, the athlete’s ankles will turn outwards to engage the hips while squatting. Increasing ankle mobility, like increasing the range of motion of any other part of the body, takes patience and daily work; however, the removal of some of the strain from the knees and hips while weight lifting is a worthy investment to keep vaulters’ bodies ready for the championship meets late in the season. If the vaulter has immobile ankles, preparing them for strain before weightlifting sessions and rolling out after can help the athlete’s hips and knees stay healthy. After the vaulter’s normal lifting warmup and dynamic stretching routine, have the athlete take their sprint starting position, as if they were sprinting out of blocks. The vaulter should lean forward onto their front leg, with their heel remaining on the ground, so that they can feel the back of the ankle, around the Achilles tendon,
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flex. Once the vaulter begins to improve their range of motion, they can put a kettlebell on top of their knee to increase the stretch felt by the back of the ankle. If even that doesn’t give the vaulter enough of a stretch, they can place a resistance band right above the ball of their ankle during the stretch. The combination of the pulling force of the band and the pushing force of the kettlebell should give the vaulter an adequate stretch to help improve their ankle mobility. After weight lifting sessions, the Achilles tendon should be rolled out with a lacrosse ball or thick foam roller. The vaulter should first place the lacrosse ball or roller at the point where their heel meets
the Achilles tendon, and alternating flexing and pointing their toe. This motion helps dissipate the strain absorbed by the Achilles and ankle during the lift, and also contributes to the development of ankle mobility.
Strengthening the ankles helps to prevent injuries in the shins, knees, and hips before they occur, and helps prepare the ankles for the strain of the pole vault approach. Movements that incorporate lateral stability, shock absorption, and balance should be included in the vaulter’s warm up or plyometric workouts. Improving the stability of the ankles, through movements such as lateral bounds, helps strength-
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en the calf muscles that are weakened by ankle injuries and prepare the ankle to absorb different kinds of shock, decreasing the risk of injury. The athlete should stand on one foot with their other thigh parallel to the ground, similar to an A-skip position. Then, the vaulter should push off of the outside leg to jump laterally, landing on their other foot. Once the vaulter is able to laterally push off of both legs with the same amount of force, the motion can be converted into a connected, bounding motion. This drill improves the ankles’ lateral stability and ability to absorb the impact of bounding. As the athlete warms up to vault or sprint, they should take time to practice jumping from their ankles rather than using the entirety of their legs. In order to do so, the vaulter should include baby bounds that isolate the rebound of their ankles rather than the power from their gluteus muscles, quadriceps, and hamstrings. To perform the drill, the athlete jumps from the ball of their foot, and the impact of the small bound is absorbed by the ball of the opposite foot during the landing. The athlete should immediately initiate the bound from their other foot, rather than letting the shock prevent the movement. Their legs should be kept straight but not locked in or-
der to avoid knee injuries, and the arms should not be used to generate additional power during the bounds. This primes the ankles to absorb the shock of the pole vault approach and sprints. Improving the vaulter’s balance, possibly by having them stand on one leg and toss a medicine ball back and forth with a partner without falling, helps strengthen the ankles and calves. The vaulter can stand on a foam pad or the pit to increase the challenge of the drill.
Incorporating drills that increase ankle stability, balance, shock absorption, and range of motion can help decrease the possibility that vaulters will suffer from ankle injuries. These maintenance drills, when performed on a regular basis, can also help to alleviate extraneous strain put on the knees and hips from weak, immobile, or unstable ankles. Developing healthy ankles is crucial for keeping pole vaulters strong enough to compete long-term.
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GENERATIONS OF SHOCKER LEGACY PERSISTS By Samantha Kaplan
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Any track and field athlete who’s gone through the program at Wichita State University has experienced luxurious facilities and top notch training programs. But above all of that, Shockers experience the vast network of athletes and coaches, past and present, who show lifelong dedication to the Kansas school, it’s athletics, and the people who emerge from it. By utilizing all that the university and it’s community provides, dedicated athletes can and do prosper.
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Wichita’s athletic facilities are second to none, and the track team reaps the benefits. Cessna Stadium houses the outdoor track, along with 30,000 seats for spectators and, every spring, the Kansas High School State Championships. The indoor facility consists of a six lane, 200 meter, Mondo surfaced track, along with the gymnastics and climbing equipment that the vaulters have access to for training. As far as pole vault specific equipment goes, Wichita owns three pits and nearly 300 UCS Spirit poles ranging in
length and weight to suit any vaulter’s needs. “Head Coach Steve Rainbolt’s philosophy is balance and depth in all area,” says Coach Wilson, admiring the care and focus each event group gets when it comes to event specific training equipment. The most unique perk that the track and field athletes at Wichita get is access to a private weight room. While most universities offer a weight room for varsity athletes, separate from recreational users, Wichita goes even farther, providing an exclusive space that will
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Bryce Bearden
never be crowded with other athletes. The facilities and equipment the Shockers have access to allow them to develop fast and work hard to reach their potential.
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Not just any vaulter is suited to gain access to these facilities. Athletes looking to become Shockers must show commitment to the sport.
High schoolers jumping 15’6” on the men’s side and 12’ for the women can look to be recruited, but the program has had success with vaulters above and below these
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Any vaulter who proves he or she will work toward this goal can be successful at Wichita.
recommended heights. “The ultimate goal when recruiting,” explains Coach Wilson, “is finding young vaulters who can score points in our conference and contribute to the team.”
Recent history has proven this philosophy effective. School record holders Brooke Rasnick (2004-2009) and Ryan Barkdull (1995-1996) have long lists of accolades that attest to both their athletic dedication and character as people. Rasnick holds the women’s school record at 4.20m, and during her time as a Shocker, became a seven-time all conference performer, competed in two NCAA Championships, was twice named team captain, and earned first team Academic All-District honors in 2007 and Missouri Valley NCAA Woman of the Year in 2009. Today, Rasnick coaches combined events at Louisville, sharing her wealth of knowledge with her own collegiate athletes. Barkdull got two years of eligibility in at Wichita, and within his short time set both the indoor and outdoor school records at 5.60m and 5.65m respectively. A two time NCAA All American, Barkdull went on to compete in both the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Trials. Once a teammate to Barkdull, Coach Wilson says speaks his praises. “I can attest to his reputation as one of the hardest working guys to ever put on our uniform.” The high
standard for work ethic and passion has not died down since, and the current Shockers work everyday to live up to the reputations of the vaulters before them.
This year, eleven hardworking athletes made the cut, including six freshmen vaulting their first season at Wichita. Combined with the nine men who compete multi, the vault squad is quite large. The standouts amongst the men are junior Hayden Bugner and senior multi Hunter Veith, both with 5.10m personal bests. Bugner consistently finishes top three in conference meets, and Veith owns multiple conference titles in heptathlon and decathlon and a 6th place finish in decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. With five of the six women on the vault team being underclassmen, four of whom being freshmen, the leader of the ladies is junior Alesa Frey. With a PR of 4.06m, Frey holds the number five all time spot in the school’s outdoor history and was last season’s conference pole vault champion. The Shockers team balance between new faces hopeful to make an impact and veterans who can show them how it’s done makes for a strong team dynamic and a legacy that will be continued on for years to come.
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Last season, there was not a single Wichita vaulter who did not improve upon his or her high school PR, and with a dominant freshman class taking to the runway this season, the Shocker pole vault squad remains a powerhouse. Coach Wilson’s training style plays a huge part in the program’s success. Vaulters begin training as a group after classes begin in September, but there haven’t been any breaks up to that point. “Our athletes have summer training packets and are expected to show up fit and ready in the fall,” explains Coach Wilson. Unlike many collegiate coaches, along with the off season cross training, Coach Wilson encourages his athletes to vault all year round, rather than take a break from the event in the summer. “I feel some kind of vault activity, even minimal, is necessary to maintain and improve.” Wichita vaulters are encouraged to attend any club or local practices when they are out of season in order to keep pole vault in their daily routine. Once the season begins, the Shockers focus on one goal above all; make an impact at the conference level. This season, that goal is more important
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than ever, as the Wichita vaulters look to establish themselves as the newest members of the American Athletic Conference. “The Shockers have had a long and successful run in the Missouri Valley Conference, and it has always been an impressive and competitive track & field league,” says Coach Wilson. But after 72 of dominating the MVC, including four team championship titles for track and cross country in the last year alone, Wichita hopes for bigger and better competition and successes in the years to come.
In order to kick off the competitive season with confidence, Wichita track and field hosts their famous Intrasquad meet. Before the pressure and intensity of the season picks up, the Shockers like to have some friendly competition amongst the team. The Yellow, Black, and White team captains draft the newbies NBA style to form the teams. Add in The AfterShocks, a team of alumni, and the meet gets electric. “The athletes always seem to have a blast with this event, and it’s a great way to keep the alumni involved and connected to our program.”
Once a Shocker always a Shocker when it comes to Wichita Track and Field. “It’s satisfying as a coach to see our success stories want to remain involved,” says Coach Wilson. Former athletes of the program often stick around as coaches or to continue practicing their events. Any athlete who enters the Wichita track program is entering a vast network of runner, jumpers, and throwers that spans generations.
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