October 2017 Pole Vault Atlanta Issue

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Gill Athletics is the official equipment supplier of the NCAA Track & Field Championships.

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CONTENTS r e b o t c O FROM THE EDITOR

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FIXING THE “GYMNAST RUN”

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POLE VAULT ATLANTA TAKES OVER THE GEORGIA POLE VAULT SCENE

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Cover photo by Matt Barry

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FROM THE EDITOR October here we come and the freshness that fall brings has cooled down the season.

Pole Vault news, “Record pole vault has Alysha Newman primed to ‘put Canada on the map’ for years to come on 6, August 2017.” (Record pole vault has Alysha Newman primed to ‘put Canada on the map’ for years to come. (2017). Retrieved from http://nationalpost.com/ sports/olympics/record-polevault-has-alysha-newmanprimed-to-put-canada-on-themap-for-years-to-come) “A payment made by Sergey Bubka, the senior vice-president of athletics’ world governing body, to a now disgraced senior figure is to be investigated by the independent Athletics Integrity Unit, the Guardian can reveal..” (IAAF’s Sergey Bubka faces investigation on payment to disgraced Balakhnichev. (2017).

Retrieved from https://www. theguardian.com/sport/2017/ sep/20/iaaf-sergei-bubka-balakhnichev)

On the cover, we have Pole Vault Atlanta with a new and

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exciting approach to pole vaulting. “ Currently, Becky Arbiv holds the girls record at 13’7” indoors and 13’6.5” outdoors, and the boys record, jumped by Brian Hauch, stands at 15’9.25”.”

As rigorous and technical as the PV-ATL year round season is, Coach Fairbanks stresses that they are a team before anything else. The team members support each other both on the runway and off, and have truly become best of friends. Samantha Kaplan does it again with an insightful and impacting article about this club.

Kreager Taber hits the former gymnasts out there with the fact, “Many other former gymnasts also struggle with the approach phase of the vault due to the difference between running like a gymnast and running like a pole vaulter.” Get ready to start working on your gymnastics run and making it into a pole vault run. Kreager hits it out of the park with

this article and shows that she has the experience to follow up with her article.

Enjoy your fall and we will see you all for the month of November.

Doug Bouma Editor, Vaulter Magazine Vaulter Club Inc. editor@thevaultermag.com

Hand Drawn Vaulter

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PV-ATL

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FIXING THE “GYMNAST RUN”

By Kreager Taber Before I left college for summer vacation, I discussed my off-season vaulting plans with my coach. He told me, “this summer, you need to relearn how to run”. My pole vault approach had been reduced to an ineffective, weak run with irregular stride lengths, but my regular sprinting form remained intact. Many other former gymnasts also struggle with the approach phase of the vault due to the difference between running like a gymnast and running like a pole vaulter.

In gymnastics, athletes are taught to maximize the power gained from every step while practicing for the vault and floor exercise. Many young gymnasts run with

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their arms straight during their approaches to generate more forward momentum and to keep their torso from moving laterally. This form can translate over well to the approach phases for long jump and triple jump because a large amount of force is generated from a short run; however, it can be detrimental for pole vaulters. When first learning to vault, the athlete may try to use the pole to generate more speed by either swinging the pole in a saw-like motion or swinging it laterally.

Both throw off the vaulter’s run and make it less effective and efficient. However, even after their arm movements are fixed, former gymnasts may still have trouble maximizing the power generated in the run

without the use of their arms.

This can consequentially lead to inconsistent stride length, over-striding, and a weak overall approach.

Teaching a former gymnast to run like a pole vaulter takes more thought than just practicing running form and drills: it takes a fundamental change in the athlete’s mentality about what their arms are used for. It means training the vaulter to use their arms for stability, rather than using them to generate power. Teaching a gymnast to transform from powerfully swinging straightened arms to tumble on floor exercise to holding a huge pole and sprinting full speed at a box without really using their arms

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North Dakots State University Pole Vaulter

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can be stressful and terrifying.

The athlete has to learn how to keep their torso relatively stable and upright during the run, rather than leaning too far forward and swinging their arms to propel themselves. In order to begin changing the athlete’s form, doing drills with a short piece of PVC pipe rather than a full pole can be helpful.

Have the athlete do high knee drills, A-skips, and short sprints holding the PVC pipe to practice generating power from the legs rather than from the arms. These basic drills also help to develop muscles in the calves to give the athlete more explosive power. Doing 10 to 20 meter sprints with the PVC pipe can help teach the vaulter to translate the form they learn in the drills over to the approach for the vault. Longer pole sprints, for example 60 meter sprints, can also prove to be helpful if the vaulter finds themselves tired without the use of their arms.

The athlete can simulate the plant using the PVC pipe and practice the timing of the pole drop during the last six steps of their approach. Once the athlete no longer excessively swings their arms to generate force during the run, they should practice the drills and pole sprints with the pole they use in competition. Then, once the vaulter has perfected the motions on the track, then they

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can transfer the skills over to the pit. Doing short approaches with a marked “box” area on the track can also help the vaulter practice the timing of their run and their pole drop.

It also helps the athlete keep their stride length consistent throughout the run, rather than over-striding as they get closer to the box. Marking the ideal positions for each step of the approach can assist the athlete in developing an appropriate cadence for their approach.

Once the athlete is comfortable with the timing of the pole drop and their run, they will be able to consistently plant at a line on the track, a cone, or a sliding box. Then they will be able to transfer their more stable run into powerful vault approaches. When the athlete is taking full jumps, marking a mid-step at a vaulter’s third or fourth step can help to keep the athlete’s stride length consistent from jump to jump.

Fixing a young vaulter’s run takes time, and during the process, other components of their vault may suffer. They may lack the confidence to execute jumps well because they are uncomfortable with the new running form. They may not know how to plant without swinging their arms. Many vaulters who swing their arms cannot drop the pole before their last step, and relearning

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Katrina Meier Pole Vault Gymnastics

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the run and the timing of the pole drop takes weeks, if not months. These factors may stress the vaulter and make them believe they are getting worse instead of improving their jump. However, just like fixing any other aspect of an athlete’s form, taking the time to fix their run and stabilize their arms is a worthy investment for the rest of the jump. A vaulter will not reach their full potential if half of their energy is lost before they even take off.

Mary Saxer at Take Off

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The athlete does not need to completely eliminate any and all arm movement from their approach, only control it. For example, Sam Kendricks moves his arms during his approach to help propel himself forward and generate more speed. He mostly uses his arms during the first three steps of his approach, but after he initiates the pole drop, he stabilizes his arms. However, his arms only move laterally while his torso remains stable, a scenario extremely uncommon for less

experienced athletes. Pole vaulters who move their arms in a see-saw motion (many former gymnasts) are more likely to encounter difficulty keeping their torso stable and upright as they run. This ends up wasting energy and throwing the athlete off balance rather than making them faster. Fixing the “gymnast run� in young athletes is crucial to help them develop into strong pole vaulters.

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POLE VAULT ATLANTA TAKES OVER THE GEORGIA POLE VAULT SCENE

By Samantha Kaplan

Instagram: @eat_sleep_pv_repeat

Pole Vault Atlanta, more affectionately known as PVATL, is Georgia’s premiere USATF Competitive pole vault club, consistently making improvements to benefit its vaulters ever since its establishment in 2006 as an instructional program for beginners. This past summer marked a big change for the PVATL. After three years of being based at Emory University, where Coach Fairbanks, the club’s head coach, mentors the college vaulters, he and the rest on the PV-ATL staff decided to uproot the club and move into the Galloway

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Athletics Complex at the Galloway School in Northwest Atlanta. “It is a high school facility, but it works very well,” says Coach Fairbanks. “We have use of three rubberized and calibrated runways, and eight lane track, and two jumping sand pits.” Along with the luxuries that come from being located at a top tier high school facility, PV-ATL owns 230 poles ranging in size and brand, so vaulters rarely have to use or even own personal poles. Vaulters also have access to apparatus to practice the gymnastic drills that aid with the vault.

One notable detail about the PV-ATL facility is that practice takes place exclusively outdoors, all year round. “We practice in any and all kinds of weather,” promises Coach Fairbanks. “We have cancelled practice because of rain only six times in the past ten years!”

The outdoor facility is a great way to take advantage of the nice weather, while also getting athletes used to the cold, the wind, or any other conditions they are likely to face at an outdoor competition.

To complement the quality facility, the PV-ATL employs

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Coach Matt Barry and his rain gear for 2017 J.O.

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the best beginners pole vault coach out there!”

Ariel A. 1st Place New Balance Nationals Emerging Elite 12’5’25 Coach Matt Barry and Hal Fairbanks

a staff of five coaches who know how to utilize it to its full potential. At every practice, 2-3 coaches will be present to ensure every vaulter gets the time and attention he or she needs. Heading the club is Coach Hal Fairbanks. A former physical education teacher and Athletic Director at various Atlanta schools, he’s coached every high school sport under the sun, from track and cross-country, to basketball, volleyball, and soccer. With a Level I USATF certification and over 31 years of high school coaching experience, Coach Fairbanks makes a qualified

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and knowledgeable leader of PV-ATL. Coach Fairbanks’ right-hand man is his head assistant coach, Matt Barry.

Along with being a USATF Level I certified coach, Coach Barry is also a USATF Official and has over ten years of experience coaching the pole vault.

Beginning vaulters will work with Coach Matt Intili. A former PV-ATL vaulter himself, Coach Intili vaulted at the collegiate level for Shorter University and now studies at Kennesaw State University. He has been working as a part of the PVATL team for seven years, and Coach Fairbanks holds him in high regard claiming, “He is

The newest addition to the PV-ATL staff is Coach Shannon Riley. Coach Riley works at the collegiate level with the vaulters at the University of West Georgia, but that is not where his qualifications end.

Coach Riley is an ESSX pole representative. He owns and operates West Georgia Pole Vault, where he sells and distributes ESSX pole vault poles and equipment. The club is now stocked with a full ESSX pole product line and receives first hand service and information from their personal representative.

Recently, Coach Riley helped PV-ATL get certified as an ESSX dealer, meaning the club can now provide its vaulters with equipment for a fraction of the typical cost. This allows for the club to own a wider variety of pole sizes, perfect for vaulters at any stage.

The comfortable facilities and remarkable line of poles are impressive attributes of the PVATL club, but what really stands out about Pole Vault Atlanta are the vaulters who train there. “We fluctuate between 60-70 club members at any given time of the year,” says Coach Fairbanks. “Our team in mostly high school athletes, but we have many middle school

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jumpers as well as a small crew of masters and decathletes from all over the state.”

Not only is the PV-ATL big, it is quite impressive in terms of heights jumped and accolades earned. The club records are ever improving, as both the girls and boys records were set this past season. Currently, Becky Arbiv holds the girls record at 13’7” indoors and 13’6.5” outdoors, and the boys record,

jumped by Brian Hauch, stands at 15’9.25”. Becky is now a freshman vaulting at Duke University and Brian is just a junior with two more years of high school jumping ahead of him. Along with outstanding club records, PV-ATL vaulters hold some state and national records as well. Becky’s 13’6.5” jump holds the Georgia High School Association state record, and with a jump of 13’1.5”, she was the 2017

Junior Olympic Champion. Her sister, Ariel Arbiv, set the New Balance Nationals Emerging Elite record at 12’5.5” this past season, beating out her teammate Kaylee Riley’s 12’4.5” record set the previous year. PV-ATL swept the Emerging Elite records, as Brian’s 15’9.25” vault earned him the win and record on the boys side.

Chris, Jeffrey, Sydney, Payton, Brookly, Caitlyn, Clara, Ering

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As women’s pole vault in Georgia grows in popularity, PV-ATL is staying on top of that game in both skill and numbers.

Unfortunately, the club loses its number 3 all time girl, three time State Champion Kaylee Riley, 12’9.5”, to the University of Alabama this year, but Alex Potts, the number 2 PV-ATL girl of all time, will be returning as a senior this year with a PR of 13’1.5”. Along with Alex, MacKenzie Gignilliant returns as a junior and a new member of the PV-ATL squad with a PR of 12’2.75”. Payton Phillips is

a returner with a long career ahead of her. Going into her freshman year, she is Georgia’s number 2 middle schooler of all time and the 2017 Middle School State Champ with a PR of 11’7.75”. The middle school talent extends to the boys side of the club with Nick West also claiming the 2017 Middle School State title, jumping 11’10”, a Georgia number 6 all time middle school jump.

To sum up the numbers, PV-ATL vaulters hold three state records, two 2017 State Champions, seven 2017 State

Tyler, Eitan, Brian, Brookly, Payton, Clara, & Lola in front of the practice facility

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runner ups, two Emerging Elite records, places 3, 5 and 11 in the New Balance Nationals Championships, and six out of six graduating vaulters moving on to collegiate teams, a first for the club.

PV-ATL’s goal is to develop successful vaulters, and Coach Fairbanks believes there is no better strategy to do this than following the Petrov-Bubka Technical Model, most notably presented in the books and film, “Beginner to Bubka.” “You will see no tuck and shoot

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Becky A. and Alex P. going 1st and 3rd at 2017 USATFJO 2017 in the 17-18 Girls

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vaulters here,” stresses Coach Fairbanks. The philosophy of PV-ATL is to focus on the run and plant, creating a solid, confident approach that a good top end can develop from. By following Dave Johnson’s “Mid-Mark” step chart, the need to waste time and energy running back steps is eliminated, and consistency in the run is established. “We believe, as Petrov says, ‘The pole vault starts with the first step,’ so this is where we begin our training.”

In order to reach as many vaulters as possible, PV-ATL offers three clinics a week and three summer camps.

The clinics are two hour practices hosted year round on Saturdays, Sundays, and Thursdays, all at different times of the day, to give vaulters the option to work around their schedule. Vaulters can commit to clinics anywhere from a day-by-day basis, to a full year membership depending on what works for the individual.

Summer camps are sessions of three four hour days to provide technique and vault training during the off season.

“Our camps have become very popular,” says Coach Fairbanks, “They bring in 30-50 kids at each one!” To practice the skills that the vaulters train so hard at practice, PV-ATL hosts

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five meets throughout the year. The fall sees two meets, The Club Challenge in October and the Pre-Indoor PV Meet in November. “These meets are used to evaluate the team and see how they are progressing,” explains Coach Fairbanks. The sole indoor meet is the Georgia Indoor PV State Championship, held at the Atlanta Track Club facility. Finally, the two summer meets, The Southeast Regional PV Championships in June and the Last Chance meet in July are the final two opportunities many vaulters get to try and qualify for New Balance Nationals. The idea of these various club meets is to give local vaulters more chances to put their skills into action, and ideally, PR in a pole vault centered, low pressure environment more frequently than they could during the school year.

As rigorous and technical as the PV-ATL year round season is, Coach Fairbanks stresses that they are a team before anything else. The team members support each other both on the runway and off, and have truly become best of friends. “Kids have fun as they learn the event at practice,” assures Coach Fairbanks.

“After all, what do the first three letters in the word ‘fundamentals’ spell?”

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Mackenzie and Ariel winning the Mobile Street Vault High School Girls

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Hal Fairbanks and Matt Barry at USATFJO

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Savannah Devine

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Emily Gale

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