NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
1
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
2
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
CONTENTS r e b vem
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
No
FROM THE EDITOR
4 22
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY POLE VAULT: “AN ATMOSPHERE OF GREATNESS”
8
BUILDING BETTER POLE VAULTERS WITH ENDURANCE WORKOUTS
22
8 16
Cover Photo by Vaulter Magazine
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
3
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
FROM THE EDITOR Fall break is and always be a great time for athletes to look back and prepare for the future of pole vaulting. If you’re one of the lucky ones and don’t get a fall break, then continue to study and practice your craft.
Pole Vault news, “Local man a pole vault champion at age 85” At 85 years old, Bob Arledge was in a seaside town in Spain enjoying a 110-degree day. (2018). (https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ local/local-man-pole-vault-championage/6iZVKOyqo1bhBooe4o1KeN/) “Alabama Track & Field Hires Ryan Hays as Pole Vault, and Multi-Events Coach” University of Alabama track & field head coach Dan Waters announced on Wednesday the hiring of Ryan Hays as the program’s pole vault and multievents coach. (2018). (https://rolltide.com/ news/2018/10/10/track-field-cross-countryalabama-track-field-hires-ryan-hays-as-polevault-and-multi-events-coach.aspx)
On the cover, we have Baylor University. The Vaulter Magazine team traveled to Waco Texas and beyond last month to visit two Universities for our upcoming covers. Coach Richards and his team were top notch and had a lot to be proud of. “However, Brandon’s significance in the
4
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
sport isn’t just about who his father is. “I began vaulting at the age of five,” explains Brandon, who, in 1985, went on to jump 18’2”, a US high school national record that stood for fourteen years.” As you can see, Samantha has done a great job with this article, and there is plenty of information and history with this article. Good work! Endurance can make or break an athlete and their team. When push comes to shove, you either have endurance, or you have a lot of work to do. Kreager Taber writes, “While there is credibility to the argument that vaulters only need “fast twitch” muscle fibers to sprint down the runway and generate enough speed to jump effectively, the development of “fast twitch” or “slow twitch” muscle fibers is not mutually exclusive.” Endurance training 101 is what this article is all about. Good job Kreager! Hold tight as we finish off yet another year. Holidays are right around the corner, and soon you will be home with your family. Next month we have Stephen F. Austin on the cover.! Doug Bouma Editor, Vaulter Magazine - Vaulter Club Inc. editor@thevaultermag.com
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
Madison Pecot
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
5
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
6
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
7
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
Baylor University Pole Vault:
“AN ATMOSPHERE OF GREATNESS” By Sam Kaplan Instagram: @eat_sleep_pv_repeat
On the banks of the Brazos River in Waco, Texas, some of the country’s best collegiate track and field athletes train to hone their skills with world class coaches in top of the line facilities. However, even among this outstanding athletic program, Baylor University pole vault stands out as something special. The first notable feature any athlete looking to vault at
8
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
Baylor will note is the coach he will get to work with at the university. The Bears are coached by Brandon Richards, son of two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist Bob Richards. However, Brandon’s significance in the sport isn’t just about who his father is. “I began vaulting at the age of five,” explains Brandon, who, in 1985, went on to jump 18’2”, a US high school national record that stood for fourteen years.
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
Coach Brandon Richards and Son Riley Richards
After a high school career like no one had ever seen, Brandon took his talents to UCLA for two years, before making the decision to transfer to Baylor to finish out the rest of his eligibility. The four-time indoor and outdoor NCAA All-American decided that his two years with Baylor just wasn’t enough, and three and a half years ago returned to the university to coach. Since his career best 5.60m at Baylor, Brandon has
been coaching the pole vault, running camps and clinics, and managing pole vault clubs for 30 years, but he is excited use take his lifetime of knowledge and experience to build the new era of Baylor pole vault. It isn’t like Coach Brandon Richards is coming on as coach of a new program, tasked with building it from the ground up; it’s quite the opposite. Baylor pole vault has long been known
as a powerhouse in Division I and the Big 12 Conference. As a fairly new addition to the Baylor coaching staff of eight total coaches, Coach Richards’ mission is to maintain the values, intensity, and reputation of the well-established team, while also investing in its future. There are certainly a few things about Baylor athletics that Coach Richards holds in high regard and intends to keep a priority. “Probably the
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
9
VAULTER
MAGAZINE K.C. Lightfoot
10
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
Riley Richards
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
11
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
biggest thing that distinguishes the Baylor pole vault program from other schools,” explains Coach Richards, “is the fact that being a private school, we integrate a Christian based atmosphere into a world class pole vault training program, along with the highest quality academics and education.” This environment allows the vaulters to bond, becoming more like a family than just simply a team. “There is a distinct feeling of being a part of a family Tuesdi Tidwell Loading the pole
12
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
at Baylor University that you don’t get at other school,” says Coach Richards, trying to pin down the indescribable feeling, “An ‘atmosphere of greatness,’ where all of the vaulters feed off of each other.”
This close-knit atmosphere allows teammates to really challenge and push each other to be their best, and is part of the reason that Baylor has such a strong vault program. This season’s team consists of three
men and four women who are projected to live up to and exceed Baylor expectations. On the men’s side, sophomore Riley Richards will be a great team motivator after his break out freshman season. With his 5.36m personal best, he earned himself All-Conference honors at both the indoor and outdoor Big 12 Championships, placing third and sixth, respectively. His qualification into the NCAA West Preliminary Round and his Big 12 and USTFCCCA
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
13
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
14
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
15
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
All-Academic honors prove that Riley is a great leader and performer on the track and in the classroom. One of the most anticipated freshman seasons in the country will come from KC Lightfoot, the number two high school vaulter of all time. An extremely consistent vaulter, KC saw clearances of 5.50m or better twelve times last year. With a PR of 5.61m, the pole vaulting world waits with baited breath to see him shake the balance of the Big 12 and the NCAA. Finally, senior and team captain Greyson Gonzalez, and All-Conference vaulter with a PR of 5.11m will serve as a leader for the vaulters and the rest of the track athletes as he heads into his final year of eligibility, hoping to make it count.
The women of Baylor pole vault are lead by sophomore Tuesdi Tidwell. With one of the most remarkable freshman seasons in school history, Tuesdi improved her personal best from 3.75m to 4.14m, enough to gain her All-Conference honors with her fourth place indoor and fifth place outdoor finishes at the Big 12 Championships, as well as a spot in the NCAA West Preliminary Round. This year, Tuesdi will serve as a great mentor to the incoming freshman, as she is knowledgeable about tech-
16
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
nique and has a fierce competitive mindset. The only upperclassman for the women is senior Anatalia Ashcroft, who recently suffered a shoulder injury, but is excited to be back for the 2019 outdoor season and improve upon her 3.60m PR. The women have two incoming freshmen who both look very promising. Lindsay Zatta, a 3.65m jumper from Ohio is already drastically improving at practice and is excited to put up some big numbers for Baylor this year. Finally, Maggie Agnew from California, with her PR of 3.71m, was a State Championship Finalist who’s been showing rapid improvement and upside potential at practice so far. Coach Richards sees big things coming from both of his freshmen women, and believes they both have the capability for a Tuesdi-like blow up.
Baylor University competes in the Big 12 Conference, alongside schools such as Kansas, Texas Tech, and Texas, but with a dominant group of vaulters, the Bears hold their own. “On the men’s side, there are basically eight or more vaulters over 5.50m in our conference,” says Coach Richards. “On the women’s side, it will take at least 4.30m to win or place high.” On the national scale, competition is even
stiffer, facing the likes of Chris Nilsen and Mondo Duplantis, two of the best vaulters in the world, but Voach Richards predicts that the Baylor Bears can be “right in the thick of it.”
It’s hard to think that such a strong team is expecting to become even more dominant, but through Coach Richards’ active recruiting efforts, incoming Baylor vaulters are sure to be top of the line for years to come. In order to be recruited for the team, Coach Richards looks for high school girls over 12’6” (3.80m) and boys over 16’1” (4.90). For scholarship consideration, he looks for girls above 13’ (4.00) and boys above 17’ (5.20). “Prospective student athletes must have high GPAs, good test scores, and high moral character,” explains Coach Richards. So even if the height isn’t exactly at the recommended marks, if a vaulter shows dedication, commitment to academics, and potential, Coach Richards can usually if they have the ability to become a great vaulter. However, the graduating high school class of 2019 far exceeds all of Coach Richards’ standards. “We’ve had a great year of recruiting this year, continuing to build for the future,” says Coach Richards. “We have received commitments from two of the top five
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
nationally ranked girls high school pole vaulters of 2018.” Nationally ranked at number five, Riley Floerke committed to Baylor with a personal best of 13’9” (4.20m). Shortly after receiving such an exciting commitment, number one nationally ranked Mackenzie Hayward (14’ / 4.27m) also dedicated herself to become a Baylor Bear. With the addition of these two vaulting powerhouses for the 2019-2020 season, coupled with the fact that the majority of the current Baylor vaulters are underclassmen, Coach Richards’ knows he will maintain a dominant team for a long time to come. Baylor pole vault is all about making sure the team will be strong in years to come, and although that does come from intense training and active recruiting, it also helps to remind the vaulters of the program’s past greatness and the foundation they have. And what better way to keep in past relevant than have her jump alongside the team? NCAA runner-up, 2018 fifth place USATF Outdoor Championships finisher, and Baylor alum Annie Rhodes-Johnigan continues to train with Coach Richards and the Baylor team to this day, allowing current Baylor athletes to see not only the face of Baylor’s successful past (including
2017 Womens Indoor Big 12 Champions
the 5.61m school record), but also where their hard work could take them in their post collegiate pole vaulting futures.
Of course, no matter how talented and dedicated any vaulters or coaches are, without a place to practice, they cannot excel. Fortunately for the Baylor vaulters, this is the farthest
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
17
VAULTER
MAGAZINE L-R Maddy Agnew, Lindsay Zitta, Riley Richards, KC Lightfoot, Greyson Gonzalez, Tuesdi Tidwell, Anatalia Ashcroft
18
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
19
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
problem from their minds. “We have one of the best Track & Field facilities in the country right on the Brazos River,” says Coach Richards. Baylor track athletes do not have to worry about sharing their space with athletes from other sports, as the entire outdoor facility is dedicated exclusively to track and field. With a remarkable six pole vault runways and Gill Olympic-sized, dual sided pits, the outdoor setup allows the vaulters to switch directions with ease. “The outdoor pole vault pit utilizes a north and a south runway, so with the dual setup we can take advantage of the great Texas south winds, “ explains Coach Richards. “With the dual sided pit we have the option of choosing which direction to vault from based on the winds for that day.” The indoor facility is no less impressive, featuring an eight lane 100 meter track and an indoor pole vault pit. It also houses a surplus of vault specific training equipment including a full size inversion machine, a wall vaulting set up, a high bar for kips and Bubkas, dynamic flex inversion, horizontal vaulting, sand vaulting, rope vaulting, rings, a trampoline, and medicine balls. Within the indoor track facility, Baylor University responsibly provides its athletes with the country’s top medical
20
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
training staff. The large training complex is home to hot and cold hydro therapy pools, three Alter G treadmills, and several training and massage therapy tables. Baylor even staffs on call orthopedic surgeons to make sure both chronic and emergency injuries are taken care of in the proper way to best nurse the athletes back to their top tier selves. Baylor track and field is also the only program in the country to use a Cryogenic Therapy Chamber. “No more ice baths are ever required with the CryoGen,” declares Coach Richards. With some of the best athletes, coaches, facilities, and medical staff in the country, the final piece of the success equation is a training regiment, and the Bears sure have one. “The current pole vault program is well rounded, consisting of multiple types of training including all aspects of pole vaulting, core drills, conditioning, speed work, weight training and video analysis of every single jump, of which all footage is archived for future reference and evaluation,” says Coach Richards. With over 60 different pole vault specific drills in his arsenal, Coach Richards’ workout never become repetitive, yet still all manage to reinforce proper, vault specific mechanics, strength, and speed. Baylor
pole vault has a long training season, beginning in early September and spanning through NCAAs and USAs in June, so it is important for the workouts to be varied in content. Of course, even the elite athletes at Baylor need to give their bodies some rest. The summertime off season of 1-2 months, slowly reintegrating weightlifting as it comes to a close, is a nice break on the mind and body, but even throughout the season, Coach Richards and the medical trainers make sure the athletes are taking care of their physical and mental well being. “Once a week we will do a water hydro workout in the pool to flush out soreness,” explains Coach Richards. The team also makes sure to keep the long, intense season fun by water and jet skiing on Lake Waco and the Brazos River, going bowling, to the movies, to the water park, golfing, and even Go Kart racing. The spring break trip to compete in a USC meet and see California also provides a change of pace. Little friendly competitions during drills or vault practice also keep up the competitive spirit and camaraderie among the team. Basically at Baylor University, “we always try to make it fun,” because a team that works hard together and enjoys their time together will succeed together.
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
Velocity Sport USA formally Kanstet USA Roll-Out Runways with VSS-1 IAAF Surface
Contact Bruce Caldwell 817-819-1472 Email bruce@velocitysport.us
The same VSS-1 Sport Surface used in Portland World Indoor Champs 2016 and the European Indoor Champs Serbia 2017, Available in the USA, now your School or Camp can Experience VSS-1 Pole Vault / Long Jump/Triple Jump runways. Available in 42” and 48” 50’ rolls List prices are $20.00 a linear ft. VSS-1 runways enhance your athletes’ running dynamics for practice and competitions with less fatigue, less Hammys, and reduced Shin Splints.
VSS-1 surface invented and formulated by Valeri Bukreyev 2-time Estonian Pole Vault Olympian 92 /96 and engineer of Kanstet Powered Portable Indoor Banked Tracks
VSS-1 IAAF Certificate
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
21
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
BUILDING BETTER POLE VAULTERS WITH ENDURANCE WORKOUTS By: Kreager Taber
Even if a vaulter is the strongest and fastest athlete in their field, they will not meet their potential if they lack the endurance to perform at their best after hours of competition. Developing a vaulter’s stamina, in addition to their strength and speed, is crucial for ensuring they can clear the crossbar on third attempts, or set new records after competing in other events or after a long competition. Incorporating a few weeks of endurance training into the beginning of a vaulter’s season, and then programming sporadic
22
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
endurance workouts throughout the duration of their season, can help athletes establish and maintain a strong base fitness level to carry them through the peak of championship season.
While there is credibility to the argument that vaulters only need “fast twitch” muscle fibers in order to sprint down the runway and generate enough speed to jump effectively, the development of “fast twitch” or “slow twitch” muscle fibers is not mutually exclusive. Thus, vaulters need to have
a balance of both in order to be explosive on the runway, but also have the stamina to clear a PR after hours of competition. “Slow twitch” muscle fibers, or type 1 fibers, are seen predominantly in endurance athletes and develop with long duration athletic activities. “Fast twitch” fibers, or type IIA and IIX muscle fibers, are found more commonly in sprint athletes, and develop with high-intensity, short duration activities such as powerlifting and sprinting. Studies have shown that up to 80% of elite sprinters’ muscle fibers are
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
23
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
fast twitch, while 90-95% of the fiber makeup of elite endurance athletes is slow twitch (Costill et al., 1976). In other studies, athletes that relied on muscular strength and power rather than cardiovascular strength, such as power lifters and sprinters,
24
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
had muscle fibers composed of 60-80% fast twitch fibers. Studies performed by Fry et al. (2003) showed that higher percentages of fast twitch fibers were significantly related to vertical jump height and power, as well as the athletes’ one
repetition maximum snatch performance. Non-athletes were shown to have an even distribution of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers, showing that training certainly influences the development of muscular fibers (Costill et al., 1976). Thus, fast twitch fibers
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
are critical for sprinting at full speed down the runway, jumping during the takeoff, and effectively converting energy from the vaulter’s horizontal speed into vertical height while pole vaulting. However, vaulters can also benefit from endurance based
workouts in order to increase their stamina and help them be consistent jumpers, even when tired.
Scientifically, endurance exercise helps to move an athlete’s “anaerobic threshold”, or the point at which the athlete begins to produce lactate, to higher levels of athletic activity. The body can convert lactate, also known as lactic acid, into energy without using oxygen during robust periods of exercise. This means that incorporating longer sprinting, swimming, or biking workouts into a vaulter’s training regimen can develop their cardiovascular strength and help them to exercise longer before cramping or becoming sore from lactic acid buildup. Incorporating endurance workouts also increases red blood cell mass and plasma volume over time, increasing the amount of oxygen that the athlete can transport in their blood during exercise. While the respiratory system can only improve its functioning to its natural limit with endurance exercise, the cardiovascular system can be strengthened gradually and can help improve the vaulter’s overall athletic ability.
While incorporating longer sprints or endurance-based workouts can help vaulters develop slow twitch muscles, coaches must be careful to avoid overprescribing longduration workouts. It is well established that longer sprints or distance running (Jansson et al., 1978) or endurance cycling (Howald et al., 1985) can morph fast twitch into slow twitch muscle fibers. For vaulters, this can be problematic if they are no longer able to generate enough speed on the runway: a balance between sprint and endurance based workouts must be maintained in order to help the athlete reach their potential.
The first few weeks of preseason training provide a valuable time to incorporate endurance based workouts without jeopardizing the athlete’s performance on the runway. Longer sprints, such as 250-400 meter sprints, find a balance between speed and endurance training, and can help vaulters to increase their cardiovascular strength and raw speed. Having a designated “long sprint day” in the beginning of the week, followed by a few days of short, fast sprints, can also be useful for coaches. Additionally,
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
25
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
long vault sessions can be considered endurance based workouts, particularly if athletes are conditioning during their downtime between jumps. Endurance workouts and cross training days can be combined with long bike rides, swimming or aqua jogging, or even pickup soccer games. If a vaulter is only able to perform on first-attempt jumps or when they are just beginning in a competition, they will not perform to their maximum potential. Helping athletes develop their cardiovascular strength during preseason with endurance-based workouts, in addition to sprint workouts and weightlifting, can help vaulters maximize their strength, speed, and stamina to perform at their best during competition season. Using the first portion of preseason as an opportunity to create a “baseline” for the athlete’s physical fitness can help carry them through their season without sacrificing the fast twitch muscles they’ve already developed, and can help make them better vaulters.
26
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018
References • Costill DL, Daniels J, Evans W, Fink W, Krahenbuhl G, Saltin B. Skeletal muscle enzymes and fiber composition in male and female track athletes. J Appl Physiol 40: 149–154, 1976.
• Fry AC, Schilling BK, Staron RS, Hagerman FC, Hikida RS, Thrush JT. Muscle fiber characteristics and performance correlates of male Olympic-style weightlifters. J Strength Cond Res 17: 746–754, 2003. • Howald H, Hoppeler H, Claassen H, Mathieu O, Straub R. Influences of endurance training on the ultrastructural composition of the different muscle fiber types in humans. Pflugers Arch 403: 369–376, 1985. • Jansson E, Sjodin B, Tesch P. Changes in muscle fibre type distribution in man after physical training. A sign of fibre type transformation? Acta Physiol Scand 104: 235–237, 1978.
NOVEMBER 2018 ISSUE
WWW.VAULTERMAGAZINE.COM
2018 VAULTER MAGAZINE
27
VAULTER
MAGAZINE
28
VAULTER MAGAZINE 2018