Coach ,

Everyone’s worst nightmare prior to the start of a new season is not having a coach to fill a technical event position. One of the least filled coaching positions across the country is the pole vault. Some states, schools, and programs even choose not to have the event at all.

I am thankful for the wealth of information available to coaches, and that the worst-case scenario of canceling an event doesn’t have to be a reality. 

Taylor Baumbaugh is the high school vault coach at Klein Cain HS (TX). She recently spoke at the TTFCA winter clinic about how to get started as a vault coach. She shared the tips, tricks, and strategies to master the event right away.

Today I’m going to share with you the 3 simple steps to building a runway approach and prepare vaulters to start pole vaulting into the pit safely and efficiently. 

Step 1: Finding the Grip 

Finding the grip is the first step prior to getting your athletes ready to perform a two-step run and plant drill. Coach Baumbaugh demonstrates her system to get athletes' grips established using the left foot left hand set up. This is a very basic skill but one that must be rehearsed consistently with each athlete. 

Link: Finding the Grip 

Step 2: Walking Drills

The next step starts with a walking 3 step. Utilizing the start, curl, press technique allows athletes to work on the timing of the pole dropping into the box. After significant time working on the walking drills you can add additional speed or steps to continue to develop the rhythm and timing of steps and pole drop. 

Link: 3 Steps

Step 3: Pole Runs 

There is a significant amount of skill necessary to coordinate the take off and timing of the pole movement as the athlete adds speed into the approach. After walking drills you should start to pick up the pace and have the athlete run with the pole. 6, 8, and 10 step approaches are ways to work on the skill of vaulting. Coach Baumbaugh uses them as a part of her warm-up throughout the season. She also incorporates these drills between attempts at meets for her vaulters to continue to refine their technique.

Link: Pole Runs 

This simple 3 step process illustrated by Coach Baumbaugh helps new coaches get a feel for the progression and steps necessary to safely progress someone to the runway. This talk did an incredible job of continuing to break down the necessary steps and how to plan all of it throughout the season. Never let your program go without a qualified coach! I can’t thank Coach Baumbaugh enough for sharing so much of the information that makes her an elite coach and giving back valuable information. 

Always be growing,

Coach Rathke and the T&F Community of Coaches helping Coaches