psycho_dad
Well-known member
I was going to write to Dale Gabor/ OHSAA about pole vault poles and ask why we can't move to a multiple weight rating on poles.
We vault and have pretty good vaulters at times. However, we do not have the pole stash or the money to purchase every pole we might need. We have purchased poles from schools that no longer contest the vault etc...
I'm sure there are many other schools that might be in the same boat. Just not enough poles or proper length and weight poles for their kids. I think it could possibly be more unsafe to have a kid vaulting on a pole that is too big for them than on a pole that is rated lighter at the top, but is the proper length and weight rating for the kid. Am I wrong?
I don't condone fudging a kids weight or trying to do something sketchy, but doesn't it make sense to have multiple weight ratings on a pole so that more kids can do the event and a kid might be able to use a perfectly good and safe pole for them that the school already has?
An objection would be that it puts more on the officials, but the officials don't check anything right now. It would still fall on the coaches.
Is there an objection that makes sense that I'm not thinking of?
The other thing could be that it won't happen in Ohio until it's a national thing, but that's a bit weak in my opinion.
Am I missing something that makes my argument to implement a multiple weight rating on poles a bad idea.
This is more of a thing for all schools that struggle and not just for my school. We are doing much better than in years past and when we really need a pole, we find a way to get it. It's not always easy.
We vault and have pretty good vaulters at times. However, we do not have the pole stash or the money to purchase every pole we might need. We have purchased poles from schools that no longer contest the vault etc...
I'm sure there are many other schools that might be in the same boat. Just not enough poles or proper length and weight poles for their kids. I think it could possibly be more unsafe to have a kid vaulting on a pole that is too big for them than on a pole that is rated lighter at the top, but is the proper length and weight rating for the kid. Am I wrong?
I don't condone fudging a kids weight or trying to do something sketchy, but doesn't it make sense to have multiple weight ratings on a pole so that more kids can do the event and a kid might be able to use a perfectly good and safe pole for them that the school already has?
An objection would be that it puts more on the officials, but the officials don't check anything right now. It would still fall on the coaches.
Is there an objection that makes sense that I'm not thinking of?
The other thing could be that it won't happen in Ohio until it's a national thing, but that's a bit weak in my opinion.
Am I missing something that makes my argument to implement a multiple weight rating on poles a bad idea.
This is more of a thing for all schools that struggle and not just for my school. We are doing much better than in years past and when we really need a pole, we find a way to get it. It's not always easy.