Starting Age?

A forum to discuss anything that has to do with pole vaulting that does not fit in the other forums.

Moderators: Russ, lonpvh

lostbvrunner
PV Wannabe
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:47 pm
Location: Kansas City Area
Contact:

Starting Age?

Unread postby lostbvrunner » Sat Apr 23, 2005 5:22 pm

What age did you all start Pole Vaulting?
What's the youngest you've heard of?
What do you think is a good age to start?

I'm just asking because my little brother REALLY wants to vault. I told him to take some gymnastics classes first... and he is going to this summer. But he still wants to know when he'll be able to vault. He's only 9... so I'm assuming he'll have to wait a few years. But I was just curious what everyone else did? I wouldn't know cause I didn't vault until this year.

winterzflamez88
PV Beginner
Posts: 29
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:27 pm
Contact:

Unread postby winterzflamez88 » Sat Apr 23, 2005 7:32 pm

I just started this year and i'm 14. I think Freshman and sophmore years in high school are good to start, but I've herd of a lot of ppl starting in 7th and 8th grade. Our school doesn't hav middle school vaulting, so i duno. 9 is a little young, but he can always start lerning early!
<3

KYLE ELLIS
PV Lover
Posts: 1487
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2003 12:31 am
Expertise: former college vaulter, Current college coach
Lifetime Best: 5.26
Favorite Vaulter: bubka
Location: Madison, WI
Contact:

Unread postby KYLE ELLIS » Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:17 pm

i did straight poles onto my dady couch at 3 years old.... and started bending a pole and clearing bars at 10 (8'6)
On a whole new level 6-20-09

User avatar
CrossBarHOpper
PV Pro
Posts: 341
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2005 1:07 am
Location: Denvemolorado
Contact:

Unread postby CrossBarHOpper » Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:13 pm

I No a six year old thats vaults often and hes clearing 7
hey guys! Abe Lincoln?
Sophmore PR 14'6"

illmatic3
PV Fan
Posts: 48
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 11:15 pm
Contact:

Unread postby illmatic3 » Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:19 pm

i started this year, i'm 17 years old.
I am the Revolutionary.

User avatar
distancejumper
PV Pro
Posts: 390
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 9:10 pm
Location: Spring Vally, MN
Contact:

Unread postby distancejumper » Sat Apr 23, 2005 11:17 pm

I started in 7th grade. My coaches son started when he was three(he's 4 now). when he comes to practice he vaults too. he just jumps into the pit

lostbvrunner
PV Wannabe
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:47 pm
Location: Kansas City Area
Contact:

Unread postby lostbvrunner » Sun Apr 24, 2005 3:25 pm

For those who started early... how'd you get a pole that short? Or well... how short do they make poles?
THanks for the info... my brother will be excited haha.

Jenny205
PV Newbie
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2003 8:00 pm
Location: Texarkana, TX

Unread postby Jenny205 » Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:37 pm

Matt, my brother started jumping last year. He is 9 now and has a PR of 5' 3". As for poles, my coach Morry Sanders made a 9' pole for him out of a broken cross bar.

User avatar
CrossBarHOpper
PV Pro
Posts: 341
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2005 1:07 am
Location: Denvemolorado
Contact:

Unread postby CrossBarHOpper » Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:03 pm

there some pink mystic that our 9'6" 70 pounds and i think catapoles even makes them smaller
hey guys! Abe Lincoln?

Sophmore PR 14'6"

User avatar
rainbowgirl28
I'm in Charge
Posts: 30435
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2002 1:59 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, I coach and officiate as life allows
Lifetime Best: 11'6"
Gender: Female
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Casey Carrigan
Location: A Temperate Island
Contact:

Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Sun Apr 24, 2005 5:37 pm

Broken crossbars (saw off the ends so they are smooth and add a butt plug) make great poles for very small (elementary age) pole vaulters.

The smallest pole I have seen a manufacturer make is a 9' 70lb Altius pole. Altius has a teeny tiny mandrel that they can make tiny poles on.

User avatar
achtungpv
PV Rock Star
Posts: 2359
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2002 2:34 pm
Location: Austin, TX

Unread postby achtungpv » Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:18 pm

rainbowgirl28 wrote:Broken crossbars (saw off the ends so they are smooth and add a butt plug) make great poles for very small (elementary age) pole vaulters.

The smallest pole I have seen a manufacturer make is a 9' 70lb Altius pole. Altius has a teeny tiny mandrel that they can make tiny poles on.


Altius made an 8'/60 for a 6 year old once. That kid only vaulted 13'6" so starting early didn't help him one bit. His bro jumped 17'8" and dad 16'6"...maybe he got all his mom's genes or something.
"You have some interesting coaching theories that seem to have little potential."

User avatar
distancejumper
PV Pro
Posts: 390
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 9:10 pm
Location: Spring Vally, MN
Contact:

Unread postby distancejumper » Mon Apr 25, 2005 7:57 pm

my coaches son use to use one of our poles when he's at the highschool. at home he uses a broom handle. at the begining of the season, my coach took some pvc pip and cut it down for us to use for drills, that's what he uses now


Return to “Pole Vault - General”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests