How many of these rules are really enforced, though?
Most if not all the meets I have been at this season, there was no pad around
the collar of the vault box, no padding around the standard bases, sometimes
no top pad, etc. And as for the weight certification, that is a joke too.
Most of the dual meets the coach/meet director is so busy trying to find
people to work the major officiating positions they can't be bothered w/
minutae like that - often the vaulters are left to run the event by
themselves.
Speaking of the vaulter weight certification rule, at one of the CT class
meets a team showed up w/ certificates from the school nurse for all its
vaulters, one of whom was told he couldn't jump because he was one pound over
his pole rating. Meanwhile, ANY vaulter who DIDN'T bring a certificate was
allowed to compete on their own say-so that they were within the limits. Like
arresting a guy because his driver's license expired a day ago, but letting
everyone who's not even carrying one keep on driving.
Jim Gerweck
Running Times
