Karl Koonce Coaching Tips

Name:

Are you an Athlete(Avid Pole Vaulter), Coach, or Both?

What is your Personal Best or Your Athletes Best (Basic Background)

Have coached several 14 foot pole vaulters; best was Morry Sanders who holds the Arkansas State record of 16'7" and had a personal best of 16'8" and was an All American high school. I have been coaching track for 24 years.

1) What is the single most important thing in the Pole Vault?

Physically it is speed but you must have the proper attitude about pole vaulting. Confidence, bravery, and determination are very important.

2) What makes a great approach?

A tall and bouncey run with a relaxed grip on the pole. Also it should be a run that gets you to full speed and in position to make a good plant.

3) What makes a great plant?

4) What makes a great swing up?

A good knee drive and straight back leg. It also important to know when to swing up.

5) What makes a great top?

I'm not sure I can give you a good answer in a few sentences but we work with the rope drills and also practice going over a bar at very short runs and low heights to practice getting over the bar efficiently.

6) What advice do you have for the off/pre season?

Work on speed, speed, speed, and strength. Work on speed drills, and a good weight program are essentially. This is a good time to work on little technical problems with your vault. Work hard to change old bad habits and make it an automatic thing. We also try to do a lot fun drills.

7) What are your favorite drills for the Pole Vault?

8) What advice do you have on a Vaulters grip width?

9) What advice do have on a height of a Vaulters hand-hold?

Well it would be nice to hold as high as you can but that is going to be determined by your speed and your effiency on the pole but we try to determine it by starting off on a small pole with a short run with a low hand hold and then gradually get a longer run, larger pole, and higher hand hold.

10) What advice do you have on how to keep the Pole Vault Safe?

I always ask my beginners what the most important thing in the pole vault is. They usually say getting over the bar but I tell them that the most important thing is to LAND IN THE MAT! I also tell them to never let go of the pole unless they are over the bar. I is important to set the standards at the proper position. and follow safety rules. Make sure vaulters are supervised while vaulting.

Send Comments or Questions to Karl Koonce at karl.koonce@lh.dsc.k12.ar.us