Marty Dahlman — (coaching and officiating highlights)

I’ve coached pole vault here in Ohio since 1982. In 1990 I was a member of the Ohio Coaches Association Committee that developed a series of clinics to improve pole vault coaching and safety. In 2001, Ohio became one of the first states to require Pole Vault Safety Certification to coach Middle School or High School Pole Vault. I’ve been conducting PV Safety Clinics for the Coaches Association ever since.

So here’s a whole bunch of information about Pole Vault, and other stuff about officiating and Track and Field. Some of the items are from Clinic Presentations, some are videos of great vaults, and some are just ideas on how to make vaulting safer, fun, and more successful.

Minor change in HS Pole Vault rule for 2027 – (here in Ohio, goes into effect in OUTDOOR SEASON) – Officials have some flexibility to allow warmups to competitors not in the competition as the “60 minute” time period approaches – click here – Sixty Minutes – Sort of

Here’s a new presentation: Checking in Pole Vault Poles (for officials and coaches)

Looking for pole vault forms? – Click image

Want to become an OHSAA Track and Field Official? Click on the image below:

OFFICIALS – COACHES – ATHLETES AND PARENTS – HERE’S THE “COMPLETE” PRESENTATION ON OFFICIATING THE POLE VAULT – 2026-27 –click the image

HERE’S A SHORTER PRESENTATION ON POLE VAULT OFFICIATING -click the image

Ever wonder how to “set up” a crossbar? click image

Here’s a method to “Zero” the standards click image

Coach’s Pole Vault Safety Certification

1. Coach’s PV Safety Certification – available on Saturday Morning – at the OAT-CCC Clinic in January (every year)

2. ONLINE Coach’s Pole Vault Safety Certification

Watch (and listen) to the two videos below – then – email me for access to the “certification quiz”. Email: mdahlman61@gmail.com

Upon successful completion the cost is $15 per certificate (PayPal)

3. Group Certification – have a group (five or more?) that would like an in-person PV Safety Certification Presentation – contact me at mdahlman61@gmail.com

4. The NFHS and SkyJumper’s PVSCB also offer Pole Vault Safety Certifications

To review this year’s presentation notes, here’s an Mp4 version of the PowerPoint Presentation for the 2026 State Track Coaches Clinic. click the image

NO MORE RUNBACKS AT MEETS!!!

COACHES AND VAULTERS -The National Federation has changed the rules. “Runbacks” are now banned in Pole Vault, Long Jump and Javelin (since 2020). Here’s how to get steps click the image below

Presentation on Officiating Cross Country

Here’s Long Jump Officiating Presentation – click image

Posts on Pole Vault Coaching

• Pole Vault Mentor
• Provenance
• Old Poles Never Die
• Getting Steps for the New Vaulter
• The Basics of Poles
• Pole Vault Terms (I Don’t Use)
• Numbers and Pole Vault
• New Coach – New School – Pole Questions
• The Weight Rule
• Ethics and the Pole Vault Coach

Posts on Pole Vault Officiating

• 2026 High School Warmup Rule Change and Sixty Minutes – Sort of
• Pole Labels
• Who Controls the Bar?
• Is It Cheating?
• Tricks of the Trade
• Preparing for a Pole Vault Competition
• You’re Alive!!!
• Old Poles, New Labels
• The Last Attempt
• Too Bad to Vault
• Pole Vault Paperwork
• Liability and Officiating the Pole Vault
• Making “The Call”
• There’s A Window
• Back to Work!!
• Officiating Question
• A Dual Meet Checklist

Pole Vault “Stories”

• A Pole Vault Story
• All About Pole Vault
• Pole Vault and Politics
• Busy Season
• Back at State
• A Track Story
• How Mondo Won the Gold and Started a Dog Fight (almost)
• My Pole Vault Mentor
• Provenance

Track and Cross Country Stories

• Ritual – 2/14/21
• Lessons from the State Meet – 3/28/21
• More Lessons from the State – 4/4/21
• Running Memories – 7/25/21
• Team Trips – 12/26/21
• Old Trophies – 1/30/22
• Olympic Miracles – 2/13/22
• Track Weather – 4/3/22
• Waterproof Paper – 5/8/22
• Cross Country Camp – 8/14/22
• The McGowan – 9/10/23
• Fifty Years of the McGowan – 9/8/24
• Unsportsmanlike – 3/9/25
• The Right Call – 8/17/25
• Blue Sky Rain – 5/10/26
• Running at Watkins – 9/9/26

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Presentation notes from Pole Vault Clinics

• Pole Vault – Everything about Everything
• “Developing a Middle School Pole Vault Program”
• “Drills – Drills – Drills” Pole Vault Drill for every aspect of the vault

• Middle School PV Presentation – A different MS PV lecture
• Punch or Press – The Pole Vault Plant

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GREAT VAULT VIDEOS

Some Great Vault Videos – http://www.stabhochsprung.com

Great technique –  Sergei Bubka, Maxim Terasov, Sam Kendricks, Yalena Isinbayev

Great Vaults –  Renaud Lavillenie, Mondo Duplantis, Scott Huffman

• Bubka Technique Study
• Women’s World Record – Yalena Isinbayev
• Renaud Lavillenie World Record
• Maxim Terasov – Do It This Way
• Sam Kendricks – American Record
• Mondo Duplantis – An Older Vault
• Mondo Duplantis – World Record Vault
• Cornelius Warmerdam – Steel Pole
• Scott Huffman – American Record w/ a twist

Copyrights and Permissions

© 2023-2026 – Martin Dahlman – All materials, in digital or hardcopy format included in this presentation with the exception of professional vault videos are copyrighted to Martin Dahlman.  They may be copied or reproduced with explicit permission of the author.

Digiprove hereby certifies that Martin Dahlman was in possession of the files detailed below on   1/17/2023   – Certificate Number P1525777 Ohio Pole Vault Safety Clinic Presentation – 2023-2026