Author Archives: dahlman2017

Why Weight? There’s a lot of recent social media commentary about the pole vault weight rule.  Here’s an explanation of how we got the rule, and why it’s still important today. Since the mid-1990’s, school and youth pole vaulting have been governed by “the weight rule”.  It’s simple:  poles are rated by the manufacturer for a vaulter lessContinue reading “The Weight Rule”

1) Our school has a few old aluminum poles. Surely these things are 30+ years old?  I am assuming these are safe for learning the basics with a straight pole.  Thoughts? So those aluminum poles are at least sixty years-old.  Even when I was in high school in Cincinnati in the early 70’s, those type wereContinue reading “New Coach – New School – Pole Questions”

Licking County Track Officials Association – Constitution   revision (2/24/26) Article I – Name The name of the organization shall be the Licking County Track Officials Association (also referred to as the LCTOA). Article II – Purpose The purpose of the organization shall be to organize and educate Track and Field and Cross Country Officials certified by andContinue reading “LCTOA Constitution”

Here’s a situation that’s come up a couple of times in this indoor season. I know what I “do”, but it always feels “wrong”. So here’s the scenario. Saturday in a NCAA Division III meet, a vaulter cleared his first height. On his first attempt at the next height, he was at the end ofContinue reading “Officiating Question”