Greetings from the Patriot Pole Vault Club and Happy New Year! We will be offering a new vaulter clinic on Wednesday January 3rd at Brandeis University :-) Full information can be found below. As always if you have any questions regarding any of the information in this e-mail or anything else regarding the club for that matter please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to working with you throughout this indoor season :-)
What: Pole Vault Intro. This will be a one hour session to learn safety and vaulting basics. It is intended for people with no experience in the pole vault who want to find out what this awesome event is about.
When: Wednesday, 1/3, 7pm-8pm, plus optional vaulting until 9pm
Where: Brandeis' Gosman Athletic Center, park here. (Be careful with GPS -- some of them seem to think that 415 South is in a very different place.) Go in the door by the semi-circle driveway and tell the desk person that you're there for pole vault. We're in the far corner of the indoor track.
Additional FAQ:
How much does it cost? The entire first day is free. Future practice sessions at Brandeis are $25 each with volume discounts available.
What do I need to bring? - Basic workout clothing. - Shoes you can run in. - Patience. The pole vault is the most exciting track event, but the first 45 minutes are about learning very basic movements and safety information. The flying part is near the end!
Can parents watch? Absolutely. Better yet, join in and learn how to vault!
Who is the instructor? Coach Nathaniel Bogan will be leading this one. "I learned how to pole vault at age 46 -- at a PPV clinic just like this one! -- and at 50 became a Masters All-American. In addition to my PPV affiliation, I coach high jump and pole vault at Natick High School."
What are the age limits? There is no formal age limit -- young and old can learn to pole vault! However, it does require staying focused and following instructions for a full hour. Some kids younger than 12 may not be able to do this, so use your judgement. For those on the older end: Stretch, warm up, and listen to your body. We have plenty of older vaulters in our club, and welcome "new old" vaulters!
What's next? After completing an introductory session, an athlete can join any Patriot Pole Vault practice at any of our sites. (The first day is unique because so much of it is away from the runway, but thereafter beginning vaulters can share the line with state champions!) For those who wish to go to more PPV practices at Brandeis, you'll need to join USATF and fill out Patriot Pole Vault online forms. (That is not required for the intro session.)
What if I already know how to vault? If you have very little experience and/or no more formal coaching, you could join this introduction if you want. But if you're comfortable to do so, you can just sign up for any Patriot Pole Vault practice and join right in!
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