| Academics come first. Few can make a living at professioal sports, and it is often a short career. So it is important that student-athletes not only just pick a career that they can 'fall back on' but select educational opportunities which put them on a course for long-term personal, intellectual, athletic, and economic growth. We also emphasize in our coaching full understanding of pole-vaulting, and track and field more generally, so that athletes can take knowledge and values about technique, training, health, and sportsmanship forward to all of their future athletic and personal activities. We try to help student-athletes find a good fit between academic goals and abilities, and curricula offered at higher education institutions, and find a good fit into athletic programs, including scholarships and the availability of good coaching. Not everyone can be an Olympian, or get a college scholarship, but there are plenty of reasons to participate in track and field at various levels, and to continue contributing to the sport when competitive opportunities are gone. We not only want to train future collegeiate champions, even Olympians, but also great high school and college coaches, officials, recreational and masters athletes, and parents for the future. |