Lone Star Pole Vaulting Newsletter
January 5, 2015

In this issue:

"What is technically desirable must also be physically possible"   - Alan Launder

Happy New Year to everyone and I hope the holidays were terrific.  I apologize for the long delay in getting a newsletter out so I have lots of information for you in this one and the next.  As we draw nearer to outdoor track season we are getting busier each week.  Whereas in the past I have had up to 4 assistant coaches to share the load, this year the burden is solely upon me to instruct the great group of pole vaulters we have.  Unfortunately, this limits how many clients I can take on as well as what I have enough time to teach in each practice session.  A few years ago I had clients that would come to the facility 3 days per week and spend 3 hours practicing drills, vaulting, plyometrics, running, gymnastics, and weights.  I would also spend 2 days a week at the track with these athletes working on speed, strength, and technique.  There are so many things that you CAN do to train for pole vault, quite a few things you SHOULD do to train for pole vault, and a handful of things you MUST do!  We are at the MUST DO stage as I have pared down our training to the bare essentials so that everyone can participate in our time-frame.  Each activity in the warmup, technique, and conditioning workouts is handpicked by me to cover these minimum must-dos, yet we often run short of time to do even these in our 90 minute practice periods which often run 2 hours.  I can only teach people to do what they are physically capable of doing, and if they are lacking in strength, speed, or flexibility, it is up to them to supplement their training at home or at school.  Feel free to talk with me after practice or via email or phone during the day about suggestions for workouts or additional training.

Texas A&M High School Classic:  This Friday at 6pm(girls) and Saturday at 3pm(boys) our high school vaulters will compete in this first class meet.  The DEADLINE to register athletes is TOMORROW, TUESDAY 1/6 at NOON.  So far I have entered for the girls: Haley, Rebekah, Alex, Megan, Olivia, Madeline, and Laney.  For the boys we have: Matthew and Bailey.  If I missed anyone, call/text/email me asap so I can get online and get you in before entries close.  The fee is $65 which includes my coaching, poles, and entry fees ($20 plus processing fees and coaching band fee).

Expo Explosion: We competed as a club at Texas Elite Pole Vaulting's "Expo Explosion" meet in Belton last Saturday.  We saw some new Personal Records for a few of our club vaulters and gained valuable experience in competition for everyone who participated.  We also got to witness Shawn Barber clear 19'3 and Sam Kendricks clear 18'9, two performances that are Olympic caliber!  Here are the results of our vaulters:  http://www.texaselitepolevault.com/

Masters Men 2: 1st, Jeff Brower, 9'9 Age 53, NH George Contreras Age 68
Masters Women: 1st, Jane Hemby, 5'3 Age 65
Future Elite Girls: 3rd, Laney Hawn, 8'3
High School Boys 1: 1st, Charles "Bailey" Henderson, 14'9PR
High School Boys 2: Raney Moore and Chad Wieland, 12'9
High School Boys 3: 3rd, Matthew Parker, 12'3
Intermediate Boys: 4th, Corbin Green, 11'3PR
High School Girls 2: Alex Inman, 9'9
High School Girls 3: 1st, Madeline Traugott, 10'9PR, 3rd Olivia Buntin 10'3PR, 4th Haley Schake 9'9PR, 6th Megan Hamilton 9'9

Upcoming Meets: 

Practice Schedule:  There will be no practice from Thursday, January 15th through Sunday, January 18th as I will be traveling to and from the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, NV.  Practices will resume on schedule Monday the 19th.

Monday-Friday: 3:30-5:00, 5:00-7:00
Saturdays: No practice
Sundays: 4:00-5:30

Please remember to schedule ALL practices online AT LEAST 1 DAY IN ADVANCE.  The runway is beginning to get full and I am adamant about keeping no more than 7 people on the runway at once to ensure quality practice.  The Online Scheduler has been adjusted to no longer allow you to schedule a practice that same day.  Monthly Members should schedule all practices a month in advance and cancel or reschedule as needed.  Cancellations or rescheduling via text message to me is ok: 830-263-2526.  This is the only way to ensure you will get your spot at practice.

Rates & Services:

To take advantage of any of the services we offer, we require 3 items:

  1. An Athlete Information Sheet completed and on file.
  2. A Waiver of Liability form completed and on file.
  3. A current membership with USA Track and Field (USATF) submitted and on file.  To obtain a membership, go to www.usatf.org/membership and sign up under Lone Star PV, LLC in the South Texas Association, then forward your confirmation email to me.  Memberships cost $20/year for youth and $30/year for adults.  This is not optional as my insurance company requires it.  USATF memberships operate on a calendar year basis and expired on December 31st, so they must be renewed for January-on participation. 

Group or "Club" Practice: The backbone of our organization and its best value, club members join by the month and practice between 1-6 times per week.  All practices are instructed and supervised by myself with occasional assistance from other qualified coaches.  Ongoing development of goal-oriented pole vaulting skills and fitness are at the core of this service.  Participation in competitions within as well as outside of scholastic track and field is encouraged and expected.  Members may be of any age, gender, or ability-level, therefore all group practices are heterogeneously mixed.   Group Practices must be scheduled via our Online Scheduler: https://instant-scheduling.com/sch.php?kn=570316

Private Lessons: I do offer private and semi-private (shared with another vaulter) lessons on request.  Since I am currently the only coach at Lone Star, my availability is limited to weekdays between 9-3, and Saturdays between 10:30-12:30.  Sunday is my day off reserved for family.  I charge $60/hour and offer 1, 1.5, and 2 hour lessons.  Beginner and youth vaulters generally only benefit from a 1-hour lesson, while 1.5-2 hours is sufficient for more experienced vaulters.  Private Lessons can be requested and must be confirmed via our Online Scheduler: https://instant-scheduling.com/sch.php?kn=570316

Open Gym: Open Gym is access to the gym to train on your own during times when there is no group practice or private lessons taking place.  You may use any of the equipment in the gym, but we have a few rules: 1) If you're under 18 years of age you MUST have a parent or guardian present.  2) You MUST have a signed waiver of liability on file including your health insurance information.  3) You MUST have a current USATF membership on file with us.  4) By scheduling, you agree to pay for or replace any equipment that is damaged or broken during your workout.  Like all services we offer, you MUST schedule Open Gym time online: https://instant-scheduling.com/sch.php?kn=570316

 

Thanks and have a great week!

Kris Allison
Owner and Head Coach
Lone Star PV, LLC
830-620-1175

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Kris Allison Owner - Lone Star PV, LLC 830-620-1175