Midmarks and tape measures

As I returned from the 2015 New Balance Indoor Championships this weekend I realized how nice it was to attend a meet that was properly prepared with athletes at that caliber.  Mid marks were clearly labeled on the runway and a tape measure was securely placed on the side of the runway.  Of the 29 athletes that competed in the girls’ championship division, not one athlete needed to run back their steps.  Each of these national caliber athletes knew where they started their approach and when warm-ups began each athlete stepped up to the runway and was ready to go.  I’ve been preaching this till i’m BLUE in the face to athletes and coaches throughout the nation.  Have your athletes keep track of their approach numbers, short, or in between.  Athletes that run their steps back endanger the athlete as well as prolong the meet.  Completely disregard the the concept of wind and an athlete will never run their steps back the same way they run at the box.  When they run their steps back down the runway there isn’t a box, no contact, no collision, nothing.  It’s human nature to run differently when there is a consequence at the end of a run verses nothing at all.  Introduce wind and all hell breaks loose.  How can an athlete run backwards into a headwind then turn around and run with a tailwind into a takeoff situation?  If your athlete knows their approach run, you can adjust for windage.  If there is a tailwind, move the step back based on the velocity of the wind.  If there is a headwind, move the step forward based on the velocity of the wind.  These are calculated adjustments.  Even if your athletes run their steps back, be courteous of other athletes that are more prepared and have a tape measure next to the runway and possible even invest in some mid mark indicators and take off indicators.  Mid-marks are a relatively complicated process that I will save for another article, but don’t punish the coaches and athletes that incorporate this into their programs by not having the proper equipment to run a quality meet.  Some of my athletes went to a meet this weekend at Osceola High School, in Kissimmee.  The parents were impressed with the way the meet was run.  They said there was an older gentleman with a sexy younger lady running the meet.  I immediately asked if the gentleman was wearing a large straw hat, they confirmed.  I knew the meet was being run by no other than “jumping” Joe Johnston out of Apopka.  Extensions were provided for the lower vaulters, there was a tape measure, even standard cards for the standards to be set.  Kudos to Joe and his lovely wife Janet for putting on a meet that was admired by many.  Many times these things are overlooked, but know that parents are watching.  Is your meet being promoted or trashed?  It’s all up to the meet management.