First Day Drill

By Alan Roark, Vault Coach, Amherst Steele HS, Amherst, Ohio


This drill is a series of little drills that I use to get Jr. Hi. kids and beginners vaulting in the pit, over a bar (bungie) on the very first day they show up.  It’s easy and it’s safe and starts laying in some of the basics of the vault.


Here’s what you need:  a piece of sidewalk chalk, a “Y-end” bungee, and any pole that they can’t bend even by accident. Small and short is best for little kids.  (Too long moves too slow)


First, make a “Y-end” bungee by tying a 12” piece of rope to each end of a 10 ft. piece of 1/4” surgical tubing or red theraband tubing. (Sheet Bend knot works best) Tie or connect another 12” piece of rope to the ends of the rope pieces to form a “Y”. Tie a knot on one end of the “Y” (I used to use an “S” hook then figured out how stupid that was and now just use a knot) and make a loop in the other end so that the “Y” can be hooked around the standard upright. (Put the knot through the loop and it acts like a Chinese button and holds really well)  Because the surgical tubing is only 10 ft, there is enough tension to hold it at any height. (Great for Jr. Hi. practice, too)


                 
      


                                                               



Somewhere on the track or at the far end of the runway, draw a left foot outline and a circle and a four or five line scale three feet in front and four feet behind the foot outline.


              
   


                                                       
   


Draw a left foot outline in front of the box.


                                                       



OK, here we go…  have your vaulter put their left foot on the foot outline and take two large steps back. Right foot back, then left foot back. They will end up on the back scale and have them remember their number so they don’t have to step back every time.  Now, they move forward, right step, then left and jump, driving their right knee. They take off left, land left, and walk out of it.


                                                    


Next, I have them hold their hands up by their face like they’re holding a pole and use an upward hand punch to help them jump higher.


                                                    


Next, I place a stubbie in their hands and let them punch the stubbie up to help with their jump.


                                                    


Next, have them stand at the foot outline and put the tip of the pole in the circle and reach up to get a standing grip.


                                                        


Now, they go back to their starting point on the back scale and put the tip of the pole in the circle.


                                                       


They step and jump as before only now they use both hands on the pole and “row” themselves to go farther on the front scale.  I have them do this until they can smoothly jump and land straight and in control, keeping their top right arm straight through the whole drill.


                                                   


Once they have this part under control, I ask, “Wanna have some fun?”  They always do.  I take them to the pit and have them put their left foot in the foot outline in front of the box holding the pole in the box, and have them reach straight up to get the right grip height on the pole.


                                                        


Now, they take two large steps back and note where they are on the take-off zone scale.


I have them simply put the pole on their shoulder (with proper grip spacing) and step, jump, take off, and ride the pole to the top of the pit and walk across the “big box” on top of the pit.


                                                        


When they’ve got that under control, I tell them that as they drift over the box to swing their back leg and try to land on their back in the big box on top of the pit.


                                                        


When they have that under control, I put the bungie up at 4 ft with the standards at 30 inches and have them jump over it and land on their feet. (The first time they always go over without turning.)


                                                         


(Special note.  EVERY vaulter I have from the newest 7th grader to my best seniors, ALL practice every day with the bungie or bar at 30”. They all think it’s normal. This forces them from day one to jump, travel, swing, and land safely in the coach’s box. I believe that anything short of 24” causes them to cheat the leg swing and lose the power of the fly-in and swing.)


Next, I ask them to turn around as they go over the bungie and land on their feet facing back down the runway holding onto the pole. (I tell them to make sure they hold on to the pole because they usually end up leaning a little back toward the box)


                                                           


Now to finish the whole thing, I tell the girls to act like Laura Croft in Tomb Raider or the guys to act Neo in the Matrix and when they go over the bungie to land on their feet, push the pole away, and fall backward into the box on top of the pit. As they fall, they have to reach down, pull out two “handguns” and shoot the “bad guys” coming down the runway to get them.  (They love this part) (The “shoot the bad guys” part is fun and totally gets their mind off of the vault and they usually do it pretty well the first time)


                                                           


When they have that under control, I move the bungie to 5’ and then to 6’ and most kids can vault over 5 or 6’ the very first day. 


All of this takes about a half hour and they now know the basics of how to step, jump, punch their hands high, take off, travel, swing, turn, push the pole away, and SHOOT THE BAD GUYS!!


And that’s how I start a new vaulter.


From that point on I let them run and jump at a low bungie all they want and I just start giving suggestions on how to make things work better and smoother.


When they are straight vaulting pretty well, I have them start punching the front hand as they pass over the box to start to get the pole to bend a little.


Then, we’re off and running on teaching them how to vault.


Note--- If I’m busy with other vaulters, I show them step one then tell them to come get me when they have it under control.  If they’ve got that part good, I show them step two and tell them to come get me when they get that part under control. I do that with all of the steps before they move to the pit. I’m right there for all of the steps at the pit.