(Active Alex 11/2011 - Full Article)

Looking for a new sport? Or a unique sport? Something with opportunity? Consider the pole vault. It’s fun, it’s challenging….and there’s opportunity.

Coach Spencer Frame of Kinesis Dynamic Athletics has been coaching for the past 10 years at the NCAA Division I and club levels, including at UNC for the past six years, and has developed a pole vault training system working with some of the best college and professional coaches in the country. Coach Frame has brought his system to the Triangle area and has already seen great success. He is now working on exposure for the sport.

Athletes and parents might not consider the pole vault because a school doesn’t have an indoor or spring track team, or pole vault equipment, or even a pole vault coach. But don’t let that stop you, Coach Frame says.

“We coach, we have equipment to use, and we send our team to compete in meets,” he says.

The only thing Kinesis can’t do for you is jump. “The pole vault is a demanding event,” Coach Frame says, and the combination of running with the pole, controlling your body in the air, a lot of timing and a lot of confidence building mean it’s an event that takes a lot of practice. But nothing compares to how much fun it is to pole vault.

A lack of experienced coaching is probably the biggest problem he sees. “I see some kids with potential at meets, but they haven’t been coached properly, or even coached at all,” he says. “It’s important to learn correct skills early so you can do it better quicker.”

Who Are The Coaches?
Kinesis coaches are current and former college and professional vaulters, including double decathlon world record-holder Joe Detmer, and UNC All-American decathlete Daniel Keller. Coach Frame’s familiarity with college coaches has helped place athletes on collegiate teams and even earn scholarships. Some of his success stories include athletes who started jumping their senior year!

Who Should Consider the Pole Vault?
Boys and girls – Coach Frame finds the mix to be 50/50 in many clubs and sometimes up to 75% girls. Coaches usually suggest starting at age 14 but Coach Frame says he would consider training a conditioned, athletic 12-year-old as well.

What Should They Do?
First, don’t pull out of other sports. Pole vaulting requires a well-rounded athlete. It also requires a patient, committed athlete so contact Coach Frame to come out to one of the two practices per week to learn more. From there, it can be determined if it is viable for the athlete to jump for their school, individually and/or with the Kinesis team in local US Track & Field meets.

When should they do it? Very soon as the indoor track season is upon us and spring track is right around the corner. Or if this season is not practical, contact Coach Frame regarding other programs and camps that can also introduce your athlete to pole vaulting.

While Kinesis works with high school, collegiate and masters pole vaulters at the Athletic Lab in Cary, they train many track and field athletes in other events as well. Contact Coach Frame at Kinesis Dynamic Athletics or 919/619-4629 for more information.

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