National Pole Vault Coaches Association (NPVCA) Evaluation Form

Instructions: Take the following test to judge your pole vault coaching knowledge. If you score 80% or higher you will receive a Certificate of Completion via e-mail or regular mail from the National Pole Vault Coaches Association.

Please fill in the information below. Items marked with * are required.

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1. The minimum distance from the back of the Plant Box to back of pit for     high schools       a. 17’8”       b. 19’8”       c. 16’5”
2. Minimum width of high school pole vault pits in back of plant box       a. 19’8”       b. 16’5”       c. 10’6”
3. Vaulter’s hands should be placed on the pole       a. Bottom hand palm down, top hand palm up       b. Bottom hand palm up, top hand palm down       c. Both hands palm down
4. Posture during the Approach Run should be?       a. Leaning back       b. Bent at waist       c. Erect
5. The Plant starts when       a. The pole is parallel to the runway       b. The pole is straight up in the air       c. It doesn’t matter
6. When does the Take-Off occur?       a. The moment the vaulter leaves the runway       b. After the Drive-Swing       c. Before the vaulter leaves the runway
7. During an effective Drive-Swing       a. The chest stops moving forward       b. The chest drops back       c. The chest continues to move forward
8. The Pull-Turn starts       a. When the hips are level or over the head       b. As the pole bends inward       c. After the pole unbends
9. During the Pull-Turn the vaulter       a. Keeps his/her body inside the top arm       b. Moves the right arm across the body       c. Doesn’t matter
10. Which best describes the arm action during the Fly-Away       a. The top arm lifts off the pole first       b. The lower arm lifts off the pole first       c. Both arms lift off the pole together
11. During the Plant the pole tip       a. Should jam against the back of the box       b. Should slide against the back of the box       c. Should hit the back of the box just as the vaulter leaves the          runway       d. Both b and c
12. The Pole Vaulter’s overall objectives are       a. To move the pole to vertical       b. To land safely in the pit       c. To get over the crossbar       d. All of the above
13. In high school, the pole vault standards can be placed       a. 15.5” – 31.5” in back of the plant box       b. Anywhere in front or back of the Plant Box       c. 12” in front of the Plant Box to 2” in back of Plant Box
14. Maximum distance pit can be placed behind the Plant Box in high school       a. 6”       b. 12”       c. 3”
15. The top hand should be held       a. 2” from the top of pole       b. 6” – 12” from the top of pole       c. 2’ down
16. Vaulters should attain maximum speed       a. At the beginning of the Approach Run       b. In the middle of Approach Run       c. At the end of Approach Run
17. The Plant is important because       a. It really is not important       b. It helps change forward movement to upward movement       c. It continues forward movement
18. The Drive-Swing is       a. A forward/upward movement       b. The moment the vaulter goes on his/her back       c. A planting action in the air
19. During the Swing-Up the vaulter’s head and shoulders       a. Drop back of the top arm       b. Drop under the top arm       c. No difference
20. In the Pull-Turn the lower arm should       a. Stay extended       b. Pull towards the body with the elbow going inside the pole       c. Pull towards the body with the elbow outside the pole
21. The Fly-Away is       a. The most difficult maneuver in the pole vault       b. Not important       c. Natural result of the preceding phases
22. The Take-Off Point       a. Should be directly under the bottom hand       b. Doesn’t matter       c. Should be directly under the top hand
23. If a pole breaks during competition       a. The vaulter is eliminated from competition       b. The vault counts as a miss       c. The vaulter is granted another jump
24. Minimum length of high school pits (front to back)       a. 22’5”       b. 21’5”       c. 20 ’2”
25. Minimum width of high school pole vault pits in front of the plant box       a. 19’8”       b. 18’6”       c. 16’5”
26. The vaulter’s hands should be placed on the pole       a. Approximately shoulder width apart       b. 12” apart       c. As far as possible apart
27. Right handed vaulters angle the pole how at the beginning of the Approach Run       a. Parallel to the runway and straight ahead       b. Slightly to the left and comfortably upward       c. Either way
28. Counting Take-Off steps during the Approach Run       a. Builds rhythm to run       b. Builds a consistent stride       c. Both a & b
29. The Plant begins       a. On the last Take-Off step       b. On the next-to-last Take-Off step       c. On the last non Take-Off step
30. At the beginning of the Plant the lower hand       a. Lifts the pole upward       b. Slides the pole forward       c. Doesn’t matter
31. During the Drive-Swing the vaulter       a. Goes onto his/her back       b. Remains upright       c. Rows the arms forward
32. During the Drive-Swing the pole bends       a. To the left of the right hander       b. Inward       c. To the right of the right hander
33. During the Swing-Up the pole should       a. Stay bent       b. Unbend       c. Already be straight
34. During the Swing-Up the bottom arm should       a. Collapse       b. Keep pushing       c. Move the pole to the side
35. Which begins first?       a. The Turn       b. The Pull       c. They start at the same time
36. The pole in the Pull-Turn is       a. Straight       b. Unbending       c. Far away from the vaulter
37. The vaulter should land in the pit       a. Straight-legged       b. On his/her back with knees bent       c. On his/her stomach
38. The most basic drill to improve the Plant is       a. Short run Vaults       b. 3- Step Drill       c. Rope Swinging
39. If there is a tie for first the vaulter with       a. The fewest total misses wins       b. The fewest misses at the winning height wins       c. The most jumps wins       d. Either a or b depending on the situation
40. Beginning vaulters should       a. Not vault for 1 year       b. Start with a low grip and short run       c. Use a strong bottom arm to bend the pole