It has to be one of the most exhilarating activities in athletics, and also one of the most potentially dangerous.

Using nothing but a fiberglass pole and one's own strength to be propelled anywhere from nine to 19 feet in the air is thrilling. Unfortunately, there are rare occasions when the thrill turns into tragedy.

The collegiate pole vaulting community was stunned in February when Pennsylvania State University's Kevin Dare died from injuries suffered after missing the landing pad during an attempt at the Big Ten Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships. His death, along with those of two high-school vaulters during the spring, have heightened the awareness of those responsible for the safety of the student-athletes.

Several groups, some of which were in place before this year's accidents, are considering ways to make the event safer without dramatically altering its excitement or the heights that vaulters will reach. The rules subcommittee and a separate pole vault safety subcommittee of the NCAA Men's and Women's Track and Field Committee are among the entities exploring possible safety enhancements.

"There are a few equipment upgrades that can be made quickly," said Margaret Simmons, assistant athletics director at Murray State University and secretary-rules editor of the track and field committee. "There also must be an emphasis on teaching all pole vaulters proper techniques."

Among the equipment possibilities is an increase in the size of the landing pad. The current NCAA rule calls for the pad to be a minimum of 16 feet wide by 12 feet deep beyond the vaulting box at the end of the runway in which competitors place the pole.

Of 32 catastrophic pole vaulting injuries that were reported to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research from 1982 to 1998, 17 involved vaulters whose bodies landed on the pads, but whose heads struck a hard surface surrounding the pads. Media reports indicate a similar scenario that resulted in the death of a high-school athlete in Wichita, Kansas, in late March.

The American Society for Testing and Measurements (ASTM) assigned a Pole Vault Equipment and Facilities Task Force in 1998. That group has proposed numerous revisions to ASTM F1162 dealing with pole vault landing systems.

The task force has recommended that ASTM approve changes that would make the minimum width of the landing pad 19 feet, 8 inches, and the minimum length 16 feet, 5 inches beyond the vaulting box. NCAA rules state that the minimum height of the pads must be 32 inches, already exceeding the ASTM recommendation of 26 inches.

Vaulting box concerns

Jan Johnson, the 1972 Olympic Games bronze medalist in the pole vault and director of the SkyJumpers Vertical Sports Club in Atascadero, California, is co-chair of the ASTM task force and pole vault technical supervisor for USA Track and Field, the national governing body for the sport. His research of 41 catastrophic accidents from 1971 to 2001 showed that 17 vaulters went off the back of the landing pads and eight went off the side.

"I do not believe changing the size of the landing pad is much of an issue at the collegiate level," Johnson said. "Most institutions have pads that meet the proposed standard or are close to it. We are not attempting to make schools spend thousands of dollars on new landing systems. The proposal states that pads from the high jump, or even gymnastics programs, can be used, as long as they are of minimum height and are securely fastened to the existing system."

Another area of concern is the space directly surrounding the vaulting box. The ASTM task force also has endorsed the use of box collars. The collar, which is to be made of dense foam padding between 2 to 4 inches thick and covered by vinyl, would cover all hard surfaces between the box and the landing pad.

The use of the box collar has not been widely accepted. Coaches attending a meeting on pole vault safety held in conjunction with the Division I Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships said the box collars currently available are difficult to secure. If the collar slipped, it could fall into the vaulting box and cause serious problems for athletes as they plant the pole.

Another safety enhancement that is not included in the ASTM standard is the use of a painted box on the landing pad. The box, measuring 10 feet wide by 8 feet deep and beginning 3 feet, 6 inches behind the back of the center of the vaulting box, is intended to be the preferred landing zone.

"The box is so easy to do and is a benefit to both vaulters and coaches," Johnson said. "A competitor's head and shoulders should always land in the box. If they don't, it alerts both parties that changes in technique or the pole being used, or both, are necessary."

An announcement on whether the entire ASTM membership approves the pole vault equipment and facilities task force's revisions is expected this month. No matter what the result of that vote is, it is likely that changes will be made to high-school pole vault rules.

"I envision our track and field rules committee passing all of the recommendations," said Cynthia Doyle, assistant director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). "The only question is whether we will make the changes effective immediately (for 2003) or for 2004."

Helmets catching on

One change that is not likely to occur soon is the mandated use of helmets by vaulters. Neither NFHS nor NCAA rules prohibit athletes from wearing helmets, but there is not a product currently being manufactured specifically for those in the event.

Nonetheless, some vaulters are wearing helmets commonly used by skateboarders and bicyclists. Idaho State University head coach Dave Nielsen, who also is the women's pole vault development coordinator for USA Track and Field, discussed the matter with his athletes, who decided to wear helmets for the remainder of the season.

"I wear a helmet when I vault as well," Nielsen said. "We are using a lightweight skateboarding helmet. Most of the vaulters do not notice the helmet until they hit the landing pad."

Nielsen said part of his team's decision was to serve as a role model for high-school vaulters. "I think helmets are a much bigger piece of the safety pie at that level, where landing pads are usually smaller," he said.

Johnson is encouraged that progress will be made on developing a helmet for pole vaulting. "It will take a couple of years," he said. "There is engineering, force-impact testing and biomechanical analysis that must take place."

Dedicated to change

Dare's father, Ed, and Penn State Athletics Director Tim Curley hosted a two-day meeting on pole vault safety May 7 and 8. Johnson, members of Penn State's track and field coaching staff, sports medicine center, and faculty with expertise in biomechanics were among the participants.

"It has been a coming together of persons who can really make something good happen," Johnson said. "It is going to be fortunate that Kevin's parents and Penn State have joined together to do this in memory of him and on behalf of the sport."

With equipment enhancements on the horizon, a corresponding emphasis on education of coaches and athletes has been identified as an important component of pole vault safety, too.

"It is important that coaches be at the forefront of developing any sort of curriculum or certification that is determined to be necessary," Nielsen said. "However, there is a fine line to be drawn so that such a program becomes so hard to complete that some schools might make the decision to drop the event."

The NCAA rules and pole vault safety subcommittees will compile proposals to forward to the entire track and field committee at its annual meeting in June. Simmons echoed Doyle's thoughts that some changes will be made.

"The larger landing pad is almost certain to be approved," Simmons said. "There will be much discussion on box collars, the painted box and other issues as well. The committee is truly interested in receiving input on all these matters from all parties involved, so that its decisions are ones that will keep the excitement in the pole vault and also enhance the athletes' safety."