The Woodlands Pole Vault Club Home - USA Track & Field Club #6101 - Our Facilities & Schedules
Summer 2008 News - Bubba Jumps 13' 1/4" on his 55th Birthday (6/24) and 13' 5 1/4" three weeks later.
CONGRATS to Bubba (M55) & TWPV's Matt Kowalski (M35) - 2009 USA Track & Field National Indoor Champions!! - Bubba Video - 44' Run
Article on Bubba in The Woodlands Paper #1 - #2
My Current Training
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LEFT - Bubba with Steve Gorman after winning Indoor Nationals in DC.

BELOW - Dropping off poles at Drake with John Altendorf, & during introductions at Drake with Jeff Hartwig and Gary Hunter.

Bubba's Drake Videos - 57' Run
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Words of Wisdom - I got an email from a friend recently who said something so simple and profound, "pole vaulting is about having a good place to jump, feeling good when you jump, and working hard and continuous enough without getting hurt, that you can continue to experience periodic breakthroughs". Along those same lines, my orthopedic surgeon told me that training at the elite level is like walking on a balance beam - if you fall off one side you get hurt, and if you fall off the other you're not progressing. The older you get, the more narrow that beam becomes. At dinner after Drake Toby Stevenson said, "Yeah, and it's a longer fall and climb back up too!" AMEN!!

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Southwest Texas in 1976 - I remember having hair back then!

The people sure dressed funny. I think it was disco!

The equipment was 1st class, but we had NONE!!

I'm age 46 here @ Reno

SURPRISE - I am here too!!

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1996 Olympic Games - Atlanta

At practice in Atlanta with Sergey Bubka & Simon Arkell (WR for Leftys) from Australia.

So You Want to Be a Pole Vaulter?

ME TOO!!

Jeff Hartwing & Scott Huffman before final.

Me & LoJo just before he gets on the bus for the Olympic Final. What a great experience that month was!!

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Me with Simon & his Australian coach, the great Alan Launder. Oh yeah, & Pete Kovacs.

Watching the Olympic Final with Simon, Greg Duplantis, Edgar Diaz & Doug Fraley.

The MAN, Earl Bell!!

Awards girl in South Africa at 1997 Masters World Champs - 3rd

Me with Jay Thorson at Halloween as Svetlana Sparkova.

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Co-written by the famed Australian coach, Alan Launder (photo above left @ the 1996 Olympics), this is the absolute best book I have ever read on the sport we love. Videos & DVDs are great entertainment (I have them all) but we grew up on books by Dick Ganslen (Mechanics of the Pole Vault) & Bruce Caldwell (The Elusive Bar). I'm on my 2nd time reading Alan's book & I'm blown away at the simplicity, logic & practical direction this books offers. For $30 you can't afford not to have this insight and understanding! You won't regret it!! Bubba
Bubba on Essx Carbon - Age 54 - 5/17/08

Let's start with the basics; I am not an expert! In fact, the more I learn about this event, the less I think I know. What I love about the sport I first tried at the age of 12, and continue today at 53 years old, is that every year you have to come out and pretend you know nothing. An old Wall Street Investment Banker once gave me a great definition of insanity. Insanity, he says, is expecting a different result by applying the same approach. THAT is what drives me in life, and to always try and reinvent my view of the pole vault. Besides, the mind is much like a parachute - it works best when it's open. Above all - HAVE FUN!!!

“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
Leonardo Da Vinci

Special THANKS to everyone who has EVER pole vaulted &/or helped a pole vaulter at ANY level!!

My Buddy, Rick Foster has it ALL!!
Track Coach Magazine is Only $20 per Year Through Track & Filed News - Click here for their link