The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

Buying pole vault standards involves much more than choosing two uprights to hold a crossbar.In this episode, Mike Cunningham walks through a practical buying guide for coaches and facility planners. Topics include minimum and maximum height range, NFHS and NCAA peg requirements, standard base pad compatibility, ease of movement, durability, maintenance, replacement parts, customization, and planning for future program growth.The right standards should support the athletes using your facility today while giving your program room to grow over the next decade.

Pole vault standards influence every jump, every practice, and every competition—but they rarely receive the same attention as the landing system.In this episode, Mike Cunningham breaks down the factors coaches should consider before purchasing standards, including accuracy, ease of adjustment, visibility, durability, mobility, maintenance, replacement parts, and long-term value.A set of standards should not simply hold a crossbar. The right set should make practices more efficient, competitions easier to operate, and facility management simpler for years to come.What should coaches look for when buying pole vault standards?In this pod, Mike Cunningham discusses the details that matter most: accurate and readable scales, smooth adjustments, reliable locking systems, durable frames and wheels, maintenance needs, replacement-part availability, and long-term facility planning.The least expensive standards are not always the best long-term value. The best standards are the ones that work accurately and reliably every day—without becoming something coaches have to think about.

Along with being a 3-time World Champion in the 4x4, Greg also is a 2-time USATF National Champion in the open 400. He earned gold medals both indoors and outdoors in each of those events. He shares his experience and insights on setting up, practicing for, and successfully competing in the indoor 4x4. Greg is also a coach and entrepreneur making technology and expertise accessible for coaches at every level with AthleteIQ (joinathleteiq.com). Follow Greg on IG (@gregnixonjr) to learn more.If you've got something great to share with our youth T&F coach audience, contact David Mitchell to find out how.

Every race begins with a line—but have you ever wondered who puts that line there?For the first time on the Gill Connections Podcast, we step behind the scenes with a professional track striper. Corey John of Athletic Marking Companies—better known as @TheTrackStriper on Instagram—reveals the remarkable precision, patience, and craftsmanship required to transform a blank track into a competition-ready facility.Corey entered the profession with absolutely no track and field background. Today, he travels across the country, stripes approximately 80 tracks a year, and has become one of the most recognizable personalities in an incredibly specialized industry.In this episode, Corey pulls back the curtain on a job most coaches and athletes never realize exists.🎨 Why track striping is equal parts science, craftsmanship, and art📏 How Corey measures a blank facility and creates an accurate 400-meter track🔴 Why nearly 70% of the job happens before any paint touches the surface🏟️ What separates a new track layout from a standard restripe🌧️ How rain, sprinklers, leaves, surface types, and even birds can disrupt a job🛴 Why a Segway helped Corey become a more efficient one-person crew🚐 What life is like when you spend weeks traveling from one track project to another📱 How @TheTrackStriper made an overlooked profession fascinating on Instagram🤖 Why Corey welcomes automation and believes technology can make his work even betterCorey’s work is an essential part of our sport. Without accurate lane lines, hurdle marks, exchange zones, start lines, and field-event markings, competition simply cannot happen.Press play for a fascinating look at one of track and field’s most important—and least understood—professions.Follow Corey on Instagram: @TheTrackStriperDive into nearly 400 episodes featuring insights from coaching legends such as Boo Schexnayder and Dan Pfaff, Diljeet Taylor (BYU) and Beth Alford-Sullivan, as well as superstar coaches Petros Kyprianou (Illinois), Althea Thomas (Vanderbilt) and many more! Find us on Twitch.tv, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more!🎙️ Create Your Own Podcast Episode:Reach out to Mike Cunningham for instruction on how to create your very own Gill1918 Project episode, which airs Tuesdays through Sundays. Find YOUR voice on the Gill Connections Podcast Network.📲 Stay Connected:Want to get in touch with our host, Mike Cunningham? Follow on Instagram (@MikeCunninghamTF), email at [email protected], or text 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

Pole vault standards may not be the largest purchase in a vault facility, but they influence every practice, every competition, and every bar adjustment.In this episode, Mike Cunningham discusses how coaches can choose standards that support their athletes and facility for years to come.Topics include:Rule compliance and adjustment rangesAccurate, readable height and depth markingsEase of movement and adjustmentDurability, wheel systems, and maintenanceIndoor versus outdoor considerationsReplacement parts and long-term supportPlanning for future program growthThe best standards are not simply the least expensive option. They are the ones that help coaches operate efficiently and give athletes reliable, consistent equipment every day.