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Anti Gravity Pole Vault Club - Ganslen's How To Be A Champion

Dr. Richard Ganslen published many editions of Mechanics of the Pole Vault. Having had two editions constantly be read and reread in my younger years, I believe it is the best pole vault book I have ever seen. Tips below are from Mechanics of the Pole Vault.

HOW TO BE A CHAMPION

  1. Exude a surplus of confidence around your competitors and self at all times, but don't be unsportsmanlike.
  2. Help your competitors at all times. After all you might make a friend out of him.
  3. STUDY-STUDY-STUDY
  4. Question anyone you meet about his technique, how he trained, how to correct your troubles.
  5. Compete as often as possible to get experience, don't compete for medals, but for fun a companionship.
  6. Don't let yourself think about competing for second place, you came here to win.
  7. Set a concrete goal for yourself, even if you think it's impossible. Nothing is impossible for a man with faith.
  8. Be determined, irrespective of your size, shape, training state, equipment or conditions.
  9. Always take the blame yourself for failure, study each failure with greater intensity than your success, you never learn anything when you win.
  10. Control your emotions at all times in competition, it can completely destroy your timing and coordination.
  11. Be critical, objective, and open-minded at all times.
  12. Don't drink or smoke at any time, the real champion would never do that and the others seldom do it.
  13. Tell your coach what your problems seem to be and rely upon him to help you solve the difficulty.
  14. Study the physiology of training, the psychology of your competitors, and EXPERIMENT ALL THE TIME.
  15. When nothing else helps, PRAY, someone higher up may be able to help you on the record jump when you have used up all your vital resources.

I would add to #7 in asking you write down your goals and share goals with as many others as possible. Until a goal is written or shared with others, it is not a really a  goal, it is just a thought. Sharing your goal will both help you be more ardent in pursuing it and you'll find it will garner and focus support from others to help you achieve it. Others will respect you for being confident enough to have shared it.