Tragedy At Big Ten Track Meet

**Joubert**[$] · #1 02-24-2002, 12:07 PM

Penn State Pole Vaulter Dies In Fall

I don't follow track enough to know this, but is injury common on an aborted jump? I would guess that there could be a nasty fall any time one is that high in the air (a reason I never let my kids screw around on trampolines), but this seems highly unusual.

Not only did the poor guy die, but his parents were in the stands. Heart-chilling.

#2 02-24-2002, 12:19 PM

The fact that an organization is called "The Big Ten" but consists of eleven members is shameful.

The fact that it's eleven COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES that claim to be institutions of HIGHER LEARNING and EDUCATION is downright ridiculous.

No wonder why people think jocks are dumb.

Does anybody else have any other examples of this kind of absurdity?

kurt_messick · #3 02-24-2002, 12:58 PM

Injuries are not uncommon during track and field events. Blown knees and broken bones on hurdles are very common; broken knees on long jumps, too. Pole vautling injuries are not uncommon, but a death is very unusual.

frazzledspice · #4 02-24-2002, 10:55 PM

Even more upsetting are the kids who die for no apparent reason during athletic competitions.

The physicals that student athletes get could search for possible heart defects, etc. more aggressively.

When my son was in high school, a football player from the neighboring high school collapsed and died during half time.

A good friend's niece died walking off the basketball court after practice.

Both of these were due to burst aneurysms.

I will never forget the first time I ever participated in a 5K race. My son was ahead of me, and as I crossed the first bridge, I saw an ambulance. (It was a very hilly run, and I was kind of walking the uphills and running the downhills.) My heart skipped as I looked to see who was injured. It wasn't my son, but it was a boy who was about 14.

He'd had a heart attack and died immediately (undiagnosed heart defect.)

I don't know what costs would be involved in screening student athletes for possible heart and vascular problems, but in an "industry" that brings big bucks into schools, even high schools, couldn't some of that money be spent for that purpose?

#5 02-24-2002, 11:53 PM

When I was playing intramural soccer at Rice, I got lauched by some jackass slide-tackling me from behind. The folks on the sideline said that I was airborne for a few seconds, came down knocked out cold. By the time they got to me, suddenly got back up, and was about to run down the guy while on autopilot. Our own goalie knocked me back into semi-consciousness, still didn't wake totally back up for an hour or so.

Concussions suck.

erik_kosberg · #6 02-25-2002, 10:31 AM

I can’t imagine anything worse than for parents to see their child die. They’ll relive that moment for the rest of their lives.

**amykhar** · #7 02-25-2002, 10:36 AM

I wouldn't expect injuries to be very common in this sport. The jumpers are trained in how to fall, etc. This seemed like an extremely fluke thing.

It is truly a very sad tragedy

Amy

**conradd** · #8 02-25-2002, 12:05 PM

Quote:

I don't know what costs would be involved in screening student athletes for possible heart and vascular problems, but in an "industry" that brings big bucks into schools, even high schools, couldn't some of that money be spent for that purpose?

I didn't see any indication that the vaulter in question had suffered a heart attack in mid-air. Vaulting is certainly riskier than other sports, but a properly done vault will not cause injury. In this case, it sounded like a judgement error on the part of the error; I hope that an investigation will result in safer jumping conditions. From my recollection, all the padding is on the other side of the pole. Since the vaulter evidently didn't clear the pole, it seems that there should be some sort of failsafe device. Perhaps spotters with some sort of net? Dunno.

I agree with Erik that this would be one of the most horribly sad events a parent could witness.

Deb