The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast

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 ranges

• Accurate, readable height and depth markings

• Ease of movement and adjustment

• Durability, wheel systems, and maintenance

• Indoor versus outdoor considerations

• Replacement parts and long-term support

• Planning for future program growth

The 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.

Buying a used pole vault pit can save a program money—but only if it is still safe, compliant, and serviceable.

In this episode, Mike Cunningham breaks down what coaches should inspect before purchasing a used landing system:

• Current NFHS or NCAA compliance

• Foam condition, including hard spots, soft spots, and compression

• Vinyl, hardware, and repair history

• Storage and weather-exposure history

• What is actually included in the sale

• Freight, repairs, weather protection, and other hidden costs

A used pit can be a smart value. It can also become an expensive problem quickly.

The key is not how old the pit is. The key is what condition it is in today.

Listen before you commit to a used-pit purchase.

Jeremy Fischer is an elite jumps coach and educator who has coached athletes to 19 Olympic and World Championship medals, plus 20 Para and Para World medals. This is part 2 of 4 in his series across the remainder of 2026 on coaching the horizontal jumps. Part 2 focuses on how to maximize long jump distance at takeoff. Jeremy is the founder of Maximum Velocity Athletics and will host the live online Horizontal Jumps Masterclass on January 2-3, 2027 along with an incredible team of clinicians. Registration is open now at https://www.maximumvelocityathletics.com/.

If you've got something awesome to share with our youth T&F coach audience, contact David Mitchell to find out how.

What would make a coach walk away from nearly unmatched success to start again with nothing?

After winning 25 state championships at Centennial High School, Roy Session could have comfortably finished his career as one of Nevada’s most accomplished coaches. Instead, the retired fire chief accepted an entirely new challenge: building Nevada State University’s track and field program from the ground up.

In this episode, Roy shares his remarkable journey from growing up in West Las Vegas and discovering that track could take him to college, to serving 30 years in the fire department, building a youth club, creating a high school dynasty, and giving Nevada athletes a new opportunity to compete at the collegiate level.

🔥 How the fire service shaped Roy’s leadership philosophy

🏆 What it took to win 25 high school state championships

🤝 Why empowering assistant coaches produces stronger programs

🦂 The challenge of building Nevada State track and field from scratch

💪 Why Roy’s teams live by one standard: “We will not be outworked”

❤️ How coaching allows him to give young people opportunities he never imagined for himself

Roy Session doesn’t run from difficult challenges—he finds purpose in them. Press play and meet a coach whose humility, competitiveness, and commitment to serving others have changed countless lives.

Dive 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! 🎧👍

How does a pole vault pit help manage the forces created when an athlete lands from height?

In this episode of the Gill1918 Project Podcast, Mike Cunningham explains the design considerations and safety-focused evaluations behind modern pole vault landing systems.

The conversation covers:

• Why foam is the heart of the landing system

• The balance between comfortable landings and preventing bottoming out

• Landing-surface consistency across multiple pit sections

• Seam, gap, top pad, and attachment-system design

• Why vinyl construction and weather protection affect long-term performance

• The difference between meeting minimum requirements and maintaining a safe facility

• Why regular inspection, repair, installation, and storage matter after the pit arrives

A landing system’s original design matters—but its condition over time matters just as much.

The full article, “How Are Pole Vault Pits Tested for Safety?” is available through Gill Athletics and Mike Cunningham’s LinkedIn article series.

Most pole vault pit storage damage does not happen during practice or competition.

It happens when the season ends.

In this episode of the Gill1918 Project Podcast, Mike Cunningham walks through the common off-season storage mistakes that can shorten the life of a landing system—and the practical habits that can help avoid them.

You’ll learn why coaches should pay attention to:

• Moisture trapped before storage

• Small tears, broken straps, and missing hardware

• Outdoor exposure and weather protection

• Wooden pallets and uneven pressure points

• Rodents and nesting animals

• Improper stacking

• Weather covers that have worn out

• The danger of storing a pit and forgetting about it for months

A few hours spent cleaning, drying, inspecting, repairing, and protecting a pit can help prevent much more expensive problems later.

The full article, “Common Pole Vault Pit Storage Mistakes,” is available through Gill Athletics and Mike Cunningham’s LinkedIn article series.

Coach Tizzo Johnson led a discussion with his own kids, Khamani, a collegiate thrower for NC Central where he is the MEAC silver medalist in the Hammer, and Zoey, a youth thrower who was the 13-year-old Discus Champion at Club Nationals. In this episode, the young throwers talk about their experiences, motivations, and advice for other throwers, offering many useful insights for coaches. Tizzo is the founder of UglyThrowsOnly.com an innovative new apparel company for throwers and their supporters. He shares how his coaching cues led to that catchy company name. Listen, learn, and enjoy!

If you have a topic to share with our youth T&F coach audience, contact David Mitchell to learn more.

Chris Sullivan never planned to become a track coach.

Growing up in Cocoa Beach, Florida, he was a football player first, a basketball player second, and a high jumper who mostly showed up for meets. He didn't even realize track and field was a college sport until he arrived at Florida International University.

Fast forward a few years and Chris went from football walk-on to Division I decathlete, NCAA East Regional qualifier, NCAA Championships qualifier in the high jump, and eventually FIU assistant coach.

In this episode, Mike and Chris discuss:

✅ Growing up in Cocoa Beach and surfing before school

✅ Why football was his first love

✅ The unlikely path that led him into track & field
✅ Transitioning from football to the decathlon
✅ Qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the high jump
✅ Coaching at his alma mater
✅ Recruiting in today's college athletics landscape
✅ NIL, roster changes, and the new five-year eligibility model
✅ The mentors who shaped his coaching philosophy
✅ Why helping athletes succeed means more than his own accomplishments

Chris shares an honest look at his journey from athlete to coach and why developing young people remains at the center of everything he does at Florida International University.

Dive 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 to 217-898-3038. We love hearing from you! 🎧👍

What happens to your pole vault pit when the season ends?

In this Gill1918 Project episode, Mike Cunningham shares the practical steps coaches can take to protect a landing system during the off-season—and avoid expensive surprises when athletes return.

You’ll learn how to:

• Inspect and repair the pit before storage

• Clean and dry it properly

• Reduce moisture, UV, and rodent risk

• Store and stack sections without creating unnecessary stress

• Protect the pit when indoor storage is not available

A few intentional hours at the end of the season can help preserve foam, vinyl, safety, and long-term value for years to come.

Should your program invest in a weather cover, a pit garage, or both?

In this Gill1918 Project episode, Mike Cunningham breaks down the practical difference between the two—and why, for most outdoor facilities, a weather cover should be the first priority.

You’ll learn:

• What a weather cover protects against

• What a pit garage adds beyond a cover

• When a pit garage makes financial sense

• Why neither option replaces regular inspection and maintenance

• How to choose the right level of protection for your facility

The goal is not simply choosing which option is “better.” It is protecting a major equipment investment in a way that fits your climate, facility, and long-term plans.