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Most pole vault safety problems do not begin with one dramatic failure.
They begin with a small tear that gets ignored. A vault box collar that is never inspected. A concern that is noticed but never documented—or corrected.
In this episode, Mike Cunningham breaks down seven inspection mistakes that can create unnecessary risk for coaches, schools, and athletes.
🏃 Why a casual “it looks okay” is not a real inspection
🔍 What coaches may miss when they only look at the vinyl
📝 Why inspection logs matter
🛠️ What should happen after a safety concern is discovered
📅 A simple before-season, in-season, and post-season inspection rhythm
The goal of an inspection is not to find problems. It is to prevent injuries and make sure athletes have a safer place to train and compete.
Press play before your next pole vault inspection.

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"#237: Gill1918 Presents Mike Cunningham "7 Pole Vault Mistakes That Increase Liability"" is an episode of The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast. Runtime 12 min. Published September 30, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.