INDIANAPOLIS— Through the collaborative efforts of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), the NCAA and USA Track & Field, an online pole vault skills course has been developed for coaches and athletes and is available for free on the NFHS Coach Education Program Web site at www.nfhslearn.com.

The course, “Pole Vault: Successful Skill Development,” is designed to further advance the knowledge of coaches and pole vaulters at all levels of sport – youth, high school and college — by teaching the introductory skills and safety aspects of the pole vault.

“This course is designed for both the coach and vaulter,” said Becky Oakes, NFHS director of sports and editor of the NFHS Track and Field Rules Book. “It provides a solid foundation of the skills and techniques of the event. Through the collaborative efforts of the NFHS, NCAA and USATF, this free online course is the first of our continuing efforts to provide sound techniques that will help minimize risk of injury and improve performance for pole vaulting. ‘Pole Vault: Successful Skill Development’ is a ‘must-take’ course for all pole vault coaches, high school student-athletes and their parents.”

The NFHS Coach Education Program offers 33 online courses, including the two core courses – “Fundamentals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health and Safety for Coaches.” The NFHS also offers 14 sport-specific courses and 17 elective courses, including eight that are free.

All NFHS Coach Education Program courses are available at www.nfhslearn.com.