Pole Vaulting Helmet Now Available
Custom-Designed Helmet by Simpson Performance Products
Kevin Dare died in a tragic pole vaulting accident in 2002 while competing for Penn State at a Big Ten Track and Field Championship in Minneapolis (Wright, K., Penn State website, December 1, 2006). He lost his life because his head hit the metal plant box upon landing.
Kevin Dare Memorial Foundation
The Dare family was determined to prevent this type of death in the sport of pole vaulting from happening again. To this end, the Kevin Dare Memorial Foundation was begun with the purpose of spreading awareness of pole vault safety. The Foundation also has a secondary purpose of providing scholarship money to Penn State track and field athletes.
One of the significant results of the Foundation has been the design of a custom helmet for the sport of pole vault. Most of the deaths in the sport of pole vault have been from athletes missing the landing pads and hitting their heads on concrete or metal upon landing. A helmet worn by these athletes just might reduce the number of deaths in the sport of pole vault.
KDMax and KDPro Custom Pole Vault Helmets
The KDMax and KDPro helmets are the first helmets designed specifically for pole vaulters. The design has a number of features specifically created with the pole vaulters in mind including:
- Light weight design (only 500 grams)
- Impact absorbing shell designed to increase stiffness of the shell while creating crumple zones to absorb the external forces
- Venting system that channels air flow over the ears and out through the rear of the helmet
- Scallops designed into the sides of the helmet to prevent contact during the planting and mid-vault
- “No-Snag” exterior design to reduce the effects of drag and prevent snagging during the landing
- Stabilization system to maintain a snug fit during the approach preventing shifting on the head
The helmets can be purchased on-line through Simpson Race Products’ website for below one hundred dollars each. The Foundation has also donated numerous helmets to high schools with the goal of getting national legislation to mandate the use of helmets in the sport of pole vaulting.
Mr. Dare has also worked to design a soft box for the pole plant. The newly designed soft box has padding to help prevent head injuries. The traditional plant box is made of metal. It was this piece of equipment that caused Kevin Dare’s death.
Pole Vault Safety Changes
The Kevin Dare Memorial Foundation has also been instrumental in making safety changes within the sport including (Penn State Website, December 1, 2006):
- Increased size of landing pit
- Safer use of poles in accordance with vaulter’s body size
- Marked Landing zones
- Pre-marked runways
- Pole vault safety clinics and certification for coaches and athletes
Awareness of the dangers in the sport of pole vault along with education and training on how to make the sport of pole vault safer is an on-going process. However, through the work of the Kevin Dare Memorial Foundation, great strides have been made to educate the track and field community and save lives.
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