Pole vaulting at school

The teaching of athletics in Brazilian schools still struggles with the same problems as decades ago: lack of adequate space and materials, low student motivation, inadequate teacher training, among others. Although its teaching has been proposed in the official curricula adopted in recent years, the approach to some events is still a challenge for most teachers. This is the case with the pole vault. Known as one of the most technical events in athletics, there are few reports of it being taught in physical education classes. In this case, it is normal for the problems encountered in teaching less demanding events to be amplified. However, when we learn about the history of the pole vault, we can see that it was once closer to nature, when simple and low-cost materials were used. Its history also shows that, in addition to competitive sport, pole vaulting has been practised for different purposes over time. In this vein, we propose teaching it based on its history, offering alternatives to those who wish to teach a different and challenging activity to their students but who do not have specific teaching materials.