I learned the Western Roll from reading sports magazines in the 1960s, and it was enough of an advantage that I outjumped better athletes up until about 9th grade. We jumped into sawdust pits then, and not very much sawdust. Dangerous stuff. But that was why the flop was so surprising. The first time I saw it it looked impossible. Not even all colleges had good foam landing areas. If you didn't have the proper landing area and someone to coach you, there was no way you were going to learn Fosbury's technique.
I know. I tried and hurt myself a few times before giving up. That was crazy, I could have killed myself, and the knuckleheaded adults at the Y overnight camp - including a couple of high school track coaches - didn't stop me or even caution me. They didn't understand it so they ignored it.
2 comments:
Landing on the back and shoulders? Good grief, you really were lucky not to break your neck.
Sort of. I was so incompetent at it that I just crashed through the bar and put at least one foot down before I fell backwards. Still not good, but not that bad.
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