Kaufman 5th, Sheppard 6th at NCAA Outdoor Track/Field Champs

[808]

Amber placed 5th and Emily placed 6th in the high jump. That's nationally! Congratulations to both!

Here are their results:

5 Amber Kaufman FR Hawaii-Manoa 1.83m 6-00.00 4
1.74 1.77 1.80 1.83 1.86
O O XO XXO XXX
6 Emily Sheppard JR Hawaii-Manoa 1.80m 5-10.75 3
1.74 1.77 1.80 1.83
O O O XXX

http://www.flashresults.com/2008_Meets/ ... 11F033.htm

[uhwarrior23]

Congrats to them on a job well done!

[Duster]

Congratulations to Amber and Emily!

High jumping sure is a game of inches - or fractions of inches. If I'm reading the stats correctly, Amber and the 4th place finisher both cleared the same height, but Amber got 5th because she had one more miss at a lower height. Amber cleared 1.83 m and missed on her three tries at 1.86 m (6'1.25") after that, and 1.86 turned out to be the winning height. Wow! So close!

Amber and Emily must have also achieved All-American status.

[uhwarriors]

Congratulations to Amber and Emily!

High jumping sure is a game of inches - or fractions of inches. If I'm reading the stats correctly, Amber and the 4th place finisher both cleared the same height, but Amber got 5th because she had one more miss at a lower height. Amber cleared 1.83 m and missed on her three tries at 1.86 m (6'1.25") after that, and 1.86 turned out to be the winning height. Wow! So close!

Amber and Emily must have also achieved All-American status.

I heard that by finishing in the top eight of an event they both achieved All-American status. Good job to both Amber and Emily.

[Gatorade]

Their AA status allows all three women opportunity to train at the OTC for future world competitions. Congrats to Annette Wichman’s heptathlon school record. I was reading the SH front page, and according to the article posted, Kaufman is going to compete at the Olympic trials at the end of the month. Congrats to them. Go Wahine!!

[KL]

Their AA status allows all three women opportunity to train at the OTC for future world competitions. Congrats to Annette Wichman’s heptathlon school record. I was reading the SH front page, and according to the article posted, Kaufman is going to compete at the Olympic trials at the end of the month. Congrats to them. Go Wahine!!

I wonder if Amber will receive "world class" coaching prior to the Olympic trials. Her style is described as awkward so she must be losing inches on her jumps. Can she train at the OTC under Olympic quality coaching? There is not HJ specialist at Hawaii and her high school coach accompanied Amber to the NCAA improving her jump from 5'9 at the WAC to over 6'. Amber needs quality coaching immediately!

[Gatorade]

I wonder if Amber will receive "world class" coaching prior to the Olympic trials.

I'm not exactly sure how that works too, I hope she can get high level help. It looks as though she needs at least 6'1" to have a chance.

[KL]

I wonder if Amber will receive "world class" coaching prior to the Olympic trials.

I'm not exactly sure how that works too, I hope she can get high level help. It looks as though she needs at least 6'1" to have a chance.

Gatorade or anyone else (Scott?),

Are there any current videos of Amber jumping in any meet? They would be very telling of what Amber needs to do to improve her technique. We want a Hawaii Olympian!! Clay must have a HJ coach. Maybe she should train with Clay!

[Gatorade]

I was looking at Amy Acuff’s high jump year by year statistics. It showed a progressive improvement every year. Coaching and maturing in the sport could add inches.

Amber on the KHNL video, she did 6 1.5 in WAC competition
imo, she can get more...

http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=8387422&nav=0bp0

[KL]

I was looking at Amy Acuff’s high jump year by year statistics. It showed a progressive improvement every year. Coaching and maturing in the sport could add inches.

Amber on the KHNL video, she did 6 1.5 in WAC competition
imo, she can get more...

http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=8387422&nav=0bp0

Fabulous! I will study the video. Thanks. I am a UH fanatic into ALL sports. I try to watch the Wahines when they play in Los Angles regardless of sport. Wahine coaches have done an unbelievable job.

Acuff's jumps are within reach of Amber. What is Ambers vertical jump? Is it over 33-35 inches? If so watch out!! There are some female volleyball players who can jump over 36-37 inches. I will now view the video.

[KL]

Re: Amber Video

I only ran it about 6 times and did not slow it down. My intial reation is that Amber's technique is very good. It will be the refinements that will make the difference.

I am strictly a novice-amateur but here are very quick, "old fashon" observations (which I have no business commenting on since I am neither an expert nor have viewed enough tape).

*Amber hit the bar coming down on one jump - jumped too far away from the bar. Was that the record jump?
*Amber leans/dips away from the bar just before she leaps - I am of the old school where you maximize the upward leap, not lean away
*Amber (like many floppers) does not maximize the left leg reach (she jumps off of her right leg) - we believed that the height of the jump was determined by the reach of the lead leg prior to going over the bar.
* I think that she can "lay" a bit longer on top of the bar to maximize vertical height, then "flip" her trailing legs over the bar. This is a HIGH jump, not a broad jump and she lands quite far from the bar.
* Ambers approach is slightly choppy and not a straight line. I wonder about her "precision" step measurements and placement of the critical "plant" foot (right foot).
* Head Coach James makes an important point that Amber was already a nationally ranked jumper and did not "come out of nowhere". Coach James has done wonders with Wahine track and has a solid coaching record. She even took on Frazier. Still, are we giving Amber the best HJ coaching given her Olympic potential (I will refrain from commenting).

Gatorade, please critque my comments.

[Gatorade]

I am strictly a novice-amateur but here are very quick, "old fashon" observations (which I have no business commenting on since I am neither an expert nor have viewed enough tape).

Me too
---------------------------------------

*Amber leans/dips away from the bar just before she leaps - I am of the old school where you maximize the upward leap, not lean away

Is she leaning away or is she applying an angle that suits her approach?


*Amber (like many floppers) does not maximize the left leg reach (she jumps off of her right leg) - we believed that the height of the jump was determined by the reach of the lead leg prior to going over the bar.

If that is her lead leg isn’t that her strength leg? Also isn’t the follow left leg reach determined by her take off from her right, how straight and how much acceleration?


* I think that she can "lay" a bit longer on top of the bar to maximize vertical height, then "flip" her trailing legs over the bar. This is a HIGH jump, not a broad jump and she lands quite far from the bar.

* Ambers approach is slightly choppy and not a straight line. I wonder about her "precision" step measurements and placement of the critical "plant" foot (right foot).


Are you talking about hang time on the “gather”? I think all of it is determined by the placement of her foot, depending upon angle, her speed of her last steps before the take off and a good chop and stop that force the lead foot upward?

[KL]

I am strictly a novice-amateur but here are very quick, "old fashon" observations (which I have no business commenting on since I am neither an expert nor have viewed enough tape).

Me too
---------------------------------------

*Amber leans/dips away from the bar just before she leaps - I am of the old school where you maximize the upward leap, not lean away

Is she leaning away or is she applying an angle that suits her approach?


*Amber (like many floppers) does not maximize the left leg reach (she jumps off of her right leg) - we believed that the height of the jump was determined by the reach of the lead leg prior to going over the bar.

If that is her lead leg isn’t that her strength leg? Also isn’t the follow left leg reach determined by her take off from her right, how straight and how much acceleration?


* I think that she can "lay" a bit longer on top of the bar to maximize vertical height, then "flip" her trailing legs over the bar. This is a HIGH jump, not a broad jump and she lands quite far from the bar.

* Ambers approach is slightly choppy and not a straight line. I wonder about her "precision" step measurements and placement of the critical "plant" foot (right foot).


Are you talking about hang time on the “gather”? I think all of it is determined by the placement of her foot, depending upon angle, her speed of her last steps before the take off and a good chop and stop that force the lead foot upward?

Gatorade, you sound like an expert with great observations. However, Amber IS coming down on the bar (did not knock it off) on what might have been the record jump. If so, she loss some height by jumping too far away from the bar.

You are probably right about Amber "dipping" to adjust for the angle of the jump (I still contend that no dip is necessary). You are right, she is jumping off of her LEFT leg (strength leg) and should be getting maximum reach with her right leg. Actually, not necessary to be straight but knee needs to be at maximum height. Acceleration (speed of approach) is always controvertial since the laws of physics translates speed into upward height IF UNDER CONTROL (note in PV and LJ, speed is critical). Control is the issue. Re "gather", I prefer maximum vertical direction so I prefer planting the jumping foot with maximum controllable force close to the bar. I prefer not to "chop" prior to the "plant". I guess one has to view the flop as a "controlled" dive. Thanks for your informative comments. Let's hope that Amber is inpired in the Trials. She could go 6'2 with a monster jump.

[Gatorade]

KL, you know your stuff!!

However, Amber IS coming down on the bar (did not knock it off) on what might have been the record jump. If so, she loss some height by jumping too far away from the bar.

I see what you are saying, an adjustment could add an inch or two. That's huge!

Let's hope that Amber is inpired in the Trials. She could go 6'2 with a monster jump.

Agreed.

----------------------------------
IMO The "high jump" it all looks so simple but the approach, angle, plant and jump is tough to master and harder to critique, I think. That’s probably why Acuff got better with time.

Good Discussion, sort of woke me up thanks.

[KL]

Gatorade,

If you go to Amy Acuff's website, you can see photos of Amy in various stages of her jump (along with all kinds of other "pin up" photos). There are long photo sequences of her jumps. What strikes me the most is how she seems to be "perched" on top of the bar with her butt with one arm already beyond and lower than the bar while her legs are still extending below the bar prior to her "flipping" her legs over. Amy is at the highest point of her leap directly over the bar having jumped from a point close to the bar with maximum vertical direction - not wasted horizontal movement.

You are right. Amy has made steady progress over the years pariticpating in 4 Olympics and is now in her mid 30s. Amber is still a baby by comparison. Amy is 6'2, or about the same height as Amber. Carmyn, Amber's Mama, please get Amber the top level HJ coaching she needs to succeed in the Olympic trials!!