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August 2026 Newsletter

Build the foundation

As summer winds down and the new season approaches, August becomes one of the most important months of the year. While competitions may still feel far away, the athletes who make the biggest improvements in the spring are almost always the ones who use this time to rebuild their fundamentals and stay consistent.

This month we’re excited to announce registration for both of our annual camps, begin our preseason technical progression, and start preparing for one of the most exciting competitions in the world — the Reno Pole Vault Summit.

Let’s make this offseason count.

Fall Camp, Fall Training, and Winter Camp registration is open

Whether you’ve attended before or this will be your first camp, our Fall and Winter Camps are designed to accelerate your development in a way that’s difficult to replicate during normal practice.

Over two days you’ll receive personalized coaching from some of the sport’s most experienced coaches while training alongside athletes from all over the country.

Camp coaches

  • Dean Starkey — PR 19’5” · 1997 World Championships Bronze Medalist
  • Garrett Starkey — PR 18’5” · Sports Performance Expert
  • Nathan Hiett — PR 17’8” · Arizona State University Standout
  • Tray Oates — PR 19’2” · 4th Place, 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials

Throughout camp we’ll cover nearly every aspect of becoming a better vaulter, including:

  • Pole vault technique
  • Video analysis
  • Speed development
  • Gymnastics
  • Rope swing training
  • Weight room instruction
  • Plyometrics
  • Nutrition
  • Recovery strategies
  • Injury prevention
  • Sport psychology
  • Progression methodology
  • Round-table discussions
  • Recreational activities and team building

Upcoming camps

Fall Camp — October 24–25, 2026

Winter Camp — December 29–30, 2026

Pricing

  • Commuter — $399
  • Overnighter — $599

Overnighters stay at the Starkey Ranch, receive all meals, and enjoy additional evening activities, games, and discussions with the coaching staff.

Space is limited, and both camps are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you’ve been thinking about attending, don’t wait too long to reserve your spot. Camp details and registration.

Build your best season this fall

The biggest jumps of the spring are often built during the fall.

From September 2 through December 23, AZPVA’s Fall Training Program will help athletes develop the speed, strength, coordination, body control, and vault-specific athleticism needed to perform at a higher level next season.

Training takes place every Monday and Wednesday from 5:00–6:30pm at Arizona Pole Vault Academy and will be led by Dean Starkey and Garrett Starkey.

Athletes will focus on:

  • Speed and running mechanics
  • Strength and explosive power
  • Conditioning and core development
  • Gymnastics and body control
  • Vault-specific strength
  • Injury prevention
  • Technical preparation for the 2027 season

This program is ideal for athletes preparing for school track, indoor competition, or the Reno Pole Vault Summit in January.

Enrollment is limited to 20 vaulters to maintain a focused, productive training environment.

  • Program dates: September 2–December 23, 2026
  • Schedule: Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:00–6:30pm
  • Location: Arizona Pole Vault Academy, Queen Creek

Register for Fall Training. Registration is also available in the AZPVA app under Memberships.

August focus: build your foundation

Every year we see athletes eager to jump from full approaches as soon as possible.

This August, we’re doing the opposite.

We’re taking a step back so we can take a much bigger step forward.

Throughout the month we’ll focus on rebuilding every athlete’s technical foundation through a progression beginning with one-left drills before gradually advancing through two-lefts, three-lefts, and beyond. This allows us to refine posture, takeoff mechanics, timing, swing, and inversion before additional speed and complexity are introduced.

The athletes who embrace this process now are often the ones who make the biggest improvements once competition season arrives.

If you’ve recently paused your membership, August is the perfect time to jump back in.

There is no better opportunity all year to rebuild your technique, develop better habits, and establish a strong foundation before preseason training begins.

Whether your goal is setting a personal best, qualifying for state, earning a college scholarship, or simply becoming a more confident vaulter, this is where that progress starts.

Let’s build something special together.

Looking ahead: Reno Pole Vault Summit

January may seem a long way off, but planning for the Reno Pole Vault Summit starts now.

The Summit has become the premier pole vault event in the world, bringing together thousands of athletes, coaches, Olympians, professionals, and beginners under one roof.

With nearly twenty runways operating simultaneously, educational clinics throughout the weekend, and competition flights for athletes of every ability level, there simply isn’t another meet like it.

If you’ve never attended before, we strongly encourage making this your travel meet for the season.

January 15–16, 2027 · Reno, Nevada

AZPVA will once again coordinate coaching, pole transportation, and pole usage so families don’t have to worry about traveling with poles. We consolidate poles into shared bags and ship them directly to Reno through Southwest Cargo, making travel significantly easier.

AZPVA travel fee: $299. Reno travel details.

Includes:

  • Coaching throughout the event
  • Pole transportation
  • Pole usage
  • Logistics coordination

Athletes are still responsible for registering separately through the Reno Pole Vault Summit once registration opens in September.

If you’re considering attending, now is an excellent time to begin planning flights and accommodations while costs are typically lower.

This is one of the most memorable experiences in our sport, and we’d love to have another large AZPVA group representing Arizona.

Upcoming dates

See you at the runway

Every season starts long before the first competition.

Championships are built during the months when nobody is watching.

Stay consistent, trust the process, and take advantage of every opportunity to improve. We can’t wait to see what this group accomplishes over the coming months.

See you at practice.

— The Arizona Pole Vault Academy Coaching Staff

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