Adhesive Tape

[remmy]

What is the official interpretation of the tape rule? In the NFHS rules it says "adhesive tape".  What constitutes adhesive tape?  At a recent meet one of the teams was using double faced tape, sticky in both sides.  Is that legal?  What is legal?  Where is it defined in the rules?

[Mike Soule]

Yep! It's legal. The rule states no more than two layers of tape may be applied to a pole for gripping purposes. Way back in the old days some vaulters would actually put (for the lack of a better word or description) a knob of tape on the pole to keep their hand from slipping down the pole. It would sort of be like a knot in a climbing rope if you can picture that. That scenario is what the rule is designed to prevent. The double side tape deal is no different than what some vaulters create when we spray "Tuf Skin" or "Firm Grip" or soak the tape with lighter fluid to draw the adhesive of the athletic tape through the fibers to the outside of the tape. Some vaulters like a sticky surface to hold onto some like a dry surface. It's all legal as long as there is no more than two layers of tape in the grip section of the pole. Later..........Mike