Growing up going to the movies was always a special experience. I would get a tub of greasy buttered popcorn as I settled in to allow my mind to be whisked away on a magical adventure. One particular time at the theater I went to the theater to watch Forrest Gump and my magical experience was disrupted. During the course of the movie I watched Forrest overcome great adversity with his disability, the military, as a shrimping boat captain and in his relationships with others.

Today as I was swimming laps, I experienced fluid buildup in my lungs. The fluid made it hard to catch my breath, but my stubbornness made it even more difficult to stop swimming before I was done with my set. Not being able to breathe, however, induced a bit of panic, which increased when I had a flash that the lifeguard, who had early been distracted flirting with a guy on the pool deck, might not be paying enough attention to me should I need rescued. At that moment, I recognized that I was responsible for my well-being and that I should not fully trust that someone else would save me, even if it was that person’s job to do so. With that acknowledgement, I stopped swimming until my throat cleared enough to finish my set. This experience left me contemplating about the recent deaths that occurred during the swim segment of the New York City (NYC) Triathlon and what the athletes may have experienced during the race.

Not so long ago a pole vaulter who wished to use protective headgear had few options. Vaulters resorted to wearing equipment, such as skating helmets, that were neither tested nor specifically recommended for use in pole vaulting. However, over the last decade there has been increasing concern and discussion about creating standardized pole vaulting headgear in order to minimize head injuries and to prevent the death of athletes’ who hit their head during a vault. Such widespread concern for pole vaulters’ safety has prompted some significant changes in the last five years.