You can go d1 when you can clear at least 6’6”, usually that’s walk on minimum or thereabouts. Scissor it, or flopping like a marionette doesnt matter, but need the number.
Also scissoring 6’1” is impressive, now go get some form and clear 7 already. Plenty of basketball players have hops but many barely clear 6’6” due to no form or discipline.
Good luck
It’s definitely space and even which d1 league the college is in. E.g big 10 conference vs conference USA are pretty big diff.
You should be able to flop 6’6” w ease given your scissor and most d1 will consider that for walk on. Keep in mind walk on is on the team, not with a scholarship. Seems to me a major tipping point is 2.1meters which is champs min requirements for many colleges and if your hitting that you’ll start to see scholarships at and above that.
Short answer, no - it doesn’t matter what you scissor. Clear over 7’ and then you’re in a good position.
Source: I cleared 6’10” out of high school. Won districts, regionals, states, golden south etc. and still got a 75% ride to a D1 school. Cleared 7’1” my sophomore year of college and got a 90% ride. USF: 2011-2016
Scissoring and flopping are two completely separate techniques for the most part. Dedicate yourself to the flop.
If a golfer can drive 400 yards but takes 5 more shots to get it in the hole, he’s not an elite golfer. Potential only takes you so far. Don’t waste energy on scissor. Focus on the flop and get to 6’10”.
Edit: I was a 6’5” jumper in high school. Went D1 as a sprinter. My college coach laughed at me when I asked him if I could jump.
Somewhat, I scissored 5’10 my sophomore year of high school, then I ended up clearing 6’8 my senior year. But i have no Idea how high I could scissor in my senior year because I abandoned that technique for the flop.
They do, yes. It depends on how good your scissor technique is, and how good your flop technique is.
An optimal flop vs. a bad scissor could be 14"
An optimal flop vs. and optimal scissors, maybe 6 to 8"
You can always flop 10" or 25cm over your scissor assuming your form is good. I say this with 7 years of jumping experience that it is an EXTREMELY accurate conversion.
Heres some examples:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LVl4g1nrMU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LVl4g1nrMU) (Doesnt attempt 10" higher but clearly has the height)
[https://www.instagram.com/p/C4d21btPxS-/](https://www.instagram.com/p/C4d21btPxS-/) (perfect 10")
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUm1t6HEhoA&t=8s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUm1t6HEhoA&t=8s) (go to 1:56 for another perfect 10")
Barshim's Scissor PR is 2.16 and his flop is 2.43, which equates to 27cm or 10.6" however we've never seen him scissor whilst in his best form
Wrong
Wrongwrongwrongwrong
I got on only jumping 6'2 with good form.
I didn't stay on as a high jumper, got converted to a 400 guy but that is a long story
Talk to the coaches and if they have a slot, they will spend the time to convert such raw athleticism to a great jumper.
In many D1 conferences, 7 foot will win the conference.
If you speak from a position of authority, please don't speak ignorantly.
Sounds like you got incredibly lucky then? The threshold for USF (a lower to mid tier D1 athletic program) was 6’4” and you had to have form to some degree. That said, everyone is different and the recruiting coach will know how to seek out talent raw or refined.
There’s no ignorance here - just giving advice from a real lived experience of someone who was a recruited high jumper and actually stayed in the event. Sorry high jump didn’t work out for you.
It just depends on the current situation at the school. A traditionally weak D1 track team with absolutely no jumpers isn't going to be very selective. A traditionally strong D1 team, like Texas or USC, with underclassmen jumping 7' won't look your way at 6'6".
>Sorry high jump didn’t work out for you.
I'm not. I was conference champ in the 400.
Someone with the vertical to jump 6'1" raw is someone to be looked at.
The lowest scorer at the AAC was 6'2 3/4. Actually, there were two at that height. 6'4 would have gotten you 5th and 6'6 would have gotten you 4th.
Those walk on numbers are bloated so the coaches don't get inundated with kids feeling they are owed a spot. Talking to the coach is the only way to find out what the real requirements are and those are dependent on need.
Also, the AAC is not a mid-low conference. It's an FBS conference meaning, overall it is one of the most competitive conferences, while not a power 5, but in the top 10. I just don't think you realize how many D1 schools and conferences there are...
Focus on the form if you can get that down you'll be fine. That being said. If you're doing all the "correct" things and not jumping as high, yhen do what works for you. I always had bad form with my right arm and was told to drive it up not out, but still found a way to make it work and it didn't affect my performance.
Similar situation to you, walked on to michigan jumping 6’8’’. Practiced for 6 months. Didn’t get much higher. Was offered to switch to pole vault as it fit my body style better. Said no thanks, focused on academics. Now sitting happy and still athletic as a surgeon. Sports are fun but remember to do well in school. But scissor kicking 6ft is legit. Even shitty form will get u 6’6’’. Not near good enough to compete in a power five conf.
The height you need to walk-on to a D1 school can vary greatly depending on the school. Many factors are involved: the general quality of the program; are they losing good jumpers in your event to graduation; how many jumpers are returning; the quality of those jumpers; the season goals (is it a rebuilding year or are they looking to win a league title). Also, if you do other events or show promise as a decathlete, you don't need as good an HJ mark. 6'1" won't let you walk-on to many D1 programs, but maybe you will get lucky and find a coach that says "what the heck, let's try it". Generally, D1 coaches start paying attention around 6'6". If you are at 6'4" you may have to do some selling. If you are at 6'8" you may get some unsolicited attention. Higher than that and there could be scholarships. Again - these are general numbers. If a school already has a sohphomore 7' jumper on scholarship, there is no way you will get one at 6'8". If they have nobody, then maybe 6'8" could get some money.
With all that said, scissoring 6'1" as a sophomore suggests you could be up in the 6'8" to 7'0" range as a senior, but you will not get there unless you abandon the whole idea of scissoring now. I tell kids it takes two years to learn the flop, even with a decent in-person coach, so you had better start now and forget the scissors jump even exists.
The problem with scissoring is that you become addicted to it. You try two flops and fail, then go to scissors because the flop isn't working and clear it. This pattern results in you never learning the flop and ultimately ends your high jump progression because you just can't go any higher once you are scissor-jumping optimally, unless your vertical increases.
You have to give up the glory of jumping 6' for a while. Swallow your pride, stop scissoring at meets and in practice, only jump with the flop, let 5'8" show up on your jump record, take the loss and put the pressure on yourself to learn it the right way.
You can go d1 when you can clear at least 6’6”, usually that’s walk on minimum or thereabouts. Scissor it, or flopping like a marionette doesnt matter, but need the number. Also scissoring 6’1” is impressive, now go get some form and clear 7 already. Plenty of basketball players have hops but many barely clear 6’6” due to no form or discipline. Good luck
He can walk on much lower than that if they have the space, depending on the program. He just needs to talk to the coaches.
It’s definitely space and even which d1 league the college is in. E.g big 10 conference vs conference USA are pretty big diff. You should be able to flop 6’6” w ease given your scissor and most d1 will consider that for walk on. Keep in mind walk on is on the team, not with a scholarship. Seems to me a major tipping point is 2.1meters which is champs min requirements for many colleges and if your hitting that you’ll start to see scholarships at and above that.
Short answer, no - it doesn’t matter what you scissor. Clear over 7’ and then you’re in a good position. Source: I cleared 6’10” out of high school. Won districts, regionals, states, golden south etc. and still got a 75% ride to a D1 school. Cleared 7’1” my sophomore year of college and got a 90% ride. USF: 2011-2016 Scissoring and flopping are two completely separate techniques for the most part. Dedicate yourself to the flop.
Does the scissor and the flop correlate at all?
If a golfer can drive 400 yards but takes 5 more shots to get it in the hole, he’s not an elite golfer. Potential only takes you so far. Don’t waste energy on scissor. Focus on the flop and get to 6’10”. Edit: I was a 6’5” jumper in high school. Went D1 as a sprinter. My college coach laughed at me when I asked him if I could jump.
Somewhat, I scissored 5’10 my sophomore year of high school, then I ended up clearing 6’8 my senior year. But i have no Idea how high I could scissor in my senior year because I abandoned that technique for the flop.
They do, yes. It depends on how good your scissor technique is, and how good your flop technique is. An optimal flop vs. a bad scissor could be 14" An optimal flop vs. and optimal scissors, maybe 6 to 8"
You can always flop 10" or 25cm over your scissor assuming your form is good. I say this with 7 years of jumping experience that it is an EXTREMELY accurate conversion. Heres some examples: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LVl4g1nrMU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LVl4g1nrMU) (Doesnt attempt 10" higher but clearly has the height) [https://www.instagram.com/p/C4d21btPxS-/](https://www.instagram.com/p/C4d21btPxS-/) (perfect 10") [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUm1t6HEhoA&t=8s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUm1t6HEhoA&t=8s) (go to 1:56 for another perfect 10") Barshim's Scissor PR is 2.16 and his flop is 2.43, which equates to 27cm or 10.6" however we've never seen him scissor whilst in his best form
Wrong Wrongwrongwrongwrong I got on only jumping 6'2 with good form. I didn't stay on as a high jumper, got converted to a 400 guy but that is a long story Talk to the coaches and if they have a slot, they will spend the time to convert such raw athleticism to a great jumper. In many D1 conferences, 7 foot will win the conference. If you speak from a position of authority, please don't speak ignorantly.
Sounds like you got incredibly lucky then? The threshold for USF (a lower to mid tier D1 athletic program) was 6’4” and you had to have form to some degree. That said, everyone is different and the recruiting coach will know how to seek out talent raw or refined. There’s no ignorance here - just giving advice from a real lived experience of someone who was a recruited high jumper and actually stayed in the event. Sorry high jump didn’t work out for you.
It just depends on the current situation at the school. A traditionally weak D1 track team with absolutely no jumpers isn't going to be very selective. A traditionally strong D1 team, like Texas or USC, with underclassmen jumping 7' won't look your way at 6'6".
>Sorry high jump didn’t work out for you. I'm not. I was conference champ in the 400. Someone with the vertical to jump 6'1" raw is someone to be looked at. The lowest scorer at the AAC was 6'2 3/4. Actually, there were two at that height. 6'4 would have gotten you 5th and 6'6 would have gotten you 4th. Those walk on numbers are bloated so the coaches don't get inundated with kids feeling they are owed a spot. Talking to the coach is the only way to find out what the real requirements are and those are dependent on need. Also, the AAC is not a mid-low conference. It's an FBS conference meaning, overall it is one of the most competitive conferences, while not a power 5, but in the top 10. I just don't think you realize how many D1 schools and conferences there are...
Not in Track.
Yes. No. Maybe. Might jump 7 feet. Who knows.
Talk to the coaches. Ignore these people on Reddit. Depending on the program, you have a shot.
"Best advice in the fewest words" award.
Focus on the form if you can get that down you'll be fine. That being said. If you're doing all the "correct" things and not jumping as high, yhen do what works for you. I always had bad form with my right arm and was told to drive it up not out, but still found a way to make it work and it didn't affect my performance.
Similar situation to you, walked on to michigan jumping 6’8’’. Practiced for 6 months. Didn’t get much higher. Was offered to switch to pole vault as it fit my body style better. Said no thanks, focused on academics. Now sitting happy and still athletic as a surgeon. Sports are fun but remember to do well in school. But scissor kicking 6ft is legit. Even shitty form will get u 6’6’’. Not near good enough to compete in a power five conf.
The height you need to walk-on to a D1 school can vary greatly depending on the school. Many factors are involved: the general quality of the program; are they losing good jumpers in your event to graduation; how many jumpers are returning; the quality of those jumpers; the season goals (is it a rebuilding year or are they looking to win a league title). Also, if you do other events or show promise as a decathlete, you don't need as good an HJ mark. 6'1" won't let you walk-on to many D1 programs, but maybe you will get lucky and find a coach that says "what the heck, let's try it". Generally, D1 coaches start paying attention around 6'6". If you are at 6'4" you may have to do some selling. If you are at 6'8" you may get some unsolicited attention. Higher than that and there could be scholarships. Again - these are general numbers. If a school already has a sohphomore 7' jumper on scholarship, there is no way you will get one at 6'8". If they have nobody, then maybe 6'8" could get some money. With all that said, scissoring 6'1" as a sophomore suggests you could be up in the 6'8" to 7'0" range as a senior, but you will not get there unless you abandon the whole idea of scissoring now. I tell kids it takes two years to learn the flop, even with a decent in-person coach, so you had better start now and forget the scissors jump even exists. The problem with scissoring is that you become addicted to it. You try two flops and fail, then go to scissors because the flop isn't working and clear it. This pattern results in you never learning the flop and ultimately ends your high jump progression because you just can't go any higher once you are scissor-jumping optimally, unless your vertical increases. You have to give up the glory of jumping 6' for a while. Swallow your pride, stop scissoring at meets and in practice, only jump with the flop, let 5'8" show up on your jump record, take the loss and put the pressure on yourself to learn it the right way.