Why We Created The Vert Open

Sep 3

4 min read

Updated: Sep 5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-lxmZdUyRI

What are you training for?

I've spent a lot of years training to jump higher, and one thing I've learned about myself is that I train better when I have something specific to train for.

A goal.

A test.

A competition.

A date on the calendar.

It's easy to say, “I want to jump higher.”

It's different when you know that on a specific day, you're going to step up to a Vert Trainer and find out exactly how high you can jump.

That's a big reason why we created THE VERT OPEN.

Something to Train For

For basketball, volleyball, football and track & field athletes, competition is built into the sport. There's always another game, meet or season coming up.

But what if your goal is simply to jump higher?

Where do you compete?

Where do you officially test yourself?

And what if you're 30, 40, 50 or older and still love training and jumping?

There aren't many opportunities to put a date on the calendar and say:

That's the day I'm going to find out what I can do.

We want The Vert Open to provide that opportunity.

On November 14, you'll test your Standing Vertical and Max Vertical.

But what excites me just as much is what happens between now and November 14.

Can you add an inch to your vertical?

Can you set a new PR?

Can you reach the next Vertical Jump Level?

Can you become a better jumper than you are today?

Now you've got something to train for.

You Don't Have to Be an Elite Jumper

One of the most important things to me when creating The Vert Open was making sure this wasn't just an event for elite jumpers.

We've been fortunate at The Dunk Camp to work with some of the best jumpers and dunkers in the world.

They're incredible to watch.

But The Vert Open isn't just for them.

It's for the 16-year-old volleyball player trying to increase her vertical.

It's for the basketball player trying to dunk for the first time.

It's for the football player working on explosiveness.

It's for the track & field athlete who loves to jump.

It's for the 40-year-old who wants to find out if he can still jump as high as he did 10 years ago.

And it's for someone who simply enjoys jumping and wants to see what they're capable of.

Whether your vertical is 15 inches, 25 inches, 35 inches or 45+ inches, you have a number worth chasing.

Compete Against Others. But Most Importantly, Compete Against Yourself.

Yes, The Vert Open is a competition.

We'll have men's and women's age divisions. We'll have rankings. We'll recognize age-division winners and overall champions.

But you don't have to win your division for The Vert Open to be a success.

Maybe you finish 10th in your division...

but jump an inch higher than you've ever jumped before.

That's a win.

Maybe you don't set a PR...

but reach a Vertical Jump Level you've been chasing for months.

That's something worth celebrating too.

That's why one of the ideas at the heart of The Vert Open is:

YOU vs. YOU.

Other athletes can push you. Competition can motivate you.

But ultimately, we're trying to find out what you are capable of.

Why Standing AND Max Vertical?

At The Vert Open, athletes will compete in two events:

Standing Vertical — Jump as high as possible without taking any steps.

Max Vertical — Use a running approach and jump as high as possible.

We like testing both because they tell us different things about you as a jumper.

Every athlete will have their standing reach officially measured, and your vertical will be calculated from your highest successful touch.

You'll leave knowing exactly where you stand.

And hopefully with a new number you'll want to beat the next time.

A Competition for Jumpers of Every Age

Men and women will compete separately in age divisions:

12–14 | 15–17 | 18–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50+

That's important to me personally.

I've spent a big part of my adult life trying to see how long I can continue jumping at a high level.

And I know there are a lot of other former athletes, weekend warriors, parents and just plain competitive people who aren't finished challenging themselves either.

You shouldn't have to be 20 years old to have something athletic to train for.

Why shouldn't a 40-year-old have a PR to chase?

Why shouldn't a 50-year-old have a competition on the calendar?

We want The Vert Open to give them one.

Where The Idea Came From

Vertical jump testing has always been one of my favorite parts of The Dunk Camp.

There's something different about the atmosphere when everyone gathers around and someone is chasing a number.

An athlete gets close.

Everyone starts cheering.

They try again.

They touch it.

New PR.

The reaction can be just as exciting for someone setting a personal best as it is watching an elite jumper put up an incredible number.

That's when the idea behind The Vert Open started to make a lot of sense to me.

Why limit that experience to Dunk Camp?

Why not create an event specifically for it?

An event where basketball players, volleyball players, football players, track athletes, dunkers and anyone else who loves jumping can come together and find out:

How high can I jump?

And then come back again and try to beat it.

This Is Just the Beginning

Our first Vert Open will take place on Saturday, November 14 at Shoot 360 in Lehi, Utah.

It's the first one, and we're excited to see where this goes.

Our hope is that The Vert Open eventually becomes more than a single competition.

We want it to become a reason to keep training.

A place to establish an official PR.

A way to track your progress over time.

And a community of people who share one simple goal:

Jump higher.

So whether you're trying to touch the rim for the first time, dunk a basketball, improve for your sport, set a new PR, or prove that you've still got some bounce left...

Give yourself something to train for.

We'll see how high you can jump on November 14.