Pole Vaulters' Brand Loyalty in Pole Selection

撐竿跳高選手選擇撐竿似乎是一個非常難以抉擇的決定，是除了自己之外別人所無法幫你完成的。有些選手甚至不在乎他所使用撐竿品牌的昂貴售價而堅持持續使用，必定有其特殊的原因。本文主要探討撐竿跳高選手對於Gill及UCS兩大品牌撐竿使用的品牌忠誠度,並使用深度訪談的方式訪問十位撐竿跳高教練及選手。結果顯示初級撐竿跳高選手比較適應GILL品牌的撐竿，然而進階的選手對於兩種品牌的撐竿各有其擁護的原因，包含了不同品牌撐竿硬度的表現、成績進步所需要的改變等原因。因此撐竿跳高選手對使用撐竿之品牌忠誠度會隨著本身技術程度提升及個人偏好因素而有所不同。

關鍵字

撐竿跳高；深度訪談；品牌忠誠度；撐竿硬度

並列摘要

The selection of vaulting poles can be a difficult decision that has to be made primarily by pole vaulters themselves. Some vaulters insist on using a particular pole brand regardless of its high expense. This paper therefore discusses the issue of pole vaulters' brand loyalty to Gill and UCS poles. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 pole vaulters, including coaches. The results show that most pole vaulting beginners prefer poles from the Gill brand, while higher-level vaulters seem divided between UCS and Gill poles. A variety of reasons were given for the preference for various poles, including flexibility, changes in preference as vaulters' skill level progresses, and so on. Brand loyalty was therefore shown to vary among beginners and higher-level vaulters, as well as among individual athletes.