Phases of mastering the Vault

Learn basic positions, how it looks
Demonstrate elements of the vault, but not necessarily control or understanding. Looks right but not all the time, and you are still not sure of why it worked or didn’t work.
Start to learn the feel of each phase and what muscles to engage and when, and how to set up each phase and connect it to the next phase.
You can demonstrate and somewhat show control of phases of the vault in a full jump from 3 left or more. And to the average observer you may have looked to master the vault (big bottom arm, nice drive knee, beautiful pike, yikes, still in phase one of mastery, how it looks). However you still struggle with drills that address phases and don’t include the whole jump and without runway speed that covers up an inability to move the pole and lack control of each element of the vault.
You now have control and mastery of some drills for some phases of the jump and have great spacial awareness on the runway and in the air (head position and vision is crucial ((neutral position use peripheral vision)). However at full speed you still lack the ability to control these phases and to the experienced eye the jump still looks choppy.
You now have mastered each phase of the vault in drills and are starting to transfer that control over to full jumps at full approach at full speed. You are now about 50% of the way there to mastery.

You didn’t think it would be that easy did you? And anyone who tells you it is easier or simpler is just a theorist, and dabbles in the vault. If the only process or system someone has to offer is back a left, try a bigger pole they clearly are not trying to teach mastery. Anyone who is a true practitioner will tell you the mastery of the vault never ends. It only gets more layered, nuanced and richer. And you must continually sharpen the blade or it gets rusty and that mastery fades.

This takes continuous practice over many years. And this is what draws us into the sport. The fact that it isn't easy!