Members in attendance: Carl Rickershauser [NJSIAA State Rules Interpreter], Jim Casey [Central Meet Director], James Camburn [South Meet Director], Justine Cassavell [Coach-Voorhess], Steve Shaklee [Coach-Cherokee], Aaron Oldfield [Coach-Hopewell Valley], Len Pietrewicz [Coach-Randolph], Wayne Letwink [North II Meet Director], Lou Fraulo-North I Meet Director], and Don Danser [NJSIAA staff].
Date:
Time:
Place: NJSIAA Office,
Correspondence
1. E-mail from Martin Weir, a fan thanking NJSIAA for State Group Meets and Meet of Champions, calling them “the two greatest events in all of sports.”
Committee thanks Mr. Weir for his kind words. It was also noted that there were no negative correspondence regarding the conduct of the tournament itself.
2. An e-mail from a parent was briefly discussed concerning whether or not the course was the hardened path or was it from “marker” to “marker.” The course is measured from marker to marker.
3. Dan Fourney of Cinnaminson sent an e-mail asking for a different pattern for the races at the Group Meets [currently run two groups of one sex followed by the opposite sex of the same groups – for example Group I Boys, followed by Group IV Boys, followed by Group I Girls, followed by Group IV Girls] because coaches with both boys and girls in the competition, make it more difficult to see the awards of the boys which seems to take place while the girls of the same group are running. He also would like to see the meets start later.
Committee felt that
the schedule generally seems to work. Any of the suggested possible changes in
the current pattern would increase the time the athletes ran and the time the
award ceremonies would take place. That would make it more difficult to keep
athletes and teams around for the ceremonies. However, the committee did agree
that the Meet of Champions should start an hour later than the first two
rounds. So the 2011 Meet of Champions will have a start time of
4. Brendan Donegan of Roxbury proposed in an e-mail to change the qualifying rules from the current system of 3 teams per group + two wild cards to 2 teams per group + 8 wild cards.
The committee admired the seven pages of support documentation that Coach Donegan submitted with his proposal, but felt, as in the past, it flies in the face of the 435 member schools’ philosophy that tournaments are based on GROUPS and that these Groups consist of member schools with about the same size student body.
In cross-country, as in most sports there are six groups, in other words, six tournaments that crown state champions. A tournament of champions is designed to showcase these six group champions. As it stands now, cross-country and track are the only sports that allow non-winners (through the wild cards) to advance to the Tournament of Champions. This is not the first time that this very proposal has been proposed. The last time it was sent to the Executive Committee it failed for the above reasons and more importantly because it would take away guaranteed spots from the smaller groups. Why not just have more wild cards? This also has been proposed many times in the past. For the Meet of Champions to increase the field to more than it is now (it averages about 175 runners in each race) at the present site would make the start even more hazardous than it is already. This is the first year that no reports of interference, collisions, falling, etc at the entrance into the wooded area about 350 meters from the starting line. Adding more runners will make this problem greater than it already is. Many also felt, that even if there were room and a better start, the field is large enough as it is.
5. Nick Albnito, coach at Randolph proposed 3 other changes, in addition to supporting Coach Donegan’s proposal.: Move the starting line up 10 to 25 meters to open up a lot of space on the right side of the starting line. Change the qualifying rules for individuals. Make it the top 25 to 30 who ran the fastest times of those who do not make it as teams (in other words, placing and winning a medal in a group race does not guarantee you a spot in the Meet of Champions, unless your individual time is in the top 25-30) and thirdly there should be a sectional for the Non-Publics because not having a sectional is a “huge advantage with training and rest for the group meet.”
Moving the starting
line is not feasible. It would require that all the markers be moved. Not sure
the park would go for that. Secondly, that would increase the problem of the
quick narrowing of the course as discussed above even more. The present start
should be 600-800 meters, not the current 300+ meters. The next proposal about
individual qualifying is essentially the same problem with changing the team qualifiers.
If an athlete wins a medal in Group 1 and is 9th, this proposal
would take away is automatic bid. Finally, there were less than 20 teams in
both groups in Non-Public A and B, boys and girls. Those numbers do not justify
a sectional. It was pointed out that over 40 teams did participate in the
Catholic Conference Meet in
Changes in the Tournament Regulations
Page 1 - Any athlete transferring into your
school on or after
70% Rule for Public
Schools –
Starting dates may
change depending on the outcome of the voting at the NJSIAA Annual Meeting on
Page 2 Section Date:
Page 3 Lou Fraulo’s home phone:
Page 4 Jim Camburn’s e-mail: jctrack@comcast.net
Page 5 Group Meet Date:
Non-Public 70% rule date
Non- Public Entries postmarked by
Rosters due by
Public School Entries
postmarked by
Rosters due by
Latest rosters can be
updated:
Page 6 2011 National Federation Rules
Athletes transferring
after
Page 9 Group Meet Date
Page 10 Awards Ceremony approximate schedule
State Championship
(a.k.a. Meet of Champions)
Page 11-15 Holmdel Park Regulations – changes tba
Page 16 Eliminate instructions on use of Hy-Tek to report rosters. In its place refer coaches who need instructions for the program to go to www.mctrack.org or lfracing.com.
Page 17 eliminate
Page 18 eliminate from the top of the page down to Note 1:
No other business took place.