Cross Country Rule Change (?!)

[The Scribe]

A little publicized cross country rule takes effect this year in cross country.

 

To be eligible to compete in the regional or state meet, a

contestant must be enrolled in the seventh (7th) grade or

higher and be otherwise eligible by all KHSAA Bylaws.

 

For the 2006-2007 school year, a student below grade seven (7) may be entered in the regional and/or state meets only if that student was on the entry list for that school during the 2005-2006 regional meet.

 

Not sure of the reasoning behind this, especially with the recent success of Rachel Sanford from Pulaski County who won the 3A meet as a fifth grader. Can Anyone in the know shed some light on this??

[LvlleTrack]

The AMA and a lot of coaches believe that its not in a younger athletes best interest to compete and train at the high school level. Cross Country has one of the highest injury rate among HS sports. I personally dont think its wise to have kids that young being with HS age kids as well.I think the rule is long overdue. it does allow for younger kids to continue competing for their HS team if they ran on the Regional Track or Cross Country team last season. ( grandfather clause)

[The Scribe]

Then why would they be able to compete in 8-10 meets in the regular season at varsity distance but not the final two?

 

If they are going to have this rule, then they need to mandate that all runners under 7th grade compete in races that aren't 3.1 miles, such as the one mile fun runs and the 3K races.

[westsider]

If they're good enough to compete, they're old enough to compete.

[Tough as Nails]

If they're good enough to compete, they're old enough to compete.

 

Just because they are good enough does not mean that it is the best thing for their body. In Michigan, middle schoolers are not allowed to run 5K races. They run 1.5-2 mile races. Their bodies are still growing and the training that running requires at the high school level is not healthy for athletes this young.

[STRIKE3]

Just because they are good enough does not mean that it is the best thing for their body. In Michigan, middle schoolers are not allowed to run 5K races. They run 1.5-2 mile races. Their bodies are still growing and the training that running requires at the high school level is not healthy for athletes this young.

Does Michigan offer a reason, for not allowing MS's to participate.

 

I don't agree, with the training not being good for athletes that young. The endurance and recovery time from running, is much different than that of weight-lifting and contact sports.

[mcpapa]

Wonder what this does to Rockcastle, Bell County and Elizabethtown's girls?

 

I've seen MANY kids burned out by the time they're 14 or 15 after starting as elementary schoolers in 5K races.

 

Just my opinion, I don't really think that kids who still have nap time in school should be competing at a varsity level.

[Tough as Nails]

Does Michigan offer a reason, for not allowing MS's to participate.

 

I don't agree, with the training not being good for athletes that young. The endurance and recovery time from running, is much different than that of weight-lifting and contact sports.

 

They are like the majority of states in the U.S. They don't allow middle schoolers to participate on high school teams. All that is offered is 1.5-2 mile races for middle schoolers. So if you want to run as a 6th-8th grader you have to run those races.

[kissinger]

They are like the majority of states in the U.S. They don't allow middle schoolers to participate on high school teams. All that is offered is 1.5-2 mile races for middle schoolers. So if you want to run as a 6th-8th grader you have to run those races.

High school sports should be for high school kids, period. If this rule works like it should as I read it, maybe those kids won't be burned out, and high schoolers will participate without fear of beingdefeated by 6th graders.

[kissinger]

A little publicized cross country rule takes effect this year in cross country.

 

To be eligible to compete in the regional or state meet, a

contestant must be enrolled in the seventh (7th) grade or

higher and be otherwise eligible by all KHSAA Bylaws.

 

For the 2006-2007 school year, a student below grade seven (7) may be entered in the regional and/or state meets only if that student was on the entry list for that school during the 2005-2006 regional meet.

 

Not sure of the reasoning behind this, especially with the recent success of Rachel Sanford from Pulaski County who won the 3A meet as a fifth grader. Can Anyone in the know shed some light on this??

 

It isn't little publicized. The high school coaches have known this change was coming for more than a year and have been preparing for it since it was first discussed in 2004.

[The Scribe]

Several coaches I talked to were unaware of the change. I'm sure it was discussed among coaches who likely don't have to worry about using middle schoolers to fill out a team.

[kissinger]

Several coaches I talked to were unaware of the change. I'm sure it was discussed among coaches who likely don't have to worry about using middle schoolers to fill out a team.

Probably true, and probably discussed by those who heard it, and then filed it away and did not distribute the information.

[sports fan]

High school sports should be for high school kids, period. If this rule works like it should as I read it, maybe those kids won't be burned out, and high schoolers will participate without fear of beingdefeated by 6th graders.

I could not agree more.

[STRIKE3]

High school sports should be for high school kids, period. If this rule works like it should as I read it, maybe those kids won't be burned out, and high schoolers will participate without fear of being defeated by 6th graders.

Don't agree at all, if implying ALL sports. Football and Soccer, which are classified as contact sports....Yes but many others, like Golf, Tennis, Swimming, Track and Cross Country is not equated to size/strength/power but ability, desire and make for a more level playing field.

 

Baseball and Basketball, have a need for many middle school age players, to complete a roster in many areas across Kentucky.