KHSAA Decision to Suspend 3A Track Meet

[plantmanky]

Guess KHSAA didnt learn anything when they had to cancel the wrestling tournament a few years ago, still making the same mistakes.

[mcpapa]

Let's face it. Some sports are just more important than others.

[Wireman]

This would be hard to explain to the kids who trained all season to run this event. I'm not sure how many of you have watched tracked practices, but those kids do work.

[Oldbird]

Everyone needs to go listen to Mark Buerger's interview with Julian Tackett last night on Big Blue Insider on WLAP. Curtis Burch broke out the interview from the rest of the show and Josh Moore of HL has link to just the interview in his article. Tackett was very condescending and coming from a guy I don't find to be particularly articulate or thoughtful it was nauseating.

 

Turns out there was a contingency plan if the entire meet gets washed up, but it really isn't important enough to just come back to run one event.

 

There are only 5 3A schools, who qualified 4x400 relays, whose drive would be in excess of 2 1/2 hours (it maybe 2 hours, but I didn't look at that closely). If you offer the opportunity to run and those 5 (or really any school) chooses not to participate that is on the school, but at least they had the option. The burden to get to Lexington was concentrated in a very few schools - schools I might add who routinely travel good distances for virtually every state championship. Not to mention you wouldn't even have to bring the whole team. You are looking to give 4 kids from each school the chance to cap their season off.

 

Additionally, Tackett cited that many school graduations were scheduled for Sunday. I have been going to the state track meet for many years and annually there are kids, who are presented with their diplomas at the state track meet because they are missing their graduations back home. You know what that means??? Kids would rather compete at state than attend their commencement ceremony back home.

 

Really a shame this guy is in charge. His arguments were embarrassing. I like Mark, but Mark really didn't challenge him.

[lawildcat]

If you want Julian Tackett to care about track, you need to get a better hospitality room and offer him more free stuff in exchange for contracts.

[Oldbird]

I should say - I don't know a single kid running the 3A 4x400, but I think allowing the kids to run is the right thing to do.

[rjs4470]

Really weak. There is no good explanation for hot holding this event. Too many other possible solutions that are workable. It could be held almost anywhere at anytime. All you need is a regulation track and a few officials.

[plantmanky]

I challenge the 5 participating schools Principals and AD's to come up with a way to run the race whether KHSAA holds the event or not, find a way, show them it can be done, you are leaders, act like it.

[Wireman]

Tackett said he figures everyone has a nearsighted view of what they should do.

[Wireman]

"This race just wasn't meant to be run this year..." - Julian Tackett

 

He even mentioned "divine intervention"

[Wireman]

Tackett said he got stuck in a situation where "somebody's got to be the adult in the room and make an uncomfortable decision..."

[rjs4470]

"This race just wasn't meant to be run this year..." - Julian Tackett

 

He even mentioned "divine intervention"

 

Why have it on the schedule then? Why not just drop the event for good if there are going to be years "where it's not meant to be ran". Is there ever a situation where the Basketball Sweet 16 would "just not meant to be played".

 

And to use the term "divine intervention" is almost offensive, as if it was really a good thing that the race got cancelled.

[rjs4470]

Tackett said he got stuck in a situation where "somebody's got to be the adult in the room and make an uncomfortable decision..."

 

How about being an adult and figuring something out to prevent taking opportunities away from the kids you are supposed to be there for.

[plantmanky]

I wonder what the Title IX implications to this could be.

[Oldbird]

When you play the divine intervention card, it pretty much shuts down discussion. I just hope God is OK with Tackett being his mouthpiece.