KHSAA Decision to Suspend 3A Track Meet

[Oldbird]

For Tackett to suggest he is the adult implies everyone else are acting like children. How much more condescending can you get???

[sweet16]

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

 

I really don't think there would be.

[DragonFire]

Like pretty much all leaders, Mr. Tackett makes good decisions and bad. I will say that I have more often than not been dissatisfied with where he comes down on decisions such as this. And he usually seems to struggle to find an appropriate response in those situations as well (such as his assertion that they aren't consolidating championships in Lexington when all evidence suggests otherwise). So this debacle is pretty much in stride with that. We, the state of Kentucky, deserve better than Mr. Tackett.

[The Cerebral Assassin]

Amen to that. Cheating the kids out of their chance to compete on the biggest stage of the year. Sadly, some of these people don't understand or realize that their sport (in this case track) is just as important to them as other sports are to other athletes, Glamour or no glamour.

[The Cerebral Assassin]

Track = red-headed stepchild.

Amen to that. Cheating the kids out of their chance to compete on the biggest stage of the year. Sadly, some of these people don't understand or realize that their sport (in this case track) is just as important to them as other sports are to other athletes, Glamour or no glamour.

[silo11]

This disappointments me greatly. I don't know Mr. Tackett, but my first impression after the interview is arrogant and insincere.

[Runcible Owl]

Colorado had a snow storm last week. Link below, to their preparedness and contingency plans. Meet completed on Sunday.

 

State track meet postponed to two-day schedule on Saturday and Sunday

 

UK hosting the NCAA Division I Track & Field East Prelims in Lexington, Thursday - Saturday (05/25 - 05/27).

 

Scattered thunderstorms predicted for Saturday.

[Runcible Owl]

Fantastic that so many coaches and schools offered solutions! Disappointing the suggestions fell on deaf ears.

 

Boys and girls effected: 192 athletes from 35 different schools (two of whom were vying for a state team title). 121 of 123 events over two days were completed. Several hundred athletes did get their opportunity to compete.

 

Was the cancellation of two events justified? What would have happened if the meet had been halted an hour earlier, before the girls 800? Almost 100 years of State meets in the books. Has this happened before? And for those who missed their chance, what if this had been a field event that only effected 48 boys and girls?

 

It wasn't just the season long effort of these kids that went unrewarded. Not just the last chance for seniors to compete at state after 4+ years; but many underclassmen may never get another chance either.

 

The NFHS and KHSAA require an official to monitor weather conditions. Our storm front was a potential problem before the meet began. The snow that delayed the Colorado State Meet last week (see link below) pushed the entire schedule into Sunday. Different scenario, but the thought, effort, scale, and execution of the contingency plans was impressive.

State track meet postponed to two-day schedule on Saturday and Sunday

 

Solution?

Nutter Field House (1/2 mile from the outdoor complex):

1. For the field events (excluding discus) as needed, as a safety precaution, particularly for the jumps. This is not uncommon on the high school or collegiate level. I believe this was part of a contingency plan.

2. The cancellation of only the last two track events (same race with 3 heats each boys & girls), is just so rare, but I'm throwing this out there as an example, for the 4 x 400 only.

* Overall length of event, exchange zones (clearly marked), and lane width remain the same.

* A six lane track requires 4 heats (still seeded) as opposed to 3, for 24 teams in each event.

* 4 athletes each run 400 meters, pass a baton through 3 exchange zones, and if not DQ'd, complete a 4 x 400.

* Athletes would have to adjust, but it's a level playing field.

* While the track at Nutter is not "ideal," 290 meters per lap vs. 400, it is so large that official indoor running events records cannot be made there.

 

Under these conditions, given this one time option as your only opportunity to compete, what would you choose? Is this a solution that satisfies participation needs, and negates travel, lodging, and graduation concerns?

 

Moving forward....

* How can the stakeholders constructively effect policy changes on this issue?

* What resources can be utilized in "real time," to resolve a recurrence?

[UK Fanatic]

I thought with several coaches and officials proposing solutions and services, the KHSAA would give these kids the opportunity to compete in their state championship. It's disappointing that they will still be denied that chance.

[rjs4470]

Fantastic that so many coaches and schools offered solutions! Disappointing the suggestions fell on deaf ears.

 

Boys and girls effected: 192 athletes from 35 different schools (two of whom were vying for a state team title). 121 of 123 events over two days were completed. Several hundred athletes did get their opportunity to compete.

 

Was the cancellation of two events justified? What would have happened if the meet had been halted an hour earlier, before the girls 800? Almost 100 years of State meets in the books. Has this happened before? And for those who missed their chance, what if this had been a field event that only effected 48 boys and girls?

 

It wasn't just the season long effort of these kids that went unrewarded. Not just the last chance for seniors to compete at state after 4+ years; but many underclassmen may never get another chance either.

 

The NFHS and KHSAA require an official to monitor weather conditions. Our storm front was a potential problem before the meet began. The snow that delayed the Colorado State Meet last week (see link below) pushed the entire schedule into Sunday. Different scenario, but the thought, effort, scale, and execution of the contingency plans was impressive.

State track meet postponed to two-day schedule on Saturday and Sunday

 

Solution?

Nutter Field House (1/2 mile from the outdoor complex):

1. For the field events (excluding discus) as needed, as a safety precaution, particularly for the jumps. This is not uncommon on the high school or collegiate level. I believe this was part of a contingency plan.

2. The cancellation of only the last two track events (same race with 3 heats each boys & girls), is just so rare, but I'm throwing this out there as an example, for the 4 x 400 only.

* Overall length of event, exchange zones (clearly marked), and lane width remain the same.

* A six lane track requires 4 heats (still seeded) as opposed to 3, for 24 teams in each event.

* 4 athletes each run 400 meters, pass a baton through 3 exchange zones, and if not DQ'd, complete a 4 x 400.

* Athletes would have to adjust, but it's a level playing field.

* While the track at Nutter is not "ideal," 290 meters per lap vs. 400, it is so large that official indoor running events records cannot be made there.

 

Under these conditions, given this one time option as your only opportunity to compete, what would you choose? Is this a solution that satisfies participation needs, and negates travel, lodging, and graduation concerns?

 

Moving forward....

* How can the stakeholders constructively effect policy changes on this issue?

* What resources can be utilized in "real time," to resolve a recurrence?

 

Again, nice facility, and I get that all athletes would be on an even playing field, but contesting the state championship on a track of a different size than what was competed and practiced on all year fundamentally changes the race. Just figuring out the exchange zones (as all three will be different) and the tighter turns make this a not very good option. It's simply not good to change the layout and rules on championship day. There's a reason why certain races aren't run during the indoor season. While they run the 4x400 during the indoor season, the standard indoor track is 200 meters which keeps the exchange zones the same for the whole race (because your just running 2 full laps rather than a little less than 1.5 on UK's indoor track).

[Wireman]

All those coaches and school officials need to have their own event and prove that this can be accomplished. I'm very disappointed in the KHSAA on this one.

[plantmanky]

All that's coaches and school officials need to have their own event and prove that this can be accomplished. I'm very disappointed in the KHSAA on this one.

 

They wont, no leadership in schools today to make this happen.

[Oldbird]

All those coaches and school officials need to have their own event and prove that this can be accomplished. I'm very disappointed in the KHSAA on this one.

 

I doubt they could. I could be wrong, but I believe the member schools insurance is tied to the KHSAA. The member schools can certainly put pressure on the Tackett and the other decision makers is they choose to.

[plantmanky]

I doubt they could. I could be wrong, but I believe the member schools insurance is tied to the KHSAA. The member schools can certainly put pressure on the Tackett and the other decision makers is they choose to.

 

Only if someone dies. Other than that the KHSAA insurance is useless.

[All Tell]

Question for the crowd, particularly someone who was there. Several parties have told me that when the 4 x 400 was delayed due to lightning the boys long jump continued and was completed and there was even a discussion if those points should be added to team totals. If this is true why wasn't long jump stopped? Male had 2 scorers in the long jump for 15 points. If true and had long jump stopped there would have been a different team winner.