Class Track and Field?

[dawuss]

www.iatccc.org/classtrack.htm

The Track and Field Plan for a Class Tournament

Joe Linville – Jimtown Track and Cross Country

[e-mail]





A single class system in Track and Field was fine before all the “team” sports adopted a multi-class system. Though Track and Field has a longer tradition than any other IHSAA sport, it is yet to enjoy the fruits of advancement that basketball, softball, baseball, and volleyball enjoy. Everyone is afraid of change. All of the “team” sports have thrived on the change to a multi-class tournament-- Why wouldn’t track? The best way to have a team class tournament in track would be to maintain a highly competitive individual format. There is a very simple solution that would only mildly disturb the current format, while making the team tournament a class system as it is in 47 other states.



1) The current individual format would not change except, perhaps, to move sectional and regional competitions to Tuesday or Wednesday.



2) On the Saturday after the regular, individual Regional, there would be 32 Team Sectionals (or, we may call them Team Regionals): 8 each for AAAA; AAA; AA; and A. These sectionals would be based on the current Basketball, Softball, and Volleyball sectionals.



3) Since there are currently 64 sectionals in the 4 class system, these sectionals would have to be paired together to allow for 32 sectionals. Each sectional would have between 11 and 14 teams depending on the best combination of sectionals based on proximity/drive time.



a. Sectional combination may be served as follows:

AAAA

1. Sectionals 1 & 2

2. Sectionals 3 & 4

3. Sectionals 4 & 5

4. Sectionals 7 & 8

5. Sectionals 9 & 10

6. Sectionals 11&12

7. Sectional 14 & 15

8. Sectionals13 & 16

AAA

9. Sectionals 17 & 18

10. Sectionals 19 & 20

11. Sectionals 21 & 23

12. Sectionals 22 & 24

13. Sectionals 25 & 26

14. Sectionals 27 & 28

15. Sectionals 29 & 30

16. Sectionals 31 &32

AA

17. Sectionals 33 & 35

18. Sectionals 34 & 37

19. Sectionals 36 & 40

20. Sectionals 38 & 39

21. Sectionals 41 & 43

22. Sectionals 42 & 44

23. Sectionals 45 & 46

24. Sectionals 47 & 48



A

25. Sectionals 49 & 50

26. Sectionals 51 & 52

27. Sectionals 53 & 56

28. Sectionals 54 & 55

29. Sectionals 57 & 58

30. Sectionals 59 & 60

31. Sectionals 61 & 62

32. Sectionals 63 & 64



4) Each team would be allowed 2 participants per event just like any other major invitational or tournament meet. Team scores would be kept according to national standards. The winning team would be the sectional champion and would advance the following Saturday to the Team State Finals. Since there are 8 sectionals per class, this would mean that 8 teams would compete in the state finals.



5) Again at the state finals, one week after individual state, each team would be allowed two participants per event and team scores would be kept according to national standards. The winning team would be the IHSAA Class AAAA, AAA, AA, or A State Champions.



WHY DO WE NEED CLASSES IN TRACK?



1.) In 101 years of IHSAA Track and Field there have been only 207 different schools to win sectionals! I have no idea how many sectionals have been run; but, in 101 years it seems like many more schools than that should have taken home a sectional trophy. There are hundreds of schools that no longer even exist. How could there only be 207 different sectional title winners in a century? That’s easy to figure. Sectionals (as well as regionals) are dominated by big schools. The state finals are dominated by big schools. They not only dominated the state championship trophy, but the top 20 places are overwhelmingly the biggest schools in the state. There is simply no way, no matter how well coached, that a small school can compete with the numbers game involved in doing well at a sectional, regional or state meet in the current format. A Class AAA (Football) school having one of those special years in track, that is extremely well coached and loaded with talent, sneaks in the top twenty just about every year. Once in a great many years, a Class A or AA school will have an enormously talented kid who scores big points in a couple of events and puts his/her team in the top twenty. This does not make for a level field of competition. Though all IHSAA members may compete for the one coveted trophy, only the biggest schools have any legitimate chance.



2.) 47 of 50 states have classes for Track and Field. Need I say more about that?



3.) This would be good for track in Indiana. More kids would become interested in Track knowing that there is a realistic hope for a sectional or state championship.



4.) Coaches in the IATCCC Hall of Fame are from the biggest schools, with only two exceptions. There have been some incredible coaches from smaller schools that have never gotten recognition for their work because they didn’t win team titles. When basketball became a class sport, many coaches were suddenly recognized as knowing their craft. Previously, they would have been ignored since they were annually pounded by bigger schools in their sectionals. In every facet of single class track in Indiana, the small schools get the short end of the bargain. Another trend that could develop is one that has developed in the other recently classified sports. Good coaches tend to go to the bigger schools because of the opportunities to win and build a winning tradition. Some good coaches would begin to fill in those track coaching positions that seem, unfortunately, to always be vacant in the smaller schools.



5.) To me, the most important reason to change to a class team tournament is to promote track as a team sport. In my experience, the camaraderie of track is tremendous. All teammates become spectators, actively cheering other team members as they compete until it is their turn to compete. Then the roles are reversed. To win a track championship is a team effort. Having a team tournament would enhance this most important ideal of sport – teamwork. For a small school with no chance to win a regional or state title, those meets can be lonely. A participant might expect a couple of friends from the team to come, and his/her parents. It’s tough to do one’s best when the team that they have leaned on is no longer part of the competition. I believe that with a state championship on the line, athletes from all schools will have fantastic performances. Being part of a team championship is always the greatest thrill in sports.



6.) Competition. Teams from smaller schools who go into sectionals loaded with big schools do not finish the year competing the way they had the week before in their conference meets. It’s human nature. I see the results and I know that these teams I’ve run against didn’t put their best foot forward at sectional time. They realize they have no shot at a team title. They realize that they only have a shot at advancing in a couple of events, so the teams concentrate on those. At what should be the grand stage of IHSAA track, most teams don’t bother to compete as a team.



I would love to hear from other coaches concerning this format. Any suggestions concerning a class tournament for track would be most welcome. I hope people might latch onto this idea and support. It could only be good for our sport.


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You gotta' be kiddin' me! What's next, class golf?

[southsidefan]

dawuss,
I was waiting ,to respond to this post and new website info, to see how much reaction, if any, to this proposals.
This same set up has been hashed around for wrestling. I don't think the Ihsaa is willing to listen. For several reasons. The main one being, they ether want all Class system or all non class for these two sports.
I've cussed and discussed this for several years, and I think that going to class for the teams only, would not hurt Track or Wrestling. But doing so for the individual titles would be very detrimental to their efforts. Small school VS. big school. Who cares in the individual about size, if a vaulter has the highest height, thats the state champ. I guess no one cares on this board enough to respond, the reason the IHSAA won't act as well.

[dawuss]

Good point about individuals; there isn't a need for size there because someone from a big school doesn't necessarily have an advantage over someone from a small school

[southsidefan]

dawuss have you heard any more about this?

[dawuss]

TBH I haven't looked, but there might be

[Coach Choo]

As a coach of a small school and an alumnus of a big school I would like to see a class track system. For the past 7 years my teams have either won their conference or finished in the top 2; however when it comes time for sectionals are best finish has been a fourth place. Based on the proposed format by the IATCCC my teams would have finished in the top 2 each of the past 5 years. I see the look of frustration on my girls' faces when they know the team has no chance to win. Track may be an individual sport but I coach it like a team sport and stress the importance of the team over the individual. I would love for class track to come to fruition but I know a lot of the bigger schools are against it. If there is anyway to assist with class track coming to our state, please let me know.

[me]

i run track at a 1A school. i would like class track. i always lose to kids from 4A and 3A schools. the thing is, they have a lot more people to choose from. we are stuck with what we got. most students play sports all year round and are sick of sports by the time track roles around. plus most athletic kids play baseball. theres only 50 students in my entire class. im the only boy from my grade on the track team. so it would be nice because im tired of losing sectionals.

[me]

and not only that but since theres 10 guys on our team, i run many events. big schools can have kids concentrate on 1 or 2 events. so i get extrememly tired

[cheap seats]

Just another excuse to make everyone happy and give out championships like the water-downed championships in basketball, volleyball, softball and baseball. I attended and coach at a small school. I take great pride in beating big schools and refuse to get hung up on the class issue. Why? because in basketball we drive an hour to play our sectional games against teams who are not common rivals like the old one-class tourney. Is this what we want or do we want to see the team or individual or relay from a small school upset the large city or consolidated school?

I am so tired of everyone trying to create championships. If you want glory so bad, work harder. Also, realize that sometimes all your hard work does not equal a championship...even at the sectional level.

I truly hope our sport (XC and TF) stay one class for my lifetime!!

[stan]

How sad, if I can't beat you I don't want to play you.

[stan]

One more thing lets just give out participation trophies to everyone then everyone will feel good about themselves.

[TFN]

A class system would have deprived us fans of great individual race such as Smitson vs Koeppen 3200 in 2001 and the Bayer vs Medrano 3200 in 2008 both of which had a small school runner winning by 0.01 and 0.12, respectively. The first runner across the line should the state champ...there shouldn't be four different 3200 state champs!

Just because 47 out of 50 state have class systems doesn't make it right...and California is one of the 3 states that doesn't have a class system. If the largest state doesn't have a class system, why should we?

[indypack]

The only, and I mean ONLY sport that should have a class system is football. Leave track alone. I have coached off and on for 25 years, and always at a small school. We schedule in the regular season who we want, and then it's a free for all come tournament time. I love it! You see the best of the best at the state meet, not the best of this class, and that class. I coached a small school to a 2nd place finish in cross country one year, and it's still just as sweet. If we had won in a class system, I would have always wondered how we would have done against the big boys. Leave it alone please.

[wferber]

Indypack I agree. In our area NorthEast Dubois is a fine example. They were competitive at the Sectional, regional and State this year and they are every year. I dont see Vic Betz one of the best Track Coaches in the State asking for a class tournament. Outside of Football there should be no class sports. It has hurt great classic match ups. Please leave it alone. By the way that One A School Northeast Dubois will have five members of there team participating in Track and Field and Cross Country on the College level

[indypack]

Your right about Vic Betz. One of the best coaches anywhere, and one of the classiest people as well.