Track 2019

[Fartlek]

There are some major storylines emerging for this season...Dunlap moves to 3A (joining Washington, Pekin, and Central), can their girls team compete at that level? Also at Dunlap, Pat Garst has retired, Amanda Young (Duvendack) takes over as head coach, longtime assistant Chris Friedman takes over on the boy’s side. Metamora loses some firepower from last year, can they defend their Mid-Illini title? I hear Honor Roll is getting some much-needed logistical changes this year, hopefully will help the s***show that the meet usually becomes day of. Any other notable changes/storylines?

[MidstateFan]

Shall we take bets on how many times it will snow in April?

[crkamm]

Shall we take bets on how many times it will snow in April?

I'm taking the over.

[jmc]

Shall we take bets on how many times it will snow in April?

I'm taking the over.

You had to jinx it didn't you!!

[crkamm]

Shall we take bets on how many times it will snow in April?

I'm taking the over.

You had to jinx it didn't you!!

I will happily perform any anti-jinxing rituals. Just as soon as I get my "confiscated" pacman watch back.

[Oskee]

I hear Honor Roll is getting some much-needed logistical changes this year, hopefully will help the s***show that the meet usually becomes day of.

What kind of changes? Pushing boys back a week to compete after State?

[Fartlek]

No, I believe the date stays the same— Monday before boys state meet. I was referring to the mess that always comes with disorganization of checking athletes in for races when they didn’t come to the mandatory check in prior to the meet, athletes trying to enter races that they aren’t listed for, those sorts of things!

[Oskee]

I was referring to the mess that always comes with disorganization of checking athletes in for races when they didn’t come to the mandatory check in prior to the meet, athletes trying to enter races that they aren’t listed for

Does that problem simply arise from coaches not taking care of procedural issues? Does the problem occur mostly with individual athletes from schools that have to travel from the outer edges of the circulation area?

[Redbird CC Fan]

My son got a call his senior year from one of his friends that he was the last qualifier for a race happening in an hour. Needless to say we grabbed his stuff and hauled tail to East Side. He threw on his spikes, stretched very little, and let it rip. He ran well (I think season best), and it was a memorable experience just based on the last second nature of it all. Neither he or the coaches knew he was running until the last minute based on scratches, etc. The point of this story being it is a fun treat for the kids to participate. If there are a few last minute irregularities, who cares as that is part of what makes this event unique and fun for the athletes. Similar to dual meets where you see stuff like 2 milers teaming up to run a 4x4 (I've seen them finish 2nd) or throwers run a 4x1, track season is long and track meets are long too. Let the kids have fun with it.

[Fartlek]

I was referring to the mess that always comes with disorganization of checking athletes in for races when they didn’t come to the mandatory check in prior to the meet, athletes trying to enter races that they aren’t listed for

Does that problem simply arise from coaches not taking care of procedural issues? Does the problem occur mostly with individual athletes from schools that have to travel from the outer edges of the circulation area?

From what I’ve heard, the problem stems from coaches ignoring the mandatory pre-meet check-in, and therefore “alternate” athletes getting pushed into a heat, only for the original athletes to show up and cause confusion at the start line — thank goodness for experienced meet staff Jones and LaCroix!

My son got a call his senior year from one of his friends that he was the last qualifier for a race happening in an hour. Needless to say we grabbed his stuff and hauled tail to East Side. He threw on his spikes, stretched very little, and let it rip. He ran well (I think season best), and it was a memorable experience just based on the last second nature of it all. Neither he or the coaches knew he was running until the last minute based on scratches, etc. The point of this story being it is a fun treat for the kids to participate. If there are a few last minute irregularities, who cares as that is part of what makes this event unique and fun for the athletes. Similar to dual meets where you see stuff like 2 milers teaming up to run a 4x4 (I've seen them finish 2nd) or throwers run a 4x1, track season is long and track meets are long too. Let the kids have fun with it.

Completely agree with the having fun part - that’s the whole point of the meet! The meet as a whole could use some revamp and reorganization in my opinion! Hopefully it doesn’t go anywhere with the steady decline of the newspaper