Regional meet in Huntsville
I’m sorry for taking so long to get this posted after saying I would. I’ve written this twice only to be timed-out and everything was lost! Aaaarrrghhhh! Anyway…
I spent last weekend serving as meet referee for the Region III-4A and Region IV-1A hosting by Sam Houston State University in Huntsville . This was the fifth time that I worked this meet and it’s possible that this was the best meet I have ever attended in my life.
While I put in 25 hours of work over 2 days, it was nothing compared to the track and field community at SHSU. These men and women worked countless hours preparing for the event. (Remember, they also have a conference championship meet to get ready for this coming weekend.)
Head coach Curtis Collier, assistant coaches Dave Self, Jesse Parker, Adrian Ray, Randy Flach, Clint Blinka, and Charlotte Collier along with the student-athletes at Sam Houston did an incredible job and deserve great praise for hosting both regionals for the first time. Over and over dozens of people came up to me during the weekend to tell me how much they enjoyed the meet and how much they appreciated the work of these men and women.
You can’t have a great meet without great athletes and there were in abundance this weekend. Over and over we saw exciting races and the large, roaring crowd made things even more exciting.
Of course, there are always some interesting folks who show up to advertise their lack of class and ignorance to everyone in attendance. The group of people from Huntsville who felt the need to make sure everyone knew about their lack of character by shouting at officials (including obscenities) were in a class by themselves. Had I actually seen the person who cursed, they would have been escorted out of the stadium immediately. Not being able to identify that person is my one disappointment of the meet. Of course, the person was too cowardly to take responsibility for his words.
One person from Barbers Hill apparently rushed home to write a long letter attacking the character of officials because he didn’t get what they wanted. He called me cowardly because I followed the rules and didn’t have the you-know-what to sign his email! The message was filled with all kinds of hateful personal comments towards the officials, but lacked any facts to support his argument. Cowards do that – attack the person when you can’t defend your argument because of your own ignorance.
Of course, I don’t believe for a second that the writer was a Barbers Hill coach. Despite an understandably highly emotional moment, they were passionate but professional – the same as all the coaches I dealt with. Not much is harder than having to disqualify a team or an individual, but it's a lot easier when I am able to work with coaches who, though disappointed, still handle themselves with class and dignity. I just wish some parents could be be like that.
I honestly went home feeling honored to have been lucky enough to spend a weekend with so many great people who work so hard for the sport – the meet workers, the officials, the coaches, the parents and fans, and especially the athletes.
We had several athletes run at the 1A Regional Meet in Huntsville and would like to say what a great meet it was. Smooth! I would like to thank the SHSU Coaches and Athletes who worked the meet, they did an outstanding job.
I would like to thank you for all your work you put into the texastrack website, recognizing thousands of great kids throughout Texas that run cross country and track.
Some trivia for you...the term of athletics/athlete was derived from what sport? The early Europeans called track and field participants...athletes and track and field itself... athletics, due to the ability for one to run, jump and throw. Those that particicpate in track and field truely are athletes.
Thanks for all you do!
Eric Carpenter
AD/JH Principal/Coach
Big Sandy-Dallardsville (Comment this)
Has the rule changed or is this something that has been neglected to be enforced for some time. It has always been my understanding that a participant and ride the line, but not have (3)consecutive steps outside of the lane.
(Comment this)
a. without being fouled and while running around a curve, steps on or over the inside lane line or curb for three or more consecutive steps with either or both feet. (Page 39)
This is a rule that is RARELY if ever enforced at local meets, due to the large amount of judges it takes to properly monitor. (Comment this)
but what about if a runner takes 3 or more steps on or over the outside lane line.
not necessarily impeding the runner in that lane but causing him to run further out into their lane than is strictly necessary
Is that considered a lane violation (Comment this)
We had a great turnout of FC fans, as usual...the kids ran with everything they had, the officials did a very good job,including the SHSU students, and the stadium was great...Looking forward to next year...
Good luck on the 5th and much happiness to both of you. (Comment this)
Speaking of regional meets, here is a commentgary about the 1-3A Meet in Odessa I thought you might find interesting:
http://www.wcmessenger.com/sports/sports/EEZlEkFElVwkUunowu.php
(Comment this)
a part that I edited out of the last post, same place Section 11 Art. 1 "Competitors who inadvertently run out of their lane on a straightaway or in the lane to their outside on a curve are not in violation provided they do not interfere with or impede another runner" (Comment this)