Notes from the Cross Country Coaches' Committee Meeting

The Cross Country Coaches' Committee Meeting was held today (December 13th) at the WVSSAC offices in Parkersburg. While I am a member of this committee as of this year, I did not get to attend due to a prior work commitment. I have received word of what was discussed at the meeting and will summarize that to the best of my ability. Anyone at the meeting that would like to correct or clarify anything I put below, by all means do so.

Items Tabled or Rejected

1. A proposal was submitted that rosters must be set by a certain date (relatively early in the season) with no additions allowed to be made later in the season. Accompanying that was a requirement for participation in a certain number of meets before participation in the Regional or State Meet would be permitted. This was rejected as it limits the ability of someone to return after injury or early-season academic ineligibility. I would also have voted against this for the same reasons. We should not do anything that restricts or discourages participation.

2. A proposal was submitted that could combine the 4 regions into 2 Super-Regions (most likely combining R1 and R2 into a single Super Region and R3 and R4 into the other). Team advancement would provide that the top team from each sub-region would advance, and the next 4 top finishing teams. Thus, if SuperRegion A went R1, R1, R2, R1, R1, R1, R2, R1, R2, R1, R1 - then R1 would advance 5 teams and R2 would advance 1. The goal would be to preserve a bit of Regional Representation while helping guarantee that all the best teams move on. The location of the SuperRegional Meet would rotate between the two regions. This proposal was tabled as it is still unclear how the potential shift to 4 classes will impact Cross Country (if at all). I was under the impression that Cross Country would not be impacted, but that has yet to be decided, and it is apparently a possibility that Cross Country could shift to still having 3 races, but it would be one for AAAA, one for AAA, and one for A-AA. I think there is some merit to the SuperRegion proposal as I've long been an advocate for getting the best teams and individuals to advance, and I think this setup would further that goal. I hope that Cross Country does not go to 4 classes. I don't think it's warranted, and a very small AAAA setup might weaken that top tier race.

Items That Passed the Committee
Keep in mind, all of these would have to be approved by the WVSSAC Board of Directors

1. Some form of award should be given to places 11-20 in each race, signifying the equivalent of 2nd Team All-State. They would likely not get to walk in the Awards Ceremony but might receive a medal or some such award in the finish chute or by mail. Details have not been determined. I support this. I think handing out medals in the chute and perhaps naming them off fairly quickly at the awards ceremony might work.

2. Athletes should be allowed to wear "smart" watches. They're already allowed to wear a stop watch. This would just allow the wearing of a GPS watch as well. I'm fine with this. I'm a bit old school and would kind of like to see watches not allowed at all, but I'm ok with wearing them as well.

3. Wireless communications between coaches should be permitted. Honestly, this is likely already being done. Once smart phones became prevalent, I think enforcing the old rule was fairly impossible. I approve of this. I figure this is just legalizing what's already being done.

4. Team Advancement to the State Meet will change from the tiered system to a flat 3 per Region, allowing for the advancement of up to 12 teams. I approve of this. There is a chance that a Region that had 10 complete teams might lose out on advancing that 4th team that they would have gotten out of the tiered system, but this reduces the need for teams to trot out injured/sick runners to toe the line and run 100 meters and drop out just for the purpose of having their team count toward the number of teams that advance.

5. Individual Advancement to the State Meet will change from 20% of those that start the race inclusive of qualifying teams to Top 5 Exclusive of Qualifying Teams, with a minimum of 10 advancing. I support this as well. The top 10 are still guaranteed to advance, which is what most Regions were getting anyway, but in a Region with two really strong teams, it would open up a few spots for individuals not on those teams. There is slight potential for those Regions that Advance 11-13 athletes to lose a spot or two, but I think that is outweighed by the good. This combined with item 4 above would completely eliminate the need for injured or sick runners to toe the line as the number advancing would no longer be determined by the number of athletes on the starting line. In no other sport is the number of teams that advance to the State Tournament dictated by the number of participants from other teams.

I think that's it. Again, if I've interpreted something incorrectly and you were at the meeting, please let me know, and I'll correct it.