The AAA Pole Vault (that is now being referred to around the state as "vaultgate") has landed in Wood County Circuit Court. After appeals to WVSSAC Executive Secretary Mike Hayden and the WVSSAC Board of Appeals were denied, the matter is now slated to be heard at 1:15 P.M. Friday.
An injunction seeking to force the WVSSAC to conduct the Pole Vault will be presented by Parkersburg Attourney C. Blaine Myers who is filing the suit on behalf on numerous athletes throughout the state. The case will presided over by Wood County Circuit Court Judge George W. Hill and is expected to be centered on forcing not only the AAA Pole Vault events to be held but to have them count toward the team scores that determine the state track championship.
At issue may be the bylaws and rules under which the state meet was conducted. The National Federation of State High School Track Association track and field rules book says that a competition that is interrupted due to events beyond the control of the administrative authority shall be continued from the point of interruption unless there are state association rules which apply. Basically, it may boil down to whether or not the Games Committee had the authority to cancel the event according to WVSSAC rules and bylaws.
For a fairly balanced look at the issues involved, you should read Dave Hickman's article in Thursday's edition of the Charleston Gazette. In addition to writing for the Gazette, he was also the Referee for this year's state track meet. His 22 years of track and field officiating experience and knowledge of the National and WVSSAC bylaws make the article ideal for understanding what may lie at the core of any court decision. The gazette also has an article that provides a little more in depth information relating to the injunction.
The Charleston Daily Mail has also had some very good articles relating to the AAA Pole Vault situation that shed some light on what was behind the Games Committee decision to cancel the two events. Wednesday's article contained some interesting quotes from State Meet Director Dottie Gandee including why the decision was made to cancel and why postponement was not considered. Thursday's article contained an interview with two Games Committee members and sheds some additional light on how things transpired that day and the Committee's line of thinking.
As more time passes, it increases the likelyhood that competitors will not be able to attend. If the injunction is dismissed, Parkersburg will have been denied the opportunity to claim the state championship. If the WVSSAC is forced to hold the event (with points counting toward the team title), Capital will be unfairly penalized if the field is significantly reduced and Parkersburg scores it's points due to decreased competition. The only way the situation will leave a clear champion is if all significant competitors (meaning virtually all of them) compete in a reinstated event or if Parkersburg fails to score the points necessary to catch Capital. All other situations leave us to believe that the fairest course of action would be to recognize Capital and Parkersburg as Co-Champions for the 2000 state meet. It may not read that way in the official WVSSAC record book, but it will read that way on RunWV.
We will attempt to get a story up as soon as possible after the decision is made tommorrow.