When I read this, I thought of it the other way. What really good runner never made state?
Here in Illinois, there was a guy named Tom Brooks who never made state in XC or track, but made the World Championships team in the steeple.
I don't think the guy ever made an NCAA Championships in XC or track either.
Can anyone explain how CA qualifying works? Years ago in Southern Section we had something like top three in your league qualify for CIF Preliminaries where you'd run in a race within your division 1A - 4A. Then I think there were CIF finals, which were still divided into 1A - 4A. Then there were Masters where 1A-4A were combined and LA City added. From there it was State prelims and finals the following day. (I could have this totally wrong, as I never qualified for advanced rounds.)
At the State Meet you'd have some guy winning the 3200 in 8:44 and some other guy running like 11:00 from some section that probably had good sprinters but no decent long distance runners.
Anyway, how does CA work these days?
In kentucky its state, coke and sub 9:12 is our state record for 2 miles but bobby surtis did run a 8:51 or something but it only counts at state.... i dont know why it would be \"states\" seeing as how you are only competing in A SINGLE state championship... if it was oregon v. washington then it would be states
Our school in CA has a kid who runs a 1:54 low and is worried about whether he'll make it to State. He'll probably make it because the at-large standard is 1:54.something (though I think you have to run that time at the actual qualifying meet), but it's weird that he'll probably end up being last or near last at CIF Masters.
It works just like you said, except LA City doesn't add in until State Prelims. Three from league to CIF Prelims in 4 separate divisions, top 9 move on. Then CIF Finals the four divisions are together, but not in the same races, the top 12 in distance races and 9 in everything else from all divisions combined. Then from masters to state prelims it is all divisions together and 5 move on or people who hit the at large time (which is most people).
Brad ONeil-SR-Coe College wrote:
In Virginia we did things what I would could consider the "right" way:
There was a state standard for each event which would qualify you automatically. You could hit that mark any time during the season. You also qualified if you got top 6 at regionals, regardless of time. Regionals was similar, there was a (slower, obviously) time to get into that, or you could place top 6 at "districts" which were just 6-9 local schools thrown together. Everyone got to run at that meet, no qualifying or whatever.
I think having advancement by placing AND a qualifying time which you can run all throughout the season (not just at regionals or whatever) is the most fair way to do things.
Reading about that Texas mile with Steve Magness... a super fast state like Texas is just screaming for a time standard.
Also, in VA we said "states" ... and "soda" ... and "sub" ...
I have a question about the "right" way you they do things in Virginia. Since you can hit your qualifying standard anytime during the season, are you required to run in the regionals and districts? Someone could sit out or sandbag, allowing a teammate to get in the top six and qualify. Also, can you get your qualifying mark in a dual meet where you're dragging people out of the stands to help time the meet? What is the verification process of the times, especially in dual meets? Sorry to play the role of devil's advocate, but this system doesn't seem completely "right".
If you run the state qualifying time, you don't have to run either districts or regionals. People will sometimes sit out of regionals to save themselves for states or run different events as either a workout or to qualify in more events. The thing you gotta remember, though, is that the state qualifying time is the average of the sixth place time at states from previous years. If you can run that, then you're quite good and should be able to place at states. It's not just an easy time that anyone can run. Very few run the time. This can open up spots for runners who would not necessarily be in the top 6 at regionals if everyone was forced to run, but that really only adds a few extra runners at most to an event at states (seriously, many regions don't have an athlete with a state qualifying time, so we're talking at most maybe 3 extra participants in an event at states).
You can't run the state qualifying time in a dual meet. It has to be an invitational or districts/regionals. Thus, it'll be a meet with a lot of teams, state officials (or another state's officials if it's not run in VA), FAT, etc (there are actual rules, but I don't know them off hand). Most teams run an invitational almost weekly during the season up until districts. You can run the district qualifying time at a dual meet, I believe, but that's it.
Personally, I love the system. Different regions in VA are drastically better than others. A qualifying time ensures that all the best athletes will be at states and athletes won't be penalized for being in a stronger region or having an off day at regionals.
And this may sound like districts and regionals are less important, but teams still want to win team titles, not to mention athletes wanting to win individual titles, and most athletes with state qualifiers will run something at these meets to help out their teams.
And actually, having a state qualifying time allowed Webb to run at states his senior year. The Prefontaine meet where he ran 3:53 was actually the same day as regionals. If he couldn't qualify on time beforehand then he wouldn't have been able to run the 800 at states. That would have been kinda ridiculous. Though I'm sure you guys will think he should have just run regionals...
What if your sick in your region or district meet, and
can not run . And you have had a great year sould that
be the end of your season
Okay, your VA qualifying sounds pretty legit. Thanks for the extra explaination.
Regarding the guy who wanted to know if You're sick at the qualifying meet: In Illinois, you're out of luck.
My bad about how many regions there were in Texas but the format is correct.
My bad about how many regions there were in Texas but the format is correct. The top two out of each region go to state.
In Ohio, it is districts, regionals, state. 4 qualify out from each district, then 4 out of each regional to the state meet. 16 qualifiers in each event to the state meet, there is no time standard to get runners in, you have to qualify from one meet to the next. Ohio wants an even representation of runners from the state- I don\'t agree with this but that is another topic.
That said, 2000 regional meet, 5th place in the girls 3200 ran 10:57 and did not make it to state.
In this year\'s DISTRICT, the 4x800 from Louisville was 5th in 7:51 and did not make it to the regional.
In Alabama, the top 6 from each of the 4 regions qualify for state. There is one region that is stacked compared to the other regions so many people wanted a wild card system since the top 8 score and the best 7 or 8 could be in that section. I haven't seen anything outrageous related to people with great times making it to state because there aren't that many great times in Alabama.
Btw, in Alabama, we say "state." I think it may be related to how big your state is or the way people view the state meet. I do know that even though we say "state," we also say "sectionals"
In NY we call it "States","State" sounds weird.
You're in one state. Why is it states? That sounds f-tarded.
Maine used to have a western and eastern regional meet in outdoor track and the top 6 in each event would advance to states. They realized this was not fair and now Maine just has qualifying times you have to meet to get in. Best way to do it i think. Indoor track is done the same way. XC though has two regional meets.
dstb wrote:
In Texas the top region winner qualifies for the state meet. they have eight regions and when they arrive in Austin they compete for the state title. You may have the fastest time during the year, but if you don't win the region meet you miss state.
A few years ago, bad weather ripped through the state screwing up the region meets. The fastest two miler in the state and his coach asked the region officials what time the 3200 was going to be ran. They were told a certain, so they left to relax and eat. The weather cleared and the region ran the 3200 without them. Coach and athlete petitioned the UIL to allow him to run at state due to the mix up. He was granted permission and 9 were in the finals. This young man went on to win and break the state record in the event.
I know many will disagree with me, but it is the best state meet in the country! There are between 30-40,000 people that attend the 2 day state meet. It is simply amazing!!!!
I think you are talking about the 2004 4A State Meet. Logan Sherman missed the regional meet, petitioned and got into the state meet. He went on to win the 4A championsip and set the state 4A record. You're welcome.
Oh and here is the results link.
http://www.uil.utexas.edu/athletics/archives/track_field/03_04/results/index.htm
Is there not different divisions at your state meet or is it every school in one competition?
What STATES? wrote:
You're in one state. Why is it states? That sounds f-tarded.