This is the stuff that pisses me off about track and field and USATF. These kinds of things happen far too often. I understand that there needs to be rules in place, but the amount of rules and the lack of common sense used when implementing these rules is astounding. These are the things that make me dislike this sport. And get rid of one and done false start.
Maybe it's the fact that when I competed I encountered more than my fair share of officials who, intentional or not, truly look down on young athletes, but it sound like the individual officials have gotten used to a "These are just kids who don't know anything I'm in charge and right" mindset.
They need to be sat down and talked down to in a similar way to an adult lecturing a kid. It's a near guarantee they talk to kids that way and need to experience it themselves.
That along with an appropriate written apology to demonstrate to the kids that they should never act the same.
Maybe it's the fact that when I competed I encountered more than my fair share of officials who, intentional or not, truly look down on young athletes, but it sound like the individual officials have gotten used to a "These are just kids who don't know anything I'm in charge and right" mindset.
They need to be sat down and talked down to in a similar way to an adult lecturing a kid. It's a near guarantee they talk to kids that way and need to experience it themselves.
That along with an appropriate written apology to demonstrate to the kids that they should never act the same.
All that should result in a “Take this job and shove it” response. Are they even being paid?
In high school at the indoor state meet I was told my spikes were too long like two minutes before the 1600. Same spikes were okayed on the same track a few weeks earlier. I had to quickly run back to camp and get my trainers. I was able to run, so not quite as bad as this situation. But the kicker is that the same spikes were approved for the 3200 later in the day. Point being, sometimes officials just don’t know what they’re doing. The worst ones are the ones that choose to be aggressively wrong, like these Arizona fools. I’d be in favor of the rule book including a presumption in favor of letting kids run, especially in high school in lower. Don’t be that guy who tries to take the state meet experience away from a kid unless he did something egregious. “Not checking in” is not egregious, and if anything you’d think if they had six kids who “didn’t check in” for the same event, the first thought should be that maybe we as officials missed something, not that six kids all made the same mistake. The latter isn’t 100 percent impossible but simple logic says it’s unlikely.
There was mean ole starter in norcal bob shore who would hold kids in set and take great joy in dq ing kids. He'd yell at them at the starting line. Too many officials are simply old and angry.
Maybe it's the fact that when I competed I encountered more than my fair share of officials who, intentional or not, truly look down on young athletes, but it sound like the individual officials have gotten used to a "These are just kids who don't know anything I'm in charge and right" mindset.
They need to be sat down and talked down to in a similar way to an adult lecturing a kid. It's a near guarantee they talk to kids that way and need to experience it themselves.
That along with an appropriate written apology to demonstrate to the kids that they should never act the same.
All that should result in a “Take this job and shove it” response. Are they even being paid?
No, they probably aren’t.
They have a tent where they got free cheese and crackers and maybe a lukewarm warm meat tray.
Ive never seen people fall all over themselves this much to show how much they are on the side of innocent youth.
So far, the conclusion is there was a “ mix up” and the AIA officials took responsibility which means fell on their swords to either protect well meaning volunteers ( who you can bet will never volunteer again in their lives) or they don’t want to blame the runners who didn’t check in.
In baseball this would be akin to “ working the umpires “, if parents, coaches, athletes intimidate the officials enough, they change the entire narrative of the game.
I volunteered at track meets for 20 years and this kind of thing is why not many volunteers even make a call unless the race is so close he/she has to, because they know the outcry it would bring.
i used to joke ( but was serious) I wouldn’t raise my red flag unless the runner in one lane took out a broad sword and decapitated the runner in the next lane.
Im not saying it wasn’t a “ mix up” somewhere to which the head official took responsibility, it may be all that way but from what I read here even from the most respected who posted, we don’t know what the check in volunteer had to say to the official as he walked the guys up to their respective lanes.
What could have gone wrong? We don’t know. At least yet.
Yeah the most insane part of the story to me is that the reigning state champ showed an actual remarkable level of sportsmanship, standing up and protesting on behalf of his competitors, and he was punished for it by not even being allowed in the 2nd heat.
Second that thought.
The officials clearly screwed up, which would have been evident by SIX guys jumping up and down and saying that they DID check in.
They are removed from the track.
Other athletes step off in protest. It was probably glaring obvious to them who was right and who was wrong.
The officials admit they screwed up and run another race, but they punish the athletes that protested their clear and obvious screw up.
That is just plain petty.
The first mistake was inexcusable. The second "mistake" of not letting the reigning state champ run for recognizing their mistake is something that should be punishable. Any official who was involved in this should be banned from ever being involved in anything like this again, identified and named, and possibly even sued. I know for me, when I was in high school, a lot of colleges were looking at the state meet to see who ran what. It sounds to me like the officials involved need to basically be put to pasture. Anyone who can't reason through any of this any better than these officials did should never have any decision making power in any context ever. Unbelievable.
Maybe it's the fact that when I competed I encountered more than my fair share of officials who, intentional or not, truly look down on young athletes, but it sound like the individual officials have gotten used to a "These are just kids who don't know anything I'm in charge and right" mindset.
They need to be sat down and talked down to in a similar way to an adult lecturing a kid. It's a near guarantee they talk to kids that way and need to experience it themselves.
That along with an appropriate written apology to demonstrate to the kids that they should never act the same.
All that should result in a “Take this job and shove it” response. Are they even being paid?
Isn’t it great that almost half the posters in this thread didn’t read… The athletes all checked in. The official literally misplaced the paper that had 6 of them on it. On the one-hand, it’s quite amazing this happened and that the officials essentially told the athletes and their coaches “nah, you guys are lying, you didn’t check in, you can’t race” Heck even the other athletes were like “bruh, he checked in, they all checked in” and then refused to run because they saw how unfair and idiotic it was. Maybe one athlete would lie and protest.. but 6 and their coaches AND other athletes?! Like seriously, how can an official not question themselves? But this thread shows us it’s not uncommon. Many people, for whatever reason, lack the ability to pay attention to details and think clearly for temporary moments in time. They just get stuck in what “they think happened”. And it’s not even that they’re dumb and incompetent all the time. It’s some wierd and wild psychological phenomenon that happens sometimes. It’s extremely frustrating but also surprisingly common. I try to stay vigilant, open and flexible so I’m never that person but I’m sure I will be one day (or have been already). Hopefully not to this degree though.
why do you use "literally misplaced" -- what would metaphorically misplaced be? If you limit your writing to the facts without adverbial embellishment, you will present as more neutral.
I’d be in favor of the rule book including a presumption in favor of letting kids run, especially in high school in lower.
The rule should ALWAYS be to let them run, at EVERY LEVEL. They're already entered in the race, there is room on the track. There is no downside to letting someone run. You can always disqualify someone after the fact. You can't do the opposite.
The officials clearly screwed up, which would have been evident by SIX guys jumping up and down and saying that they DID check in.
They are removed from the track.
Other athletes step off in protest. It was probably glaring obvious to them who was right and who was wrong.
The officials admit they screwed up and run another race, but they punish the athletes that protested their clear and obvious screw up.
That is just plain petty.
The first mistake was inexcusable. The second "mistake" of not letting the reigning state champ run for recognizing their mistake is something that should be punishable. Any official who was involved in this should be banned from ever being involved in anything like this again, identified and named, and possibly even sued. I know for me, when I was in high school, a lot of colleges were looking at the state meet to see who ran what. It sounds to me like the officials involved need to basically be put to pasture. Anyone who can't reason through any of this any better than these officials did should never have any decision making power in any context ever. Unbelievable.
I don't think people this stupid (the officials) deserve too much defending.... but "in their defense" the on coach who was actually in the meet that has commented in this thread did say that he's not sure that the protesters specifically weren't allowed to run in the 2nd heat, he said he thinks they may have just already left the meet before a decision had even been made on a 2nd heat.
The initial mistake is still absolutely inexcusable.
The first mistake was inexcusable. The second "mistake" of not letting the reigning state champ run for recognizing their mistake is something that should be punishable. Any official who was involved in this should be banned from ever being involved in anything like this again, identified and named, and possibly even sued. I know for me, when I was in high school, a lot of colleges were looking at the state meet to see who ran what. It sounds to me like the officials involved need to basically be put to pasture. Anyone who can't reason through any of this any better than these officials did should never have any decision making power in any context ever. Unbelievable.
I don't think people this stupid (the officials) deserve too much defending.... but "in their defense" the on coach who was actually in the meet that has commented in this thread did say that he's not sure that the protesters specifically weren't allowed to run in the 2nd heat, he said he thinks they may have just already left the meet before a decision had even been made on a 2nd heat.
The initial mistake is still absolutely inexcusable.
Right, and I accept that as important information.
If the protesters would have been allowed to run, I'll give the officials a pass on that aspect (and that aspect only).
If they would have been prevented from running, I would it to be addregious.
I admit that as information has dripped out, I don't know which is the case.
All that should result in a “Take this job and shove it” response. Are they even being paid?
No, they probably aren’t.
They have a tent where they got free cheese and crackers and maybe a lukewarm warm meat tray.
Ive never seen people fall all over themselves this much to show how much they are on the side of innocent youth.
So far, the conclusion is there was a “ mix up” and the AIA officials took responsibility which means fell on their swords to either protect well meaning volunteers ( who you can bet will never volunteer again in their lives) or they don’t want to blame the runners who didn’t check in.
It happens.
All this talk about crushed dreams is a little over the top. Yeah, what happened sucked, but there will be no PTSD and they should have should no problem enjoying college which provides for some of the best years of people’s lives.
There was mean ole starter in norcal bob shore who would hold kids in set and take great joy in dq ing kids. He'd yell at them at the starting line. Too many officials are simply old and angry.
This. There are too many angry people out there taking their frustrations on kids who don't know any better, and yes are kind of like a heard of cats at times.
I had to pull one of them aside and have a strong conversation with after I resolved to knock him on his backside if he kept screaming at the kids (this was jr high) like he was.
There is no place anywhere else in society where it's acceptable for verbal intimidation of tiny girls by large stranger men.
We're all forced to take these tests about safe sport and the very organizations running the show solicit volunteers from people who can't control their outbursts. And then get mad at kids for lack of self control.
Do your teams a favor. The next time these guys start shouting, calmly ask them to come over to you once the time permits and explain some of these kids come from abusive homes and the last thing they need is a large man screaming at them on the day they are trying to get away from that crap.
This post was edited 31 seconds after it was posted.
They DID check in! The AIA admitted they made a mistake. They should've delayed the race and confirm whether or not the athletes checked in. How long would this take,10 minutes? Instead, the "Power Tripping" volunteer officials were too lazy to confirm the check in status, and ultimately ruined a season of hard work by the participants.
I can't believe no one thought of this solution...WTF!!!
The Officials you complain about make mistakes. But they are the only thing keeping your sport off the ground.
Maybe there wouldn't be as many "lapses in memory" or "tragic mistakes" if anyone under the age of 60 who supposedly "cares about the sport" would go to your local Track Starters Association/Officials Association and start running meets for a few bucks and a good show.
But you are busy running your 5th double this week on your way to minimum 100mpw to have time to give back to the sport that has given so much to you.
I was a witness to three issues with officials this year in Texas.
1. The first was during indoor season at A&M when some kids were getting their new Nike Elite (permanent) spikes approved and others didn't. It was a mess. The referee wasn't going to get involved until an A&M athlete pointed out they are the exact same spikes they use. The referee thankfully went straight to Coach Henry to clear it, but for about an hour it was a mess, and some kids were running in trainers while others had the 'illegal' spikes.
2. The second happened at the Texas Relays in the LJ. There were two groups, and ALL of the kids were there before Group 1 started. When they finished and Group 2 was about to warm-up, the officials claimed that 4 of the 12 had not checked in before Group 1 started and were not going to be allowed to jump. There was a delay for about 20 minutes as the officials went back and forth as to whether they would be allowed to jump. Remember, this is at a collegiate site and all of the jumpers were there from the beginning talking to the officials, including those they claimed had not officially checked in. Eventually the officials realized it was their mistake but those four only got 2 warm-up jumps... and at least they got to compete.
3. In the Region 4-6A 800m with 300m to go an official wasn't paying attention and walked off the infield and onto the track and bumped the leader, while several others had to step into the infield to avoid him. No flags were raised. The race finished, but they didn't award the medals immediately due to a protest. The leader had dropped to like 7th (I think he may have still PR'd or was close)... over an hour later it was decided they would run it again after the 4x4. By that time some of the kids had left. Several, including the winner also had the 1600m. The officials then decided that anyone could elect to run again with their best time being the 'official' time and with the top-2 qualifying for state. In the second race, nobody improved.
Isn’t it great that almost half the posters in this thread didn’t read… The athletes all checked in. The official literally misplaced the paper that had 6 of them on it. On the one-hand, it’s quite amazing this happened and that the officials essentially told the athletes and their coaches “nah, you guys are lying, you didn’t check in, you can’t race” Heck even the other athletes were like “bruh, he checked in, they all checked in” and then refused to run because they saw how unfair and idiotic it was. Maybe one athlete would lie and protest.. but 6 and their coaches AND other athletes?! Like seriously, how can an official not question themselves? But this thread shows us it’s not uncommon. Many people, for whatever reason, lack the ability to pay attention to details and think clearly for temporary moments in time. They just get stuck in what “they think happened”. And it’s not even that they’re dumb and incompetent all the time. It’s some wierd and wild psychological phenomenon that happens sometimes. It’s extremely frustrating but also surprisingly common. I try to stay vigilant, open and flexible so I’m never that person but I’m sure I will be one day (or have been already). Hopefully not to this degree though.
why do you use "literally misplaced" -- what would metaphorically misplaced be? If you limit your writing to the facts without adverbial embellishment, you will present as more neutral.
“Literally” is often used to highlight something that is unbelievable and/or to add emphasis. It’s less likely to be used to clarify between literal and metaphorical. I literally can’t believe I’m explaining this. But your last statement is correct. “Literally misplaced” helps signify my disapproval of the athletes being withheld from competing (a neutral tone wasn’t intended). Thank you for pointing out how I effectively communicated my thoughts and feelings.
(This entire response is just a joke using dry humor… so don’t take it too literally.)
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