I like the idea of x places (so it's determined on the track) but also taking a few of the top times so people aren't punished or rewarded for being in an especially difficult or easy region/section/area whatever.
Yeeeeears ago when I was in high school in GA it was top two finishers in each event from each region. Third fastest miler in the state but the top two are also in your region? Sorry out of luck.
Grew up in VA - public schools were through a post season competition schedule regionals, sectionals, etc. You beat other athletes to move on - some were easier than others depending on your event. You needed a mark from the regular season to get into the first round I think.
Someone else can fill in details and/or correct me:
New York has gone to A, B, C- 1 from each class.
The have a super standard that gets an automatic birth BUT you have to finish top 5 in your state qualifier meet to actually go to states. (People were throwing races to let a teammate go- I see nothing wrong with that.)
Each division (AA, AAA, AAAA) would hold a districts meet. Back when I was in HS the top two finishers in each event qualified for states, as well as anyone who ran the state qualifying mark at the district meet.
Yeeeeears ago when I was in high school in GA it was top two finishers in each event from each region. Third fastest miler in the state but the top two are also in your region? Sorry out of luck.
I grew up in GA a long time ago and yep. I got stuck in a fast SUB region! I would have qualified in 3 other regions.
Districts. Top 2/3 depending on school size (there are more district locations for the small schools) are automatic qualifiers and then next 6-8 best by time. Used to just be top 3 or 4 straight up and no time qualifiers.
NC - top 16 best marks per event qualify for each regional (3 in 1A-7A, 2 in 8A), top 4 (1A/7A) or 6 (8A) in each event at regionals qualify for states, 4 “wild cards” with the best regional marks across all regions that did not place top-4 also qualify
Maine has three classes and a state meet for each. They have automatic and professional times/marks. Each event fills to 32. We used to have regionals back in the early 2000s. XC still has a regional system.
Colorado has 5 classes, top 18 times/marks in each class go to State. Relays and everything 400 on down has prelims then finals (top 9 times from prelims). The last chance meets the week before get CRAZY.
Colorado has 5 classes, top 18 times/marks in each class go to State. Relays and everything 400 on down has prelims then finals (top 9 times from prelims). The last chance meets the week before get CRAZY.
I can second this. You’re usually not completely safe to make the meet unless you’re top 8 or so with a week to go, because all those kids on the cusp will be running in fast races right before states.
In Missouri, there are 8 district meets that advance the top 4 in every event to 4 sectional meets. Top 4 at each sectional meet advance to the state meet. Therefore there are 16 entries in each event at state. 800/1600/3200/4x800 are 1 section of 16. All other running events are 2 sections of 8 prelims advancing 8 to finals.
California is divided into 10 sections. Each section gets to send a pre-determined number of athletes to the state meet. Larger sections get to send more athletes than smaller sections. My section, The Sac-Joaquin, gets 3 slots. I believe that the total number of qualifiers is 27. However, the state also has "at large" marks. These marks are the average of the 9th place finisher over the past 4 years. The idea here is that if you are good enough to have made the finals at state for the past 4 years, then you shouldn't be denied the opportunity to compete at state if you just happened to have had very tough competition at your section championship. This results in a number of additional kids making the state meet. For example, 2 years ago, 7 boy pole vaulters qualified out of our section. Auto qual marks have to be achieved at the section championship meet.
It is extremely difficult to qualify for the CIF meet from most of the sections. In my section, there are somewhere between 500 and 3000 kids who compete in a given event. Of those 3000 kids, only 3 advance to state.
Each section has the autonomy to hold it's championships as it sees fit. My section has a divisional championship, where schools compete against like sized schools for the title of section team champion. To get to the divisional meet, you have to qualify out of your league meet.
So, most post seasons look like this
-Week 1: League finals. There may be a trials meet for some leagues as well which would take place earlier in the week. Depending on your league, you need to be in the top 3-6 to advance to the next round.
- Week 2: Divisional Trials and Divisional Finals: For my section these meets were either Tue/Fri or Wed/Sat, depending on what division you are in. Depending on your division, you need to be in the top 5-8 to advance
- Week 3: Section "Masters Meet" Trials and Finals. These meets were Fri/Sat in my section until this year, where we have eliminated the trials meet. You need to be in the top 3 here, unless you hit an at large mark.
- Week 4: State Trials and Finals: Once again, Fri/Sat.
Bear in mind, I described my section's process. Other sections have different versions. Our section is the second largest in the state, so ours was a little more difficult
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
Reason provided:
Forgot something
Colorado has 5 classes, top 18 times/marks in each class go to State. Relays and everything 400 on down has prelims then finals (top 9 times from prelims). The last chance meets the week before get CRAZY.
I can second this. You’re usually not completely safe to make the meet unless you’re top 8 or so with a week to go, because all those kids on the cusp will be running in fast races right before states.
How do I make sure I get to the meet with the massive tailwind in the 100? Time based qualifiers seem crazy. What if I run a great time in march then get injured? I still get to go over people who are way fitter than me? How about for the distance events? Seems like if you're a 2 miler from Colorado, you need to travel to low elevation to get into a fast race (Hello Arcadia!)
South Dakota takes the top 25 times, but only three from a team can make the event. Athletes can do four events. Also three classes each with the same format.
California is divided into 10 sections. Each section gets to send a pre-determined number of athletes to the state meet. Larger sections get to send more athletes than smaller sections. My section, The Sac-Joaquin, gets 3 slots. I believe that the total number of qualifiers is 27. However, the state also has "at large" marks. These marks are the average of the 9th place finisher over the past 4 years. The idea here is that if you are good enough to have made the finals at state for the past 4 years, then you shouldn't be denied the opportunity to compete at state if you just happened to have had very tough competition at your section championship. This results in a number of additional kids making the state meet. For example, 2 years ago, 7 boy pole vaulters qualified out of our section. Auto qual marks have to be achieved at the section championship meet.
It is extremely difficult to qualify for the CIF meet from most of the sections. In my section, there are somewhere between 500 and 3000 kids who compete in a given event. Of those 3000 kids, only 3 advance to state.
Each section has the autonomy to hold it's championships as it sees fit. My section has a divisional championship, where schools compete against like sized schools for the title of section team champion. To get to the divisional meet, you have to qualify out of your league meet.
So, most post seasons look like this
-Week 1: League finals. There may be a trials meet for some leagues as well which would take place earlier in the week. Depending on your league, you need to be in the top 3-6 to advance to the next round.
- Week 2: Divisional Trials and Divisional Finals: For my section these meets were either Tue/Fri or Wed/Sat, depending on what division you are in. Depending on your division, you need to be in the top 5-8 to advance
- Week 3: Section "Masters Meet" Trials and Finals. These meets were Fri/Sat in my section until this year, where we have eliminated the trials meet. You need to be in the top 3 here, unless you hit an at large mark.
- Week 4: State Trials and Finals: Once again, Fri/Sat.
Bear in mind, I described my section's process. Other sections have different versions. Our section is the second largest in the state, so ours was a little more difficult
Yes, California is very competitive, which explains why many CA athletes are burned out for the National level competitions. In the Southern Section, there are 5 divisions, Division 1 (largest schools) down to Division 5, smallest schools.
Most leagues will have prelims and then the League finals. Divisions have prelims, and then the Division finals. I don't recall how many athletes from each division proceed to the Section Masters (appropriately called "State Qualifier), but Division I has the most qualifiers and Division 5 the least. I think it is the top 6 and time qualifiers from Masters move on to State which has the prelims (heats) and the finals.
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