It is very odd. Talk about throwing in the towel.
It is very odd. Talk about throwing in the towel.
It gets worse: They decided not to run one of the Meiers now so they are down to two on the women's side.
I don't know anything about their process but the product doesn't look good.
Ridiculous. I know many runners personally who have ran on the team, and NONE of them were on full scholarship. For what those kids are paying, and with how hard they all work, the coaches owe it to them to let them race.
It is like giving up. You don't see the 15th place team in the ACC throw in the towel and put out 4 guys on the basketball court. While the chance of Duke qualifying for NCAAs is pretty slim to none, there are people who have put in the work and you don't just quit like that.
Providence isn't racing 5 women--2 of top 5-- it happens.
I count 7...
http://www.friars.com/sports/w-xc/spec-rel/111214aaa.html
Maybe these aren't their top runners? but at least a full squad is running!
There are all sorts of reasons why coaches chose not to run a full team including health, academic, and budgetary. In fact, I'm often surprised at the coaches who dutifully drive a van full of 28 minute 8k guys to regionals rather than putting in the extra training and letting the kids recover from a long season.
Until there is some insight into the basis for the decision, it means nothing.
Hookstratten wrote:
Providence isn't racing 5 women--2 of top 5-- it happens.
This is completely false.
How can this happen?? This falls squarely on the coaches - health and team management is job one!! The coaches should be replaced - where is the AD at Duke?? Maybe he's only interested in Basketball?? Sooo much talent wasted!!
4runner wrote:
There are all sorts of reasons why coaches chose not to run a full team including health, academic, and budgetary. In fact, I'm often surprised at the coaches who dutifully drive a van full of 28 minute 8k guys to regionals rather than putting in the extra training and letting the kids recover from a long season.
Until there is some insight into the basis for the decision, it means nothing.
I'm sure there are a lot of reasons, but they're all pretty bad...we're not talking about some community college here. If you can't manage to field 5 healthy, fast individuals at Duke, how the hell can you consider yourself a coach?
I agree not all teams should spend the resources to compete at Regionals. Its a pretty pointless meet for all but the top 10 contenders.
Duke is just proving that they are at a very low level and finished off the team season at the conference meet.
If the AD cares that the cross team is that weak he will make a coaching change but I doubt that is the case at Duke.
Or maybe the coaches tapped out their travel budget and were not permitted to take a full squad.
Ummm, the new Duke coach is in over her head. No question. She's made some questionable calls this season, has a boatload of talent she's done nothing with and the squad has regressed in a number of ways. Hopefully she used this season as a learning experience, but I think she'll be gone in another year.
Providence is running the same top 7 that they ran at the Big East meet. Those ARE their top 7.
PENNY WISE - POUND FOOLISH!!
American not running teams at all in mid atlantic
The Duke AD is a former Track athlete and college Track Coach. I am sure he get's it. But, then again, its Cross Country. AD's don't care.
And if you fire the old coach and have to hire a new one, you will have to pay ACC $ for a new coach.
The Duke women's coach is new this year so I doubt anyone is getting fired any time soon. I would be cautious of this program if I were I recruit. For whatever the reason, who would want to work their butts off all season and NOT get to compete at the NCAA's if healthy and eligible?
OOOPs wrote:
The Duke women's coach is new this year so I doubt anyone is getting fired any time soon. I would be cautious of this program if I were I recruit. For whatever the reason, who would want to work their butts off all season and NOT get to compete at the NCAA's if healthy and eligible?
Exactly. This is their biggest meet of the year! The main job of a coach is to perform well at the conference and regional meets, and nationals if they make it
I don't see a big deal with this. They've had a disappointing and probably emotionally negative season. It's never good to take a team to the line with nothing positive to race for, no realistic goal you can set that you would actually be happy with achieving.
Honestly it shows some pride too because you are telling your athletes that there is a certain baseline level of expectations for the program. If you send the message that it's ok and normal to underperform or go through the motions and the end of every season, maybe you encourage a culture of settling.
Not saying I know what's going on in their heads, and I don't know anything about if the kids "deserve" to run/compete or not in this case. But I've seen similar scenarios where this would be a reasonable decision so I can understand where it's coming from.