MileSplit GA

Just playing devil's advocate here. If (presumably) a one-day/one-site state meet will no longer be possible - If Carrollton kept a few classifications with the rest of the classes run on the same day at a different course, what is the need for other changes? In other words, are we changing for change's sake, or are there real issues that need to be addressed other than trying to schedule 14 races in one day? Again, just playing devil's advocate.

I think the very first thing that needs to be done is to find the answers to the following questions:




Carter

I wouldn't say there is no way to use a sectional approach for Class A. We could use an unbalanced approache where the the number of qualifiers was related to the number of participating schools. That could allow for more manageable travel with reasonable chances for advancement. I think one of the biggest challenges GHSA has ever had is trying to balance everything rather than acknowledging imbalances and dealing with them. For instance different sized sectionals could qualify different numbers of teams to state and allow the qualifiers to be held reasonably close to school's home locations. In the sparser areas less travel could be offset smaller fields and fewer qualifying spots. Many states use this type of system and I think it's time we visit the possibility.
tp

@COACHBILLY I am not offended by your position more annoyed that you choose to get on your soapbox and spew your venom about an issue that is not the topic here. Your disdain for GHSA is well documented here on GATFXC. They're decision to not allow non members athletes to compete is not up for debate right now. I don't know their exact reasons, though I suspect it relate to NFHS standards among other things. I am a tax payer and can use public property for private events as can you, with proper authority. There is nothing that says every event on public property must include every citizen so quit whining about public schools using parks in meets, it's infantile. As for who is looking out for the student athletes, I would offer that the member schools are (at least looking out for their own) and since they ARE the GHSA, the organization does have their welfare in mind. Since not every decision will serve each school and its athletes as well as others, it may appear to some that their own were not served well, but that is how things work sometimes. Compare our political system. In a democracy, in order to have a winner, there must also those who don't agree/or lose. Since GHSA operates with democratic principles, each region getting a voice, there are bound to be votes where some are unhappy. This current case of Class A is a great example. The problems it creates are what this thread was hoping to address and you chose to inject your disdain for GHSA into a great discussion about how to handle the challenges facing class A. While your complaint may have some validity, it has no place in this discussion. Take it elsewhere and let those who want to help solve this issue the space to do so.

@goofytwo If you're not offended, why are your panties so wadded? Why the silly name-calling? Again, my original post - which you jumped all over - was to simply state that the class A coaches had a legit idea, but perhaps for the wrong reasons. It's not that my comments aren't related to the topic (as if that's a crime), your issue with them is you don't agree with my attacks on GHSA. Grow up, big boy. The way to deal with opinions you don't agree with isn't to whine & cry and throw an infantile tantrum, then demand dissenting opinions be removed..What's next, you threaten to hold your breath until someone deletes my post(s)?
I'm not advocating every citizen be allowed to participate in every event held at a public park, but there should be some common sense, appropriate judgement used, that's all. A group of elderly community organizers shouldn't be allowed to herd Llamas at the park at the same time a cross country meet is being held. OTOH, a high school student athlete who runs cross country & who meets common sense criteria, i.e. age, shouldn't be banned from competing in a HS invitational meet. Tell me how that's fair to student-atheletes who don't attend gov't schools - and are already ineligible for region/State meets - and tell me how your interests as a GHSA member are threatened by this? Why is it acceptable for GHSA to so aggressively seek to ban kids like this from competition that they threaten fines? And why is it so offensive for someone to speak out against it?

@tpee

That's a great idea! I had never even thought about the possibility of doing something like that, but I guess I've just been programmed to try to suit GHSA's view of making things balanced. I am curious how they would react to a proposal like this, but here's a perfect example of why it would be a good idea:

AAAAA sectionals this year have regions 7 and 8 traveling all the way down to South Georgia, just because we wanted to make the sectionals balanced. It would have been much more travel efficient to group regions 1-3 together and regions 4-8 together. We could use a very similar format only regions 1-3 would qualify 6 athletes to state and regions 4-8 would qualify 10 athletes. In that case you would have to adjust the way sectionals was run (3 heats instead of 2 for bigger sectionals). But one of the best things about our sport is the unique way we can set up qualifying heats. Look at some championship meets in races like the 100 and 200, they have like 8-10 heats in the first round and consistently get the best athletes to the finals.

@COACHBILLY

If you don't mind, please start another thread if you want to continue talking about what you don't like about the GHSA. The main point of this thread is to try and brainstorm ideas about how to solve the issue at hand. Thanks.

@tpee

This is a good approach not only for travel, it is also a good way to put the top teams in state. The NCAA does this for wrestling regionals. The midwest region is loaded with talent and the southeast has little. To balance this inequality the midwest region advances more teams and individuals than the southeast. As we brain storm to fined a qualifying solution, we should also look and see if there is a fair and reasonable way to put the best 16/16 teams in state.

Keep the ideas coming. Think out of the box, who knows what could happen.

@COACHBILLY

Are you really asking someone why his "panties are so wadded" and then turning around and accusing him of "silly name calling"? Then calling him "infantile" and accusing him of "holding his breath" until he gets his way?

This forum deserves better than the hypocritical rants you're adding to it.

And Billy - if you are going to insult me - as you have done twice, so far - at least have the guts to leave the insult on the board, instead of taking it down after I (and others) respond to it.

@spxcoachrm

If we put AAAAAA regions 1-3 in one pot and regions 4-8 in the other, the 3200 11th-place finisher from the latter would have finished no worse than 3rd place in the former - probably higher.

Pot, meet Kettle.