Qualifying window for USATF Championships

[MJR]

Re: Qualifying window for USATF Championships

Now to even the field for the Juniors, esp. those in events not contested in HS/NCAA competitions regularly.

[gh]

Re: Qualifying window for USATF Championships

Squeaky wheel gets grease? (whatever made it happen, woo-hoo! logic wins out for once)


INDIANAPOLIS – In response to a number of questions from athletes and coaches, the Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Committees of USA Track & Field have decided to extend the beginning date of the qualifying period for the 2003 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships to May 1, 2002. This new date is over two months earlier than the previous date of July 5, 2002. Thus, athletes may use any performance mark made between May 1, 2002 and June 15, 2003 to qualify for this year’s Championships.



In addition to this change, it should be noted that non-qualified athletes wishing to petition for entry into the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships due to special circumstances (i.e. maternity, injury, illness, etc.) should contact either John Chaplin, the Men’s Track & Field Chair at ([email protected]) or Stephanie Hightower, the Women’s Track & Field Chair at ([email protected]).

[dl]

Re: Qualifying window for USATF Championships

Whether the current qualifying window is a fair/wise one is debatalbe, I do agree that it was unwise to change it for this year.

[gm]

Re: Qualifying window for USATF Championships

Right now, I count only 8 decathletes with a qualifying mark of 7650 (B standard) or higher. It's gonna be a mighty quick event if that holds.

[gm]

Re: Qualifying window for USATF Championships

Decathletes might well have to scramble for a qualifier, too.

Re: Qualifying window for USATF Championships

those morons can't get ANYTHING right since I left!

The window for qualifying for the USATF championships, which gone back to early May in recent years, only goes back to July 5, 2002 for this year's (the 2003) meet. Athletes and others only seem to be finding this out when they open up the entry form (or web window).

While I see the reasons for accepting times from almost 14 months ago, the implementation seems untimely, particularly since the 2004 Olympic Trials timeframe will allow performance back to _January 1, 2003_, 18 months.

Might it have better included at least starting at the previous year's National meet (if an athlete achieved it ther, they'd gain entry for the following year)? Would it have made more sense to start this after 2004?

Such a major change (my opinion is that it's major) would have best been announced in a larger font to a larger crowd as soon as it was decided. It's sort of tough to add events for the post collegiate athlete schedule when they're often at the mercy of college invitational entry requirements. And there's a lot of inertia to overcome to get new meets out of the blocks, begininng with access to facilities (at least in New England).

Anyone know of athletes - like 10,000 runners - who are going to have scramble to get a mark?

Steve