 |
|
|
|
|
| HOME |
|
| SHOP |
|
| RACE INFO |
|
| RESULTS |
|
| EVENT TIMING |
|
| EVENT PROMO |
|
| PHOTOS |
|
| ASSOCIATES |
|
| CONTACT |
|
| SITE SEARCH |
|
|
|
| FREE EMAIL |
|
 |
 |
 |
Q&A with OSAA's Brad Garrett02.01.07 Racestats.net was able to catch up with OSAA's Track & Field Director Brad Garrett prior to the start of the 2007 Oregon prep Track & Field season and get some answers to some of the questions regarding the 2006-07 expansion to six classifications and it's effect on this year's State Meet(s). A big thanks to Brad for taking his time to answer these questions despite his busy schedule preparing for the upcoming State Wresting tournaments. Question: After much conversation both for and against the 6A plan, It was implemented fairly successfully (in my opinion) last Fall. What are your perceptions on how the 6A plan worked out for Cross Country for 2006? Brad Garrett: I thought the X-C Championships went very well given the number of races conducted and the number athletes, coaches, and support staff involved in the event. Grady O'Conner and Mike Zimmerman do an outstanding job of giving the facility a genuine Championship feel for the athletes and coaches - we are truly lucky to have this. Regardless of whether or not individuals support the reclassification I think we all can agree that giving more kids the opportunity to experience a State Championship event is not a bad thing. Quality versus quantity can always be argued but from my end I see a many kids having the opportunity to grow from their participation experience. Question: Certainly coming up with a 6A plan for Track & Field takes much more planning than Cross Country. Creating a new State Meet schedule is a major task. How is that planning coming along? And what have been some of the major difficulties in coming up with a new working State Meet schedule? BG: A group of coaches selected by representatives of the Oregon Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has finalized the schedules for both meets. A first draft of the schedule was posted to the OSAA site early in the school year and comments and suggestions were submitted online by coaches. The schedules were revised after review of comments and suggestions sand the tentative schedules have been posted to the OSAA site at http://www.osaa.org/track/. The accumulated experience of the coaches involved helped to simplify the process - I think the most difficult aspect was just getting started. When a working draft of the schedules were completed it allowed the groups the opportunity to discuss the issues and options and come to consensus. Question: The new State Meet schedule has been rumored to be expanding to a 3-day schedule. Were there other reasons for that other than trying to find something that would accomodate hosting all 4A-6A athletes in the same meet? BG: The number of competitors and the time needed to address the field events for all classifications were key factors that lead to the 2 1/2 day meet that is currently proposed for the 6A-5A-4A . Fewer competitors allowed for a 2 day meet at the 3A-2A-1A level. Question: Is the new State Meet schedule finalized or neary finalized? BG: Final schedule for the 6A-5A-4A meet is posted at: http://www.osaa.org/track/2007/6a5a4atenttimesch.pdf and the 3A-2A-1A meet at: http://www.osaa.org/track/2007/3a2a1atenttimesch.pdf. Question: Has there been any discussion on breaking the State Meet into 3 separate State Meets (pairing 6A/5A, 4A/3A, & 2A/1A)? Wouldn't that plan allow the State Meet to remain a 2-day event and allow everyone, coaches, & students, to miss less school? BG: As great an event as the Track and Field Championships are and given that we will put nearly 16,000 participants, coaches, event volunteers, and spectators into Hayward Field, the OSAA will have a net revenue loss when it is completed. Separating the meets to three different venues only increases the costs of conducting the events since we would have staffing and facility costs at an additional venue. Since Track and Field loses money in the current format the notion of increasing costs by separating into three different venues was not an option that was discussed at length. Remember that the University of Oregon and the OSAA have an agreement that is second to none in our business - we pay very little rent for a world class facility and many of the Oregon staff helping to conduct the event. Question: There are some people who would like to see another Relay event added to the State Meet schedule, in particular a distance relay (either 4 x 800 or Distance Medley). The last event added to the schedule, not withstanding the wheel chair exibitions, was the Girls Pole Vault in 1995. What are the possibilities of adding an additional event or events in the future? BG: Coaches are always welcome to suggest additional events be contested at the Track and Field State Championships. Those proposals that eventually make their way to the OSAA Executive Board have these common elements. 1) Schools have been surveyed and responses have been collected and tabulated to determine what type of support the proposal has. 2) The Oregon Athletic Coaches Association Executive Board has reviewed the proposal and given it their stamp of approval. 3) The financial impact the adding the event has been developed. Once these steps have occurred it gives the OSAA Executive Board the data they need to make a decision on adding the event. Question: Does a 3-day State Meet schedule improve the chances of adding another Relay event such as 4 x 200, 4 x 800, or Distance Medley? BG: Adding extra days does increase the time available to add events - but costs will also increase because of the potential for additional athletes to be involved. Question: On the other hand is there the possibility, for safety reasons, that there would be the elimination of any events, most notably the Javelin or Pole Vault? BG: I would oppose the elimination of any current event from our Meet Schedule. To ensure that events like the pole vault and javelin always have a place in Track and Field in Oregon the track community should take the responsibility to educate ourselves on the proper instructional techniques and safety precautions related to these events. Once an event is eliminated it is very difficult to get it back - use equipment that meets federation rules, teach proper technique, and emphasize safety with your athletes and we shouldn't have any issues. Question: With the new classifications there has also been much discussion on what to do with the previous State Meet records. Will they be 'retired' or is there a way that those records can remain a part of the current history of the OSAA State Meet? BG: New state meet records will be established for the 6A, 5A, 3A, and 2A classification records. Old records will be archived for comparison purposes. Brad Garrett, CAA Assistant Executive Director Oregon School Activities Association 503.682.6722 ext 229 | bradg@osaa.org |
|
|
