Notes from the President:

Volume I – August 2007

 

I would like to welcome everyone back to the 2007 – 2008 school year and I hope you had a chance to take a short break this past summer.  I want to send these notes out to you as your president of the Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches (IATCCC) from time to time to further help inform you of your association and the events that impact our great sport.

 

Web Site

Please visit our web site often.  I find this the best way to keep up on things.  www.iatccc.org  News of events, opportunity to take part in the coach’s polls, register for the IATCCC clinic, and many other things are posted on the web site.

 

Upcoming Dates

The next IATCCC Sectional Council meeting will be on Sunday, September 9 at Lawrence Central High School.  The meeting will begin at noon.  You are welcome to attend and take an active role in your association.

 

The Cross Country Coaches Clinic will be November 2 & 3 at Carmel High School.  Please check the web site for information.  All state teams are selected at this meeting, please join us.

 

Our IATCCC Track & Field Coaches Clinic will be Thursday, January 31 through Saturday, February 2 at the Sheraton, Keystone at the Crossing.  Information will be on the web site for registration.

 

Cross Country

The girls and boys season’s are in full swing and there is no doubt that there is some great talent and some fine coaching out there.  Coaches please take care of your kids, it has been extremely hot, and we all want to make sure that they are properly hydrated.  Also coaches, please make sure they are safe when they leave your school property.  Check out the basic safety rules of the road (It is advisable that you document and distribute these to your athletes).  It troubles me to also advise you about this, but please make sure your athletes are supervised.  We all know too well about certain persons that prey on teenagers and it is our responsibility to try to guarantee the safety of our athletes.

 

The IHSAA has changed the tournament assignments.  Please understand that it might not be what we wanted as coaches, and some of the regionals and semi-states are still insanely competitive, but it is good that the IHSAA has increased the number of teams that will compete in the state finals.  The process of rule and realignment changes is rather complex and might not be perfect for everyone.  We have two very fine individuals that make our concerns known to the IHSAA on behalf of the IATCCC.  These concerns are then taken through the process and from there the IHSAA will make changes based upon board decisions, principal’s input, the IIAAA and others.  Please believe me when I say the IHSAA has the student athlete’s best interest at heart.  Is the organization perfect?  No. Is the organization good? Yes.  It serves little purpose to be hysterical and argumentative, to anyone.  As your president, I encourage you to be sportsman-like and model the example that you wish your children to emulate.

 

Track Follow Up

The IHSAA State tournament series was tremendous for all of the coaches and student athletes involved.  There were some incredible performances by our kids.  It was unfortunate that the girls’ state finals were

interrupted by the storms.  I commend all of the coaches for ensuring the safety of their athletes.  It was a “lose-lose” decision to finish the meet as they did, I do know that given the situation, the IHSAA made

the best decision possible, given make up dates, travel, school obligations and so forth.  Could things have been handled differently?  Perhaps they could, but I am not aware of all the nuances germane to that situation and I was present at the meet, also. One cannot know every parameter that is involved in an event as large as the state finals.  Again, based on the situation, I commend the IHSAA for finishing the meet as they did.

 

Midwest Meet of Champions

Indiana fielded a strong team that competed in the Midwest Meet of Champions on June 8th. The meet was in Jackson, Michigan and our kids were treated very well by the Michigan Coaches Association.  The  banquet featured Hayes Jones, Olympic Gold Medalist in the hurdles.  Jones’ speech was very stirring.  The boys were victorious and the girls finished a close third.  The boys won 4 out the five field events and had a great track meet that took it right down to the 4x400 to decide the outcome.

 

Post Season

Several of our Indiana athletes had great summers.  Shane Crawford of Winimac won a gold medal in the 4x100 at the Pan American Junior Championships in Brazil.  Candyce McGrone of Warren Central won the US Youth Championships in the 100 and 200.  Josh Greenwald of Decatur was named Star of Stars at the Midwest Meet of Champions.  Michael Fout of LaPorte ran 8:58 for two miles at the Nike Outdoor Championships.  The internet is full of our Indiana kids (both past and present) doing great things.

 

USAT&F

Make it a point to take advantage of all the services that USAT&F provides.  A great coaching education program is available and many other services.  Their web address is www.usatf.org  One site that we have found helpful is the Road Racing link at USAT&F.  We use it to map and measure our running routes.  The system uses GPS and satellites to measure any course within a meter.  For road running it is great and it is pretty good on trails and cross country courses.

 

Hall of Fame

If you have a nomination for the Hall of Fame, please contact Ricke Stucker at Kokomo High School or through the IATCCC web site.  We have many deserving people that have been overlooked.  The criterion for selection are listed on the web site, should you have any questions.

 

Official of the Year

Most of our officials are great.  If you know one in particular that you would like to nominate, please contact me with some background.  We vote at our December meeting on this item.

 

Have a great year,

 

Dennis McNulty

Warren Central High School

IATCCC President

dmcnulty@warren.k12.in.us