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The Lines Are Drawn

With the addition of individuals to the new NXN, athletes and their coaches will have to decide where the best experiences and opportunities lie. What do those coaches and athletes who are impacted most have to say about it?


By SteveU

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(previous pages include comments from Albuquerque Academy NM Coach Adam Kedge, Neuqua Valley IL Coach Paul Vandersteen, Holy Trinity FL Coach Doug Butler, FL Champ Ashley Brasovan, Mission Prep CA Coach Armando Siqueiros, Gill St. Bernard NJ Coach Ryan Grote, Knoxville TC coach Marty Sonnenfeldt, Regis Jesuit CO coach Bob Nicolls)

10. Additional Comments - Chris Derrick

Chris Derrick at Arcadia. Photo John Nepolitan
My basic thought is this: It seems that eventually this had to happen in one way or another. It is a shame, though, that it couldn't happen amicably and in a way that doesn't dilute fields for a few years – which will happen. I do think that NXN will eventually take over, as it has the advertising power, sponsorship and enthusiasm to make it happen. I felt like the energy level and effort from the big wigs at NTN was a lot better then at Foot Locker, and I think eventually that will let them win out. That being said, a few things:

1) If Foot Locker is diluted, and perhaps usurped (as will most likely happen), then something will definitely be lost. The tradition, the exclusive atmosphere, the course, and the location are all alluring facets that make the event important and unique. If I were running next year, I would still try to do both because I would not want to miss out on the FL experience. I also felt like the race schedule wasn't overly demanding until after NTN, when it was the travel more than anything that really hurt me.

2) Portland Meadows is a poor choice for a National Championship course. It is such a gimmick that it hardly seems practical for hosting the race that will determine the national champion. All year, kids run American style XC, many in at least decent footing, and then for the national meet they will get thrown on a contrived Euro-style course. Certainly Portland Meadows has great marketability, given the ability to easily stream live video and come up with pithy slogans about toughness and mud, but I think that marketability serves the event more than it serves the competitors.

As far what kids will try to do next year, I have no idea. I think that the energy of NXN will be a big factor in pulling in kids, but Foot Locker can combat that with tradition and its exclusive feel. When it comes down to it, I think that NXN will probably work harder to sell itself than FL and that will eventually decide the outcome further on down the road.

Since the dates don't directly conflict at the national level this year, the two should be able to get along somewhat amicably with neither field being exceptionally diluted. But if in the future one of them decides they want to compete directly with the other by placing regionals and the big show on the same day (which would be a horrible, self-serving mistake in my opinion), then I think that most of the top guys not on good teams will go to FL because it’s the status quo. But enough will defect to dilute the fields. I think NXN will have to actively pursue top individuals, if this is the case.

Both are great events in different respects; neither seems to be the obvious choice.


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