Policies for Selection for the Boys & Girls Invitational High School Mile at the 101st Annual Millrose Games Two of the featured events at the Millrose Games are the “Boys One Mile Run” (contested since 1974), and the “Girls One Mile Run” (contested since 1984). Each of these events brings together, by special invitation, eight (8) of the top scholastic milers in the East to race at New York City’s famous Madison Square Garden. The Millrose Games celebrates its 101st edition on Friday, February 1, 2008. These are “scholastic events” sanctioned by National Federation of State High School Associations and the State of New York. Therefore, all competitors must represent their school and wear their school’s team uniform. The Millrose Games’ long-established policy for selecting competitors is based on evaluating each candidate’s “One Mile Performance Profile”, which includes: - Honors Won (i. e. winning and placing high in major [interstate] meets) - Win-Loss Record against other top prep milers - Time Performances at ONE MILE, 1500m, and 1600m - Rankings on National and Eastern Performance Lists We review each potential candidate’s array of performances in major meets, beginning with the 2007 indoor season, with particular emphasis on State Championships, National Scholastic Indoor Championship (NY Armory), and Nike Indoor Nationals (Landover, MD). Outdoors, our focus is on 2007 State Championships, as well as “major interstate meets”: Arcadia, Penn Relays, Hartford, Loucks, etc., with primary emphasis on “end-of-season” competitions such as the Golden West Invitational, Nike Outdoor Nationals, USATF Junior Nationals, USATF Youth Championships, Junior Olympics and various State “Summer Games”. By early Fall we will have identified two groups of candidates. Our “A” List consists of the elite 2007 underclass milers ranked by Track & Field News and DyeStat among all the USA’s top 10-15 for the mile (plus 1,500/1,600m converted.) For the boys, that usually means sub-4:12.0 For the girls, that usually means sub-4:50.0 In December, we will contact these nationally-ranked milers to determine their interest, availability, and authorization to participate. In most years, only 1 or 2 of this group commits to compete—in which case their Millrose Games invitation is confirmed. Our “B” List consists of the additional top 10-15 returning milers within the East (ME--VA) as ranked by DyeStat. For boys, that usually means sub-4:21 indoors or sub-4:18 outdoors. For girls, that usually means: sub-5:05 indoors or sub-5:00 outdoors. Although we review major 2007 cross country meets, it should be stressed that winning and/or setting course records at these meets is NOT a significant factor in considering Millrose Mile contestants, as often the best 5,000m harriers are not top-quality milers. In December, as the 2007-8 indoor season gets underway, it’s “show time” for these “B” List milers to produce a mile performance, on or before January 19, 2008, that ranks them at the top…time-wise…of all scholastic milers in the East. Again, we emphasize that we rely only on One-Mile performances achieved in the ten meets listed on reverse. In this regard, please note that performances made in ‘Intra-State”, non-scholastic, or “Open” meets/events will NOT be considered for a Millrose invitation. These ten Eastern “major interstate meets” (all of which run a MILE, on 200m tracks, 5 banked and 5 flat) in which our leading “B” List candidates will compete, are attended or monitored by our Invitations Directors, or their representatives. Since several of these meets are limited to competitors from immediate bordering states, you must ascertain from each respective Meet Director [Contact] a determination whether your entry will be accepted. We emphasize that winning the Mile (or placing in top 2-3-4) at these designated meets does not ensure an invitation to the Millrose Games—other than the two automatic qualifying meets specified below. For example, winning the Yale Invitational Boys Mile in 4:21.2, while several others have run sub-4:18.5 at any of the earlier 2007-2008 designated Indoor Meets would considerably lessen that individual’s chances of being selected. As is our procedure since 2004, we are selecting two competitors from two major meets as “automatic qualifiers”: The Hispanic Games on January 5th and New Balance Games on January 19th—both conducted at the New York City Armory Track & Field Center. In each of these meets, the winner (ONLY) of the Boys and Girls One Mile events will be automatically selected to participate in the 2008 Millrose Games Invitational H.S. Mile races. Finally, all accepted invitees in the Boys and Girls High School Miles must agree NOT to compete in any scheduled meet after Sunday, January 27th, to ensure being in peak competitive condition. Failure to comply with this provision of the selection process will result in our invitation to compete in the 2008 Millrose Games being immediately withdrawn. LARRY BYRNE JIM SPIER
Boys Invitations Director Girls Invitations Director
401-738-4232 or [email protected] 919-490-5206 or [email protected] 2007-08 Major Eastern High School INDOOR Meets ~ DESIGNATED AS MILLROSE “QUALIFIERS” § Saturday, December 15 ~ 54nd BISHOP LOUGHLIN GAMES. Traditional “Season opener” at NY Armory Track & Field Center, 168th St. & Broadway, NYC ~ 6-lane banked 200m Mondo Track. Contacts: Ed Bowes @ 718-857-2700 ext. 2233 or Mike Botti @ 718-788-0716 § Saturday, December 15 ~ HOWARD COUNTY WINTER TRACK FESTIVAL. Prince Georges County Sports Complex, Landover, MD Top competitors from MD, DC, VA, PA & DE only. 200m flat track utilized for the Nike Indoor Nationals Contact: Norman Belden @ (W) 410-880-5988… (H) 410-992-4429… (C} 410-917-8010 or [email protected] § Thu-Fri, December 27-28 ~ SETON HALL GAMES. Brennan Field House, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ Individual events, including B&G Mile on 12/27. Relays on 12/28. Contact: John Marshall @ 973-761-9561 § Fri-Sat, December 28-29 ~ 26TH BROWN UNIVERSITY INVITATIONAL. Olney-Margolies Fieldhouse, Brown University, Providence, RI. DMR on 12/28…other Varsity running events & B&G Mile on 12/29. (200m flat synthetic track- spikes OK) Contacts: Scott Moncur…[email protected] or Michelle Eisenreich @ 401-863-1838 § Saturday, January 5 ~ 14TH CITIBANK HISPANIC GAMES. NY Armory Track & Field Center. “Automatic Qualifier” 6-lane banked 200m Mondo track. 168th St. & Broadway, NYC Contact: Louie Vasquez @ 212-923-1803 ext. 14 § Fri-Sat, January 11-12 ~ 39th DARTMOUTH RELAYS. Leverone Field House, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Top H.S. competitors from 8 states & Canada (200m flat synthetic- spikes OK) DMR on 1/11… B&G Mile on 1/12 Contacts: Barry Harwick @ 603-646-2540 or [email protected] or www.lancertiming.com § Saturday, January 12~MONTGOMERY INDOOR INVITATIONAL. Prince Georges County Sports Complex, Landover, MD Top competitors from MD, DC, VA, PA, DE only. 200m flat track utilized for the Nike Indoor Nationals.. Contact: Tom Rogers @ (c) 240-476-1720 or (H) 301-770-7292 or Thomas_W_Rogers@mcpsmd.org § Saturday, January 12 ~ ARCHBISHOP MOLLOY-STANNER GAMES. NY Armory Track & Field Center. 6-lane banked 200m Mondo track. 168th St & Broadway, NYC Contact: Joe Dombrowski @ 718-441-2100 (school) or 718-849-8251 (Fax) or [email protected] § Fri-Sat, January 18-19 ~ 26TH YALE TRACK CLASSIC. Coxe Cage, Yale University, New Haven, CT (NEW 200m BANKED synthetic track-spikes OK) Top HS competitors from 8 states. DMR on 1/18. B & G Mile on 1/19. Contact: Dan Ireland (Boys) @ 203-432-1404…or…Mark Young (Girls) @ 203-432-1405 § Saturday, January 19 ~ 13th NEW BALANCE GAMES. NY Armory Track & Field Center. “Automatic Qualifier” 6-lane banked 200m Mondo track. 168th St. & Broadway, NYC. Contact: Louie Vasquez @ 212-923-1803 ext. 14 ** PLEASE NOTE: Saturday, January 19 is the last day performances will be considered for selection for the Invitational Boys and Girls High School Mile Races at the 2008 Millrose Games on Friday, February 1st at Madison Square Garden. QUESTIONS? Contact… LARRY BYRNE JIM SPIER
Boys Invitations Director Girls Invitations Director
401-738-4232 or [email protected] 919-490-5206 or [email protected] “TO RANK WITH ‘EM...YOU’VE GOT TO COMPETE WITH ‘EM”...per Neil Kerr, Editor/NYSSWA | 
