State Advisory Committee minutes
Jan 11, 2001

California State Track & Field and Cross Country Advisory Meeting Un-Official Minutes


Posted by George Varvas on January 11, 2001 at 01:32:31:

Doug Speck normally posts the minutes from the State Advisory Committee meetings. 
However, he has been under the weather and we will miss his expert way of reporting 
all that was discussed at the meeting. I'll try to fill in for Doug!

Present at the meeting were:

Larry Yeghoian - Chair (Assist. Superintendent from Tehachapi U.S.D.
Sheri Ross - CC Championships Event Supervisor (AD at El Toro H.S.)
Dean Crowley - T&F championships Event Supervisor (retired SS commissioner)
Hal Harkness - T&F Meet Director/Rules Interpreter
Dan Reinstein - President, Cal. Track Starter Associat.
Brian Weaver -- State CC Meet Co-Director
Bruce Shimizu - Principal at Andrew Hill H.S. in San Jose
Scott Fairley - T&F and CC coach at West Valley HS (NS)
Andy Leong -- T&F and CC Coach at Lowell H.S. (SF)
Ernest Aguirre - T&F and CC at Bell H.S. )LA)
Jim Eckman - AD at Yreka h.S.
Bob King (T&F and CC coach at Del Campo H.S.
John Tarman - CIF Director of Marketing and State Office Rep
George Varvas - T&F and CC at Woodbridge H.S./ Alliance Rep

After the introductions and approval of the minutes from the Sept. meeting, the discussion centered on the wrap up of the State Cross country Championships:

Sheri Ross summarized the event as being very successful, well organized, and well administered. She commented about the Advisory Committee (Ross, Speck and Fairley) being a positive, productive, professional and knowledgeable group in making the decisions needed prior to the races and that having the committee meet in the hotel setting vs the field was more convenient. It was felt that a back-up starter should be considered in the future meets as well as using a digital vs the regular video at the finish.

Brian Weaver mentioned about having to trim some of the trees due to the crowded races and was happy with how the meet ran (other than the slow results for D I boys).

John Tarman talked about the specific numbers regarding the meet: 201 teams at the starting line (including the partial girls' team from the Northern Section), 51 at-large entries (61 total that met the time standards). He felt that 25% of the teams at the starting line coming from the at-large entries exceeded by far what was expected.

John talked about the great deal of effort and frustration that was involved in trying to remove the "tunnel" from the running course. He felt that this was something that could have been handled with just the efforts of Marty Simpson and Brian Weaver (meet mangers) and did not need the involvement of the CIF Executive Director (Jack Hayes), the CIF legal Council, or the threat to go public across the State. He felt that having coaches "swamp" the Fresno City Hall with phones calls complaining about the liability that the "tunnel" presented was a key in reversing the Recreation Department's stand and paying to have the "tunnel" removed on Thanksgiving Day. Even though the Fresno City brass (new Mayor, etc ) apologized for what transpired before the meet, the State Office would like a much stronger commitment by the City of Fresno for the meet to return there in future years. No other site was mentioned and he did acknowledge (and was reminded by George Varvas) that the State Office is totally aware of the desire from the cross country community that the meet not be moved from Fresno.

John Tarman reported that the meet earned record revenues ($40,416.65 gross) but encountered larger-than-expected expenses ($33.962.40) to give a Net Gain of $6,454.25. He expected that this amount will change as some of the bills have not been received for payment yet.

The next topic of discussion centered on the At-Large procedure. George Varvas reported that he felt (personally) that the At-Large bylaw worked well (especially in its first year) and cited the fact that two at-large teams earned a State Plaque (one finished 2nd and the other 3rd) and that he felt the excitement and enthusiasm of the runners and spectators was better than he has ever remembered.

The discussion then centered on the mechanics of the at-large. Bruce Shimizu wanted to know what would happen if the CCS went to a new course for next year. Brian Weaver also asked how the CS would qualify if it used a new course for next year. Since the CCS is not seriously considering changing the course, the discussion centered on CS. It was suggested that the CS could petition the State to have the Masters' meet be their time-qualifying meet instead of their section finals meet. Bob King pointed out that this gives those teams two chances to make the State meet. It was decided that a committee be formed (Sheri Ross, Bruce Shimizu, Jim Eckman and George Varvas) to develop a procedure to be used in cases that deviate from the expected procedure (less than a three yr course history, not enought data in any one division to establish standards for that division, etc.). This committee will report back with a proposal in the September meeting! The two interpretations applied to last year's at large procedure (less than 3 years on a course and team- scores prevails over team-time) were voted upon favorably by the committee members.

Hal Harkness put forth the motion to adopt faster State standards (based on using the '98, '99, & 2000 10th pl/median) and to reduce the maximun number of teams allowed to enter any one race to 24. Discussion on the motions followed. Hal Harkness felt that the standards were too easy based on the 10th place finish. He felt that it should be like it is in track: the top 1/3. Brian Weaver expressed concern of how crowded the finish line was (especially in D I where the video had to be reviewed a number of times to make sure that the results were accurate. The central section and Scott Farley stated that the SS had disproportionatly too many at-large entries. George Varvas pointed out that the SS had 27 to NCS 21 in number of at-large entries, he stated that the meet was a huge success competitively, it finally had the 200 teams that were originally envisioned by the qualifying formula. Also, he stated that there were no controversies involving any of the race results nor were there any incidents on the course with the runners being interfered. The vote showed all in favor of Hal's motion with George Varvas being the only "no" vote.

A proposal to alter the time schedule and have all the boys race consecutively and all the girls race consecutively brought forth by George Varvas was not seconded and therefore not voted on.

Bob King brought up the point of awards not being enough (especially in the upper divisions). A recommendation was made that the State Office looks into the awards picture of all sports and bring back the information to the September meeting. A suggestion to move the awards to the bottom of the hill (by the results board and away form the finish chute) so that more spectators could witness the awardees was discussed but rejected without a vote as not been practical.

The division alignment was reviewd and it was recommended that this concept be endorsed to the commissioners for the other sports as well. George Varvas asked on behalf of the coaches that the State office ask each Section to report to the state exactly how many teams from each section that participated in the league finals meets (or equivalent) had five or more athletes on the team. This number of teams (the ones that have 5 or more athletes) in each division should be the basis for determining the range of numbers for the 2002 division alignment.

It was reported that Marty Simpson is willing to stay on as meet manager if the meet will be held in Fresno next year. Brian Weaver still insisted that he will not co-manage the meet as of this time.

Track issues discussed included the meet being scheduled for Hughes Stadium for the 2001 season. Dean Crowley, Bob McGuire and Hal Harkness will oversee the administrative part of the meet. A meet manager from the Sacramento area has not been identified yet. Hal Harkness asked that the State Office make a decision real soon on whether the meet should be moved to Cerritos. His rationale included that there might not be enough time to organize the meet for this year in Sacramento since a meet manager has not been found yet.

George Varvas suggested that instead of using the pattern of 2001 in Sac, 2002 in Cerritos, 2003 in Cerriots (NCAA is having their national championships in Sac in 2003 the same week end as the Sate meet) and 2004 and 2005 in Sac, we might want to use the pattern of 2001 in Cerritos, 2002 in Sac and then 2003 in Cerritos and 2004 in Sac. This way the doubling takes place this year (since a meet manager has not been identified in Sac yet) instead of 2003.

John Tarman stated that the SacJoaquin Section is planning for the meet to be in Sac this year and they will do all that is possible to keep it there.

Hal objected that track has to rotate back and forth since the reason for the original rotation (basketball was going to be rotated between the Bay Area (Oakland Coliseum or th Arco Arena) and the Pond in Anaheim but, since it lost so much money at the Pond in Anaheim the plan was scrapped) no longer applies. He mentioned that the Southern Section has put this item for discussion/vote to the Federated Council. He mentioned that track is the only State sport that rotates. None of the other State Championship sports rotate.

The At-large standards for this year's State Track meet were accepted. A proposal for limiting the number of entries from the Southern Section (fearing there would be too many proportionally) was not put to a vote as that fear was eliminated by predictions that the numbers of ahtletes that would possibly meet the State atlarge track standards was going to be very low.

Hal Harkness reported that the uniform rule (a team's uniform must have the school colors incorporated in it) was too difficult to administer and suggested that the Federated Council drop that rule. The vote supported his suggestion.

It was stated that at the State Track meet, coaches' videos are allowed for administrative (not judgement calls) errors such as hurdle heights, bar placement, etc.

The meeting was adjurned and the date for the September meeting was set for Tuesday, September 18, 2001. The place to be determined later.