Mixed reviews for new state qualifying standards
The Daily Inter Lake
The new interim qualifying standards for Class AA track and field took effect for the first time on Friday for Flathead and Glacier.
The two-year experiment changes the format for how athletes can qualify for the state championship meet. Prior to this season, the only way athletes could earn a spot at state was to place within the top five spots at the divisional track meet. Although this rule still applies, now competitors can get an automatic bid at any meet throughout the season where a photofinish timing system like Accutrak or FinishLynx is used. The qualifying times and distances were determined by averaging the top marks from previous years.
Implementing a new qualification system in Montana has been discussed for years, with nothing being done until last June when the 14 Class AA schools voted to give it a try.
"I've wanted this for over 20 years," Billings Senior track coach Dennis Johnson said in an Associated Press story earlier this week.
"We need to get more kids to the state meet and more kids to have an opportunity."
Great Falls CMR head track coach Scott Hartman said he is in favor of the qualifying standards as well.
"Obviously this year, when we have some talent, I love it," he said at Friday's track meet in Kalispell.
Several coaches have voiced their support, but Flathead boys head coach Dan Hodge still has his reservations.
"I think we're kind of going backwards," said Hodge, who has coached track for 37 years at Flathead. In that time, Flathead has won 21 state championships for the boys and girls.
"I have always voted against it," said Hodge.
"If they want to use qualifying standards, use them to get kids to divisionals. Keep the state championship meet for the 10 finest Class AA athletes and let them go head to head there."
In previous years, there has been one definitive race for an event like the 100-meter dash. Now, depending on how many athletes qualify, there will be a number of races to whittle down the field to 10 final racers.
In effect, this waters down the competition, Hodge said.
"We've always just run a pure championship state track meet. Now we have to run trials to the finals," Hodge said.
"If you can't qualify at divisionals, what right do you have at state? That's my argument."
Athletes are still required to be entered in their qualified event at divisionals, but whether or not competitors will 'sandbag" the event remains to be seen, Hodge said.
"It may work. I'm just being the devil's advocate," he said. "The positive side is, that's what they're doing, and we're working with it."
Arron Deck, the head coach for the Glacier boys track and field team, said a few concerned questions may be out there regarding the experimental system, but that Glacier is going forward with the standards in mind.
"We'll play it out and see," he said. "If we place (at divisionals' then that's good, and if we qualify that's even better."
Class AA Track
Qualifying Standards
Competitors who surpass marks have an automatic berth to the state meet in Kalispell beginning May 29.
Boys
100 - :11.3 seconds
200 - :22.8
400 - :51.2
800 - 2:02
1,600 - 4:32
3,200 - 9:59
110 hurdles - :15.5
300 hurdles - :40.4
Shot put - 49'
Discus - 148'
Javelin - 173'
High jump - 6-2"
Long jump - 20-6"
Triple jump - 42'
Pole Vault - 13'
400 relay - 43.8
1,600 relay - 3:30
Girls
100 - :13
200 - :26.5
400 - :59.6
800 - 2:24
1,600 - 5:30
3,200 - 12:16
100 hurdles - :16.4
300 hurdles - :47.5
Shot put - 35'
Discus - 113'
Javelin - 118'
High jump - 5'
Long jump - 16-6"
Triple jump - 34-6"
Pole vault - 10'
400 relay - 50:6
1,600 relay - 4:09