Heard Around the Track

 

 

November, 2000
By DyeStatPA
 

According to PIAA Assistant Executive Director Melissa Nash, Pennsylvania runners are free to participate in the Footlocker Northeast Regional Cross Country Championships as "unattached" athletes, NO MATTER WHAT GRADE THEY ARE in high school. The news should be welcome to those 9th, 10th, and 11th graders who want to test themselves against other runners from the Northeast US, and if they qualify for the Footlocker Championships, against the best in the country.

What has apparently often been misinterpreted is Article VIII, Section 3 of the PIAA By-Laws, which has restrictions against non-senior athletes who participate in national championship events. 

But according to Nash, because the Footlocker cross country event is out-of-season and accepts all runners, any athlete is free to participate. But there are some restrictions according to the PIAA official. "Athletes cannot represent their high school, which means they cannot use school equipment, or wear the school uniform." Nash also says that the athletes should not use high school performances or their reputation to qualify for the meet when they send in their entry. 

But that's not a problem according to Footlocker Northeast Regional Meet Director Phil Zodda. "This meet is run under the rules of the USATF, and is not affiliated in any way with the governing body of high school sports, the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS). 

Basically, it is not an official event of a high school sports group." What's more, according to Zodda, there is no official race time required on the entry form, runners can place themselves in any race they wish. He and his staff may suggest an athlete move from the "seeded" race to another race or vise versa, if they know of that athlete's performance level on a "known" cross county course, such as Lehigh, Penn State, Belmont Plateau, Bucknell, Van Cortlandt, Hershey, etc. 

The point is to have the runners with a shot at qualifying for the Footlocker Championships run in the seeded race. Because it is not a high school federation meet, Zodda says that individuals do not officially run for their team, or any team or high school. Basically, everyone runs unattached. There is no school team scoring, and individuals can wear whatever uniform they wish."  So there you have it, PA. Run And show the rest of the Northeast and US that they have gotten off easy in the past. One additional note: This story deals only with the Foot Locker CC Championships, not other championship events in Track & Field, or any other sport. We'll save that for another time.