Lack of coverage

[ebbybm]

Why is there so little coverage for track and field? It is pretty sad. I remember in middle tn when track and field used to be big but now most sites and newspapers give it no coverage. These athletes deserve coverage as well. Each school should have a contact person who can provide the stats of each meet for its school. Just a little ditty.

[TennesseeRunner.com]

Why is there so little coverage for track and field? It is pretty sad. I remember in middle tn when track and field used to be big but now most sites and newspapers give it no coverage. These athletes deserve coverage as well. Each school should have a contact person who can provide the stats of each meet for its school. Just a little ditty.

 

 

Our local paper does not provide much coverage at all. We have had a few really good writers that would come cover the meets but they are just that "good" and then get picked up by bigger and better papers.

 

I will say that many of the papers will print something if you write it up and email it to them. Also Have you been to some of the meets around the state? I got results from a meet last year and was told that it was F.A.T. and they had 9 national records in this one meet (not really). Poor meet management is not an excuse for no coverage. I wish I had a solution for this but not sure what it is.

 

With that said, This is an open invitation/cry for help, please email me any and all meet results. I will post just about anything that is Track & Field, cross-country, or road race related. I am also willing to share information with other news outlets.

 

Good luck to everyone this season.

Jasen Parks

TennesseeRunner.com

[CoachT]

Why is there so little coverage for track and field? It is pretty sad. I remember in middle tn when track and field used to be big but now most sites and newspapers give it no coverage. These athletes deserve coverage as well. Each school should have a contact person who can provide the stats of each meet for its school. Just a little ditty.

 

You can also post results right here.

[TennesseeRunner.com]

You can also post results right here.

 

 

 

How do I go about adding a story to your front page RSS feed?

[CoachT]

How do I go about adding a story to your front page RSS feed?

 

Email me the link. coacht@coacht.com

 

Every article on this site is added manually.

[TennesseeRunner.com]

Email me the link. coacht@coacht.com

 

Every article on this site is added manually.

 

 

Thank you, I will try not to send every little thing but as I get better at writing or a really big meet's coverage I will pass it along.

 

That is a lot of work. Have you thought of a "Digg" type submission system then you just approve?

 

Thanks again

Jasen

[sportsdirector4422]

best way to get coverage is have your school paper or sports information director send in a story every meet, til they get tired of getting them.works well for papers.they are not staffed to cover many sports with all the cut backs.

[DB02]

Why is there so little coverage for track and field? It is pretty sad. I remember in middle tn when track and field used to be big but now most sites and newspapers give it no coverage. These athletes deserve coverage as well. Each school should have a contact person who can provide the stats of each meet for its school. Just a little ditty.

 

Track/Field is new to our school (2nd year). As a parent of a kid who has played the major sports (Football/basketball) forever, I can offer my opinion as to why coverage is weak. Events are just too darn long, and primarly boring for long stretches of time. Just last week at the Cleveland meet, the events started at 4 and were barely over until almost 8. Four hours? It's just ridiculous. Keep in mind I'm new to track, but who wants to cover events that last that long? My take? Reduce the number of events, or start the track events at the same time the field events are occurring. Yea, I know some kids do both, but I've never seen too many Shot Put guys running the 100! Track does get little coverage, but the sport does absolutely nothing to make it exciting. You guys that run and organize the events are appreciated (without you, nothing happens), but surely some different type of format could make it more exciting for all, and possibility get more local paper coverage. Maybe the TSSAA mandates the format, I really don't kow, but I'll remember what I was told at my 1st meet last year by a parent "if you ever are told you have only 1 day to live, go to a track meet, and it will be the longest day of your life". I love running, and have run in over 100+ road races and marathons in my life, but something is just not right with Track/Field right now at the High School level. Remember, just my opinion!

[Wareag1e]

Track/Field is new to our school (2nd year). As a parent of a kid who has played the major sports (Football/basketball) forever, I can offer my opinion as to why coverage is weak. Events are just too darn long, and primarly boring for long stretches of time. Just last week at the Cleveland meet, the events started at 4 and were barely over until almost 8. Four hours? It's just ridiculous. Keep in mind I'm new to track, but who wants to cover events that last that long? My take? Reduce the number of events, or start the track events at the same time the field events are occurring. Yea, I know some kids do both, but I've never seen too many Shot Put guys running the 100! Track does get little coverage, but the sport does absolutely nothing to make it exciting. You guys that run and organize the events are appreciated (without you, nothing happens), but surely some different type of format could make it more exciting for all, and possibility get more local paper coverage. Maybe the TSSAA mandates the format, I really don't kow, but I'll remember what I was told at my 1st meet last year by a parent "if you ever are told you have only 1 day to live, go to a track meet, and it will be the longest day of your life". I love running, and have run in over 100+ road races and marathons in my life, but something is just not right with Track/Field right now at the High School level. Remember, just my opinion!

 

In the past 5-6 years there have been a number of track and field athletes that have come from TN that have represented the state very well on the National level while in HS and just as well as they have gone off to college. In just the last couple years the National Champion in cross country and the best female hurdler in the country have called TN home. I would say that Track and Field in the state of TN is very healthy. With all the success we've been having recently, I'd say that we don't need to change a thing. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure any of the "major" sports have had success on the national level anywhere near what the runners in this state have. Just my opinion!

[DB02]

In the past 5-6 years there have been a number of track and field athletes that have come from TN that have represented the state very well on the National level while in HS and just as well as they have gone off to college. In just the last couple years the National Champion in cross country and the best female hurdler in the country have called TN home. I would say that Track and Field in the state of TN is very healthy. With all the success we've been having recently, I'd say that we don't need to change a thing. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure any of the "major" sports have had success on the national level anywhere near what the runners in this state have. Just my opinion!

 

My point was not that TN, or Chattanooga area in general did not have excellent runners. The topic of the discussion was why Track/Field did not get very good coverage, especially in papers. It may be healthy, and probably is, but there is always room for improvement.

[Coniglio]

You can't just cut out events in a track meet. That makes track too one sided. There are ways to improve meets efficiency and that is where the focus should be kept. But the other problem with that is that the kids that have to do 3-4 events are pressed for some rest.

 

4 hours for a meet is actually pretty reasonable. You haven't been to Bradley Central yet. (no knock on them)

 

A basketball night can start at 3:30 and go all the way until around 9 at night with 2 girls games and 2 guys games. And we serve hamburgers. /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

[CoachT]

Thank you, I will try not to send every little thing but as I get better at writing or a really big meet's coverage I will pass it along.

 

That is a lot of work. Have you thought of a "Digg" type submission system then you just approve?

 

Thanks again

Jasen

 

It is a lot of work but it is the best way.