TSSAA Track

[saywhat?]

If the TSSAA really and truly cared about track, several things would be done differently.

 

1) State meet would be held at Vanderbilt on the Mondo track, the only mondo track in the state of TN.

 

2) The meet would have qualifying and finals, thereby circumventing this process at sectionals. This would ensure that the best truly are the best. Teams would no longer be penalized for existing in stacked sections

 

3) Throwers, field event people, and 3200 runners would get a spot in prime time. Right now, there is a blatant disrespect for these athletes, as their events are shifted to midday, the hottest time of day, consequently the time when the fewest people are there to watch.

 

4) There would be fewer than the 150 paid officials in the infield. To successfully run a track meat, no more than 30 are needed. Timers, starter, check-in guy, hurdle crew, that's it. With fewer officials, the meet would run much faster.

 

5) Frugality would be an increased concern. TSSAA would not spend all their money on buying those shirts and straw hats for officials.

 

6) Admission and parking prices would be lowered to encourage more people to come. $7 for admission and another $5 for parking is rediculous. There are better ways to make money like having a good concession stand.

 

7) The track meet would be held in Nashville, Chattanooga, or Knoxville. Memphis only has one interstate going into the city that people from the rest of the state use to get there. This is I-40. Nashville, Chatanooga, and Knoxville have multiple interstates running into the city that Tennesseans would use (Nashville I-24, I-40; Chattanooga I-24, I-75; Knoxville I-40, I-75). The 12-hour drive from the Tri-Cities area is intolerable because it can be avoided by moving the meet to a different site.

[coasterboardar]

If the TSSAA really and truly cared about track, several things would be done differently.

 

1) State meet would be held at Vanderbilt on the Mondo track, the only mondo track in the state of TN.

 

2) The meet would have qualifying and finals, thereby circumventing this process at sectionals. This would ensure that the best truly are the best. Teams would no longer be penalized for existing in stacked sections

 

3) Throwers, field event people, and 3200 runners would get a spot in prime time. Right now, there is a blatant disrespect for these athletes, as their events are shifted to midday, the hottest time of day, consequently the time when the fewest people are there to watch.

 

4) There would be fewer than the 150 paid officials in the infield. To successfully run a track meat, no more than 30 are needed. Timers, starter, check-in guy, hurdle crew, that's it. With fewer officials, the meet would run much faster.

 

5) Frugality would be an increased concern. TSSAA would not spend all their money on buying those shirts and straw hats for officials.

 

6) Admission and parking prices would be lowered to encourage more people to come. $7 for admission and another $5 for parking is rediculous. There are better ways to make money like having a good concession stand.

 

7) The track meet would be held in Nashville, Chattanooga, or Knoxville. Memphis only has one interstate going into the city that people from the rest of the state use to get there. This is I-40. Nashville, Chatanooga, and Knoxville have multiple interstates running into the city that Tennesseans would use (Nashville I-24, I-40; Chattanooga I-24, I-75; Knoxville I-40, I-75). The 12-hour drive from the Tri-Cities area is intolerable because it can be avoided by moving the meet to a different site.

Seriously, there is so much the TSSAA could do to make the Track State Meet so much better. Why have it in the least central location when a better track is available in the most central location?

[obionathlete]

If the TSSAA really and truly cared about track, several things would be done differently.

 

1) State meet would be held at Vanderbilt on the Mondo track, the only mondo track in the state of TN.

 

2) The meet would have qualifying and finals, thereby circumventing this process at sectionals. This would ensure that the best truly are the best. Teams would no longer be penalized for existing in stacked sections

 

3) Throwers, field event people, and 3200 runners would get a spot in prime time. Right now, there is a blatant disrespect for these athletes, as their events are shifted to midday, the hottest time of day, consequently the time when the fewest people are there to watch.

 

4) There would be fewer than the 150 paid officials in the infield. To successfully run a track meat, no more than 30 are needed. Timers, starter, check-in guy, hurdle crew, that's it. With fewer officials, the meet would run much faster.

 

5) Frugality would be an increased concern. TSSAA would not spend all their money on buying those shirts and straw hats for officials.

 

6) Admission and parking prices would be lowered to encourage more people to come. $7 for admission and another $5 for parking is rediculous. There are better ways to make money like having a good concession stand.

 

7) The track meet would be held in Nashville, Chattanooga, or Knoxville. Memphis only has one interstate going into the city that people from the rest of the state use to get there. This is I-40. Nashville, Chatanooga, and Knoxville have multiple interstates running into the city that Tennesseans would use (Nashville I-24, I-40; Chattanooga I-24, I-75; Knoxville I-40, I-75). The 12-hour drive from the Tri-Cities area is intolerable because it can be avoided by moving the meet to a different site.

Hmmm... it seems as though frugality is nonexistant. Last I heard, the officials got hotels at double occupancy (using tssaa money, collected from charging admission) which is more expensive than the cheaper quadruple and quintuple occupancy that most teams must use. Athletics is about the athlete, right?

[KGP3428]

excellent post, saywhat?

[kpatt2]

excellent post, saywhat?

I concur.

[800trackmom]

The whole concept of "Spring Fling" was birthed in Chattanooga. Spring Fling is now a money making machine for TSSAA. Memphis actually "lost" money on spring fling because of the money that is pledged to TSSAA. Course the city of Memphis sees a lot of money change hands during spring fling so they don't mind that the group that actually puts on spring fling loses money. TSSAA could care less about any of the athletes, it's all about money. The bottom line is that which ever city offers TSSAA the most money wins the right to have "Spring fling". So what if the baseball or softball games are actually played in Mississippi, instead of TN, so what if the heat and humidity are the worst in the state. It's about money. Until someone convinces TSSAA that there are other more important considerations, Spring fling will go to the city who spends the most to buy it.

[saywhat?]

Yes, this year there was an overabundance of officials. At the girls' meet, i counted no fewer than six judges for each exchange zone-- that makes twenty four officials right there. Add in another 6 for the check in area (two would have sufficed) and you've got 30. About another 6 by the starting area and thats 36. About four more patrolling the infield and another four watching the exchanges at the finish line and thats 44 just in the immediate track area. I'm not even counting those who watch the meet from outside the track fence at briarcrest nor am I counting the scoring officials nor the plethora of parking workers nor the "security" officials who made sure nobody walked in front of the FAT. So lets see here, if we assume $15 per TSSAA shirt and $5 for lunch, another $5 for dinner, $50 for each double occupancy hotel room (for the 44 officials there would be a total of 22) the total comes to $2200 per day. There are two meets (one for guys, one for girls) so the total cost for the infield officials at the track meet is $4400. The underestimating here is generous; when was the last time you bought dinner for $5? Besides, what kind of daily wages would the said officials receive? The admission was $6 (not 7 this year), so it takes 367 spectators just to pay for the infield officials. Think about it this way: successful meets have been run with about half that many officials. If TSSAA did this at state, they could cut admission in half and receive the same return. Besides, this year the TSSAA shirts this year were different from those used last year. These expenses are recurring for no reason.

[track800ehs]

If the TSSAA really and truly cared about track, several things would be done differently.

 

1) State meet would be held at Vanderbilt on the Mondo track, the only mondo track in the state of TN.

 

2) The meet would have qualifying and finals, thereby circumventing this process at sectionals. This would ensure that the best truly are the best. Teams would no longer be penalized for existing in stacked sections

 

3) Throwers, field event people, and 3200 runners would get a spot in prime time. Right now, there is a blatant disrespect for these athletes, as their events are shifted to midday, the hottest time of day, consequently the time when the fewest people are there to watch.

 

4) There would be fewer than the 150 paid officials in the infield. To successfully run a track meat, no more than 30 are needed. Timers, starter, check-in guy, hurdle crew, that's it. With fewer officials, the meet would run much faster.

 

5) Frugality would be an increased concern. TSSAA would not spend all their money on buying those shirts and straw hats for officials.

 

6) Admission and parking prices would be lowered to encourage more people to come. $7 for admission and another $5 for parking is rediculous. There are better ways to make money like having a good concession stand.

 

7) The track meet would be held in Nashville, Chattanooga, or Knoxville. Memphis only has one interstate going into the city that people from the rest of the state use to get there. This is I-40. Nashville, Chatanooga, and Knoxville have multiple interstates running into the city that Tennesseans would use (Nashville I-24, I-40; Chattanooga I-24, I-75; Knoxville I-40, I-75). The 12-hour drive from the Tri-Cities area is intolerable because it can be avoided by moving the meet to a different site.

Seriously, there is so much the TSSAA could do to make the Track State Meet so much better. Why have it in the least central location when a better track is available in the most central location?

well sir, i am all for getting it in Nashville, but then FRA and Lipscomb might have a little "homefield" advantage.

 

just a thought??

[coasterboarder]

If the TSSAA really and truly cared about track, several things would be done differently.

 

1) State meet would be held at Vanderbilt on the Mondo track, the only mondo track in the state of TN.

 

2) The meet would have qualifying and finals, thereby circumventing this process at sectionals. This would ensure that the best truly are the best. Teams would no longer be penalized for existing in stacked sections

 

3) Throwers, field event people, and 3200 runners would get a spot in prime time. Right now, there is a blatant disrespect for these athletes, as their events are shifted to midday, the hottest time of day, consequently the time when the fewest people are there to watch.

 

4) There would be fewer than the 150 paid officials in the infield. To successfully run a track meat, no more than 30 are needed. Timers, starter, check-in guy, hurdle crew, that's it. With fewer officials, the meet would run much faster.

 

5) Frugality would be an increased concern. TSSAA would not spend all their money on buying those shirts and straw hats for officials.

 

6) Admission and parking prices would be lowered to encourage more people to come. $7 for admission and another $5 for parking is rediculous. There are better ways to make money like having a good concession stand.

 

7) The track meet would be held in Nashville, Chattanooga, or Knoxville. Memphis only has one interstate going into the city that people from the rest of the state use to get there. This is I-40. Nashville, Chatanooga, and Knoxville have multiple interstates running into the city that Tennesseans would use (Nashville I-24, I-40; Chattanooga I-24, I-75; Knoxville I-40, I-75). The 12-hour drive from the Tri-Cities area is intolerable because it can be avoided by moving the meet to a different site.

Seriously, there is so much the TSSAA could do to make the Track State Meet so much better. Why have it in the least central location when a better track is available in the most central location?

well sir, i am all for getting it in Nashville, but then FRA and Lipscomb might have a little "homefield" advantage.

 

just a thought??

Yea, I guess we should have the meet somewhere where there are no highschools within a 50 mile radius, thus eliminating "home-field advantage", lets say.....North Dakota....?

[Guest kenwoodrun]

Forget that, I propose we move the Tennessee state meet to Daytona. Or Eugene, OR would be cool if we wanted to stay true to the spirit of track.

[saywhat?]

If the TSSAA really and truly cared about track, several things would be done differently.

 

1) State meet would be held at Vanderbilt on the Mondo track, the only mondo track in the state of TN.

 

2) The meet would have qualifying and finals, thereby circumventing this process at sectionals. This would ensure that the best truly are the best. Teams would no longer be penalized for existing in stacked sections

 

3) Throwers, field event people, and 3200 runners would get a spot in prime time. Right now, there is a blatant disrespect for these athletes, as their events are shifted to midday, the hottest time of day, consequently the time when the fewest people are there to watch.

 

4) There would be fewer than the 150 paid officials in the infield. To successfully run a track meat, no more than 30 are needed. Timers, starter, check-in guy, hurdle crew, that's it. With fewer officials, the meet would run much faster.

 

5) Frugality would be an increased concern. TSSAA would not spend all their money on buying those shirts and straw hats for officials.

 

6) Admission and parking prices would be lowered to encourage more people to come. $7 for admission and another $5 for parking is rediculous. There are better ways to make money like having a good concession stand.

 

7) The track meet would be held in Nashville, Chattanooga, or Knoxville. Memphis only has one interstate going into the city that people from the rest of the state use to get there. This is I-40. Nashville, Chatanooga, and Knoxville have multiple interstates running into the city that Tennesseans would use (Nashville I-24, I-40; Chattanooga I-24, I-75; Knoxville I-40, I-75). The 12-hour drive from the Tri-Cities area is intolerable because it can be avoided by moving the meet to a different site.

Seriously, there is so much the TSSAA could do to make the Track State Meet so much better. Why have it in the least central location when a better track is available in the most central location?

well sir, i am all for getting it in Nashville, but then FRA and Lipscomb might have a little "homefield" advantage.

 

just a thought??

Yea, I guess we should have the meet somewhere where there are no highschools within a 50 mile radius, thus eliminating "home-field advantage", lets say.....North Dakota....?

It seems like the TSSAA beat you to the idea of moving TN championships to other states. But that was only with softball. We're talking about track here. He||, why don't we move the track championships to the spot where the spoet originated: Athens, Greece. Then we'd be real true to the roots of the sport.

[obionathlete]

If the TSSAA really and truly cared about track, several things would be done differently.

 

1) State meet would be held at Vanderbilt on the Mondo track, the only mondo track in the state of TN.

 

2) The meet would have qualifying and finals, thereby circumventing this process at sectionals. This would ensure that the best truly are the best. Teams would no longer be penalized for existing in stacked sections

 

3) Throwers, field event people, and 3200 runners would get a spot in prime time. Right now, there is a blatant disrespect for these athletes, as their events are shifted to midday, the hottest time of day, consequently the time when the fewest people are there to watch.

 

4) There would be fewer than the 150 paid officials in the infield. To successfully run a track meat, no more than 30 are needed. Timers, starter, check-in guy, hurdle crew, that's it. With fewer officials, the meet would run much faster.

 

5) Frugality would be an increased concern. TSSAA would not spend all their money on buying those shirts and straw hats for officials.

 

6) Admission and parking prices would be lowered to encourage more people to come. $7 for admission and another $5 for parking is rediculous. There are better ways to make money like having a good concession stand.

 

7) The track meet would be held in Nashville, Chattanooga, or Knoxville. Memphis only has one interstate going into the city that people from the rest of the state use to get there. This is I-40. Nashville, Chatanooga, and Knoxville have multiple interstates running into the city that Tennesseans would use (Nashville I-24, I-40; Chattanooga I-24, I-75; Knoxville I-40, I-75). The 12-hour drive from the Tri-Cities area is intolerable because it can be avoided by moving the meet to a different site.

Seriously, there is so much the TSSAA could do to make the Track State Meet so much better. Why have it in the least central location when a better track is available in the most central location?

well sir, i am all for getting it in Nashville, but then FRA and Lipscomb might have a little "homefield" advantage.

 

just a thought??

Yea, I guess we should have the meet somewhere where there are no highschools within a 50 mile radius, thus eliminating "home-field advantage", lets say.....North Dakota....?

It seems like the TSSAA beat you to the idea of moving TN championships to other states. But that was only with softball. We're talking about track here. He||, why don't we move the track championships to the spot where the spoet originated: Athens, Greece. Then we'd be real true to the roots of the sport.

I concur.