Midweek track sectionals would be a big false start
When it comes to decent proposals from the IHSA, the idea of changing the schedules of boys and girls track and field sectionals isn't one of them.
What not only concerned but shocked Palatine boys coach John Nalley, a member of the IHSA Track and Field advisory committee, at a September meeting was his was one of only two no votes about moving the sectionals to Wednesdays. Six members voted for the proposal and one abstained.
There are still other IHSA committees to go through before this would be finalized - the next being the Athletic Administrators Advisory Committee on Wednesday.
"We were kind of surprised," said Palatine girls coach Steve Currins. "We heard rumblings last year from some officials, but I think they're doing this for all the wrong reasons."
Currins, Nalley and Fremd boys coach Jim Aikens said they haven't run across many coaches who like the proposed move of sectionals from Fridays or Saturdays.
The biggest issue is trying to find enough officials to run the sectional meets. Particularly on the weekend where the boys runs up against the girls state meet, which is now three classes and three days.
According to an e-mail sent out by the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association, last year the IHSA needed 108 officials to have three at each girls sectional and only 123 made themselves available to work. Eight girls and seven boys sectionals did not have an assistant starter.
Currins thinks the sectionals would run fine with two officials - a meet referee and starter. He also said the pay from the IHSA for a five-to-six hour meet - which last year was $84 for a meet referee and starter and $68.25 for an assistant starter - doesn't compare to other regular-season big meets.
Nalley said the officials are out there. But a few years ago the IHSA took over assigning them to sectionals because some had "unusual" amounts of qualifiers heading to the state meet.
But it also took away some of the officials who used to work meets near their hometowns and don't want to go, for example, from Palatine to Waukegan.
The other issue cropped up last year when 23 girls sectionals were run on Saturday because of bad weather. If the meets had to be moved to Monday, the IHSA wouldn't have been able to have programs ready for the Thursday session of the state meet.
The IHSA state programs are first-class productions, but not having one for the first day of state is no reason to move the sectionals.
Not when you have issues such as sectionals ending as late as 11 p.m. and some travel issues in the three-class format. Class 3A schools in the St. Louis area had to travel 200-plus miles to Moline for a boys sectional.
At that time of year, students have advanced placement testing, and in some parts of the state, final exams. Coaches also wonder if they would be able to get enough workers for midweek sectionals with school the next day.
It would also have a domino effect - would conferences then move their meets to the middle of the week? Then what would happen to meets to end the regular season such as the big boys event in Lisle named after Nalley's dad Carlin.
If the proposal did pass, hosts would have the option this year of running sectionals Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. But the following year it would be Wednesday with a Thursday rain date.
"It's a very, very poor move for kids, educationally and academically," Currins said. "I'd be shocked if it passes."
Here's hoping it doesn't.
mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com