Middle School Track and Field

[squimp]

It is feasible at most track meets here to do the 100, 200, 400 and a relay. My kiddo did that regularly (although the 400 is one of the hardest races and not her fave). The mile is not considered a sprint, nor is the 800. Sprinters are often good at long jump, so I would sign them up for that as well. If they think they want to try a distance, have them run one but skip the 200 or 400.

Here kids sign up but ultimately the coaches approve. I would think with the coaches only allowing 3 kids per event (yikes) that would mean they would have a big say in who is doing what. Soon within the season here, they break the kids into groups (jumpers, throwers, sprinters, distance) for most of practice, and they focus on those events. There was not a lot of crossover - same kids running 100m and 1500m - it's just a very different skill set. But in middle school it's good to try different things if you haven't run track before, you figure out where you have potential, much faster than any other sport IMO.

[khm]

Where I am, they kind of initially had the kids run practice competitions for distance and for sprint events. Some kids' minds really *think* they are geared for one over the other, but their body says differently.

They had kids give a go at the hurdles. They seemed to want the dancers/gymnasts especially, which drives the dance teachers insane. My dancer daughter tried it until she fell and never tried it again.

The field event kids seem to know if they want to do field events. (My kids did not, so I don't much know how that played out.)

Pole vaulting is no longer an event at all in my state for middle or high schoolers. Club teams apparently do it, but no school teams.

[elbenn]

Now I have a new question: Has anyone had a track program that took 3 kids per event but didn't necessarily take the fastest 3 kids? I am so puzzled by the track program. DS1 is getting to run events but there is one event that he easily qualifies for that they have never chosen him to run. They have had kids that run 5-7 seconds slower than him run the event. He is running other events but has not reached the maximum number of events. It has nothing to do with the timing of events since this event is right in the middle of the track meet and his other events are at the beginning and end of the meet.

BTW, there are plenty of other kids that have qualified by being in the top 3 for events and don't get chosen either. The kids that don't qualify but that are chosen for events are not being chosen just to give them a chance to participate in a track meet as they almost always have the max number of events (they either have qualified for other events and then are given an event that they didn't qualify for or they do field events and then are given a running event). Just wondering if anyone else has had their track programs run this way.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Perhaps the coach is simply being fair and not all about winning. I greatly appreciate that! Especially for junior high kids! How can they improve if they’re never able to compete? I don’t see a problem. My kids are swimmers. I’ve seen the work that goes into creating the line up so the team has a chance to win but also lets everyone participate.


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[elbenn]

Perhaps the coach is simply being fair and not all about winning. I greatly appreciate that! Especially for junior high kids! How can they improve if they’re never able to compete? I don’t see a problem. My kids are swimmers. I’ve seen the work that goes into creating the line up so the team has a chance to win but also lets everyone participate.


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If that was the case, that would be understandable. But as my post says, the kids that are getting events they are not qualifying for are typically in more events than most of the other kids. I understand that the coach may think that those kids need to get some experience in other events but there are kids qualifying for those events that are not getting the experience of running those events either. I would understand if the coach was rotating kids around so one week the kids that qualify get the event and the next they let others run them but there are kids that have qualified for events and have never run those events in even one meet yet. I just find the whole way they are choosing puzzling and am wondering if this is typical.

ETA: The coaches (there are 3 of them) are definitely not all about winning. None of the coaches seem that interested in the track program. I don't care whether the school wins the meets or not--I am just wondering how most track programs pick their participants for the events.

[chlobo]

If that was the case, that would be understandable. But as my post says, the kids that are getting events they are not qualifying for are typically in more events than most of the other kids. I understand that the coach may think that those kids need to get some experience in other events but there are kids qualifying for those events that are not getting the experience of running those events either. I would understand if the coach was rotating kids around so one week the kids that qualify get the event and the next they let others run them but there are kids that have qualified for events and have never run those events in even one meet yet. I just find the whole way they are choosing puzzling and am wondering if this is typical.

ETA: The coaches (there are 3 of them) are definitely not all about winning. None of the coaches seem that interested in the track program. I don't care whether the school wins the meets or not--I am just wondering how most track programs pick their participants for the events.

Could you just ask the coaches what their philosophy is with respect to entering kids in events?

[mom2binsd]

I think it's really hard to comment on your program, I know so many Jr high programs are no cut teams and the coaches do their best to spread out who goes in what event, while still being competitive.

I would honestly ask the coaches if it is really bothering you or your child. Or ask another parent how it all works. Have they had many meets yet/ (I'm assuming you are somewhere in the southern part of the US and we are far from track season here). It may make more sense after the first meet or so.

[elbenn]

Could you just ask the coaches what their philosophy is with respect to entering kids in events?

I did ask and they said they take the 3 fastest runners in each event but they definitely don't do that and when questioned, they just say they will re-time the events for the next time. There have been 3 meets and they have done the same thing each time. I don't really want to complain though-I just am trying to understand if it's common for a track program to do this instead of give the spots to the kids with the fastest times.

[squimp]

In our middle school program, there would be 15 or more girls running in the 100 from our school. We didn't have the top three or even anything close to that. No cut - if you want to run, you run. The only event that was limited was the final state championship, which is based on time qualifiers. So our track program sounds really different from your program.

Can you talk to parents of older kids at the meets? They might have a better handle on how your school's program works.

Also, this would be a good opportunity for the child to self advocate. I almost never talk to my kid's coaches about playing time or positions or anything. They have always encouraged her to speak with them directly.