http://www.nationalscholastic.org/ en gayle.rich@carpedrm.com Copyright 2008 2008-09-04T20:39:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/mikemusings/article/glad_to_be_of_service http://www.nationalscholastic.org/mikemusings/article/glad_to_be_of_service#When:13:27:00Z By Mike Byrnes Much has been written in this space about the many athletes that have competed in the meets now sponsored by Nike and administered by the National Scholastic Sports Foundation, the Nike Indoor/Outdoor Nationals. Both meets are considered the unofficial national championships for high school track and field. (Ed. Note: There are no official national championships in any sport due to the reluctance of the National High School Federation to create such events. It is their position that to do so would result in a drastic over-emphasis on one segment of the high school extra-curriculum program.) Thus, no event may call itself a "National High School...," since that phrase has been copyrighted by the National Federation. In 1984, the meet now known as the Nike Indoor Nationals was created under the name, The Pathmark Classic. It was an idea whose time had come. Within a few years, participation had grown National in scope, peaking in the mid-90's when athletes representing all 50 states took part. Today the usual number of states participating averages in the mid-40's. But, the NSSF has a far wider range of programs that benefit the Nation's youngsters. For many years, the NSSF provided funding for young elite athletes to compete in major athletic competitions. One of the earliest was a sensational indoor hurdle competition at the Simplot Games. The foundation, in conjunction with USATF cooperated to fund four of the Nation's finest female hurdlers to come together and race over the 55m hurdles at the famed Simplot Games. This marked the first time, other than the Pathmark meet, that a group of athletes received financial support to travel and compete. For most outstanding athletes, the competition they find locally is far below the level necessary for them to significantly improve. It is generally agreed that an athlete with Olympic potential will fare far better with a background of solid competitive opportunities. But, until the inception of the NSSF, they rarely got such a chance. The Golden West meet was the first to offer a shot at National-level competition. Many of our country's Olympians benefited from that meet. Unfortunately, no funding was available and too many kids simply couldn't afford to go. Another meet, the International Prep Invitational, better known as the Keebler meet, also gave kids a chance to go up against the best, but it was by invitation only and thus very few athletes took part. When the sponsor, Keebler, was purchased, the meet was dropped. Then, then the NSSF stepped in. It was the goal of the organization to foster success in track and field at the international level. An ambitious goal for an unknown organization with no staff, no offices and no money! In 1992 we funded our first athlete, Melody Fairchild, to the USATF (TAC) World Junior Cross Country championships. She made the team and finished third, the highest finish ever for an athlete representing this country. Since that time, the NSSF has funded literally hundreds of young Americans to countless competitions. With the completion of the 2008 Olympics just a few days ago I stepped back and looked at the medal winners from the USA. Of the twenty-three medalists, no less than 14 competed in one, or both, NIKE championships. Now that's a pretty good percentage and we're quite proud of how we've helped. But the NSSF has assisted our Elite youngsters, including the great many that, for one reason or another, never rose to Olympian heights. Several years ago we instituted the Select Meet program. This endeavor selects top quality meets throughout the nation and provides Elite athletes a travel/housing grant to enable them to find the top-quality competition they need to advance their careers. Virtually EVERY medal winner was provided support to at least one such competition. How does this help an athlete? First, very few could afford to travel to such a meet. Having an Elite athlete within one's household, whatever the sport, requires a constant flow of money. Shoes, implements, clothing, books, films, at time, coaching and the largest nut, travel and housing, all at the expense of the parent. If you watched the OG's you saw how the Chinese solved this problem, they virtually "adopt" any/every youngster who appears to have outstanding potential. The child is removed from his/her home and goes to live at one of the many national training centers. Here they receive top quality coaching, room and board along with numerous competitive opportunities. They see their parents and siblings but rarely. The cost? To the state, little; to the kids and their parents, everything. In China there is the state; in the United States there is the National Scholastic Sports Foundation. Lashawn Merritt credits the NSSF with doing a great deal to assist in his quest for the gold medal. "I could never have gone to the meets they sent me to," he explained to Larry Rubama, sports journalist for a Norfolk newspaper. "Because of them I had a chance to go up against the best and I realized I was as good as anybody," he continued. Those same sentiments could be credited to several others on the medal list. But remember, in this article only Olympic medal winners are being mentioned. In a prior piece I mentioned the huge number of Olympic team members who have been helped along the way by the NSSF. The nation's finest two meets, the NIKE Indoor/Outdoor Nationals are NSSF events. But make no mistake; both had to survive many years of financial struggle prior to gaining sponsorship from NIKE. An athlete competing in the NIKE outdoor meets receives a terrific bag, before NIKE they got a coffee cup! That was all we could afford then. But it was a major step up from the plastic water bottle they got the year before. Every year forty of the nation's Elite, twenty from each sex, are provided support to the USATF National Junior championships. It is only at this meet an athlete can qualify for international track and field competition. Our travel/housing grant makes it possible for these athletes to attend, hopefully qualify for the US team and thus take a step closer to the World Championships and/or the Olympic Games. It's no wonder that TRACK & FIELD NEWS stated that the NSSF was the single most important entity involved with the sport. But I'm not finished! Several years ago we conceived of the CARIBBEAN SCHOLASTIC INVITATIONAL. A team of about thirty athletes is chosen to compete against their counterparts from throughout the Caribbean. It's another competitive chance for the future international stars to advance their careers. At both NIKE meets there are several clinics for these aspiring Olympians to be taught skills from some of the best coaches in the country. Hundreds of our young people take advantage of these learning experiences along with their coaches. Due to the exposure competitors in NSSF-sponsored/administered events, hundreds of scholarships are awarded to colleges and universities in the United States. Unfortunately, too many of these are awarded to foreign youngsters who take advantage of the superior facilities and coaching offered them and then goes home and wins Olympic medals for their home country. More on that another time. Through the efforts of the NSSF, primarily by Jim Spier, the Top Five in every event are highlighted on our, and other, websites. Every interested athlete can find out what they have to do to advance to Elite status. I can vividly recall in my early days of coaching, painstakingly finding the leading performances in our local league, region, county and state. These lists were posted and team members could see what they had to do to "make the list." Of course, the highest list a kid could aspire to was that of TRACK & FIELD NEWS. It took quite a few years but eventually the athletes from Wantagh High School could see their names among the nation's best. They can still do so but due to the efforts of Jim Spier and John Dye, the list is far timelier and everyone has access. All of the aforementioned programs, competitions, services, etc. are a part of what the NSSF does for the hundreds of thousands of youngsters who compete in high school track and field. And we're glad to be of service! 2008-09-03T13:27:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/trackmedic/article/runners_brain_cnn_segment http://www.nationalscholastic.org/trackmedic/article/runners_brain_cnn_segment#When:21:13:00Z NSSF Team physician, Dr. Amadeus Mason, recently appeared on CNN with Dr. Sanjay Gupta discussing whether training your brain is just as important as training your body when running. Dr. Mason practices in Georgia, has been the team physician for USA National teams and, we are fortunate to have him on our NSSF Medical staff. Runner's Brain 2008-08-22T21:13:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/trackademics/article/first_impressions http://www.nationalscholastic.org/trackademics/article/first_impressions#When:00:26:00Z Making a good first impression at school - 27 strategies to help you shape the way people think about you, by David Mitchell, NSSF meets announcer, educator, coach and school counselor. FirstImpressions.pdf 2008-08-21T00:26:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/trackmedic/article/core_principles http://www.nationalscholastic.org/trackmedic/article/core_principles#When:22:21:00Z By Claudia Terlizzi Chapel Muscular Therapy Center asksparky@iamachampion.net The core is more than the physical center of the body. It is a complex system of musculature of the trunk that includes the diaphragm, abdominals, the pelvic floor, the muscles of the back and the hips. The power and suppleness of the core is at the center of athleticism. An athlete with a strong core displays agility, proprioceptive awareness, endurance and flexibility. Core strength is involved in practically every sport but is often under-trained. This is most likely due to core-strength training at the wrong phase of the training program. The best time to train the core is off-season and pre-season, preparing the body’s overall strength and fitness. Core exercises are great for warming up and cooling down the body’s temperature. Core work can be incorporated within the general work out although it is important to remember not to fatigue the musculature of the midsection if an intense work out is to follow. Preventing injury to these muscles is somewhat involved as it requires not only strengthening but also good breathing technique, body mechanics, hydration, excellent nutrition and rest. Understanding the requirements and following through with training, demands discipline, personal responsibility, and accountability. These are the themes we invoke in all of our therapy sessions, with athletes of all ages. A STRONG AND FLEXIBLE CORE A strong and flexible core is essential to performance. The muscles of the core or trunk are the braces of the spine. They are the communicators between the brain and the central nervous system. Strengthening of the core allows for a more sophisticated communication system. Poor core strength results in wasted energy, poor biomechanics and unnecessary sway during movement. The synergy of movement is created when a strong and stable core allows for efficient movement. If the core is not strong or properly trained, the reliance on synergistic muscles to compensate for weak and inflexible core muscles will lead to poor performance of the gluteals, pain, injury and overuse syndromes. CORE STRENGTH TEST: THE PLANK Resting on forearms with legs straight back and torso lifted Hold position for 60 seconds Lift Right arm off ground for 15 sec. Return Lift Left arm off ground for 15 sec. Return Lift Right leg off ground for 15 sec. Return Lift Left leg off ground for 15 sec. Return Lift Right arm and Left leg for 15 sec. Return Lift Left arm and Right leg for15 sec. Return Return to Plank position and Hold for 30 seconds. If you cannot complete exercise efficiently, do it 3-4 times per week until it can be completed. If you CAN complete exercise without wavering, core strength is GOOD.  STRUCTURE Bones provide the structure and the foundation for the attachment of the musculature. The muscles of the low back link the spine to the hip and they extend and laterally flex the spine. The gluteals are responsible for abducting, extending, flexing and rotating the femur on the hip joint. The Quad femoris, the piriformis and the sartorius link the femur to the core. They adduct, flex and externally rotate the femur. As previously stated, it is the synergy of the movements created through a stabilized core that allow for the flow of movement. WHAT WE DO As sports medicine professionals we attempt to locate imbalance in the structure and musculature and correct, educate and facilitate optimal performance. This is what we do; how we do it varies greatly! We are always on the look out for a weak core as an indicator of other issues. TRIGGER POINTS Trigger points are fibrous nodules within taut bands of tissue that are painful and give rise to a predictable pattern of pain when compressed. Pressure to them triggers a pattern of referred pain. These trigger points are not limited to muscle tissue and can occur in cutaneous, ligamentous, fascial and periosteal tissue. What was once thought of as psychosomatic or vaguely named as lumbago or fibrositis is today often called myofascial pain syndrome. Trigger point therapy has shifted the focus from just locating the tight band and nodule to treating the condition with increased depth and pressure on the specific point. When active, trigger points are a common source of an athlete’s complaint of regional pain. The pain often refers out and is commonly felt as muscle tension without specificity. Muscles with trigger points are less elastic, resistant to stretching and have decreased range of motion. When compressed, an active point often creates a local twitch response, a visible contraction in the fibers. The irritability of trigger points increase in direct relation to overload, repetitive use and/or overuse of muscles. Left untreated, trigger points spread tension and pain throughout the myofascial chain, leading to measurable motor dysfunction.  THE FASCIAL NETWORK The fascial system is a multidimensional network starting just below the skin and extending deep within our bones and internal organs. It is a multifaceted and continuous connective tissue web. It is the unifying medium for all components of the body’s locomotor system. It is rich in sensory neurons and not only generates but reflects the proprioceptive and pain responses. Tensegrity is an architectural term coined by Buckminster Fuller that describes the structural integrity maintained through continually adjusting the tension and compression of said structure. An example of this is a suspension bridge. The opposite structural form is one of continuous compression such as a brick wall. The difference between these structures aptly describes what a well working fascial network would look like. A suspension bridge while not as firm as a brick wall is far more resilient. In the tensegrity model the tension is reflected throughout the system. When the stretchy elastic system that is the fascial network is disrupted, the restrictions can create strain in other more distant structures. Hence, in an effort to create stability because the core may be weak from overuse or imbalance, the network may lay down extra collagen creating more inflexibility ultimately leading to injury. BREATHING, YOGA, PILATES, MARTIAL ARTS Yoga, Pilates, and Martial Arts have been found to work wonders for young people attempting to strengthen the core and increase flexibility. Implementing some of the basics of these modalities either in gym class or in the warm up routine would greatly improve conditioning pre-season and could be carried out SAFELY throughout the competitive phase of training. The focus of these modalities is on timing and proper breathing technique, which promotes more efficient oxygen intake. The ultimate result is less injury and healthier individuals on and off the track not to mention it’s fun and relaxing. Relaxation and focus are key elements of a champion’s mentality. BREATHING, BALANCE AND CORE STRENGTH As one might expect breathing deeply when faced with a perceived or real threat helps to bring one’s awareness to the situation at hand and gives one time to make the decision to act. For many the fight or flight response is so deeply embedded from early childhood that the raising of a coach’s voice or a call to step up to the line invokes a near panic response, elevating the heart rate, shutting down, shutting out etc. Training one’s breathing to accommodate for this fight or flight response diminishes the fear factor and increases the oxygen intake while allowing one to hear what is being said with less emotion. Adding diaphragmatic breathing exercises to the regimen of core exercises can help bring balance to the athlete mentally and physically. Focusing on full and expansive breaths while putting one’s intention directly towards the core can calm an athlete down between events, can help the athlete find his/her center and help the athlete to actually feel where the center is. This strategy is useful when pulling a team together in preparation for competition. After a few deeply realized breaths, experiment with lifting one leg then the other, with eyes open, with eyes closed, keeping arms in front of the body, posed or moving them in an arc and bringing them forward and center. NUTRITION Fruit Bowl Method: Place a fruit bowl by the front door and fill it for Monday. Every time you walk out of the house, take a piece of fruit with you. Hard Boiled Eggs: Boil up a dozen eggs for Monday. Every day, take two with you Celery and Carrots: Wash and chop a bag full of each for Monday, take a baggie full (throw in the eggs). Sparky’s Trail Mix: Bag of Newman’s Own Pretzels (Spelt or Protein) Almonds and Sunflower seeds Organic dried cranberries or apricots (these you have to chop up) Mix them together in a big plastic bag for Monday and use all week. Fruit Smoothie: 1 cup FROZEN fruit (berries or cherries taste the best) 1 heaping scoop of protein powder 1 tablespoon of flax seed oil 1 teaspoon of almond butter 1/2 c almond milk Put this mixture in the blender until thoroughly mixed. It will taste like a frozen milkshake; you will thank me for the BEST protein brekkie ever! You can substitute WHOLE milk or whole yoghurt HOW YOU DO ANYTHING IS HOW YOU DO EVERYTHING NO individual has sufficient experience, education, native ability, and knowledge to insure the accumulation of a great fortune without the cooperation of other people. 2008-08-13T22:21:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/mikemusings/article/are_we_kidding http://www.nationalscholastic.org/mikemusings/article/are_we_kidding#When:02:24:00Z By Mike Byrnes It's no secret that Jim Spier and I are immensely proud of our creation, the NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC SPORTS FOUNDATION. The same holds true for the meet created by the aforementioned duo along with Tracy Sundlun, former President of the Metropolitan Athletics Congress and currently head honcho for Elite Racing, the administrator and creator of several of the major marathons run in this country. We're also quite proud of the number of athletes who've come up through our meets, now the NIKE INDOOR/OUTDOOR NATIONALS, AND GONE ON TO greater heights. It takes quite a long while for a great high school athlete to advance to the Olympic level. Certainly there are exceptions, Alan Webb and Allyson Felix spring to mind. But let's go back and look at the 2000 outdoor meet and I'll show you what I mean. The Girl's 100m Dash feature a few names you might know. The event was won by current Olympian MUNA LEE then a hs'er in Kansas City. She posted a very good 11.19 to win. Third and fourth are also persons quite familiar on the international scene; SANYA RICHARDS, Pembroke Pines, FL, 11.62 and LAURYN WILLIAMS, Rochester, PA, 11.70. Richards was honored as the IAAF Athlete of the Year in 2007 while Williams won World Championship honors also in 2007. All three are current Olympians. ALICE SCHMIDT came in from Omaha and took fourth in the 800m (2:08.85) and will run in Beijing in a couple weeks. She's also won a few USA titles. Two kids in the mile have climbed the ladder of international success. Second and third behind Alicia Craig were SHALANE FLANAGAN, Marblehead, MA, 4:48.47 and ERIN DONOHUE, Haddonfield, NJ, 4:53.63. Flanagan, who has had a brilliant career will contest the 5000 and 10,000m events while Donohue will compete over the 1500m distance. Craig might well have made the team but is still recovering from the death of her husband Ryan Shay. TIFFANY ROSS, Apalocka, FL, won the silver over the 400mH distance, 58.50 and won the Olympic trials as Tiffany Ross-Williams. The current issue of Sports Illustrated lists her as the favorite to win the gold in Beijing. An "also-ran" at that meet was HYLEAS FOUNTAIN, Harrisburg, Pa. She took 7th in the 200m, 24.94, 8th in the 100mH, 14.50 and tied for third in the high jump, 5-08.75. She won the OT and SI's picks her for second in the heptathlon while in China. Only two male alumni from that great 2000 meet are on the Beijing squad. Strangely, both won their events as hs'ers but both will run the same event in China. RYAN HALL, Big Bear Lake, Ca, 4:06.15 and DATHAN RITZENHEIM, Rockford, MI, 8:48.06 finished 1-2 in the OT and will take on all-comers in the marathon. There was another kid who got a medal in that high school meet and went on to fame and infamy. Justin Gatlin, Pensacola, FL, 10.36 finishing third. Even though he probably got a raw deal, his doping violation will keep him away from these OG. Also a winner in 2000 was one of the nation's leading weight coaches, LAURA GERRAUGHTY, Nashua, NH, 51-11.25 is now teaching the sport to athletes at the University of North Carolina. FOR THE RECORD: (Just braggin' a little) On the US team there's one of our alumni, both male and female, in virtually EVERY event competing in Beijing and in many, there are two or three. Doubtful? Take a look: THE WOMEN: 100 – MUNA LEE & LAURYN WILLIAMS 200 – ALLYSON FELIX, MUNA LEE & MARSHAVET HOOKER 400 – SANYA RICHARDS 800 – HAZEL CLARK, ALICE SCHMIDT & NICOLE TETER 1500 – SHANNON ROWBURY, CHRISTIN WURTH & ERIN DONOHUE 5000 – JENNIFER RHINES & SHALANE FLANAGAN 10,000 – FLANAGAN, & AMY YODER BEGLEY MARATHON – DEENA KASTOR STEEPLECHASE – JENNIFER BARRINGER 400mH – TIFFANY ROSS-WILLIAMS, SHEENA JOHNSON TOSTA & QUEEN HARRISON HEPTATHLON – HYLEAS FOUNTAIN & DIANA PICKLER HIGH JUMP – CHAUNTE HOWARD & AMY ACUFF TRIPLE JUMP – SHANA MARKS & ERICA McLAIN SHOT PUT – MICHELLE CARTER DISCUS –SUZY POWELL-ROOS HAMMER THROW –LOREE SMITH 100mH, LONG JUMP, POLE VAULT, JAVELIN – No one. In four events all three competitors are alumnae, while in six others two of the three women representing the US come from one of the NIKE competitions. According to Jim, a little over 50% of the entire US team came through the NIKE conduit. THE MEN: 100 – TYSON GAY & WALTER DIX 200 – WALTER DIX & WALLACE SPEARMON 400 – LASHAWN MERRITT, JEREMY WARINER & DAVID NEVILLE REGGIE WITHERSPOON is a member of the 4x400mH relay pool 800 – ANDREW WHEATING 1500 –LEONEL MANZANO 5000 – MATT TEGENCAMP & IAN DOBSON 10000 – GALEN RUPP MARATHON – RYAN HALL, DATHAN RITZHEIN 110mH – DAVID OLIVER & TERRANCE TRAMMELL 400mH – BERSHAWN JACKSON, KERRON CLEMENT & ANGELO TAYLOR 20K RACE WALK – KEVIN EASTLER HIGH JUMP – JESSE WILLIAMS & ANDRA MANSON (finished 1-2 at both the OT and the NIKE competition) LONG JUMP –BRIAN JOHNSON TRIPLE JUMP – AARIK WILSON SHOT PUT – REESE HOFFA & ADAM NELSON DISCUS – MIKE ROBERTSON JAVELIN – BOBBY SMITH & BRIAN CHAPUT POLE VAULT, HAMMER, DECATHLON, STEEPLECHASE – No one. Should Witherspoon run the final of the 4x400mR, the entire team will be NIKE alumni. In two events, 400 & 400H, all three are NIKE grads while in eight events, two of the three representing the US follow suit. I would be remiss if I did not thank Jim Spier for a terrific editing job. His encyclopedic knowledge of our sport corrected my mistakes and omissions. 2008-08-01T02:24:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/greatamerican/article/great_american_top_25_at_hoover http://www.nationalscholastic.org/greatamerican/article/great_american_top_25_at_hoover#When:12:36:00Z Great American Cross Country Festival - Top 25 All-Time (on the Veteran's Park at Valleydale Road, Hoover, AL) BOYS Grad Name Year School Avg Mile Finals Year ================================================================================== Sean Keveren 08 Brentwood, Brentwood, TN 5:01.6 15:37.0 2007 Ben Hubers 07 McEachern HS, Powder Springs, GA 5:02.1 15:38.4 2006 Matthew Sonnenfeldt 09 Knoxville West, Knoxville, TN 5:04.1 15:44.6 2007 Bill Matthews 09 Baylor School, Chattanooga, TN 5:04.5 15:45.8 2007 Stephen Murdock 07 Shenendehowa, Clifton Park, NY 5:05.7 15:49.6 2006 Patrick McGregor 09 Hoover, Hoover, AL 5:06.6 15:52.5 2007 Joe Bosshard 08 Crested Butte Academy, Crested Butte, CO 5:07.2 15:54.4 2007 Adam Lenz 07 Crested Butte Academy, Crested Butte, CO 5:07.9 15:56.4 2006 Eric Larson 08 BT Washington, Pensacola, FL 5:10.0 16:03.0 2007 Brian Rhodes-Devey 07 Guilderland Central, Guilderland, NY 5:11.3 16:07.1 2006 Waldo du Plessis 08 Baylor School, Chattanooga, TN 5:11.3 16:07.1 2007 Thomas Elnick 08 Kellenberg Memorial, Uniondale, NY 5:12.1 16:09.4 2007 Andy Wacker 07 Pinecrest, Southern Pines, NC 5:12.6 16:11.1 2006 Taylor Lord 09 Chapel Hill, Douglasville, GA 5:12.8 16:11.7 2007 Bobby Saltsman 07 Lyman, Longwood, FL 5:12.9 16:12.1 2006 Maclean O'Donnell 08 Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, TN 5:13.3 16:13.3 2007 Phil Riemer 08 Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, TN 5:13.5 16:14.0 2007 Austin Duckworth 08 Vestavia Hills, Vestavia, AL 5:13.8 16:14.7 2007 Rob Manning 08 Collins Hill, Suwanee, GA 5:14.1 16:15.6 2007 Josh Pinson 08 Parkview, Lilburn, GA 5:14.6 16:17.4 2007 John Harwell 10 Asheville, Asheville, NC 5:14.7 16:17.6 2007 Howard Graves 09 Auburn, Auburn, AL 5:15.4 16:19.8 2007 Marshall Dalessandro 08 Vestavia Hills, Vestavia, AL 5:15.5 16:20.1 2007 Adam Henken 07 Brentsville, Nokesville, VA 5:15.5 16:20.2 2006 Sean Keveren 09 Brentwood, Brentwood, TN 5:15.7 16:20.6 2006 Philip O'Brien 08 Collins Hill, Suwanee, GA 5:15.9 16:21.3 2007 GIRLS Grad Name Year School Avg Mile Finals Year ================================================================================== Ashley Brasovan 09 Wellington, Wellington, FL 5:30.1 17:05.6 2007 Kathy Kroeger 09 Independence, Thompson Station, TN 5:37.7 17:29.1 2006 Kathy Kroeger 09 Independence, Thompson Station, TN 5:43.7 17:47.6 2007 Ashley Brasovan 09 Wellington, Wellington, FL 5:44.1 17:49.1 2006 Emilie Amaro 08 Cypress Bay, Weston, FL 5:47.9 18:00.7 2007 Emily Reese 08 Chamblee, Chamblee, GA 5:49.0 18:04.3 2007 Stephanie Morgan 09 Barnesville, Barnesville, OH 5:50.3 18:08.2 2007 Emilie Amaro 08 Cypress Bay, Weston, FL 5:55.5 18:24.3 2006 Kayla Hale 09 Holy Trinity Academy, Melbourne, FL 5:56.9 18:28.7 2007 Marie Demedicis 12 Mountain Brook, Birmingham, AL 5:58.1 18:32.4 2007 Katlyn Will 09 Corinth, Corinth, MS 5:59.8 18:37.6 2007 Kayla Hale 10 Holy Trinity Academy, Melbourne, FL 6:00.2 18:38.9 2006 Amanda Winslow 09 Collins Hill, Suwanee, GA 6:00.5 18:40.0 2007 Kacey Nobert 12 St. Agnes Academ, Memphis, TN 6:01.2 18:42.2 2007 Madeline Morgan 09 Mountain Brook, Birmingham, AL 6:02.2 18:45.2 2007 Catherine Diethelm 12 Mountain Brook, Birmingham, AL 6:03.6 18:49.4 2007 Katie Hutson 10 Sparkman, Harvest, AL 6:04.1 18:51.0 2007 Kacey Gibson 09 Neshannock, New Castle, PA 6:04.5 18:52.4 2006 Kathleen Traylor 10 Episcopal, Jacksonville, FL 6:06.8 18:59.5 2007 Kate Borowicz 09 JL Mann, Greenville, SC 6:06.8 18:59.6 2007 Katelyn Bastert 07 Carthage, Carthage, IL 6:07.1 19:00.4 2006 Rita Jorgensen 07 White Station, Memphis, TN 6:07.2 19:00.7 2006 Emily Houston 07 Jensen Beach, Jensen Beach, FL 6:07.5 19:01.8 2006 Nicky Akande 10 Collins Hill, Suwanee, GA 6:07.7 19:02.4 2007 Alyssa Kulik 08 Mauldin, Mauldin, SC 6:08.2 19:03.7 2007 Jennifer Dunn 08 Austin, Decatur, GA 6:08.6 19:05.1 2006 Jennifer Dunn 08 Austin, Decatur, AL 6:08.6 19:05.2 2007 Jennifer Barbi 07 South Forsyth, Cumming, GA 6:09.1 19:06.6 2006 Emily Borsare 07 McIntosh, Peachtree City, GA 6:09.9 19:09.2 2006 2008 Meet 2008-07-31T12:36:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists11 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists11#When:13:45:00Z These are the US High School and Junior lists of the season as of 7/30/08. HS 2008 Girls HS July 30 2008 Boys HS July 30 JR 2008 Girls JR July 30 2008 Boys JR July 30 2008-07-30T13:45:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists10 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists10#When:14:53:00Z These are the US High School and Junior lists of the season as of 7/17/08. HS 2008 Girls HS July 17 2008 Boys HS July 17 JR 2008 Girls JR July 17 2008 Boys JR July 17 2008-07-18T14:53:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/blog/article/world_junior_championships_notes_day_6 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/blog/article/world_junior_championships_notes_day_6#When:20:35:00Z A blog of the experiences of Jim Spier throughout the World Juniors. The Media Party – I'm not really a party animal, so I got most of this second hand. We got invitations for the media party at our hotel at the meet on Thursday. It was to begin at 10:40pm and was to include "Culinary Specialties". So Joy Kamani and I went. It was a sit down dinner (to begin with). They brought out ton of pork, chicken, rice, vegetables, etc etc etc. And it kept on coming. There were about 60 people there. After I ate I decided to pack it in and go to bed. It was about 11:30pm. At about 1:00am, I was awakened by what I thought was gunfire. I looked out the window and saw (and heard) fireworks going off in the driveway of the hotel. Joy had stayed and related the following: After dinner, a bottle of vodka was place in front of every other person at the table. Then the drinking began (Joy swore she only had one shot). Anyway, after about 1-1/2 hours, they decided to go outside and shoot off some fireworks. Joy figured that was it for the night. She retired to bed, but most others decided to back inside and continue with the vodka challenge. The Park – The last day of the World Championships is always the shortest. Only a few events are contested today. It starts at 4:00pm and lasts only 2 hours or so. So we were looking for something to do in the morning and early afternoon. We found the Lesny Fauna Park, a monstrous (almost 400 acres) wooded park with a small zoo, walking and biking trails, a ski jump and lots of other activities. To get the park was a challenge. We had to take the #58 bus to the #1 or #2 tram and take the tram all the way to the end of the line. The problem was that we really didn't know where to get off the bus. We kept our eye out for the tram lines and luckily spotted it. Then we were going to enjoy a nice enjoyable ride on the tram, into virgin territory. We knew the line, because it's the same line we took to the stadium each day. So we passed the stadium and were going to ride, ride and ride until we got to the end of the line. And ride we did, about another 100 meters. It was the next stop past the stadium. That was it. But it was worth it. It's really a terrific park, sort of unlike anything I am aware of in the U.S. It's really spread out so we did a lot of walking (like 2 hours worth). Highly recommended, especially if you have overeaten the way I have this week. Here's the web site address: www.myslecinek.pl Medal count through yesterday Medal Table Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 USA 9 3 2 14 2 Germany 6 0 2 8 3 Kenya 3 4 1 8 4 Cuba 1 2 5 8 5 Ethiopia 1 2 4 7 6 Russia 3 3 0 6 7 Jamaica 1 4 0 5 8 Belarus 0 4 1 5 -------------------------------------------- Day 5 recap Women 3000 – Laurynne Chetelat finished 6th, perhaps the highest finish ever for American. She got at PR and #5 all-time high school. 100h – Teona Rodgers won the gold. 4x100 – The US won the gold. 4x400 – The US ran the fastest time in the qualifying round. LJ – no US finalists Heptathlon – Ryann Krais finished a resepectable 9th, #3 all-time high school Men 110h – Booker Nunley advanced to the final, Ronald Brookins did not. 4x100 – The US won the gold 4x400 – The US ran the fastest time in the qualifying round PV – Joe Berry finished 7th and Maston Wallace 10th Hammer – Walter Henning and Conor Mc Cullough finished 1-2, the first medals ever for the US in this event. Kosinski - Hasay Day 6 Women 1500 US Medal history No US Medalists Gutsy races by Jordan Hasay and Alex Kosinski in what began as a painfully slow pace (74 seconds for the first lap). Hasay finished 4th and Kosinski 6th, the best performance ever for American athletes. Women 4x400 gold4x400 gold US Medal history 1986 - gold 1988 - silver 1994 - gold 1998 - bronze 2002 - gold 2004 - gold 2006 - gold It's 4 in a row for the US, with Lanie Whitaker, Jessica Beard, Erica Alexander and Takecia Jameson. The splits on the IAAF web site are incorrect. The should be (approximately) 53.1, 51.0, 52.6, 53.4. Erica Alexander 4x400 DT US Medal history 1994 - Suzy Powell - bronze 1996 - Seilala Sua - silver Anna Jelmini made the 8 person final but could only manage 7th (162-3). Erin Pendleton was 11th at 158-11. Men 5000 US Medal history No US medalists How do you compete against 13:08.57! That was what Abraham Cherkos of Ethiopia ran to win. Then two others followed at 13:11! This was a race with an African pack and a non-African pack which developed early. When you see the complete results, you'll see what I mean. Matt Centrowitz finished 11th in 13:58.31, a PR for him. Ryan Collins was 16th in 14:30.16. Booker Nunley - 110h - silver110m Hurdles US Medal history 1988 - Stephen Brown silver 1988 - Elbert Ellis - bronze 1994 - Dudley Dorival - silver 1994 - Darius Pemberton - bronze 1998 - Sharif Paxton - silver 2002 - Antwon Hicks - gold 2004 - Aries Merritt - gold 2004 - Kevin Craddock - bronze Booker Nunley, though having the worst start of the field (as he did in the semis) finished second in 13.45 to a very strong Russian hurdler. He now owns the 3 fastest US times for high schoolers. He is the leader of 3 North Carolina hurdlers who are the top 3 hurdlers in the US (Spencer Adams and Wayne Davis are the other two). 3000 Steeple US Medal history No US medalists (On Ethiopia or Kenya have won gold medals – no other country has). The Kenyans took 1-3, with a Ugandan with the Kenyan name of Kiplagat taking second. Curtis Carr got a PR of 8:53.79 for 10th, and Dylan Knight finished just ahead of him in 9th at 8:52.90, just off his PR. Men 4x400 gold 4x400 US Medal history 1986 - gold 1988 - gold 1990 - gold 1992 - gold 1994 - gold 1996 - gold 1998 - silver 2000 - no US team 2002 - gold 2004 - gold 2006 - gold (In 2000, when the meet was in Chile, it was held in October. The US sent a skeleton Team. That year the winning time was the slowest winning time ever). Another gold (4 in a row). The splits on the IAAF web site are incorrect. It was Boyd 46.0, Miller 46.4, Wilder 45.3 and Anderson 46.1, approximately). HJ US Medal history 1986 - Hollis Conway silver 2002 - Andra Manson gold ----------------------------------------------------------- This has been another enjoyable meet. I've been to all of the World Junior Championships except the first (1986) and this was on a par "presentation-wise" with any I've been to. Of course the music was a bit loud, but I think it's just me getting older. The English language announcer, Marton Gyulai, was terrific. He was informative, "loose" and sometimes funny. He would say things like " … he ran a helluva turn", or "give it up for so and so". He was just fun to listen to. Some other observations: No US flags: apparently someone forgot to bring them. Virtually every gold medalist or gold medal team took a victory lap with their country's flag. But no one from the US, the team that won the most golds, had the opportunity to do that. This was one of the greatest performances by a US team, garnering 17 medals, 11 of them gold. Apparently the conflict with NON did not hurt the team. Of course, two-thirds of the team were collegians, so that helped. A scary thought: Kirani James of Grenada who finished second in the 400m at 45.70, will be eligible for the IAAF World Youth Championships (17-18) next year. A guy no one had really ever heard of, Josephat Bett of Kenya, who had a previous best of 28:10, set a meet record in the 10000 of 27:30.85. The US has made marked improvement in many events. The most obvious is the incredible 1-2 finish in the men's hammer. But some of the other unprecedented performances were Laurynne Chetelat in the 3000 finished 6th and Jordan Hasay and Alex Kosinski in the 1500, finishing 4th and 6th. It's always enjoyable meeting the parents of some of the athletes. We seemed to run into the Taylors (Christian's parents and his sister Kaitlyn) and Amber Purvis' mom on a daily basis. They are terrific, supportive people. We also met Luke Laird's (javelin) parents who had come from Kansas to see their son compete. --------------------------------------------- We're headed back to the US tomorrow, via Warsaw. There are no easy air connections from Bydgoszcz, so we'll take the train (4 hours) to Warsaw, stay overnight there, and get a 6:30am flight back home. I go Warsaw-Munich-Washington-Raleigh. It will be a long day. Normal life resumes at the end of the week. On to cross-country. 2008-07-13T20:35:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/blog/article/world_junior_championships_notes_day_5 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/blog/article/world_junior_championships_notes_day_5#When:20:41:00Z A blog of the experiences of Jim Spier throughout the World Juniors. Medal count through yesterday Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 USA 5 2 2 9 2 Germany 4 0 1 5 3 Russia 3 3 0 6 4 Kenya 2 4 1 7 5 France 2 0 0 2 Romania 2 0 0 2 6 Cuba 1 2 3 6 7 Ethopia 1 1 3 5 -------------------------------------------- Day 4 recap Women 200m – Tiffany Townsend finishes fifth. 800m – no US finalists 1500m – Jordan Hasay and Alex Kosinski advance to the finals. 100m H – Teona Rodgers advances to the finals. 400m H – Takecia Jameson finishes first 4x100m – US team advances to the finals Long Jump Qualifying – Shakia Forbes and Jamesha Youngblood do not advance to the finals Heptathlon – Ryann Krais sits 6ths after the first day. Erin Sampley no-heights in high jump but continues anyway Pole Vault finals – Rachel Laurent finished 4th and Leslie Brost finishes 8th Discus – Erin Pendleton and Anna Jelmini advance to finals. Men 200m – Curtis Mitchell finishes 4th and Antonio Sales 6th 800m – no US finalists 110m H – Ronald Brookins and Booker Nunley advance to the semis 400m H – Jeshua Anderson finishes 1st and Johnny Dutch finishes 2nd 4x100m – US team advances to the final. 10000m Racewalk – no US competitors. High Jump qualifying – Eric Kynard and Ryan Fleck do not advance to the finals. Triple Jump final – Austin Davis finishes 6th and Christian Taylor finishes 8th Javelin final – no US finalists Women 3000 US Medal History No US medalists An amazing race for Laurynne Chetelat, finishing sixth in 9:15.11, #5 all-time high school. We believe it's the best finish ever for an American. Women 100m Hurdles US Medal History 1986 Tania Davis bronze 1994 Latasha Colander silver 1996 Joyce Bates gold 2004 Ronetta Alexander gold 2006 Tiffany Ofili bronze A great race for Teona Rodgers who ran another 100 meters around the curve after the finish, screaming gleefully. She ran 13.40 with a negative 2.5 wind. Women 4x100 US Medal History 1986 gold 1988 bronze 1990 bronze 1992 silver 1996 gold 1998 gold 2002 silver 2004 gold 2006 gold US got the gold for the third championships in a row Women Long Jump US Medal history No US medalists No US finalists Women Heptathlon US Medal history No US medalists A great competition for Ryann Krais, totally 5457 points, not the HSR, but #3 all-time. Men 110m Hurdles semis – Ronald Brookins finished fourth in the second of three semi heats. Going into heat 3 he was the second time qualifier (top 2 in each semi advanced automatically). He got knocked out after semi 3, won by Booker Nunley. Nunley was last out of the blocks, but recoved nicely by the 50 meter mark. Men 4x100 US Medal history 1988 gold 1990 gold 1992 silver 1994 silver 1996 gold 1998 silver 2002 gold 2004 gold 2006 silver Another gold for the US. They have medalled every year except for 2000. Men Pole Vault US Medal history 2000 Rocky Danners bronze Joe Berry and Maston Wallace could only manage 16-9.75 and finished 6th and 9th respectively. Men Hammer US Medal history No US medalists I almost fainted when the public address announcer said, "The US is 1-2 at this stage in the competition". Who would have thought? This was after the qualifying round, with the top 8 athletes having 3 more throws. Walter Henning took the lead on his first throw with 249-10. Conor Mc Cullough was in 8th through 10th, then on his final throw in qualifying, threw a PR 248-11! As everyone knows by now, they ultimately did go 1-2, the first ever medals at the World Junior Championships. 2008-07-12T20:41:00-05:00