The great track expiriments final days

Well tomorrow is the sectional prelims up in Alexandria. My girl high jumpers will be competing. They will need to either take first or second or reach a height of 5'4" to continue on to state. There are four state wide elite jumpers in this section, that means girls who have already jumped a height of 5'4" or higher. So while it's possible that a lower height will still get you to state it's unlikely.

I will be bringing three girls to compete. One of the difficulties of the sectionals is that the goal is simply to identify the two girls (or more if they attain qualifying height) who will go on to compete at the state meet. It logically follows that you'd start the event at a height that would eliminate as many girls as possible quickly while not narrowing the field so far you risk eliminating a better jumper. So as such the starting height is higher than all other meets to this point. It's sad in a way as lesser jumpers who are still quality jumpers and had been scoring points for their teams all year may not even make the first height. But that is the way it goes. My third jumper is a girl such as this, and while she should would normally have a great shot at a personal best, this meet is difficult for that to happen for her as her personal best is the starting height. So she needs to be sharp right away. Typically a jumper will start 2-4 heights under their personal best just to get acclimated and work out any kinks before they need to be at top form. So my third jumper for instance would normally start at a normal opening height of 4' and move up two inches at a time.

My second jumper is a very solid jumper. She is a senior and so this is likely to be her last competition. When she was a sophomore she jumped 5' and hasn't made it since. We've been very close the last three meets. The problem she normally has is that once she gets to the 4'10" or 5' mark she has to go run an event, and she loses potential leaping ability. This meet because it is a prelim event she will be able to stay fresh. My hope for her is that she attains that 5' level once again before she's 'retired'. An advantage she has is that she is so solid she normally doesn't miss until her final heights. The first tie breaking criteria is misses. And so she can place very well if she makes that 5' height. It will be a great way for her to go out. Plus if she does make that height it's possible she gets lucky and sneaks into the meet. I have seen two of the four elite jumpers not make 5' in a meet, so it's possible for her.

My first jumper is one of the four elite jumpers in the region. If everyone jumps at their best she should pull out a second and make it to state. But she is a sophomore and these heights are fairly new to her as her best last year was 4'10" I think. She has gained consistency in her vertical leap but her take off spot wanders. At higher heights there is less room for error. so my fingers are crossed. In each of the last three meets she has found a way to jump 5'2" or 4" and so i hope she will do so here. but I'm relying on her athleticism as the training and consistency isn't there to support the heights yet. If she does achieve her personal best or take second I'll be coaching for another week...maybe.

Maybe??

The issue does arise between sections and state that only a few athletes move on, and the full coaching staff is usually not required. It looks very much like while there are a number of athletes that have a chance to continue on, only my high jumper will actually be favored to go on. So it's possible that the only athlete moving on is mine. What then. I'm volunteer, and cannot not coach without a school representative in attendance (another coach). so that makes me a little unnecessary, why not just push me aside and coach yourself if you have to be there anyway. You might think that since I've been coaching all season that logically I'd need to finish a job, but ego's and such don't work that way. I'm crossing my fingers, it will be telling to see if I'm wanted back next year based on how they handle the last week. but really that's a little counting my chickens before they hatch. With four elite jumpers she may do well and still not make it.