Keith Conning brings up the subject of curbless tracks in the public arena,
so let's talk about them:
Keith seems to indicate to the group that because Wayne Armburst says some
tracks are mismeasured so then, a track without a curb has to be mismeasured.
I will pass that information on to the engineer gentleman we paid $20,000 to
supervise construction on our track and field facility. Further I will pass
on the word to Jeb Burgess and the group at Southwest Recreation who charged
us over $200,000 to re-do the track this past summer that our facility must
be short (or long or ???).
Why do we have a track without a curb? Our track was built with $269,000 of
money that did not include any from our school district. With the
configuration of the old curb and the laying down of the all-weather facility
the track surface came level with the old cement curb. We did not have the
money to build a track and buy a curb, and it is legal to have a track
without a curb (and be a measured 400 meters), so for financial concerns we
did that. Our Principal has indicated he will start a fund with Mr. Conning
the first donor to build our new track curb, since they did help us refurbish
the facility last year at a total cost of $210,000, with the money for the
curb again falling short.
As for wear on the inner lane line of the track. Our Head Turn Judge at our
final Invitational meeting this evening indicated that he would like to
apologize to Mr. Conning for the mistakes of his crew in officiating our
affair. We do have turn judges and they would like specific instances of
violations Mr. Conning has observed. He will consider replacing those
officials who make constant errors, as is intimated. In reality, we are a
high school of 3500 students, with 2000 students in physical education each
day (it is a two -year requirement in California) with most of the PE and
athletic classes having the kids run at least a couple of laps per day on the
facility. On top of that the facility is open 24 hours a day to joggers, and
is a nice option with lights and all as opposed to the street scene after
hours. Today, as I left school we had six elementary schools and three
middle schools in a meet on the track at a meet. I am inclined to think some
of these people may run on the lane line and leave it a bit worn.
Mr. Conning cheapens the efforts of the fine athletes who have graced our
facility through the years, as well as the officials who keep track of such
matters with his inference that (and I quote him) "it is easy to cut off
distance around the turns." He indicated in e-mail to me that we should
take steps so that the runners will run the full 400 meters each lap in our
competition this year. I do not know, and he does not seem to be able to
indicate, when this has not happened. There are reasons why there is not a
curb, summarized above, with the facility quite legal and officials available
to observe lane violations.
A simple suggestion among friends like, "Hey, did you ever consider cones
around the turn to deal with possible cricitism that people might sneak in a
step or two inside the line, " would have been nice. Instead Mr. Conning
last year went to some of the record keepers in the sport and suggested that
no marks from our site should be considered for record purposes because of
the "no curb" situation. He never came to me until today with a suggestion
about any cones. We all make choices on our style of
communication-----------------------
And, oh yes, by the way, Mr. Conning--if you try to find Arcadia HS in
Glendora, California you might be a half an hour late for our April 14th
competition. Our School is Arcadia HS in Arcadia 15 minutes back on the
freeway, with the first Invitational Event Nik Arrhenius of Utah, who has
thrown 218 feet this year in the Discus, going after Kamy Keshmiri's National
Federation and Meet Record in the event at 224-03, set on our facility in
1987 in the Arcadia Invitational. Despite our problems require some good
athletes still come to our meet.
Yes, we will have cones around the turn at this year's meet, with the
inference that the failure to provide these in the past somehow making the
efforts of athletes cheaper, strongly objected to. Some 500 schools and 2000
athletes will grace our facility in two weekends, with our staff willing to
accept any and all suggestions to make the situation tops for those great
student/athletes.
If anyone else would like to help donations for a curb we will add to the
fund.
Doug Speck
Athletic Director - Arcadia HS
Former Meet Director - Arcadia Invitational
