Quinton Decker of Port Townsend got a pass as well to West Central 2A Districts in the 1600 and 3200. But if any athlete who gets a pass to district isn't able to run, the alternate should be ready. I think it's a good policy.

The state has qualifing standards for all events-- if you can't make those, then you should go through the district qualifiers... As a former state qualifing hurdler (38.8 in the 300IH), who had to run with the flu at districts his senior year, I believe injuries and sickness are a part of the deal...

I don't have a problem with giving the kid a pass into districts. In swimming, you can make state by either placing high at districts or by making a state qualifying time sometime during the season, which is theoretically set at a time that would have placed 16th at state the prior year. Thus, there is no penalty for a fast kid in a fast district not making state. But you do have to compete in districts in that specific event to compete at state.

Extend the concept. Should a team in a state tournament or playoff be passed through because a star player was ill or injured on that day? Should a star or exceptional wrestler or tennis player be advanced in a state tournament even though they were injured or ill on the day of competition.

Pass-throughs are always to someone's disadvantage, the person who was healthy and able to compete on the given day.

Amen old coach...

I think that they should have to get to the next level like everyone else. Stephone Jordan of Garfield was injured on the day of the KingCo 4a meet, but he ran anyway. He placed first in both of his hurdling events dispite the injuries.

If you want to win you have to push through the pain to get what you want. Just because you have the fastest time doesn't mean someone could come out and beat you.

I'm curious to know how the points for those meets worked out? If the athlete didn't compete did the school recieve no credit or an automatic 1st place?

Its blatant favoritism for the better athletes. Why should someone be allowed a pass simply because they are good at running, jumping or throwing? What makes them more important than anyone else in the league. Its completely unfair to the kids that have worked their butts off.

Also, it allows the kid to be more rested for the district meet where the other kids have more races on their legs and might not be as fresh.

I think the policy is fine. If the average or P.R. (Personal Record) of the athlete is in the top seven after the district meet I think that it's perfectly logical to let them through to compete. I can also see that if someone were injured and didn't have a great time how they would be upset. What if they would have made the top five in the district meet? I think it just depends on what point of view your looking at but for the most part, fair game.

Also, to Mike@Mike.com. how is it unfair to kids that have worked their butts off? If a runner/thrower/jumper competes at districts and the injured person STILL has a better PR or Average throw/run/jump then how is the other person more deserving? because they werent hurt? they still arent as talented as an athlete as the one with the better time....

Also, If someones injured to the extent that they cant compete then theyre not getting more rest, theyre getting more recovery time. If anything theyre getting more out of shape. The meets are all one week away from eachother and thats enough rest for any athlete.

It's not favoritism because theyre GOOD, its letting them continue on because theyre BETTER

Maybe it is because I am a recent Decatur High School alum and have seen Griffey burn up the track, but I am in favor of the pass. The most compelling reason for supporting the pass to districts is that league coaches must vote in favor of allowing an athlete to advance without qualifying at the league meet. This means that representatives from other schools feel a well qualified runner should advance when it clearly lessens the chance for their student athletes to move on to the district meet. Also, you prevent a student who, in the minds of league coaches, deserves a right to compete at the next level from risking further injury if medically they should not run. Finally, in response to those who share mike@mike.com's view that it is unfair to kids who have worked their butts off. I mentioned that I have seen Griffey flying around Decatur's track, but this was not only during track season. I've seen it during the summer break, Christmas vacation, and fall sports season. I'm pretty sure the only reason I didn't see it during the Winter was because I was competing in swim and wasn't around the track after school. Top runners work hard too, and if league coaches feel that work has earned them a right to run at the districts, that is all the reason I need to support the pass system.

Pass throughs are fine, as long as the league/district has policies in place (ex. such as 3 doctors stating the injury and the inability to compete). The injured athlete should have an outstanding record (placed 1st in events in 80%+ of all district/league meets). This way, the process becomes burdensome to the athlete b/c of the 3 Dr. policy and also not just for anyone. Getting the best athletes to state healthy should be the objective; track and field is and always will be about the best of the best INDIVIDUALS competing head to head.

In Decker's case (and I have been the one writing the articles on the two events), he competed and won the Class 2A/3A Olympic League Championship in the 1,600 and 3,200 events the week prior.

Then they have basically the same tournament again last Saturday (just split into 2A and 3A events) and he strains his hamstring in practice before the event.

His times in the 1,600 put him 4th in State and 3rd in the 3,200 on the season.

His league champ times were 4 seconds and 16 seconds better than the sub-district champ's last weekend.

The Olympic 2A coaches felt it wouldn't be right to exclude him (he is the league champ after all) so they passed him through.

Throwing out the "Star athlete on a playoff team" comparison is a red herring. Individual sports are individual sports and team sports are team sports.

I think it shows good sportsmanship by all the coaches involved. They want to see their athletes compete against the very best their league or district has to offer.

I agree. In individual sports with standards the current policy is fair. Comparing this to a team sport is apples and oranges. You want the best competing against the best at state.

First, Ezra is a great sprinter. But injuries are part of track. A lot of kids are running with injuries at this time of year. How do you decide who gets a pass and who doesn't. A kid in another league who was hurting may have had to run to qualify last week causing a worse injury. No that kid has to run against someone that has had a week off. It is a bad rule.

It's a bad rule espically when rest makes you run faster (It's called tapering).

I think this is a bad policy. Why penalize kids who are there and ready to run for one who is hurt. Past performances are not predictors of future performances. The extra rest is not fair for those who have competed at every race. As my son would say "shut up and run!" let the times of the day dictate who goes on not what would have happened.

Would it not be possible to compromise and allow the pass-through athlete while not denying the (in the case of Griffey) 10th-place finisher at the SPSL meet to advance? If it means an extra prelim heat or using nine lanes instead of eight, so what? Remember, folks, this is all about the kids.