Do you remember this thread? Read this and see if still you think Stephanie Hightower would make a good USATF President. I don’t think she would be good for the sport!!
http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&id=918240&thread=917250
So...we read the USATF rule book as we are preparing for the USA Championships. In the rule book, it states that, in the 3000mSC, there will be two rounds if 19 or more report to the event. Coming into the meet, there are 17 (the final two entries have not even run the "B" standard for the championships and they allowed them into the meet anyway) women declared. So, no rounds according to the rules.
When we arrive we find out they are running two rounds to eliminate three people (two of which should not have been in the meet in the first place). So, EVERY steepler and EVERY coach of those steeplers is up in arms. So, I head to Stephanie Hightower (HMFIC) for her to explain to me why.
As I approach her, she immediately tells me that she is not going to change her mind and that I can pay my $175 in appeals fees but the appeals go to her and John Chaplin and that they are not budging. (My way or the highway!)
She then proceeds to tell me that, "I don't care if six women show up for the semi-finals, we'll run two heats of three."
She tells me that the games committee (not a single distance person on the staff) has decided that we need to prepare the women to run rounds at the World Championships. So, I ask, why not rounds of the 5000m or why not qualifying rounds in the jumps and throws? Her answer, "...because the field sizes dictated only a final."
I then had to stand and listen to the schpiel about how she was a World Class athlete and she had to run multiple rounds and, "...why do the distance runners complain when they have to run rounds and the sprinters have to run three or four rounds."
She then tells me..."If you don't like it, take it up at the USATF Meeting in December..."
She tells me the Games Committee feels as though there are extenuating circumstances that make the need for two rounds. I said, "what are the unique circumstances?" Her reply is that we are sending people to the World Championships and that is the extenuating circumstances.
What?
Three out of every four USA Championships qualify people to either the WC or the OG. I would say the extenuating circumstances are the one out of every four years that we don't qualify someone and why even have rules if the only rule she wants to follow is the rule that allegedly gives the Games Committee the ability to change the rules? Why even have a rule book?
She tried to justify the stance by showing me a rule which gives the Games Committee the ability to change the date of a final if the semi-final was eliminated. Completely irrelevent!
She kept talking in circles. How does she even have her job?
How does running a 10:20 to qualify to the finals of the USA's prepare anyone for running a 9:30 at the World Championships for a shot at the final? I said, "...these women only basically need to jog to make the final, it doesn't make sense." Her response was, "...why would you tell your athlete to jog? Sprinters have to run all-out efforts three or four times..."
She is brilliant! So open minded and amazingly rational! Her reasoning skills are on par with lawyers and judges! I especially love the whole, "I was a World Class athlete" bit because that really convinced me that she really knows what she is talking about!
Amazing!
Just a side note...I am also impressed with their decision to run three heats of five in the women's 400IH to get a semi-final of 12 to a final of 8...on a 9 lane track!
Who are these people?