State of HS Cross-Country

COVID reactions caused a drop off in performance in almost all youth sports depending upon how severe the over reaction was in a given location. My home state of Colorado wasn't too bad (although some club soccer programs disappeared completely and there were fewer club track meets than in prior years, with fewer competitors), but New Mexico didn't let their kids play soccer for a full year (some of their teams came to Colorado for tournaments, simply to play at all) and talking to a couple runners from New Mexico at a meet in CO this summer, I don't think they have had club level track meets for two summers. I can't speak to the situation in NY, but I am guessing the restrictions were pretty crazy. The decline in youth sports will have long term impacts on the health of our younger generations.

Here in Vermont, we have one really good (for Vermont) boys team... but they are our version of NP (two sets of brothers), so tough to read much into that. The rest of the state is weak, but it usually is anyway. Champlain Valley's girls are way off their usual. Depth seems to be way down in Maine and NH, too.

In NJ, while it appears that overall participation numbers are down compared to previous years, there are some really strong teams and even stronger individuals this year.

At Ohio's D1 state meet, 41 boys had a speed rating of 170 or above. XC is doing just fine, and maybe never been this deep....

https://oh.milesplit.com/articles/305791/boys-speed-ratings-from-ohsaa-state-meet

The girl’s teams are polarized here in Rhode Island with 3-4 good teams and a big cliff after that.

Most of the freshman class did not run at all over the summer.

Jeff Albertson wrote:

joed|rt wrote:

The decline in youth sports will have long term impacts on the health of our younger generations.

No, they won’t, idiot.

That’s an idiotic take, you dummy.

You must be one of those guys that thinks poor kids that didn't do anything when classes went online will magically perform at grade level and do just fine long term as well.

Shutting down youth sports had a similar impact as it took kids out of athletics and pushed them in front of screens. Over time, those annoying little habits become lifestyles.

joed|rt wrote:

Jeff Albertson wrote:

No, they won’t, idiot.

That’s an idiotic take, you dummy.

You must be one of those guys that thinks poor kids that didn't do anything when classes went online will magically perform at grade level and do just fine long term as well.

https://news.yahoo.com/school-data-2021-math-reading-121500474.html

Shutting down youth sports had a similar impact as it took kids out of athletics and pushed them in front of screens. Over time, those annoying little habits become lifestyles.

Jeff, nice Flagpole impression

Joe, you are 100 % correct.

This all hit low income neighborhoods the hardest.

Higher income neighborhoods, that are literally right next door, didn't lock down and didn't do remote. Their kids are doing great.

Our kids won't even come out for sports anymore, those that do often ditch practice to go play fort-nite at home...but won't do their e-learning. We can barely get a dozen to come out for track, then half will be ineligible due to grades.

These kids have been crippled by lockdowns and remote learning, it's sickening. Especially the politics of those trying to keep everything shut down, it's SO harmful for the children. That's not even getting into the mental health issues and run-ins with the law due to no structure.

NY is definitely weaker than usual, running a 160 speed rating will get you top 20 in class C, but the top end of runners seems to be up at least in my section.

Jeff,

I don't think joed|rt is too far off on his statement. I feel like the decline in participation and motivation may not affect the upper-tier of our young athletes, but certainly is going to have an impact on those that need some form of physical activity. I feel like Covid, canceling of school or going online, and the limitations put in place for 12-18 months (some states more restrictive than others) has certainly had a negative effect on the health of our kids and could indeed have a long-term effect.

-Coach Adam Kedge, Albuquerque NM

The pandemic gave mediocre HS coaches too much time to read Letsrun and all thing they are the NAU or Kenyan head coach. Too many coaches keeping their runners (whether good or mediocre) from running in league meets, cutting back the number of weekend meets - running their 2nd 7 in counties or regionals and priming them for just the state meet or one of the 28 national championships.

It's time for club program to supplant the high school teams and let race directors organize privately owned XC meets during the year. Have a middle school age , high school age , college and open divisions. That wouldf; give kids more opportunity to be seen by coaches. The kids that would run really want to run and not there for a free weight loss program or to get a sport on their college resumes.

NY usually has 30-40 guys at 170 in the class A race alone it is definitely very weak this year

Jeff Albertson wrote:

joed|rt wrote:

The decline in youth sports will have long term impacts on the health of our younger generations.

No, they won’t, idiot.

That’s an idiotic take, you dummy.

You’re right. It’s way better they get diabetes and become too obese to exercise at 14. Good thing, according to you, that has no long term implications. Good news kids, according to Mr. Dingdong Stupid Man you can eat 3 pizzas and 5 boxes of Twinkie’s a day and never exercise and have zero long term health consequences.

I coach in NY and my entire section was weaker this year. Team averages at section champs were about 45 secs slower for the top 5 teams. It was the same group of teams at the top as usual however. Our JV from 2 years ago (men 8-14) was faster than our top 7 in some meets. I struggled getting frosh/soph out, and the ones I did get were mostly weak. It was a fun season because we were relatively competitive, but right now I'm longing for the precovid momentum.

In Tennessee, it seems participation has dropped, but the quality of participants has improved. Smaller schools like mine have fewer runners, but the times in the state meet are better than previous years, minus the Brody Hasty era.

Adam Kedge is a god.

You better listen to what he says...

nathancat wrote:

I coach in NY and my entire section was weaker this year. Team averages at section champs were about 45 secs slower for the top 5 teams. It was the same group of teams at the top as usual however. Our JV from 2 years ago (men 8-14) was faster than our top 7 in some meets. I struggled getting frosh/soph out, and the ones I did get were mostly weak. It was a fun season because we were relatively competitive, but right now I'm longing for the precovid momentum.

Not sure what section you represent, but this seems to be the case across the state.

In Sections 1 and 9 (lower Hudson Valley / NYC suburbs, for you non-NY people), the winning boys Class A (large school) teams both included a scoring runner with a speed-rating in the mid-130s. These are both fairly strong sections, normally... a team scoring a runner that slow shouldn't be sniffing the hot race at the state meet.

XI

Indiana high school XC is as good or better than its ever been (plus or minus Cole Hocker who graduated from an Indianapolis high school not too long ago). While indoor track was cancelled for two years, XC and outdoor track had full schedules each year and the runners did a nice job of training throughout the entire period.