http://www.nationalscholastic.org/ en me@forgottenexpanse.com Copyright 2008 2008-05-07T00:43:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/nikeoutdoor/article/doubling_at_non_and_usatf_juniors http://www.nationalscholastic.org/nikeoutdoor/article/doubling_at_non_and_usatf_juniors#When:00:07:00Z Is Doubling Possible at the Nike Indoor Nationals and USATF Junior Championships? With both meets the same weekend (NON - June 19-21; USATF Juniors - June 20-22), the question has been raised about competing in both events. Though is not recommended, there are some scenarios where it is possible. NON vs US Juniors Schedule   Thurs Fri Sat Sun 100 qual   JR/NON     100   JR/NON     200 qual     JR/NON   200     NON JR 400 qual     JR   400     NON JR 800 qual   JR     800     JR/NON   1500 qual   JR     1500/mile     NON JR 3000/2 Mile - M   NON     3000/2 Mile - W   NON   JR 5000 - M NON JR     5000 - W NON   JR   10000 - M     JR   110m H qual   JR/NON     110m H   JR/NON     100m H qual   NON JR   100m H   NON JR   400mh qual   JR     400mh     JR/NON   2000/3000SC - M     NON JR 2000/3000SC - W   JR NON   HJ - M - qual   NON     HJ - M     NON JR HJ - W - qual   NON     HJ - W     JR/NON   PV - M   JR NON   PV - W   NON   JR LJ - M   JR NON   LJ - W     JR/NON   TJ - M   NON JR   TJ - W   NON   JR SP - M     JR/NON   SP - W   NON   JR DT - M   NON   JR DT - W   JR NON   HT - M   NON JR   HT - W   JR NON   JT - M   JR/NON     JT - W   JR NON   Dec Day 1   JR     Dec Day 2     JR   Hept Day 1     JR   Hept Day 2       JR Walks   NON   JR   Thurs Fri Sat Sun Men 100 - both on Friday, June 20 - not possible 200 - NON qualifying and finals, Junior qualifying on Saturday, June 21; Junior finals on Sunday, June 22 - not possible 400 - NON finals on Saturday, June 21, same day as Junior 400 qualifying - not possible 800 - Junior qualifying on Friday, June 20; both finals on Saturday, June 21 - not possible 1500/mile - Junior qualifying on Friday, June 20, final on Sunday, June 22; NON final on Saturday, June 21 - possible, but not recommended 2 Mile - NON final on Friday, June 20; no comparable event at the Juniors 5000m - NON final on Thursday, June 19; Junior final on Friday, June 20 - possible, but not recommended 10000m - no comparable NON event; Junior final on Saturday, June 21 110m hurdles - qualifying and final for both NON and Juniors on Friday, June 20 - not possible 400m hurdles - qualifying for Juniors on Friday, June 20; both finals on Saturday, June 21 - possible, but not recommended Steeple - NON on Saturday, June 21; Juniors on Sunday, June 20 - possible High Jump - NON qualifying on Friday, June 20, finals on Saturday, June 21. Juniors on Sunday, June 22 - possible Pole Vault - Juniors on Friday, June 20; NON on Saturday, June 21 - possible Long Jump - Juniorson Friday, June 20; NON on Saturday, June 21 - possible Triple Jump - NON on Friday, June 20; Juniors on Saturday, June 21 - possible Shot Put - both on Saturday, June 21 - not possible Discus - NON on Friday, June 20; Juniors on Sunday, June 22 - possible Hammer - NON on Friday, June 20, Juniors on Saturday, June 21 - possible Javelin - both on Friday, June 20 - not possible Decathlon - no comparable NON event; Juniors on Friday-Saturday, June 20-21 Women 100 - both on Friday, June 20 - not possible 200 - NON qualifying and finals, Junior qualifying on Saturday, June 21; Junior finals on Sunday, June 22 - not possible 400 - NON finals on Saturday, June 21, same day as Junior 400 qualifying - not possible 800 - Junior qualifying on Friday, June 20; both finals on Saturday, June 21 - not possible 1500/mile - Junior qualifying on Friday, June 20, final on Sunday, June 22; NON final on Saturday, June 21 - possible, but not recommended 2 Mile/3000m - NON 2 Mile final on Friday, June 20; Junior 3000m final on Sunday, June 22 - possible 5000m - NON final on Thursday, June 19; Junior final on Saturday, June 21 - possible 100m hurdles - qualifying and final for both NON and Juniors on Friday, June 20 - not possible 400m hurdles - qualifying for Juniors on Friday, June 20; both finals on Saturday, June 21 - possible, but not recommended Steeple - NON on Saturday, June 21; Juniors on Friday, June 20 - possible High Jump - NON qualifying on Friday, June 20, finals for both on Saturday, June 21. - possible, but not recommended Pole Vault - NON on Friday, June 20; Juniors on Sunday, June 22 - possible Long Jump - both on Saturday, June 21 - not possible Triple Jump - NON on Friday, June 20; Juniors on Sunday, June 22 - possible Shot Put - NON on Friday, June 20; Juniors on Sunday, June 22 - possible Discus - Juniors on Friday, June 20; NON on Saturday, June 21 - possible, but not recommended Hammer - Juniors on Friday, June 20; NON on Saturday, June 21 - possible Javelin - Juniors on Friday, June 20; NON on Saturday, June 21 - possible, but not recommended Heptathlon - no comparable NON event; Juniors on Saturday-Sunday, June 21-22 Summary Events where it is possible to double: Men 2000m/3000m Steeplechase High Jump Pole Vault Long Jump Triple Jump Discus Hammer Women 1500m/Mile 3000m/2 Mile 5000m 400m Hurdles 2000m/3000m Steeplechase High Jump Pole Vault Triple Jump Shot Put Discus Hammer Javelin 2008 Meet 2008-04-05T00:07:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/article/junior_watch http://www.nationalscholastic.org/article/junior_watch#When:00:43:00Z Junior Watch: Keeping an Eye on the Leading Candidates for the 2008 US Junior Team for the IAAF World Junior Championships. Compiled list of the top 3 per event of current Juniors (2008 performances, indoors and outdoors) to take a look at the leading candidates per event (and 5 for the 100 and 400 for the relay pool) — as of 5/5/08. 2008 Girls 2008 Boys 2008-05-07T00:43:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists2 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists2#When:00:44:00Z These are the US High School and Junior lists of the season as of 5/5/08. HS 2008 Girls HS May 5 2008 Boys HS May 5 JR 2008 Girls JR May 5 2008 Boys JR May 5 2008-05-06T00:44:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists1 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists1#When:23:17:00Z These are the US High School and Junior lists of the season as of 4/28/08. HS 2008 Girls HS Apr 22 2008 Boys HS Apr 22 JR 2008 Girls JR Apr 22 2008 Boys JR Apr 22 2008-04-29T23:17:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/mikemusings/article/outside_coach http://www.nationalscholastic.org/mikemusings/article/outside_coach#When:00:35:00Z More and more, athletes and/or their parents are questioning the abilities of the person selected as their school’s Head Coach for track and field. In many cases, their worries are needless, as there are a great many individuals who have more than enough ability to coach the athlete. They do not necessarily have to have a background in the sport. What they MUST have is an overwhelming desire to learn on the job so they can do a quality-coaching job on the athletes entrusted to their care. To that end, USATF offers coaching clinics of varying levels so individuals can learn more and do a better job. That these clinics are usually filled is testament to their desire to improve their coaching skills. However, there are several problems such individuals face. Like Joseph’s coat, track and field is a sport of many colors. The coach must master numerous skills. Consider, in the sprints alone there are at least 5-6 factors that must be taught if an athlete is to be successful. THE START: Go get as stopwatch. Start and stop it as fast as you can. If you’re quick, you’ll get a time around 1.3-1.5 seconds. Have you ever stopped to realize that the 1.3 – 1.5 seconds you lose due to a poor start is all that separates you from being a fair sprinter to being a good sprinter? And from a good one to a very good one? STRIDE LENGTH: Have you ever watched a great sprinter’s stride length? Almost all have a 7’ – 8’ stride. How do you improve your stride length? It’s a skill that can be taught…and learned. THE FINISH: How often have you read about a sprinter being out leaned at the tape? One more skill that can be taught…and learned. There are several more that time and space do not permit me to mention. However, a good coach can tell them to you as well as teach you those skills. However, this is just one event. What about the skills necessary to adequately teach the POLE VAULT, HIGH JUMP. SHOT PUT, DISCUS, LONG AND TRIPLE JUMPS, JAVELIN, THE STRATEGIES FOR RUNNING THE 400M, ETC. The list is virtually endless. There are far more skills involved in track and field than in football. Yet very few t&f teams have anywhere near the number of coaches as does football. I recall a coach coming to the National Scholastic meet from Lutcher, Louisiana. He brought a very good hurdler. We talked and he told me he was the outside RIGHT linebackers coach. There were separate coaches for the LEFT side and the MIDDLE linebackers. Now right there you have three coaches working with a very small number of kids. How many t&f teams even have three coaches? Well, after 33 years as a high school coach, I can tell you…very few. Most have two and often of dubious ability. I once had a young man assigned to me as my Assistant who came to me after an indoor meet at West Point, home of the US Military Academy and quietly informed me the kids had stolen several ‘cannon balls’ and brought them to the bus. He was serious. I gently pointed out to him his ‘cannon balls’ were actually shot puts and it was OK for the kids to have them. Therefore, the job of the t&f coach is immensely difficult. He/She must be an expert in far more than one event. Can she coach sprinters and distance runners equally well? Is he able to point out the many nuances of the pole vault? Can she cogently point out the takeoffs for the long jump and triple jump are completely different? Does he know how to set up a race plan for an upcoming mile that has several different type competitors? Sadly, the answer to most of the above is “NO!” How are t&f coaches chosen? If you answered “Haphazardly”, you’re probably right. Far too often, the job is given to a football coach who wants to earn a little extra money. My first coaching job was one such. The coach, a terrific football coach, got the t&f job because his wife was expecting and he needed some extra income. What were his t&f qualifications? Who cares!!?? It’s only track. With these type coaches, you have a real problem. Invariably, he will concentrate on the natural abilities of his so-called skill players from football; the wide receivers, defensive backs and, sometimes, linemen who are fast. Thus, he gets by with some decent sprint times, a fairly good 4x100m relay and a passable weight man or two. Unfortunately, my predecessor didn’t really care. Practices usually meant sitting around on the grass talking football. In the eight years prior to my taking over, the team had won ONE medal at a “big” meet, a bronze in the 4x1 at the league relay championships. For women’s teams the situation is usually as bad or worse. Recently I spoke with just such a coach at the high school level. She is doing a pretty good job. When asked about the Middle School program, she answered that the coaching job usually was filled at the last minute and turned over almost every year. So, as a result, the Head Coach had no feeder system to speak of. When I watched the team’s sprinter practicing starts, I was appalled. NOBODY KNEW ANYTHING! Every kid had a different concept of setting their blocks, every kid stood upright a few tenths after the gun sounded and all lost about .4-.5 tenths in the first 10 meters! So what’s a parent to do when they KNOW their child has great potential but will go nowhere due to poor coaching? Many parents take over coaching their child. Some do it well; most do not even when they have some knowledge about their kid’s event. I had two sons and coached them. Both quit the team. Why? Too often parents make one of two mistakes. They, in an effort to not show favoritism, treat their sons/daughters much stricter than they do the others OR they take the coaching home and it becomes a topic at the dinner table, usually one leaning more on criticism than encouragement. What happens? The kids never get a fair break nor a break from their sport. Practice becomes something to dread and they decide it’s not worth it so they quit. Thus, we come to the role of the Outside Coach. He/she is almost always a person who has been involved in the sport but never became a teacher/coach. (Most coaches are teachers. In many cases, teacher’s organizations insist that a teacher, regardless of qualifications, be given a coaching job over an ‘outsider’.) These ‘outsiders’ are often well-known within the community as are their experiences with a particular sport. Thus, when a parent knows that Ms. Jones was a very good sprinter in college, the parent asks if they will give little Jessie some pointers. Mr. Smith just won a 5k race in town and the newspaper mentioned he’d been the conference mile champion several years back. It was my good fortune to be approached about coaching a young woman who ran for a high school with no indoor track program. The girl had just run a terrible race, was sobbing in a corner and I went over just to offer a few words of encouragement. Her parents overheard, liked what I was doing, asked around about who I was and called me a few days later asking for my help. At the time, I spending less time with the National Scholastic Sports Foundation and had some time on my hands. I said ‘Yes” I’d be glad to help. Thus was born my involvement with Sarah Bowman. She, as many of you know, became a great high school runner, the best ever in my humble opinion and now attends the University of Tennessee. So, she and I practiced away from the high school team. It wasn’t that we had an aversion to working with the team but rather a deep-seated anger on the part of one of the coaches towards both Sarah and me. Sarah, because she has chosen to work with me; me, because I had chosen to work with Sarah. But, we made it work although it became extremely difficult for Sarah. I will always admire her for the way she managed the situation. When offered a spot in the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, she turned it down (to my dismay) since it was on the same day as her team’s state meet and Sarah knew how much her points meant to the team. So, she went to the states, won three events, anchored a winning relay and placed second in the high jump contributing 48 points to the teams winning about 60. Unbelievably, the coach never thanked her for what she did nor expressed the slightest gratitude for Sarah’s skipping one of the finest track meets in the nation so she could be with her team. In this case, all went well. I knew what I was doing; Sarah set certain goals and knew I would help her achieve those goals and we both earned the respect of the other. Interestingly, when we went to the USATF Junior Nationals, Sarah and two other truly outstanding distance runners were talking about their outside coaches. All three agreed they would have never become the runners they were, and believe me these kids were GOOD, had it not been for their outside coach. None evinced even the slightest interest in going back to their high school coach under any circumstances. So exactly what does an outside coach have to offer that a high school coach does not? Several things. Most importantly, TIME. The high school mentor has to coach the entire team; the sprinters, jumpers, throwers, relays, hurdlers while also handling the many problems that invariably arise. Kids skipping practice, dogging it, fighting with other kids, jealousy, parental interference, and the list is endless. The outside coach works with ONE athlete, has the full cooperation of the parents, has none of the endless problems just mentioned and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, has TIME. The youngsters I’ve had the pleasure of working with have always mentioned, when asked about our relationship, how much they had learned. The outside coach can sit and talk with the athlete for an hour or more, teaching about race strategy, how to set up a race plan, tactics, scouting reports on others in the upcoming race, what to eat, why we’re doing what we’re doing, how the training is progressing, what the future holds, why should there be a goal, not only for every race but for every practice and on and on. The high school coach doesn’t have that luxury. Should YOU consider hiring an outside coach? It’s not as easy a decision as you might think. What will the high school coach do? If he/she is antagonistic, can your son/daughter handle it? What will the teammates do? How about the other parents? If your youngster cannot handle such pressure do you still want to continue? Should you continue? The answer should come from your child. It’s up to YOU to explain all the pitfalls that may occur. It will be up to YOU to confront an antagonistic coach. If you feel the outside coach route is, the one you should take and that it will be in the best interest of your child, talk it over with them, listen carefully to their concerns and then the two of you make a decision. Finally, let me recount a story I was just told by a friend. He went to interview for a publishing job. During the interview, he showed some of his work to the interviewer who happened to have a daughter who was a pretty good runner. The piece happened to include a mention of my name. She said, “I know Mike. We always hoped he would contact us about working with Mary.” I never even thought of it. It’s your job, after you have made your decision to seek outside help, to go to your choice and see if they are interested. Coaching is a time-consuming task. EVERY afternoon, I would spend 2-3 hours with my kid. No time for golf, grandson baby-sitting; the afternoon belongs to your athlete. If you’d care to speak with me about this, please feel free to contact me: fmbyrnes@aol.com Thanks for reading this, I hope it was helpful.  mb 2008-04-29T00:35:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_hs_jr_lists#When:02:27:00Z These are the US High School and Junior lists of the season as of 4/22/08. HS 2008 Girls HS Apr 22 2008 Boys HS Apr 22 JR 2008 Girls JR Apr 22 2008 Boys JR Apr 22 2008-04-23T02:27:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_outdoor_hs_jr_lists http://www.nationalscholastic.org/spierscorner/article/top_outdoor_hs_jr_lists#When:01:25:00Z These are the US High School and Junior lists of the season as of 4/14/08. HS 2008 Girls HS Apr 14 2008 Boys HS Apr 14 JR 2008 Girls JR Apr 14 2008 Boys JR Apr 14 2008-04-15T01:25:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/article/nssfs_denman_to_enter_nyu_hall_of_fame http://www.nationalscholastic.org/article/nssfs_denman_to_enter_nyu_hall_of_fame#When:00:45:00Z By Pete Cava, National Scholastic Sports Foundation A few years back at a post-championship wrap party, several members of National Scholastic Sports Foundation's staff were lingering over late snacks. The subject turned to Waltzing Matilda, Australia's de facto national anthem. Like a combination of chocolate and chipotle, NSSF staffers' conversations tend to be eclectic. When someone asked who wrote the song, a tall, gray figure quietly and correctly responded: "Banjo Paterson." That settled the issue, since the man with the answer, Elliott Denman, is renowned as a font of information on anything from Aussie balladeers to Zimbabwe's Olympic teams. And Denman – a retired sports reporter and 1956 Olympian who writes feature stories for NSSF's website and provides game-day coverage for the Nike Indoor and Nike Outdoor Nationals – will be inducted into New York University's Hall of Fame this spring. "What do you say about Elliott Denman," mused Tom Surber, a member of USA Track & Field's media staff since 1987. "He's a very good writer and a quality reporter, always diligent as far as getting the facts correct. And he's been consistent through the years, such a gentle soul. For me, he's always been a pleasure to work with." Denman, a 1956 NYU graduate, will be inducted in ceremonies on May 10 in Manhattan along with Joe Fink (soccer, 1973), Paul Palestis (fencing, 1998) and Boris Vaysburd (volleyball, 1995). "It all began when I made the Olympic team," said Denman, who qualified for the 1956 U.S. track and field squad in the 50-kilometer walk. A member of Joe Yancey's New York Pioneer Club in those days – and a Sandy Koufax look-alike, minus the fastball – Denman finished eleventh at the Melbourne Games. He's been competing ever since, winning the U.S. 3-kilometer and 50-kilometer walk titles in 1959. Last November 4 he completed the New York City Marathon for the twenty-ninth consecutive year. "Slowing down," he wrote afterward in a note to friends, "but still getting there." After returning from the Olympics, Denman launched a lengthy career as a sports reporter. Working for New Jersey's Asbury Park Press, he wrote – capably and admirably – about every sport imaginable. Denman returned to the Olympics – this time as a journalist – covering the Games each year from 1968 through 2004 (with the exception of 1980, the year of the U.S. boycott). He was accredited to the first IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Helsinki in 1983 and has attended each once since. Already one of the rarest of breeds – a journalist who is also a competitive athlete – Denman took an active role in track and field's governance. He served on national race walk committees, first for the Amateur Athletic Union and, later, for USA Track & Field, AAU's successor. He's also active at the local level as a key figure in New Jersey's Shore Athletic Club. He has served as meet director for countless events, including many national championships. Denman retired from the Press at the end of 1999. He continues to work as a freelance journalist and he'll cover this year's Olympics in Beijing. "It keeps me going," said Denman. "I never want to stop. I love the meets, I love the people and I love track and field. The sport's been very, very good to me. It's part of my life. I want to keep helping it as long as I can." Jim Spier, director of the Nike Indoor and Nike Outdoor Nationals, praised Denman's work on behalf of NSSF. "Elliott's a major asset to our on-line efforts during the run-up to the meets and during the competition," he said. "He's also a terrific person to have around. Everybody connected with NSSF congratulates him for making the NYU Hall of Fame." Denman, who turned 74 on January 23, lives in West Long Branch with Jo, his wife of 47 years. Look for his feature stories on this website, as well as his event-by-event coverage of the Nike Indoor Nationals in Landover, Maryland, March 15-16. # 2008-04-15T00:45:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/article/usatf_junior_champs_analysis_part_2 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/article/usatf_junior_champs_analysis_part_2#When:16:01:00Z USATF Junior Champs Analysis, in two parts - An analysis (Part 1) and a history (Part 2) of those who made the Junior team for 2002, 2004, 2006, and the leading candidates for 2008. History in PDF 2008-04-09T16:01:00-05:00 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/article/usatf_junior_champs_analysis_part_1 http://www.nationalscholastic.org/article/usatf_junior_champs_analysis_part_1#When:15:30:00Z The National Scholastic Sports Foundation was formed in order to help athletes attend the USATF Junior Championships. It is the only method to make any international teams (World Junior Championships, Pan American Junior Championships, etc). Each year, the NSSF provides $10,000.00 + towards athlete travel. There is a conflict this year, with the USATF Junior Championships being held on the same weekend as the Nike Outdoor Nationals, our premier event. Team USA to the World Junior Championships for 2002, 2004 and 2006, by event, is listed in a separate document. What follows is an event by event analysis of the chance of a high school athlete to make the 2008 team which will compete in Poland in July. (The performances noted may have been from 2007). This analysis will be updated periodically. Men 100m - For those in the low 10.30's or better, there is an excellent chance. High schoolers Jeff Demps (10.17, Rynell Parson (10.23 in 2007), and Jeremy Rankin (10.32 in 2007) are the leaders. 200m - It would take a PB of the mid 20's to make the team - 3 of the top 4 returnees are collegians, led by Bryshon Nellum (USC, 20.43 in 2007) and Jahvid Best (California, 20.65 in 2007). Antonio Sales (U of South Carolina) was the world junior leader indoors at 20.83. 400m - The low 46's would make the team. The top 3 returnees are: Nellum (45.38 in 2007), Gil Roberts (Texas Tech, 46.16 in 2007) and Robert Simmons (Hightower, Sugarland, TX, 46.40 in 2007). 800m - There has been 1 high schooler and 1 collegian on each of the past 3 teams. Sub-1:50 may get a high schooler on the team. Two (Nectaly Barbosa, Arizona State, 1:49.87 and James Gilreath, Baylor, 1:49.98 in 2007) of the four in this category are collegians. High schoolers Dylan Ferris (1:49.27) and Blake Shaw (1:49.41) lead the list. 1500m - The World Junior qualifying standard is relatively tough (3:48.00, or about 4:06 for a full mile). Nectaly Barbosa (Arizona State) with 3:45.49 recently is the only American to make the standard thus far. 3000m Steeplechase - Another tough qualifying standard for high schoolers (9:10.0). Only one (Ryan Mc Dermott of Duke, 9:08.11 in 2007) has made it thus far, though Dylan Knight (UCLA) has come painfully close (9:10.01 on April 4). 5000m - 14:15.0 standard - Five collegians are under that, lead by Matt Tebo (Colorado, 13:53.60i) and Hassan Mead (Minnesota, 13:57.87) 10000m - 31:00.0 standard - a high schooler has not made the team in 2002, 2004 nor 2006. Kevin Schwab (Oklahoma) is the only qualifier thus far, having run 30:56.75 in 2007. 110m Hurdles - The World Junior Championships now run the 39" hurdles. Though there are some excellent high school hurdlers, led by Wayne Davis, they will have to contend with Johnny Dutch (South Carolina), Robert Griffin (Baylor) and Terry Prentice (USC). Additionally, Dutch has run 13.79 and Jarius Cooper (Florida) 13.98 over the 42" barriers. 400m Hurdles - High schoolers William Wynne (49.70 in 2007) and Reggie Wyatt (50.10 in 2007 and 51.36 in 2008) have a good chance of making at least one of the spots. They will have to contend with Robert Griffin (Baylor, 49.56 in 2007) and Johnny Dutch (South Carolina, 50.07 in 2007 and 51.36 on March 22) High Jump - Two high schoolers (Andra Manson and Jesse Williams) made the team in 2002, but none in 2004 nor 2006. Randal Carter, Johnson County C.C. is the leader at 7-4 in 2007 (and 7-3 indoors in 2008). High schooler Erik Kynard (Rogers, Toledo, OH) jump 7-3.75 indoors on January 19) Pole Vault - Two high schoolers made the team in 2006 (Phillip Hanson and Scott Roth), but the leading four returnees this year are collegians (Spencer Mc Corkel, Arkansas 17-9; Maston Wallace, Texas, 17-8.5; Shea Kearney, Rice, 17-3; Mike Uhle, Akron, 17-0.75). Long Jump - Four 25 "footers" are in contention: high schoolers Christian Taylor (25-6.75 indoors) and Marquise Goodwin (25-0 in 2007) and collegians Gary Lee (Fresno State, 25-4) and Edward Turner (Houston, 25-0). Triple Jump - The WJR standard is 51-2.25. Three of the leading contenders are collegians (Tyron Stewart, 52-9.5, Troy Doris, 52-5 in 2007, Chris Carter, Houston, 52-1.25 in 2007 and Austin Davis, North Carolina, 51-9.25), with Christian Taylor at 52-5.25 in 2007 and 52-0 indoors in 2008. Shot Put - Of the six athletes who were on the teams in 2002, 2004 and 2006, only one (Eric Werksey) was a high schooler. Eric Plummer (Princeton, 58-0.5 with the 16 pound ball in 2007 and 56-8.75 in 2008) and Blake Eaton (Pennsylvania, 57-3.5) are the leading contenders. Discus - The WJR standard is 165-8 for the international discus (and 177-2 for the collegiate discus). Abilene Christian teammates Tyler Fleet (184-1) and Nick Jones (179-9) lead the US Juniors. Hammer - Collegians dominate this event, with Walter Henning (North Carolina) the dominant force here with a recent throw of 225-6 with the 16 pound implement. Javelin - Only collegians have made the three teams. The WJR standard is 218-2, and there are no Americans who have made standard yet. Decathlon - This is anyone's guess, but the event is usually dominated by collegians. Women 100 - High schoolers have an "outside shot" of making the top 2, but they may have a better shot at the relay pool. They will have to contend with the likes of Tiffany Townsend (Baylor), Janeba Tarmoh (Tennessee), Shataya Hendricks (Stanford) and Shayla Mahan (South Carolina)l of whom have run 11.37 or better. 200 - This is similar to the 100, with Townsend the leader (22.84 in 2007 and 23.52 indoors this year) and Tarmoh (23.26 indoors) behind. 400 - Three of the four leading returnees are high schoolers, but the one to beat is Jessica Beard (Texas) at 51.63 in 2007 and 52.48 indoors in 2008. 800 - Chanelle Price (Easton, PA) is the dominant force here should she opt for the Juniors (she may just go to the Olympic Trials). Nichole Jones (Baylor) has run 2:04.69 in 2007. 1500 - Jordan Hasay had the great 4:16.98 at the 2007 World Youth Champs and is the leader. Nichole Jones (Baylor) has run 4:18.50 with Alex Kosinski (Oregon) running 4:19.88 in the early Spring. 3000 - Hasay has been under 9:30 this year. Right behind are Catherine White (Arkansas, 9:32.01) and Marissa Treece (Notre Dame, 9:33.95). Those three are the only ones thus far to be under the 9:35 standard. 3000m Steeplechase - The standard is 11:00.00, and only Becky Wade (Rice) is under that so far. 5000 - This is usually dominated by collegians. The WJR standard is 16:30, with three collegians under that (Lara Crofford, Nebraska, 16:28.08 Alexandra Gits, Standord, 16:29.14 and Catherine White, Arkansas, 16:29.88). 100m Hurdles - High schoolers have an excellent chance in this event. The leading returnees are Vashti Thomas (13.03 in 2007), Jackie Coward (13.21 in 2007) and Julian Purvis (13.32 in 2007). Collegians are likely to make a late surge, led so far by Teona Rodgers of Florida State (13.35) 400m Hurdles - Another good event for high schoolers, let b Dalilah Muhammad (57.09 in 2007), Ryann Kraiss (57.20 2007) and Jackie Coward (57.21 in 2007). Athletes form the U. of Miami have the fastest times for 2008: Tierra Brown (57.49), Takecia Jameson (58.43) and Tameka Jameson (58.45)! High Jump - Preps have fared well in the high jump for the last 3 junior teams. Victoria Lucas, a consistent 6-footer, leads at 6-1 (6-0 in 2008), with Shanae Briscoe (Cypress Christian, Houston, TX) at 5-11.5 in 2007 and 5-10 in 2008. Patience Coleman (U. of North Carolina) is the leading collegian at 5-11.25i. Pole Vault - High Schoolers Rachel Laurent (14-0) and Shade Weygandt (13-9.25) have been dominant this season, but collegians Tori Anthony (UCLA, 14-1.25 in 2007, 13-7.75 in 2008), Allison Stokke (California, 13-7 in 2007 and 13-3.5 in 2008) and Melissa Gergel (Oregon, 13-7 indoors) could contend. Long Jump - This is generally a collegian-dominated event. This year it is no different, led by Jamesha Youngblood (Oregon, 21-0 in 2007, 20-6 indoors in 2008) and Ke'Nyia Richardson (UCLA, 20-10.25 in 2007). Jacinda Evans (Southern, Durham, NC) had a recent US leading 20-3.5 to lead the preps. Triple Jump - Richardson (44-5.5 in 2007) and high schooler Vashti Thomas (42-8.75 indoors) are the only two who have made the WJR standard of 42-4. Shot Put - Preps Karen Shump (52-4i) and Becky O'Brien (51-5i) have a definite shot at making the team, but will have to contend with US Junior leader Kamorean Hayes (Florida State, 53-5.25i) Discus - It's still a bit early to tell, but the dominant force here is Emily Pendleton (Michigan) with a best of 183-3 in 2007 and 176-0 in 2008. Surprising junior Anna Jelmini (Shafter, CA) has been a consistent long thrower, with a great toss of 175-8 recently. Hammer - Noone qualified for the World Junior Champs in 2006 and none have yet to make the 2008 standard (180-5), though Gabby Midles (U of Idaho) is very close at 179-5, as is Irene Cooper (Western Michigan) at 178-0. Javelin - The amazing high school freshman Hannah Carson (Mesa, AZ, 173-7) is one of two US athletes to make the world junior standard of 162-5. The other is Karlee Mc Quillen (Penn State, 164-3). Only one American made the standard in 2004 and 2006. Heptathlon - Ryann Krais (Methacton, PA) is the only athlete to make the WJR standard (5150). Krais' best is 5377. 2008-04-09T15:30:00-05:00