National Scholastic Athletics Foundation

Policies for Selection for the Boys & Girls Invitational High School Mile at the 102nd Annual Millrose Games

Two of the featured events at the Millrose Games are the "Boys One Mile Run" (contested since 1974), and the "Girls One Mile Run" (since 1984). Each of these events brings together, by special invitation, eight (8) of the top scholastic milers in the East to race at New York City's famous Madison Square Garden. The Millrose Games celebrates its 102nd edition on Friday, January 30, 2009.

These are "scholastic events" sanctioned by National Federation of State High School Associations and the State of New York. Therefore, all competitors must represent their school and wear their school's team uniform.

The Millrose Games' long-established policy for selecting competitors is based on evaluating each candidate's "One Mile Performance Profile", which includes:

• Honors Won (i. e. winning and placing high in major [interstate] meets)
• Win-Loss Record against other top prep milers
• Time Performances at ONE MILE, 1500m, and 1600m</li>
• Rankings on National and Eastern Performance Lists

We review each potential candidate's array of performances in major meets, beginning with the 2008 indoor season, with particular emphasis on State Championships, National Scholastic Indoor Championship (NY Armory), and Nike Indoor Nationals (Landover, MD). Outdoors, our focus is on 2008 State Championships, as well as "major interstate meets": Arcadia, Penn Relays, Hartford, Loucks, etc., with primary emphasis on "end-of-season" competitions such as the Golden West Invitational, Nike Outdoor Nationals, USATF Junior Nationals, USATF Youth Championships, Junior Olympics and various State "Summer Games".

By early Fall we will have identified two groups of candidates. Our "A" List consists of the elite 2008 underclass milers ranked by Track & Field News and DyeStat among all the USA's top 10-15 for the mile (plus 1,500/1,600m converted.) For the boys, that usually means sub-4:12.0. For the girls, that usually means sub-4:50.0 In December, we will contact these nationally-ranked milers to determine their interest, availability, and authorization to participate. In most years, only 1 or 2 of this group commits to compete"”in which case their Millrose Games invitation is confirmed.

Our "B" List consists of the additional top 10-15 returning milers within the East (ME--VA) as ranked by DyeStat. For boys, that usually means sub-4:21 indoors or sub-4:18 outdoors. For girls, that usually means: sub-5:05 indoors or sub-5:00 outdoors. Although we review major 2008 cross country meets, primarily to determine elite competitive fitness, it should be stressed that winning and/or setting course records at these meets is NOT a significant factor in considering Millrose Mile contestants, as often the best 5,000m harriers are not top-quality milers.

In December, as the 2008-9 indoor season gets underway, it's "show time" for these "B" List milers to produce a mile performance, on or before January 17, 2009, that ranks them at the top…time-wise…of all scholastic milers in the East. Again, we emphasize that we rely only on One-Mile performances achieved in the ten meets listed on reverse. In this regard, please note that performances made in "Intra-State", non-scholastic, or "Open" meets/events will NOT be considered for a Millrose invitation.

These ten Eastern "major interstate meets" (all of which run a MILE, on 200m tracks, 5 banked and 5 flat) in which our leading "B" List candidates will compete, are attended or monitored by our Invitations Directors, or their representatives. Since several of these meets are limited to competitors from immediate bordering states, you must ascertain from each respective Meet Director [Contact] a determination whether your entry will be accepted.

We emphasize that winning the Mile (or placing in top 2-3-4) at these designated meets does not ensure an invitation to the Millrose Games"”other than the one automatic qualifying meet specified below. For example, winning the Yale Invitational Boys Mile in 4:21.2, while several others have run sub-4:18.5 at any of the earlier 2008-2009 designated Indoor Meets would considerably lessen that individual's chances of being selected.

It should be noted that this year there are two significant procedure changes. 1) We are selecting two competitors from only one major meet as an "automatic qualifier": The Hispanic Games on January 10th conducted at the New York City Armory Track & Field Center. In this meet, the winner (ONLY) of the Boys and Girls One Mile events will be automatically invited to participate in the 2009 Millrose Games Invitational H.S. Mile races…and…2) New Balance Games on January 24th will NOT serve as a "qualifier", as it occurs too late on the Indoor Schedule to permit assembling our final field for the Millrose Games.

Finally, all accepted invitees in the Boys and Girls High School Miles must agree NOT to compete in any scheduled meet after Sunday, January 25th, to ensure being in peak competitive condition.  Failure to comply with this provision of the selection process will result in our invitation to compete in the 2009 Millrose Games being immediately withdrawn.

Contact…

2008-9 Major Eastern High School INDOOR Meets - DESIGNATED AS MILLROSE "QUALIFIERS"

- Saturday, December 13 - HOWARD COUNTY WINTER TRACK FESTIVAL. Prince Georges County Sports Complex, Landover, MD Top competitors from MD, DC, VA, PA & DE only. 200m flat track
Contact: Norman Belden @ (W) 410-880-5988… (H) 410-992-4429… (C} 410-917-8010 or norman_belden@hcpss.org

- Saturday, December 20 - 54nd BISHOP LOUGHLIN GAMES. NYC area "Season opener" at NY Armory Track & Field Center, 168th St. & Broadway, NYC - 6-lane banked 200m Mondo Track. Contacts: Ed Bowes @ 718-857-2700 ext. 2233 or Mike Botti @ 718-788-0716…BLGames.org

- Sat-Sun, December 27-28 - FIRST ANNUAL BOSTON HOLIDAY CHALLLENGE. Reggie Lewis Track Center, Roxbury Crossing, MA - 6-lane banked 200m Mondo Track [where Nike Indoor Nationals will be held in March] B&G Mile on 12/28 Contact: Bill Jennings jetjennings@aol.com

- Sat-Sun, December 27-28 - SETON HALL GAMES. Regan Field House, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ
Individual events, including B&G Mile on 12/27. Relays 12/28. Contact: John Marshall @ 973-761-9639 or shu.edu

- Fri-Sat, January 2-3 - 27th BROWN UNIVERSITY INVITATIONAL. Olney-Margolies Fieldhouse, Brown University, Providence, RI. DMR on 1/2…other Varsity running events & B&G Mile on 1/3. (200m flat synthetic track- spikes OK)

Contacts: George_Evans@brown.edu or Michelle Eisenreich @ 401-863-1838

- Saturday, January 10 - 15TH CITIBANK HISPANIC GAMES. "Automatic Qualifier" NY Armory Track/ Field Center. 168th St. & Broadway, NYC - 6-lane banked 200m Mondo track. Contact: Louie Vasquez @ 212-923-1803 ext. 14

- Fri-Sat, January 9-10 - 40th DARTMOUTH RELAYS. Leverone Field House, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Top H.S. competitors from 8 states & Canada (200m flat synthetic- spikes OK) DMR on 1/9… B&G Mile on 1/10
Contacts: Barry Harwick @ 603-646-2540 or barry.harwick@dartmouth.edu or www.lancertiming.com

- Saturday, January 10 - MONTGOMERY INDOOR INVITATIONAL. Prince Georges County Sports Complex, Landover, MD
Top competitors from MD, DC, VA, PA, DE only. 200m flat track
Contact: Tom Rogers @ (c) 240-476-1720 or (H) 301-770-7292 or Thomas_W_Rogers@mcpsmd.org

- Saturday, January 17 - ARCHBISHOP MOLLOY-STANNER GAMES. NY Armory Track & Field Center.
168th St & Broadway, NYC - 6-lane banked 200m Mondo track. Contact: Joe Dombrowski @ 718-441-2100 (school) or 718-849-8251 (Fax) or jdombrowski@molloyhs.org

- Fri-Sat, January 16-17 - 27TH YALE TRACK CLASSIC. Coxe Cage, Yale University, New Haven, CT
(200m banked synthetic track-spikes OK) Top HS competitors from 8 states. DMR on 1/16. B & G Mile on 1/17.
Contact: Dan Ireland (Boys) @ 203-432-1404…or…Mark Young (Girls) @ 203-432-1405

** PLEASE NOTE: Saturday, January 17 is the last day performances will be considered for selection for the Invitational Boys and Girls High School Mile Races at the 2009 Millrose Games on Friday, January 30th at Madison Square Garden.

QUESTIONS? Contact…

"TO RANK WITH 'EM…YOU'VE GOT TO COMPETE WITH 'EM"
…per Neil Kerr, Editor/NYSSWA