The Weather
Although the global weather pattern should have led to a warmer than average winter for us, persistent high pressure over Greenland and parts of the Arctic has driven the jet stream deep into the South for much of the past two months. As a result, cold temperatures have partnered with snow and ice to dominate the season. Every part of the state has been hit, from the mountains, where some systems have hardly gone to school since before Christmas, to the coast, where they got 5-7 inches of snow Saturday night. This, in turn, has led to the smallest number of polar bear meets in recent memory, as well as big disruptions to practice schedules.
The Lack of Facilities
As far as the true indoor season goes, the loss of the Durham Striders meet at UNC, coupled with the sanctioning issue with the Clemson meet, have taken away two of North Carolina’s favorite places to race. Most teams who were determined enough to make it to an indoor meet have turned to Liberty, where the facility and the meet directors have graciously accommodated us. Virginia Tech always plays host to many of NC’s elite athletes, but the entry limitations there often prevent larger teams from taking their borderline state qualifiers. The upshot: “indoor track” season has become “winter track” season.
The Budget
This has been a difficult year for states across our nation, and North Carolina is no exception. School system budgets are strained to say the least, and many systems have cut back on athletic spending. Many schools have been unable to travel out of state to the available indoor meets, and even decisions about attending polar bear meets have been affected by transportation restrictions. In any other year, these restrictions would probably have been bearable. However, when the UNC facility was found to be unavailable this year, and athletic directors were presented with the alternatives for the meet, the budget played a very large role in the discussion. The idea of going to Liberty or Clemson, supported strongly by the North Carolina Track and Cross Country Coaches Association, ultimately failed due mostly to the potential costs involved. This will force the NC State Meets outdoors, to be held at Fayetteville’s Reid Ross Classical School.
A Lowered Sense of Interest and Urgency
There is a palpable feeling of indifference across the state this winter season. Several big-name athletes have apparently decided to train through the winter and haven’t competed in any significant meet. The lists of known qualifiers for the state meet are very small. It seems as though a perfect storm of factors—weather, facilities, and budget—has come together to make this the least spirited indoor track season that I can remember in my 20 years of involvement with the sport in North Carolina. Let’s hope that all of these factors are temporary, and look forward to the return of NC’s indoor season to its full stature next year.
Changing of the Guard at NC Milesplit
This is definitely NOT one of the big stories of the winter, but I am really excited to take over for Ben Hovis! I will have a tough job just keeping the site up to his standards, let alone trying to make any improvements. Please feel free to send me your feedback, positive or negative (as long as it's polite!). I want to hear your suggestions, and I hope to make this site a crucial part of the track and cross country scenes here in North Carolina.
(All photos courtesy of Jeff Sides)