There is a very new structure of competitions being run in NSW this
season pre-christmas. Alternating club premierships at regional centres
and also Allcomers meets at Homebush.

The feedback I am hearing is almost exclusively negative and not just
people whinging.
Some of the comments are as follows:
-The timetabling makes it at most meets totally undesirable to do the
early season doubles of 1500 then 400 or 800 then 200.
- On club premiership weekends the events at meets are very different.
The athletes clubb must be registered at the meet - if there secretary
did not arrange it ( or the club did not want to enter at a venue) then
the enthusiastic but now angry athlete is turned away.
This also means athletes may want to go away from the area to race to
chase better competition or an event that is not being held nearby. The
problem then is that clubs may not have listed a team at that location
because they want to concentrate all their athletes at the one place.
This is because the rules for clubs winning points and qualifying for
recognition have been designed in such a way that encourages this sort
of thing.
- An interesting example:
1500m
1 opportunity for Greater Sydney athletes to race each other at Homebush
before Christmas where they are all likely to attend. and also just one
similar opportunity at Bankstown
All other races pre-christmas are fragmented into regions

It is common knowledge that top level athletes should race sparingly
before christmas if they want to race well in April. However to qualify
for A-series events athletes will need to develop to be in good form by
using these early competitions smartly. They want to know that there
will be good depth in the race - not a race that may as well have been
run at training.

I am also concerned about lack of credibility being given at Club
Premiership meets where generally wind is not measured and times not
necessarily able to be accepted as records etc.

Some decent races will occur pre-christmas because coaches will organize
them - but many of them will be on Tuesday at Bankstown which is not as
fast a track (in my opinion) as homebush. Plus Tuesday does not really
suit everyone.

There is great depth in NSW in juniors BUT we need to look after them
smartly and keep them in the sport. This means providing a simple
competition structure where they can all turn up and expect to have good
competition and action. People need opportunities to build knowledge of
their culture - not have it fragmented to such an extent that - every
week it is different. The action was always at Homebush before and now
it seems it is every second week it is at homebush in an "express"
program and on the other weeks the action is wherever people are "not
allowed" to compete!

I am interested to hear everyones opinions and we will pass them on to
the parties who we are in this sport with.
I am very supportive of all of AA's new initiatives but I cannot see how
this NSW one is helping the AA agenda.

__________________________________________________________________
Steve Bennett
www.oztrack.com
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