Schedule, news on the future of unattached in NCAA

Looks like I will be racing next Saturday 4/26.   I haven't received confirmation from Bellarmine in Louisville, but I have a backup.  The KIAC Conference Championships in Berea accepts unattached athletes... which is very unusual for a conference meet.  The KY Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Track meet is really about as competitive as a high school meet... or not even.   Looking at last years meet for example, 6 of 13 guys in the 200m ran over 25, 7 of 13 in the 100m over 12!  Schools like Indiana East, St. Louis Pharmacy, Midway, Asbury, Brescia, etc....   my kinda meet.

So, I'll make a decision on Wed.  Bellarmine has the better track and much faster competition, so I'd rather run there.

NCAA T&F Initiative  
There is a proposal that will be voted on in June by the rules committee that would redefine what a college track meet is for the purpose of qualifying for nationals/regionals.  Essentially, the proposal would seek to eliminate pros and unattached athletes from competing in college meets.   This proposal seems to be very unpopular with coaches and most think will never pass, according to one site I read.   Good thing for us masters, and track clubs.  There is not enough of us to have many masters meets and the small few of us who like to race, depend on college meets.   Also, talented post collegiates and pros depend on college meets to qualify for championships.

My friend Johnny, a talented 30 yr old post collegiate sprinter who has run 10.37 and dreams of hitting the 10.2 qualifying standard for the US Championships said this, and I agree:

"...one of the coolest things about track and field was anyone could show up at almost any kind of meet and, if they were that amazingly talented, could qualify themselves to our National meet and perhaps even beyond. You can't show up at an NBA game and step out on the court as a sub. You can't just show up at your local NFL teams' practice, say "coach, give me a shot and throw me in", and end up in an NFL game. With track, though, show up at a college meet and run a 10.2 or a 1:47 or whatever and BOOM, you can show up and run against the top guys at the biggest meet. [USATF Nationals] There is something truly special about that, and it appears to me that they are trying to reduce that kind of aspect. Inclusion is AMERICAN, why wouldn't we support that kind of situation?"

I think the same goes for masters... but instead of qualifying for a championship, we might just be able to post a world leading time ... or for some, an American or World Masters record.

Even if this proposal passes, which it won't, I doubt it will affect the little KY schools I race at these quaint D3 college in down here in 'jesusland'.    Let's hope.