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I. Introduction of Officers
President: Dave Chatelaine –
Owatonna
dchatelaine@owatonna.k12.mn.us
Vice President: Chris Frye –
Chatfield
Ccfrye53@gmail.com
Treasurer: Dave Bauer – Park
Center
misterb@adws.net
Secretary: Jeff Schmidt –
Hutchinson
schmidts@hutchtel.net
jeffs@hutch.k12.mn.us
Vice President needed:
Dave C’s tenure ends in the fall and Chris becomes president.
The association needs a vice-president (beginning in the
fall) to work with Chris for 2 years then become
president for a 2 year term. Anyone interested can contact Dave
C.
Duties for president (aided by
the vice-president) include: meeting with the MSHSL as part
of the cross country advisory committee, getting input, setting
agendas then leading the rap session meeting and the meeting
at the summer clinic, helping out with clinic and state
meet social, and keeping abreast of the happenings regarding
Coach of the Year, academic awards and anything else
that may pertain to our sport.
II. Updates
1.
Team at Large proposal: Previous meetings with MSHSL
have indicated that adding teams with any type of at-large
scenario isn’t part of their philosophy. There has been a long
history of unsuccessful attempts and no real progress with any
at-large proposals.
2.
Three Class proposal: No progress. MSHSL has indicated
any 3 class proposal would have to include 1 team advancing from
each section. Coaches have indicated that would not be
acceptable.
3.
Increasing individuals (top 10 not on a qualifying
team): Not approved at this time. It is still an ongoing
proposal for future consideration.
4.
A reminder: Most proposals that go through the advisory
committee then various MSHSL meetings, have a two year lag time
for implementation.
III. State Meet
1.
New in 2009: a) 10 medals in each race. b) Coaches
Assn. All-State certificates given from tables set up in the
gym. (on a related note, the MSHSL doesn’t want to introduce
the top 25) c) All individual qualifiers (and thus individuals
from the same team) were in the same lane. d) course opening
and check-in was earlier (12:30) on Friday than it has been.
2.
Concerns: a) Confusion/embarrassment as top 16 were
announced but 16 didn’t go on stage. b) The difference in the
number of individual qualifiers made some of the lanes much more
crowded than others. Some lanes were lined up in the order of
place at the section, but others weren’t. Question on whether
there is an official policy on how it is done. c) Time of AA
awards ceremony quite a bit different than the scheduled time.
These concerns will be addressed at future meetings (before next
year’s state meet) with the MSHSL.
3.
Praises: a) Good officials at the start b) Fieldhouse
availability is a huge asset
4.
Other: a) discussion about course: is it spectator
friendly? b) a suggestion that all 9 run at state as 9 on the
top 3 teams get medals c) Media needs to be educated on the
team aspect of the sport as the articles seem to focus on the
individuals d) the MSHSL is planning on having a video crew at
state events, CC tentatively scheduled to be included in 5 or so
years. Someone suggested Flotrack (www.flotrack.org)
might be able/willing to provide coverage for the state meet.
All potential companies providing coverage or recording of the
state meet would need to get approval from the MSHSL.
IV. Academic Excellence Awards
1.
Cross country is very well represented by the number of
teams that earn the academic awards.
2.
Discussion then decision to leave the GPA’s as they
are: 3.50-3.74 = silver award, 3.75+ = gold award. No matter
what the school’s grading system, an individual athlete can’t
get credit for more than a 4.0 GPA.
3.
Discussion then decision to leave the procedure as the
best 5 of the 9 on the section roster. This still leaves some
teams unable to participate as many schools don’t have available
GPA’s available for younger runners.
4.
David Gunderson of Liberty Mutual is still donating to
the MN HS Coaches Assn. to help fund the academic awards
program. He is donating $10 for each quote form received. Use
this link for the form to potentially get a better insurance
rate, and to help fund the program:
http://www.mshsca.org/libertymutual.pdf
5.
2009 plates for plaques earned from the fall season
should be arriving to schools soon.
V. State Meet Social
1. Dave Chatelaine is
coordinating the planning for a renewed social for the Friday
before the state meet next fall.
2. The previous social, organized for many years by Dave Bauer,
was discontinued due to increasing costs.
3. Tentative thoughts and ideas for 2010 social. a) 3:30-5:30
(should allow for increased participation as teams can do their
own thing later) b) speaker at 4:00 c) t-shirt exchange
(drawings like in the past or kids exchange with each other?)
d) nutritious snacks and beverages provided (possibly solicit
donations) e) make it open to all team members and coaches
(including non-competing athletes) f) a DJ with a sound system
g) recognize qualifying teams and individuals (not with
individual naming of each athlete) h) recognize academic award
winners i) providing chairs, but not tables j) pay a fee to St.
Olaf k) big screen with running slide show (maybe previous
year’s state meet photos from the company that sells them?)
VI. Treasurer’s Report – Dave Bauer
1.
A current balance just over $10,000. Dave credits the
healthy balance primarily due to Kevin Moorhead (clinic
director) getting donations for clinic shirts and for overall
efficiency in operating the clinic.
2.
State meet social was subsidized in past years and
increased balance partially due to lack of a state meet social
in 2009.
3.
Treasurer needed: Dave B indicated he would be resigning
his treasurer position in 2 years and someone would be needed to
take his place at that time.
VII. Clinic – Kevin Moorhead, Champlin
Park
kevin.moorhead@anoka.k12.mn.us
1.
After various conversations with potential speakers,
Kevin thinks that a July clinic may make more sense. Others
thought it might work well for coaches too as the Aug. 1 to the
season start timeframe is when many coaches take vacations.
2.
Kevin will contact more potential participants than
choose a date from the following Tuesday’s: July 13, 20, 27.
3.
Contact Kevin with any ideas, thoughts or suggestions
regarding the clinic.
VIII. Hall of Fame and Coach of the
Year
1.
Send completed nomination forms for Hall of Fame
candidates to Dave Chatelaine. Forms available at the following
link:
http://www.mshsca.org/cc/cchofnomination.pdf
2.
Chris Harder (Rosemount) and Jill Hanson (Buffalo) will
be handling the Coach of the Year process.
3.
A suggestion was made to possibly post Coach of the Year
resumes and/or Hall of Fame resumes online to include more
voices in the voting process.
IX. Other:
1.
Terry Olson – Wadena Deer Creek told us the story of his
daughter Johanna and a website available for assisting her with
costs of her cancer treatment. Her remarkable story and a link
to donate can be found on this creative website set up by her
sister:
http://www.savejohannasbrain.com/
2.
Dave Bauer would like to put together another addition of
“Favorite Workouts” submitted by coaches. The 2001 edition was
very successful. Please submit information such as: the name of
the workout, reasons why it is effective for you and your team,
the purpose of the workout, location of the workout, how often
it is repeated, diagrams if needed. Please get the information
to Dave by the 2nd week in May. Send it to 7701
Arlington Avenue North, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443 or email it to
misterb@adws.net, or fax it to 763-569-7652. The booklet
will be available at the summer clinic.
3.
Scott Christensen – Stillwater
christensens@stillwater.k12.mn.us , informed those present
about a Level I clinic opportunity offered at Stillwater on June
21-June 22 and a Level II clinic at Villanova July 10-17.
Information can be found at this link:
http://www.usatfmn.org/coaching-advisory or contact Scott
for further information.
4.
Roy Griak (Legendary U of M coach 1963-1996 and current
U. Administrative Assistant) expressed his gratitude for the
work of many MN CC coaches. Many coaches had “already instilled
a passion for running” in athletes he coached at the U. and he
stated that they “had already been coached” by the time he
coached them. He also reminded us that “If you’re coaching
cross country, you’re really lucky”. He also expressed his
support for the state course at St. Olaf stating that “nothing’s
ideal” and that the fieldhouse was especially useful.
Submitted 2/1/10
Jeff Schmidt, Secretary
MNHS Cross Country Coaches Assn |
