State Track & Field Records

[Bullaholic]

O.k.---I understand why the bigger schools would have an advantage in the team sports such as football, but why in an individual sport like track & field, that almost all of the records have been traditionally owned by the bigger schools. What makes a kid from a big school run faster than a kid from a small school almost all of the time historically ?

(I may have to claim "stupidity" if someone comes up with an obvious no-brainer answer for this one. :D)

http://www.texastrack.com/state_records.htm

[big daddy russ]

I counted three mens' records from small schools (Giddings, Orangefield, and Splendora).

I wonder what the percentages look like when you take the entire population of all 1A, 2A, and 3A schools and stack it up against the 4A's and 5A's. Maybe those percentages are comparable to the number of records held???

Also, it wouldn't surprise me if the bigger schools had better coaching, resources, etc.

[Adidas410s]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Also, it wouldn't surprise me if the bigger schools had better coaching, resources, etc.

The coaching and resources are the only reasons I can think of. Obviously the talent pool would be larger as well. However, many schools don't have the money for smaller, minimal revenue sports such as track and thus can't hire quality coaches and provide adequate training equipment and facilities.

[burnet44]

"What makes a kid from a big school run faster than a kid from a small school almost all of the time historically ?"

they have more to pick from
so there is a better chance those kids are better
but not always

Spears from Luling holds the National Record in the triple jump
she was a 3A kid

James Lott held the national and state record in the HJ for many years

from 2A Refugio

Amy Acuff 4A Calallen held state and national record in HJ

Jasper in 4A held national record 4 x 1 40.09

generaly the bigger schools are better

but as you say its an individual thing

sometimes the small school kids are studs

[vet93]

Bull,
I think there are three reasons:
1) Greater number of 5a athletes
2) Greater competition in 5a
3) Greater chance for specialization in track in 5a schools
*another reason could also be related to inner city schools being predominantly 5a schools which could explain some of your sprint records.



Originally posted by Bullaholic
O.k.---I understand why the bigger schools would have an advantage in the team sports such as football, but why in an individual sport like track & field, that almost all of the records have been traditionally owned by the bigger schools. What makes a kid from a big school run faster than a kid from a small school almost all of the time historically ?

(I may have to claim "stupidity" if someone comes up with an obvious no-brainer answer for this one. :D)

http://www.texastrack.com/state_records.htm

[smustangs]

Numbers make the bigger schools faster. money for coaches, facilities and everything else also play a huge role i would imagine.

[Emerson1]

Most 5a schools can consistently be good in track. They can hire a coach who wants to focus more on track, where a 3a school has all football coaches and they just do track to get faster.

3A schools just have to get lucky and hope that a Dabryan Blanton is somewhere in the school district.

[garageoffice]

Coaching, facilities, resources and overall program. I don't know of a single 3A school that has even one dedicated track coach. Most of the head track coaches are football coaches as well and that is usually their primary focus. Example: At Kennedale, the jumps coach is also a boys basketball coach and since the boys team went to regionals in the playoffs he's basically been absent from track practice, so far. There's only one more month before district meets and that's not NEARLY enough time to get a jumper prepared.

Practice facilities make a difference, although most 3A and larger schools have adequate facilities for track training. Overall programming is huge. It's pretty difficult for a basketball player to get into track shape at record level in two months time. Usually, the guys and girls that are setting records either focus on track alone, or they play only one other sport that doesn't conflict with track at all. That's a lot easier to achieve in a large school than a small one.

[j_dog]

Originally posted by burnet44
"What makes a kid from a big school run faster than a kid from a small school almost all of the time historically ?"

.....
Jasper in 4A held national record 4 x 1 40.09

generaly the bigger schools are better
....
And when Jasper did this, not only were they a "small" 4a school, at state they edged out Dallas South Oak Cliff, and Austin Reagan (I think that was the Austin team) which had BOTH recently dropped from 5a, and were track powers in 5a. Heck, the SECOND place time that night was 40.2.

So, Jasper not only beat them in the 400m relay, but picked up the state championship as well.

Speaking of "small" towns, how many folks would have figured that little old Jasper would have had TWO competitors make it to the same Olympics in Atlanta. Most much larger towns would have been delighted to have one make it that far. In conclusion, my observations do not support the idea that kids are faster at larger schools. It just seems that way because they have more participants.

Oh, speaking of "practice facilities" Jasper only had a dirt track up to and including the year they set the national 400m relay record. Maybe "wanting to win", and expecting to win has more to do with it than the tangibles. Now, Jasper did have a dedicated coach who expected them to win. It was not a one time thing with him. He won four state championships in 4a.

[kaorder1999]

81-3 in the shot put. That is unbelievable!