Latest Track Events

Since I got home from work a little bit early Kris and I decided to drive up to Homestead HS to watch Alison's track meet.  Her coach (or one of them) has been having her practice the 100m hurdles and apparently she told Alison she is doing very good at them.  I don't know exactly how fast she is, but at least it is promising to hear she has good form in doing them.  

So when we got there, it took us a few minutes to find a place to park and then find where Alison was once we got to the track.  She was over by the high jump "pit".  we called over to her she came to talk to us.  I asked when the hurdles were, and she said "I'm not doing the hurdles, I am doing high jump".  WHAT?!  High jump???!!!  Again, an event she has zero experience with and has never practiced.  I just don't understand how these coaches decide which events to place the kid in.  

So Kris and I waited, and watched Ali do her jumps.  We missed her opening attempts at 3'10", which I guess she cleared.  She made the next height as well, though Ali said she missed it and the person running the event gave it to her.  I don't know if she totally missed it, or if she bumped it and it fell after she hit the mats.  I told her that the rule is (at least when I did it) was that you need to get off the mats ASAP.  Because like in chess, when you take your hand off your piece your move is over, in the high jump, as soon as you get off the mat, the jump is complete.  If the bar falls after you get off the mats, it's too bad, because you cleared it and got off the mat before it fell.

Unfortunately, the next couple of attempts she had, she missed.  I think the height was 4'2"?  But it wasn't even close.  Her technique was terrible.  But then again, she had no one ever show her how you are supposed to jump.  I give her credit for agreeing to try it, especially when she knew she wasn't going to do well.

Then after she finished the high jump, she had to go over and run the 200m.  At least that is the one event they have consistently put her in. Ali is the second from the right in the first picture below.  She didn't get first in her heat, but she didn't finish last.  In fact, she finished ahead of a girl from her team and one from the other team.  So that was a plus for her, and she was very happy that at least she could say she didn't finish last.

I think this was the last meet for her.  The conference meets are next for relays and the meet for all the top performances from each team in each event.  Sadly I don't think Alison will be invited to participate in those.