The Cross Country Coaches' Committee Meeting was held today at the WVSSAC offices in Parkersburg. According to the WVSSAC website (www.wvssac.org), the current committee consists of the following members: Craig Kellar (Doddridge), Tim Belotte (Hedgesville), Steve Brown (Capital), Neal Ferguson (Huntington), Don Withrow (Greenbrier East), John Rowland (Berkeley Springs), Bryan Canterbury (Ravenswood), Terry Spangler (Ritchie), Dan Erenrich (Morgantown A.D.). I didn't get attend the meeting, but here is what I've heard from this meeting. Please keep in mind that items passed by the Coaches' Committee are only recommendations to the WVSSAC Board. The WVSSAC Board is who actually determines the outcome of any proposal.

Only one item was voted on during the meeting. The tiering that determines the number of teams that advance to the State Meet from the Regional will remain the same (i.e. 4 complete teams advances 2, 7 complete teams advances 3). The rule instituted this year that allowed a team that started five runners to count as a complete team even if all five do not finish will also remain. However, the proposal would also count as a complete team for advancement purposes any team that has completed a minimum of three races during the season as a complete team (5 finishers in this case). This proposal passed unanimously.

I'll try to restate that a little more clearly. If Team X runs three or more meets as a complete team (5 finishers) during the season, they will count toward the Regions number of complete teams even if they do not bring a complete team to the regional meet.

I am fully in favor of this proposal. It helps keep the number of teams advancing from a region from being dependent on soccer sectionals or last minute injuries. It will also allow teams to know how many will be advancing from their regional before actually getting there (unless, of course, there is a surprise complete team...but that could increase the number of teams, not lower them, so that's a good surprise).

It should also be noted that it is not known at this time if this proposal will be presented to the WVSSAC Board this year. They may table it until 2008. I can't imagine why it would be tabled. This needs to be acted upon for next season. The number of teams advancing should never be determined by whether or not someone has a soccer game or hurts their knee or ankle a couple days before the regional meet. Making this change now causes no harm to anyone and effects no other sport in a negative way.

The proposed Regional Sites for next season are as follows (I believe this has to be approved as well):

                Class A-AA                                    Class AAA
Region I        Ritchie                                       Preston
Region II       Berkeley Springs                              Elkins
Region III      PikeView                                      Greenbrier East
Region IV       Charleston Catholic (Camp Virgil Tate)        Hurricane (Valley Park)