Despite forecast, state track has no option but to move ahead as scheduled
AURORA — The state track and field meet cannot change its schedule in advance of the the event on Thursday, and, although poor weather is predicted, has no option but to move ahead as planned.
The meet is scheduled to start on Thursday and conclude Saturday. Forecasts for the metro area show a storm rolling in on Wednesday night and lasting through Friday. It is expected to bring a mixture of rain and snow.
The size of the event — five classifications, more 250 schools, more 5,000 athletes — makes any pre-postponement unworkable. It is the largest state championship CHSAA has.
“The only feasible way to deal with this number of schools and kids is to say, ‘You’re here, and you’re going to get in as much as you can while you can.’ And then we will continue as soon as the next availability allows,” said CHSAA commissioner Paul Angelico. “This is an attempt to be consistent in how we deal with this across the board.”
Plus, Angelico added, any decision to delay or postpone the meet is “better made on site at the time of the event by the officials, site director and games committee. We have to be there in order to make the decision.”
So the plan is for the meet to operate as scheduled, and then delay if necessary on the day of the event. A schedule of events is available here.
“We don’t have an other viable options than to move ahead as planned,” Angelico said. “We have to get as many events in as we can, when we can. We don’t want teams spending a week in Denver trying to get this done. We understand there are lots of year-end activities, as well as finals, that schools will be experiencing. CHSAA policy is that we always play on the next available date.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause schools, but with more than 200 schools participating, there’s no way to avoid conflicts.”
Should any additional day be needed to complete the meet, “we will always continue to play the next available day or time,” Angelico said. In this case, that may push the meet into Sunday.
Any potential delays or changes will be communicated on Twitter and CHSAANow.com.
