Non-MIAA sanctioned Western Massachusetts meets to take place

Feb. 8, 2013

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

GREATER SPRINGFIELD — Western Massachusetts swimmers will have the opportunity to compete in a sectional event next week, despite the fact that the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) cancelled all sectionals in advance of this weekend's snowstorm.

Minnechaug Regional High School Athletic Director Michael Roy confirmed to Reminder Publications that the two meets not sanctioned by the MIAA will take place on Feb. 11 and 12. Girls will compete on Feb. 11 at Westfield High School and the boys will compete on Feb. 12 at Chicopee High School. Because the meets are not MIAA events, the times recorded in that meet would not count toward qualifying for the state meet.

"We are 99 percent sure that this is how it is going to happen," Roy said. "State qualifying times will not count and that's something that we just had to be OK with."

Roy, along with other area athletic directors had been feverishly working on a solution since the afternoon of Feb. 7 when MIAA posted a brief announcement on its website stating, "Due to the impending snowstorm, all boys' and girls' sectional swimming and diving championships, scheduled for this weekend have been cancelled. We regret that facility and time constraints prohibit the rescheduling of these events. All state qualifiers will move forward to the state championships on the weekend of [Feb. 16 and 17]. Best of luck to all."

On Feb. 8, the MIAA released a statement explaining the decision, stating that "there still is [on Feb. 8] no assurance that any event could be safely conducted this weekend, given the enormity of the storm predictions" and that the lack of pool availability would prevent the postponement of the sectionals.

"While considering this challenge, the option of postponing the sectional and state Meets by a week was explored. Problems presented as that avenue was pursued, included the unavailability of sites for the second weekend, and the recognition that high school teams without school pools would be at a disadvantage during that extended week because their contracted pool time would have ended, and they would not have access to practice," the statement read.

In response to Western Massachusetts officials' request to run the meet, the MIAA said in their statement, "Consideration for allowing some state qualifying competition to occur at a school level, or other local activity was seen to be unfair to those student athletes who would not have such an additional opportunity. On the other hand, the Association encourages such local competitions for students who did not have the opportunity to participate in the MIAA regional tournaments this weekend (with the above understanding that these activities are not state championship qualifying events)."

For the complete MIAA statement, visit the MIAA website.

Roy said that the MIAA's explanation cleared up many questions, but its timing was questionable.

"I think if they had just come out and said this immediately, people wouldn't have been sitting there wondering why," he said. "I think it's good that they cleared up some questions, but I think the fact that they waited has affected their public perception."

Both meets are tentatively scheduled to take place at 4:30 p.m. No spectators will be allowed, Roy said.

"At this point, we have doubts about whether or not the schools could handle spectators," he explained. "I know that is not going to sit well with some parents, but there is not much we can do and the real focus here is getting those kids the opportunity to compete one more time."

Roy added that the possibility of live streaming the events is being explored.

The MIAA's decision to cancel the meet drew the ire of coaches and athletic directors from across Western Massachusetts and the outrage reached national proportions.

Olympians Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin and Bob Bowman, Michael Phelps' longtime coach, have joined a social media push to allow the Western Massachusetts sectional swim meet to take place on Feb. 10 because of the snowstorm through a #bringbackwesternmass hashtag. A Facebook page entitled "Bring Back Western Mass Swimming and Diving" that was created late in the day on Jan. 7 has also received hundreds of "likes" and a YouTube video has also been created.

However, even celebrity support was not enough to change the MIAA's mind and allow sanctioned events.

Minnechaug Regional High School head coach Erik Mandell, whose boys' team was preparing to defend its sectional title, lashed out at the Franklin-based organization, stating that, among other things, its decision was made without the best interest of the student athletes in mind.

"I am embarrassed right now to say that I am associated with high school swimming in Massachusetts, and have given thought to not returning next year to coach within an organization that treats its constituents, most importantly, children, so shabbily and in such an autocratic and draconian manner," he said. "Proudly stated on the MIAA website is 'Building the future...One student at a time; building the future through educational athletics.' The education here is that your hard work, either this year or over the past four years, is just not that important or valued and that adults without a tremendous stake or knowledge of regional history can make decisions without consultation with their constituents. Our most important constituency, our kids, deserve better."

Local area coaches and athletic directors were working toward a resolution to the situation that would allow an MIAA sanctioned Western Massachusetts sectional meet to take place, but they were thwarted by Massachusetts' governing body for high school athletics.

"We are ready to go," Jim Hirtle, coach of the Northampton High School girls' team said. "Why aren't we able to run our meet?"

Hirtle, who also serves as the coaches' representative to the MIAA Swim Committee, said that West Tournament Director Patricia McDiarmid had the foresight to ensure that the Linkletter Natatorium at Springfield College would be available on Feb. 10, but other sectionals did not have the same luxury and without MIAA support, a meet at Springfield College could not take place.

"Springfield College is willing to host, but the MIAA won't sponsor the meet, so the question is who will take on the insurance liability," Hirtle said. "I don't know if any of the member schools would be willing to take on that responsibility and I don't know what Springfield College would be looking for."

Mandell said it was his feeling that the MIAA took the broad stroke approach to the cancelations because the powers that be did not understand the importance of sectional championships in other parts of the state.

"Though historically the sectional meets in Eastern Massachusetts are not a priority for those swimmers and teams, the Western Mass meet has always been the showcase meet for our swimmers, with the state meet being the 'icing on the cake,'" he said. "Given the choice, my swimmers would much prefer the opportunity to perform at Western Massachusetts [championships] versus states."

He went on to say that he didn't understand why one event could not be run simply because other sectional tournaments did not have venues available to them because of the storm.

"The fact that Eastern Massachusetts does not have the venues to host their sectional meets, or they didn't explore all of the options, or didn't care to because those meets are just not that important to them, is not our concern in the West," he said. "We have the venue, and the athletes, officials and other meet personnel are ready to go."

Hirtle added, "I think there is a precedent in football for some sectionals happening while others don't."

Mandell also criticized the MIAA for taking away an opportunity to qualify for the state meet.

"With yesterday's announcement from the MIAA that our Western Mass. championship swim meet had been cancelled, but that those who had already qualified for the state meet would still advance, the seasons of 14 out of 21 of my total qualified athletes ended without them ever having a chance to compete. For three senior athletes, this meant that their careers, not just their seasons, were over," he said.

"I have been fortunate to have many outstanding individuals and teams at Minnechaug, including my boys team from last year which finished as state Division I runner up. A high percentage of those boys would have not competed at the state meet last year as they needed the Western Massachusetts meet to qualify for states. This applies to my teams very year, boys and girls alike, as our training is centered on the postseason and my athletes need the taper and rest to peak at Western Massachusetts [sectionals] to have a chance to achieve the state cuts," he continued.

West Springfield High School coach Peggy Pettengill said she was especially disappointed for the seniors who would not have the opportunity to swim in their final meet.

"West Springfield High School swimmers, staff, and parents are devastated about the meet cancellation. The decision made by the MIAA to not reschedule Western Massachusetts sectionals is beyond cruel to the kids," Pettengill said. "These kids practice six days a week for three months and some swim all year to qualify and swim in this sectional meet. The seniors are having the hardest time because their final Western Massachusetts championship swims were taken away from them. My heart is broken for all the high school swimmers in our state especially the seniors."

Katie Collins, head coach of Cathedral High School's swim teams, said that the decision is especially difficult for schools with smaller teams.

"It's hard for a team from a small school to accept this. Because we are a small team the kids swim to qualify," she said. "They don't swim to win meets, they don't swim to win the league, simply because we don't have enough kids to do that. They swim with this meet in mind.

She added, "This is devastating for the swimmers and disheartening to the coaches and educators who have preached hard work and dedication. All the MIAA has shown them is that there is no reward for all the work they have put in all year."

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