Good Luck to new AAI Executive

Common Sense

Good luck to Liam, Mary and all the new executive in AAI

DaveH

bit of a political statement Common Sense
The very best of luck to the executive. We have the right people on the board.
Also there is going to be a full review of all AAI competition's, Distance's, Weights, Hurdle Heights etc.

Its about time.

Fast_Mover

DaveH wrote: »

..Hurdle Heights etc.

How so?! They're standard are they not?
Or are we talking about underage competitions?

Pherekydes

DaveH wrote: »

bit of a political statement Common Sense
The very best of luck to the executive.

How is a good luck wish a political statement? And is your own a political statement?

/shrugs

thirtyfoot

Fast_Mover wrote: »

How so?! They're standard are they not?
Or are we talking about underage competitions?

An underage review of hurdle heights/spacings was done 10 or more years ago and no changes were made. A review is good but once its not for the wrong reasons, ie, a club has a good 16 year old hurdler, bit short and is struggling to get the height/distance for the next level up, lets put a motion to change spacings so its suits our star (but short) hurdler. It happens. Once all in line with international standards these reviews are good.

The only hurdle changes I would make would be to lift the way too low women 100 hurdles to 3ft.

Rineanna

Just read in this morning's Irish Times that phase one of the Abottstown Sports Campus has just been signed off on by the Minister, and it includes an indoor track for athletics! As Ian O' Riordan pointed out, it's arguably the most overdue piece of sporting infrastructure in the country (aswell as a velodrome).

So the Executive's term has got off to a positive start, and long may it continue!

thirtyfoot

Thats great stuff. Lets hope it gets loads of space and they don't scrimp and give it the traditional banked track on outside, 8 lane 60 strip inside. An indoor track is more beneficial for training and for the shorter technical stuff - hurdles, sprints, polevault, long/high/triple. Having seen other indoor training facilities the key will be a very long sprint strip, at least 80m and up to 100m with as many lanes as possible. A separate area for Pole Vault, high jump with the horizontal jumps at the other end. With our climate the real benefit will be training so I hope its more focussed on training needs than competition needs, but then again beggars can't be choosers.

DaveH

Slow coach wrote: »

How is a good luck wish a political statement? And is your own a political statement?

/shrugs

It was only a joke Slow Coach. I know 3 members on the board and another 5or 6 on the committe's.
I think we have a the best board possible, and we are going in the right direction. Its a big change from the old BLE days.

Also from this years T&F, The NACAI national champions will be parraded with the BLE champions in the 30 year anniversay.

thirtyfoot

DaveH wrote: »

Also from this years T&F, The NACAI national champions will be parraded with the BLE champions in the 30 year anniversay.

Now you are getting political and while you've brought it up lets hope they reference and call out the winning performances for both groups too, interesting comparison. Maybe if they picked the best performance across both organisations and they were the 'real' champions, actually that would be staus quo so we couldn't have that.

I think this is a nice idea in general but its adding extra time to the program at the nationals as is. We are trying to make the sport more snappier and more of a spectacle but this parade of champions with two lots of champions is a bit of a farce. I suppose they got the idea from the GAA but there is always a gap between the minor and senior game where this can fit it, at a track meet you want non-stop races and field events. Maybe they could have a champions meet where the champions of 25 years ago go head to head - BLE vs NACA, and maybe this could replace the actual national championships. The former greats battling it out on the track, all the current athletes sitting in the infield having a picnic, with a presentation half-way through to the current athlete who would have probably won their event this year if the champions meet hadn't taken precedent. National anthems on the accordian before, during and after each event. Bring it on.

DaveH

Ah Tingle, Honour the 30 year champions has been happing for a good few years. It was only the BLE champions were being honoured since the merger. It'll only add 5 mins more to the scheudle. This usually happens between the Junior men's 3k and the 400m Hurdles.

They are reviewing the scheudle which is about blasted time.

thirtyfoot

DaveH wrote: »

Ah Tingle, Honour the 30 year champions has been happing for a good few years.

Fully aware of that but I thought we were all in a flushing out the old bringing in a new vibe at the moment. Having NACAI and BLE winners for this thing is a farce and if the old NACAI fogies want their time in the sun, they should just scrap it all together. Maybe if they want a 'champions parade' have major qualifiers from the relevant year - ie, this year the 1978 European Championship team. I could relate to that more than the NACAI Ball Throwing Champion of 1978.

DaveH wrote: »

They are reviewing the scheudle which is about blasted time.

Nothing wrong with the schedule except get rid of the unneccessary frills like parachute men (was he an irish version of the rocketman in LA'84??), the now all-encompasing, non-divisive Good Friday agreement Champions Parade, and maybe better commentary and exposure for field events. Obviously if RTE are covering they want to see Derv, Gillick, Eileen and Hession in their slot so they may have to bow to that but I'd have the 400 hurdles first (unless Michelle gets the A which I have a lot of confirdence she will then have that later), followed by the 5000 and then rattle through the other events quickfire that are more applealing to the non-diehard public.