March 1, 2001
BLOOMINGTON – The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors voted Thursday (March 1) in a telephone conference call meeting to add pole vault to the lineup of events that will be conducted in the upcoming 2001 Girls State Track and Field Meet Series.
The action supports a recommendation from the Track and Field Advisory Committee that the Board did not approve when it reviewed all Track and Field Advisory Committee recommendations at its October, 2000, meeting. The Advisory Committee recommended the Board add pole vault for girls in the state series but did not recommend a timetable for implementation. A survey of member schools conducted in the spring of 2000 indicated 27 of 404 responding member schools had girls pole vault. There are 756 IHSA member schools. The results of that survey weighed significantly in the Board’s decision in October not to approve the recommendation to add the event.
A new survey of IHSA member schools regarding girls pole vault was taken this week (Feb. 26-Mar.1). The results of the new survey indicate the number of schools that have or expect to have girls pole vault this season has increased dramatically.
The Board Thursday also accepted the Track and Field Advisory Committee recommendation to establish in the Terms and Conditions that only the first and second place finishers in girls pole vault advance from the sectional to the State Final. The Terms and Conditions in Track and Field for boys and girls provide that the first and second place finishers in every event automatically advance to the State Final Meet. In addition, extra qualifiers who meet the minimum qualifying standard also advance to the State Final Meet. For new events, it is standard procedure in boys and girls track and field not to establish qualifying standards for the extra qualifiers until the event has become established..