Questions for the Meet Director

How do I get to White Plains High School?
Follow this link. http://www.loucksgames.org/coaches.htm

I've heard you have a new facility. Please describe it.
Yes, White Plains has installed an 8-lane Mondo track, stadium seating and lights.

Why do I have to declare my team's participation on April 17th if entries aren't closing until the April 29th?
Three years ago, the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) declared that they wanted a list of actual participating schools 20 days prior to the actual event (instead of the previously used 10 days). We at Loucks felt that getting your actual entries into us that early might create a problem. So we chose to have you declare your entry on the date needed for NFHS, and then send in your actual entries by the 29th.

To declare our entry, what do I have to do?
Just send me an email (jsingleton@wpcsd.k12.ny.us) and tell me that you are bringing your boys, girls or both teams to our meet. That's it!

If I miss the April 17th deadline, does it create a problem?
It sure does!

• On the 18th, I have to email or fax my final list to NFHS, who in turn sends out a list of participating schools to each state association that I've requested.
• If a team is not on that list, I have to create a new list (with the additional team) and then email/fax that list to them.
• Then, they must send the state association that new list.
• The state association must approve that addition and send that approval back to NFHS, who, in turn, contacts me.

I might get away with a new list once, but I'm not subjecting myself to the situation of constantly emailing updated lists. Please adhere to the listed date. Please remind your fellow coaches of the date too.

Even your entry date of April 29th seems early. Why are the entries due so "early"?
It's not really that early. But if you think about when the Penn Relays entries are due (in comparison to the date of competition) and check the same items for Loucks, you'll agree that entries aren't that early. Speaking of the Penn Relays, please remember to mail your entries prior to Penn.

Your entry states that we should enter only  those athletes who are capable of the listed performances. Why not have actual times listed and have the coaches prove their athletes have met the performances in advance?
One of the items to keep in mind about our meet is that although it is a mid-season meet, it is on  the second weekend that there are actual individual events (most of the meets in April are relay-based). Thus, many of the athletes would not have had the opportunity for accurate seed times. Thus, we give you the benefit of the doubt and allow you to enter athletes who you think are "capable" of the listed performances.

What if my entries improve upon their entered performances?  What do I do?
You have two options: email the information jsingleton@wpcsd.k12.ny.us or hurdler1970@aol.com).  You have until May 4th at 5:00 PM. You can call (914) 422-2314 with updates, but the email method is faster. I'd prefer the emails, as I can get them anywhere. I will also reply to let you know I've received them.

What happens if I wait until after the deadline to try to update my entries.
On the screen you will be linked to a site that says, "Updates are closed". Phone calls will be answered, but the message will be a polite, "I'm sorry, it's too late to update."

What if I forget to enter an athlete? What should I do?
 Hope that you remember previous to April 29th. After that, it's too late.

Can I change events for athletes?
On DirectAthletics you are capable of changing entries, but once the date closes you will have to keep your athletes in the events in which they are entered. Additions will not be allowed.  REMEMBER TO MAKE A COPY OF THEM FOR YOURSELF!!!!!!

How do I know that my declaration and entry were received?
Declarations are updated daily. The Entries Received links are also updated daily. However, it might be a couple of days until I actually type in the entries. If after a couple of days you don't see your team listed, send me an email or call. 

By the time I'm reading this I know that I missed the housing deadline. What should I do?
Try the Crowne Plaza Hotel - you can get 4 people in a room for $109. Call Toll-Free: 800.752.4672 or
Tel: 1.914.682.0050. Once the housing deadline closes, it closes.

How far is the hotel from the meet?
The Crowne Plaza is only 5-7 minutes from the track.

What's near the hotel?
There are two malls (each 1 block away from the hotel). The Westchester (down the hill - Maple Ave.) has a food court with several restaurants. Going up the hill (Maple Ave.), there's a nationally known chain right across the street from the hotel. Dunkin' Doughnuts, CVS Pharmacy and many  restaurants are a short bus ride away on Mamaroneck Ave. White Plains Hospital (on Davis Avenue and Post Road) is a 3 minute bus ride from the hotel.

Once I go to the meet, where do I park?
Parking near the track is limited to our coaching staff and meet officials. There are 2 large parking lots at the school that will easily accommodate  your buses and private cars. You will have to walk down the hill to get to the track (of course that means you have to walk UP the hill on the way back - smile).

And where does my team sit?
The stands on the back stretch have been removed to accommodate our new facility. Most of the  grassy hill that ran  the length of the track is gone - now there are bleachers that sit more than 4,000. You may set up your tents in any area that is not in close proximity to the finish line. Remember that there are to be no coaches on the infield and that only those athletes who are competing in an event may be on the infield.

Where do I receive my packet(s)?
Your packet(s) will be one level up from the track, under a tent.

How do I check in my runners and relays?
For running events and relays, you must place a check next to the name of the athlete on each event sheet that is located next to the clerk's tent. This check must appear - 1 hour previous to the running of the event. If there is no check, we will assume that the athlete is scratched. Each year this procedure causes problems. On your packet and in your packet are reminders to place checks next to the names. We even announce that events are closing in "3 minutes" or so. Please remember, place the check yourself - don't rely upon your athletes.

What about field events?
Just have the athlete show up at the event. If athletes are not there, they will be assumed to be scratched.

What are TriState Relays?
The TriState Relays (the idea of former Meet Director Nick Panaro) are relays set up to allow coaches from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to have an opportunity to run some of their athletes who may not have a chance to medal in the individual events or in Saturday afternoon's varsity relays. There are separate medals for these non-scoring events. One of our goals is to have fewer entries in the 200m, 400m and 800m by having these events. Athletes who run in the TriState events are not allowed to participate in Saturday's varsity races of the same distance. So if you don't want your athletes mixing it up with the top seeded teams, choose the TriStates so that they will have a better chance of medaling. You may have teams in the varsity relays and the TriState Relays, but they must be composed of different athletes.

I heard that there is an opportunity for a team to get two medals in these morning races. How can that be?
There used to be two races, the original Section 1 Relays (for teams from New York's Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess and Putnam Counties) and the subsequently added TriState Relays.  A couple of years ago, when we made major changes in our schedule, we needed to save time. Thus we combined the two races, but list separate results. Any team from New York, New Jersey or Connecticut (not necessarily in the Metro - New York City area) can compete in the TriState Relays, and they can enter up to two teams in each of the TriState events ( 2-4X 4's and 2-4 X 8's). 
After the last heat of each race we will first determine the top 5 TriState teams and award medals. Then, we will  award medals to the top 5 Section 1 teams (some of whom may have medaled from the TriState listings).

I heard that during the Opening Ceremonies there is a March of the Athletes. Who gets involved?
We encourage all coaches, athletes and officials to march. If you have a school banner, bring it. The athletes will be seated on the infield during the speeches. Near the end of the ceremonies, White Plains High School athletes will jog with lit torches (the ones used in the 1984 Olympics at Los Angeles) and light the meet's main torch. Please bring a school banner.

Does the meet usually run on time?
Yes, sometimes there are some delays, but we are generally on time. We do want everyone to realize that the relays that close the meet, the 4X8, the 4 X 1 and the 4 X 4 may run AHEAD of the scheduled time.

Who was Glenn D. Loucks?
 Please see the appropriate link.

Should I expect good performances at your meet?
Certainly, we have a many outstanding athletes coming from all across the East Coast and Canada. Please look at the updated List of Events to see who is entered.