“Where the Best Meet the Best!” (16 of the best performance in the state in each event compete for top honors!) 1 Welcome to Grand Rapids Public Schools Teresa Weatherall Neal Superintendent of Schools Dear Students, Parents, Prospective Parents, and Community Stakeholders: For more than 150 years, our highly qualified, dedicated and compassionate educators have been serving the children and families of this great community. We have a long standing tradition and legacy of cultivating the talents of our students so they may achieve their greatest potential and go on to change the world. We have produced astronauts, U.S. Senators, Mayors, movie stars, nuclear scientists, famous authors, a Nobel Peace prize winner, professional athletes, Civil Rights leaders, industrialists, and a President and First Lady of the United States of America, just to name a few. This is because of our deep rooted belief that all children can reach their academic potential through effort, high expectations, and strong support systems. GRPS has more than 1,400 highly qualified teachers who rank among the best, most dedicated, hardworking educational professionals in this entire state. We have 50 school programs that showcase 6 high school programs that include City High School which is ranked in the top 3 in the state and ranked 47 in the country. We have 15 schools that server middle school grades 6-8 and 27 elementary buildings with grades K-5. Our educational programming expands from traditional to accelerated and specialty programs with relevant educational themes attached. We are a culturally diverse school district that recognises and values all who are with us to learn, grow, and develop into good citizens. Athletic Vision Statement “Grand Rapids Public Schools will create educational opportunities and experiences, through athletics, that will enhance student achievement, student development and school culture.” 2 3 March 27, 2017 Dear Coach, Coming in 2017 is our 2nd Annual Track & Field invitational and we are extending a special invitation to you and your program. The Grand Rapids Elite Challenge will be April 29th, 2017 at the historic Julius Houseman Field Stadium located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The invitational promises to be an experience that all runners will aspire to attend. We will continue to build from the success of the inaugural year with improvements and adjustments. What make this event new and different will be the types of events that will be featured along with the qualifying standard to appear in such a meet. The meet will be hosting a series of relays not commonly found in traditional invitationals in this area. It will also have appearances and performances from 5th grades up to 12th grades for both boys and girls in these specialty events. This meet will continue to bring together the top performances in the state for a day of competition and fun. So, we are sending you this informational packet for you to mark your calendar and make plans to be in attendance with your qualifying athletes to perform and compete on our West Michigan community stage for Track & Field. Space is limited and the selection process is intense as there are many top level performances to consider. Please review the contents of the packet carefully and start your planning NOW! We cheerfully look forward to your response in the very near future. Thank you. Best wishes for continued success this school year. Sincerely, Kurt D. Johnson Dan Ebright Tony Shellman Dan Droski Executive Director Varsity Coach Varsity Coach Varsity Coach Marcus Harris Justin Walker Nicholas Kampmueller Matthew Verley Athletic Director Athletic Director Finiancial/Events Middle School Coordinator Coordinator 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 2 Welcome & GRPS Athletic Vision Statement Page 3 Elite Challenge Flyer Page 4 Letter to Coaches Page 6 High School – Boys and Girls Page 8 Event line-up and standards Page 9 High School – List of events Page 10 Event Descriptions Page 12 Elementary and Junior High/Middle School Page 14 Notes Page 16 Elite Challenge Check List Page 17 Admissions and Fees Page 18 Houseman Field Map 5 HIGH SCHOOL BOYS AND GIRLS – 2017 (Submit Entry online at Athletic.net) 1. All high school competitors must compete for their high school teams and be cleared for competition by the school Athletic Director or Principal/Headmaster. Relay teams must consist of runners from the same school. 2. Competition in the High School Division of the Elite Challenge is under the supervision of official representatives of the meet officials. To be eligible for competition in the Elite Challenge High School events, a school must conform to the following: a. Be a member in good standing or recognized as an allied member in good standing of its own State High School Athletic Association (e.g., MHSAA, OHSAA, IHSA) b. If not so recognized or a member of the MHSAA, it must be approved by GRPS Athletics Elite Challenge Executive Director as having eligibility standards which conform to or are more strict than those of the State Association. c. Specific eligibility requirements, such as that of age limit, shall be those established by the State High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) under which they regularly compete. However, in no instance may an athlete exceed the following limits: Age limit: athlete may not turn 19 before the first day of school in the competition year. High School attendance limit: 8 semesters, students are eligible, as are students who may have been invited based on performance in the 2015-16 or 2016-17 school years. 3. Any Michigan school that is not a member of the MHSAA and wishes to participate in relays and elite individual events must have its principal or headmaster request, in writing request, special permission and admittance to the Elite Challenge involving Non-Member Schools to the GRPS Athletic Office. The approved request binds those schools to complying with the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) eligibility requirements. The signed request of this form must be received by the GRPS Athletic Office no later than April 1, 2017. Non-member schools from states other than Michigan must be approved or recommended for competition by the GRPS Athletic Office in order to compete in relays or elite individual events. 4. Team Membership: No athlete may participate with two different affiliations in the Grand Rapids Elite Challenge. 5. Rules of Competition: The rules of competition for the Elite Challenge shall be the 2016 Official MHSAA Rules Book, except where the longtime practices, special facilities, and special written rules of Houseman Field Facility may require otherwise. 6. Relay Substitutions: The standard rules regarding replacement on relays will apply for all levels (elementary thru high school). This allows for two substitutions. Only four medals will be awarded. Relay apparel of participant runners must be identical. 6 7. Track and Field Surfaces: at Houseman Field all jumping surfaces and the runways are synthetic surfaces of 3/8″ thickness. 8. Spikes: Only 1/4″ spikes are allowed. No corkscrew or needle spikes will be allowed. Pyramid spikes ONLY. Spikes will be checked!!! 9. Checkpoints: Relay zone and jumping event checkpoints may be marked with standard Biodegradable Chalk only! No other items may be used, including trainer’s tape, powder, duct tape, masking tape, tacks or safety pins!!! 10. Starting Blocks will be provided by Elite Challenge and Houseman Field (facility) where the use of blocks is considered essential. This includes finals of all hurdle races and finals of all High School relays starting in lanes. No starting blocks other than these provided will be permitted on the field. 11. Ties: Running event ties will be broken by re-reading the photo-timer images to one- thousandth of a second. All field event ties are broken by the next best attempt. 12. Lane Priority: Turn Races (8 lanes) 4-5-3-6-2-7-1-8 13. Verification of Receipt of Entries: The Grand Rapids Elite Challenge will not accept entries of elite individual events after the deadlines April 17th. Coaches should email [email protected] to verify that their entries have been received. In emergencies, coaches may call before the deadline (616-819-3168). Please do not call for this information on other days. 14. Notice of Acceptance: Acceptance into events for both boys and girls grades 5th thru 12th will be posted on the website www.grps.org/athletics-elite-challenge and Athletic.net. All teams not listed are rejected and will not be allowed to compete. 15. Results will be posted on the website www.grps.org/athletics-elite-challenge and Athletic.net as soon as possible. Results will not be supplied to coaches in the Press Area. 18. Jury of Appeals will be chaired by Lew Clingman. A written request must accompany an appeal. The Elite Challenge has no official video aside from the official timing system, and no independent video may be used in protests or appeals. HIGH SCHOOL EVENTS – BOYS AND GIRLS 2017 Elite individual event performances must be achieved during the 2016 or 2017 seasons (outdoors or indoors). All marks must be achieved in meets among at least two schools. Marks not readily verifiable in local, regional or national track & field periodicals or on acceptable local, regional or national websites must include supporting documentation. 7 Standards for all entries all grades boys and girls: Time Events Qualifying Time 8:00 AM Gates Open 8:40 AM High School Open 1600m (4 entries per school) (estimate 2 boy’s heats, 2 girl’s heats) 9:00