Bedford County Meet No Longer Exists(thoughts)

[usatf oldguy]

I was informed the other day that the bedford county track meet will no longer take place. I know for fact that this meet has been in existance since at least 1970.I personally think that who ever caused this situation needs to take a second look and not throw away a 30+ year event that has an historic place in bedford county sports.We continue to go away from the BCL with every other sport,let's not let that happen in track!

[LionDad77]

Yes, last year was the last. The powers that be said that the meet was not needed because the schools already ran against each other and knew who the champ was. The really sad part is that last years winners where given the ribbons from the '06 meet that was cancelled. They don't even have the true recognition of the last meet.

[usatf oldguy]

Saying that we already ran is a poor excuse.The county meet happens late in the season and is a good prep for bigger meets, ie districts and states.Not to mention the local interests and rivalries which everyone enjoys.We don't even crown a dual meet champ in district 5 or bedford county either.Just like wrestling a dual champ and a bedford county champ aren't always the same.We need this meet back on the schedule espcially considering that this is the last year for the sideling hill meet.Invatationals are a total different animal ,and if current trends continue we will have alot less of them to attend!

[Head Roadie]

The Bedford County Meet, sadly, was actually supposed to have ended three years ago. There were a couple of problems that had come up as times (and league affiliations,etc.) changed. First Bedford goes LHAC and they always had problems with the date for the meet. Then, SHL decided to move their meet back to where the Bedford Co. Meet had been on the schedule in the past. Still, a few people kept trying to save the meet and the County AD's managed to keep it on the schedule even longer than they thought they could.

Two years ago it almost fell apart again when the two powers, Bedford and C.Ridge, expressed little to no interest in having the meet within a week of districts and were happy that it was rained out. A couple of weeks later, at an end of year County AD meeting, once again the meet was saved and ran last spring. As for a reason being the schools already ran each other??? NO, that never came up or was mentioned as a reason by anyone I've ever talked to. In fact, other than Ridge, I don't know if anyone else in the county runs a dual meet with Bedford. Were '06 ribbons given in '07? YES. They do not have dates on them, they were not used or damaged in anyway. They were new and out of the box without dates on the ribbons. This has been protocol for years in the County Meet so as not to be wasteful. There have been many county meets over the years that have been cancelled and the same procedure has always been used to my knowledge. In addition Team Plaques and Individual award winners plaques were given in a new manner...."Picture Plaque" style with photos being taken the night of the meet and inserted into special plaques that were bought for the team champions (NB Girls and CR Boys) and Outstanding performers in the meet as voted on by the coaches. So to say their was no true recognition of the last meet is incorrect.

Unfortunately, with E, TM, and NB moving into an all-sports ICC and competing in that league's meet in addition to the SHL meet this year....and Bedford's year to year scheduling problems with their LHAC committment, the meet will not take place this year. It's simply a matter of nowhere on the schedule to put it. There was discussion regarding having it in April but with Bedford and NBC already holding invitationals it was deemed unfeasible.

The issue will be revisited on a year to year basis and who knows, with most of the SHL schools being drawn into the ICC and opting to eliminate that meet (SHL Meet) in favor of keeping standings and selecting all-stars and competing in a larger ICC Meet during the final regular season week, maybe there will be room in the '09 Spring schedules to bring it back, time will tell.

[LionDad77]

Head Roadie, you are correct in your quote except for the ribbons. My son has one from last year and it has on it
BEDFORD COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP MEET 2006 FIRST PLACE.

[usatf oldguy]

I hope that after it disappearing for a year that the heart grows fond for it again.I'm going to put this as politely as I can.The ICC is probably a great league. I personally am not sure of who the teams will be in the league but,it makes sense in so many more ways to try to run a better BCL schedule and not toss this meet aside.With gas soon closing in on 4 bucks a gallon and the proximity of the BCL schools being what they are it makes good financial sense.The gate receipts at this meet would almost certainly be higher at a meet with such local interest.The history and the rivalry that would be lost would in my estimation is irreplacable.What coach or kid out there doesn't love going up against a county rival and winning.As far as that goes parents from these school districts work together and that makes it all the more enjoyable.I personally would like to see a BCL schedule back in place for all sports,but I guess I'm a dreamer ,so for now I'll carry the torch for the county meet.

[Head Roadie]

Therein lies the problem. The BCL is dead....it is no more. There is no BCL schedule and nothing tieing these schools to each other. Track & Field has carried the torch and been the only sport to truly crown Bedford County Champions for years. But it has been difficult keeping it together because of scheduling and emphasis on ample prep time for the District meet after league meets are completed.

FYI, The ICC is comprised of the Old Juniata Valley league minus Penns Valley in a Northern Division (Claysburg, Williamsburg, J.Valley, S.Huntingdon, Bellwood, Mount Union, Glendale, Mo Valley, West Branch) and the Sideling Hill League minus Ridge and Hyndman in the Southern Division. 10 Schools have Track & Field and a round robin schedule begins this year with a league meet at Bellwood. The 4 Fulton/Franklin Schools don't officially become members until the next Winter Sports Season.

[usatf oldguy]

I agree that the problem is the BCL being dead. It was a great league.How about this league ,the BFCL( bedford fulton county league), but I'm straying off subject there.Maybe some food for thought though? Anyway with track being the sport it is (being able to run3 or 4 teams at a time), I think some sort of comprimise could be had. I appreciate the efforts that have been made to keep the meet going as long as it has roadie. I just hope that this meet doesn't become a distant memory any time soon.After all even you have to admit this may be the oldest running all bedford county event going.