Ask the expert: What is the reason the SCTCCCA has meetings twice a year?
Ed Boehmke talks about the SCTCCCA meetings and reasons for them.
By Ed Boehmke
What is the reason the SCTCCCA has meetings twice a year?
We have a meeting before each of the seasons. The one in the summer corresponds with the S.C. Athletic Coaches Yearly Clinic. At these meetings we have a clinician for track and for cross country. We also have a cross country business meeting and a regular business meeting. The one in the winter is for all coaches, but you have to be a member to vote. This year we will meet on Saturday, Jan. 11.
What happens at the meetings?
During the meetings we will discuss the upcoming season, give out our coach of the year awards, recognize state meet record breakers, and discuss issues related to athletes and meets; such as new events, venues, rules, etc.
Do you see enough attendance at the meetings?
Attendance at our meetings could be a lot better. In the summer, we have a mandatory rules meeting just before our business meeting. As soon as the rules meeting is over, about 2/3 of those in attendance will leave. These are the same ones that complain about certain rules or break them because they don't understand them. There should be over 200 at our meeting and that would be just one per school! Since most schools have three or four coaches, the attendance should be a lot higher.
Following a vote on a possible change in the sport, where does it go from there and the process it takes?
It is according to what kind of change it is. If the change involves anything with the SCHSL, like the change of a rule, change in state venues or schedule, change of anything with state qualifying - then our vote is a recommendation from us to the league for a change. They have to take it through various committees, etc. for a final vote. Many times we get what we ask for and many times we don't. If it is something that we really want, we will keep passing it and resending it to the league. Other things like the Coaches Classic, All-State, how we spend our money is voted on and acted on within our on organization. Of course we do have a few guidelines that we must follow as a satellite organization of the SCACA.
Ed Boehmke is a longtime coach and officer of the SCTCCCA.