Sunday Slam: My Personal Confusion with High School Track's Field Event Conversion
Barrington's Loutos Makes Solid Spring Impression with Cardinals; Hersey's Harris Sees Spring Action with A's; Former Warren Coach Webber Steps Down at East Moline
My aversion to the conversion of the field events in Illinois high school track and field from feet to meters is a result of confusion.
After years of covering the high school sport, I can figure out a 7-foot high jump or 60-foot shot put for the boys or 20-foot long jump or 160-foot discus throw for the girls are impressive marks. When I see the results of the field events in meters the only thing I can figure is, “huh?”
The metric conversion was supposed to take place in Illinois high school track and field in 2020, but with that season wiped out by COVID it was pushed back to 2021. The reasons cited for the change included more accuracy in measurements without having to use fractions, it is easier with laser measuring devices used at state meets and it follows the standards used in collegiate, national and international competitions.
“Many IHSA track and field coaches across the state are accustomed to metric measurements in field events, because they pay attention to what is happening at the various levels and track and field organizations outside of the IHSA," IHSA assistant executive director Kraig Garber told Stan Morris of the Peoria Journal Star in the spring of 2021. "The IAAF, USATF, and NCAA have been metric in field events for several years now. There may be some initial growing pains, but I believe that everyone will quickly adjust.”
For dinosaurs such as myself this isn’t such an easy adjustment. That’s why I appreciate longtime high school track writers like Joe Stevenson of the Northwest Herald and Dave Oberhelman of the Daily Herald, going the extra mile if you will, to provide followers of the sport some perspective by listing the metric distance of a field event mark with the traditional measurement in parentheses.
According to the story by Morris, at that point Illinois and Florida were the only states in the country using metric measurements at the high school level. For those looking to compete beyond high school there is a definite value in knowing where you stack up against others metrically.
Fortunately, you can use your phone to get a quick conversion of a throw, jump or pole vault from meters into feet. Stevenson said it’s a regular occurrence he sees at meets.
Of course, confusion reigns with the listing of champions on the IHSA website when there are decades of measurements in feet and inches and suddenly a couple of years of them in meters and centimeters. My suggestion would be going the route of Joe Stevenson and Dave Oberhelman with the compromise of listing both measurements for better historical comparisons.
And I suppose people like me will eventually figure it out when it comes to the relatively new standard of measuring success in track and field.
Loutos Delivers Strong First Impression
Making the most of opportunities has been the theme for Ryan Loutos from Barrington to Washington University in St. Louis to the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
Loutos’ most recent one as a non-roster invitee to the Cardinals’ big-league camp was another step in the right direction even though the hard-throwing right-handed pitcher was reassigned to the minor-league camp on March 19. In 6 spring appearances, Loutos had an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.92 as he allowed only 2 hits and 2 walks in 4⅓ innings and had 2 strikeouts.
The 2017 Barrington graduate was overlooked by D-I schools but turned an excellent career at D-III Wash U into a shot with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2021. In Loutos’ first full season in pro ball in 2022 he rose from Class A to AAA.
Hersey’s Harris Sees Spring Action with A’s
Hersey grad Brett Harris got into his second spring training game with the Oakland A’s on Saturday and walked and scored a run and grounded into a double play in a 6-5 loss to the Brewers. The third baseman also appeared in a spring game in early March but didn’t make a plate appearance.
Harris, who turns 25 on June 24, was a 2016 Daily Herald All-Area shortstop who played at Gonzaga and was drafted in the seventh round by the A’s in 2021. In his first full season in the minors last year, Harris had a slash line of .290/.375/.475 with 17 homers and 63 RBI in 113 games at Class A Lansing and AA Midland. He hit .286 with 10 homers and 45 RBI in 84 games in Double-A.
Mike Danielak, another Hersey grad, also spent last season at AA Midland and the right-handed pitcher was 4-3 with a 3.98 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 74⅔ innings. All but one of his 41 appearances were in relief. Danielak was drafted in the 19th round by the A’s in 2017 out of Dartmouth.
Hersey product Quinn Gudaitis, who pitched at Illinois Wesleyan and the University of Illinois Springfield, was taken in the 16th round of last year’s draft by the Tigers and made two appearances for their Rookie League team.
Former Warren Coach Webber Steps Down at East Moline
Ryan Webber, who was the head boys basketball coach at Warren from 2012-15, announced his resignation at East Moline United Township on Wednesday. Webber told Tom Johnston of the Rock Island Dispatch-Argus he wanted to spend more time watching his daughters Olivia (high school sophomore) and Avery (seventh grade) play basketball.
Webber was 144-75 in eight seasons at United Township with a Class 4A Elite Eight appearance in 2016 and a Western Big Six Conference title in 2017. This year’s team went 25-7 and set a single-season school record for victories.
Webber went 50-40 in three seasons at Warren after IBCA Hall of Fame coach Chuck Ramsey retired. Ramsey was 403-142 in 19 years as head coach with a pair of second-place state tournament finishes.
Before coming to Warren, Webber was 78-38 in four seasons at Moline and 64-24 with a Class A supersectional trip in three seasons at Byron. Webber, who is 336-177 in 18 seasons as a head coach, told Johnston “I’m a basketball coach at heart,” and may return to coaching in the future.
Rupp Steps Down From Lake Park Girls Basketball
Brian Rupp took a Lake Park girls basketball program to unprecedented success and went out as a champion. Rupp announced his decision to step down as head coach after nine seasons on March 15.
This year’s team won its third Class 4A regional title during his tenure. His 2019-20 team led by Darrione Rogers went 26-10 and finished fourth in the state for the program’s first state trophy.
Rogers just completed her junior season at DePaul and earned second-team all-Big East Conference honors after averaging 17.3 points and 5.1 assists a game.
May, Kelly Head to IADA Hall of Fame
Steve May of Wheeling and Briant Kelly of Libertyville are in the Class of 2023 inductees for the Illinois Athletic Directors Association (IADA) Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony for May, Kelly and Stan Lewis of Normal West will be held during the annual IADA State Conference April 28-May 1 in East Peoria.
The IADA Hall of Fame Class of 2022 included Steve Adams (Maine South, Prospect, Elk Grove), Randy Conrad (Leyden, Conant, Elmwood Park), Perry Wilhelm (Mundelein, Grant) and Dan Dillard (Lisle). The IADA Hall of Fame started in 1996.
Love these articles, Marty.
Just keep them coming, Marty. There's a FB group I should get you in. It's a group of us old track dinosaurs from around Chicago, the page is called Glenn's. It was started by Glenn Lyle. Glenn was an Elgin guy and EIU, he's a couple of years older than me. If you're interested, just accept a couple of friend requests from me and you're in. There's a treasure trove of stories to be mined from this group.