Policies for Selection for the Boys & Girls Invitational High School Mile at the 100^th Annual Millrose Games

Two of the featured events at the Millrose Games are the “Boys One Mile Run” (contested since 1974), and the “Girls One Mile Run” (contested since 1984). Each of these events brings together, by special invitation, eight (8) of the top scholastic milers in the East to race at New York City’s famous Madison Square Garden. The Millrose Games celebrates its 100^th edition on Friday, February 2, 2007.

These are “scholastic events” sanctioned by National Federation of State High School Associations and the State of New York. Therefore, all competitors must represent their school and wear their school’s team uniform.

The Millrose Games’ long-established policy for selecting competitors is based on evaluating each candidate’s “One Mile Performance Profile”, which includes:

- Honors Won (i. e. winning and placing high in major [interstate] meets)

- Win-Loss Record against other top prep milers

- Time Performances at ONE MILE, 1500m, and 1600m

- Rankings on National and Eastern Performance Lists

We review each potential candidate’s array of performances in major meets, beginning with the 2006 indoor season, with particular emphasis on State Championships, National Scholastic Indoor Championship (NY Armory), and Nike Indoor Nationals (Landover, MD). Outdoors, our focus is on 2006 State Championships, as well as “major interstate meets”: Arcadia, Penn Relays, Hartford, Loucks, etc., with primary emphasis on “end-of-season” competitions such as the Golden West Invitational, Nike Outdoor Nationals, USATF Junior Nationals, USATF Youth Championships, Junior Olympics and various State “Summer Games”.

By early Fall we will have identified two groups of candidates. Our “A” List consists of the elite 2006 underclass milers ranked by Track & Field News and DyeStat among all the USA’s top 10-15 for the mile (plus 1,500/1,600m converted.) For the boys, that usually means sub-4:12.0 For the girls, that usually means sub-4:50.0 In December, we will contact these nationally-ranked milers to determine their interest, availability, and authorization to participate. In most years, only 1 or 2 of this group commits to compete—in which case their Millrose Games invitation is confirmed.

Our “B” List consists of the additional top 10-15 returning milers within the East (ME--VA) as ranked by DyeStat. For boys, that usually means sub-4:21 indoors or sub-4:18 outdoors. For girls, that usually means: sub-5:05 indoors or sub-5:00 outdoors. Although we review major 2006 cross country meets, it should be stressed that winning and/or setting course records at these meets is NOT a significant factor in considering Millrose Games Mile contestants, as often the best 5,000m harriers are not top-quality milers.

In December, as the 2006-7 indoor season gets underway, it’s “show time” for these “B” List milers to produce a mile performance, on or before January 20, 2007, that ranks them at the top…time-wise…of all scholastic milers in the East. Again, we emphasize that we rely only on One-Mile performances achieved in the ten “major interstate meets” listed on reverse. Also, it should be noted that performances in non-scholastic events or “Open” meets will NOT be considered for a Millrose invitation.

These ten Eastern “major interstate meets” (listed on reverse) in which our leading “B” List candidates will compete, are attended or monitored by our Invitations Directors, or their representatives. Since several of these meets are limited to competitors from immediate bordering states, you must check with each respective Meet Director [Contact] to determine whether your entry will be accepted.

We emphasize that winning the Mile (or placing in top 2-3-4) at these designated meets does not ensure an invitation to the Millrose Games—other than the two automatic qualifying meets specified below. For example, winning the Yale Invitational Boys Mile in 4:21.2, while several others have run sub-4:18.5 at any of the earlier 2006-2007 designated Indoor Meets would considerably lessen that individual’s chances of being selected.

As is our procedure since 2004, we are selecting two competitors from two major meets as “automatic qualifiers”: The Hispanic Games on January 6th and New Balance Games on January 20th—both conducted at the New York City Armory Track & Field Center. In each of these meets, the winner of the Boys and Girls One Mile events will be automatically selected to participate in the 2007 Millrose Games Invitational H.S. Mile races.

Finally, all accepted invitees in the Boys and Girls High School Miles must agree NOT to compete in any scheduled meet after Sunday, January 28th, to ensure being in peak competitive condition.  Failure to comply with this provision of the selection process will result in our invitation to compete in the 2007 Millrose Games being immediately withdrawn.

LARRY BYRNE JIM SPIER
Boys Invitations Director Girls Invitations Director
401-738-4232 or LByrne6825@aol.com 919-490-5206 or jispier@aol.com

2006-7 Major Eastern High School INDOOR Meets ~~ DESIGNATED AS MILLROSE “QUALIFIERS”

§ Saturday, December 16 ~ 53nd BISHOP LOUGHLIN GAMES. “Season opener” at NY Armory Track & Field Center, 168th St. & Broadway, NYC ~ 6-lane banked 200m Mondo Track. Contact: Ed Bowes @ 718-857-2700 ext. 2233 or Mike Botti @ 718-788-0716

§ Saturday, December 16 ~ HOWARD COUNTY WINTER TRACK FESTIVAL. Prince Georges County Sports Complex, Landover, MD Top competitors from MD, DC, VA, PA & DE only. 200m flat track used for the Nike Indoor Nationals

Contact: Norman Belden @ (W) 410-880-5988… (H) 410-992-4429… (C} 410-917-8010 or norman_belden@hcpss.org

§ Wed-Thu, December 27-28 ~ SETON HALL GAMES. Brennan Field House, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ

Individual events, including B&G Mile on 12/27. Relays on 12/28. Contact: Marian Johnson @ 973-761-9561

§ Fri-Sat, December 29-30 ~ 25^TH BROWN UNIVERSITY INVITATIONAL. Olney-Margolies Fieldhouse, Brown University, Providence, RI. DMR on 12/29…other Varsity running events & B&G Mile on 12/30. (200m flat synthetic track- spikes OK)

Contact: Michelle Eisenreich @ 401-863-1838

§ Saturday, January 6 ~ 38^th DARTMOUTH RELAYS. Leverone Field House, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Top H.S. competitors from 8 states & Canada (200m flat synthetic- spikes OK)

Contact: Barry Harwick @ 603-646-2540 or barry.harwick@dartmouth.edu

§ Saturday, January 6 ~ 13^TH CITIBANK HISPANIC GAMES. NY Armory Track & Field Center. “Automatic Qualifier”

6-lane banked 200m Mondo track. 18th St. & Broadway, NYC, Contact: Louie Vasquez @ 212-923-1803 ext. 14

§ Saturday, January 13~MONTGOMERY INDOOR INVITATIONAL. Prince Georges County Sports Complex, Landover, MD

Top competitors from MD, DC, VA, PA, DE only. 200m flat track used to host the Nike Indoor Nationals..

Contact: Tom Rogers @ (c) 240-476-1720 or (H) 301-770-7292 or Thomas_W_Rogers@mcpsmd.org

§ Saturday, January 13 ~ ARCHBISHOP MOLLOY-STANNER GAMES. NY Armory Track & Field Center.

6-lane banked 200m Mondo track. 168th St & Broadway, NYC

Contact: Joe Dombrowski @ 718-441-2100 (school) or 718-849-8251 (Fax) or jdombrowski@molloyhs.org

§ Fri-Sat, January 19-20 ~ 25^TH YALE TRACK CLASSIC. Coxe Cage, Yale University, New Haven, CT

(NEW 200m BANKED synthetic track-spikes OK) Top HS competitors from 8 states. DMR on 1/20. B & G Mile on 1/21.

Contact: Dan Ireland (Boys) @ 203-432-1404…or…Mark Young (Girls) @ 203-432-1405

§ Saturday, January 20 ~ 12^th NEW BALANCE GAMES. NY Armory Track & Field Center. “Automatic Qualifier”

6-lane banked 200m Mondo track. 168th St. & Broadway, NYC. Contact: Louie Vasquez @ 212-923-1803 ext. 14

** PLEASE NOTE: Saturday, January 20 is the last day performances will be considered for selection for the Invitational Boys and Girls High School Mile Races at the 2007 Millrose Games on Friday, February 2nd at Madison Square Garden.

QUESTIONS? Contact…

LARRY BYRNE JIM SPIER
Boys Invitations Director Girls Invitations Director
401-738-4232 or LByrne6825@aol.com 919-490-5206 or jispier@aol.com

“TO RANK WITH ‘EM...YOU’VE GOT TO COMPETE WITH ‘EM”...per Neil Kerr, Editor/NYSSWA