Principals vote today on Champs changes

High school principals will vote today on a five-point proposal recommended by the technical committee of Boys and Girls' Championships to the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA).

Last November, schools were informed by ISSA about several proposals to be introduced at the 2017 championships. The Jamaica Track and Field Coaches Association, in response to the proposals, held an emergency meeting at Vere Technical and voiced their disapproval.

Coaches of the respective schools were invited to a meeting at Wolmer's Girls' school on December 6 to discuss the changes with members of the organising committee of the ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships. Coaches were briefed and then asked to discuss the changes with their principals.

Following the meeting with the coaches, the technical committee met and made some adjustments to the proposals.

The five final proposals are:

1. The Boys' 400 metres hurdles, which, up to last year was an open event, will now be contested in Classes One and Two.

2. Only Classes One and Two girls will be allowed to compete in the 3,000 metres and the 2,000 metres steeplechase.

3. Athletes will only be allowed to do two individual events and two relays, except in field events where athletes can do three individual events and one relay.

4. Girls competing in the heptathlon can only do one other individual event while boys contesting the decathlon will not be allowed to do any other event.

5. Only Classes One and Two boys can compete in the 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase.

Several coaches still voiced their disapproval, stating that enough time was not given to implement these changes.

However, ISSA's competition's officer, George Forbes has made it clear that once 75 per cent of principals vote in favour of the proposals, these can come into effect immediately.