Senator takes run at MPA’s XC team ban

The participation of Maine high school cross country teams in New England Championship meets will be discussed today in a public hearing at the State House in Augusta.

State Sen. John Nutting, D- Leeds is sponsoring LD 1130, which would allow state championship cross country teams to participate in New England competitions, something the Maine Principals Association currently does not allow.

The hearing is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. in Room 202 of the Cross Building.

The MPA, which regulates high school sports in Maine, allows only individuals to compete at New Englands. The MPA has consistently cited budgetary issues and missed school time as the reasons it does not allow team competition.

Twice in the past three years the principals have voted down proposals and recommendations that would have allowed teams to participate in New Englands.

“For three years now the Maine Principals Association has denied [high school teams the chance] to go to New Englands,” Nutting said Wednesday night. “That’s why I put the bill in.”

The MPA voted unanimously (84-0) to strike a spring 2002 cross country committee recommendation that would allow teams to compete at New Englands, which were held later that year in Portland. In November 2004 the MPA voted 36-29 to not allow team competition.

The England Council, which regulates the regional championships, also offers wrestling and gymnastics team competitions. Maine does not send teams in those sports, either. Golf, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track and field do not have team competition.

Maine sends its top 25 individuals to New Englands. New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Connecticut each send their top 6 teams and 25 individuals. Massachusetts does not participate due to a conflict with its own state meet.

According to the MPA’s 2004 cross country bulletin, teams that qualify five runners, which is the amount needed to score as a team, may accept a team championship if they win. That happened in 2002 when Deering High of Portland had five runners qualify and so competed as a team, finishing ninth out of 25 teams.

Nutting, who represents the municipalities of Greene, Leeds, Lisbon, Livermore, Livermore Falls, Mechanic Falls, Minot, Sabattus, Turner and Wales in Androscoggin County, will be accompanied by cross country coaches Dan Campbell of Edward Little High in Auburn and Hank Fuller of Lisbon.

Nutting said he put forth the bill because he feels Maine’s cross country runners’ chances to earn college scholarships are hindered by the fact that they can’t run as a team in New Englands.

More college scholarships are given to cross country runners than all other sports combined, according to Nutting.

“Those college coaches look at those kids and decide who gets the scholarships largely at the New England meet,” said Nutting, whose children competed for Leavitt High of Turner.

“In cross country … you run as a pack, as a team and you run off the other teammates that you know how to run with,” he added. “That’s why the best teams should be allowed to go to New Englands.”