BREAKING: VHSL Alters State Meet Standards To Top 3

Nolan Jez

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia High School League has decided to alter the qualification process for the state track meets both indoors and outdoors. This change is effective immediately. 

To qualify for states athletes can place highly at their regional meet or hit a state meet standard. This process is not changing, what is changing though is the way the standard is calculated. The old calculation averaged out the 6th place finisher while the new calculation will be averaging 3rd place. 

This change will drastically slim down the size of the state meets and in many instances make it quite difficult to hit the auto-standards. 

Coaches around the state have expressed concern with change while some administrators and meet management have welcomed a change like this. 


"The VHSL executive committee's decision to unilaterally vote to make the state standard the 3rd place finish from the prior year at the state meet, without a vote from the VHSL membership group or consultation from their coaches advisory committee, is a disservice to the sport, coaches and athletes of the State of Virginia. Having done so in May, and keeping the change a secret, reflects their awareness the vote was not in the best interests of the athletes, and that it would be met with dissatisfaction from those more aware of the daily sacrifices and commitment of the present-day student athlete. In many instances, simply looking at the 6A level, the new standards would be more difficult than the national standard. The secrecy and lack of transparency by the VHSL executive committee is consistent with their past behavior, and reflects the lack of consideration of others within the sport, as highlighted by their failure to consult others, including their own coaches advisory committee." - Anonymous Coach with serious credentials


The VHSL has commented though that this was not an overnight process and was thought through and in line with their goal of hosting the best state meets possible. 


"The participation committee has representation from each region/classification in Virginia.  The Executive Committee does as well.  Both entities [met] to discuss with the athletic directors/principals in the particular areas that they represent. All of the executive committee votes/agenda/minutes are posted on the VHSL website for anyone and everyone to view. [The VHSL] had conversations with a lot of coaches and the 3 people that run the state track meets-all of which are also intertwined with track coaches from different areas.  The legislation that was put forth to make the change to putting the 3rd place from the previous year(s) into the formula was thought through, discussed in depth and approved by the Executive Committee." - VHSL 


There are instances of where the new standards for some events will now be harder to hit than national championship standards. There are also instances where the fields will be much more inline with what they should be for a championship meet. It was field sizes like these (see examples) that necessitated a change. 

Example 1: In 2024, 46 boys were entered in the Class 5 200m dash. In California 28 boys were entered in the 200 for the entire state. 

Example 2: In 2024, 39 boys were entered in the Class 6 high jump. If you used the 2012 standard (last year of AAA), only 8 boys would have qualified last year. 

So you tell us, is this change good or bad?

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