Editorial -- Heavy Handed Tactics by MSHSAA Deny Crae Coffey a State Medal

The State Track Meet, and other meets like it, should be a time that kids remember for the rest of their lives. Morgan Beagle, who won three state medals for Worth County in 2021, still remembers that time fondly. However, the heavy-handed tactics that certain MSHSAA officials use at these meets are ruining the fun for some.

South Harrison athlete Crae Coffey was a good kid who put in his time and effort into making Bulldog football better. His efforts, and that of others, led to the Bulldogs having a banner year in football. A state track medal would have been a nice feather in his cap.

Unfortunately, someone at the MSHSAA took it on themselves to play tinpot dictator. Crae and his coaches were specifically told by certain MSHSAA officials that as long as a thrower doesn’t touch their cell phone, they can stand by the coaches box and look at a video of themselves throwing. So naturally, Crae watched a video. For that, another MSHSAA official disqualified them. No warning whatsoever. Another kid was allowed on his phone and was not kicked out.

We and the South Harrison partisans were not the only ones who saw the injustice. Crae Coffey would have finished fourth had he not been disqualified. The kid who finished ahead of him came and found Crae and offered him his medal, which Crae declined.

We understand that some rules are necessary in order to ensure fairness in competition and protect the safety of athletes. But sometimes, like this case, the people in charge of making rules make them just for the sake of it.

And the rule itself against video recordings is bad. Even in an individual sport like track, technique is there for a reason, not only for the athlete to perform better, but to protect them from injury. ACL injuries can and do happen in track. We have enough trouble these days getting kids to come out for sports without making them choose between a sport that they love and their long-term health. If one kid is protected from a serious injury because they were able to fix their form, it would be worth it.

While we are not for a state takeover of MSHSAA or any other non-profit organization, this is the very sort of thing which gives them a bad name and which will add fuel to the fire for certain politicians who want to take them over.