You Are About to Witness Something Unique in Track & Field
The true team series was originated in 1987 by the State Track and Field Coaches Association, to address the need in Track and Field for a True TEAM competition. In previous years, a team with a few elite athletes could win the “Team Championship” in a large meet. The Coaches felt the Team Championship should be won by the best TEAM.
In True Team competition, each team is allowed two entries in Class 1 A and 2A (3 entries in Class 3A) in individual events and 1 entry in each relay event. Every entry is placed and scored according to their order of finish, with the idea that a team’s second or third entry becomes just as important as their first entry.
There are 3 classes in True Team Competition, with the classes based on enrollment. Enrollments are reviewed on an annual basis, and alignments are revised each July by the True Team Committee.
Throughout the State, there are 8 Sections in each Class, with the Champion in each Section Advancing to the State Meet. The best second place team in the state in each class also advances as a “Wild Card.”
Minnesota is the only State which holds True Team competition in Track & Field. It is organized, governed, coordinated, and sponsored by the State Track & Field Coaches Association.
True Team Philosophy
Why was the Minnesota True Team Championship philosophy developed?
- Because of many Minnesota track and field coaches who were dissatisfied with the existing system which did not determine a true team champion.
- To recognize overall team strength.
- To discount the possibility of a championship where only 2, 3, or 4 individuals score all the points.
- To encourage more participation through 3 divisions throughout the state which were determined through school enrollment.
- To provide fans with a more exciting format and scoring system in which to determine a Team State Champion.
- To encourage teams to develop all events and therefore greater participation.
The True Team Series is different from Invitational and MSHSL Meets in a number of ways. Because of this, Meet Managers and members of the True Team Committee receive a number of questions dealing with procedures that are unique to the True Team Series. Following are a few of the most commonly asked questions:
Scoring
How are the points determined for a True Team Meet? Class A and AA are allowed two entries in each individual event. Class AAA is allowed three entries. In Class A and AA, where two entries are allowed in the individual events, scoring is as follows. Individual events: First place is awarded twice the number of points as teams competing in the meet, with points awarded to subsequent placers decreasing by one point per place. In relays, first place is awarded a number of points equal to three times the number of teams competing in the meet, with subsequent places decreasing by 3 points per place. Assuming an 8-team meet as an example, individual events would be scored 16-15-14-...-1. Relays would be scored 24-21-18-...-3. In AAA, three entries are allowed in the individual events. Scoring is as follows. Individual events: first place is awarded three times the number of points as teams competing in the meet, with subsequent places decreasing by one point per place. In relays, first place is awarded a number of points equal to four times the number of teams competing in the meet, with subsequent places decreasing by four points per place. Again, using an 8-team meet as an example, Individual events would be scored 24-23-22-...-1, and relays would be scored 32-28-24-...-4.
