National Scholastic Sports Foundation

Nike Outdoor Nationals

We again return to North Carolina A + T University in Greensboro, NC, now well known as a world-class facility. Equally world-class have been the administration and coaches at North Carolina A+T, particularly Head Coach Roy Thompson and Assistant James Daniels. We'd also like to thank Facilities Manager Billy Edringston for his continued support and dedication.

The City of Greensboro and the Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau deserve a heartfelt thanks as well. Marc Bush, Henri Fourier and Brian Ambuehl have welcomed us as if we were royalty!

The event in 2007 ranks as one of the greatest high school track meets ever, and this year's event promises to be as good or better.

In 2007 we added an "Emerging Elite" division. We have expanded on this them in 2008, with the addition of four more "Emerging Elite" events: 200 meters, 800 meters, 4x800m Relay and the Shot Put.

We no longer will contest the youth events. However, the "Fastest Kid in Guilford County" 100 Meters will stay intact.

Please join us on June 19, 20 and 21 for the eighteenth annual national outdoor meet, the Nike Outdoor Nationals!

There are those who are curious as to why the date change for the Nike Outdoor Nationals in 2008, scheduled for June 19-21. New York state has set their 2008 New York State Track and Field Championships date for June 13-14. We did not want to conflict with any state meet, hence the change. (We had been as late as June 20 in 1998 and June 19 in 2004).

USATF is not able to change the date of the USATF Junior Championships so there will be a conflict this year, unfortunately.

Why Emerging Elite?

For 16 years (1991 though 2006), the meet currently known as the Nike Outdoor Nationals existed with one division. In the past few years, it has been extremely difficult to attain the entry standard for most of the events. One has to really be exceptional to qualify for the meet.

Meet management realized that a lot of outstanding athletes have been left out as the event became more popular. For example, the qualifying standard in the Boy's 400 meters is 48.23, and only handful of elite athletes can attain that. But a great number of superior athletes have been under 49.0. And there was nowhere for those athletes to compete on a national level.

Hence the Emerging Elite Division was formed. In the Emerging Elite Boy's 400, the entry guideline is 49.53. That means that anyone who has run between 48.24 and 49.53 can now participate. Those athletes will be able to be on a "national stage" and be seen by the 100+ college coaches who will be present.

Proof that the concept is worthwhile can be seen by looking at last year's winners of the Emerging Elite Miles. Kyle Merber (Dix Hills, NY) won the race in 4:15.95, with nine runners under 4:20 for a full mile. On the girls' side, Kate Mc Cafferty (Summit, NJ) led three girls under 5:00, winning in 4:56.32. Merber won this year's Millrose Games Boys Mile and the Nike Indoor Nationals Mile champion. Mc Cafferty was the U.S. leader indoors in the two mile, and won the Nike Indoor Nationals Two Miles! So the "emergings" became "elites"!

This year four more events have been added for a total of eight. They are the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, Mile, 100h/110h, 4x800m and Shot Put. The ultimate goal (pending several factors) is to have an entire "slate" of Emerging Elite events in future Nike Outdoor Nationals.