Mr. Slippery
Well-known member
It is also my experience that less and less people that I know go to the state meet to watch just to watch. If they don't have family directly involved, they don't go because of the facility and lack of being able to watch the meet. I have some college coaches that I look forward to seeing at the meet each year and nearly none of them come anymore. I see the same ones I see at local stuff up here in the NE, but the out of state recruiters (that I know) just skip it. I've been told by a few that it's just too hard to watch the meet.
That might all be just my circle of friends, but it's not untrue.
Another factor for which college coaches attend which postseason meets pertains to their team's schedules. How many DI conference meets were held the same weekend as the state meet due to how the NCAA DI XC schedule worked out this year? MAC was held on the same day as state. Big Ten was the day after state. DII coaches couldn't attend regionals this year because it was the same weekend as their conference meets. DIII's schedule is similar to DI this year. OAC and NCAC were the same day as the state meet. That said, ease of access is a factor. It's easier to recruit at some meets vs. other meets due to sheer number of bodies or how easily a kid can disappear after crossing the finish line. These are things I'd never given much thought until talking to college coaches.