August 21, 2007 - No changes to Holmdel Park course for 2007 season

In the following e-mail from Don Danser to Runningco.com, he explains that the start and finish lines at Holmdel will remain in the current locations.

"On August 13, I received a call from Holmdel Park asking me to meet with the Rangers to decide what to do about the start and finish of the cross-country course in the park. The next day Mr. Carl Rickershauser, the NJSIAA Rules Interpreter for cross-country, and I met with three Holmdel Park Rangers at the starting line of the course. As many know already, the starting area is now surrounded by an approximately five-foot wide macadam path the crosses through the traditional starting line and the course just before the entrance to the woods about 350 meters from the start.
            "At first we were going to move the starting line forward about 30 meters to avoid the macadam, but the rangers did not like this idea because they thought more damage may be done to the concrete path just behind the macadam and the macadam path itself, because that's where crowds gather while waiting for the races to start. Then the rangers suggested we move the line back 30 meters to avoid that problem, but then there would a problem with the new concrete sidewalk that leads from the shelter to the new macadam path.
            "Since the coaches who had attended a meeting on July 7 did not feel the macadam was a problem 350 meters into the race, and if keeping the starting line where it was meant that only one or two teams would be starting on the macadam path, it was decided to keep the starting line where it had been. I reminded the Rangers that the NJSIAA runs only two meets on the course and perhaps the Rangers should get input from other groups. They decided because of the amount of time remaining before the opening of the season that it would not be practical. If the starting line were changed, then the entire course would need to be surveyed and all the mile markers would need to be moved. They would see how keeping the line where it was works, and if necessary, make changes next year."

Don Danser
NJSIAA Tournament Director