2010 STATE CO-ED TRACK CREDENTIALS PROCESS

WORKING MEDIA NEED TO APPLY ON-LINE

The following information is important to all media before applying for credentials to the 2010 State Coed Track Meet. Working media credentials for the Championships, May 20-22, can be requested starting Wednesday, May 12 until 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 18. Please register before May 18. In the event you apply and will not attend, E-mail blegg@iahsaa.org. Media not making the deadline will need to purchase a ticket and bring it to the NW gate where you can exchange it for a credential. Holders of IGHSAU media passes must still register on line for credentials. State Meet qualifiers will be posted on the respective web sites the weekend of May 14-15.

CREDENTIAL GUIDELINE: Other than TV, daily newspapers, some twin weeklies, weekly county newspapers and wire services, the request for credentials should be limited to one individual. The credential must be visibly displayed at all times inside the stadium. Credentials are only for adult working media and are supplied to help them do their job. Although it has diminished significantly, we still find credentials worn by a child, family member, friend, coach, or parent. Any observed sharing/giving credentials with/to non-media personnel can result in the privilege being withdrawn to those in violation. COACHES, PARENTS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO USE A MEDIA CREDENTIAL TO SECURE ACCESS TO THE STADIUM AND/OR THE INFIELD OR AN EVENT VENUE RUN THE RISK OF HAVING THEIR INDIVIDUALS/TEAMS DISQUALIFIED, AS WELL AS PLACING THAT MEDIA OUTLET AT RISK. Please observe the integrity of the media profession and keep your request to professional media only.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: ALL media working the meet must complete the on-line registration before the May 18, 8:30 a.m. deadline. School reporters/photographers do not use this link. The registration link is on the Track Page of the IHSAA website <www.iahsaa.org>. The form is also being linked to the IGHSAU webpage (www.ighsau.org). Once you click on submit and get a blue screen, the request has been sent. Register at only one site, and complete all fields. Media personnel that cover several schools are encouraged to register early. One credential will be guaranteed to each registering outlet that has a qualifier competing. Qualifiers for the State Meet will be known in all classes Saturday, May 16. They will be posted on the website of each organization. DO NOT CALL, E-MAIL OR FAX a media request. They will not be honored. The staffs of both organizations and Drake SID Mike Mahon are involved in pre-meet duties and will not be available. Be sure to read all of the information that follows.

OBTAINING CREDENTIALS: No credentials will be mailed prior of the meet. They can be obtained only from our staff in NORTHWEST gate of the stadium (as in the past). Identification may be needed when obtaining your packet. Hours for obtaining your credential packet are: 7:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 8:30-10:30 a.m. on Saturday.

HIGH SCHOOL REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER: As with our other state meet-ticketed events, admission can be secured by one student reporter/photographer credential per school on a daily working basis by (1) purchasing a ticket (wrist band) and (2) with a letter from a school administrator stating the student’s name and that they are the school’s reporter/photographer. These items need to be presented to the IHSAA personnel at the northwest media gate for the credential. No free-lance photographers are credentialed at state events.

A JOINT REQUEST: Each year the IHSAA and IGHSAU greatly appreciate the efforts of the Drake staff and SID Mike Mahon. His schedule and commitments at Drake occupy a great deal of his time. Please respect his time and refrain from contacting him concerning the State High School Championships,

PRESS BOX SEATING: There are approximately 38 seats in the lower level of the Drake press box for daily print media. Those assigned last year will have seats this spring. Obviously not all print media can be seated so allocations have already been made. Some media may not be covering a particular class which will open up seats until Saturday's finals. Essentially if you had a spot in the press box the previous two years, we have adjusted accordingly. There is also a small working area in the tunnel. A limited number of seats for covering radio stations (see IHSSN broadcast rights fee note below) exists on both levels of the press box for those registering by May 18. Radio Assignment areas will be made by Drake’s SID staff.

RADIO STATIONS: Radio stations should read the information that is posted on the Iowa High School Sports Network website. For the State Meet, those outlets with a phone line have priority on seating.

· PHONE LINE: Those outlets needing a telephone line should contact (Tiffany Monita at Qwest, 1-800-301-9220 x 3 or email Tiffany.Monita@Qwest.com - she can advise you of costs, etc. Those requests should be made before noon Friday, May 14. The proper address for Drake Stadium is: 2701 Forest Ave.; Des Moines, IA 50311.

· LIVE VIDEO STREAMING: No LIVE Video-streaming of an event or the meet to a website is allowed.

OTHER NEED TO KNOW INFORMATION: In terms of media coverage and the number of competitors, this is the largest state high school meet in the nation and important reminders and procedures that have been developed are summarized below. To avoid unnecessary conflicts you need to know and follow this information. In past years many of you to did some advance planning with coaches from your area – such has exchanging cell phone numbers, meeting at a specific place after an event or session, etc.

· PHOTOGRAPHY-WEB POSTING CLARIFICATION: The IHSAA and IGHSAU each has a contract or an agreement with a photography provider that is credentialed for the meet. However, media outlets (as has been the case with our other state events) can take and post images and/or brief video clips of the meet on their website without violating these contract/agreements. Other private photographers will not be credentialed.

· WHEN YOU ARE IN THE INFIELD, Both associations have worked with Drake and the state meet officials to allow the media to be on the infield for interviews and to take photos. However, we ask you to allow athletes to recover and respect their subsequent events and team obligations immediately after their event. We want our athletes in all sports to compete in the finest venues and Drake stadium give us that for track. To protect the privilege after securing your photograph or interview in the infield we need your cooperation by returning to the stadium seats or press box. When going to the infield – please access it by going thru the SW tunnel or the northeast gates. We do not expect it but Anyone who compromises the ability of a competing athlete and/or meet administration will be dismissed from the stadium.

· FINISH LINE AREA: The area near the finish line and the angle of the Finish Lynx cameras has resulted in a restriction of media in the immediate area of the finish line and the related infield area. NO ONE should cross through the area of the Finish Lynx or the track finish line.

· Results will be available shortly after each race on the video board. In addition all results will be posted directly to the websites of the IHSAA and IGHSAU as they are completed. A limited number of copies of event results will be available in the press box for those media on deadline.

· PARKING: Parking is limited in the immediate area of the stadium. TV boom trucks have their own entrance to the west lot. There is limited parking on some streets and areas near the stadium on a first come-first served basis. With an anticipated 300+ media requesting credentials we regret that we can not address the parking needs of everyone.

· LOST ITEMS: The IHSAA, IGHSAU and Drake University are not responsible for any vehicle fined or harmed, equipment or personal items lost, stolen or harmed either in the stadium or where you park during the meet.

Bud Legg, IHSAA & Jason Eslinger, IGHSAU