Question about Public College Tracks

    Posted In: Sprints

        • Participant
          comanch09 on February 17, 2007 at 6:54 am #12782

          I was curious what the rules/laws are about Track and Fields at public colleges.  I have heard that if it is a public University, there are laws that prevent them from closing the track to the public.  Of course if they are using it, they can close it to the public, but if a scheduled practice is not taking place, they can't kicked people off it.  Where is the law pertaining to this?

          I emailed my current college about this, and I got mixed responses from different coaches.  Everyone told me practice was from 2 to 5.  The contradiction comes when it is open to the public.  One told me any other time, the track is open to the public.  The other one told me they want to change this policy in a few months from now.  The tone I got is they want to close it off to the public.  I don't think they can do that though, seeing there is no equivalent track set up for the public. 

          Anyways, anyone know the laws/rules on this?  Thanks for any information.

        • Participant
          cerebro on February 17, 2007 at 7:22 am #62888

          Have you ever tried to use the track when they aren't practicing?

        • Participant
          mortac8 on February 17, 2007 at 7:38 am #62889

          How many times are you going to ask this?  Just use the track when a team is not using it.  They are not going to expel you from school.

        • Participant
          comanch09 on February 17, 2007 at 8:20 am #62890

          First, yes, I intended to use it when they aren't using it. 

          But, maybe you failed to read the whole post.  They plan on changing the policy, essentially preventing people from using it at all.  This is a public college, meaning it is partly funded by taxes.  I have heard by a few it is illegal for them to close it off from the public if they aren't using it, unless they have an equivalent track (they don't).  Could someone riddle me that?

        • Participant
          cerebro on February 17, 2007 at 8:46 am #62891

          How often have you used the track and have they ever given you problems when you were using it? You got the tone that they want to close it off, but they haven't, right? If you don't make it an issue and just do your stuff quietly, they probably won't care. Just use the track when they aren't around and don't draw attention to yourself and you should be okay. Seems like you're worried about something you aren't using much.

          With one of the best sprint coaches in the country right there, maybe you should think about joining the team.

        • Participant
          comanch09 on February 17, 2007 at 10:09 am #62892

          Ok, but there are laws about this subject I'm sure that prevent them from doing so, that is what I'm asking about.

          I got the idea from a coach (the closing track part), seems like a pretty reliable source.

          I am not attending this university after this semester, I'm transferring.  But, anyways, on a side note for future reference, how does one go about getting to walk on.  I assume you can't just say I want to walk on.

        • Participant
          cerebro on February 17, 2007 at 10:29 am #62893

          Talk to the coach and see what you need to do. Simple as that. It's not like SEC or Big 10 football programs or anything like that.

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on February 21, 2007 at 10:50 am #62894

          What school are you speaking of? Is it a big-time track program? I know at LSU our track was closed to the general public…there is a 12 foot fence around the entire thing. I know cops actually chase people off there quite frequently.

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Participant
          gin2312002 on February 21, 2007 at 9:18 pm #62895

          Ok, but there are laws about this subject I'm sure that prevent them from doing so, that is what I'm asking about.

          I got the idea from a coach (the closing track part), seems like a pretty reliable source.

          I am not attending this university after this semester, I'm transferring.  But, anyways, on a side note for future reference, how does one go about getting to walk on.  I assume you can't just say I want to walk on.

          talk to the coach..im walking on next year but i already have contact wit him. What school u going to?

        • Participant
          offtheblocks on February 22, 2007 at 6:08 am #62896

          What school are you speaking of? Is it a big-time track program? I know at LSU our track was closed to the general public…there is a 12 foot fence around the entire thing. I know cops actually chase people off there quite frequently.

          maybe cuz thats no local, fitness oriented track for the elderly around the neighborhood. its a WORLD CLASS facility!

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on February 22, 2007 at 8:27 am #62897

          Well Stanford, UCLA and Sacramento are all world class facilities and they are open to the general public. In fact, back when HSI used to train at UCLA you could go out and work out on the same track as world record holders and Olympic champions.

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Participant
          gin2312002 on February 22, 2007 at 8:16 pm #62898

          yea where does HSI train at now???

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on February 26, 2007 at 11:09 am #62899

          I think they train at a community college or high school in SoCal. A friend of mine has seen there track and said it's pretty unimpressive. 

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Participant
          sbones on February 26, 2007 at 11:17 am #62900

          I think they train at a community college or high school in SoCal. A friend of mine has seen there track and said it's pretty unimpressive. 

          They're at West LA College in Culver City.

          It's not an overly impressive facility, but it's not far from the In n Out, and that counts for something.

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on February 26, 2007 at 11:19 am #62901

          Ah In n Out…the perfect pre and post workout meal.

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Participant
          comanch09 on March 13, 2007 at 10:19 pm #62902

          Im talking about the University of South Carolina.

          It seems there is a movement in the South east I guess.  Not being very open with facilites.  I believe Univ. of Florida has closed theres as well.

          But still, even if they are doing this, there must be a law against it seeing that those facilites are public funded.  Football and Basketball Im sure can stop people from using there stuff, because most of them pay for themselves (large money intake).  Not many people question much in the south, so many things that happen aren't exactly legal just because they are doing it.

          But swimming and track are mostly funded by public funds.  So I'm curious about the laws pertaining to that.

        • Participant
          pdong on April 3, 2007 at 8:22 pm #62903

          I don't think there are any laws about "public hours".  There are plenty of things paid for by tax dollars that are not for use by the general public.  You don't, for example, have the right to walk into a dorm, even though it was built by tax dollars.  You can't use the library "whenever" you want, even though you pay for it.

          But I do understand your trouble.  Most likely, there's a facility director at the university whom you should contact.  Tell them what time you would like to be out there, and ask permission.  That's the best thing you can do, and really, the only thing you should do.  Otherwise, as you found out, you'll get conflicting information.

          As a former facility director, I understand their side of things too, and I hope you do as well.  For every person, like you, that has a legitimate usage desire, there are a dozen people that would rather do stupid stuff (going over the hurdles backwards, climb the discus/hammer cage net).  I'm not joking.  So, that's kinda where they're coming from.

        • Participant
          gin2312002 on May 24, 2007 at 3:53 am #62904

          just ask da coach or athletic director?

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