The National Scholastic Sports Foundation (NSSF) which owns and operates the New Balance Indoor and Outdoor Nationals has issued a statement regarding the standards for the Emerging Elite events that will take place on Friday, March 11, 2011. The statement reads as follows:
"Because of some feedback we have received concerning the entry guidelines for some of the Emerging Elite events, we have lessened the standards for most of them. Except for the Emerging Elite 60, 200, 400 and Boys 800, all other guidelines have been relaxed somewhat. We have also eliminated the Emerging Elite One Mile Walk (and have relaxed the Championship Mile Walk guideline). See Entry Guidelines for the revised Entry Standards all marked in red."
Emerging Elite events are for high school athletes who have not quite attained the championship standards but are on their way. Athletes entered in these events may be any grade in high school. Additional meet information may be found here: Indoor Nationals
Regarding seeding, NSSF also made this statement:
- Marks made last outdoor season may be used to enter the meet but preference as far as seeding will be given to those who have the best marks this winter season. For example, if a male miler had run 4:12 during the 2010 outdoor season, but has run 4:18.0 during the 2010-2011 indoor season the later mark will be used for seeding.
- Individual times may be added together to “project” a seed time for relays in a case where the team has not run the event. However, for seeding purposes teams that have actually recorded a mark in a relay will be given preference over these projected times. This is especially true of relays run partially in lanes, i.e. the 4 x 200 and 1600 meter sprint medley. For example, a team may add the personal bests from the 2010 outdoor or 2011 indoor seasons to accumulate a sprint medley time of 3:30. A team that has actually run the event in 3:30 will be given lane or heat preference over the projected seed time.