I was looking through the updated Women's Rules & Policies for the 2015-2016 Competition Season and ran across this on page 96:
"Meet Directors may not refuse entries from competitors who wish to enter a competition that serves as a Sectional Meet or any competition that serves as a qualifier to State Championships and above."
I understand that for a place like Southern California where athletes qualify to State Championship from only a handful of sectional competitions this may be an important rule. However, I know in several states almost all invitationals are considered state qualifiers and the meet director just pays a per competitor fee to their state board. Seems like some of the larger invitationals, that are also state qualifiers, could end up having competitions that last for well over 3 days if this rule was applied...
"Meet Directors may not refuse entries from competitors who wish to enter a competition that serves as a Sectional Meet or any competition that serves as a qualifier to State Championships and above."
I understand that for a place like Southern California where athletes qualify to State Championship from only a handful of sectional competitions this may be an important rule. However, I know in several states almost all invitationals are considered state qualifiers and the meet director just pays a per competitor fee to their state board. Seems like some of the larger invitationals, that are also state qualifiers, could end up having competitions that last for well over 3 days if this rule was applied...