New-look VA Showcase rises to expectations despite lack of fans, mask requirements
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (BVM) — This year’s VA Showcase was going to have a new look. Moving from Liberty University’s Indoor Track Complex in Lynchburg, Va. to the Virginia Beach Sports Center, a $68 million facility near the oceanfront, the United States’ largest indoor track meet was going to look completely different in 2021.
“I’m really thankful for the time with our meet at Liberty,” VA Showcase founder Nolan Jez said. “But the meet really had outgrown the facility. Obviously this year was very different, but we’re talking about a meet that’s going to have 5,000 athletes over three days and two or three thousand spectators at a time. [Liberty’s] facility has 1,400 permanent seats while Virginia Beach has 5,000 permanent seats.”
However, event planners and participants likely weren’t expecting the change to be so drastic.
The location wasn’t the only difference between the VA Showcase’s 2020 version and this year’s. With nearly 2,500 athletes from 40 states participating in this year’s competition, masks were required to be worn by all participants, team members and spectators within the facility outside of competitors during events. Smaller races with lanes in between competitors for safe social distancing was also utilized to help curb potential close contact. The crowd, which can reach into the thousands in a typical year, was limited to just 25 spectators per track and field event due to COVID-19 restrictions, which had the stadium at roughly 30% capacity. While it was different, the event was able to go off without a hitch.
“Honestly [safety] wasn’t an issue at the meet because we had a meet there in December and having the benefit of going through that hell, we kind of knew what to expect,” Jez said. “Everyone who had already been to the facility, had basically been to the event because we set the groundwork for the events before us. … The big thing we tried to do the best we could do was communicate. Communicate with coaches, officials, athletes, spectators, everyone and I think we hit that out of the park.”
This combination made for a unique environment for everyone involved this year, but that didn’t stop participants from continuing the trend of making the event one of the country’s premier competitions.
“Arguably this was the best one yet,” Jez said. “We had a world record, two No. 2 all-times and three No. 3 all-times. … Looking back we had about 800 nationally elite performances. … This year, I would be shocked if there is a meet with over 100 nationally elite performances besides us. Top to bottom the competition was bar none.”
While the competition was three days long, running from Jan. 14-Jan. 17, most of the highlights came after the first day of competition when the events went from local and younger aged participants to national high school aged competitors. Current national highs were set in a number of events including Leander Spartans Track Club junior Autumn Wilson running the 55 meter dash in 6.81 seconds (also good for 21st all-time), state of Missouri senior Johnny Brackins jumping 50-00.25 meters in the boy’s triple jump (also good for 38th all-time), state of South Dakota senior Cooper Mack throwing shot 64-0.975 meters and MVP League’s Stephanie Robson jumping 40-00.50 in the girl’s triple jump.
There were also a number of record-breaking performances that stood out even among the numerous that were accomplished over the weekend. IMG Academy junior Jaylen Slade sparked noise throughout the arena when he ran the 300 meter dash in 32.77 seconds, good for the year’s national mark and No. 2 in the event all-time, missing the top mark by just .1 of a second.
Jaylen Slade US #2 all time 32.77 in 300!!! 6 of the US top 6 all time boys 300m performances have come at #VAShowcase! Race Replay 👉 https://t.co/g2TTmbuoEb pic.twitter.com/6k8fAkCVub
— MileSplit US (@milesplit) January 16, 2021
Sydney Thorvaldson of Rawlins High School in Wyoming also had a memorable weekend. Billed as the top cross country runner in the U.S., Thorvaldson lived up to those expectations when she won the mile run in 4:43.90 on Day 1 before setting the new national mark for the two-mile the next day with a time of 9:47.95, good for No. 2 all-time in the event.
“That was probably one of the most impressive distance performances we’ve ever seen at our meet and that includes multiple national records,” Jez said of the race.
Sydney Thorvaldson 4:43.90 for the full mile! 👀 #VAShowcase @milesplit @FloTrack
Full Race Video: https://t.co/borVHhvRN8 pic.twitter.com/dl4ZFzIoeV— MileStat.com (@milestatdotcom) January 16, 2021
Juliette Whittaker of Projected United had a weekend to remember as well. On Day 1, Whittaker took the 800 meter crown finishing in 2:02.07 setting not only the national pace, but also setting a meet record, earning the No. 3 all-time mark in the event and qualifying for the U.S. Olympics Trials with the time.
Unreal!
U.S. Olympic Trials standard for Juliette Whittaker in the 800m: 2:02.07
Photo by @mamagnant pic.twitter.com/F55FBVqBzH
— MileSplit US (@milesplit) January 16, 2021
That wouldn’t be it for Whittaker either. The 4×800 Project United team of Stevens Point High School’s (WI) Roisin Willis, Marble Falls High School’s (TX) Bailey Goggans, Moses Brown High School’s (RI) Sophia Gorriaran and Whittaker from Mount De Sales High School in Maryland, would achieve something unseen by anybody in attendance. Finishing the race in 8:37.20, the team set a new U20 world record in the event, breaking an almost 30 year old record of 8:37.71 set at the Penn Relays in 1991. This momentous event was considered by many as the biggest thing to come out of the VA Showcase this year.
While the sights and sounds of the VA Showcase did not have the same jubilation as in year’s past due to the small crowd, the day held up in terms of its historical impact. Even with masks, social distancing and lack of energy from the sideline, the nation’s top high schoolers were still able to put on a show in front of the limited audience, solidifying the event’s status for years to come.
“It’s very important with the brand,” Jez said. “I’m greedy when it comes to records. I want them all. I’m always chasing more. … It’s a part of the brand, but it’s the athletes doing the work. I may recruit them there and beg them and their coaches to come, but it’s the athletes who show up to compete and they turn it up to another level to raise the bar each year.”
Though it may have been a unique year for the VA Showcase due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event’s penchant of jaw dropping performances and record breaking remained untouched.
“I’m not going to be complacent until we get every national record,” Jez said. “As long as we can be the biggest and best meet in the country every single year, that’s what keeps me up at night. Don’t worry, we’ve already started scheming for what records we’re going for next year and who’s going to be there.”
