David Shapiro on Chances for 2020 Cross Country Season
Watch the above interview with David Shapiro, Arizona running coach and legend since 1979 and AIA's cross country and track & field tournament coordinator officially since 2013, but has been helping out with the tournament in some capacity all the way back to 1995. You also might know Shapiro as being the race director for the famous Nike Chandler Rotary track and field meet as well.
In our talk, Shapiro gives us his cautious optimism about having a season for cross country in 2020, but let's us behind the curtain a bit with what the AIA has already thought of in terms of contingency plans. Those ideas range from staggered starts, a multiple-day state meet, to maybe starting the season after Labor Day.
Of course, no one still knows exactly how fall sports will shake out in Arizona (and the rest of the U.S.), but cross country, due to its nature, may have a better chance than other fall sports to having a season. It just may be that starting lines for cross country meets in 2020 have fewer athletes on them but have a few more races during the day.