Originally Posted by carleton

Look. People break the rules all the time...willingly and unwillingly.

Your son placing 4th of 8 in a local crit while racing illegally isn't a big deal. Your son making the podium* at Collegiate National Championships while racing illegally is.

*(I don't know his result nor am I asking).

It's a coach's job to make sure that his/her athletes are racing legally and to watch out for illegal acts by the other team and advocate for them as needed.

Why make rules if they don't apply to everyone? If every other athlete did all of the steps in order to race (certs, upgrade from 5 to 4 to 3, obtain CAT-A...) then your son should, too. He shouldn't be there simply because his pa thinks he's the best kid in the field.

As a USAC athlete, USAC coach, and USAC official, I'd have noooooo problem if a coach from one of the colleges came up to the official's booth or emailed USAC and filed a protest. I'd expect the following reply: