Christ the King CYO Track & Field

High jump is usually located in an end zone of the football field. At most meets, there is one setup for both boys and girls. Only grades 5 and above may participate. Working high jump means a fair amount of standing and bending. It tends to be the longest-running field event, because of the time needed to set and re-set the bar.

Here is the PDF handout for the high jump clipboard.

Head Judge*

• Work with field event coordinator
• Register athletes by grade and gender on appropriate sheets
• Make calls for athletes (with announcer)
• Track practice jumps per athlete
• Record jumps and misses
• Help re-set bar on misses and verify bar height

Judge

• Help head judge set/re-set bar to appropriate heights per jumper
• Organize waiting athletes/crowd control
• Confirm heights and athletes with head judge

Long jump areas ("pits") are in various places at our meets. Some locations have two pits, one for boys and one for girls. All ages may participate. Long jump works best with at least three people per pit area. Long jump tends to close around the middle of a meet. Judges will need to do some stooping or kneeling to watch for scratches, and to read off the measuring tape.

Here is the PDF handout for the long jump clipboard.

Recorder

• Work with field event coordinator
• Register athletes by grade and gender on appropriate sheets
• Make calls for athletes (with announcer)
• Track practice jumps per athlete
• Record jumps and scratches

Judge (pit side)

• Mark athlete's landing position
• Read off measurement for Recorder
• Rake pit as needed

Judge (bar side)

• Observe jump: mark sure athlete did not scratch
• Hold tape for measurements

Softball throw occupies most of the infield area. Atheletes throw in two wide "lanes", one for boys, one for girls. All ages may particiapte. Each area should have at least a recorder and two other people to help with measurements and shagging softballs back to the throw line.

Here is the PDF handout for the softball throw clipboard.

Recorder

• Work with field event coordinator
• Register athletes by grade and gender on appropriate sheets
• Make calls for athletes (with announcer)
• Track practice throws per athlete
• Record throws and scratches

Judge (field side)

• Mark softball landing position
• Hold end of tape perpendicular to throw line for measurement
• Shag thrown softballs back to the start line

Judge (throw-line side)

• Observe throw: mark sure athlete did not scratch
• Read off measurement for recorder
• Gather shagged softballs for athletes

Finding the shotput area at some locations can be a challenge: it is usually fenced in and located away from the main track area. There is one shot area, used for both boys and girls. Only grades 5 and above may participate. Judges will need to do some stooping or kneeling to set and read the measuring tape.

Here is the PDF handout for the shotput clipboard.

Recorder*

• Work with field event coordinator
• Register athletes by grade and gender on appropriate sheets
• Make calls for athletes (with announcer)
• Track practice throws per athlete
• Record throws and scratches
• Ensure good form for throws, and proper enter/exit procedures (see handout)

Judge (sand side)

• Mark shot landing position
• Hold end of tape for measurement
• Roll thrown shot back to start area
• Rake sand as needed

Judge (foot-ring side)

• Observe throw: mark sure athlete did not scratch
• Read off measurement for recorder

For our practice meets, this is set up in the infield, near the finish line area. Athletes report to this area to sign in for running events and then stay there until their event is complete. There is one clerk per grade level, a head clerk, and several shepherds working in this section.

At practice meets, we will often create a second clerk area near the away-side stands, which allows us to run the girls' and boy's 50m and 100m dashes in parallel. This is an enormous time-saver.

Every event is divided into "heats." Heat size is typically limited by the number of lanes on the track. As much as possible, heats should be the same size, and contain a mix of athletes from different parishes.

Head Clerk*

This is sometimes known as "Clerk of the Course"

• Make calls for athletes (with announcer)
• Assist clerks as needed to sign in heats
• Assign lanes to races as needed
• Combine heats when possible
• Gather relay teams into lanes and dismiss each leg's athletes to shepherds

Clerk

Confusingly, this job is also sometimes called "Clerk of the Course" by other parishes.

• Register athletes for next event, by gender on appropriate sheets
• Arrange balanced heats

Shepherd/Runner

• During individual events:
  • Line up athletes at start line according to clerk's sheet
  • Return sheets to recorders' table near finish line
• During relays:
  • Assist head clerk in gathering relay teams into lanes
  • Write lane assignments on athletes' hands with washable marker
  • Take one leg of relay to appropriate start line
• Crowd control during all events:
  • Keep athletes and onlookers away from the edge of the track: behind the sideline is a good rule

Jobs at the finish line have the best seats in the house for every race. At the finish line, you'll find timers, judges, and recorders, plus other key people that make sure each heat starts and ends cleanly.

Starter*

• Gives instructions to athletes in the heat about each race
• Places athletes at appropriate start position per race: stagger marks, waterfall mark, or start line
• Starts each race, watching for and signaling false starts

Head Timer*

• Starts timing system when the starter fires pistol: resets on false starts
• Instructs timers and finish-line judges
• Records times for non-lane races (e.g., 1600m)
• For relays: checks status of corner judges flags and controls main flag for starter
• Help track position of runners in multi-lap races

Finish Line Coordinator*

• For races ending in lanes:
  • Ensures athletes remain in lanes at conclusion of race
  • Coordinates stick-passing from timers to athletes
• For long relays (medley, 4x400m):
  • Help organize each leg of the race by coordinating athletes' exits after baton passes
• For all races not ending in a lane (including long relays):
  • Pass out placement sticks to finishers (with a helper as needed)

Timer

• Records times according to place, not lane (swim team parents: this is the opposite of what you're used to)
• Coordinate with finish-line judge to verify correct lane for your finisher
• Passes out finish position "sticks" lane races corresponding to your place

Backup Timer

• Use stopwatch to provide backup for main timing system
• All finishes recorded using the "lap" function of the stopwatch

Finish Line Judge

• During individual events:
  • Watches race finish according to place, not lane (swim team parents: this is the opposite of what you're used to)
  • Coordinate with timer to verify correct lane for your finisher
• During relays, some judges may be promoted to corner judges:
  • Watch baton passes at corners to ensure clean passes within marks (drops are OK)
  • Use flag to indicate ready/not ready status of athletes in next heat to the head timer

Marshal

• Limit access to track area during races: open gate only when safe
• Gently-yet-firmly remind athletes on the field side of the track to not cross until gate is open

Recorder

• Gather and organize sheets and relay cards from shepherds for upcoming heats
• Record the place -- according to sticks -- next to athlete or team name on sheets
• Record times from timer tape or backup timer stopwatch on sheets
• Staple all heat-related papers together: results sheet, timer tape, relay cards

Proofreader

• Double-check sheets from recorders against timer tape: make sure results make sense
• Place completed and checked sheets in meet binder according to order of events (not necessarily the order run)