Christ the King CYO Track & Field
Meet Tips
Once you've been through a meet or two, you can consider yourself a veteran. Once you've been through a season, you're a pro. Here's some gathered wisdom from past families to help you and your athlete start off your first season in style.
Experienced families: got a tip? Send it to me and I'll add it to the list.
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Athletes (back to top)
- Find your coach when you arrive at the meet: you will get a sticker (label) to wear on your uniform that must stay on while you're at the meet. Don't pick it off!
- Know where your adults are sitting.
- Drink plenty of water. Soda does not count. Only plain water is allowed on the field and track: no other food or drinks.
- Yes, you should wear sunscreen. And warm clothes, especially in the morning.
- Find out where the bathrooms are and make sure you go before your event. Sometimes they are a long walk away, so give yourself lots of time.
- Don't bring any expensive electronics like iPhones, tablets, or game systems: they might get lost or dropped, and some athletes have missed their races because they were busy playing. You'll have fun with your friends.
- If you are hurt, please let your coach know (if you can find them) or your adult. There is a first aid tent on the field, by the recorder's table at the finish line.
- Have fun! Shake hands with the other runners, even if you didn't win. Everybody is trying their best, and that's what matters.
- There is no "bad lane" on the track, no matter what anyone says. Every lane is just as fast as every other one.
Spectators (back to top)
- The best thing to remember is keep perspective. We are a recreational league for kids, this is not the Olympic games. Please be courteous, polite, and friendly to all coaches and volunteers, as well as that person sitting next to you in the stands from St. Never-Heard-Of-It parish: that might be their child that just won the race ahead of your own. We're all parents of somebody out on the track (or grandparents, or aunts and uncles, or siblings.) Remember the Golden Rule, and have fun. The best we hope for in any meet is for your athlete to set a personal best, even if they don't win their event. Any wins are a bonus.
- Read the CYO Code of Conduct and make sure your athletes have read it, too
- Early season meets often start out cold and finish up warmish. Late season meets start cold and (sometimes) end hot. Dress yourself and the athletes appropriately: layers, layers, layers!
- Sitting in the stands can look like you're packing for a trip across the desert, but there are some essentials:
- Old towel for wiping dew off the seats
- Stadium cushion or blanket to sit on. Aluminum is not forgiving after an hour of sittingÉ
- Sunscreen, and ideally, a nice shady hat
- Healthy snacks for the athletes, and sustaining snacks for you. Alcohol is never permitted at any practice or meet.
- Water
Here are some "nice to haves" that might make your meet more comfortable:- Umbrella or pop-up tent, but only if you can sit near the back (top) of the stands. Bring plenty of bungee cords to secure it, and help to setup/take it down. Don't block anyone's view
- Cash for the snack bar, if a local booster's club has one open
- Binoculars for playing "Is that my kid over there?" and watching relay passes, high jumps, etc.
- Coffee or tea in a Thermos bottle
- A book or magazine for the slow parts
- Orient yourself. Every track is different: ask about the location of the bathrooms, water fountain, snack bar. Coaches should know where the shot put area is, since it's often fenced in and out of the way.
- Learn the order of events, and you'll always know what's happening next. See the How a Meet Works page.
- The coaches are not babysitters. They can't be responsible for your kids at meets. Meets are their chance to watch all their hard work pay off. Please manage your own children.
- Sit where your kids can find you. We have a large banner that usually gets hung in the front of the stands, and if we're hosting, this is often near the finish line. You don't have to sit there, though. The finish-line area is understandably very popular, but seating is usually available in other areas. Special tip: you can usually see better from near the top than near the bottom. This is especially true at DVC.
- The "away" side stands are almost always empty. Chances are your athlete will only be crossing the finish line three or four times in a day: you can sit in the away stands, walk to the finish line area for the race, and then walk back when you're done. Added bonus: the sun is usually at your back in the "away" stands. (But make sure you can hear the announcer!)
- Tailgate! If you see the Same Old Crowd every Saturday, why not make a picnic out of it? Bring a pop-up tent, food to share, blankets, but don't bring alcohol, and don't block anyone's view.
- Before you leave please make sure you have all your belongings, including all those extra layers of clothes your kids peeled off. The Lost & Found does not need your sweatshirts and coats. Pick up your garbage, and some extra garbage besides. The cleanup crew will appreciate it.
Coaches (back to top)
- Wear your badge.
- Try to arrive early, so the athletes can get their stickers.
- Your Friendly Coordinator should arrive with the setup crew, one hour before the meet starts, and will be hanging out in the finish-line area. The coordinator's binder will have a complete team roster, along with extra blank stickers.
- New for 2012, our "practice-only" athletes. They may not participate in any meets, not even the mini-meet. No late relays, nothing. These are marked on the roster.
- Be sure to get relay cards done early: prep 4x100 relays during the 1600m, Medley during the 800m and 200m, and 4x400m right after. We're happy to run "St. Mix-and-Match" relay teams at all practice meets to make sure everyone gets a chance to participate.
- Read the CYO Code of Conduct. Report any problems to the meet director and/or your coordinator right away.
Workers (back to top)
Everyone should learn the lingo: a "heat" is one group of runners, usually of the same grade and gender, running at once. An "event" is all the heats. So, we have the 400m event, which is made up of heats of 2rd grade girls, then 3rd grade girls, then 4th grade girls, etc.. Field events don't have "heats" since there aren't limits to how many athletes can participate.
On all fields and tracks, the only allowed beverage is plain water. No food is permitted on the track or field at any time.
Be prompt to signups, and prompt to relieve first-shift workers. Don't make us call your name over the PA system: that's just embarrassing.
Field Events
- All the field events are very exposed: be sure to put on sunscreen and dress in layers. Granada High (Livermore) and Ygnacio Valley High (Concord) are notoriously windy.
- Remember that athletes must report to their track events when called, so prepare for a lot of moving in and out as athletes come and go. Be patient and understanding. Some athletes need to be reminded that they can leave and return.
High Jump
- Tracking the current height and who needs to jump at which height is critical here
- This event tends to move slowly and take the entire meet to complete, even though it's only open to 5th grade and above
Long Jump
- Keeping the pit raked makes it easier to see the landings
- Grab a roll of sport tape (white) at setup and a pen so athletes can leave starting marks for themselves
- Remind athletes to pull up their marks and throw them in the garbage when they are done
Softball Throw
- At Diocese meets, the thrower's toes must be totally behind the line: be consistent
- Remind athletes not to go 100% on a practice throw: conserve for the real throws
- Baseball/softball players have an advantage here, and some can throw very far. Be ready.
- If you're shagging softballs, watch out for wild throws from the adjacent throwing lane!
Shot Put
- Safety is essential here: there are special rules for entering and exiting the ring, shots should always be rolled back
- The shot put area is often tucked in an out-of-the-way place
Track Events
The pace of the track events determines the pace of the entire meet. There are many heats, and adding an extra minute to each heat can add more than an hour to the overall meet time.
Clerk Area
Head Clerk
- Try to be a few heats ahead of whatever is running
- When the 5th grade area empties, call for the next batch of grade 2-5 athletes
- When the 8th grade area empties, call for the next batch of grade 6-8 athletes
- Combine heats up to the number of lanes on the track when you can: some tracks have one "bonus" lane on the straights that vanishes on the turns
- Always mark the lanes on the sheets
- Try to not run two same-parish athletes or teams in adjacent lanes
- For an event-by-event breakdown, see the head clerk page ("Secrets of the Brown Hat")
Clerk
- If you are brand new, consider clerking for an older grade: they are usually experienced, and not shy to tell you when you have made a mistake
- Make sure athletes stay put once they are signed in. No, they don't have time to run to the bathroom.
- Remember to sign in the correct gender on the correct sheet, which is usually boys on blue sheets and girls on pink sheets
- Having even a single boy on a relay team makes it a boys team: check with the head clerk
- Find out how many lanes there are on the track: you can't run a heat of nine on an eight-lane track
- Balanced heats are the key: spread out athletes and parishes across heats
- Don't run three or less in a heat if you can avoid it (but if nobody else shows up, then that's fine)
- Print as neatly as you can, especially the athlete numbers from their sticker
- No number? Get their name and parish
- Use pencil: there will be changes
- Don't promise a lane number
Shepherd/Runner
- Wear good walking shoes, bring water
- During relays, take turns being the "third runner" shepherd: it's a long walk
- Write lane numbers on the back of each relay team's hands in washable marker
- Line heats up on the track during 50m, 100m, and 200m
Finish Line Area
Starter
- Learn which set of start marks apply to the race
- Check/change blanks in pistol while races are running
- During 50/100m: momentarily stand in lane indicating the number of athletes in heat for head timer. For example, stand in Lane 7 to indicate "seven athletes running."
Head Timer
- During 50/100m: check position of starter before heat to get number of athletes running and announce to timers/judges
Timer
- You are recording the place, and remembering the lane of that place
- After you press the button, keep your eye on your finisher to figure out their lane
- Show of fingers with your judge to verify lane
Finish Line Judge
- Keep your eye on your finisher to figure out their lane
- Show of fingers with your timer to verify lane
- During relays: put up the "go" (white) flag as soon as the athletes are in their lanes at their starting position
Contact info@ctktrack.org with questions. Last Update: Wednesday, 25-Jan-2012 14:03:09 CST