Organizing and Hosting a Home Cross Country Meet

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Organizing and Hosting a Home

Cross Country MeetPresented by Kevin Smith, Ken Reeves, and Bill

Tokar ksmith@oakparkusd.org

Secure a Home Course

a. Standard Course—most courses a variation of these distances

1 mile elementary 3k middle school 5k high school

b. Considerations 1. Safety

Secure a Home Course (cont.)

2. Spectator friendly-loops, Figure 8, cloverleaf a. Start and finish in proximityb. Wide, straight start (125-200m)c. Trails or path minimum 2 bodies wide (6 feet)d. Make sure loops don’t overlap time wise3. Restrooms-ability to bring in (rent) portablesa. One M/W for each 25 athletesb. Custodial care and maintenance4. Parking and Traffic Flowa. Access for emergency personnel

Secure a Home Course (cont.)

5. Changing terrain and surfaces a. Safe terrain (snakes, rocks, ruts, steepness of downhill/uphill, etc.)b. It is cross countryc. Have test race/practice on the course beforehand to test out challenges6. Availability of water7. Ideally meet time at appropriate weather timea. Standards of when to have meet and when to cancelb. Heat Index- combination of temp and humidity

Head Coach’s Duties

A. Complete permits with appropriate government agency or put on school’s master calendar

1. Request bus/district transportation or complete driver forms.

B. Private Property, parks or Recreational Areas- add “Additional Insured” to district’s policy

C. Notify rangers, police, fire, and EMT personnel.1.Try to arrange for emergency responders to be on site.2. Have a med kit accessible and emergency release cards.

Head Coach’s Duties (cont.)

D. Inform Administrators and invite themE. Secure “Official Training”

1. Hire a firm- Royal Results

2. Parent/teacher volunteers- 2 timers (head and back up), chronomix, head official, finish boards, data entry to post results, water jugs.

a. Access to electricity. May need to bring in a generator. 3. Old school sticks, tags, cards, check off chart

F. Organize Parent Volunteers, Assistant Coaches, Fellow Teachers/ Colleagues

1.Delegate responsibilities-traffic control, hydration stations, restrooms, snack stand (?), clerk of the course, starter, course monitors.

3 Weeks Out

A. Mail or Email Final Directions*. Include: Driving and Parking Instructions Course Map**file://localhost/Users/ksmith/Documents/Cross Country 2009/OAK CANYON PARK 2006 CC COURSE.doc

Google Earth Event Order

3 Weeks Out

Identify Key Locations: clerk, restrooms, start and finish, emergency tent area

Pack meet day envelops: extra tags, trash bags, course map, final instructions, race schedule

Parent and visitor information Cost if any of parking or entering the course Length of distance from parking to course Course restrictions (no dogs, bikes, etc.?)file://localhost/Users/ksmith/Documents/Cross Country 2008/OP Invite Letter All School.doc

Meet Day Duties

A. Mark the course- chalk/flour, cones, posts, surveyor tape, tennis balls, athletic tape or duct tape.

1. Proper course markings***file://localhost/Users/ksmith/Downloads/Marking a Course.pdf

file://localhost/Users/ksmith/Downloads/Finish Chute.pdf2. Conform to the standards of the facility 3. Set up clean up for after the meet

Meet Day Duties

A. Walkie-talkies on a secure channelB. Water jugs, cups, trash bags, ice for injuriesC. Barf Buckets and latex/non-latex gloves for chute workersD. Confirm EMT staffingE. Set up packets F. MEET DAY CHECKLIST***

1file://localhost/Users/ksmith/Documents/Clinics/Meet Prep List.docx

Meet Day Personnel (Ideally)

Starter Head timer Head Finish Judge Chute stewards Place card Tag remover Scorer

Results staff Course monitors Split timer Packets Commanding road/parking

person Awards person?

Forms

A. Pre-meet letterB. Course mapC. Meet check off listD. Scoring sheetsE. Tag sheets*****

1file://localhost/Users/ksmith/Documents/Cross Country 2008/Tag Board Sheet 1-20.xls

Forms

A. Press releaseB. Various instruction sheets

1. Instructions for starters2. Instructions for chute workers

a. Placement map for them3. Instructions for course monitors

After the Meet

A. Send out results to local media and running sites1. Ventura Stara. Rich Romine: rromine@vcstar/sports.comb. Rhinannon Potkey: rpotkey@vcstar/sports.comd. www.athletic.nete. www.directthletics.com

B. Check the facility- leave it in better shape than you found itC. Thank you letters/shirts (Tee shirt buys the world)

1. Workers. 2. Facility people3. Maintenance people4. Teams that came5. School Secretaries- the run the site6. Administrators- They want to wear the gear of winners

Appendix

1. Oak Park Invite Letter 2. Course Map3. Proper Markings4. Meet Scoring Program 5. Tag Board Sheets

FINALLY