Helping out at Track & Field Meetings

All the clubs at inter-club Track and Field Meeting need to provide a number of qualified officials and helpers in order to run the various events, especially in the field events. A lot of potential volunteers are a bit apprehensive about helping out, so we've provided a simple explanation of the various elements in organising the field events.

All field events:

Someone will be in charge (Leader): He/She will usually be responsible for:

• registering all the competitors,
• identifying the right implements for throws,
• reminding competitors of the rules (what is a no-throw, the number of attempts they will get)
• ensuring everyone has a practise
• calling competitors in turn for each attempt,
• recording attempts on the scorecard,
• deciding if the throw / jump is valid,
• fitting in athletes who may have to leave for / return from other events,
• working out the finish order for all competitors.

In the event notes below, the jobs listed are in addition to the "Leader"

High Jump

In addition to the leader: 2 helpers

Competitors are eliminated after three consecutive failures. (Very occasionally a competitor may have two failures at a height and elect to have their next attempt at the next height up).

• Ascertain the height at which competitors will enter the competition.
• In wet weather if there are concerns about competitors slipping on the run-up the event may be called off (or moved indoors if there are facilities).

Pole Vault

As High Jump, except:

• the bar is raised by small pulleys on the stand, so a bit of co-ordination is need as the helpers raise it.
• One of the helpers may be needed to catch the pole.

All throws

In addition to the leader: 4 (or more for longer throws)

• "Spiking": Spotting where the implement landed and sticking a "spike" into the ground. A measuring tape is attached to the "spike". All throws have to land within a clearly marked sector. The Spiker and Leader will agree if a throw has landed outside the sector (No throw)
• "Fetching (2)": Collecting the implement and returning it to the throwing area. Often two are needed for longer throws. The "fetcher(s)" work with the "spiker" to agree the landing place.
• "Pulling Through": The measuring tape is pulled tight through a point in the middle of the throwing circle (or the Javelin run-up)
• "Reading Off": The distance of the throw is read off the tape from the front of the throwing circle / line (Javelin), and rounded down to the nearest cm. If there is a shortage of officials the leader will do this. The same person will usually have the warning klaxon that is sounded before a long throw to warn everyone that an implement is about to be thrown.

The hammer and discuss are thrown from within a safety cage. The hammer uses the smaller of the two throwing circles.

• Never turn your back when a throw is about to take place!!!!!
• If the javelin has stuck in the ground, raise the tail so it is perpendicular before removing it. Do not pull it out at an angle. Always carry the javelin perpendicular to the ground, tail up.

Long Jump and Triple Jump

In addition to the leader: 4 (or more)

• "Spiking": Spotting where the jumper landed and sticking a spike into the sand. A measuring tape is attached to the "spike". The measure is taken as the mark in the sand which is nearest to the take-off board. If the jumper leans back and places his/her hand in the sand, or walks out the pit towards the take-off board, then that is the mark which is measured.
• "Pulling Through": The measuring tape is pulled taught through the jumping board.
• "Take-off Judge / Reading off": The distance of the jump is read off the tape from the edge of the jumping board, and rounded down to the nearest cm. If there is a shortage of officials the leader will do this. The same person will usually judge whether the jumper took off on or behind the jumping board. There is a second board with plasticine which sits alongside the take-off board and this shows if the jumper was too far forward. (The leader may take this job and delegate one of the helpers to look after the jumpers and the scorecard).
• "Raking the pit": After each jump has been measured the sand is given a quick rake. Be quick as the rake must be clear before the next jumper can be asked to jump.

Additional tasks for Leader / Take-off Judge:

• Check the sand has been raked and the rake is clear before calling the next competitor.
• For the Triple jump: Ascertain which take-off point is going to be used. A competitor has to know which one to use. Using one too close to the sand means landing in the sand at the end of the step, using one too far away means landing on the runway at the end of the jump. The jumping order will usually be adjusted according to the take-off point used.

We also have Blank Distance and Height Scoring sheets, and a summary of the weights for throws

Updated 8/1/02

Back to Home Page