Hosting a HS Invitational Track & Field Meet

“The greatest hurdle is convincing yourself that what you want is possible.”

-Author Unknown

One way to make sure you have quality invitational meets on your schedule is to host one yourself. This is a great way to make your program visible. It also extensively involves the community and parents. If you have a facility that can handle a multi-team competition, I strongly suggest hosting an invitational.

There are many things to consider when planning your own meet. What format do you desire? Will you host a traditional meet or one with extra relay events (sprint medley, distance medley, field event relays, shuttle hurdles, etc.) or events specifically for freshman and sophomores (an increasingly popular offering). What dates are available on the calendar that would attract and enable the maximum number of meet helpers? Do you want to make this a scored or non-scoring meet? Will you time the meet by hand or is there an automatic timing system available? How many teams can your facility and helpers handle? How many teams do you want to invite? Will you distribute ribbons or medals for awards? Who will host the concession stand? Can you round up the thirty or so volunteers needed to host a quality meet? Does the equipment at your track facility meet required specifications? Do you have enough bathrooms, parking, and spectator seating? Will you charge an entry fee?

Despite the stress and time commitment, hosting a quality meet can be very rewarding. At Davis we hosted one of the oldest on-going meets in the state of Washington. The meet changed down through the years but it was always a well-attended, popular meet. In 2007 at Riverside we started a memorial meet for my dad who coached track and field in the Yakima valley for over forty years. He passed away in June of 2006. We decided to call it the Papa Wells Invitational (most of his athletes called him Papa). We did not have our own track so we rented the Yakima school district track, Kumler Field, where we had been practicing several days a week so it felt like our home. The first year we had seven schools. Within three years we had outgrown Kumler Field and moved the meet to East Valley high school in east Yakima. Luckily the East Valley school district was more than willing to allow us onto their revamped track and stadium. By 2012 we had 36 schools. This was because we hosted a quality meet on a nice track and, in Yakima, we usually have beautiful weather. Hosting an invitational meet takes a ton of work, but it’s worth it.

The following areas must be addressed to assure a successful large meet experience:

Meet Personnel

Meet Director: This is the person who puts the meet together. They are responsible for basically everything. This will probably be the head coach.

Meet Manager: This person is the foreman. They are on site all day making sure that everything and everyone is in place. It is a tireless job and it takes a lot of energy. In addition, or instead, you may have a Head Field Event judge/manager and a Head Running Event judge/manager.

Games Committee: This is an odd numbered group of competent adults who can rule on concerns or protests (or simply make difficult decisions).

Head Finish Line Judge: You need an official at the finish line who can oversee the timers and all finish line activities. This person may also be the official who records the times of the finishers.

Starter/Re-Call Starter: You will need to hire an experienced, competent starter. You should also have a re-call or backup starter to help judge infractions or malfunctions at the starting line. 

Timers: Most meets are automatically timed but you still need back-up timers in case of a system failure. These timers should approach the meet (and every race) as if they are the official timing mechanism. Finding or training competent timers is crucial. There are many misconceptions about proper timing and most people think it’s a job they can jump right into with minimal training and without experience.  

Clerk of The Course: This person oversees the check-in of athletes, assigns lanes, checks for uniform compliance, and basically finalizes the activities at the start line prior to each race. Posting the heat sheets where all athletes can check them is a great idea. This should be near the clerking area which should be centrally located. If the clerking area is not located in the bleachers have benches available for the athletes.

Relay Zone Judges (or Umpires): You need at least one experienced adult at each relay zone. Ideally you would have two at each zone. This judge sees that all competitors are fully prepared before the start of the race. They also observe the race to make sure all handoffs have been safely accomplished within the relay zone.

Hurdle Crew: Know who your hurdle crew is and make sure they are aware of the procedures and time schedule. Have them move the hurdles to the 300 hurdle marks immediately after the 100/110 hurdles. This will prevent the characteristic panic that can happen five minutes before the 300 hurdles if they have not yet been moved.

Admissions Table: Someone to collect money at the gate if you are charging an entry fee.

Concessions: Every meet needs a good concessions stand. Find a group who wants to raise some funds. Athletes and spectators are frustrated if there are no concessions available. 

Parking Busses: Make sure you have informed the visiting bus drivers about available parking. Many drivers will choose very inappropriate places to park their team bus. If you provide clear directions about this you won’t have to move busses later.

Announcer: If possible you need to have an announcer who is familiar with track and field and the flow of a meet. The announcer must be able to watch the schedule and adjust calls and announcements accordingly. I have found that having your meet director or meet manager equipped with a wireless microphone can greatly enhance organization during a meet. This enables them to make quick announcements public service or organizational announcements on-the-fly if necessary. Make sure your announcer is announcing results the way you want them. I like to have the last place finisher in each event announced first, working up to the winner. Always have your announcer give the best mark for each placer. I provide an event call-sheet for my announcers. Calls for events are made five minutes apart starting fifteen minutes prior to the event start time. I make a call sheet for our announcer which gives the times for 1st, 2nd, and final calls for all events.

Results/Scorer: This is usually a job for at least two people. They are compiling results, scoring, and inputting all results into a computer or onto a results sheet. The most commonly used program for compiling high school results is Hy-Tek Meet Manager: https://www.hy-tekltd.com/ A program that has revolutionized track meet management. It interfaces with athletic.net: https://www.athletic.net/ or direct athletics: https://www.directathletics.com/ (the collegiate equivalent) so all results can be uploaded to the internet immediately following the conclusion of competition or, at the conclusion of each event. You can also use https://www.athletic.net/ for managing your meet before, during, and after the event.

Field Events: It takes four people to adequately conduct a field event. You need a head judge, two people to pull tape, and one more to shag implements or rake the pit. High jump only needs three. Two people for placing the bar and a head judge. Only the raking and shagging should be handled by kids if possible.

Blocks: Assign someone to shuttle starting blocks from starting line to starting line.

Sheet Runners: I always have someone run the event sheet to the finish line after all athletes have been checked in and given final instructions. Then my finish line judge can record times on the same sheet. After all hand-times have been recorded, we have another runner take the compiled results to the scorer in the press box.

Facilities: Assign someone to see that the bathrooms remain stocked with toilet paper and soap. If you have a maintenance person on site they will take care of it. Make sure there are plenty of trash receptacles and they are emptied when full.

Necessary Meet Equipment

Clipboards/Notebooks: Each field event judge needs to have the Flight/Result sheets on a clipboard or notebook. We use thin, 3-ring binders. I also include a copy of the National Federation Rules, the meet time schedule, and any other relevant instructions. The notebooks are convenient as the sheets stay put in the notebook and the front cover can serve as a rain guard if needed.

Long Jump/High Jump: Each field event area must have a broom or at least have access to a broom. Long and Triple Jump pits must also have a rake and a shovel. If you can wet down the sand in the LJ/TJ pit it makes the event much more manageable and fair. Raking the Shot put landing area at least after each flight is a great idea. 

Five gallon buckets: If you can acquire five-gallon buckets for your field event judges it is a slick way of staying organized. Each event has a bucket with the following contents: measuring tape, notebook, towel, several rolls of athletic tape, and any other necessary equipment. The five gallon bucket also serves as a container for your officials’ personal effects and they can even sit on it during a break in the action!

Performance Indicators: One of these most frustrating things about watching a track meet is not being made aware of the times and distances during competition. Performance indicators can make watching the meet much more enjoyable. Professionally manufactured indicators are very expensive but every facility that hosts meets should have them. If you can’t afford to buy them then make small sandwich boards that can be placed on the sector lines in the shot, discus, and javelin. For long and triple jump place them every foot or make a long ten-foot placard and place it next to the pit. Of course the homemade indicators are not precise but the spectators and competitors can get a pretty good estimate and comparing jumps during the competition is very helpful and entertaining.

At the conclusion of each field event make sure your judges put all equipment away or return items directly to the meet manager. Have the pole vault and high jump officials place the covers back on the pits. Place a barrier or cone on the runways or in the throwing rings to discourage any further practice efforts.

Instruct your meet officials in track meet procedures, etiquette, and the spirit of officiating. I have been to many meets where the goal of the officials seems to be to disqualify as many athletes as possible. If your officials explain procedures and expectations to the athletes before each race or event, the meet will run more smoothly and everyone will have a much better experience. Communication is the key to preventative officiating. Being proactive will help reduce the potential for disqualification. An official’s responsibility is to help ensure that each competitor has a fair and equal opportunity to perform. Officials cannot assume that all competitors have been properly instructed in all the rules of track and field.

Be prepared to provide your workers with a meal if they are working more than 5 hours. It will make all the difference to those who have sacrificed their time to help you out. And the next time you need their help they will be much more receptive to your pleas for meet volunteers.

Prior to the start of the meet you will need to have a meeting with your officials. This can be done the night before the meet if necessary. At this meeting, outline everything you want to see happen at every event area. This is a great opportunity to set the tone for the management of your meet. It’s also a chance to clarify procedures, discuss rules and expectations, and cover any other important aspects of the upcoming meet. You can also use this opportunity to take care of any clerical duties such as stapling, stuffing envelopes, preparing awards, preparing the facility, or equipment. 

You will also begin your meet with a coaches meeting. This meeting is designed to greet your fellow coaches and explain any last minute details or procedures. You should provide them with as many details as possible prior to their arrival but the meeting is a chance to welcome them, provide last-minute instructions, and set the tone for a great experience. I was recently starting a meet where the coaches meeting was so negative and punitive that everyone walked off with a sick feeling about how the day would proceed. After those types of meetings you generally want to crawl back onto the bus and suck your thumb! The coaches meeting should not be used a chance to scold or threaten. Keep it positive. It is also quite popular to provide some coffee and a snack for your visiting coaches. 

Hosting an invitational meet brings many positive elements to your program. It will bring your team, parents, school, and community together with a common vision and goal. If done well, your program will gain credibility and respect. Your facility and community will be showcased and your program will be recognized. A large meet can also be a great source of revenue for your program, school, and community. It takes a lot of time and energy, but it is well worth the effort. If you want to take your program to the next level, host a quality, multi-team, invitational meet.