Family Track & Field Games Guidelines


USA Deaf Track & Field organization has been working hard on discovering ways to attract younger athletes into track & field. The Family Track & Field Games (FTFG) is one of the excellent ways to do just that. These Games also allow USADTF to identify potential youth athletes for the Youth PANAMDES that takes place every 2 years. Ideally we encourage schools to host FTFG a year before the next Youth PANAMDES takes place. This way we are able to identify athletes early and give them a year to prepare for the Games.

This FTFG event should also be considered as one of the USADTF’s fundraising efforts. Profits from this event could help athletes attend the Youth PANAMDES, support athletes attending Deaflympic Games, help sponsor athletes and coaches development. The FTFG Chairperson and USADTF President can discuss and determine the purpose of this particular fundraising effort. USADTF will be one of the sponsors for the event; exact items to be donated by USADTF for the Game will be determined during FTFG Chairperson and USADTF President’s first meeting.

Keep in mind, this document is only a guideline put together through our experience in hosting FTFG in the past. This also follows closely with the events that take place during the Youth PANAMDES. This guideline will give you a good start to establish a bi-annual event that families in your community will come to love! Of course, you may find that there are some things that work better for your region than for others, feel free to provide USADTF with feedback for improvements and make some adjustments to this guideline to make this a successful event!

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

There should be one (1) FTFG Chairperson that oversees the event and selects dedicated committee members to work with him/her. Ideally the chairperson should begin selecting members and begin tasks 4-6 months prior to the event. This chairperson will be the main contact person for USADTF. The chairperson should be in contact with one of the USADTF representative, which could be one of the officers. The other committee members should include:

Meet Director: Aside from the FTFG Chairperson, this is one of the most important roles in ensuring success of the FTFG event. This person needs to be detailed oriented and have knowledge and background in track & field. This person will coordinate everything that takes place on the track. The Director will be responsible to select people to work during the event such as timers, officials, volunteers to set up field, coordinate volunteers to help work on the field. It also helps if this person has background in directing meets.

Public Relations Committee: This committee will be responsible for advertising the event. They should also develop and distribute flyers (see sample), as well as create e-mail distribution list to advertise the event. The committee should also contact the local newspaper to advertise the event, as it should be open to the general public as well. An article (see sample) should be created to submit to the local paper after the event. The committee is also responsible to solicit sponsors for the event, and develop program book (see sample).

Registration Committee: Responsible for collecting registration forms. Once forms are collect, they should begin sorting forms and inputting athletes on entry form. They would need to set-up age grouping along with event grouping. They are also responsible for organizing race tags and inputting color code age on tags. (See samples on how each sorting and grouping is done). The committee is also responsible for manning lines and registration on the day of event for those who decide to register at the door.

Food Committee: Responsible for identifying refreshments as well as quantities to sell. Food Chairperson selects committee members to help purchase refreshments, work in shifts during the event, and schedule clean-up afterwards. Profit from food sales should be part of the fundraising project.

The FTFG Chairperson will be expected to submit to USADTF a typed report along with official timed results of the event within 2 weeks after the Games. USADTF will use the information for our FTFG records, enable USADTF to recognize those youth athletes that have excelled during the meet and allow us to screen potential athletes for the upcoming Youth PANAMDES.


EVENTS: (We group ages – year born- and events according to Youth PANAMDES * are the ones actually being tried out for the Games)

Age: 3 to 5

25m
4x25m Relay
Long Jump, Tennis Ball Throw

Age: 6 to 9

50m, 100m
4x50m Relay
Long Jump, Tennis Ball Throw

*Age 10 to 11(year born between August 1, 1995 and July 31, 1996)

100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m
High Jump, Long Jump, Shot Put (6 lbs)
4x100m Relay, 4x400m Relay

*Age 12 to 13 (year born between August 1, 1993 and July 31, 1994)

100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m
80m Hurdles (8x30")
High Jump, Long Jump, Shot Put (6 lbs), Discus Throw (1 kg)
4x100m Relay, 4x400m Relay

*Age 14 to 15 (year born between August 1, 1991 and July 31, 1992)

100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m
100m Hurdles (Boys - 10x33") (Girls - 10x30")
200m Hurdles (5x30")
High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot put (Boys - 4 kg) (Girls - 6 lbs), Discus Throw (1 kg), Javelin (600 g)
4x100m Relay, 4x400m Relay

Age 16 to Adults

100m, 200m, 400m
4x100m Relay
Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put


OFFICIALS:

For rules of track & field, you would normally follow basic rules of USATF. You should have officials on the field during the competition. There should be one (1) head timer along with eight (8) timers. The head timer will assign the timers with their designated place, i.e. one timer will be responsible for lane 1; another timer will be responsible for lane 2 and so forth. You would need one (1) starter. It would be nice if the starter wore official starter uniform and had either starter gun or bright orange flag. Batons would need to be provided for each relay team. There will be no foul lines during each hand off. As for the finish line, there should be a finishing tape at the end. It could simply be a rope, or a bright colored nylon tape.

Field Officials: There should be a total of four (4) field officials/volunteers in the throwing field. One official will monitor the foul line during the throwing event. One volunteer will be responsible to pick up and carry the balls/shot put. 1 official will be responsible to measure and document length. The 4th person should be a floater and be used where needed. There should be a total of three (3) officials/volunteers in the jumping pit. One official will monitor the foul line. Another official will be responsible to measure and document length. One volunteer will be responsible for raking and smoothing sand in the jumping pit.


ENTRY FEES:

To be able to gather a large crowd, we should try to keep the entry fees as low as possible. Suggested entry fee would be: Adults $6, Child $3, and free for children under 2 years old. We do not charge "per event" – only entry fee.


AWARDS:

If there are any former Track & Field athletes in your area that have been a member of the Deaflympic Games, invite them to the event, make them guests of honor for the day. When you invite those athletes have them also bring their mementos from their Olympian days. We find that children are fascinated looking through old pictures, old uniforms and medals. Involve those former Olympian athletes in presenting awards to the youth athletes.

There should be a podium available at the end of the meet, right after relay events to start presenting award to winners. The type of awards given should be:

Blue Ribbon – 1st place winner
Red Ribbon – 2nd place winner
White Ribbon – 3rd place winner
Green Ribbon – given to ALL participants – depending on number of participants, you may want to include this ribbon in the registration packet.