ROYAL CITYTRACK & FIELD CLUB

2015 HANDBOOK

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TABLE OF CONTENTSWelcome to RCTF/Club History……………………………………………….

2Important Contact Information ……………………………………………. 4Coaches ………………………………………………………………………………….

5Athletics Canada Long Term Athletic Development Model…... 6Programs ………………………………………………………………………………..

8Track Rascals ……………………………………………………..…………........

8Intro to Track……………….…………………………………………………………

8Junior Development ……………………………………………………….………

9Midget 14/15, Youth, Junior, Senior Training ……………..………. 9Cross Country ………………………………………………………………………..

10Technical Training Clinics……………………………………… ……………….

10BC Summer Games …………………………………………………………….….

102015 Practice Schedule ………………………………………………….………

11Club Fees/Administration ………………………………………………….……

12Athletes Responsibilities ………………………………………................. 13Parents Responsibilities …………………………………………………….……

14Track Meet Registration ………………………………………………………...

142051 Club Supported Meets …………………………………………………..

15Track Meet/Practice Etiquette………………………………………………...

17BC Athletics Track & Field Events by Age Class ……………………. 18

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Junior Development Awards ……………………………………………….….20

Junior Development Crests …………………………………………………….20

Spring Mini-Pentathlon/Rascal-Intro Wind Up Bbq………………... 21Fund Raising ………………………………………………………….………………...

21Websites ……………………………………………………………….

………………... 22Frequently Asked Questions …………………………………………………...

232015 Track Meet Record Form ………………………………………………..

292015 Marks Record Keeping Form ……………………………………….….

302015 Cross Country Record Form ………………………………………..….

31Competition goals for 2015 …………………………….……………………….

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ROYAL CITY TRACK & FIELD 2015Welcome to all new and returning parents and athletes. We hope that all of you will have enjoyable and rewarding experiences during this years track and field and cross country seasons. Last year we were able to replace a great deal of our equipment and we will continue to do that in 2015. Our new equipment and facilities will assist us in building on the huge successes we had as a club last year.

Royal City athletes had an amazing 2014 season! Highlights of the season include: 240 medals - This includes 65 gold, 86 silver, 89 bronze and 221

top 8 performances 2 Midget athletes won BC Athletics’ Award Standard recognition &

5 JD athletes won BC Athletics’ Award Standard recognition 5 athletes made BC Summer Games; 1 bronze medal 10 athletes made Legion Nationals; 1 silver medal 2 bronze and 6 top 8 at 2014 BC Pentathlon Championships meet 1 silver at BC Elementaries’ meet 5 athletes went to BC Athletics Midget Champs;2 silver & all top 8 23 medals and more than 30 top 8 at BC Athletics’ JD Champs

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1 bronze medal at BC Highschool Track and Field Champs 2-1st place and 3-2nd place for BC Athletics’ plaques for Lower

Mainland Cross Country Series 1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze at BC Provincial XC Championships 3 JD gold medals at National XC Championships 1 bronze medal at BC Highschool XC Championships

Congratulations to all Royal City athletes for individual accomplishments and personal bests attained over the course of the season! As most of you are aware, Royal City Track is a non-profit amateur track club dedicated to promoting, encouraging and developing a high level of participation, proficiency and enjoyment in athletics in the community.

We believe in and promote, through our training program, the concepts of equal opportunity, inclusiveness, fairness and honesty. The club expects the highest standards of moral and ethical conduct from all its athletes and coaches.Our motto; Enthusiasm sets the pace, but persistence achieves the goals!

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CLUB HISTORYOriginally coached by Ion White the Club had its early beginnings in 1995 when some city residents set out to form the Royal City Track and Field Society. The club filed for registration in June of 1995 and was incorporated in the societies act in July of 1995.

Royal City Track and Field Club's Junior Development program was started in the fall of 1995 during the Cross Country season with kids track training begun in the spring of the following year with a call for any experienced track coaches. Mike Lonergan who was a professional coach at the time, was asked to join the team with a group of older athletes he was training. Shortly thereafter Mike took over the "running" of the club. In those days the club ran under the name City Track, but was registered as Royal City Track and Field Club with BC Athletics. During this period a number of Mike's City Track athletes rose to competition prominence, most notably Leah Pells and Tina Connelly.

Leah Pells once ranked first in the world in the 1500 metres. She represented Canada at three consecutive Summer Olympics, from in 1992 to 2000. Tina Connelly represented Canada at the 2000 Summer Olympics in long distance. Mike remains on our clubs executive as an active participant and guide.

The JD program achieved early success with its coaches but it became a struggle very early on to resolve funding issues until the club settled on our current model in 2007 to have purely volunteer coaches for the club. Since that time the club has grown in numbers and success to be the areas largest club with a large group of dedicated volunteer coaches.

Over the past 20 years the club has continued to grow in numbers and remains committed to the development of youth in the sport of track in field in our community.

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IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION2014 Executive & Other Important Contacts

President: Ross Chiltonrchilton@communitylivingsociety.ca

Vice-President: Elaine Jensen

elaine@royalcitytrack.ca Registrar: Myles Bos

mylesbos@shaw.caSecretary: Mike Hodges

hodgmi@shaw.caCommunications: Sommer Fetherstonhaugh

sommer@royalcitytrack.caPast President: Ian Coutts

imcoutts@telus.netMember at Large: Mike Lonergran

lonergran@imag.netMember at Large: Gordon Kalisch

gordonkis@yahoo.com

Head Coach: Sean Dixoncitytrackdad@gmail.com

Volunteer Manager: Yvonne DewithMeets Manager: Caitlin Webster

belcher.webster@shaw.caFundraising Manager: Amy ChangFinancial Manager: Nicole Christiansen

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COACHES Royal City Track and Field Club is a volunteer run club. We are the only track club in our community whereby all our dedicated coaches are volunteers. This has allowed RCTF to maintain fees that are the lowest in the province while providing exceptional coaching to all our athletes.COMPETITIVE PROGRAM COACHES

□ Sean Dixon – Head Coach, Middle Distance, Cross Country, Throws, Long Jump

□ Frances Hanson-Monnie – Hurdles, Sprints

□ Jason Delasalle – Throws, Multi-events□ Alex Bouzane – Pole Vault, Jumps, Sprints□ Kevin Smith – Jumps, Sprints, Throws, Pole

Vault□ Nick Parnell – Sprints, Middle Distance,

Conditioning□ Cristina Weir – Jumps, Sprints,

Conditioning□ Yvonne Mensah – Sprints, Hurdles□ Gina West – Core conditioning, all events

INTRO TO TRACK/RASCAL PROGRAM COACHES

□ Margaret Stewart-Barnett – Track Rascals□ Glen Leung – Intro to Track

RCTF sponsors coaching training clinics through BC Athletics for parents that are interested in becoming involved with coaching at our club. Please contact our head coach if you would like more information on becoming a coach.

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ATHLETICS CANADA LONG TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT (LTAD) MODEL(adapted from Module 1 of the National Coaching Certification Program’s Athletics Canada Club Coach Reference Guide)

What is the LTAD Model? It is a framework for optimal training, competition and recovery

schedules for each stage of an athlete’s athletic development It is an athlete-centered, coach-driven framework that is supported by

administration, sport science, and sponsors. It is a research based model developed by the Canadian Sport Centre

that has been adopted not only by Athletics Canada, but by Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers of Sport and Sport Organizations

Its goal is to develop lifelong involvement in physical activity and sport, as well as helping to produce future star athletes

It is a program designed around critical adaptation to training periods throughout an athlete’s physical and chronological development

It is a model aimed at providing elite and consistent performers, while also seeking to provide opportunities for all children to grow into confident, healthy and active adults

Why is an LTAD Model necessary? The current system for Canadian athletics emphasizes winning and

competing (outcome), instead of fundamental sport skill development (process)

This outcome emphasis often leads to one-sided preparation, early burnout, lost potential, over training, and even injury

Some of the major shortcomings in the current system that the LTAD Model specifically seeks to correct include:

o Developmental athletes over-competing, and undertrainingo Adult training and competition programs being superimposed

on developing athleteso Preparation being geared to short term outcomes (ie: winning)

instead of the long term process of skill developmento Improper and/or inadequate teaching of fundamental

movement skills and sport skillso Having untrained, under qualified volunteer coaches at the

developmental level where quality, trained coaches are essential

o Sport specialization occurring too early in an attempt to attract and retain participants

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PROGRAMSRoyal City Track & Field provides programs for both track and field events.Our coaches volunteer a great deal of their time during the week to prepare your child for the meets on the weekend and may not necessarily be at all of the competitions to oversee your child. There will be a designated coach at each club supported meet as well as seasoned parents that can assist new members. Look for the familiar Royal City Track singlet and banners.All programs are categorized according to the age division in which the athlete will compete and are based on birth year. The programs provided by the club are as follows:

Track RascalsAge 6 – 8 April 13 th – June 15th, 2015

TUESDAYS – 6:00 – 7:00pm- MercerCoaches: Margaret Stewart-Barnett/Colin Donahoe

Intro to TrackAges 9 – 13 April 13th – June 15th, 2015MONDAYS 5:30-7pm ; WEDNESDAYS 7-8:30pm - Mercer

Royal City Track & Field offers a non-competitive, recreational program designed for those interested in learning about track and field but who may not wish to enter track meets at this time. The program will offer a general foundation of fitness in addition to skill development in basic track and field disciplines. Practices are held twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays from April 13th – June 15th. Intro to Track athletes that are interested in participating in track meets are encouraged to do so. Please talk to your coach is you are interested in this.

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Ages 9 – 13 The Junior Development Program is commonly referred to as JD's. Indoor training takes place in February and March for those athletes not already involved in other activities that would like to maintain their fitness level. Outdoor training for the JD's usually begins in April and continues to mid-July. A detailed practice schedule is shown on page 11. Track competition meets are usually held on Saturday and Sunday. In some cases, particularly the larger track meets, these can be 3 day meets starting on Friday evening. Athletes are encouraged to participate in as many meets as they wish, and need not participate in events on all days of a meet - tailor your athlete's schedule as you wish to the events that interest them most. As JD’s, the athletes are encouraged to try events in the run, jump and throw categories. Please consult with their coach on events that they are interested in. All JD athletes are encouraged to participate in the cross country season in the fall if they are interested in doing so.

Midget 14/15 / Youth / Junior / Senior TrainingMidget - Ages 14-15This age group (14 and 15 year olds) compete together. The provincial championship meet that they may attend is the BC Midget, Youth, Junior, Senior Championships. However, only the 15 year old age group is eligible to be selected for the BC Legion Provincial Team.Youth - Ages 16-17Athletes in these categories may attend all major meets in BC. Also, for those who qualify, athletes may attend meets in the U.S. and other Canadian Provinces. Youth athletes may compete in the BC Youth Championships to qualify for the BC team to compete in the National Legion Camp.

Junior - Ages 18-19

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Junior athletes may compete in the BC Junior Championships to qualify for the Canadian Championship. Athletes achieving the established standard are selected to compete in international meets.

Cross CountryThe Cross-Country season begins in September and continues through the fall. All interested RCTF athletes are able to participate in the cross country season. Cross country registration fees are included in our competitive memberships. The club participates in the Lower Mainland Cross Country Series and the BC Cross Country Championships.

Technical Training ClinicsThe club will be holding technical training clinics on April 18th and June 6th from 9:30am – 3pm at Mercer Stadium. Please mark your calendars for these valuable training opportunities. These practices are major lead ups to the competitive meet season and attendance is strongly recommended. At these clinics athletes will receive additional training on all the technical track and field events to prepare them for competition. These clinics are open to all competitive Junior Development Athletes (2002-2006)

BC Summer GamesEvery two years 14 and 15-year-old track and field athletes are eligible for BC Summer Games based on qualifying standards at designated track meets.BC Summer Games: The Track & Field competition is for 14-15 year old athletes only competing in one age class (Midget). Athletes are selected for 8 Provincial Zone teams. The Games were held annually until 1998 and thereafter every 2 years (2000, 02, 04, etc.). Refer to the BC Summer Games Handbook for the details on the Games and the Track in Field competition.

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RCTF 2015 PRACTICE SCHEDULEMonday 5:30 – 7:00 pm (Mercer Stadium)

Track Rascals (6:00-7:00pm only) – Begins April 13th

Intro to Track – Begins April 13th

Ages 9-11: long jump, triple jump, high jump, throws (shot put, discus, javelin)

Ages 12-13: high jump, throws (shot, discus, javelin) Ages 14+: Long jump, triple jump, high jump, middle

distance, hurdles

Tuesday 6:00 – 7:30 pm (location TBA)

14+ middle distance & sprints

Wednesday 6:45 – 8:30pm (Mercer Stadium)

Intro to Track (begins April 15th) Ages 9-11: run and hurdles Ages 12-13: middle distance, long jump, triple jump Ages 14+: sprints, middle distance, hurdles Ages 14+: throws at BURNABY CENTRAL (shot, discus,

javelin and hammer)

Thursday – 6:45 – 8:30 pm (Mercer Stadium)

Ages 12-13: sprint, hurdles Ages 14+: sprint, long jump, triple jump, high jump

POLE VAULT NOTE

Pole vault is weather dependent. Interested athletes aged 13+ will have opportunity to discuss vault practice schedules directly with Coach Alex.

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CLUB FEES/ADMINISTRATIONTrack Rascals (2007-2009) Club Fees $75.00

BC Athletics Training Fee $15.00

Intro to Track (2003-06) Club Fees $125.00BC Athletics Training Fee $ 16.80

Competitive Junior Development (2002-2006)Club Fees

$175.00BC Athletics Fee $ 60.00

Midget 14Club Fees

$190.00BC Athletics Fee $ 60.00

Midget 15Club Fees

$190.00BC Athletics Fee $ 67.20

Youth, Junior & Senior Club Fees $200.00BC Athletics Fee $ 89.60

Cross Country Season Only Club Fees $100.00BC Athletics Fee $ 60.00

A third, fourth, etc immediate family member receives 50% off the club portion of the membership fee.Competitive registrations include the cross country season.Membership fees are based on a calendar year basis and are good until December 31, 2015.Membership with BC Athletics is a requirement for all club athletes as BC Athletics provides club and athlete liability insurance.

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CLUB FEES/ADMINISTRATIONThe fee structure outlined above is to allow for annual recurring expenses that are essential to the proper functioning of the organization. Our club fees are amongst the lowest in the province due to the volunteer nature of our club.

□ The purchase of equipment for training sessions□ Provision for equipment replacement including

competition uniforms□ Mini-pentathlon and spring wrap up barbecue□ Annual awards night/banquet in November□ Trophies and awards□ Daily operational expenses

ATHLETE’S RESPONSIBILITIESThe following are recommended for those athletes participating in the program who hope to be successful.

□ To attend training sessions regularly and be punctual□ To prepare mentally and physically to achieve the

maximum level of performance.□ To enter as many track meets as reasonably possible□ To wear the Club's uniform at all times when

competing or at practice□ To inform the Registrar of the events he/she intends to

compete in, well in advance of the intended meet□ To keep a record of their results from each track and

field meet □ To conduct themselves in such a manner as to be a

credit to the club as each athlete is representing Royal City Track & Field

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Parent's involvement is vital to the success of this program and participation is expected in the following areas.

□ To give encouragement and positive support to athletes □ To ensure that athletes are at training sessions on time□ To ensure that athletes attend all meets and be at the

event location at least one hour before the start of his/her event

□ To assist in organizing and supporting club fundraising activities

□ To participate in the administrative aspects of the club as required

□ To attend and participate in club organized training clinics as required

□ To help in setup and teardown of equipment at practices

□ To attend Annual General Meeting

TRACK MEET REGISTRATIONOur meets manager will NOT register any athletes for track meets unless they are registered with RCTFC and BC Athletics. **There are NO exceptions**It is the responsibility of the RCTF athlete or his/her parents to ensure that he/she is registered for the track meets that are available. Our Meets Manager will email out detailed instructions on each meet as well as the registration deadline. Please make sure you sign up with her by the cut-off date as many meets do not accept late registrations. If late registrations are accepted, any late fees which apply will be the responsibility of the athlete/parent. It is the responsibility of the RCTF athlete or his/her parents to make note of what events have been registered for, and the time(s) and location(s) of each event.

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2015 CLUB SUPPORTED TRACK MEETSThere are many events on the BC Athletics Track a Field Calendar. Royal City Track & Field Club typically attend the following events that make up the BCJD Program (for athletes age 9 - 13). Take part in as many as possible. Some meets are one day (the Pentathlon requires athletes to compete in all five events), and those that are three days long start with a few events on Friday afternoon and evening.

Coaches & Duty Coach Responsibility at Track MeetsA Duty Coach is always assigned to a Club supported track meet that our athletes enter. The Duty Coach is responsible for over -seeing any disputes with event officials, to answer questions from athletes and parents regarding meet issues, and to advise. Royal City track Club is quite fortunate to have such a large contingent of coaches. Our other NON-DUTY coaches may be in attendance at meets to watch athletes and provide some coaching help and advice where needed. But it is the athletes responsibility (with some guidance) to apply what has been learned at their practices at the time of a meet.

Junior Development Meets - Athletes born 2002 - 2006 May 9-10 - Dogwood, Victoria, Coach Nick or Coach Alex May 16-17 - Junior Olympics, Surrey, Coach Cristina June 13-14 - Jesse Bent, Coquitlam, Coach Frances June 19-21 - Pacific Invitational, Langley, Coach Yvonne June 26-27 - Jack Brow, Kelowna, Coach Jason June 26-27 - ** NEW MEET** Universal Track meet, Surrey,

Coach TBA July 4-5 - Trevor Craven Meet, Vancouver, Coach Glen July 11- (one day only!!) BC Multi-Events Championships,

Chilliwack, Coach Nick July 17-19 - BCJD Prov Championships, Kamloops, Coach

Sean

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Please note - The championship meets are our GOAL for coaching you as athletes. The Provincial Championships is Your GOAL as well. Everything leading up to it is just practicing to be there.Also note, that there are some school meets at the beginning of the season, ie Norwesters Elementary meet and the BC Elementary championships. These are not club supported meets though we may have athletes attend for our club if their school is not entered.

Midget/Youth Schedule - Athletes born 2000 or earlier

Please NOTE: As a High School aged athlete your club coaches strongly recommend that you (in consultation with your coach), participate in your high school track meets. This has a threefold benefit;

a) the meets are a good training tool to help benchmark your performance.

b) The meets are a good way to get you ‘thinking’ or mentally prepping for competition.

c) High School Meets are a good way to give yourself a hard “practice” within your club schedule early in season.

April 25 - Fraser Valley High School Invitational, Surrey May 9-10 – Dogwood, Victoria, Coach Nick or Coach Alex May 12 - NW, Burnaby, Richmond Zone Championships May 15-17 - Centennial Meet, Kamloops, Coach Kevin June 4-6 - BC HIGH School Track Championships,

Langley, BC (MUST QUALIFY IN YOUR SCHOOL ZONE). June 13-14 - Jesse Bent, Coquitlam, Coach Frances June 19-21 - Pacific Invitational, Langley, Coach Yvonne June 26-27 - Jack Brow, Kelowna, Coach Jason June 26-27 - ** NEW MEET** Universal Track meet,

Surrey, Coach TBA July 4-5 - Trevor Craven Meet, Vancouver, Coach Glen July 10-12 - BC Athletics Track and Field championships

Jamboree, Nanaimo, BC. Coach Kevin

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TRACK ETIQUETTE FOR MEETS AND PRACTICE

The main outdoor training sessions run from the beginning of April to late July. We encourage parents to stay, watch, learn and help, but if you must leave, make sure you are back before practice ends to pick up your child. Sometimes practices end early due to inclement weather - please talk to the coaches on bad weather days to get an accurate ending time.

Athletes are responsible for bringing their own track bag to practices. Each track bag should contain 2 water bottles, a dry change of cloths, socks, etc and a small energy snack.

It is important that each athlete wear proper warm up attire to practices. Warm up attire includes warm up pants and a jacket. Please bring a hat and gloves on cool evenings. Athletes should not arrive at practices in only shorts and a t-shirt.

It is very important that you convey to your young children not to leave the track complex by themselves. They must wait for you. If they have any concerns have them approach any one of our coaches for help.

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BC ATHLETICS TRACK & FIELD EVENTS BY AGE CLASS Updated January 1, 2015

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BC ATHLETICS TRACK & FIELD EVENTS BY AGE CLASS Updated January 1, 2015

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JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT AWARDS9 to 12 year oldsIf an athlete competing in this age category meets the BC Athletics criteria of:

1. Attending 3 recognized BCJD meets (where at least one must be the JD Championship Meet or JD Pentathlon)

2. Participating in a throw, jump, and run/walk event, and3. Achieves a published standard,

then he or she is eligible to be nominated for a JD award. A nomination form MUST be completed before any athlete will be considered for an award.13 to 14 year oldsIf an athlete in the 13 to 14 year age category meets the BC Athletics criteria of:

1. Attending 3 recognized BCJD meets (where at least one must be the JO Championship Meet or JD Pentathlon), and

2. Meets the published standard,then, he or she is eligible to be nominated for a JD award. A nomination form MUST be completed before any athlete will be considered for an award. Although 14 year olds are considered Midgets they can be nominated for BC Athletics JD Awards.

JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT CRESTSJD Crests are awarded to all athletes who meet the published BC Athletics standards for their age categories in three events. All Performances must be attained at track and field meets recognized by the BCJD Committee. Parents are encouraged to review the standards, and keep track of their child's results to see if they qualify for crests. The club will submit all JD Crest applications on your behalf, but require your assistance to make sure we have accurate results information (use the record keeping form included in the manual or available on the Royal City Track website).

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An athlete must meet the standard for the award applied for in at least three events. For example, if an athlete achieves a gold standard in two events and a bronze standard in the third event, then the crest will be bronze.

SPRING MINI-PENTATHLON/ RASCAL/INTRO WRAP UPMonday, June 15th will be our final day of the season for our Track Rascals and Intro to Track athletes. On this day we will hold a mini-pentathlon for these athletes at Mercer Stadium followed up by a barbecue. All RCTFC athletes and their families are invited to attend. Mark your calendars so you will be sure to be at this fun event!We are always looking for parents to assist with this event. Please contact one of our executive if you are able to assist with either the mini-pentathlon or with the barbecue. This is a great annual event which is enjoyed by all and an excellent way to celebrate all the hard work of our athletes!

FUND RAISINGFund raising will become a more integral part of the club's finances due to government cut backs in various forms of funding. We are open to suggestions from the membership as well as individuals that would be willing to spearhead or help out with the fund raising committee.Individuals or families who know of organizations that may be interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact an executive member of the club.

WEBSITES

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Royal City Track & Field Club’s website is www.royalcitytrack.ca.

If there is anything you would like to see on our website please advise one of our executive.

The website address for BC Athletics is www.bcathletics.org.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSTrack and field meets can be overwhelming and confusing to new members. Don't worry, we will help you. Ask lots of questions; talk to parents that have been through it already. We are a friendly group that is always willing to assist. We have also decided to put together this handbook and frequently asked questions section to help provide you with valuable information.

1.What is a track meet?A track meet is a one, two, or three-day event that takes place rain or shine at a stadium or outdoor track. Meets generally take place at the club or school that is hosting the meet. The club or school will send out details about the meet to other clubs in advance. The clubs will then send back information on the athletes that will be competing at the meet.2.What is a track event?Any event that takes place on the track surface is a track event. This includes sprints, hurdles, middle distance, distance, relays, race walks and steeplechase.3.What is a field event?A field event is any event that takes place off the track on areas surrounding the track, such as throws and jumps. Events such as javelin, discus, shotput, long jump, high jump, triple jump, or pole vault are considered field events.4.Can my child compete in all events?The events your child can compete in are determined by their age. Refer to the "BC Athletics Track & Field Events by Age Class" page included in this manual.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (con’t)

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5.How do we register our child for a meet?A couple weeks in advance of the meet's deadline date our Meets Manager will email out the meets package to all families. You must let her know which events your athlete would like to register for before the registration deadline. Late registrations may or may not be available depending on the meet. It is best to register your athlete prior to the deadline to ensure their attendance at the meet.6.What is a BC Athletics number?Each registered athlete will receive a card from BC Athletics with a designated number. This number is used for identification and tracking of the athlete. The athlete carries the same number through their entire athletic career. If you do not know your BCA number, please contact our registrar.7.What does it cost to compete in a track meet?Each track meet has a per event charge that varies meet by meet. Typically they run $7-$10 per event. Please see the various meet registration package for details. Once you have let our Meets Manager know which events to register your athlete for please make your cheque payable to Royal City Track and Field Club as we issue one club cheque at the meet to cover all our entries.8.When I get to a meet, what do I do?Locate the person assigned by the club to pick up our meet package. Pick up your meet participant number and attach it to your Royal City Track singlet. Check the area where the event information is set up to determine the event locations and starting times for each one. Find out where the events are being marshaled. Listen to the P.A. system, and when your age group is called make your way to the marshalling FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (con’t)

area. Events are allowed to run 30 minutes early, but

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many times run late. You will have to keep tabs on how events are being run throughout the day.9.What do you mean by 'being marshaled'?This is where all the athletes that are competing in a specific event gather together before the event.

10.When should an athlete arrive at the track?An athlete should arrive at least one hour before his/her event is scheduled to start.

11.What happens if I have a conflicting track event and field event?This scenario happens often, and sometimes you need to make a choice on what event you would prefer to compete in and scratch the other one. Officials will not generally hold up a field event for a track event unless they are ahead of schedule. This is a track and field reality and you will just have to accept that things are not always going to run on schedule and you may not be able to compete in all the events you wanted to. In many situations, you may be able to register and get one attempt in at the field event, then run your track event and return to the field event. At this point, you may have missed a round, but may be able to get back in at the round they are currently running. It is a long season and you will have plenty of time to participate in events.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (con’t)

12.How many attempts does the athlete get in field events?

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JD athletes ages 9-13 are allowed three attempts. For older athletes the top eight competitors after the three initial attempts get three more.13.What is an official?Those dedicated souls that volunteer their time and effort, and try to make sure that events are run on time and are judged fairly. Meet officials are volunteers and are giving up their weekends so that your children can enjoy the track and field experience.14.Do events run on time? More often than not, NO! The number of athletes competing is the major reason that events run behind the scheduled time. It is not unusual to have 20 or more athletes waiting to compete in the Long jump. When you consider that each athlete gets three jumps, each jump needs to be measured, and the pit raked each time, you realize how time consuming this can be. In some instances, events can be run up to 30 minutes ahead of time - listen carefully for announcements at the meet. 15.What should I take to a Meet?Athletes: Your RCTF uniform, spikes, running shoes, blankets, chairs, umbrellas, a change of clothing, a healthy picnic lunch and snacks, water, sun screen, hat, extra socks, bandaids and a positive attitude! You may want to consider carrying replacement 7mm spikes in case you lose any during the meet as these can occasionally loosen from the bottom of the shoes.Parents: A camera, weather appropriate gear and your athletes record sheet.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (con’t)

16.Do I have to attend all meets?No. Choose the ones you want to go to, but be advised that Junior Development athletes need to compete in a championship meet (the JD Championships or JD Pentathlon Championships) and two other approved meets in order to be considered for a BC Athletics Award. Our coaches encourage all athletes to try to attend at least 5 meets.17.What is a BC Athletics Award?At the end of the year, BC Athletics hosts a banquet to recognize those athletes that have had outstanding performances during the season. BC Athletics keeps track of all time top ten performances in the Junior Development age group, which go back many years. If an athlete achieves a top ten performance they will be considered for an award. The top ten lists can be accessed on the BC Athletics Web Page.18.What about the RCTF? Is there recognition for outstanding performances?Yes. The Club encourages athletes to always strive for THEIR PERSONAL BEST (“PB”). At the end of the season, usually in November, we host a banquet and recognize many of our athletes for their outstanding results, effort and attitude. 19.What is the best advice that I can give my child who is just starting?Emphasize development, not winning or losing. The top runners in the world are in their late twenties and early thirties - think of all the years you have to develop. Think of the positive aspects of running; being outdoors, having a healthy heart and lungs, and running can be a lifelong skill. Enjoy and have fun!FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (con’t)

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20.Are the fees paid to RCTF eligible for the Children's Fitness Tax Credit?Yes, the annual fees qualify for the Fitness Tax Credit for children under 16 years of age. A tax receipt will be issued during the track season if requested. Please contact our registrar to obtain a tax receipt.

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COMPETITION GOALS

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