Sectional meet details, part 2

Qualifying meet results are up

The raw results from the qualifying meet are posted online now, and linked from our team's schedule page:

http://ctktrack.org/schedule.shtml#qual

Results for our team are posted on Athletic.net:

http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/MeetResults.aspx?Meet=209612#28336

Remember that athletes at this meet were placed overall in their event by combining times for all the heats run in that grade. We had many personal bests set this weekend, which is always the main goal. Qualifying is nice, but improving is better.

Volunteers for Saturday needed

I've sent out an email to families with athletes who qualified to compete on Saturday. Please help out if you can. All volunteers earn credits toward their end-of-season total, and the gratitude of myself and the league. We'll start assigning open jobs to qualifying families soon so I can get a list of names to the league.

Volunteers must checked in by 8am on Saturday. Be early! Our team gets fined for every no-show volunteer.

If you're working, please dress for the weather conditions in Livermore and the prospect of wind.

Sectional meet details

There's no fee on Friday, but there is an admission fee on Saturday. Exact change will make the gate volunteers very happy.

• $3 for adults and high school students
• $2 for children ages 6-12
• Seniors are free
• Athletes in uniform are free
• Coaches with current CYO cards are free

Track shoes need to be out and ready for a spike check at the entrance gate.

Programs will be $1 on Saturday, for as long as they last. They tend to go fast. Inside you'll find the order of events and lists of league records in various events.

Approximate start times for the events are also included, but these are guesses at best. Last year we got behind, and then swung way ahead of schedule. Once you are at the meet, I'd stay there. Meets are unpredictable animals.

Order of events

It's a little different than what you're used to. This is done mostly to make sure athletes can get to their field events and to see if you're paying attention.

Friday night, 6:00pm start:

1600m is run: girls grades 3-5, then boys 3-5, girls 6-8, boys 6-8

Saturday morning, 8:30am start:

Run-offs, to settle some ties (none from our meet)
4x100: girls 3, boys 3, girls 4-8, boys 4-8
400: girls 3-8, boys 3-8 as usual
50: girls 3-5, boys 3-5 as usual
100: girls 8-3 (downward), boys 3-8
800: girls 3-8, boys 3-8 as usual
200: girls 3-8, boys 3-8 as usual
4x400: girls 5/6/7/8, boys 5/6/7/8 (see below)
Medley: girls 3-8, boys 3-8 as usual
Coaches' 4x100: always unusual!

The 4x400 relay is special: the top three fastest teams overall by gender will progress to the diocese meet next week, regardless of grade. This year, the girl's field is pretty thin, and we may combine all 4x400 in the girls at once. The boys' 4x400 is fuller, and will probably be split up, but again, progression goes to the three fastest boys' teams overall.

The Medley is even more special this year, as I now hear that it's an official diocese event. To the best of my knowledge, this will be run in gender and grade order.

After the Medley, the coaches from all teams come out to run a highly competitive 4x100 relay. It's like the running of the bulls in Spain, with a slightly lower chance of someone being gored. Slightly. It's not to be missed!

Field events have their own calling order, and they will close as soon as they have run through the athletes in a grade. There are parallel venue for every event, so these move more quickly than our practice meets.

Long jump (short pit): girls 3, boys 3, girls 4, boys 4, girls 5, boys 5

Long jump (long pit): girls 6, boys 6, girls 7, boys 7, girls 8, boys 8

High jump venue #1: boys 5 & 6, boys 7 & 8

High jump venue #2: girls 5 & 6, girls 7 & 8

Shot put venue #1: girls 7 & 8, girls 5 & 6
Shot put venue #2: boys 5 & 6, boys 7 & 8

Softball venue #1: girls 8-3 (downward)
Softball venue #2: boys 8-3 (downward)

Granada High is high tech

Results on Saturday will be electronically timed, and are usually posted on the big scoreboard by lane number. Do not hang out around the finish line area, as it upsets the finish-line camera and its caretakers. Final results will come later, along with awards.

If you have out-of-town friends and relations, a live streaming webcam should capture the day:

http://www.granadahigh.com/GranadaStadiumWebCam

You may not be able to pick out faces, but the red, blue, and yellow shirts of our three parish teams are pretty easy to spot at a distance.

Granada is a very nice facility, and we're fortunate to be able to use it for our championships. Please show your gratitude by picking up your litter after the meet, and some extra besides.