Yesterday was my first outdoor dual for the 2026 season. Because it’s easy to forget, here’s my pre-meet checklist, after I arrive “on the scene” at the starter/referee (only) official. I planned on arriving 90 minutes before the published start time. As it was across town, I gave myself an hour to get there. But traffic was light, and I arrived two hours before start time. That was a good thing, as the home and visiting coaches (not the contracts) wanted to start at 4:30 – so I was right on time!!!!!
My first checkout was the Shot and Discus Pads and Cage. That’s because they are far away from the track, and if I don’t make the effort to get “out” there at the beginning, I’ll get locked onto the track. Looked to make sure that:
- The sector lines were “reasonably right” (no time to mathematically check – but they pass the “eyeball test)
- The discus and shot rings are appropriately marked (had to put center and 1/2 ring marks in chalk on both)
- Made sure the discus cage was “good”, and that spectators could be “corralled” in a safe location
- The reaction from the coaches: are you the Head Field Referee today? Well, as the only official today, yes I am!!!
Once I was done there, I went to the track and contacted the coaches. It was a big triangular meet (I started fifty-five races) so my first question was about clerking. I was assured that their volunteer clerks were good (and they were right). The coaches stated that they wanted to run the 4×800’s, the 3200’s and the 4×400’s together as a time saving measure.
My next stop was the timing company to discover what device we were using (my .22 with a sensor) and what our signaling would be (white flag from the timing trailer).
Now for the tour. I start at the start/finish line – and identified the starting line colors. They differ at different tracks – this is a red track.
- 1 turn – green (1600 and 3200 start)
- 2 turn stagger – white (400, 800, 4×100, 4×800)
- 3 turn stagger – Blue (4×400)
- 4 turn stagger – dashed white (4×200)
I then put in the step back marks for all of the one and two turn stagger starts. For this meet, it was a green chalk mark on the red track.
I also checked color coding for exchange zones. The 4×200 was green to green (on this older track – little green triangle to second big green triangle). The 4×400 first exchange was in blue, as was the common exchange zone.
I then took my cones (4) and started around the track. I identified the 4×100 exchange zone color (little yellow triangle to second big yellow triangle). I dropped two cones at the 1 turn stagger line (green line across track). I identified the 300 start (solid white) and the marks for the 300 hurdles (on this track, little white arrowheads on the inside of the lane).
On the backstretch I took a tour of the long jump. I checked that the board (8′ from pit) was usable for both genders, that the pit was well dug up, and that the runway was OK.
Back on the track – check 200 starts.
Then to High Jump – pits were on pallets sticking out without padding. I educated the coaches to make sure no pallet was showing around the edge of the pit. I also checked that the standards were correct on the pit offsets, and that they were using 13 1 1/2″ bar.
What about pole vault? They didn’t have a pit available for use, so no vault today!! I commiserated with the visiting team pole vaulters – but there weren’t any questions or complaints from visiting team coaches about scoring, and no poles were carried in, so I assume they were notified.
I finally came around to the front stretch. I identified the 110 and 100 meter start lines. I also identified the 2 turn break line (the 100 meter start in this case) and dropped two more cones on that line. Finally, I identified the color coding for hurdles. On this track, blue marks for 110 hurdles, yellow marks for 100 hurdles.
My setup tour done, I finalized my pre-meet duties. Team rosters were available online (Athletic.net). I already had a copy of the meet program, and double checked that with the clerks. I asked the volunteer clerks to send all four relay team members to the starting line for all relays, (not disperse them from the clerking area) so I could evaluate uniforms and make sure they had the right exchange zones.
With a little time still before the 4×800 begins, I toured the high jump and long jump to make sure the volunteer judges were comfortable and doing the job correctly. One of the home school assistant coaches thanked me for making the safety changes at the high jump. I made sure that the long jump (and shot and discus) workers knew that it was four attempts (no finals) today.
By then it was 4:40 – time to get to the starting line and get the 4×800’s underway!!! Last race went off at 8:15. That’s a long meet, but there wasn’t much wasted time – except when I was searching for volunteer 4×100 umpires. I drafted to visiting coaches to help!!
Ohio Pole Vault Safety 