RGMS Track and Field - About Our Sport
About Track and Field:
New to the sport? This page will help you understand the inner workings and events of Track and Field.
Contents:
- New Parent Message
- Orientation to Track and Field
- Competition FAQ
- Description of Events
New Parent Message
Hello and Welcome to Track and Field. We have a variety of excellent opportunities for young athletes to test their abilities in a wide range of events and competitions. Whether you like to sprint, dash, run, leap, vault, jump, fling, hurl, or launch - track and field events teach students how to push the limits of their athletic prowess in some of the earliest forms of competition.
While the concept of 'Track and Field' may seem straightforward, there are many misconceptions and small mysteries about the sport. Once these are debunked and understood, there is a lot to appreciate in how we blend individual performance with a rewarding team-building experience to compete against not only ourselves, but a fiercely competitive field of opponents as well!
The exact number of events can vary from meet to meet, but traditionally, there are 16 events in a competition. The athletes can participate in up to 4 events, and try to compete for the top positions to score points for the team. Details about the competitions can be found below. However, the true beauty of Track and Field is that the athletes are ultimately able to compete against themselves throughout the meets and strive for growth and improvement.
This is a victory of another sort.
We value athletes who are motivated to better themselves. Accepting the challenge of 'improvement' is the hard path and requires discipline, training, and often times - discomfort. While that is not always the most pleasant truth, the benefits of this choice are well worth it and can ultimately lead to a LOT of fun, comradery, and the celebration of shared successes.
This program has a long history with many fantastic stories of triumph and heartbreak. In addition, this program has contributed to plenty of fond memories, untold amounts of lifelong friendships, and we plan to keep it that way for many years to come. We welcome you along for the ride and look forward to seeing you around the Track and Field!
All the best,
Coach Dickey
Orientation to Track and Field
Coming Soon!
Competition FAQ
Order of Events:
In a traditional Track and Field Meet, the races are run in a 'rolling schedule' in the following order:
4x800 Relay - (AKA 3200 Relay)
100/110 M High Hurdles
100 M Dash
1600 M Run (@ 1 Mile)
4x100 Relay (AKA 400 Relay)
400 M Dash
300 M Intermediate Hurdles
800 M Run
200 M Dash
3200 M Run (@ 2 Miles)
4x400 Relay (AKA 1600 Relay)
Field Event Order can change from meet to meet and these events are active at the same time as the races. Athletes should check in with the Field Events and make clear which races they are participating in to the Coach running the event.
General Competition Transportation and Dismissal Information:
Dismissal times from school can change from meet to meet depending on travel distance and the start time of the meet. I am hesitant to post these times to the website because they can change on a whim and I cannot guarantee their accuracy. I will always e-mail out the most updated dismissal time prior to the meet and I will try to ensure a PA announcement is made for students, but they need to pay attention. In general, students will be dismissed from their 8th Period class around 2:10 and will have 10 minutes to change for the competition and board the bus at the front of the school with all their belongings. We have had to leave students in the past who did not show up in time for our departure. Athletes need to use their time wisely and not get distracted in the hallways doing things or going places they shouldn’t.
As stated before, for a regular ‘Section Meet’ the athletes are expected to stay for the entire duration of the meet. At the conclusion of a meet, we will have a brief team meeting and then Parents who wish to transport their athlete home from the meet can sign out the child on a Coach’s roster, which will also serve as a travel release form, and take the child home directly. Because Monday is just a scrimmage, the athletes can be signed out after they are finished competing in their own events, much like they can for invitationals at the end of the season.
Any athletes who wish to stay for the entire competition or don’t have a ride will be transported back to the RGMS Middle School at the end of the meet for parent pickup. We will NOT be back in time for athletes to board the activity bus – meets will generally go until at least 6:30 or 7, possibly later against larger teams with more competitors. We will utilize the Parent Remind Group ( details to join for the 2024 Season below!) to communicate the pickup time back at RGMS as soon as we know the approximate arrival time. Athletes on the bus will also be encouraged to text their folks on the way home. Please try to be there BEFORE the pickup time. It’s a bit selfish, but after a long day of work and coaching, we would like to go home and be with our families as well. However, we will NEVER leave a child at school unattended waiting for a ride.
DIRECTIONS TO JOIN REMIND GROUP (FOR 2024 SEASON)
PLEASE READ -> Please do NOT join both Remind groups. There are only a limited number of spots in a "Remind" group, so we ask that only one parent per family sign up, and if you have athletes in both 7th and 8th grade, please join only one group. Thank you!
7th Grade Parents: Text @24rgmstf7 to 81010
8th Grade Parents: Text @24rgmstf8 to 81010
Travel Squad and Parent Transportation to Meets
In the event we do not have enough buses to transport all students to an away competition, the following rules will be used to create a travel squad:
- Top 2 performers in each event automatically qualify. For more competitive meets, we will take the Top 3. That decision will remain at the coaches' discretion.
- Top Relay Team in each event. Other athletes who qualify can create their own relays. (Current policy is that athletes must participate in 2 events during a meet.)
- After figuring out overlaps, the remaining seats will be rotated for athletes in good standing - regardless of performance. Excessive absences and behavior issues in practice will be taken into account and could possibly affect an athlete's eligibility.
Athletes chosen for the travel squad MUST ride the bus. This is more for my own sanity than anything – but also to ensure that I can keep track of the roster, ensure the athletes are getting their chance at away meets, and communicate their absence to the right people.
Any other parent who is willing and able to transport an athlete who is NOT on the travel squad may do so IF there is a travel release/dismissal form submitted and on file at least the day BEFORE the meet. For a Monday Meet the forms need to be submitted to me at least the Friday before, by 3:00 PM. These forms will not be accepted on the same day as a meet because the dismissal lists need to be generated and distributed to teachers. If a group of athletes/parents want to work out a carpool, every athlete in the carpool must have this form submitted and signed by both the athlete’s parent/guardian AND the parent responsible for DRIVING. Please understand that this is a detailed process, and the timing will be challenging because we will need time to review the results from competition before we can announce the travel squad from week to week and meet to meet. There still may be cases when we have more buses available and a travel squad is not necessary.
Example: If Child A and Child B are not on the travel squad but want to carpool to a meet and Parent A is going to drive, there would need to be 2 Travel Release forms submitted. Child A needs a form with Parent A’s signature only. Child B needs a form with Parent B’s signature AND Parent A’s Signature.
IF Parent A and Parent B cannot sign the same form, then there would need to be 2 separate forms – both signed; one from Parent A accepting responsibility for Child B and one from Parent B permitting Parent A to transport their child. I will then staple these forms together and it will act as 1 form.
Here is a Link to the most updated Travel Release form: Travel Release Form
When completing the form, for “Reason for not riding the bus is_________.” You would put “Athlete not on Travel Squad”
The line on the form that states “This form must be personally handed to the coach prior to the event by the parent.” is not entirely accurate. The forms can be e-mailed to me or the athlete can submit it to the mailbox outside MY ROOM (210) by 3:00, at least the day before a meet, if not sooner. No exceptions.
Description of Events
Sprint Events:
These events are made for speed. The shorter events are good for athletes who like to run fast without having to worry about distance.
Distance Events:
These events are a test of endurance. Athletes who may not have the quickest foot speed can still be very successful in these events because it requires conditioning and pacing.
Jumping Events:
These events combine speed with agility and strength to test an athlete's ability to project themselves through the air. High Jump and Polevault are focused on gaining significant height, where the Long and Triple Jump events are focused on achieving distance.
Throwing Events:
These events focus on strength and power to test an athlete's ability to throw a weighted object. Athletes develop form and technique to achieve maximum distance.
Missing - Hurdle Events - Coming Soon!
