New Rule for PA USATF Competition
The Pacific Association of the USA Track and Field has posted a reminder of the new requirement for teams competing in their Grand Prix events.
As of March 1, 2011 PA/USATF clubs are required to have a minimum number of certified USATF officials (with an LDR/XC specialty) on their club roster to score team points on the PA Road and Cross Country Grand Prix circuits.
This only applies to teams with 25 or more athletes competing, which is pretty much all the big local clubs.
Clubs fielding 25 to 49 runners need one official. Clubs fielding 50 to 99 need two, and 100 or more need three. Details of the requirement are posted here (PDF).
As of right now, the only local clubs with any officials are Golden West and the Buffalo Chips, with one apiece.
According to Pacific Association Board of Athletics member Cynci Calvin and PA/USATF Long Distance Running Officials Coordinator Mark Winitz, “Every PA sanctioned event is required to be conducted with a thorough understanding of USATF rules, and this is facilitated by having event officials present, preferably USATF certified officials. Track meets and race walking events are clearly the most labor intensive in this respect. Long distance running (Road, XC and Ultra events), are less so, although our PA LDR Championship/Grand Prix events are best conducted with a minimum of three to five officials (a Referee, starter, two or three finish line judges, and a course umpire). The PA currently has about 25 officials certified with an LDR specialty. With a total of 21 PA road and cross country Championship/Grand Prix events in 2010, only 11 of these officials worked one or more of these events. The bulk of the work was handled by only four or five of these officials who regularly attended events.”
Calvin adds, “Why have a USATF certified official at a road race? This official is the “go to” person for reporting rule violations. Without officials present, the event can become a free-for-all for rule breakers, and the event’s integrity is compromised big-time. The CIM and the event’s assigned USATF official DQ’ed more than 20 rule breakers this year. In a time where many, many race entrants could care less about the fact that a road, trail, or xc race is a real competition, officials are even more necessary. Also, becoming a USATF certified official and working just one or two events a year is an excellent way to “give back” to the sport that we love so much.”
Fortunately, you can become an official by attending one of the upcoming clinics. (You know you want to!) The first and closest one is being held at UC Davis on January 29th. Clinic registration is on-line.
Also, don’t forget to renew your club’s PA USATF membership for 2011. Individuals can renew or join here.
See even more details about which clubs still have yet to comply and by how much:
1http://pausatf.org/data/2011/ldroffreminder2011.html
As a Certified USATF LDR Official for the last six years, it has been great working with Mark Winitz and the others, learning so much about why it is rewarding to give something back. I have an entirely different sense of appreciation for all the work that goes into our PA events. But if more people don’t step up soon, there may no longer be any PA events held, or there will be much fewer of them.