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Mini-meets

2008 Parent and Athlete Handbook

DVTFC

The Diablo Valley Track and Field Club:

• Open to boys and girls ages 9 to 14

• Non-profit, tax-exempt community organization since 1968 (www.dvtfc.org)
• Spring track & field/race walking team
• Fall cross-country team
• Affiliated with USA Track & Field (USATF)

USATF

USA Track & Field:

• Nationwide governing body for the sport of track and field, cross-country and race walking for youth, open and masters athletes (www.usatf.org)

• Holds US Olympic trials and selects US Olympic athletes for our sport
• Trains and certifies youth coaches and officials, sanctions youth track meets
• Provides insurance coverage
• Pacific Association of the USATF organizes the equivalent of league meets in the Bay Area and Northern California (www.pausatf.org)
• Sponsors National Junior Olympics and National Youth Championships
• USATF membership included with DVTFC registration fee

OUR COACHING MISSION

Our coaches strive to do the following:

§         Teach our athletes the fundamentals of the various track & field events

§         Get our athletes in good physical condition

§         Teach our athletes about good nutrition and health

§         Prepare our athletes for age-group competition during the season

§         Foster an atmosphere of fun and camaraderie

DVTFC “alumni” have moved on to high school varsity level competition in their freshman years and many hold records at area middle schools and high schools.  While we are proud of the more than 130 State/Regional and 40 National individual or team titles DVTFC has won since 1973, we are just as proud of the athletes who have never won a medal at a track meet but who have bettered their previous personal records, (a “PR”) in an event.  In fact, each week we reward all athletes who set a PR regardless of how they may have placed in a meet.

AGE GROUPS

Athletes compete in the same age group the entire year, based on their year of birth.  Boys and girls compete separately, although sometimes for convenience the events are run simultaneously.

AGE GROUPS FOR 2008

EVENTS

Athletes may compete in following events, depending on their age group:

• Dashes - 100, 200 and 400 meters

• Runs - 800, 1500 and 3000 meters

• Relays – 4 X 100, medley, 4 X 400, 4 X 800
• Hurdles - 80, 100 and 200 meters
• Race walk – 1500 and 3000 meters
• Field events - high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus and javelin
• All DVTFC athletes are encouraged to enter the maximum number of events at each meet, although they are free to enter fewer if they wish

UNIFORMS

All members receive a DVTFC logo t-shirt when they join the club:

§         Athletes who do not wish to invest in uniforms may wear the t-shirt with black or red running shorts to all meets. 

§         Optional uniform items may be ordered through our club supplier and order forms will be distributed during the first week of practice.  These items will include racing singlets, shorts, sweatshirts, warm-ups, jackets, bags and caps.

SHOES

Athletes should wear good quality running shoes with sturdy heel counters, good mid-sole cushioning, forefoot flexibility and correct sizing:

• Buy shoes with training only in mind.  Shoes worn to school will not last the season and maintain their protective cushioning. 

• Do not send your athlete to practice with tennis, "cross training", or sports shoes that lack the appropriate cushioning or flexibility.
• For meets, "spikes" may benefit sprinters and jumpers and distance runners may benefit by wearing racing flats.  However, we advise athletes to consult with our coaches before investing in competition footwear.
• Athletic Outpost in downtown Walnut Creek carries running shoes and spikes in children’s sizes, is familiar with our needs, and offers DVTFC members a 10% discount.

Practices

WHEN AND WHERE

Practices are held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Middle School , Feb. 25 thru May 16:

• Athletes must attend two practices per week.  Because proper conditioning is a critical component of success on the track, the performance of athletes at meets will reflect their dedication to practice.  However, attendance is not recorded and athletes are not required to attend practice in order to participate at meets. 
• We (generally) practice rain or shine.  Parents decide if they want to send their child to practice in inclement weather.  The practices during the rain will be modified, with no field events.

WORKOUTS

We try to make training a low-key, fun experience, designed to utilize the whole athlete:

• Practices begin with a period of gentle warm-up and stretching.  To ensure that we have no avoidable injuries, each athlete must attend the warm up and stretching in order to complete the track workout – so please don’t arrive late!

§        After the first three weeks of conditioning, the head coach will publish the schedule that shows which events will be coached on which days.  At each practice, athletes will be able to choose an event group (sprint, middle distance, distance, race walk, jumps, hurdles, or throws) in which to participate based on their own interests.  Not every group is offered every day.  All athletes are encouraged to try each event (at least a few days) during the season.

• Our running workouts consist of relay and chase games as well as form drills, speed and pace intervals, strength training, and over-distance running.  Efforts are made to group athletes so that beginners get the basic instruction they need, while those with more experience receive instruction and workout at a level appropriate for them.

WHAT TO BRING

The essentials:

• Athletes should bring a water bottle to every practice, as there are no water fountains at our practice track. 

• No matter what the weather, athletes will be hot or cold at some point during or after practice, so wear or bring layers that include a warm sweatshirt.
• Athletes should wear running shoes to all practices (see section on shoes).  Coaches may allow athletes to practice in spikes or racing flats under their direction at certain times.
• Athletes may prefer to bring a mat or towel to stretch on, depending on the condition of the grass.  

Meets

MINI-MEETS

Each year, our club holds two mini-meets early in the season to familiarize our athletes with how a track meet is conducted.  It is also a good opportunity to establish baseline times and distances for improving personal records during the season.  In 2008 these meets are tentatively scheduled for Saturdays March 22^nd and April 19^th at Acalanes High School from 1pm to 4pm .  There will be at least two other USATF teams from the Bay Area invited to participate.

The atmosphere of the mini-meets is instructional and informal, however, there will be an official starter, timing/measuring, age-group placing and ribbons awarded.  DVTFC parents volunteer to perform essential tasks such as lane timing, measuring throws, raking the long-jump pit, and recording times and places.  Parents are required to work at least one mini-meet during the season and will be charged $50 if they choose not to volunteer.

SECTIONAL AND INVITATIONAL MEETS

During the regular season, our club attends two or three USATF youth meets sponsored by other Bay Area clubs.  Most meets are held at high school stadiums on Saturdays, while some can be two-day affairs that span both Saturday and Sunday.  There are usually hundreds of athletes participating in these meets, creating an atmosphere of excitement for our athletes - as well as an organizational challenge for the coaches and parents.

Athletes must register in advance via email to our club manager (info@dvtfc.org) , usually 10 days before the meet.  We publish the information for upcoming meets, which you can also read on the website.  DVTFC pays all meet entry fees. 

DVTFC will always have at least two coaches in attendance at each meet.  They erect our team canopy first thing in the morning, obtain the official registration packet and monitor our athletes’ performances.  Parents are responsible for transportation to and from meets, food and supplies for the day and shepherding athletes to events.  (Our coaches will provide as much guidance as possible, but they cannot be responsible for getting each and every athlete to the right place at the right time.)

CHAMPIONSHIP MEETS

Athletes who choose to remain for the championship portion of the season (beyond May 18) will compete in some larger sectional and invitational meets in May/June as well as the USATF Pacific Association Championships in mid-June.  They will also compete in a series of local and regional qualifying meets for the National Junior Olympics, to be held in Omaha, NE at the end of July 2008.  There is an additional fee for the championship season. 

2008 MEET SCHEDULE

Click HERE for 2008 Regular and Championship Meet schedule.

Last updated 2/10/2008                                                                                                                                                              Email Webmaster