CHECKLIST FOR ORGANIZERS OF USOF A-MEETS

This document (aka "55 Questions") is designed to aid the Event Consultant and Meet Director as an outline of arrangements to be considered. Requirements and standards for items are found in the USOF Rules, USOF Sanctioning Package, and other USOF Competition Documents.

  1. Who have the essential meet jobs? -- get name, address, phone, email

            Meet Director

            Map Co-ordinator

            Course Planner

            Course Setter

            Vetter

            Field Supervisor

            Registrar

            Meet Accountant

            Participant Services

            Crew Chiefs for Start, Finish and Results

  1. MD/CS has access to USOF Rules, Sanctioning Package, and other USOF Competition Documents.
  2. MD notifies all essential meet personnel (#1 above) in writing of what their jobs entail to avoid gaps and misunderstandings.
  3. All technical meet personnel have copies of USOF Rules and Sanctioning Package.
  4. What are your plans for checking up on essential meet personnel to insure they satisfy timeliness requirements? Do they understand them? Do you anticipate any problems with anyone meeting the timeliness requirements?
  5. Do you anticipate any difficulty staffing your meet jobs? Which ones may be a problem? Define your recruiting procedure.
  6. Do you have written permission from landowner(s)?           A copy of the permission should be sent to Sanctioning Committee chairman.
  7. Prepare a meet budget. State how entry fees are calculated and show plan for paying USOF fees and repaying any Map Fund loans. Be conservative in estimating attendance for calculation purposes.
  8. Is your map finished? If no, when will it be? Do you anticipate any problem with preparing the courses due to lateness of the map?
  9. Has the Map Consultant approved the map? Are you using non-standard scale, interval or map symbols? If so, meet invitation must describe.
  10. Is your Course Planner in communication with the Course Consultant? Is the course planning on schedule? Do you anticipation any problems getting the courses done and to the CC in plenty of time for checking and revisions?
  11. What are your arrangements for printing the courses on the map? How will these be checked for accuracy? Are you using purple ink? Have you acquired map bags?
  12. Does the map contain any out-of-bounds areas? Are they marked on the map or will they be overprinted? Will anything else be overprinted on the map?
  13. Will competitors all be given whole map both days? If not, will legend appear on all partial maps?
  14. Are you planning separate Map Hike course or will Map Hikers be on regular courses? If on regular courses, do you have procedure for handling strung-out Map Hike groups coming thru Finish line?
  15. Are you providing training areas? When are they open? Are training maps for sale thru registration process? Is this announced in entry form? Are training areas representative of map/terrain for the meet?
  16. Does the club own sufficient equipment for meet needs? Will you be borrowing any equipment? If borrowing, state procedure for identifying and returning borrowed equipment promptly and replacing lost/damaged items.
  17. Are all controls in good condition regarding color brightness and physical integrity? Are punches in good condition? Do the code cards meet USOF standards?
  18. Are you planning to move any controls between Day 1 and Day 2? If so, what arrangements are you planning to insure this is done accurately?
  19. What are your control pick-up arrangements? How will you insure the competition center and other areas have been cleaned up?
  20. How and when is Start list being prepared? What are your Start intervals? Can you handle pre-entry requests for early/late Starts? Do you have procedure for last minute additions and changes? When/where will Start lists be posted at the meet?
  21. What type of timing devices will be used?            How will these be checked for precision? How are Start and Finish timepieces being syncronized? Do you have backups and batteries for all timing devices?
  22. Will competitors be given control descriptions ahead of time? When? Will they also be attached to the map?
  23. Will participants be given punch cards separately from maps? When? Will they be allowed to put punch cards in map bags?   If yes, what supplies (staplers, etc.) are you providing for doing this? Will participants be allowed to custom-prepare punch cards? When? Are you providing any supplies (pins, etc.) for this? Will you have extra punch cards at Start?
  24. Have you made rainy-day shelter arrangements for Start and Finish crews? What are they?
  25. What are your arrangements for bringing competitor belongings from Start to Finish areas?
  26. Will Start have warm-up area nearby? How big is warm-up area?
  27. Have you planned water and cups for Start and Finish areas?
  28. Are you using competitor chest numbers? Will they contain advertising? If so, what will they advertise?        Check with USOF VP of Marketing for USOF compliance regs.
  29. Is your Results operation computerized? Who is primary person in charge of computer operation? Are you planning a parallel manual Results operation? If not, what are your plans for computer failure? Check reliability of computer power source/surge protection.
  30. Where will Results operation take place? Is it isolated from participants? Where will Results be posted? Have you made arrangements for Day 1 Results to be posted Day 2 morning?
  31. How soon do you plan to publish final Results? Are you in touch with ONA and Ranking Coordinator regarding providing them with final Results?
  32. Have you planned press releases to announce elite winners? What other post-meet announcements and press releases are you planning?
  33. Have you picked 3 persons for the Jury?
  34. Will a complete USOF Rules be available during the meet for reference?
  35. What are you Search and Rescue plans? Who will be in charge?
  36. What is the physical makeup of your Competition Center? Is this the same as Meet HQ? Will CC accommodate all participants at one time? Is their shelter from rain? Is is heated? How far is parking, Start and Finish from CC each day?
  37. Has your entry form been prepared? Send draft before final printing to Sanctioning chairman to be checked. What are the plans for distribution of entry within USOF? Within local club? To our groups? Will you be having any earlier announcements?
  38. What are your entry deadlines? Deadlines should be stated as "postmarked by" not "arrive by." What problems must you overcome to handle late entries? Are you charging late fees? If yes, is your late fee reasonable?
  39. Are you producing t-shirts? Will the t-shirt have advertising? If so, submit rough sketch of design and advertising to USOF VP of Marketing before ordering.
  40. What arrangements are you planning for Finish line spectators?
  41. Do you have a designated club representative to handle on-site media relations? Will photographers be allowed in competition area of forest? What other media services will you provide?
  42. What are your pre-meet publicity arrangements for attracting local participants?
  43. What arrangements have you made for Finish area First Aid? Do you have a procedure for summoning professional medical help quickly?
  44. What arrangements are you planning for food and accommodations? Will you provide a motel list for participants? Transportation info?
  45. Will there be evening gathering/entertainment?
  46. What are your arrangements for babysitting? Do you have weather proof facilities?
  47. Describe parking facilities. Check with park personnel for regulations.
  48. Have you checked with equipment suppliers for their booth requirements? Have you checked with landowner or park supervisor for permission for booths?
  49. Describe toilet facilities. How far are these from CC and Start?
  50. What info will be in your competitor packets? Will you have any special info regarding out-of-bounds, required routes, protest procedures, etc. in meet info? Are you using any non-standard symbols in control descriptions? Will these be explained in meet info?
  51. What are your awards? How are they being acquired?
  52. What are your award ceremony arrangements?
  53. What are your arrangements for post-meet analysis of problems to be solved before your next major event?
  54. How do you plan to acknowledge assistance of workers, sponsors, landowners and park officials?

12/28/98

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