Self-Officiated Mini Meet: Meet Day
The class runs the mini meet designed last session: students compete, officiate, measure and post results, with the teacher stepping in only for safety. It's the capstone of the track and field unit.
How to play
- Setup from the venues committee's map and an officials' meeting to review rules and signals (8 min).
- First block: hurdles or sprint race and the jump, with starters, timers and measurers (12 min).
- Second block: medicine ball or soft-implement throw and an adapted 4x100 relay with zone judges (12 min).
- Results: the results committee calculates individual points and mixed-team standings and reads them out (6 min).
- Debrief: each committee says what worked and what they'd change; the class votes for the best act of fair play (7 min).
Rules
- Respect officials' calls; protests go to the officials committee in writing.
- The safety committee can stop any event.
- Nobody enters the throwing area until the judge says so.
- Everyone competes and everyone officiates, following the agreed schedule.
Variations
Easier
Three events instead of four, and officials with the rules on a card.
Standard
Four events with rotating roles on the schedule.
Harder
Combined-event points table designed by the class.
Adaptations
- Visual impairment: competes with a guide in running and throwing, and serves as the call-room official.
- Limited mobility: seated throw and wheelchair relay leg; serves as head judge for one event.
- Competition anxiety: may choose to only officiate one of their events.
Learning goals
- Carry out a planned group project.
- Officiate with good judgment and accept others' calls.
- Compete hard with good sportsmanship.
Equipment for a class of 25
- low hurdles: 10
- batons: 6
- crash mats: 2
- medicine balls: 4
- measuring tape: 3
- competition sheets: 10
- stopwatches: 6
- cones: 30
Teacher tip
Your role is safety supervisor: resist the urge to officiate. The usual hiccup is the schedule running late in the first block: have the schedule committee give a five-minute warning before each change.
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