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So You Want to be a Meet Director...
By David Bennett
(Dave Bennett is a new Canadian lifter, who recently decided to take a shot at meet directing. Below are his reflections ont he meet, a few days after. Although things like insurance needs may differ in other countries, the basic experience will be the same for all Novice MD's)
It is the end of 2004 and our sport is growing at a tremendous rate. With the increased numbers of competitors comes an increased demand for qualifying meets. You have been a lifter for some time now, you've competed at various levels of the sport. You now decide to step up to direct a local meet, but do you really know what is involved?
I recently found myself in that exact situation a few months ago, when I decided to run a small competition, to allow some Alberta lifters to qualify for the CPU Nationals in April. At first glance, I assumed that there was little more to running a meet than getting some entry forms on the website, gathering some equipment at a venue and sitting back to watch.
Wrong. There are several key items that we as new meet directors may initially overlook in our plans for the competition. They include appropriate warm up equipment, quality materials to construct the competition platform, refreshments for your lifters, volunteers, referees and spectators, INSURANCE and volunteers. Please realize that this is not an exhaustive list. Let's take a look at each of the items listed, and some pointers for each:
Appropriate Warmup Equipment:
-If at all possible, have the same racks, benches or combo-racks in the warmup room as on the competition platform. This makes it alot easier for lifters to determine their "rack heights". This applies more to very large meets such as Continental and World championships where the competition racks are seeing constant use and lifts have almost no opportunity to check their rack heights.
-Combo racks make warmup rooms run a little smoother because it is so easy to change rack heights between lifters. Lifters warming up will automatically go in order of their warmup weights, much like on the competition platform.
-If using plywood sheets for the warmup platforms, be sure that there are no tripping hazards, the edge of one sheet being higher than an adjacent sheet. No one wants to see an athlete trip and fall backwards with 600 pounds on their back, least of all the lifter's back spotter.
Quality Materials for the Competition Platform
-The competition platform serves several functions, including providing a non slip surface, noise reduction, and impact absorption. Be sure that the size (and elevation) of the platform conforms to the allowable size range described in the IPF technical rules. I recommend several sheets of a good quality plywood arranged with 2 sheets side by side to make an 8' square, then adding additional layers with the seam between the sheets alternating direction each time. I also recommend adding screws to the corners of the platform and along all seams between plywood sheets, to add to the durability of the platform.
-I further suggest coating the top layer with "Safety Paint", also known as "Boat Deck Paint" or making a substitute out of ordinary paint with coarse sand mixed in, you will have to apply it with a trowel or roller, a brush will not work. If you wish, the top layer of the platform can be one sheet of 4'x8' plywood centered, flanked by 2 sheets of rubber flooring, each measuring 2'x8'. Rubber flooring suitable for this purpose can be ordered from Lucki's Exercise Equipment, found online at http://www.luckis.com.
Refreshments for Lifters, Volunteers, Referees and Spectators
-Your volunteers will expect to be fed and watered. They are working for free (sometimes over a few days) for you, the least you can do is outfit them with meet tshirts and keep them fed. Try to avoid offering caffeinated beverages like cola and coffee, as spotters and loaders may sometimes be required to work for extended periods where a washroom break may not be possible.
-Your lifters will likely be dehydrated from trying to "make weight", so rehydration after the scales close is important not only for the lifter's performance but also their safety. It is important to offer drinks containing carbohydrates and electrolytes, and powdered drink mixes like Gatorade and Powerade are excellent for this purpose.
-Be sure to keep your referees will hydrated, several bottles of water under each referee's chair are always a good idea. This is especially important for the head referee who must speak with a raised voice many times in a flight of lifters. Your announcer will also need a constant supply of water or another suitable beverage. Be sure to clearly label all containers for their contents, perhaps even going as far as taking the label off the powdered gatorade can and taping it to the side of the dispenser.
Insurance
-This is of utmost importance for your own protection. Understand that the athletes getting injured is actually a smaller concern than a spectator. As a meet director, you have added a waiver of liability clause to your entry form, however there is a risk that spectators can become injured. Speak to an insurance broker who specializes in sporting events coverage. Consider insuring yourself, your staff, referees, the venue owner and staff, and the sanctioning federation.
Volunteers
-Volunteers are the lifeblood of this sport! Without our volunteers, competitions would not be possible. Think about it, you will need volunteers to setup the venue, sell federation memberships at the meet, spot lifters in the warmup area, spot and load the competitive lifts, announce attempts and rack heights, help lifters get attempts in to head table, clean up, and tear down the meet site. No volunteers means no meet, and insufficient numbers of volunteers will decrease the quality of the meet.
In closing, we have reviewed some of the areas that are vital to running a successful powerlifting meet, however the best way to make sure that your meet goes well is to speak to other meet directors in your area, get their recommendations for which companies to contract for your t-shirts, medals and other awards. Ask them for advice on venue size, setup, and ask about Powerlifting friendly venues in your area. The most important thing to remember for your competition is that the safety of the lifters and spectators is your number one priority, but don't forget that everyone is there to have a good time, so have fun! In my experience, the best seat in the house is that of the platform manager, I suggest you as the meet director fill this position for at least some of the rounds.
The bar is loaded, you have one minute!
David Bennett,
Member and Meet Director,
Canadian Powerlifting Union
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