Quiet Fire Invitational It’a A Wrap For 2010

A cheerful QF helper, Akaylah Hill Bantam Girl

Funny thing about hosting a meet as a team is that you are really looking to raise monies for your team and the athletes that work so hard to be a part of the team. For the larger teams like us ,we can maybe send a few athletes to  the Junior Olympics to help represent the region. The Junior Olympic expereince cost lots and lots of money. All the more reason to throw ourselves as a team into running a good quality meet.

Inside my head I just wanted it all to be over. So why is it that everytime, every year we complain about having to do it?? We complain out loud or silently in our heads about  the work it will take. I admit I am one that has to really gear up for the meet and this year when the location was changed I was completely done…I didn’t want to partiicpate at all but I knew I had to. Well, fast forwarding to Saturday morning,I was moving a little slowly and dreading the day and basically caused my family to wait on me.They were patient but I wasn’t in my head.

When we got there, my post ,the Registration Booth was already lining up. Of all the posts the QF parents help with, registration had to be the most  prepared early because  after all it was registration no stickers  no races…it wasn’t pretty.

 When I opened the window ,most people were pleasant and patient  but some were down right rude and I wanted to say “To the end of the line until your manner improves” but I didn’t. I got a rough start but after about a flying 1.5 hours it was much better. I give thanks to the great help of my”  rescue staff” who were life savers me.  April and Stacy, both midget girl parents, were simply great . So we, together worked out all the kinks and short comings,decided tomorrow would be better and wrote a few notes  for “NEXT TIME”

Sunday was much better and I was actually having fun.After my post closed for the day I went to help where ever was needed.Truth be told the work of a meet is in the planning when people are dedicated to their post and job it can go rather smooth and uncomplicated.Moral of my short story If your team is hosting a meet volunteer and prepare yourselves for a fun,evenful day or two with your favorite local teams and athletes.

 Most of the parents I observed were having a good time and really what is a couple of days for our kids……Parents are quick to remind each other and I quote” We are here for the kids,we would do anything  for the kids” Well lets keep our statements in mind as we try to show our kids a great example of community work for the greater good of our kids in our communities.

Of course we would probably all choose something else to do on a weekend but we chose to allow our kids to develop their athletic ability and now we have to fully support their choice and our choice to let them do what they like not what we like on the weekends. This is a new concept for some parents I realize but one that really needs to be sound down.It will help us show we really are there for  our kids and each others too. One athlete told me  that it was really cool hosting the meet  and helping out .Something good does happen when voluntering takes place, our kids have to move out of themselves (which  some of us rarely let them do) and focus on the team concept of  helping others.

I think what helps me do the best job possible is that I pretend I am  getting paid for the job.(LOL) It helps me focus my effort. I never want people coming back saying they hate Quiet Fire’s meet because of the rude service from me. People may be rude to me but I always try to keep and give a smile and thank-you to follow them to the stands. I think it works. I believe many people are often times in their own heads and just don’t realize the face they put on, and the attitude when stressed before a meet at the registration window.

 If I could give you one BIG tip  when coming to a meet late with your kids…Don’t take it out on me or any registration person first thing in the morning .Almost any situation I have encountered I have the power to handle, I can get you into a race, add you later than the timer ,yes I  can handle  all of these seemly terrible situations at a basic 2 day local meet with ease,fully to your satisfaction.

The one thing I have no control over is you arriving late, so keep your  meet day experience and especially your child’s stress free as possible by arriving in enough time to allow for time issues at the registration window and on the track. It is horrible to have no warn up and try to perform well. I am always inclined to help the kids  get into a race late but helping the parents not so much when they are rude and huffy with me…(doesn’t happen much thankfully)  

Well the meet was pretty punctual and I didn’t hear many complaints,I did witness a little disagreement early on during meet, but over all I think it was a good meet. Our athletes did an outstanding job on the track and doing their jobs of cleaning the fields and stands . I was really proud of their efforts especially the younger ones sub-bantams through midgets they really took the job to heart..The youth and above not so much….May it’s a teen thing not sure. 

Our coordinators also did a good job helping us get where we needed to be to help fully. It’s more than a full time job on that weekend to get people that never work together except one time maybe two times per year to come together and get some serious work accomplished.

If I was going to say how we could improve our meet, I would for sure have the coordinators of each station fully responsible for their workers, meeting with them via phone or in person at practice, having them be accountable to them not the head coordinator,she already had her hands full. If the post is fully explained and functional before our guest arrive it makes for a more fun “PARTY” I mean meet…same concept.

One very common denominator I see year after year after is that we all want a great meet, but if we only are inclined to talk about way after the meet, we don’t create best practices because we forget, if not written down and inplemented next time around.

All and all a great weekend and The best part was seeing smiling faces of our guest leaving the stadium and the finished product of a clean stadium and happy kids playing while their parents were finishing up their tasks. Have you ever seen over 20 to 30  kids playing on an infield  with a soccer ball running up and down the entire field like they just woke up you couldn’t tell they had a full day of track and field . It was a very nice moment. They had a very rare moment of self directed play and they figured it all out on their own. Just like our good old days when we were kids before the street lights came on.

Clean Up Clean Up Everybody Do Their Part…..

The more I volunteer the more it makes me appreciate just how great our meets REALLY ARE….

Until Next Time..