How do you manage more than 5,000 athletes during a meet that spans three days?
Exactly the way Massachusetts high school track & field officials did this past weekend at the MSTCA Northeast Invitational, the largest indoor competition of the season.
We’re always amazed by the outstanding job these officials do at each and every meet. It never wavers—it’s consistently excellent. In more than 25 years of covering this great sport, I’ve attended thousands of meets across several states. Without a doubt – not even close – no one does it better than the dedicated officials we have here in the Bay State.
Want proof? How about this.
On Saturday, Day 2 of the meet, there were more than 120 heats of the girls’ and boys’ 300-meter dash. No problem. In rapid, machine-gun fashion, the officials got it done in just over an hour and 30 minutes.
Think about that for a moment. That’s less than a minute per race.
Not long after that event, 17 teams lined up for the boys’ 4×800, followed by 16 teams in the girls’ 4x800m. One heat each.
Sounds a little chaotic on an indoor 200-meter oval, doesn’t it? Not for these officials. Each race ran smoothly, without a hint of error.
The state has always been blessed with a plethora of talented track & field athletes. The same could be said about our Massachusetts high school track & field officials.
Kudos to all for yet another flawless job managing the masses inside the Reggie Lewis Center. We’re sure most would agree, your work does not go unnoticed.
