Communication is your main job

Communication is hugely important. There are many decisions which you will make which will affect the registrants, volunteers, and other directors. It is critical that you communicate these clearly and consistently. It is critical that you can be reached during the day before, during, and after your competition(s) in case anyone has questions.

How and when will people (competitors, volunteers, directors, spectators, family members) know what they need to know?

All directors must read the following guides

Track Racing

Track/Venue Quality/Questions

Where is the track racing?
Do we have access to the press box?
Do we have access to the sound system?
Where is there access to power outlets for laptops/printer?
- The power should be accessible at the time the volunteers arrive, not ONLY at the time the competition begins
Where is the bathroom?
- The bathroom should be accessible at the time the volunteers arrive, not ONLY at the time the competition begins

Equipment

Do you have tents to set up to shade the organizers?
Are we allowed to set up on the infield?
Do you have tables/chairs for the volunteers
- Registration/Sign-in
- Results/printing
Metric-measuring device (centimeters, not inches)
- For use in measuring the 10m, 30m, and 50m lines
Do you have hip-numbers?
- If you do not have enough, contact the timing group, and have them supply them (for a fee, of course)

Volunteer-Specific Guides

At Track day, there are a few different important volunteer positions.

The following notes may help to guide the volunteers in those positions:

Check-in - Assign Heat/Lane, give out hip-number stickers, check unicycle is acceptable.
Shepherd (aka: line-up) - Explain the rules, ensure the right people are lined up on the track.
E-Timer data entry - Take the data from the E-Timer and import it into UDA
Finish line Judge - DQ recording - Mark down any DQ so that we have a record of it.

Check-In Notes

For NAUCC, we don’t pre-assign heats/lanes for people, and instead we assign heats/lanes as they come to the tent.
Try to fill each heat with all lanes
If they already have a hip number, try to reuse it if possible
Ensure that their wheel is an acceptable size
Ensure that their cranks are an acceptable size
Ensure that they have their Bib Number

Shepherd

Notes prepared by Ann O’Brien 7/3/2019.

These are “unofficial” notes, subject to change. They do not supersede the rulebook.

Overview of Role

Keep the heats moving efficiently by identifying, grouping, and prepping riders for each heat, troubleshooting as needed (e.g., missing riders and equipment).

Before Event

Be sure that you have a fully charged mobile phone and check with data manager (Robin) for an account to access the race heats on the NAUCC website and Wi-Fi.
Come prepared with an umbrella, chair, sunscreen, and water.
Become familiar with the track schedule and order of events – 800m, 400m, frequently oldest to youngest, etc., and protest periods.
Share your cell number with the track registration person so that you can be in contact if needed.

Gathering Spot for Heats

Near the starting line for the heat, select and designate two gathering spots: one for the “next up, ready to race” group, and the other for the “on deck” heat.
A gathering spot with shade is desirable, such as under a tent. If allowed, you can pick spots on the inside of the track.
Over the course of the day, riders will learn to go to the “on deck spot” to gather and then move up to the “next up, ready to race” spot. The 800m is a long race so you have time to get the pattern down with the riders and go over the instructions slowly with each group. During the day, the heats go faster and it sometimes makes sense to have three groups lined up.

With Each Heat of Riders

Check in each rider against the list on the website. Verify that that their lane sticker is visible and matches the heat information list.
Check equipment of each rider-helmet, gloves, kneepads, tied laces, “head-hands-knees-shoes.”

Repeat Instructions with Each Group Per the rulebook, it is a racer’s responsibility to know these rules.

Line up in your lane. Line up wheel behind line.
Once the countdown begins, the wheel must stay stationary, do not roll back-and-forth or hop. During count down, no wheel movement. Must stay still, no hopping, no movement!

A false start is crossing over line before gun. The front of the tire is what determines crossing the line. A second gunshot indicates a false start. For a false start come back to starting line. If somebody has two false starts, they’re DQed.

For the 800m race, it’s okay to come off and remount uni. In other races, you cannot dismount. If you come off, walk around the track in your lane so you are on camera and tell official. Do not just leave the track. For the waterfall start, riders can go in to the inside lane as soon as safe, just don’t take someone out. Best to shoot for top of the arc to cut over, see cone.

When racers finish, congregate together near the finish line and wait to talk to the Finish Judge.

E-Timer data entry

Before the event starts, print a list of the age groups, so that you can mark them as you print/post them.
Each heat or two, we want to have the data from the E-Timer provided so that we can import it into our system annd generate a list of results on a per-age-group basis
After importing each heat, check to see if there are any more heats for this age group
- If not, set the places for the age group, and print/post the results
Ensure that when importing each heat, there is a result (or DQ) for each lane/competitor

Finish line DQ recording

When a race is run, there are multiple ways that a rider may DQ.

They might:

Leave their lane too early (800m)
Leave their lane (400m, 100m, etc)
Fall off the unicycle (common at the finish line)
Fail to remove their foot in time (1ft)
False start twice
Not show up at the start line

For each heat, it is the job of the finish line judge to enter any DQ reason into the tablet, so that we have a result for each signed up competitor.