FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT STRIDERS YOUTH MEETS   

1. Who sponsors the meets? The New Jersey Striders sponsor the meets which have been held since 1977. There are over fifteen participating towns affiliated with the Striders, plus a few independent teams and independent athletes at the meets. Some of the meets have over 800 athletes.

2. When are the meets held? The meets are held every Sunday afternoon at different Bergen County sites from mid-April until early June except for Mothers Day and Memorial Day weekend which are off-weeks. All meets start at 1 PM except for the Junior Olympic meet (usually the next to last one) which starts at Noon. The meets end about 5 PM.

3. Must my child attend? Only a few members of the team attend all six meets. Some attend only one or two meets, some attend more. We ask that your child attend at least two meets to experience the fun! It is up to you and all depends on what you want to get out of the program. For all six meets, the Wood-Ridge Striders pay the entry fees for all its members who attend.

4. What are the directions to the meet sites? Go to http://www.njstriders.com for directions to each site.

5. What time should we get there? We suggest trying to get there a bit early since parking varies at each site. Depending on the events your athlete is entering, you do not have to stay the entire meet. Some families come early & leave early, some come late & leave late, and some stay for the entire meet. Keep in mind that the relay is usually the last event.  

6. What if the weather is bad? Only one meet in the past decade has been cancelled entirely. Use your discretion about whether you want to attend in less than optimal conditions. Sometimes, the meet will be shortened if there is bad weather. Some field events and the hurdles may be cancelled if there is rain because of safety considerations, but usually there will be at least a few track events in the rain for the die-hards. Much depends on the particular site. Of course, the meet stops immediately in case of lightning.

7. What should the athletes wear? All Wood-Ridge team members should wear their track uniforms for identification. Prior to the first meet, each athlete will get a competitor’s number to pin on the front of the shirt. This same number is used for all six meets, so do not lose it. The NJ Striders may charge $5.00 for a replacement number. Otherwise athletes should dress according to the weather conditions. They may wear tights or sweatpants in cold or bad weather, turtlenecks under their t-shirts, hats gloves, etc. (One exception is that knees must be showing in the racewalk events for the judges to view the walking form.) Footwear should be running flats or sneakers. No spikes are allowed.

8. What should we bring?  Some  suggestions: (1) sunscreen for sunny days, (2) water, especially in warm weather, (3) other refreshments if you do not want to use the concession stands, and (4) cameras to take video or still pictures.

9. Where do we go when we get to the site? The Wood-Ridge team usually sets up in the grandstands somewhere in the area of the homestretch. There will be a Wood-Ridge coach at that location. Look for the Wood-Ridge Track banner, we may have a tent set up depending on weather conditions.

10. How do we know when an athlete checks in for an event? The meet will make calls for the events on the loudspeakers. The Coaches will be in contact with each other via walkie talkies to prompt athletes when their events are being called and directing them where to go. Other Wood-Ridge Coaches will be floating around the site as needed.

11. What is the schedule? Go to http://www.njstriders.com for the order of events for each meet which varies each week. Not every event is offered every week.

12. What events will my child compete in? Unlike Little League, soccer, basketball, etc., the athletes and parents decide what they want to do, and nobody sits on the bench. And you can decide on the spot. The coaches will offer suggestions. Athletes under 13 years old are restricted to a maximum of three events. Athletes who turn 13 or older this year are permitted a maximum of four events. We generally suggest trying one track event, one field event, and one relay event each week, but some athletes like to specialize on the track, or in the field. We will try to set up relays in advance to ensure we have four willing athletes for a full relay team.

13. What if my child wants to compete in a track event and a field event that are being held simultaneously? Generally, the track event gets priority. The athlete should tell the field event official who normally excuses an athlete until the track event is done, and the athlete can then usually return to complete the field event.

14. What are the age-groups? The age-groups are based on the calendar year of birth, not the athlete’s scholastic grade. With very limited exceptions, an athlete must only compete in his or her age group. The age groups are:

             Athletes who turn 7 or 8 on their 2011 birthdays are Sub-Bantams;
             Athletes who turn 9 or 10 on their 2011 birthdays are Bantams;
             Athletes who turn 11 or 12 on their 2011 birthdays Midgets; and
             Athletes who turn 13 or 14 on their 2011 birthdays are Youths.

15. Can parents go on the track or infield? No, even most of the coaches are limited to the grandstands. And athletes are only allowed on the track or infield when their events have been called or are in progress.

16. What about awards? Every athlete gets at least an honorable mention ribbon for completing each event. Athletes who finish among the top six boys or top six girls in an age group in an event get special ribbons. At the last meet, medals are given to the top three in each event. Note that there may be multiple heats of a track event and the place ribbons or medals are given to only the overall best times for all the heats combined in a particular age group.  Ribbons for Wood-Ridge athletes are given out at the end of our next practice after each meet, or mailed if an athlete can’t make that practice.

17. What about results? They are computerized and available and archived on the Striders website by the next day. Every competitor’s number is in a computer database and results are entered in laptop computers with special software in the press box as meet progresses. Sometimes, results are posted on a wall during a meet.

18. Is there a team score? No, there is not a team score. The competition is about each individual athlete doing his or her best and trying to improve as the year progresses. And, of course, there are relays which provide a team aspect in the meets.

19. Do the Striders need a copy of a birth certificate for each athlete? We need one if that athlete wishes to compete in the Junior Olympic qualifying meet which is held in Rutherford. We will have more information about the Junior Olympics later in the year.

20. What do I do if there is a problem at the meet? Tell a coach as soon as possible. The coaches are acting as representatives of the team and can resolve a problem more quickly than an individual parent or athlete.

Anything else? Pray for good weather!