FAQs

How do I contact RT Racers?

Send all inquiries to rtracers@gmail.com

How old does my child need to be to join?

VARSITY: Born 2011 through 2013, but NOT in high school
CLINIC: Born 2018-2020, but MUST be in Kindergarten

What events are part of Spring Track and Field?

VARSITY: the events are 100, 200, 400, 800, mile, 4×100, long jump and shotput.
CLINIC: the events are 200, 400, 800, 4×100 and long jump

What events are part of Cross Country?

Children run one event on Sundays during the Cross Country season. Meets are at Central Park of Morris County, 91 Central Ave, Morris Plains, NJ 07950.

What is the schedule for practices and meets?

Practice and meet schedules are posted on TeamSnap and www.rtracers.net and will be updated as needed.

Spring Track and Field Pre-Season (mid/late February – mid-March)
VARSITY ONLY: 3 practices a week 2 weekdays (typically W, F) for 60 minutes; Sunday for 90 minutes
Spring Track and Field
VARSITY: 3 practices a week for 90 minutes (typically M, W, F); meets on Sundays
CLINIC: 2 practices a week for 60 minutes (typically M, W); meets on Thursdays or Fridays

Cross Country
2 practices a week for 1 hour; meets on Sundays

How are the Spring Track and Field meets run?

Event limitations:

Each competitor is allowed to compete in 4 events total, maximum 2 individual running events, the third running event would be a RELAY. Examples are 100/200/4×100/Long Jump. Or 100/Shot Put/Long Jump/4×100 (2 field events, 1 running event and relay is ok)

In dual meets (most of our meets are dual meets) each team has 3 scoring runners in the first heat of the 100m, 200m, and 400m. The first heat of RELAY is the scoring relay (A-relay). The following heats are non-scoring runners, but all the runners compete to better their personal times. 800m and the mile have unlimited entries; anyone can score. Shot put and long jump has 6 entries, for each age group.

All running and field events award 5-3-1 points for first, second and third place. Only the A-relay can score. For relays, it is all or nothing. 5 points or zero. All other relay teams in that age group are non-scoring, but they run to get a good time. We encourage all the kids to run in the relay.

Even though it is special to be a runner who gets to compete in the scoring heat, we want the athletes to focus on their own performance. It is great to see when an athlete improves his or her time (or mark) as a result of hard work in practice.

In addition to our regular meets, there is a Relay meet and the Championship meet. The relay meet consists of a 4×100, sprint medley (100,100, 200, 400) distance medley (800, 200, 400, mile), and a shot put relay. Select athletes will go to the relay meets. Athletes can compete in 3 of the 4 relays.

The championship meets consists of all the events of a regular dual meet. 2 athletes per event per age group will go to the championship meet.

Any athlete who is not going to the championship meet gets to compete in the open meet.

Event Placement

Age group coaches, together with our distance and field event coaches are responsible for deciding who is competing in a scoring heat during regular meets and who is going to the relay or championship meets. Performance and attendance at practice/meets are factors that help with those decisions.

Event placement in general: Your child should compete if he or she enjoys competing in. Some kids are pure sprinters, some love long distance, and others specialize in the field events. Many kids are somewhere in between, and some even enjoy running everything from the 100m to the mile. We want to help your kids to find the events that they: a) enjoy and b) are competitive in.

Sometimes we ask an athlete to help out the team and run in the event that has either no one else or only 1 or 2 other athletes in it. If you have any additional questions about event placement, do not hesitate to ask any of the coaches.

General reminders for meet and practices: Only Athletes, coaches and volunteers (timers and scorers) are allowed on the track and the infield. Volunteering as a scorer/timer or for the concession stand is a fun way to get to know the athletes and other track parents. Plus, your son or daughter will be excited to see you helping out.

What is the participant fee?

Registration Fee: $50 per child, plus a $40 booster fee. The $40 booster fee is refundable at the end of the season if a parent volunteers at home meets (e.g., race timing, field assistance, concession stand, or food donations). A SignUpGenius link will be distributed before the season for volunteer sign-ups.

What is the Code of Conduct?

Rockaway Township Youth Code of Conduct

How do I stay up to date on RT Racers?

Communication is through the “TeamSnap” app.
Website: www.rtracers.net
E-mail: rtracers@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/RTRacers