photo by Doug Speck
Student Volunteers such as those above from Rosemead HS made it possible for
the Southern California Association of USA Track and Field to successfully host the
2007 USATF National Junior Olympic National Championships

From Chuck Lyons:
Volunteers at USA Track and Field Junior Olympics National Championships at Mt SAC included, among many others, four girl runners from Rosemead High (from left above picture) Elizabeth Lyons, Ninfa Galeana, Fanny Trujillo and Daniela Martinez. They volunteered "unattached" to contribute to the sport and have fun watching a lot of top athletes in the USA. Also, not volunteering the day of this picture were a boys sprinter from Upland High and a girls distance runner from California High in Whittier.

One USA Track and Field Coordinator said they appreciated the high school volunteers. She said usually they only have a very few high school volunteers so they appreciated the help this year and the high school volunteers got to see some national record performances while giving back to the sport. One official welcomed high school volunteers and encourages more to volunteer in the future at cross country and track and field events at all levels.

Doug Speck
DyeStatCal Editor
The National USATF Junior Olympic competition is one that has to require volunteers that total many more than a few hundred.  Besides the actual event officials, who surprisingly appear to be from all across the country, the stadium staff and individual event assistance (rakers, bar placers, etc.) are positions that need to be filled locally if the event is to be a success.  Whether it is the pace of life in Southern California, economic pressures, lack of spare time with busy jobs, or whatever, a huge issue in the future of all athletics is the continuity of volunteers and others to do important jobs at these events.  Just during the four that I served as an Athletic Director after 2000 a huge developing issue was the future of high school officiating, with those people paid for their time, but often having to arrive at 2:45-3 pm for a 3:15 p.m. event.  Ten or fifteen years down the road I am not sure what we will be doing, as if one looks at the age of Track and Field offiicating volunteers and other sport refs and officials it seems that a crisis will take place when the current generation of officials signs out at the end of their careers with the young people.  Those who volunteered at the JO's are to be saluted, and we expect the CIF and other groups needing to set up some programs to attract folks who enjoyed sports while they were students to give back to the activities when they are done with their schooling as volunteers or officials.  We cannot have the competitions without someone willing to step up and give their time.   

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