Daniel qualifies at Wilmington, Delaware

Daniel Tulloch's Kindergarten Picture in 2011

Daniel was just coming off of an illness. He went to the doctors on Friday, the day before the meet to be treated. He felt good enough to run Saturday morning. All we needed for him to do was to qualify for the West Chester Association Meet on June 25, 2011. Stephanie, Daniel’s mother did not go to Delaware. Daniel’s brother was also ill and she stayed home with him. I did not know if Daniel was going to want to run. But when I arrived at his home, Daniel was at the door, ready to jump in the car to go run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSpv0UyYbqk

Sub-Bantam 800 Meter Run at the Delaware Qualifier 2011

Daniel’s time was 4 minutes 9.2 Seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1yp0II7cUs

Sub-Bantam 1500 Meter at Delaware Preliminary Meet

Daniel’s time was 9 minutes, 40.33 Seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skNK_jVcu08

Sub-Bantam 400 Meter Delaware Preliminary Meet

Daniel’s time was 1 minute, 58.47 Seconds.

Many people question me after watching Daniel’s videos because they don’t understand organized Track and Field.

How USATF Works

Most people see Track and Field on TV and think that what they see is the way Track and Field is performed. All they see is the finals of an event. Usually, the people on TV talk about the first place winner then go on to the next event. Nothing is said about the steps to get to that meet. Nothing is said about the trails, semi-finals, or the qualifications for the finals. This gives people the impression that anyone can come to any track meet, say that they want to participate, and then participate in the event of their choice. Nothing is further from the truth.

In order to be involved in organized Track and Field like Hershey Youth, USATF or AAU, athletes must follow the rules of the organization and the rules of the Track Meet. Looking at USATF, Daniel must follow, National Rules, Region Rules, Association Rules, and meet rules. These are rules above the rules of running a race or participating in a field event. Meet rules are sometime given to athletes in writing. At the beginning of the meet, the meet director calls a coach’s meeting to go over meet rules. For example, when Daniel ran at Bethel Park, Pa., they told us that any athlete caught outside the meet area and in Bethel Park High School will be disqualified from the meet. That is a meet rule.

Qualifications

USATF as well as other organizations runs males and females within age groups. Hershey Youth starts at age 9. USATF and AAU start earlier. All limit what events an athlete can participate in according to age group. All three organizations have a qualifying meet. This is the meet that allows an athlete to get into the organizations system. Daniel started in an age group called Sub-Bantam (7 and below) in the USATF Outdoor Track Program. He ran in the Delaware Preliminary meet getting first through six place in no more than three events that is set aside for children age 7 or less. He could run in the Philadelphia Preliminary or the North East Preliminary Meets. He is now qualified to move up to the Mid-Atlantic Association Meet on June 25, 2011.

Daniel can only run in the 400 Meter, 800 Meter, and 1500 Meter Run in the Mid-Atlantic Association Meet because this is what he qualified for in the Preliminary. He will run against other Sub-Bantam boys that qualified in the Philadelphia Preliminary and the North East Preliminary Meets. Children who place first through six will go on to run in the USATF Region 2 Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships at California University PA., from July 7 thru July 10, 2011. The children who qualify in the Mid-Atlantic Association, the Three Rivers Association, New Jersey Association, and the Niagara Association will participate. This is as far as Sub-Bantam children will go except for children that will be age 7 by December 31, 2011.

The top 5 individuals in individual events and the top 2 in combined events qualify to advance to the USATF National Junior Olympics. Third place in combined events must meet the Junior Olympic Standard.

The 2011 USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships will be held in Wichita, Kansas. Children from Sixteen Regions who qualified to be at this meet will participate. Below is a link to the Nationals. Here you will find information about each Region.

http://www.usatf.org/events/2011/USATFJuniorOlympicTFChampionships/results/