I know I am biased, but Track n' Field is the greatest sport on earth! NCAA & ESPN were in heavy attendance for this meet and therfore certain measures were put in place to support a successful broadcast of the event on ESPN3. 

• Only Officials, athletes, coaches, volunteers, press, and other credentialed personnel were permitted on the floor. 
• Cell phones were not permitted by officiating crew (I was an umpire, meaning I officiate ALL the races. While this didn't bother me during races, I was unable to get a lot of the behind the scense content. The views you will see in the video below occured BEFORE or AFTER the event each day. )
• Officials, athletes, coaching staff, university personnel, & other key event related personnel were required to complete COVID 19 protocols PRIOR to the event. Therefore, masks were optional. It was up to individual descretion.

This years championship was JAM packed with action and excitement. If you are a fan of track n' field, there is nothing like being an umpire and being on the track as these amazing athletes WIZ by you! I got to witness up close and personal some of the US's and worlds best young talent. Honestly, there was NO PLACE I'd rather be this weekend, than on that track.  

Congrats to University of Texas who took home the Men's Team Title & University of Florida claiming the women's title for the first time in 30 years!  Indoor season has come to a close and I am looking forward to a safe and successful outdoor season!

Episode 2 of this mini vlog is all about TRAVEL. As with any travel, you have your ups & Downs.  My trip this week had both early rise and departure times.  Officials take many factors in when deciding how to travel to a meet. 

• Home Location
• Location of the Meet
• Equipment necessary for assigned Event/Role
• Cost of travel
  • Driving
  • Flying

For this trip I opted to fly but an unexpected hiccup in my travels, put me on the road for my return HOME :(

My first travel day was pretty uneventful, however I met an awesome new friend @rachtherealestatebae on my flight to Atlanta. Looking forward to having her on a future episode of Madic Monday as she has some travel stories she can't wait to share! 

Follow my Mini Vlog as I travel as an Official for the D1 NCAA Indoor National Track N' field Championships. Episode 1 is all about packing.

Everyone has their travel essentials. But for officials, depending on the assignment, it means packing equipment in order to have a fair & successful meet. During this weekend's meet, I will be serving as an Umpire for all running events. My equipment for this indoor meet will consist of:

• ​Red, White, & Yellow Flags
• USATF Officials Photo ID & Membership Card
• Lanyard
• Clipboard
• Pencils, pens
• Official Rulebook
• Khaki Pants or Shorts
• Sneakers

Most, if not all officials, provide and fund their own equipment. If you have ever participated in a track meet, most of the equipment you see at the meet, are owned by the officials themselves! Often times, we don't rely on the facility to have the equimpment that meets the ever changing standards of Official rulebooks. 
I chose to travel by plane this meet as an 8 hour drive one way, wouldn't fit into my remote working schedule.

CLICK the LINK to find out more about being a Certfied USATF Offical. Not interested in Officiating but still want to support USA Track N' Field, CLICK the LINK to become a member!