Covington 2009/10: The 50th LASD Junior Olympics

March 3, 2010

The 50th LASD Junior Olympics - Latest Update

50 Years of Olympic Spirit: Community, Competition, Camaraderie

Junior Olympics - Mountain View High School - April 24, 2010

You've already saved the DATE. Now, here are more DETAILS.

On March 5, there will be an assembly for the 4^th through 6^th grade students at which time, Principal Green, their teachers and parent volunteers will provide an overview of the Junior Olympics. Training for the events described in the attached list will begin Thursday, March 11 in your child's normal P.E. periods. All children will be asked to pick three events in which to participate. They will also be asked to participate in 4 timed 75 yard dash trials, and those children with the fastest times will be invited to participate on grade level relay teams. Participation is completely voluntary. Based on past experience, kids have a great time since the J.O. event is the culmination of their training in PE and a chance to shine and go for a personalbest in an athletic event.

So you ask, how can parents support their children and enhance their participation in this memorable annual District-wide event??

We suggest the following three basic steps:

Get Informed - Attached is a description and schedule of events. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact your co-chairs.

Get Involved -Junior Olympics could not happen without the dedicated support of so many parents. Being part of JO can be so much fun! Please review the volunteer time slots available to Covington parents and let us know how you want to help on April 24^th. Return this form to the Covington office in the Junior Olympics cubby or email your choices to teresecal@aol.com by Friday, April 2.

Get out your child's Junior Olympic T-shirt - In keeping with tradition, the Covington PTA purchases J.O. T-shirts for all 4^th grade students and new students in the 5^th and 6^th grades in a set size: ADULT SMALL. Wearing this T-shirt radiates school pride and generates school spirit among the athletes and spectators. Students must wear these t-shirts to compete in their events. Please see the attached flier for more details. If you need to change the set size or order other J.O. T-shirts, please respond by Friday, March 26^th.

Thank you for your Support,

Your Co-chairs: Kathleen Vitakis, @ vitakis@pacbell.net

Rachel Botsford, @Rachel.botsford@sbcglobal.net;

Terese Blockhus, @ teresecal@aol.com

DESCRIPTION OF JUNIOR OLYMPICS SCHEDULE AND EVENTS

We need to have all participants ready for opening ceremonies at 8:45AM in the MVHS main parking lot. The opening ceremony begins at 9:00 am with a parade of all district participants around the high school track. Individual events begin at 9:35 am, with the exception of the early morning 1320 run, which takes place prior to Opening Ceremonies on the day of Junior Olympics. Participants in the 1320 event should plan to be at Mountain View High School no later than 7:30 am on April 24. Events conclude in the early afternoon allowing all families and students to observe the relay team competitions. Participants receive a souvenir award and first through sixth place ribbons will be awarded in all events. The "Covington School Tent" will be available for students to congregate and "take a break".

Please remember, your kids need guidance in good rest, nutrition, and the benefits of training and appropriate, safe attire. And, you, our parent volunteers, are essential to ensuring that all event preparation tasks and event day activities are executed and completed successfully. We strongly encourage you to make this year's Junior Olympics a family event! Come cheer on all of our fantastic children!

Below is just an overview of the events. A detailed training guide will be distributed to volunteers at the Train-the-Trainers sessions and during training by P.E. Specialists. If you would like one, please see your school representative or call one of the chairpersons.

BASKETBALL FREE THROWS:

Score is counted by number of baskets made out of 12 attempts. 4th graders are allowed to use the 12 foot line, 5th graders are allowed to step or jump over the foul line (the 15 foot line) and 6th graders will use the 15 foot line. Two practice throws will be given.

CHIN-UPS:

Using either grasp (palms facing you or palms away from you, or mixed grip), hang from hands on a high horizontal bar so that the body is vertical and the extended toes not touching the floor or ground. By bending the elbows, raise body until the chin is raised above the bar. Relax arms, lower body until arms are fully extended before "chinning" the bar. Repeat until limit is reached. No swinging of body while chinning. One attempt is given.

STANDING LONG JUMP:

The feet may be placed in any position up to, but not touching, the starting line but shall leave the mat only once in making an attempt to jump. Rocking forward and backward, that is, lifting heels and toes alternately from the ground, is permitted but both feet must leave the mat at the same time. Measurement is made from the starting line to the nearest mark on the mat by any part of the body at the completion of the jump. (Use heel, not ball of foot in marking.) A separate area will be provided for practice jumps. Two official jumps are given. Judges must consistently double-check for false starts.

SOFTBALL THROW:

A softball is thrown from behind a line, and the distance is measured from the line to the first mark made by the fall of the ball. An unlimited run is permitted, but the thrower must not cross the line in making the throw. Two throws are allowed. An 11-inch softball is to be used.

30 SECOND ROPE JUMPING:

Student uses individual rope, hanging from hands at hips with rope touching the ground behind the feet (rope should be turned forward). On a signal, the student jumps as many times as possible within the time limit. It is important to anticipate the speed of counting and judgment of both feet clearing the rope at once for one count. STUDENTS MAY JUMP WITH BOTH FEET SIMULTANEOUSLY OR IN A JOGGING FASHION, ALTERNATING FEET. The rope clearing the feet is the count. If a student misses, he again starts with the rope behind his feet as at the beginning and the count is continued. Time: 30 seconds. One attempt is given, with the total number of jumps counted, regardless of the number of misses. This event requires two counters per jumper and a timer. The official score will be the average of the scores of the two counters.

RUNNING EVENTS

Note: No cleats, spikes, soccer shoes, track shoes, or bare feet. Students should warm up and stretch prior to each event.

75 YARD DASH:

A standing start, crouch, or sprinter's start may be used (no starting blocks are used). Runners must stay in lanes and should sprint through the finish line. If they veer into another lane or have a third false start they are disqualified.

60 YARD HURDLES:

Three sets of 24" hurdles are spaced 15 yards apart with a 15-yard run to the finish tape. Runners must stay in lanes and should sprint through the finish line. If they veer into another lane or have a third false start they are disqualified.

1320 YARD RUN:

Runners will run on grass and finish on the track. They need to run relaxed using a consistent pace. They do not have to stay in lanes but are not allowed to cut in front of and cause another runner to break stride. Please remember that this event takes place prior to Opening Ceremonies on the day of Junior Olympics. Participants in the 1320 event should plan to be at Mountain View High School no later than 7:30 am on April 24.

400 METER RELAY:

The 400 uses a staggered start, with each of the four runners going approximately 100 meters (4 x 100 = 400). Each team runs the whole race in its lane. The baton must be passed within the passing zone or the team is disqualified. A dropped baton can be retrieved and the race continued. When retrieving a baton or at any point in the race if a team member obstructs another team's runner (causes them to break stride) the team is disqualified.

TRAINING

Training will be initiated and run by the District P. E. Department at every school at the same time to insure that all students have an equal chance of success. Each school will train two times a week during regularly scheduled P.E. times. P.E. Specialists will be assisted by parent volunteers who attend a Training-the-Trainers session. P.E. Specialists will time each child at least once prior to formation of relay teams. Relay teams are trained by parent volunteers outside of school hours or during lunchtime and all schools will begin relay training at the same time. See Training Guidelines for more details.

New t-shirts, confirmed event selections and more detailed information about the day will be sent home two days before the event on Thursday, April 22.

Junior Olympic Volunteer Opportunities

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Below you will find several ways that you can help as a volunteer at the LASD Junior Olympics. Please review the attached order of events to help you with selecting a shift time that works with your child's participation schedule. Please return this form to the Covington Office in the Junior Olympics box by, Friday, April 2, or email your selections to Terese Blockhus @ teresecal@aol.com.

Basketball Free Throw Shift Times

Shifts : 4^th grade girls 9:25-10:15 5^th grade girls 10:45-11:35 6^th grade girls 12:05-12:55

4^th grade boys 10:05-10:55 5^th grade boys 11:25-12:15 6^th grade boys 12:45-1:35

1. Set-up (4 people) 7:30-8:30 am

2. Counter (6 per shift) Counting individual free throws

3. Sign-in table (1 per shift) Sign in volunteers and manage any issues

Food Sales and Covington Tent Shift Times

Shifts: 8:00 - 9:30AM 9:20-11:30AM 11:20-1:30PM 1:20-3:30PM

3. Set-up (2 people) 8:00-9:00 AM and Clean-up (2 people) 3:30-5:00 PM

4. Food (4 per shift) Help with selling at food booths.

5. Covington School Tent (1-2 per shift) Be a friendly face and help students as needed.

Set-up/Clean-up Shifts

6. Clean-up 1:45-2:30PM (2-3 People) Clean up basketball free throw event in gym

3:30-5:00PM (3-4 People) General clean-up of facility, Take down Tent

Name ____________________________ Email :______________________________

Phone number : ___________________ Cell number : _________________________

1^st Position Choice: Time:

2^nd Position Choice : Time:

Welcome 4^th Graders and New Covington Students

to the Junior Olympics - April 24^th

Keeping up the tradition, the Covington PTA will purchase Junior Olympic T-shirts for all students in 4^thGrade, and new students in 5^th and 6^thGrades. We expect that most 5^th and 6^th graders will re-use the shirts they received in prior years. Participating and wearing your T-Shirt at the Junior Olympics radiates school pride and generates school spirit among the athletes and spectators. Join in the spirit!

A default T-shirt size has been selected for your student.

Default Sizes

4^th Grade Adult Small

5^th Grade Adult Small

6^th Grade Adult Small

Default size can be changed by filling out and returning the form below.
T-Shirts will be delivered to students via their classrooms on Thursday, April 22^nd.
T-Shirts should be worn to the April 24^th Jr. Olympics
T-Shirts should be preserved for future Jr. Olympics
Replacement or Additional T-shirts can be purchased for $13.00
Questions/Comments can be sent to Kathleen Vitakis, @ vitakis@pacbell.net

Email vitakis@pacbell.net or Return Form to Office by Fri., March 26^th

Los Altos Junior Olympics Order of Events

Event

8:15

9:00

9:35

10:15

10:55

11:35

12:15

12:55

1:45

2:15

2:40

3:05

3:25

1320 Yard Run

6,5,4 Girls/Boys

Opening Ceremony

All Teams

75 Yard Dash

60 Yard Hurdles

Softball Throw

30 Second Jump Rope

Standing Long Jump

Basketball Free Throw

400 meter Relay- Blue

5,4,6 G/B

Finals: 75 Yard Dash

5,4,6 G/B

Finals: 60 Yard Hurdles

5,4,6 G/B

400 meter Relay-White

5,4,6 G/B

400 meter Relay- Red

5,4,6 G/B

Chin Ups

9:3 5 - 1 2:1 5 O P E N T O A L L