Another source for meets that accept masters
At least once a month someone writes me to ask: Where can I compete in my area? Usually, I refer them to the meet calendar on this site or their local USATF association. Now I’ve found another rich source of meets that are masters-friendly: directathletics.com.
If you click on the link “Open to Individuals,” you get the first of many pages of track meets that let open athletes compete. This includes us.
Lots of pickings. The first screen alone shows meets in Kansas, Ohio, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Oregon and California. Cool!
Through a drop-down menu, you also can search a database of meets in your state.
Since meet directors input the information, often including links to their meet Web site, you cen be pretty sure that if a meet allows “individual,” it won’t make an issue of older age-groupers.
Of course, you have to input your own info to gain complete access to the database and the ability to enter the meet online. But it’s free. A small price to pay.
Here’s how the company describes itself:
Based in Boston, MA, DirectAthletics provides online entry services and Web-based automation tools for data-intensive sports such as Swimming, Track & Field and Road Racing.
We believe that these sports have inherent time-consuming tasks and complexities that can be easily overcome by using the latest Web-based technologies. Building on proven experience, DirectAthletics has streamlined the meet entry and data management processes of customers large and small. DirectAthletics is the official online partner of Hy-Tek Sports Software, the leader in desktop and PDA software for Track & Field and Swimming.
Their idea isn’t new, of course. Long-distance road events have been doing online calendars and signups for years. And USATF has a limited number of meets with online entry (usually through active.com). But it’s nice to see a site specialize in track and field.
Lemme know if you’ve had experience with any other online registration system for masters or open track meets — and the good and bad of it.
Related posts:
- Source: Masters shot field to showcase some of nation’s best
- USATF is go-to source for masters meet calendars
- IAAF taking WMA’s place as source of masters news?
- California masters meets offer Fantasy Track venues
