MTFOA updates
President's report: General meeting Oct. 1 on Zoom
Greetings folks and I hope everyone remains safe and healthy. Thanks for your patience through these trying times and I wanted to assure you the MTFOA e-board is still working hard behind the scenes through this crisis. A few things for you to keep in mind as we commence with the season: -- We will be having a virtual Zoom general membership meeting on Oct. 1, 2020, for the first 100 members who log in. Zoom login info will be sent out soon. -- The Cross Country season is slated to commence about Sept. 18, 2020, although some smaller events have already commenced such as at Newton North HS on Labor Day. Please consult the MIAA, MSTCA and USATF websites for the latest information, mandates and updates on all three Track & Field seasons. -- We have two e-board vacancies as of Oct. 1, 2020. Deems Hatch and Dave Johns are coming off the board -- thanks guys for your service. Therefore, as chair of the nominating committee, I need nominations from the membership submitted to me by the end of business on FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 2020. Please email submissions to me at my new email address: skeyes@uhmproperties.com. I will review the nominations with the other nominating committee members so we can have the new members in place by Oct. 1, 2020. -- Lastly, there will be Cross Country and Track & Field season; although scaled back, there will be events contested. So please remember to pay your dues. Dues are again $80 and should be sent into Don Kirkland our treasurer. Best, Steven R. Keyes MTFOA, President |
Don't forget . . . dues are due
With the possibility of fall high school sports, including cross country, here’s a reminder that MTFOA dues are payable by Oct. 1. Dues for the 2020-2021 year are $80. A check for the dues should be sent to the secretary/treasurer: Don Kirkland III P.O. Box 15 North Salem, NH 03073 Checks should be made payable to Mass. Track & Field Officials Association (MTFOA). The annual general membership meeting, scheduled for Oct. 1, is on the agenda for the Sept. 10 executive board meeting. Stay tuned for information. Following is the MIAA press release on the athletic plan for 2020-2021. In particular, the Aug. 18 Joint Guidelines has good detail.
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Thomas Lonergan, official and coach, passes
Prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of MTFOA member Thomas J Lonergan https://www.ccgfuneralhome.com/obit/thomas-j.-lonergan Tom graduated from Dennis Yarmouth High School in 1973, where he met his wife Ellen. He played football, basketball and ran track. After graduation he accepted a track scholarship to UMass Amherst and competed on the track team, throwing the shot put and the discus. He received his teaching degree from U Mass, graduating with a BS in Education. In 1977 he started working for Hyannis Package Store, eventually purchasing Bass River Liquors in 1985 and sold in 1996. He eventually returned to DY in 1997 and coached football, spring track, winter track, girl’s basketball, and cross country. He held the school's shot put record for 4 decades until one of his athletes that he coached diligently broke the record in the early 2000s. Tom was instrumental in the success of both girls track athletes and boys track athletes. He worked for years in the DY special needs department always willing to try and help DY be a better place. Tom also worked for the Town of Dennis in the Beach Department beginning in 1998 during the summers and was a communicant of St. Pius X Church, South Yarmouth. Family was the most important thing to him. He married his High School sweetheart Ellen A. (Barry) Lonergan on September 24, 1977. In addition to Ellen he leaves his daughter Elizabeth A. Marsh and her husband Christopher of Yarmouth Port, two grandchildren Adam 5 and Kelsey 4. He also leaves a sister Anne I. Curley of Marstons Mills and two brothers John C. Lonergan of East Dennis and Paul J. Lonergan of Plymouth. He was predeceased by his parents, Mary E. (Walls) Lonergan and Thomas J. Lonergan. Services are private. In lieu of flowers gifts in his memory may be made to the American Heart Association. www.heart.org |
MIAA fall sports pushed back to Sept. 14
MIAA Board of Directors has voted unanimously to push back the beginning of all sports to Sept. 14. MIAA noted that final say on the start of fall sports will be based on guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It was noted that the start date is subject to change. One question still to be resolved is whether some sports will be allowed to start while others will be restricted. Cross country is considered to be a medium-risk sport and may be allowed but without end-of-season tournaments. For more complete coverage, see: Boston Globe -- https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/21/sports/miaa-votes-push-back-start-fall-sports-least-sept-14/ and https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/21/sports/miaa-votes-push-back-start-fall-sports-least-sept-14/ NFHS has issued guidelines specifically for cross country, USATFNE managing director Steve Vaitones notes. Massachusetts guidelines and restrictions may differ from the NFHS recommendation (i.e., more stringent). miaa.net/gen/miaa_generated_bin/documents/basic_module/NFHSCrossCountry2020Covid19considerations.pdf |
Technical officials education seminars offered
Memo to MTFOA Officials: NACAC TOECS SEMINARS APPRENTICE LEVEL Dear MTFOA Officials, Several MTFOA officials are participating in an officials seminar presented by the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC.) NACAC is one of the six area associations that make up the World Athletics (formerly the IAAF). The eight, apprentice level seminars were created by the Technical Officials Education and Certification System (TOECS), which was established by World Athletics. The Apprentice level is the first of three TOECS levels.
The seminars are not a replacement for the much more extensive training, but will give officials a good idea on what is involved. Although the online sessions are filled they are available to anyone with a Facebook account. The first session was held on Monday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m. EDT and the final session will be held Thursday. August 6 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Here’s the schedule. The seminars are LIVE streamed at the NACAC page on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/athleticsnacac/ Here are links to the first three sessions.
https://www.facebook.com/781100715316947/videos/199955584761463
https://www.facebookcom/781100715316947/videos/229570361440169
https://www.facebook.com/781100715316947/videos/307845357207743 If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me by email at jkuo@usatfne.org. Hope this helps. Thank you. -- Justin Kuo |
Linda George named MIAA Official of the Year
 “Please accept my heartfelt congratulations! Having been selected for this award among multiple candidates, you stood out based on your excellent character, positive impact upon students and officiating credentials. It is with pride we will honor you as a representative of this vitally important aspect of athletic competition. On behalf of MIAA student athletes, school administrators and parents, we thank you for representing all officials in your sport,” Pearson wrote in a congratulatory letter to Linda. “Although the COVID pandemic slowed everyone down during this past spring, forcing us to cancel our annual MIAA Game Official of the Year Banquet, we still selected a worthy official for each of our sports,” Pearson wrote. “Congratulations again for this most deserving and prestigious honor.” The Official of the Year Award will be presented to Linda on a date in the fall of 2020. |
Email blast for 6-10-20
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Email blast for 5-31-20: Marathon update
BAA MARATHON UPDATE Peter and I, as the MTFOA designated representatives to the BAA, were just as surprised as you were when the BAA 124th Marathon cancellation announcement was made last Thursday. Given the health conditions in which we currently live, we were NOT SURPRISED it was canceled but only by the timing. We join with you, all the participants and others directly and indirectly involved from both here and far and wide in expressing deep disappointment. For those MTFOA Officials assigned for the 124th, very sorry for all of us. Thank you for committing to your involvement. After many, many hours of planning and countess meetings, you can be assured that MTFOA was ready to and would “represent” in April, September or when ever the 124th was conducted. Now that the race will be conducted virtually in 2020, MTFOA has no role. Some questions have already come our way. Will MTFOA be involved in any way with the Virtual Race? Not at this time and not expected. What about the 125th next year? Too early to say but expect many changes given the “new normal’ that we can all expect. Social distancing, face masks, hygiene precautions, etc. are not going away. Will the number of Officials, roles and assignments change? See previous question and response. Reminder: Renew your USATF certification as an Official. Add LDR-Long Distance Running. What about the 2020 Officials’ jackets and other race swag? Good question as there is a lot of dated labelled materials in the BAA warehouse. Who knows? You can be sure that, as we always do, Peter and I will be looking out for the best interests of all MTFOA members. What next? Peter and I have a previously scheduled Organizing Committee zoom conference call on 6/17. We will continue to keep you informed of what we know. However, we do expect more surprises. BE SAFE and BE WELL. Peter Meagher Chris Lane II. Form up the final of the boy's Triple Jump. I have three different stages of work sheets. The first stage is forming up a final after the preliminaries. (solution). The second stage is scoring the event after the final. And finally the third stage will have completed results with an error for the official to try and catch before submitting to the referee. The third stage might be more interesting to the veteran official. Brian Moody |
Email blast for 5-25-20
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Senior member Bill MacKinnon passes
MTFOA regrets to inform you of the passing of Bill MacKinnon, a Senior-Life Member of the MTFOA. As an official Bill could always be counted on to give his very best to every officiating assignment. Our condolences are offered to his family and friends. https://www.currentobituary.com/obit/243759 William L. “Bill” MacKinnon, Sr. age 87 of Brockton died May 6, 2020 at his home under the care of his family and hospice. He was the loving husband of Carol A. (Draheim) MacKinnon for 64 years. Born in Boston and raised in Quincy, he had lived in Brockton for the last 58 years. Bill was a 1959 graduate of Boston College and received his Master’s in Education Degree from Lesley College. He had been a social studies teacher at Silver Lake High School for 35 years and was also the track coach at Silver Lake, Brockton High School and Bridgewater State College. His involvement in track enabled him to be a timer at the Boston Marathon, the Olympics in Atlanta and the Pan Am games in Indiana. Bill loved to be outdoors, camping and fishing. He will be remembered as a mentally strong man, hard worker and provider for his family. Bill was the father of William MacKinnon, Jr. and his wife Barbara of Bridgewater, Paul MacKinnon and his wife Susan of Charlton, MA; James MacKinnon and his wife Elizabeth of Marlboro, Gail Fiandaca and her husband Charles of Holbrook, Henry MacKinnon and his wife Jennifer of Fitchburg and Frederick MacKinnon and his wife Gail of Lakeville. He also leaves 14 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Burial will be held at a later date at the Mass National Cemetery in Bourne. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s name can be made to Myricks United Methodists Church of Berkeley, 93 Myricks Street, Berkley, MA 02779. |
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