Electronic Start System Guide
We will be using an electronic starting system for the Oakland County Meet instead of a starting pistol. Oxford is graciously loaning us the system they use. The electronic starting system has been successfully used in middle school dual meets, high school dual meets, high school invitationals, MITCA team championship, MHSAA regional meets and the MHSAA Division 1 State Finals. This year even more schools have purchased and used the system. Talk to your starting officials and they will mention how hard and costly it has been to purchase starting shells. Even more importantly, after seeing and hearing the electronic start system, you will notice it is more equitable for all athletes. Everyone can hear the start, not just the athletes closest to the starter. Especially for that 4x200 and 4x400 where the athletes are so spread out.
Below is a series of videos showing the electronic start system in use at an 8 lane track for a dual meet. The system is set up on a wagon with 2 speakers.
The first video is a normal 100 meter start. The 2nd video is a pretend false start of the 100 meter to hear what the recall sounds like. The third video is an example of the 4x200 start. This is taken from the perspective of lane 2 with the starter and sound system located out by lane 7 in the distance. Even at that distance the start can be heard.
For the county meet, we will be using 4 speakers for the 4x200 and 4x400 to insure even at a large invitational, all athletes will be able to hear the start.
Thank you to Oxford and Sashabaw Middle Schools and our pretend false starter for giving us example videos to use.