Event Chair's Checklist
Establish a timeline for your Junior Olympic event. What follows is a basic outline.
10 Months:
- Confirm event dates, coordinating with US SAILING, class associations and local sailing associations, so as not to conflict.
- Select key committee people (event chair, safety, race management, promotion, merchandise & other subcommittee chairs) and hold first organizational meeting.
- Meetings should be held at least once monthly thereafter. Develop event timeline or key date schedule.
- Develop event timeline or key date schedule.
- Download JO Events Manual from US SAILING web site. Distribute sections to key committee members.
9 Months:
- Complete preliminary detailed budget.
- Confirm classes of boats.
- Initiate sponsorship plan.
8 Months:
- Confirm remaining major project and subcommittee assignments.
- Make brief presentation to host club’s Board; announcement at membership meeting.
6 Months:
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Meet with the sponsor’s local representative. Determine ways in which the sponsor can get involved in your event. Ideas are included in the “Sponsorship” section.
- Establish a JO section on your club’s web site.
- Publish Notice of Race and/or flyer with separate entry form.
- Request a Safe Boating Campaign Kit from the National Safe Boating Council by e-mailing them at: campaign@safeboatingcouncil.org. One kit per JO event, on request, while supplies last.
4 Months:
- Draft & circulate Sailing Instructions.
- Hire a respected coach to lead your clinic (see list in the “Clinics/Learning” section).
3 Months:
- Issue initial publicity (see Publicity Timeline in “Promotion” section).
- Initiate media contact (particularly longer lead-time magazines).
- Complete initial grounds plan, social plan, ceremonies plan.
- Order all necessary outside equipment.
- Submit marine event permit (if not done previously).
- Develop a safety plan for both on and off the water.
- Place article in club newsletter.
- Set up your regatta on the US SAILING online event registration system.
2 Months:
- Order trophies (gold, silver, bronze medals provided by US SAILING for each fleet).
- Order T-shirts and other merchandise.
- Order wristbands (see info in “Registration” section).
- Dinner, entertainment reservations and orders.
- Dignitary invitations.
- Invite a local Olympic sailor to help give out awards.
1 Month:
- Final Sailing Instructions printed.
- Confirm personnel schedule.
- Confirm all equipment.
- Confirm chartered/borrowed boats, if applicable.
- Confirm final social, grounds, and ceremonies plans.
- Place event poster on club bulletin board (and around your town).
2 Weeks Prior to Entry Deadline:
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Call junior program directors ask how many sailors, instructors and coaches will be coming to your event.
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Process early registrations.
1 Week:
- Final event committee organizational meeting.
- All printed material available at event office and posted on web site.
- All on-site signs, banners, flags, posters, etc. ready for display.
- Set up venue.
- Confirm receipt of trophies, prizes, T-shirts, merchandise, and giveaways.
- Send updated publicity to media.
1 Day:
- Prepare final Scratch Sheets.
- Pack registration bags; set up registration stations.
First Race Day:
- Race committee/protest committee joint meeting; include visiting coaches/instructors.
- Competitors' meeting.
- Post results on your web site daily.
Post-Event
- Send results to local press.
- Write thank-you's to sponsors and volunteers .
- Hold post-mortem meeting.