The Chief Marshal
The marshals table is one of our favourites but also one of the more challenging roles. If you like being right in the mix of things, this role will suit you down to the ground. The job is to essentially make a note of the weight changes that the coaches/athletes make for their lifts and then make a note of it on the computer system so that the speaker, loaders, and audience know that the next lift will be. Simple right? I mean, what could possibly go wrong???
Well, a lot, especially as this is competitive weightlifting. Some lifters/coaches, like to play the weight changes like a game of poker. Forcing other lifters out or trying to catch them unprepared. Or they could be trying to buy their lifter extra time by using all their allocated changes which causes the clock to stop. All of this means that you will have to be on the ball when coaches make changes, as it’s often down to the wire in regards of time allowed to make those changes. A video explaining the athlete card and the making changes on a computer system will be made available soon, but in the meantime, here are some key points that we always find useful when marshalling alone, as well as when you have an assistant.
First job:
- Always pack a bunch or red and black pens.
- First port of call is to check the athlete cards weights against the computer system.
- Go through and check that the total of the athletes’ openers are within the 20kg rule (see Technical Officials 20kg rule)
- Check/fill in the athlete card with the lot numbers.
- Print athlete surname in large letters at the top of the athlete card making it easily identifiable.
- Speak to the coaches and make sure you tell them what system you’re using and ask if they have any questions. Make sure you tell them that they must sign athlete card each lift.
During the comp:
- It sounds silly, but make sure the coach changes the right athlete card. It’s often good to try and learn who the coach has as their athletes. But an easy solution is to repeat the athlete’s name and weight increase back to the coach.
- Make sure they sign the athlete card every time.
- Reiterate the 30 second rule for weight changes when on a 1 min clock and a 2 min clock if needed.
- Keep an eye on the clock and remember, if the coach signs the athlete card before the 30 second cut off, but you do not enter the weight in time on the computer (which will block you), the coach is in the right, and you will need to overrule the computer system to make the change. Remember, if the coach signs the athlete card in time, the athlete card trumps you not getting the change in on the computer in time.
- Conversely, if the coach misses the cut off, there is no leeway. They forfeit the ability to make any changes for that attempt.
- On a 2 min clock (lifter following themselves), the coach MUST acknowledge the declared weight WITHIN THE FIRST 30 SECONDS, or they will forfeit all changes for that attempt. This is often a rule new coaches miss which is why it’s always good to introduce yourself prior to the start of the session and make sure they are comfortable with the athlete card and time rules.
- Remember that an athlete has a declaration weight as well as 2 changes per lift. This means that they can declare a weight for their next attempt within the first 30, and then still make 2 more changes.
- If an athlete makes their lift and the automatic increment goes on, but the coach doesn’t sign the auto increment, cross out the declaration weight box. This means that the coach/athlete only has the 2 changes rather than the declaration weight plus the 2 changes.
- An attempt cannot be lowered to a weight that has already been lifted by another lifter.
- An attempt cannot be lowered by a lifter if the clock has already started for their own attempt at a higher weight.
- Pens: Controversial topic.
- The marshal uses RED.
- The coaches/athletes use BLACK.
- Personally, if I am marshalling on my own, I prefer having 1 black pen on the table and I am controlling who has access to it. This helps when lots of changes take place at the same time as the coaches wait in turn. I make it clear to them that they will all get their changes in, but to remain calm. The way you should deal with changes is that its always the next lifter that you change on the system first. Any coach making changes to a lifter who has 10 mins before the go out can wait for confirmation. I always have more available, but one is always in my hand ready to give to the coach.
- When the coach comes over to make a change, I always hold the pen with the tip in the box they need to fill in and say ‘weight and sign please’.
- If you have an assistant, split the roles. 1 person controls the athlete cards, the other does the computer.
- We tend to hold the ‘current’ lifters athlete card to one side and hand this to the coach after the lift rather than them rushing over hunting for it.
- If needed, put more pens out on the desk but remember to re-emphasise that they need to be patient if there are lots of changes taking place.
- Calling order of the Athletes
- It’s important for the Chief Marshal to understand the calling order of the Athletes, so that you are aware which coach will have priority when needing to make adjustments to the athlete cards and OWL system. The scoreboard will update automatically, but you can predict further ahead into the running order by following these rules;
- The athletes are called in line with the weight they are lifting on the barbell, ie. the athlete attempting the lightest weight on the barbell will be called first, followed by the next lightest and so forth.
- If the two or more athletes are due to attempt the same weight, the athlete with the least amount of attempts will be called first. for example if Athlete A. is lifting 50kg for attempt 3 and Athlete B is lifting the same weight but for attempt 2, Athlete B will be called first, followed by Athlete A.
- The sequence or order of the previous attempts will also impact calling order, with the lifter who lifted earliest being called first.
- Where both athletes are attempting the same weight as a first attempt, the athlete who has been assigned the lowest lot number, will go first.
- It’s important for the Chief Marshal to understand the calling order of the Athletes, so that you are aware which coach will have priority when needing to make adjustments to the athlete cards and OWL system. The scoreboard will update automatically, but you can predict further ahead into the running order by following these rules;
Summary:
It can get overbearing at times and when a coach leaves it to the last second to sign the athlete card and you miss the change on the computer, it can be stressful. But stay calm, don’t panic. You can call a Marshal Stop so that you can get the changes needed in and the order right. The last thing we want is for the wrong lifter to be called or a lifter to be called with the wrong weights. Finally, these 5 tips really help us all the time when marshalling:
- Check the athlete cards to the start weights on the computer and that they adhere to the 20kg rule.
- Repeat the changes and the athlete’s name back to the coach making the change as confirmation.
- Make sure they sign the athlete card. Their signature is proof they requested the change.
- Remember to keep an eye on the clock.
- And lastly, stay calm and enjoy it.