{"id":90040,"date":"2022-10-28T13:37:25","date_gmt":"2022-10-28T20:37:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trackandfieldnews.com\/?post_type=article&p=90040"},"modified":"2022-10-28T13:37:25","modified_gmt":"2022-10-28T20:37:25","slug":"from-the-editor-11-22-10-ways-to-enhance-your-enjoyment-of-the-sport","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/trackandfieldnews.com\/article\/from-the-editor-11-22-10-ways-to-enhance-your-enjoyment-of-the-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"FROM THE EDITOR \u2014 10 Ways To Enhance Your Enjoyment Of The Sport"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"THIS COLUMN IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU some \u201csecrets\u201d for enhancing your meet-going experience, but if you\u2019re reading Track & Field News<\/em> you\u2019ve obviously already achieved nirvana, so what\u2019s possibly left to tell you? (Insert smiley face here.)<\/p>\n

Seriously, even though most of us do think of track & field as an entertainment as good as it gets, why not consider ways to make it even better?<\/p>\n

Here, in no particular order, are 10 ways \u2014 some perhaps obvious, some off the wall \u2014 to increase your enjoyment of the sport (much of this material appeared in my column of July \u201902):<\/p>\n

1. Don\u2019t sit close to the track<\/strong>
\nSitting down close, even at the finish line, is \u2014 just like center court or the 50-yard line \u2014 way overrated. If you really want to watch races develop, or follow the field events, sit high up.<\/p>\n

Even consider sitting on the backstretch, near the 1500 start. That\u2019s an amazing vantage point, drawing the cognoscenti. You get a perspective that allows you to watch the drama play out all the way up the homestretch.<\/p>\n

2. Think of the sport as field & track<\/strong>
\nUnskilled announcers and poor visual aids make this a tough one, but if you can, learn to enjoy the ebb and flow of the jumps and throws. How? Chart the event yourself, if the data is available.<\/p>\n

3. Bring a non-fan to a meet<\/strong>
\nNot only will you have the chance to create new followers, you can also boost your ego by being expert-for-a-day. Cultivate your kids\/grandkids, if you\u2019re of an age. But be sure to choose the meet wisely and be prepared to leave early no matter the age of your guest. It doesn\u2019t take all that long for many meets to take on a \u201cis it over yet?\u201d persona.<\/p>\n

4. Join or create a fantasy league<\/strong>
\n\u201cOwning\u201d athletes is a real kick in the pants (and sometimes in the head).<\/p>\n

5. Volunteer to work a meet<\/strong>
\nThe sport gives lots to you; give something back, even if it\u2019s just raking the pit. Better yet, think about becoming an official, a commodity we\u2019re woefully short on in most places.<\/p>\n

6. Combine going to meets with tourism<\/strong>
\nNo matter where you live, or how little time you have, there are always things worth stopping to see on your way there and\/or back.<\/p>\n

7. Take in both ends of the sport\u2019s spectrum<\/strong>
\nIf you like high school track, with all its purity, camaraderie and unfettered emotion, step all the way up to an NCAA or USATF Championships. Be blown away by the athletic talent those at the top end exhibit.<\/p>\n

Conversely, if you\u2019re jaded by years on the DL Circuit, go and watch an elementary-school field day. The sight of those uncoordinated little critters giving their all will bring tears to your eyes.<\/p>\n

8. Forget you\u2019re a T&FN<\/em> reader when you watch track on TV.<\/strong>
\nThis is not a slam at the tube folks, because they really do try hard. But they\u2019re pitching the sport at a wide demographic, one that\u2019s not remotely track savvy. Be thankful for what you get and revel in the fact that you understand the sport better than 99.99% of the populace.<\/p>\n

9. Go out to dinner with other fans after a meet<\/strong>
\nIf you enjoyed the meet the first time round, you\u2019ll enjoy it even more when you rehash a race, or fight over what strategy might have helped Runner A beat Runner B. Do debates: did Devon Allen really deserve his false-start DQ at the World Championships?<\/p>\n

10. Keep subscribing to T&FN<\/em><\/strong>
\nThis last is obviously a bit self-serving, and comes from a biased source. But I wouldn\u2019t say it if I didn\u2019t believe that we continue to bring joy to all those who follow us. \u25fb\ufe0e<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

THIS COLUMN IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU some \u201csecrets\u201d for enhancing your meet-going experience, but if you\u2019re reading Track &… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":13524,"menu_order":1433,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"issuem_issue":[1160],"issuem_issue_categories":[52,31],"issuem_issue_tags":[],"class_list":["post-90040","article","type-article","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","issuem_issue-november-2022","issuem_issue_categories-departments","issuem_issue_categories-from-the-editor"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFROM THE EDITOR \u2014 10 Ways To Enhance Your Enjoyment Of The Sport - Track & Field News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/trackandfieldnews.com\/article\/from-the-editor-11-22-10-ways-to-enhance-your-enjoyment-of-the-sport\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"FROM THE EDITOR \u2014 10 Ways To Enhance Your Enjoyment Of The Sport - Track & Field News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"THIS COLUMN IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU some \u201csecrets\u201d for enhancing your meet-going experience, but if you\u2019re reading Track &... 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