Quick Scoring Solutions
We are looking to offer a service for busy organisers to take away the headache of complexity that is sporting fixtures especially multi-disciplined - this is a turnkey solution that caters for Entries, Data entry for Scoring and Online Publishing of results direct to Smartphones.
Sports currently covered
Dressage
Show Jumping
Eventing
Tetrathlon
Equestrian Triathlon
Planned Sports - Gymnastics (daughter currently does a lot of it) and shooting.
How does it Work?
This solution requires a google account (free) for the Entry side of things and the Data Entry for Scoring as well as mobile internet access at the event and/or WIFI access. (Without the internet this solution doesn’t work)
What does this include?
Secretarial solution
A data entry solution for all entries
The ability to create allocations for the event you are running together with times for Tetrathlon this would be the shooting and Swimming lane and target allocations - together with pdf files for target printing (modern inkjet printers will allow) timings, swim slips, detail and heat reports for publishing times.
The ability to create times for the riding and running phases as well as Running Numbers.
Online Entries Checker - as each entry is put onto the system a link is available to ensure correct names/classes and teams have been assigned (often a major cause of problems)
Data Entry Solution for Scores
The key benefit for this system allows the data entry for each phase to be done at the finish point of each phase reducing the time lost moving slips of paper around. That said you always need a manual backup to deal with queries.
This is the most fundamental aspect .. you need to be able to do this for rapid results as it removes the need for runners to get the sheets to a centralised scoring function.
The below example applies to Tetrathlon ..
Tetrathlon (numerical prefix “tetra” - meaning four) is a team and individual competition organised by the Pony Club for its members. It comprises Shooting, Swimming, Running and Riding. It is a variant of, and major recruiting ground for the Olympic sport Modern Pentathlon.
Competition levels progress with age. The Shoot involves shooting with air pistols at targets between 7 and 10 metres, the Swim is the distance swum in 2 to 4 minutes, the Run is normally cross country over a distance of between 1000m and 3000m, and the Ride is over a cross country course, the most exhilarating phase for many.
For Example, the entry for the shoot is completed on a dedicated google sheet and the data is ordered in shoot detail order .. so you only need to scroll up 12 competitors at a time to find the correct number to enter the score for. You enter the Target 1 then Target 2 score and the system will calculate the total and push to the total scoring for the event.
This is made easier through the use of a mobile phone with google sheets (free app) see below screenshots
Only Data entry in the orange fields is allowable .. all other fields/columns are locked.
Swimming data entry (at Pool side)
Shooting data entry
(by shoot scorer)
Beanie Scoring (as it happens)
Run Data Entry (based on Group running)
For the ride phase - especially if there are enclosed arenas for specific heights the scoring for the ride can occur as above … however for the timed courses and where the competitors ride cross country, it is possible to use mobile phone access of google sheets to enter data for each fence. This is very much dependent on the tech-savviness of the volunteers! We have run the riding before using a google form method of entering the starters and finishers as it is registering internet timing to then calculate potential time penalties. This then feeds into the master riding scoring sheet - screenshot as below.
This solution may require a shift in your volunteer approach …
Historically scoring has been via one person on one PC using Excel. However, more often than not there are multiple disciplines happening at the same time. This solution allows Bean Bag Data entry at the same time as the Shooting and at the same time as the swim. As each result is entered it is scored and posted straight to a unique website to your event. As well as automatically positioning each competitor and colour coding based on position.
This is fundamental - move the scoring of the targets as close to and if possible in the shooting range (it's quiet and no- one with bother you! Then have one of your target scorers/ checkers enter the score from each target as soon as you have it. Move the Swim data entry to poolside - as the swim distances are entered on the board enter them directly onto the google sheet. Similarly, with the Run, the ride is a little different however we have moved the scoring as close to XC control as possible for a collection of datasheets.
As this is one solution all competitor data is driven from the entry system - to the data entry for scoring - to publishing and scoring the results. So if you want to change someone's name - change it in the entry system .. that change is fed through the solution. If there is a withdrawal then a withdrawal field is marked with “Y” and it pushes this info through and formats the name with “W/D” to colour in Red.
Queries
Well, there will always be a query .. the key thing is to try and remove the emotion.
On the website with the results, there is an email query button that prompts the team manager to enter the grievance and send it through (with contact details) so that it can be answered promptly.
Prize Giving Communication
Similarly with Prize givings - when the scores are correct then you can publish the time and ensure that everyone can see when it is and dress accordingly.
Prizegiving Sheets
For the Prize-Giving a printout is available that provides the announcer in the relevant order to save scrolling up and down and making errors.
How do I get this solution?
If you are interested in this solution we are using a per event model (as each event is slightly different in the way it is run) so there will be a setup charge and a per competitor charge. We do this as we shall ensure the data is correct and we are forever updating with new features.
Setup Cost: £75
Cost per competitor DIY: £0.50 (assuming that you do the data entry for each new entry)
Cost per competitor Managed: £1.00 (you email the entries as they arrive with you, we shall input, sort the shooting, swimming details and email pdf’s ready for the printing of the targets, swim slips and running numbers.