As a sports enthusiast, Olympiads are an ideal activity to organise with friends, family or even colleagues. The great thing about Olympiads is that they can be held almost anywhere, as long as you have enough space! All you need is creativity, motivation and a bit of preparation.
Here are a few tips and tricks for organising a friendly, sporting and competitive Olympiad worthy of the Olympic Games.
Summary
1. All about Olympiads
The Olympiads are sports competitions that take their name from the Olympic Games, the most prestigious international sport event. They are the result of a long history dating back to Greek antiquity, where athletes competed in various disciplines to honour the gods, sometimes to the point of death. Today, the Olympiads occur at multiple levels, from local competitions to national and international events. Organising Olympiads is the perfect opportunity to get together with friends or family or for a day dedicated to sport.
2. Where to hold Olympiads?
As mentioned, Olympiads can be held in various locations, including gymnasiums, city parks, fields, municipal sports facilities like stadiums and aquatic centres, etc.
The choice of venue will, of course, depend on the size of the event, the number of participants, the kind of activities planned and the budget planned for your event.
3. What activities and sports should be planned for Olympiads?
When organising Olympiads, you need to plan a number of activities and sports to offer a wide range of trials. In general, the most common sports are athletics, football, swimming and basketball, to name just a few. However, it’s also worth including less common activities to bring diversity, such as volleyball, badminton, table tennis, archery and so on. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of activity ideas:
- Running : Organise races of various distances to accommodate all age groups and sporting levels. You can include individual races, team relays and even obstacle courses.
- Football : Organise a football tournament where different teams compete against each other, like a mini-tournament on a small field over a period of ten minutes.
- Basketball : Set up a basketball tournament in teams of 3 to 5, where teams compete in games lasting around ten minutes to allow time for each event. Make sure you have adequate space for basketball courts.
- Swimming : If you have a swimming pool, organise swimming competitions in different categories, such as breaststroke or crawl. You can also offer relay races for team trials.
- Outdoor activities : Add outdoor activities such as archery, tug-of-war, sack races, javelin throwing, frisbee, table tennis and so on. This will bring more variety to the sports offered, even for less athletic people.
4. What is the best time to organise Olympiads?
Olympiads are ideally organised on warm and sunny days. It’s therefore important to take into account school calendars, vacation periods and weather conditions.
Also take the time to check whether other major sport events are scheduled for the same period, so as not to enter into direct competition with them. Finally, check with your local authorities (town council, department…) to make sure you can organise the Olympiads in full legality and conformity.
5. Equipment and logistics
The key to a successful Olympiads is good logistics management. Make sure you have the facilities and equipment you need, and check their condition before using them. You can rent equipment or borrow it from local sports clubs. Make sure you have equipment such as balls, nets, rackets, running bags, stopwatches and so on.
And don’t forget about security on the big day. Put in place safety measures for participants, such as first-aid attendants on site who can act quickly in the case of injury. Plan rest and refreshment areas for participants and spectators (food and drink stands, etc.). You can also call on volunteers to help you before, during and after your event, without exceeding your projected budget.
6. Registration management?
For successful Olympiads, you need as many participants as possible. To achieve this, it’s essential to offer an online registration or ticketing system, accessible from any device (tablet, smartphone, PC…).
If your event is intended for individuals, be sure to collect medical certificates attesting to their good health. Set a deadline for registration, so you can plan your event efficiently with the total number of participants in mind. Finally, be sure to provide clear information on entry fees, conditions of participation, trophies and prizes for winners, etc.
If you are planning to organise an Olympics-style event, the solutions offered by Weezevent are specifically designed to meet your needs: easily manage ticket sales, ensure smooth access control during the competitions, and provide cashless payment solutions for your food and drink stands.
