Announcements

The ALBSS Starting system

FORTH VALLEY LEAGUE HAVE NO BARRIERS
At the second match at Grangemouth the league trialled a light system for athletes with Impaired Hearing who compete in the league.
As races are started with voice commands and then the gun, this is very difficult for hard of hearing athletes to respond in the same way and leaves them at a disadvantage over their competitors.
The ALBSS system offers a great way to redress this issue and operates via the starter.
The small box seen in phot…os is placed beside athlete at the start depending whether doing a standing start or crouch/blocks. The traffic light system gives the athletes a visual signal that they can see when starting.
Two athletes used the system yesterday and the feedback from them has been positive. This is a huge step in helping athletes with a hearing disability to compete on the same level.
The league are now looking to attract a sponsor and do some fundraising to purchase one of these systems and early indication is that they are priced around the £1000 mark.
The Forth Valley League are also the only Athletics league to be ‘Deaf friendly’ and recognised by the National Deaf Children’s Society Scotland.
How it works.
ATHLETE LIGHT BOX START SYSTEM (IMPAIRED HEARING)
Basically how it operates is that on the command ‘one your marks’ the operator sets the switch which displays a red light. On the command ‘set’ the operator throws the switch to illuminate the amber light (red goes out) and the starter fires the gun which triggers the green light (amber light goes out).
The firing of the gun is picked up by a transducer in the same way the Photo finish systems work.
Well done to both athletes who trialled the system. The league has four hearing impaired athletes.
More information about the system and fundraising can be addressed to mark at admin@forthvalleyleague.org.uk