WHEN EVERYTHING FALLS APART: HOW TO AVOID MOMENTS OF PANIC DURING SPORTING EVENTS

Being foresighted before the meeting, knowing well how all equipment works, and acting with a cool head are behaviors that help avoid and/or solve almost any problem.

A saying goes like this, “A foresighted person is worth double.” In the case of a sporting event, foreseeing any possible problem with the sports equipment, from the correct state of the materials to the electronics, helps to avoid last-minute scares. But since fate is fickle, Mondo's technical support experts advise keeping calm in the face of any problem and offer some recommendations for getting out of unpleasant situations:

BEFORE THE MEETING

• Study the operation of the equipment well first: the person who will handle the sports equipment must study its operation well. This training is not necessarily complicated, since the handling of many solutions has become much simpler in recent years, but knowing well what is possible and how each piece of equipment works allows you to solve problems in a short time.
• Make sure everything is installed the right way and working properly. Sometimes all it takes is a loose cable to give us a good scare.
• Test the equipment before the meeting: check well in advance that everything is working properly and do as many tests as possible, without waiting until the last minute. If possible, recheck everything working before the event, to avoid having previously tested conditions changed for reasons beyond the organization's control.
• Have a protocol for action: knowing clearly who and how should act when faced with a problem with any equipment prevents a mistake from escalating into even more chaos.

DURING THE MEETING

• Keeping calm: when something breaks down, it usually happens at the worst possible time and our human condition plunges us into panic. But often the solution is much simpler than we think. What elements are we using? What are the possible causes of the problem? Is it a hardware problem or a software problem? A cool mind and experience are two great allies. 
• Being able to rely on alternative solutions: what happens if during an athletic competition a hurdle breaks? Or if during a basketball game the control consoles stop working? Or if the scoreboard content management program breaks down? Being forward-looking also means being able to count on alternative solutions for any eventuality. If possible, duplicate equipment should be available at the same venue to replace equipment that might break or get damaged (for example, in high-level athletic competitions, four spare items are even available for some equipment). As for sports electronics, there are solutions such as stand-alone kits: backup up systems that work independently and can replace the main system if an electronics failure occurs and a quick fix cannot be found.
• Count on professional support: this can be remote or in-person. If it is remote, one must remain calm to help the professional locate the fault and be guided by following his or her directions to find the quickest possible solution. On the other hand, if the significance of the event requires it, it is advisable to enlist the technical assistance of in-presence professionals, who know every detail of the equipment and can carry out preventive inspections to verify that all resources are indeed ready for use. They also help prevent accidents and know how to deal with any unforeseen events during the race, as they are on the track ready to handle mishaps.

AFTER THE MEETING

• Collect and store the material properly
• After a sports competition, when they are no longer needed, equipment should be checked for damage and, if applicable, repaired according to the manufacturer's instructions (or replaced, if necessary).
• Once checked, all equipment should be collected and protected carefully and in the proper manner.
• Perform proper periodic maintenance.
• You must always make sure that sports and electronic equipment is in good condition, and perform periodic checks that will avoid last-minute surprises when organizing an event. Maintenance should cover all equipment, both major equipment and spare equipment. As for electronics, computers should be tested in backup mode to make sure that everything is working properly even if it is necessary to use this electronic media.