Track and Field Rules Review for Coaches

 Points of Emphasis

 

* NHIAA policy regarding Outdoor Environmental Safety and Lightening (copy distributed)

• NHTAA Procedure to Dealing with Disqualified Athletes at all Athletic Events (copy distributes)

• Jewelry Rule Please be sure to inform your athletes about this rule. A copy of the rule is provided.

• Uniform Rule and appropriate attire for team members

4-3-2 Uniforms shall be worn as intended by manufacturers... This means that the waist band must not be rolled down. Bare midriff tops are unacceptable. The jersey (singlet) must hang below or be tucked into the waistband of the shorts or briefs when the competitor is standing erect.

4-3 My visible shirt(s) worn under the jersey and all visible apparel worn under the shorts must he unadorned and of a single (and the same) color. (Shirts under the singlet and visible apparel worn under the shorts need ot be the same color.)

Please be sure that tee shirts, sweatshirts, etc. worn by school athletes/team members do not have any materials on them that may be deemed offensive.

• 34.92° sector

The 34.92° sector will be used in all throwing events (e the javelin) at the class meets and the Meet of Champions this year. It will be mandatory for all schools to use this measurement next year. (A copy of directions for creating this sector is distributed to all coaches in attendance.)

3-2-4t: By state association adoption, the games committee may designate the use of the 40-degree or 34.92-degree sectors in the shot and/or discus throw. 6-5-I, .4-5, 3-20-5

Rationale; Many high school track and field meets axe conducted at college/university sites where the sectors are marked at 34.92 degrees.

• Warming up without a coach or official at a throwing or jumping Venue

6-2-12: Add penalty for infraction of warming up (throwing events) without a coach or event official at the venue-shall lead to a warning, and if repeated, a disqualification from that event. If the incident recurs, the athlete will be disqualified from further competition in the meet as a penalty for unsupervised warm-up in throwing and jumping events. Rationale: To minimize the risk to competitors and bystanders, no warm ups shall be allowed until there is an adult coach or official on hand to supervise the area.

7-2-9: Warming-up shall not be allowed in any jump venue until supervised by a coach or official.

Rationale: This penalty is consistent with other NFHS penalties and is designed to minimize risk at NFHS track events.

SITUATION Throwers A and B from School XYZ are warming up in the throwing area without adult supervision. There is a student manager from School XYZ with them who appears to be responsible for the participants. A field judge approaches the students to remind them the ring is closed until a coach or official opens it for warm-up. Thrower A leaves immediately. Thrower B and the student manager stop throwing, but continue to use the ring to work on technique. The field judge reports Thrower B to the referee and asks that the athlete (a) be removed from competition; (I be warned that he/the will be removed from competition the next time the athlete is observed without a coach in a throwing area, (c) be reported for unsporting behavior and disqualified from the event (d) receive no penalty because there is not a penalty related to warming up without adult supervision. RULING: (a) and (c) Correct procedure; (b) and (d) incorrect procedure. COMMENT: Supervising an athlete’s warm-up is important in order to n risk. It is recommended that a cone or sign be used to close the ring prior to adult supervision arriving. (7-2-9, 6- 2-12) (NFHS Track and Field and Cross Country Case Book)

• Pole vault general info.

7-2-10 illegal aids shall include the practice of taps (pushing the vaulter on his back) at take-off in the pole vault during warm-up or in the competition. Rationale: in order to minimize risk, aids that assist athlete are not legal.

7-5-191 A competitor shall have the pole vault standards or uprights set to position the crossbar from a point 15.5” or 40cm measured beyond the

 

vertical plane of the back of the planting box, up to a maximum distance of 31.5” or 80 cm in the direction of the landing surface. Rationale: To minimize the risk of landing on the box, vaulters will be required to land  deeper in the pit.

Hard or unyielding surfaces must be covered with a minimum of 2”of dense loam or other suitable materials. This includes the area around the vaulting box.

Vaulters have 1 1/2 minutes to initiate their vault to completion. When 3 competitors remain, vaulters have 4 minutes to initiate the trial to completion and when one competitor remains, the vaulter will have 6 minutes to initiate the vault to completion.

• Competitors in the Throwing events and jumping events have 1 minute to initiate their jump/throw (and carry it to completion). When 3 competitors remain, each competitor will have three minutes to initiate the throw/jump. When I competitor remains, the competitor will have 5 minutes to initiate the throw/jump (and carry it to completion).

• Doctor’s notes (Passed last week by the Outdoor Track Committee)

Any variation/exception to any of the regulations outlined in the Policy and Procedures Manual must be for medical reasons and have the prior approval of the Committee/Meet Director. Written documentation from a physician must be provided to the Committee/Meet Director prior to the competition.

• Prior to the meet, the head coach must verify that all of his/her competitors are equipped (uniform, equipment and no jewelry) in compliance with the NHFS rules. (Shot put: girls, 4kg (8.81 Ibs); boys, 5.443 kg (12 Ibs))

• Prior to the meet, the head coach must also verify that each of the school’s pole vaulters meets the NFHS equipment requirements (no training poles, that they are using the proper pole for Their weight, etc.).

• 4-2-1: A contestant shall not be entered in more than four events, excluding relays.

• An athlete may compete is no more than 4 events including relays. This is true for all meets. If an athlete is found to compete in more than 4 events, none of his/her events will count (The athlete will be disqualified from the entire meet. In a relay event, the relay team’s points and place(s) shall also be forfeited.)

 

• Breaking ties in the jumping and throwing events

A tie in the field events occurs when two or more competitors finish with the same height or distance.

in the throwing events, if the distance resulting in the best performance of competitors is identical, the higher place is awarded to the tying competitor whose second performance is better from either the preliminary trials or the finals. If a tie still occurs, then the third performance must be better.

In the jumping events, the competitor with the fewest number of trials for the height at which the tie occurs.. .shall be awarded the higher place If a tie still remains, the competitor with the fewest total number of unsuccessful trials shall be awarded the higher place. A passed trial is not counted as a miss.

• Common misconceptions

Dragging the trail foot in the triple jump is not a foul.

An athlete may enter the shot/discus circle from any direction, but must exit by the rear half of the circle.

It is not a foul inthe shot put if the athlete brings in a towel to wipe off the shot into the competition circle and then tosses is out of the ring.

It is not a foul if in the high jump, the competitor’s arm breaks the plane of the standards. In the pole vault, the competitor’s pole may break the plane of the standards as long as the pole does not touch any part of the mat beyond the plane of the standards. In either case, the competitor must still complete the event in the proper amount of time.

• Comments, suggestions, difficulties with an official, etc.

Please contact Nancy Eastman, the NHTOA Supervisor of Officials, by Email at neastman@metrocast.net or by phone at 332-7327.