2007 National High School Federation
Track & Field Rule Changes

Changes, Points of Emphasis, Comments,
Weight Event Sectors, & Pole Weight Rules in Vault

Always interesting to check the rule changes that are made each year by the National HS Federation.

At first glance
-- it looks like someone, somewhere had a problem with folks showing up or objections to hats, bandanas, headwear, or sunglasses or some item that was not a part of the school uniform in the past couple years, so there is a rule where meet management can prohibit those items if they wish by publicizing it beforehand--interesting. 
-- Looks like someone was hurt in a field event area by activity prior to the event's start, so a rule stating that field event areas technically are "closed" until an official arrives there at least 30 minutes prior to the event's start. 
--confusion that sometimes happens when a distance event starter decides to us the "take your marks," then "get set,"  then the gun, has been replaced with a single "on your marks," and then the gun at distances of 800 meters or more outdoors. 
--not sure the "new part" about the coaches verifying that their pole vaulters equipment meets requirements prior to the competition.  Rule 7-5-3 simply states, "Prior to the competition, the coach must verify that all of the school's pole vaulters meets these requirements" (competitor's weight at or below the manufacturer's pole rating; pole rating included on each pole, with a circular band indicating maximum top hand-hold).  Wondering if this means that the entry of pole vaulters in a competition indicates that the coach of a school's athletes have met these requirements, or is there a written process that needs to be followed, as is done in many meets where coaches sign off on their athletes.

Doug Speck
DyeStatCal.com

We certainly welcome any comments on above by anyone with specific information on the background to any of these rule changes.        

2007 Track and Field Rules Changes

3-2-4(o): The games committee may restrict the wearing of items which are worn in excess of the school-issued uniform allowed by rule.

4-3-1b(5) & c new 5,6; 9-6-1b (6): An American flag, not to exceed 2 by 3 inches, and either a commemorative or memorial patch, not to exceed 4 square inches, may be worn on the uniform top or bottom.

4-3-1c new 5,6: A single manufacturer's logo/trademark/reference, no more than 2¼ square inches with no dimensions more than 2¼ inches, is permitted on the uniform bottom.

5-7-2; 5-7-3: Establishes the single starting command for individual races, or opening relay legs of 800 meters or more outdoor or 600 meters or more indoor shall be "On your marks."

6-4-5; 6-5-4: The throwing sector of 34.92 degrees is now required for the shot put and discus events.

7-5-12: The runway adjacent to the pole vault box may be marked by a permanent line 1 cm or ½" drawn through the top (zero point) of the vault box extending 3 meters (10 ft.) to each side of the box.

8 note: The standard scoring system for the decathlon, pentathlon and heptathlon shall be the point scale established by IAAF unless the state association determines otherwise.

9-6-5: A competitor shall wear the assigned unaltered contestant number when numbers are provided and computer chip(s) when those devices are used in competition.

2007 Track and Field Points of Emphasis

1. CENTER OF GRAVITY (MASS) FOR THE JAVELIN: The balance point of the javelin is located within the section where the whip cord (grip) is located. The whipcord is required to be placed over the point of the center of gravity (mass) for the javelin. If proper placement of the whipcord does not occur, the flight of the javelin as intended for competition is affected.

2. ENTRY AND EXIT OF THROWING CIRCLE IN SHOT PUT AND DISCUS: Competitors in the shot put and discus events must meet certain requirements to have a valid throw. One area of the requirements pertains to exiting the throwing circle. The competitor may enter the throwing circle from any direction. However, at completion of the throw the competitor 1) must be under control before exiting the back half of the circle; 2) must wait to leave the circle until the implement has landed and the judge calls, "Mark;" and 3) must exit from the back half of the circle. (When conducted, these same requirements apply to the hammer throw.)

3. UNIFORMS: The ultimate responsibility for each athlete to be in a legal uniform rests with the coach and the individual athlete. Rules 4-3 and 9-6 state the uniform requirements and restrictions for track and field and cross country. Coaches must stress to the student-athletes that the uniform shall be worn as intended by the manufacturer. Failure to properly wear the uniform will result in a penalty.

4. GAMES COMMITTEE AND AUTHORITY ON HEADWEAR AND OTHER NON-UNIFORM ITEMS: The rules for uniforms in track and field and cross country do not prohibit headwear, sunglasses, etc. Each individual site through the games committee [3-2-4(o)] may restrict headwear, certain types of headwear, sunglasses and any other item not a part of the school-issued uniform. In addition, the state association may adopt a statewide policy regarding the wearing of any item(s) in excess of the school-issued uniform. Officials must check with local host management to be certain of any action taken by the games committee which places restrictions on items in excess of the school uniform in order to enforce consistently at the respective venue unless determined otherwise by the state association.

5. ZERO POINT IN POLE VAULT: The zero point will minimize risk in this event by providing an identifiable mark to address crossbar movement, starting point on the runway and proper mat placement. Therefore, it is a critical reference point. The zero point is located at the top of the back of the plant box. It is used to determine the distance the crossbar travels toward the back of the landing surface, the starting point of the runway and to have proper placement of the landing surface.

6. SAFETY IN FIELD EVENTS: An event official should report to the event area at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time of the event. Field event areas should be designated as "closed" prior to arrival of such an official. No practice or trials shall be allowed to take place. In throwing events the landing sector should be marked off for safety with ropes, flags or other visible means. Spectators and non-throwing competitors must be restricted to a safe area. The event judge shall announce when the area is safe for a throw to take place and the marking judges are ready. It is also appropriate to rope or flag the runways for all jumping events to keep the runway clear for competitors. Again, the event judge shall acknowledge when the area is clear and judges are ready to mark and record results.

During both practice and competition, implements shall be carried outside the throwing sectors and returned to the throwing area. Implements shall never be thrown back. Following competition, all implements shall be removed from the competition area. Once competition begins there shall be no further practice in any area.

Competitors violating safety rules shall receive a warning, and for a second offense, shall be disqualified from the event. Spectators violating safety rules at the site should be warned once and for a second violation shall be removed from the competition area.

7. SETTING UP 34.92-DEGREE THROWING SECTOR: A 34.92-degree angle is the angle between the two equal sides of an isosceles triangle which has the unequal side 0.6 times the length of the equal sides. It can be mathematically expressed as 2arcsin (0.30). (See Appendix B for typical layout for a shot put circle.) Measure out from the center of the circle with two tapes. Pull the two tapes tight and separate them by 12 meters at the 20-meter mark on each tape. It will take three people and three tapes to do this. One person holds the two tapes which will locate the sector lines in the center of the circle. The second person pulls tight on the sector line tapes and holds the zero mark of the cross measuring tape at the 20 meter mark. The third person pulls tight on the other sector line tape and holds the 12-meter mark of the cross measuring tape at the 20-meter mark. The sector lines are centered on the stopboard and permanent pins or stakes are placed at the ends of the sector lines. The sector lines can be extended if longer throws than the ends for these sector lines (18.93 m) are anticipated.

Sectors for the discus and hammer are set up in a similar manner, keeping the ratio of cross measurement length to sector line length at 0.6. For example, one might use sector lines of 60 m and a cross measurement of 36 m for the discus and 70 m sector lines and a cross measurement of 42 m for the hammer.

Note that the javelin sector is set out in a similar manner, except the sector angle is 28.96 degrees, which is the angle between the two equal sides of an isosceles triangle having the unequal side 0.5 times the length of the equal sides and is mathematically expressed as 2arcsin(0.25).

2007 Track and Field Comments on the Rules

1. GAMES COMMITTEE AUTHORITY TO RESTRICT ITEMS NOT PART OF UNIFORM: The games committee has considerable authority granted through Rule 3-2. One such area of authority addresses any item worn in excess of the school uniform. Items such as hats, bandanas, sunglasses may be worn unless specifically prohibited by the games committee. 3-2-4(o) stipulates that the games committee may place restrictions on items such as headwear; therefore, such restrictions are done on a meet-by-meet basis unless otherwise restricted by the state association. Meet management must be sure to advise those who will be attending of any restrictions in all premeet information.

2. UNIFORM REQUIREMENTS FOR LOGOS, AMERICAN FLAG AND COMMEMORATIVE PATCHES: Uniform requirements for competitors in track and field and cross country have not been consistent in what may be placed on the uniform and size restrictions on such items. Consistent with other NFHS rules codes, a single, visible manufacturer's logo/trademark/reference of a specific size is permitted on the top and bottom of the uniform. An American flag, limited in size, and either a commemorative or memorial patch with size restriction may be worn on the uniform top and/or uniform bottom. If a one-piece uniform is worn, only one of the above in each category may be placed on the uniform. A state association may dictate location of these items on the uniform. It is recommended that before placing any patches on the uniform, the school should verify state association requirements.

3. STARTER'S COMMANDS: To assist in the conducting of a more efficiently run meet, Rules 5-7-2 and 3 were revised to minimize the starter's command sequence in distance races and relays. The single starting command for individual races, or opening legs of 800 meters or more (outdoor) and 600 meters or more (indoor) shall be "On your marks." This change eliminates the extra starter's sequence within the protocol when it is not needed.

4. 34.92-DEGREE THROWING SECTOR: With the move to a 34.92-degree throwing sector, a redesign of the discus cage becomes necessary. Any school installing a discus cage for the first time should have little, if any, difficulty, with the new design options. Option 1, in Appendix A, illustrates the change from the previous cage guidelines by moving the front wings to an angle in toward the landing sector in order to maintain the desired 4 to 5 feet space between the cage wings and the sector lines. Option 2, in Appendix A, illustrates no change to move the wings in the previous cage guidelines but instead displays an option to add an extension section onto the existing wings. The extension would be 8 to 9 feet in length and maintain the desired 4 to 5 feet space between the cage wings and sector lines. The suggested height of the cage is 10 to 14 feet. Each site is responsible for the discus cage and ultimate design. Regardless of the design chosen by the local school, the 4 to 5 feet relationship between the end of the wings (wing pole/gate) to the sector lines should be maintained. (See Appendix A in Track and Field Rules Book)

5. POLE VAULT EXTENDED LINE AT ZERO POINT: The additional allowance of placing a permanent marking on the runway adjacent to the pole vault box will assist officials and grounds crew with placement of the vault standards and the vault landing system. This extended line shall be drawn through the zero point of the vault box. The zero point is located at the top of the back of the plant box. (See illustration) Utilizing this extended line in the pole vault will allow proper placement of equipment when last minute changes are necessary due to weather or other conditions.

6. SCORING OF SPECIAL EVENTS: Rule 8, Special Events, provides opportunities for additional events to be included at interscholastic track and field competitions. This new reference for scoring with the IAAF point scale will standardize the scoring used for the decathlon, pentathlon and heptathlon. State associations may determine otherwise for scoring those special events. A scoring table is also listed in the Officiating Track and Field and Cross Country publication for NFHS Officials Education developed by American Sport Education Program.

7. USE OF COMPUTER CHIPS PROHIBITS ALTERATION BY RUNNER: With the increased use of computer chips for timing and placement in cross country, for race results to be accurate, there can be no alteration of the chip. Computer chips are treated the same as the competitor's number. Runners should be certain they have proper chips and placement as they prepare to compete.

Shot Put and Discus Throwing Sector Goes Into Effect in 2006-07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Becky Oakes

INDIANAPOLIS (June 23, 2006) - Effective with the 2006-07 high school track and field season, the throwing sector of 34.92 degrees is now required for the shot put and discus events. In addition to this change that was approved last year for implementation in 2006-07, seven rules revisions were approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field Rules Committee at its June 11-12 meeting in Indianapolis. These rules changes subsequently were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

"The rules committee determined at its 2005 meeting that the throwing sector of 34.92 degrees would be required for the 2006-07 season," said Mike Colbrese, executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association and chairperson of the NFHS Track and Field Rules Committee. "This year's committee developed optional guidelines for the discus cage. Those guidelines are now found in the appendix reference."

In another change, Rule 7-5-12 states that the runway adjacent to the pole vault box may be marked with a permanent 1-centimeter or one half-inch line drawn through the top of the vault box (zero point) and extended 10 feet on each side. This will allow the host school to have a visible aid for proper placement of the landing pad, which will speed up the process when a last-minute change has to be made due to inclement weather.

"When there are prevailing winds, the host school would like to have the option of turning the pit in the opposite direction, and allowing for the line to be marked would aid in that process," Colbrese said.

Rule 9-6-5 was amended to stipulate that a competitor shall wear the assigned unaltered number when numbers are provided and computer chip(s) when those devices are used in competition.

"This addition makes it clear that when assigned for use, competitors shall wear the computer chips as assigned without altering or else be disqualified," said Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the NFHS Track and Field Rules Committee.

The "set" starting command was eliminated for races or opening legs of relays of 600 meters or more indoors. Runners now will be expected to be set when instructed "On your marks."

The standard scoring system for the decathlon, pentathlon and heptathlon shall be the point scale established by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations), unless the state association determines otherwise.

"The rule permits these special events to be conducted, but did not specify how to score," Oakes said. "This note to Rule 8 clarifies use of a standard scoring system unless determined otherwise by the state association."

Several rules changes will impact athletes' apparel and were adopted for clarify. Rule 3-2-4(o) states that games committees may restrict the wearing of items worn in excess of the school uniform, such as headwear. Rule 4-3-1b(5) and 9-6-1b(6) state that an American flag patch, not to exceed 2 by 3 inches, and either a commemorative or memorial patch, not to exceed 4 square inches, may be worn on the uniform top or bottom. Rule 4-3-1c now states that only a single manufacturer's logo/trademark/ reference, no more than 2¼ square inches with no dimension more than 2¼ inches, is permitted on the uniform bottom when a two-piece uniform is worn.

Track and field is the third-most popular sport among boys and the second-most popular sport among girls at the high school level with 944,901 combined participants during the 2004-05 season, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. It also ranks second in school sponsorship for both boys and girls.

New high school track and field rule reduces pole vault liability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cynthia Doyle

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 20, 2005) - At its June 27-28 annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field Rules Committee added a new rule requiring coaches to verify that their pole vault participants' equipment meets requirements prior to competition.

Rule 7-5-3 calls for a procedure that will ensure that the standard is met prior to participation at each meet, thereby reducing liability for coaches. Each state association will determine its own verification procedure.

"We're enforcing this in the spirit of fair play. We want to reduce the risk of vaulting with an inappropriate pole," said Cynthia Doyle, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the NFHS Track and Field Rules Committee.

In other changes, Rules 6-4-5, 6-4-8 and 6-5-1 were modified to require all references and diagrams to reflect one standard sector at 34.92 degrees for shot put and discus competitions, effective 2006-07. By having a common sector for the shot and discus, competitors will not have to guess which sector will be used for competition. The smaller, 34.92-degree sector requires better control of the implements, reduces risk to spectators and is easier to lay out for meet administrators.

"The NFHS questionnaire suggested we implement the change in sector," said NFHS Track and Field Rules Committee Chairman Mike Colbrese, executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. "This minimizes risk to athletes and to spectators alike by encouraging good throwing technique and exerting better control."

Although the sector is minimized, spectators will still be expected to keep their distance from the throwing area.

The committee also stressed the importance of marking curved lines for alley starts, using computerized chips in the absence of a finish judge, and measuring from the "zero point" in pole vault competition.

Track and field is the third-most popular sport among boys and the second-most popular sport among girls at the high school level with 923,123 combined participants during the 2003-04 season, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. It also ranks second in school sponsorship for both boys and girls.