SECTION VIII, NYSPHSAA, INC.

WINTER & SPRING TRACK 2006-07

CLARIFICATIONS ON RULE

For all athletic directors and track coaches

 

Winter Track & Spring Track Uniforms:

  The  NF uniform rules  are presently less stringent than in past years.  School issued uniforms must only meet the description in the NF Rule Book, and it is very liberal.  Each member of the track team does not have to have the exact same uniform. However, in relay races the rule is the same as the cross country requirement.

This calls for each member of the relay team to have a uniform that is the same in color, style and design – it does not have to be identical.  See the Powerpoint presentation on our website for examples as well as the rule book description. 

In our section, many schools have had large turnouts in winter and spring track, turnouts that exceed previous numbers and more than the number of available uniforms.  The usual result in these cases is that members of the track team have  uniforms that are actually two or three different categories under the rules.  This is fine in all individual events but when it comes to relays the  rules in italics above apply. 

Since we do not have relays in many meets in the early season-except in outside invitationals- many of our teams have never had the rules applied- possibly not even noticed.  In our regular meets and especially in our Championship Meets all rules are enforced.  The Clerks explain all the rules to the athletes at the clerk- in area which includes uniform, jewelry, how the event is to be run, and the heats, lanes, sections, that each athlete is assigned.  In relay events, the Clerks cover the above items and also announce very clearly for each athlete/relay team, the special requirements for relay events. All officials on the track, and competing coaches know this, and the result is that violations are noticed and disqualifications result. So coaches must ensure that all members of a relay team must have the same uniform as described above.

The other problem is in the shot/discus events where many athletes do not have a school issued uniform…especially the shorts.  These athletes must also be in compliance with uniform rules for all individual athletes as listed above and in the NF Rule Book.  All officials are supposed to enforce these rules from the beginning of the season – there is no grace period.  All coaches are informed of this at our pre-season meetings where we have an official provide rules interpretations with handouts, and a questions and answer period.

 

DISCUS CAGE-SHOT PUT CIRCLE. 

Here is the official interpretation from Tom McTaggert, the state rules interpreter as of 1/19/07       Diagram

 

At this time the only definite change in effect for the 2007 season is the throwing sector size.

Both shot and discus sectors will be at the 34.92 degree angle.  This was primarily for safety reasons, and to make high school sectors in line with college, USATF, and International specs. 

This was announced last year and in Section 8 we used the 34.92 sector in our section meets including our Championship Meets.  This provided athletes with experience in the smaller sector. 

This season all meets are using the 34.92 sector right through the State/Federation Meets.  The modification of the discus cage is not mandated for the 2007 season.  At the next meeting of the NF Rules Comm, coming up shortly, we will get further clarification of the mandated year of compliance.  When schools flag the discus area, the safety boundaries should reflect the size of the old larger sector to prevent spectators from getting to close to the smaller boundary lines of the smaller sector. 

The sector size is mandated for this year…but modifications for the cage are only suggested.  Schools can look into temporary measures to modify discus cages until we get a final mandate and recommendation from NYSPHSAA – something they always have done when a change is definite.

 

Bob Baratta,  Ken Becker,  Bob Busch,  Charles Gilreath,  Kristin Frazer,  Katie Dunne