INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The penalty for wearing jewelry during high school track and field competition will shift from the team to the individual competitor beginning next season. In its June 8-10 meeting in Indianapolis, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee addressed the jewelry rule and clarified two rules in the pole vault among its nine major changes. All changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. The revised jewelry rule states that “for the first violation, the competitor shall be required to remove the jewelry before further competition and be issued a warning that a subsequent violation shall result in a disqualification from the event.” “The rule still prohibits the wearing of jewelry, but the members of the rules committee and results of the questionnaire strongly support the penalty applying only to the competitor involved as opposed to the entire team,” said Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Track and Field Rules Committee. In Rule 7-5-2, requirements for pole vault competitors were changed. The rule eliminates the limit of only two layers of tape on the grip end but still requires any tape placed on the pole to be of uniform thickness on the grip end. In addition, Rule 7-5-25 clarifies who may touch or catch the pole and under what circumstances touching the pole is not allowed. The rule reads, “No person shall be allowed to touch the vaulting pole except an assigned official, assigned pole catcher or the competitor, when circumstances warrant, but never to prevent the pole from dislodging the bar.” “The competitor or designated official can catch the pole, but the touch or catch by the competitor that prevents the crossbar from being dislodged is still a foul,” Oakes said. The committee also made updates to Rule 9-1-1 regarding the method of measuring a cross country course that reflect trends in the sport. The cross country course shall be measured along the shortest possible route that a runner may take, as opposed to measuring down the middle of the course. Another change now makes it legal for competitors to wear visible undergarments that have a contrasting stitching to the color of the single, solid color of the undergarment. The stitching must function in the construction of the undergarment and not as a design.
Other rules changes approved by the committee include: Rule 3-4-2: The referee retains clerical authority over the contest through the completion of any reports, including those imposing disqualifications, that are responsive to actions occurring while the referee had jurisdiction. State associations may intercede in the event of unusual incidents after the referee’s jurisdiction has ended or in the event that a contest is terminated prior to the conclusion of regulation play. Rule 5-7-3: The starting command for individual races – or opening relay legs of 800 meters or more outdoors and 600 meters or more indoors – shall be to instruct all competitors to take a position three meters behind the starting line or dashed arc behind the line. With “On your marks,” the competitors step to the starting line. Rule 7-4-10: The games committee may assign competitors to flights of no less than five for preliminary competition or may conduct the event in continuing flights. In continuing flights, the first five competitors, as determined by the games committee, constitute a flight. As a contestant clears the bar, passes a turn at the height or is eliminated, the next competitor in order will be moved up so that the number of competitors in the active flight remains constant. When the field is down to eight or fewer competitors, it is recommended that participants are called as listed on the event sheet. Rule 9-3-3: Updates were made to this rule that address the use of bib transponders or timing chips on the shoes and the official order of finish when the computerized item(s) are used.
Printable Version -- Please print and place in your rulebook for future reference.
Rule 9-1-1 - The maximum length of a course is 5000 meters for boys and 4000 meters for girls.
(1) Headwear - Only knit caps which may be solid or multi-colored. School name, school nickname, or school mascots are legal along with a single manufacturer's logl/trademark no more than 2 1/4 square inches with no dimension more than 2 1/4 inches is permissible.(4) The identical uniform rule applies to all varsity and nonvarsity teams. (2) Headbands worn as earwarmers are allowed and subject to same rules as knit caps. Bandannas folded as a headband are not allowed.
NIKE TEAM NATIONALS AND OTHER POST-SEASON TEAM COMPETITIONS
NXN is a post-season competition that involves a regional qualifying round. The WIAA does not allow high school teams to participate in these meets but, does allow “club teams” to participate.
*No contact with the high school cross country coach is allowed after the date of the State Cross Country Meet. *The team must be a club team. No high school uniforms, warm-ups, transportation, or funding is allowed. The team should not be identified as the high school team. For example; “Central High School” is not acceptable but “Cheetahs Running Team” would be.
*Teams may not be chosen or invited based upon their performance at the WIAA State Cross Country Meet. They must run a qualifying meet which is open to all.
*Amateur status rules must be followed. From the Rules At A Glance: C. AMATEUR STATUS A student may not accept, receive and/or direct to another, any cash or merchandise awards for achievement in athletics. This means athletes may not accept items such as shoes, jackets, gift certificates, etc., for athletic accomplishments, such as being on a winning team, being selected for the school varsity team, or being a place winner in an individual tournament, etc. They may receive an award which is symbolic in nature, such as trophies, medals, ribbons, event T-shirts, event hats, game balls or other items of no intrinsic value. Rules further prevent athletes from receiving compensation or benefit, directly or indirectly, for the use of name, picture and/or personal appearance as an athlete. This includes receiving free and/or reduced rates on equipment, apparel, camps/clinics/instruction and competitive opportunities that are not identical for all other participants. A student may not be identified as an athlete, provide endorsement as an athlete, or appear as an athlete in the promotion of a commercial/advertisement and/or profit-making event, item, plan or service. Also, an athlete violates this rule if he/she plays in any contest (school or nonschool) under a name other than his/her own. (RE – Art. IV).
Answer Allowed. “A school may change its squad make-up from one level of tournament competition to the next.”
QUESTION 1 Are the shoes with the individual toes legal?
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