Transcript SAFETY - USA Track & Field

SITUATIONS
Jeff Bauer
USATF Officials’ Clinic
Ohio Wesleyan University
January 19, 2014
Overall, what are the two most important
factors when officiating a Track & Field
meet?
Overall, what are the two most important
factors when conductin a Track & Field
meet?
• Safety – for athletes, officials, spectators
Venue Safety
Make sure the area is secured
Athletes and spectators located in safe areas
Make sure ring and runway are safe for competition
Hammer/weight and discus must be thrown from a
cage
Check the cage
– Netting: any gaps or holes; will it withstand
impact?
– Correctly anchored
– Gaps between poles and doors
– Are doors in working order
Officials Responsibilities
Warm-up Safety
Do not allow warm-ups without supervision
Keep athletes behind cage during warm-ups
Officials and any volunteers should always
maintain eye contact with the ring or runway
Only allow officials and volunteers in impact area
Make sure retrievers are capable of working in
the impact area
Officials Responsibilities
Warm-ups (continued)
Implements should be carried out of the
impact area, not thrown
Do not allow anyone to warm up outside
the competition area
Do not get distracted or hold unnecessary
conversations during warm-ups
Do not allow warm-ups for finals to start
until the final order is announced
Other Considerations
Medical
Location of medical and training staff
Location and availability of water
Inclement Weather
Towels, squeegees, brooms
Increases danger in the impact area, especially
with the discus
Do not allow additional throws once event is over
Overall, what are the two most important
factors when officiating a Track & Field
meet?
• Safety – for athletes, officials, spectators
• Fairness - Ensure all the athletes have
the same chance to compete by
enforcing the rules evenly across the
board
A parent or a coach is assisting with the event and
offering advice to one or more athletes.
A parent or a coach is assisting with the event and
offering advice to one or more athletes.
You must communicate to any volunteer help this is not
allowed prior to the start of the competition. Need to use
a combination of firmness and tact, especially in youth
competitions. We don’t always have the luxury of an
adequate number of officials at each venue, and jobs
must be performed by volunteers -- coaches, older
athletes, parents/siblings. USATF Rule 144-6, note 2
clarifies this assistance: “Information conveyed by an
official to an athlete is not considered assistance
provided they are made available to all athletes in the
competition”.
A parent or a coach is assisting with the event and
offering advice to one or more athletes.
Rule 144-3(d) allows assistance from coaches
outside the competition area to athletes in the
competition area
Our job is to provide a safe and fair competition. It
is not fair to have one “coach” inside the
competition area, and keep all of the other coaches
outside the competition area.
A team is delayed in arriving at the meet; the
athlete checks in as soon as possible and asks to
begin participating.
A team is delayed in arriving at the meet; the
athlete checks in as soon as possible and asks to
begin participating.
USATF Rule 180.8 provides that if a jumper was
previously entered, they can join the competition. Any
missed attempts can be marked as a pass; any
remaining attempts can be taken. No warm-ups are
permitted. NCAA Rule 6.2.1 provides that athletes who
report after the first competitive attempt has been made
may not compete in the event. NFHS Rule 4.1.3
provides that jumpers who report after the judge starts
the competition may not participate in that event.
The thrower does not pause prior to leaving
the circle, after the implement has landed.
The thrower does not pause prior to leaving
the circle, after the implement has landed.
In USATF/IAAF and NCAA competition, the only
requirements for exiting the circle is that it be done
after the implement lands and that the point of first
contact upon exiting is from the back half of the
circle or behind the extended lines of the toe line in
the javelin (USATF Rule 187.1.e and 187.5 and
NCAA Rule 6, Sections 8.3, 9.3, 10.4 and 11.3).
The athlete enters the circle or runway prior
to his or her name being called as “Up”.
The athlete enters the circle or runway prior
to his or her name being called as “Up”.
If at all possible, the athlete should be told to stop
and wait for the “Up” call, acknowledging his/her time
on the clock. Such a situation can be dangerous if the
field officials are not ready to mark the attempt. In
the javelin and vertical jumps, it is recommended to
have the flight coordinator stand on the runway until
the next athlete is called “Up”. It is also important to
educate the athletes in the pre-event instructions as
to how they will be called up in the competition, and
encourage them to ask the flight coordinator if they
are unsure.
The athlete fails to initiate an attempt within the
time limit, but claims there was interference due to
someone or something.
The athlete fails to initiate an attempt within the
time limit, but claims there was interference due to
someone or something.
In all cases, it is the athlete's responsibility to
initiate an attempt within the prescribed time
limit. The flight coordinator and board/ring judge
should also be watching the runway, pit area, and
sector for any interference. If the officials see real
interference, they can notify the athlete and restart
the clock. The athlete can also raise a hand and
alert the flight coordinator if there is interference.
The athlete fails to initiate an attempt within the
time limit, but claims there was interference due to
someone or something.
However, if the athlete does not alert the flight
coordinator, and the flight coordinator or other
officials do not see any interference, then it must
be ruled a foul. We can only make the calls we see,
and if we don't see any interference or none is
brought to our attention in a timely manner, then
we can't call interference/obstruction for the
athlete.
Working with two board judges, one judge rules a
foul and the other judge rules a successful jump.
Working with two board judges, one judge rules a
foul and the other judge rules a successful jump.
You must discuss this before the competition when
assigning officials to various tasks. One official is
designated to make foul calls; if another is available
on the board, the second judge can help on close
calls, and can also make sure that the proper call is
made when the lead board judge misses the
attempt for any reason (cough, sneeze, blink,
yawn, momentary distraction, inattention at the
end of a 12 hour competition day….).
Working with two board judges, one judge rules a
foul and the other judge rules a successful jump.
The second official’s call should be subtle, and any
discussion should be private. The lead official gives
weight to how sure each official is in their call. A
useful rule of thumb is if the foot placement is so
close you have to discuss it, then give it to the
athlete. Plasticine solves this issue with visible
marks, but since this is often unavailable, USATF
Rule 185.4g states that the foot merely has to
break the plane of the takeoff line.
The pit is one meter short in length or width vs. the
size specified in the rulebook.
The pit is one meter short in length or width vs. the
size specified in the rulebook.
Overall, the pit does not meet minimum standards,
and you should consider declining to conduct the
competition for safety reasons. That said, if the pit is
one meter short, you may be able to accommodate
the competition. Most jumpers are not going to
approach the maximum length specified. If it’s likely
they will, you could put down a tape board farther
back for those jumpers, or use an alternate take-off
board if one is available. If the pit is too narrow by a
meter, you have a definite safety problem, especially
in the triple jump.