Agenda: § Indoor Weight Throw Guidance § Outdoor Throwing Events
§ Barriers / Designated Areas § Protocols
§ Pre-‐meet § Warm ups
§ Competition § Close-‐down
Indoor Weight Throw Guidance
Safety must be our greatest concern from set-up, warm ups, competition, to closing down the competition area….
§ Rules Everyone Should Follow:
§ Rules – Coaches and Officials MUST Follow § Conducting the Weight Throw Event (Ideal)
Tom McTaggart document – Guidance for Indoor Weight Throw Event
Outdoor Throwing Event Guidance
So… What About Outdoor Throws … and for Dual / Tri Meets?
§ Included discussion of Throwing Events at Section IV Coaches pre-Season meeting
§ Drafted outline of planned venue and procedure requirements – Sent in letter to all school AD’s and Coaches
AD Le9er: To Section 4 Schools, A number of Safety concerns have been addressed as new rules or as points of emphasis for the 2015 Track and field season. 1. Pole Vault …Rule 7-5 Article 14. (pg. 58) States…” Planting box padding … 2. Throwing events - Points of Emphasis-2. Proper flagging in the throwing events (pg. 76) States….“Throwing events should be cordoned off and/or flagged properly for the safety of spectators, athletes and officials…. • Please see the attached throwing event protocols for suggested roping lengths and widths. We understand that each venue is to be treated differently… We are asking you to address this issue as thoughtfully as possible. When we inspect any of the throwing venues, a warning will be issued to any of the schools that have not addressed the suggested protocols. The event will be run but temporary measures must be put into place. The warning will be noted and upon the second time to that venue the protocol has not been addressed the event will not be contested. Todd James Marathon AD and Track coach has … ordered signs that will also be posted outside the cordoned areas. He welcomes any inquiries to said signage. Respectfully, Brian Staiger Southern Tier Track, Field and Cross Country Officials President
Discus Barriers / Designated Areas (Venue Dependent)
§ Roping / Flagging Requirement
§ 150 – 200 feet in length (175 recommended) § Minimum of 20 feet outside and parallel to sector lines* § Recommend Rope/Flags Connecting Ends of Side Barriers § Spectators Must be Outside Roped / Flagged Area
§ Nobody Along First 50 feet of Roped/Flagged Area from End of Cage Along Sector Lines (Prefer Behind Cage)
§ Athletes Remain Behind and Away From Cage (~ 2 m ) (may want cones or paint to mark areas)
Shot Put
§ Similar Recommendation – Less Speed / Distance
§ Flagging / Roping – 50 – 60 Feet § Extend 8 – 10 Feet outside and parallel to sector lines § Extend back to Circle § Athletes Always Behind Circle Unless Throwing (Retrieving*) § Use same Warm Up and Competition Protocols as Discus
Barriers / Designated Areas
Protocols: Pre-‐Meet: § Venue Check
§ Inspect Cage Poles and Retaining Material § No Holes or “Escape Points” § Retaining Material Securely Fastened to Poles (Netting can move) § Cage Has Rear and Sides That Extend To End of Circle (Appendix A) § Designate Safe Area for Athletes Waiting to Throw § Designate “Coaches Box” if not Designated By Games Committee § Designate and Communicate Spectator Areas and Mark If Possible
IF THE VENUE IS NOT COMPLIANT OR SAFE – INFORM REFEREE; DO NOT CONDUCT THE EVENT !
Protocols:
Warm Ups: § Consistent and Thorough Instructions § Give Instructions Before ANY Warm Ups Take Place
§ Official or Coach Must Be Present § Nobody In Cage Except Thrower* § All Should Be Aware of Dangers – Remain Behind / Away From Cage* § All Instructions Must Be Followed Exactly § Groups Will Be Designated for Warm Ups
Protocols:
Warm Ups: § Give Instructions Before ANY Warm Ups Take Place
§ One Group Will, In Order, Enter – Throw – Exit – Next Thrower…
§ Group size may depend on number of implements available
§ After Entire Group Has Thrown, Official / Coach Stands in Circle
§ Group is Instructed to Retrieve Implements (Official/Coach remains in Circle)
§ Next Group Begins Their Warm Ups – First Thrower Enters After Coach/Official Exits Cage…
§ Continue Following In This Manner Until Warm Ups are Complete
Protocols: Competition (Dual Meet Assuming 1 Official): § Identify Person to Mark Throws (Adult)
§ Give Instructions & Confirm Understanding / Agreed To § Take Time to Review Where / What You Want the Marker to Do (Their Safety)
§ Review Competition Protocol With Athletes § *Determine Approx. Best-‐Throw of Athlete and Note on Event Sheet § Official Stands in Circle, Throwers Outside of Cage § Official Alerts & Verifies Marker is Ready and Attentive § Call First Thrower, Thrower Enters Cage, Wait to Enter Circle
§ Official Leaves Cage & Instructs Thrower that they are “Up” – Enters Circle § Start 1 min clock when instruction is given
Protocols: Competition (continued) : § Official is Positioned Outside Cage – Observe Fairness Of Throw* § After Implement Lands:
§ Official Enters Cage / Stands in Circle (Next Thrower Can Enter) § *Thrower Pulls Thru § Official Measures & Records § Thrower Exits Cage (Official Remains In Circle) § Official Verifies Marker Is Ready, Attentive § Official Exits Cage / Calls Order of Throwers* § Next Thrower Remains Out of Circle § Official Calls Next Thrower “Up” / Next Thrower Enters Circle – clock begins
§ Implements are Retrieved as a Group – Like Warm Ups § Continue Following In This Manner Until Competition is Complete
Protocols:
§ Retrieve based on Group Size or Number of Implements § May Need to Allow Retrieve If Allowing Consecutive Throws
§ Official Stays in Circle While Athlete Retrieves
§ Designate Area for Implements When Not In Use § Shared Implements – Inquire when giving instructions to Athletes
§ May Place In Different Groups / May Need to Allow Retrieval
Other Points / Considerations
Protocols: Close – Down of Venue § Once Competition is Over:
§ Instruct Athletes ( and coaches / spectators) to leave Venue Area § Absolutely No Practice § Place Cone / Object in Circle, or Complete Results While In Circle
Comments: Concerns: § Change in protocols will lengthen time to complete events
§ Effect of limited implements available § Variations in venues § Selection of person to mark throw / adherence to protocols
Findings: § Methods to improve efficiency of event
§ Group retrieval § Mark Throw / Measure All During Retrieval
§ “Benevolent Dictator” role helps: § “This is how we are going to proceed, (for everyone’s safety) if you cannot follow these instructions, you don’t compete” (don’t spectate).
§ Review of venue with hosting coach § Identified variations § Lead to joint solutions for safety § More effective due to letter to AD’s, Section coaches’ meeting preview
§ Heightened awareness facilitated changes and implementation § *Concern for maintaining strict safety protocols through time.
§ It is the expectation of both the NYSPHSAA and Section IV that all member schools provide a safe environment for student athletes participating in T&F events. § All events and surrounding venues must meet the rules and standards established by the NFHS for T&F (including event and venues not inspected or observed by certified officials…) § Certified Officials have responsibility to judge, inspect, referee, and observe according to the rules and standards established by the NFHS for the sport of T&F § Expected that Certified Officials Inspect all events and venues to determine that they are safe and all requirements have been met, prior to contesting events.
§ Safety determinations – each event, each occassion. § The Certified Official assigned to the meet must accept the responsibility for their own determinations as to the safety of an event or event venue.
Section IV – T&F Safety (proposed)
§ Confirm Venue Is Compliant and Safe § Consistent Instructions § Control Placement of Athletes, Marker, Spectators (and Yourself! ) § Control the Circle and Implements
§ Control the Landing Area (Danger Area) § Be the Benevolent Dictator ( Recommend: Probationary Officials Work Throw Event With Active Official )
Take – Aways:
THANK YOU TO THE SAFETY COMMITTEE PARTICIPANTS:
Ed VanKuren
John Taylor
Alexis Katchuk
Mike Andrew
(Brian & Steve.. Always)
Appendix A:
Pre-‐Meet:
o Inspect Integrity of Poles and Retaining Material
§ Poles not loose / No escape points in Retaining Material
o Cage sides extend to front of Circle / Height of Cage
o Area Behind Cage Retaining Surface for Athletes o Sector Roping/Flagging ( 20 feet from sector line/ 150-‐200 R. long
o Circle surface clean / free of debris (slippage)
o Venue ConsideraWons-‐ dangerous / safer areas (spectators) o Helper for Marking -‐ (Adult )
o (If neYng thoroughly check for looseness / mark 2 m from net)
o "Coaches Box" if not designated o Put cone / bag, etc. in circle unWl ready to begin warm ups
Appendix B
Athlete Instruc4ons: o Inform Athletes that this is an event with inherent dangers o All instrucWons must be followed precisely, or possible DQ o No one enters circle without being specifically instructed to do so o Will use a protocol in which athlete is instructed when to enter cage o Enters circle when called “up” -‐ throws – (pulls through)-‐ exits cage o Warm ups will be done by groups designated by the official o Each group member enters cage -‐ enters circle -‐ throws -‐ exits cage o Group retrieves implements together when instructed o Only Thrower in Cage; Nobody in Landing Area during Warm Ups o Stay 2 m clear of cage neYng while Thrower is in Cage o All non-‐throwing Athletes remain behind retaining cage o Warm ups over -‐ Official or Item in Circle; Gives CompeWWon InstrucWons o (consider # of implements available when defining Groups)
Appendix C
Protocol to be used: Competition o Official calls order of Athletes – all outside of and behind cage (up, on-deck, on-hold) o Official Alerts Marker (person) and waits to receive ready signal o Athlete in “up” order told to enter cage o Official calls athlete “up” & athlete enters circle (time period to complete throw begins) o Athlete throws - exits circle – picks up tape to “pull through” o Official calls next order of throwers (“up, on-deck, on-hold”) o Official and next thrower (in “up” order) enter cage together o Official enters circle, previous thrower pulls through, Official o reads and records throw distance o Previous Athlete thrower and Official exit cage, current thrower waits o outside of circle o Official is outside of cage, calls Athlete thrower “up”; o Athlete enters circle; time period to initiate throw begins. Additional points of protocol: o No retrieval until implements are needed to continue throws o Retrieval: Official enters cage; stands in circle & instructs Athletes to retrieve & return behind cage o Implements placed in designated area o Athletes obtain implement from designated area when “on deck” o All non-throwing/retrieving Athletes remain behind retaining cage
Appendix D
Alternative method to measure throws:
o Marker has pins/stakes that are numbered.
o Numbers correspond to throwers
o After Athlete completes throw, Marker places pin/stake at landing mark
o Next Athlete throws – Marker places pin/stake … etc.
o When round of throwing is complete, measure all throws
o One athlete pulls through - Marker places tape zero at each pin/stake;
o Marker reads off number on pin / stake;
o Official reads distance and records for the number received from Marker
o Marker proceeds in efficient progression of marked implements (e.g. longàshort)
APPENDIX E - LETTER TO SECTION IV ADS AND COACHES:
To Section 4 Schools, A number of Safety concerns have been addressed as new rules or as points of emphasis for the 2015 Track and field season. 1. Pole Vault Rule 7-5 Article 14. (pg. 58) States…” Planting box padding meeting the applicable ASTM Specification Standards is required and shall cover any hard and unyielding surface including between the planting box and all pads.” This was a recommendation as of last year and is required for this year. Any venues without said specifications will be deemed unsafe, and that event will not be contested. We are also asking when your pit is set up this season to spray a perpendicular white line to the plant box which is known as the “0” point. This makes running this event much smoother for the officials and contestants. (Please see attached PV collar and zero line diagrams) 2. Throwing events Points of Emphasis-2. Proper flagging in the throwing events (pg. 76) States….“Throwing events should be cordoned off and/or flagged properly for the safety of spectators, athletes and officials. Ropes, fences of flags should be set up well outside the sector lines to minimize the risk of injury for spectators, athletes and officials. Spectator seating should be placed behind the throwing area and back from the cage.” Please see the attached throwing event protocols for suggested roping lengths and widths. We understand that each venue is to be treated differently…some venues have natural barriers, some venues will not have enough room for spectators to be behind the cage, some venues have high traffic patterns at the end of their vectors. We are asking you to address this issue as thoughtfully as possible. When we inspect any of the throwing venues, a warning will be issued to any of the schools that have not addressed the suggested protocols. The event will be run but temporary measures must be put into place. The warning will be noted and upon the second time to that venue the protocol has not been addressed the event will not be contested. Todd James Marathon AD and Track coach has taken this point of emphasis to the next level and has ordered signs that will also be posted outside the cordoned areas. He welcomes any inquiries to said signage. Respectfully, Brian Staiger Southern Tier Track, Field and Cross Country Officials President [email protected]