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MONMOUTH-OCEAN PAROCHIAL TRACK LEAGUE RULES
(Revised April 2005)

             I.      ELIGIBILITY 

The team must be made up of those boys and girls who are members of the school they represent.  Registered C.C.D. students may be a part of the team, but must be so stipulated on the team roster.  A boy or girl may participate on only one track team.  Anyone participating on any other school interscholastic track team is ineligible. 

An athlete who reaches their 13th birthday before September 1 of the beginning of the current school year must compete in the Senior Division regardless of their grade.  An athlete who reaches their 15th birthday before September 1 of the beginning of the current school year is ineligible for the entire season.  Juniors may compete in both the Junior and Senior Divisions. 

Each coach is responsible for the eligibility of his own participants.  A team will forfeit all events in which an ineligible competitor has participated, with the points being awarded to the opposing team. 

            II.     DIVISIONS 

                   Junior Boys and Girls .... 6th grade and under 

                   Senior Boys and Girls .... 7th and 8th grades 

            III.    ENTRIES 

                   A.        Dual Meets 

                               1.         Team ........... 3 entries per event 

                               2.         Individual ..... 3 events plus 1 relay

                   B.        Championship Meet 

                               1.         Team:            1 entry per event plus wild card (as applicable) 

                               2.         Individual:    3 events, including 1 relay 

                               3.         Wild Cards:  5 per team for entire meet 

            IV.  UNIFORMS 

It is recommended that all team members wear the same color shirts.  Sneakers, sport or running shoes must be worn for all events.  Bare feet and spikes are prohibited.  Jewelry of any kind (earrings, watches, wristbands, chains, etc.)  is prohibited and can be grounds for disqualification. 

            V.    INSURANCE 

                   Each team member must be covered by insurance. 

            VI.   SUPERVISION 

It is required that each team be accompanied to all competitions by a coach or other adult supervisor who will be responsible for the conduct of their team. 

            VII.  SPORTSMANSHIP 

Every participant in the league must not violate the code of sportsmanship as defined by the NJSIAA and the National Federation.  Bad sportsmanship shall include, but not be limited to, activities such as:  putting down fellow athletes by words or gestures; physical confrontations; verbal abuse of coaches and officials; or purposeful violation of league rules - as said by a Supreme Court Justice; " ... you know it when you see it." 

Bad sportsmanship shall be dealt with as follows: 

                   A.        Any coach or official can bring a potential bad sportsmanship situation to the attention of the Meet Director.  Upon being notified of a potential problem, the meet director is responsible for determining the seriousness of the situation through consultation with all knowledgeable officials and involved individuals including the athlete's coach. 

                 B.      The Meet Director has sole responsibility for determining the validity of the accusation, assessing the seriousness of the situation, and defining the appropriate penalty.  The Meet Director shall inform the coaches of all penalized athletes of the final decision. 

                   C.       Penalties can include disqualification from individual events or the entire meet, including events contested prior to the problem.  The athlete's points awarded for any event in which they have been disqualified shall be redistributed as if the athlete did not compete. 

                   D.        More than one athlete may be penalized by the Meet Director if the seriousness of the situation justifies such action. 

                   E.        The Meet Director may request that disqualified athletes vacate the track and spectator areas. 

            VIII. MEET MANAGEMENT 

                   A.        Starting Times and Cancellations 

                               1.         Dual Meets:  as set by host team in agreement with visiting coaches. 

2.         League Meets: as scheduled at the League Kick-Off meeting.   

a.  A mandatory coaches’ meeting will be held 30' before the start of all League-sponsored competitions. 

b.  At the Championship Meet, the Junior Division High Jump and Long Jump will start an hour before the open competition.  

                   B.        Cancellation: Home team may cancel due to inclement weather, but notice must be given at least two hours before the scheduled start of the meet. 

                   C.        Forfeit time - 60 minutes after the scheduled starting time. 

                   D.        Equipment - home team to supply all equipment for meet (high jump equipment, shot put, measuring tapes, starter's gun, etc.).  The use of starting blocks is prohibited, and "foot starts" are also not allowed.

                   E.        Personnel - home team to supply starter.  Other participating teams to collectively supply timers, pickers and judges. 

                   F.         Lane Assignments - teams will alternate the use of the inside lane and all other lanes. 

                   G.        Scoring -  

                               1.         Dual Meets - points of 5,3,1 awarded in all events including relays. 

                               2.         Championship Meet - points of 6,4,3,2,1 awarded in all events including relays.  

                               3.         Uncontested Events - team must enter individuals who would compete in event in order to be awarded points. 

                               4.         For dual meet competitions, each team is to keep their own record of points and wins and check with the other team at the conclusion of each event. 

                   H.        False Starts - one false start is allowed.  On the second false start, the participant is to be removed from the event. 

                   I.          High Jump -  

                               1.         Opening Heights - Dual Meets 

                                           !  Junior Boys -      40" 

                                           !  Junior Girls -       40" 

                                           !  Senior Girls -       44" 

                                           !  Senior Boys -      48" 

                               2.         Opening heights in the Championship Meet shall be 2" higher than the above dual meet heights.  A contestant must have made the Championship Meet opening height in at least one dual meet in order to qualify for the Championship Meet. 

                               3.         The bar will be raised 2" with each completed round. 

                               4.         A competitor may have two runoffs with no penalty; the third runoff without an attempted jump is considered a miss. 

                               5.         All other National Federation rules pertaining to high jump are applicable (selected excerpts, including rules pertaining to the breaking of ties, are attached). 

                   J.         Long Jump 

                               1.         One runoff per attempt is allowed. 

                               2.         All other National Federation rules pertaining to long jump apply (selected excerpts, including rules pertaining to the breaking of ties, are attached). 

                   K.        Shot Put 

                               1.         An 8 pound shot shall be used by both boys and girls. 

                               2         All other National Federation rules pertaining to shot put apply (selected excerpts, including rules pertaining to the breaking of ties, are attached). 

                   L.         Order of Events 

                               1.         Dual Meets 

                                                                     1200 meters .... Juniors

                                                                     1600 meters .... Seniors

                                                                          50 meters .... Juniors

                                                                       100 meters .... Juniors/Seniors

                                                                       400 meters .... Juniors/Seniors

                                                                       800 meters .... Juniors/Seniors

                                                          4X100 meter relay .... Juniors/Seniors*

                                                                       200 meters .... Juniors/Seniors**

                                                                           shot put .... Seniors

                                                                        long jump .... Seniors/Juniors

                                                                        high jump .... Juniors/Seniors 

*           In any given meet, if both coaches are agreeable, the 4X100 meter relay may be replaced by a 4X200 meter relay. 

**         The 200 meter run may be moved at the discretion of both coaches. 

                               2.         The order of events for the Championship Meet shall be the same as that for Dual Meets above except that the conduct of heats, if required, for the 50 and 100 meter runs shall precede all other running events.

Heats shall be run in the following order:

                                                            Junior 50’s

                                                            Senior 100’s

                                                            Junior 100’s 

                   M.        Protests 

                               1.         Protest shall be made at the time of the event and only on an interpretation of a rule. 

                               2.         Protests are to be submitted in writing to the League within 48 hours of the meet involved. 

            IX.   LEAGUE MEETS OTHER THAN CHAMPIONSHIP MEET 

The league may sponsor other events such as a Developmental Meet or Relay Carnivals.  These events shall comply with all league rules as stated herein, except as modified or supplemented by event-specific requirements.

 

HIGH JUMP RULES
SELECTED ARTICLES
 

ART.12 ... A competitor may attempt to clear the bar in any manner, provided the takeoff is from one foot and provided no weights or artificial aids are used. 

ART.13 ... The bar shall not be lowered after competition has started except to determine a first place winner when a tie for that place is involved. 

ART.16 ... It shall count as an unsuccessful trial: (a) when the crossbar is displaced in an attempt to clear it; (b) when a jumper touches the ground or landing area beyond the plane of the crossbar, or the crossbar extended, without clearing the bar; (c) when, after clearing the bar, a competitor stumbles against the upright and displaces the crossbar or steadies the bar; (d) when failing to initiate a trial attempt that is carried to completion within 1.5 minutes.  N.B. a competitor is not considered to have fouled if any part of the body breaks the plane of the crossbar or crossbar extended and does not touch the ground or the mats. 

ART.17 ... Breaking ties for places in high jump. 

a.  The competitor with the lowest number of trials for the height at which the tie occurs shall be awarded the highest place. 

b.  If the tie still remains, the competitor with the lowest total number of unsuccessful trials throughout the competition up to and including the height last cleared shall be awarded the higher place. 

c.  No misses shall be charged to a competitor for a passed height. 

d.  If the tie remains after applying the above, the competitors shall be awarded the same place in the competition unless the tie is for first place.  If the tie concerns first place, the competitors tying shall make one more attempt for the height at which they failed and, if no decision is reached, the bar shall (1) be lowered if tying contestants fail to make the height or (2) raised if two or more contestants made the height.  The bar shall be raised or lowered 1" as appropriate.  Competition shall continue with each competitor allowed one try at each height until a winner is determined.
 

LONG JUMP RULES
SELECTED ARTICLES

 

Art. 13 ... it is a foul if the competitor allows their shoe to extend over the scratch line .. or runs across the scratch line or the scratch line extended. 

Art. 14 ... each legal jump shall be measured perpendicularly to the scratch line or its extension ..

Art. 15 ... the judges shall hold the tape in such a way that the readings will be at the takeoff board. 

Art. 17 ... If the distance resulting from the best performance of competitors is identical, the higher place is awarded to the tying competitor whose second-best performance is better than the second -best performance of any other tied competitor.  If a tie still remains, than the third-best performance shall determine the winner. 

SHOT PUT RULES
SELECTED ARTICLES
 

Art. 8 ... A legal put shall be made from the shoulder, with one hand only, so that during the attempt, the shot does not drop behind or below the shoulder.  A competitor must start from a stationary position inside the circle. 

Art. 9 ... It is a foul if the competitor: 

A.    After stepping into the circle, fails to pause before starting the put

B.    After stepping into the circle, touches the circle, not including the inner face of the stopboard or band if one is used, or the ground outside the circle.

C.   Puts the shot so it does not fall within the sector lines if used

D.   After the shot has landed, does not exit through the back half of the circle 

Art. 10 ... the measurement shall be recorded from the nearest edge of the first mark made by the shot to the inside edge of the stopboard nearest such mark, measured along the extended radius of the circle. 

Art. 11 ... The judges shall hold the tape is such a way that the readings will be at the circle.                                                                                         

Tie Breaking:  If the distance resulting from the best performance of competitors is identical, the higher place is awarded to the tying competitor whose second-best performance is better than the second -best performance of any other tied competitor.  If a tie still remains, than the third-best performance shall determine the winner.