Typical HS pettiness

[Divalent]

My suggestion is that the rules be modified so that you must be WARNED after your FIRST jump, then DQ'd for any infraction after the warning - certainly not after a meet-winning jump ... without WARNING!

I agree. That is how the rules should be. There are other infractions were a warning is imposed first (removing part of your uniform in the competition area, for example, and also I think if you take warmup throws/jumps before an event officially starts), and I think the key difference is that you are not dealing with something that is intentional, unsportsman-like, dangerous, and/or gives a competitive advantage. The penalty should fit the crime, and IMO not all infractions should be subject to the death penalty.

[AVC Coach]

One of our coaches suggested that each time a rule is violated, the athlete should get one warning and his/her school would be fined $25.00 for each violation. Athletic Directors would get tired of paying foolish fines and crack down on the coaches, making them more concerned about their kids following the rules.

It's funny how if a ref sees a kid on the basketball court with an ear ring in, he makes him go to the bench and take it off. He can come back in the game as soon as he does. When a track athlete violates a rule, he's disqualified from further competition. We're trying to get more kids involved in track and field and nit picking them to death with rules that don't really affect the outcome of their performance.

Yesterday, Daniel Ryland was telling me about a ref in Florida that was going to DQ a girl for having a belly button ring in. After making a scene it turns out that she just had an outtie. No ring! Where does it stop?

[dj]

good morning,

human beings do things for 3 reason's.. power, money or love..

officials usually don't do it for money... the ones that do it for "love" usually work with the athlete.. the "power" ones do it to "show they have the power".

axe there A$$$$e$$.. or figure a way to get them out of the sport..

dj

[charlie]

You are dead on brother Dave!!!!! Tell it like it is!!!!!!!!Charlie, one of your biggest fans who LOVES to whip you on the golf course!!!!!!

[KirkB]

... one of your biggest fans who LOVES to whip you on the golf course!!!!!!

For POWER, or $$$?

Kirk

[charlie]

BOTH!!!! I was the same way in the polevault , but i also tried to help ALL my competitors!!!!!!!!!

[belmore]

I think DJ hit it right on.

[VaultPurple]

The only thing wrong with what DJ said was... This situation has nothing to do with officials. It is the opponents coaches and the bad rule.

Even if the official is the nicest guy on earth and cares the world about the athletes, if a petty coach points out a winning athlete that was breaking a uniform/jewelry rule so that his athlete can win, the official must DQ the kid because of how the rule stands.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_15083139

Monrovia coach won't be disciplined for role in pole vault incident

By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/13/2010 08:42:52 PM PDT

SOUTH PASADENA - The controversial ruling that disqualified a South Pasadena High School pole vaulter for wearing a friendship bracelet during a dual track meet will stand, and no action will be taken against the coach who pointed out the infraction.

Monrovia High School Principal Darvin Jackson said track team co-coach Mike Knowles' job is not in jeopardy.

"We just needed to look at all the facts to see what actually transpired," Jackson said. "That's what we did with (South Pasadena coach) P.J. (Hernandez) and (assistant coach) C.B. (Richards). We wanted to see if there was any malicious intent, and it was decided that was not the case, and all parties agreed."

Administrators, athletic directors and track coaches from Monrovia and South Pasadena high schools had an hour-long meeting Wednesday evening to discuss what happened at the April 29 track meet that decided the girls' Rio Hondo League championship.

In a joint statement released Thursday, both schools agreed Monrovia would keep its first-ever league title and no action would be taken against Knowles, who noted the infraction after South Pasadena's Robin Laird cleared 7 feet, 6 inches to seemingly win the league title for the Tigers.

News of Knowles' challenge and Laird's disqualification has sparked a heated national debate among commentators, bloggers and the media.

"Despite exploring alternative outcomes for the league championship," the schools' statement read, "South Pasadena High School and Monrovia High School have concluded together, and agreeably, that Monrovia will retain the Rio Hondo League Championship.
"It is evident from the actions of the school leaders that the spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie remains strong in the Rio Hondo League and between Monrovia and South Pasadena high schools. We wish both teams continued success, representing the (Rio Hondo League) as a united front competing in the CIF-Southern Section Prelims this weekend."

Both coaching staffs unanimously agreed with the ruling by the National Federation that jewelry is not to be worn during competition, but took issue with the definition of "jewelry." Laird has worn a bracelet made of cloth since November.

"Although the `jewelry' rule is a controversial one," the statement read, "we deemed that it was not our position to interpret the rule to benefit either team. Therefore, CIF-SS was contacted. They responded by defining jewelry as, `anything that adorns the body.'

"While this is not the way any team would have liked to win, it was also the feeling of the group that had this incident occurred at a different time in the meet, the outcome would have remained the same, likely without the dramatics leading to such media coverage."

[AVC Coach]

At our state Decathlon/Heptathlon meet this week, I asked one of our association officials why the rule was so harsh. The explaination I got was that it was to align track and field with other sports. I'm not sure that we're even close if that is the reason.

My question is this. If I'm playing on the line in a football game and I hold the lineman from the opposing team and get caught, what's the penalty? 10 yards. I do it again. 10 yards. If the referee warns me about holding this guy and I do it again. 10 yards. At what point am I ejected from the game? The ref is catching me everytime. I'm clearly breaking the rules and show no signs of playing fair. At what point will the coach from the other team complain to the referees that I'm holding and suggest that I be taken out of the game?

[nolevault]

Why isn't anyone complaining about the coach of the girl who got dq'd? It's evident that a lack of knowledge in the rules of this event led to the young lady being allowed to wear the bracelet. Whether she wore a bracelet or vaulted on a pole that was below her weight or exceeded the allowed time for a completed vault, an infraction occured and HER coach should be held accountable. After her coach, SHE should be held accountable. If she wants to wear a jersey that says " I love pole vaulting", that's awesome and great for the sport, but, it is against the rules. All high school vaulters should acquire a copy of the rules book so this never happens to them. All rules, no matter how petty we believe them to be, make up the sport that we all love and enjoy! Support the rules or get on a committe to change them.

[Vaultref]

Someone, maybe a coach, an athletic director, an official, or maybe a concerned parent has submitted a rule change to alter this rule. The NFHS committee apparently listened and approved a change.

We'll see how this one plays out next year.

Here's the link: http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=4047

This second link as a little more detail: http://www.nfhs.org/content.aspx?id=4046