USATF proposes to allow run throughs after one hour

[rainbowgirl28]

I think this is kind of a CYA type of thing... they've let Jenn S. take run throughs at the last two Outdoor Champs in violation of the rules.

https://www.usatf.org/events/2010/Annua ... 0Oct06.pdf

Item 52 – Submitted by Sue Humphrey, Chair, Women‟s Track and Field Amend Rule 180.13(c) as follows:
Once a competition has begun, competitors are not permitted to use implements for practice purposes or to use the throwing circles, runways, or area within the sectors for practice trials, with or without implements. However, in vertical jumps, a competitor who has not taken an initial trial in at least one hour from the first attempt of the
Proposed Amendments USATF Rules Of Competition pg. 16 2010 Annual Meeting – Virginia Beach, VA
competition shall, under the direction of the event official, be allowed to use the runway and landing area, without the crossbar, for warm-up at the change of the bar to the height they enter the competitor. A maximum of one and one-half minutes is allowed for the competitor in the high jump. A maximum of two minutes is allowed for the competitor in the pole vault. See Rule 180.6, which authorizes practice or warm-up when an event is conducted in flights.
Reason: This addition follows the NCAA rules and gives our more elite jumpers an option of checking their run in long competitions where the starting height is low. In the PV especially, we start the event at a lower height to accommodate the field. This means the better jumpers are waiting. This option to the rule would allow the meet field event referee to offer this run through opportunity to our better jumpers, if they want it.

On the one hand, I do think this rule should be in place for most USATF open competitions. Most officials do something like this anyway, whether through ignorance or choosing not to follow the letter of the law.

But on the other hand, the IAAF does not allow run throughs. So I would say even if this rule was passed, I'm not sure we should be following it at USAs. At some point shouldn't our top athletes be preparing for International Championship competition?

[ADTF Academy]

If you read the rule to a point most of the vaulter break the rule anyways once the meet starts.


"Once a competition has begun, competitors are not permitted to use implements for practice purposes or to use the throwing circles, runways, or area within the sectors for practice trials, with or without implements"


Running down the runway without a pole during the meet breaks the rule as well. This becomes tough when they won't allow the vaulters on the Track to do a run even when no events are on the track. Problem with rules are you either follow them or you don't. This has been a grey area for years.

[73-vaulter]

That is just what we want to do; make it more restrictive. We have people running at near full speed and jumping on to a pole about 5 meters up and trying to control their fall to land on the only "soft" spot around. Lets make them stand around for log periods of time and not allow them time to verify that their marks are still on, nor to even "warm-up". Then make them vault.
Is that not the logic behind not being able to use the runway or the track during the event?

[rainbowgirl28]

Is that not the logic behind not being able to use the runway or the track during the event?

I think the logic has more to do with not getting in the way of competing vaulters and events on the track.

[Divalent]

I think its a good rule, for the obvious reasons of safety and for allowing athletes who enter late in the competition a fair warmup. These two events (HJ and PV) are unique in the sometimes extreme interval between the allowed warmup period and when some of the athletes make their first attempt.

I'm not sure I buy the argument that accomodating athletes this way is unwise because they won't be prepared for international competition. For one, there isn't a sport where international rules are the same as the national, pro, college, and high school rules, and it doesn't seem to be a big issue elsewhere. Secondly, it seems to me this logic would result in the international rules propagating, level by level, all the way down to the HS level, and would result in a sort of stasis in the rule books. (So why not let HS'ers set the standards at 0?) And is there any reason to think that the folks that decide on the international rules are the smartest and wisest rulemakers? Innovation (for safety as well as for technique and strategy) can arise at any level.

[rainbowgirl28]

I think its a good rule, for the obvious reasons of safety and for allowing athletes who enter late in the competition a fair warmup. These two events (HJ and PV) are unique in the sometimes extreme interval between the allowed warmup period and when some of the athletes make their first attempt.

I'm not sure I buy the argument that accomodating athletes this way is unwise because they won't be prepared for international competition. For one, there isn't a sport where international rules are the same as the national, pro, college, and high school rules, and it doesn't seem to be a big issue elsewhere. Secondly, it seems to me this logic would result in the international rules propagating, level by level, all the way down to the HS level, and would result in a sort of stasis in the rule books. (So why not let HS'ers set the standards at 0?) And is there any reason to think that the folks that decide on the international rules are the smartest and wisest rulemakers? Innovation (for safety as well as for technique and strategy) can arise at any level.

I agree with your logic that we shouldn't set rules based on one meet a year (USAs). I think they should make the rule change, but consider not allowing run throughs at the Olympic Trials.

However, your logic of the trickle down effect is flawed. HS rules are set by NFHS and college rules by NCAA. The USATF rule has been no run throughs forever, as far as I know, and the lower levels have allowed run throughs for as long as anyone can remember.

So leaving the rule "as is" is highly unlikely to have a negative effect on HS/college.

[rainbowgirl28]

All of the rules proposed about allowing warmups and pushing the pole back were rejected.

I think most of those who proposed rules, besides the one Sue Humphrey proposed, didn't really even understand how the USATF rulebook works and what levels of competition they were proposing rules to.


Adopted was the following minor clarification in language:

Item 58 – Submitted by George Kleeman, Rules Committee on behalf of Tom Heisey Amend Rule 183.8 as follows:
The pole may be of any material or combination of materials and of any length or diameter, but the basic surface must be smooth. The pole may have protective layers of tape at the grip and of tape and/or any other suitable material at the bottom end such as a protective sleeve to protect it when placing it in the vaulting box.
Reason: Clarify that many things qualify to be at bottom of pole to protect it from damage. This allows the rule book to conform to current practice and make use of the devices being sold legal.