USATF OFFICIALS BEST PRACTICES
NCAA Track & Field
Games Committee Issues / Required Decisions
Obtain Games Committee decisions several months prior to the competition; include in the Championship or Participant Manual
1. Decisions specified by Rule 3.2:
a. Determine the number and assignment of officials (Rules 3-2, 3-3.2)
b. Appoint, if appropriate, a Jury of Appeals to serve as the final authority on appeals of referees’ decisions and provide for the Jury and/or other pertinent officials to remain on site until the end of any protest period (Rules 3-2 & 3-4.3)
c. Determine the number of competitors an institution is allowed in each event (Rules 3-2, 4-1.13)
d. Determine the use and placement of competitors’ numbers (Rules 3-2 & 4-3.4)
e. Approve the time schedule and the order of events (Rules 3-2, 4-1.6 Note, 4-1.7, 4-4.3)
f. Verify that all events are held at the main meet venue except at conference championships (Rule 3-2)
g. Determine the number of lapped runners who shall remain in the competition (Rules 3-2 & 5-4.2, note 2)
h. Determine the structure for running timed-section finals (Rules 3-2 & 5-10.1)
i. Determine qualifying procedures and drawing for heats & lanes (Rules 3-2, 5-10.1, 5-10.3, 5-11.1, 5-11.4 Note, 5-11.5)
j. Decide procedures to resolve ties for the last qualifying position in subsequent rounds (Rules 3-2 & 5-10.4)
k. Approve the timing equipment to be used (Rule 3-2)
l. Determine the use of implements for the meet (Rules 3-2 & 6-1.10)
m. Set the time and place for inspecting, weighing and measuring all implements to be used in the meet (Rules 3-2 & 6-1.10)
n. Approve measuring apparatus (Rules 3-2, 3-3.2)
o. Designate field-event site or runway, including direction, at least one hour before event competition begins (Rules 3-2 & 6-1.16)
p. Designate running event direction at least one-half hour before event competition begins (Rule 3-2)
q. Determine for field-events the group size, number of competitors to advance to finals, flight assignments, and automatic qualifications (Rules 3-2, 6-2.4/5/6/7, 6-4.1)
r. Establish a time by which all preliminaries in a field event must be completed (Rules 3-2, 6-3.2)
s. Set starting heights and increments for vertical jumps events (Rules 3-2, 6-5.2, 6-6.1)
t. Determine the use of facilities for, and the conduct of, combined events (Rules 3-2 & 6-2.6)
2. Decisions Specified by Other Rules:
a. Establish reporting times and location for all competitors (Rules 3-3.2, 4-2.1)
b. Establish a policy on acceptable runway markers (Rules 3-3.2, 6-1.7)
c. Define the competition area (Rule 4-1.18); govern access to any competition area and establish a policy on coaches’ boxes and coaches’ access to the infield (Rule 4-1.19)
d. Specify the acceptable use of electronics (Rule 4-1.20)
e. Establish a policy on field event athletes leaving their venues (Rule 4-2.3.b)
f. Specify, if appropriate, restrictions on the type of allowable spikes (Rule 4-3.5b)
g. Establish, if appropriate, starting block restrictions (Rule 5-1.3)
h. Determine if hurdles will be run in consecutive or alternate lanes (Rule 5-6.1)
i. Determine the type of start (waterfall or alley) for 800 meter races (Rule 5-10.6)
j. Determine the length of warm-ups for field events (Rule 6-1.9)
k. Determine use of separate qualifying competition, or flights of preliminary rounds to reduce the number of field event competitors, using (Rule 6-2.1)
l. Establish, if appropriate, alternate procedures for the number of field event attempts allowed and minimum distances required for measurements (Rule 6-3)
m. Determine the method of conducting vertical jumps with fields greater than 20 (Rule 6-4.3)
3. Decisions Not Specified by Rules:
a. Establish a policy for the filing of protests – formal vs. informal; verbal vs. written; fee or no fee
b. Determine if athletes are required to exit the field of play through a “Mixed Zone”
c. Electronic recorders – operated by officials or volunteers?
d. Establish procedures for dealing with severe weather and lightning - detection, reporting, announcements, and shelters – for fans, athletes, officials (Appendix D; NCAA Sports Medicine Handbook)
e. Determine if hip numbers are required on left, right or both hips; on singlet for races of xxx meters and above?
f. Determine if field event measurements will be made with lasers or tape measures
NCAA Games Cmte Decis., USATF Best Practices, Jul 17 (Credit: R. Schornstein)