2009 NJSIAA Outdoor Track and Field
Committee Meeting
Agenda
In Attendance: Frank Calise (F.A. T. expert), James Camburn (Meet
Director, South Groups 2 and 3), Ed Colona (Meet Director, South Groups 4
and1), Jay Demarest (Meet Director, Central Groups 2 and 3), Lou Fraulo (Meet
Director, North I Groups 1 and 4), Bill Milone (Meet Director, North 2 Groups 3
and 4), Rich Refi (Meet Director Central Groups 1 and 4 – also Coach of
Hillsborough), Carl Rickershauser (State Rules Interpreter and Referee), John
Schwartz (Meet Director, North 2 Groups 1 and 2) , Gerald Richardson (Lenape
High School Track, Coach), John Struck (Morris Hills Track Coach), Pam Wilson
(Track Coach Hackettstown) and Don Danser (NJSIAA Staff)
Absent: Wayne Gardiner (
I. Correspondence
A. Private Coaches –
--also
Several
letters from schools asking for help with private coaches interfering with
public school coaches especially in the pole vault. Many of these coaches have
coaches’ passes. Schools are reminded that they should not list on the entry
form any person as an assistant coach who has not been approved by their Board
of Education. It does not matter whether or not they are paid. The issue of
private coaches is really a local one, but if member schools feel that the NJSIAA
should be dealing with this issue by creating a rule that clearly indicates the
boundaries of private coaches and the penalties that they and their athletes
may incur if they cross these boundaries, they should contact their Executive
Committee representatives or address correspondence to Mr. Steven Timko,
Executive director.
B. Automatic
Qualifying Standards –
The
NJSIAA philosophy when it comes to Meets/Tournament of Champions is not trying
to get the best athletes/teams into these teams. If that were the case, we
would do away with Group Titles and everyone would start in one large group/bracket
to reach a single champion, which is how the individual wrestling tournament is
conducted. The NJSIAA philosophy has been to create a showcase for the Group
Winners to perform. This proposal would be contrary to that philosophy
C. Triple Jump at
The
South Plainfield Girls Triple Jump runway has on it marks at 20’ 24’ 28’ and
32’. The pit itself is 24 feet long. A 36’ takeoff may have been more
comfortable for jumpers, but not required. Only one coach saw it as a problem.
Before the event started, the South Plainfield Site Manager did measure out a
36’ board, and the coaches involved agreed to accept a taped board. After the
meet, the coach stated that the tape didn’t work that well because it rained
during the event and the tape had to be continually attended to. At the urging
of the committee, since
D. Advancing to M o C and other concerns - Southern
Regional
See I B above and item III below
E. Sites –
These
three schools all stated that they would like to see the Group 4 meet venue
changed because of the distance and expense of traveling from the north to
F. 2009 Glitches –
The reporter stated that on 6 lane tracks at sectional
competition where there would be more than 6 heats in the 100 and 100/110 high
hurdles, the winners and next fastest times should always advance, so there
should be semi-finals in these cases. No one, especially the coaches on the
committee, felt this was a good idea.
Another concern was in the Group meet, 800, 1600, and
3200 sectional winners should be given the option of being in the seeded heat.
The clerks are instructed to do so if the times of the slowest sectional
winners are not too far off what would be the cutoff if strictly going by time.
This is a judgment that is made by the Head Clerk at each meet. The report is
correct that to leave a sectional winner out of the seeded section just to have
two even sections is wrong and contrary to the clerk’s instructions. It is
standard policy, but humans run meets and sometimes they need to be reminded.
G. Volunteer – Parsippany Hills
Committee
members are set by the Executive Committee, but if we form committees to study
certain projects dealing with track, we will keep you in mind.
H. Meet of Champs –
One
of our rarer communications that contained nothing but praise for the M o C and
its host
I. Parsippany
Sectional site –
According
to this correspondence all four jumping events are far from ideal at
Parsippany. John Schwartz stated that Parsippany had plans to improve these
problems. Two other schools have offered, at least informally to take the meet
if Parsippany cannot make the improvements. That decision is up to the Meet
Directors.
J. Officiating at South Plainfield Groups – parent
In
the process of running 736 events, in 5 days in 10 sites involving nearly 500
officials and more than 10,000 athletes, mistakes in the “heat of battle”
happen. We try to avoid them, but given the nature of humans, they happen. In
this case, an improperly seeded athlete (a 5th seeded athlete in the
preliminary rounds of the 100 hurdles was placed in lane 8) was not one the
referee could fix.
K. Open Pit at M of C for LJ and Tj –
The
committee liked the Open Pit for the sectionals and groups but did agree with
the correspondent that since field events start before running events, having
flights in the triple and long jumps with an average of 35 competitors may work
better, so next year, open pit for sections and groups – flights of 4-12 (as
stated in the NFHS rules) will be used in the long and triple jumps in the M of
C.
L. DQ question at
Seems
that a coach was not made aware of a disqualification at the Group Meet in
M. Indoor times for seeding -
Wanted
to use indoor time to upgrade a seed time for a group winner going into the
Meet of Champions. Although it is not clearly stated that it must be an outdoor
time, past practice has been that the performance must come from the current
season. That will be made clearer in the regulations.
N. Plea for advancement – Athlete, Parent, Athletic
Director
An
athlete’s card was misplaced (clerk had verified he had seen the card) and because
of the mistake, had to run by himself in the 400 hurdles. He was advanced to
the next level.
An
athlete who had medaled in a field event was disqualified because the coach did
not enter her correct computer competitor number on her entry card. Although
the tournament regulations say that this may be done, it has never been done
until this year. The committee will remove the disqualification wording from
the tournament regulations and will put the following into effect: For each incorrect or missing competitor’s
number, the athlete’s school will be fined $20.00. The disqualification had to stand because
the NJSIAA constitution states there can be no appeal for misapplication of the
rule after the contest is concluded. However, the athlete was advanced to the
next level.
O. High Jump ruling – parent
High
jump official called a foul (failed attempt) on an athlete who had extended her
arm beyond the plain of the high jump bar without touching the bar or the pad.
The athlete would have tied for 6th place. We will ask the officials
chapters in their rules meetings to stress the rules of this event with their officials
because it has been reported to be happening in dual meets and else where.
Coaches should always ask for a clarification from the official and if
necessary the referee in cases like this, because after the event, there is
nothing that can be done.
P. Mahwah Throwing events complaint –
Javelin
was thrown in two massive flights instead of 4 to 12 as stated in the NFHS
rules at the N1 Sectional meet at Mahwah. Meet Directors and Referees need to
stress the proper way these events are to be conducted. Written instructions
were supposed to have been given to every official to help prevent this, but on
site supervision must be used to prevent this. Coaches can help by pointing out
the mistake to the official and if necessary the referee and meet management.
Q. Suggestion for renovation of
Recommended
to
R. Hackensack officiating – Official
The
application of the hurdle rule was questioned here. There were six athletes
disqualified at this sectional meet. NJSIAA official policy says at least two
officials need to see the violation before disqualification. If hurdles are not
the “block” hurdles but the “rocker” type, it is much easier to for the hurdler
to appear to be violation of the rules.
Complained
about the suitability and legality of the pole vault landing system. Lou
Fraulo, the meet director, and Don Danser, the tournament director, both
examined the pole vault system and found it to be suitable a legal. No other
complaint before, during or after was received about it.
II. Date of the Meet of Champions
A. Survey Results
B. From a fan’s perspective Jim Crossin or
C and another fan
– Mike Frye
The
survey was split down the middle on this one. Committee decided to move the
Meet of Champions to Thursday with a rain date of Friday as a result.
III. Non-Public “situation”
A. From a reporter’s perspective – Reporter Bergen Record
B. From a coach –
We
are all aware of the problems with the Group Meet at
Buena will host Sectional for South 2, 3,
and Non Public B
Hillsborough will host Sectional for
Central 1 and 4
Monmouth Regional will host Sectional for
Central 2 and 3
Parsippany will host Sectional for North I
2 and 4
Mahwah will host Sectional for North II 2
and 3
The
division of Non-Public into North A , North B, South A and South B will be done
to equal the number of teams in between north and south divisions.
Group
Meets
With
six qualifying in each event from each section,
Each Public Group will have a maximum of 24
competitors per event
Each Non-Public Group will have a maximum
of 12 competitors per event.
This
new alignment must be approved by the NJSIAA Finance Committee and then by the
Program Review Committee.
IV. Adding 4x100 and 4x800 relay events to Track program
A. Survey Results
40% favored not adding any events
60% favored adding at least one event
(209 responses to the survey)
B. Adding Relays Paul Jayson – former NJ Coach now
coaching in PA
Committee
came to a consensus to add both relays to the Meet of Champions only and not to
the scoring portion of the tournaments, mainly to give us a chance to see how
the new sectional alignment works. By league adoption one or both of these
events can be added to dual meets (must be scoring events) and by games
committees to conference/league, county, invitationals either as scoring or open events.
IV. Tournament Regulations Update
Dates: Sectionals May 21, 22, 2010
Groups May 28, 29, 2010
(Memorial Day Weekend)
M of C
Site
change – Mr Lou Fraulo is retiring as Sectional Director for North 1
Replacing him will be Len Pietrewicz
and as is our policy, the Meet Director can choose his/her site for the meet.
Len has chosen
We
would like to extend our appreciation to
The Meet of Champions starting time will be