MEMORANDUM

 

To:             All Track and Field Coaches and support personnel

 

   From:         David Hubley, Charles P Allen High School 832-8964 ext. 7551012                                                        daveh@staff.ednet.ns.ca

                     Jason Murphy, Citadel High School 491-4444 ext 2831310   237-1000 (mobile)

                  murphyja@staff.ednet.ns.ca

                 

Re:             Halifax County Track and Field Meet 2012

 

Site:           Beazley Field, Dartmouth

 

Dates:        Wednesday May 16th  & Thursday May 17h 

Extreme weather cancellation make-up date – Friday May 18th 

 

Start Time:   9:45am – Both days (we always aim for this and are getting closer each year)

 

Entry                            Fee:   $5.00 per athlete (including relay runners) + $20 per school ---- to a max of  $300 per school

 

Coaches Meeting:  Tuesday April 24th, Charles P. Allen High School Library at 7pm

 

Online Entries:                   Initial due date for precheck: Thursday May 10th/7pm

Deadline for changes and final entries: Saturday May 12th/noon

Changes will be very limited after this deadline.  Please see entry information below for further details of this essential process. 

 

This year the District (County) meet will be held at the Beazley Field in Dartmouth on Wednesday, May 16th and Thursday, May 17th.  Note that the cancellation/make-up date will be Friday May 18th.  Please note if Wednesday the 16th is cancelled due to bad weather, Thursday’s events will go ahead as scheduled on Thursday and Wednesday’s events will move to the rain date on Friday This also includes Special Olympian events which would move to Friday if Wednesday is cancelled due to weather.

 

Special Olympians

We will be holding the 100m, shot put and long jump events for Special Olympians again this year. These athletes will be split into four divisions; Junior High Girls, Junior High Boys, Senior High Girls and Senior High Boys. They will have the same opportunity to advance to the Regional and Provincial Championships as all other athletes and must follow the same qualification rules. The exception to this is our Wheelchair 100m race. At this time, the NSSAF does not have a provincial wheelchair track event so the wheelchair athletes will have the opportunity to advance to Regionals but no further.  Please ensure that these athletes have supervision provided (EPA’s) as coaches cannot be expected to coach, officiate and supervise their athletes as well as the Special Olympians. Special Olympians are permitted one person in the competition area per athlete. If a Special Olympian requires more than one helper to successfully participate in the event, this issue should be discussed with the Meet Director at the coaches meeting on the morning of the event. Please communicate this to your EPA’s.

 

Officiating

In order for the meet to run safely and efficiently, all schools will be assigned an event to officiate or other duties to complete. With school budgets as they are, we have noted a decline in the number of teachers/adults who are coming with schools so please communicate with your administration and ensure you have enough sub time to provide the helpers needed. If this is not possible please communicate with your parents and see if they can help. Also, ensure the person(s) representing your school is familiar with the rules for that event or the role they are assigned to. They also need to realize that they may indeed be on site with little break throughout the day and that it is also necessary that each school supply several students to assist the official at the event to rake, retrieve, mark or simply help out.

 

 

Supervision

To ensure the safety and good behavior of the athletes when they are not competing, schools should provide an additional teacher or parent to act as a chaperone of the team area. Please do not allow your students to bring footballs, soccer balls, or other athletic equipment to the meet as it usually ends up on the track or infield during the event. This is a track and field competition, not a leisure day.  We understand it is difficult to monitor all behavior, but please help us create a positive environment at the meet.

 

Athlete Safety/Facilities

There is very little protection from the weather on site, so please make sure your athletes dress properly and bring tarps and tents to protect themselves from the elements. Every year we watch students arrive in shorts and t-shirts on rainy nine degree days.  They will not last an hour on site.  Suggest that they bring toques, mitts and full foot coverage. Porta-potties, a canteen and athletic therapists (for athletic related injuries only, not first–aid) will once again be available on site.  Also, garbage bags are available in “the shack” so that at the end of the day your team can clean up their area before they depart.  Also, we remind schools to bring their own first aid kit.  Finally, be sure that you are legally parked on site and ensure if you arrive by bus that you use the drop off lane at the Junior high below the field as busses cannot enter and turn around in the Beazley field lot.  

 

Fees

Full fees ($5.00 per competitor + a $20.00 school entry fee to a max of $300 per school) should be paid at the end of the 1st day, or mid-morning on the 2nd day. Cheques are made payable to: Metro High School Athletic Association and cover costs for security, timing, rentals, toilets and equipment like shells, guns, measuring tapes, paper.

 

Information/Registration

We are using the NSSAF webpage for much more information again this year. You can find information and results from all districts and regionals and will find all the information you need for provincials there.  It is also where you will go to register athletes for the meet so try it out at http://nssaf.ednet.ns.ca/forms/T&F2012/Main12.html  or link to it through the NSSAF main page. http://nssaf.ednet.ns.ca 

We are also going to attempt something new this year and will be “Tweeting” some event information prior to and during the meet.  It will not be extensive, but we may be able to post some top 3, where we are in the meet, and certainly cancellation and reminder information. Follow us on Twitter @nssaftrack

 

 

Thank you for your involvement and all the hard work you put into Track and Field! We do appreciate it we say it every year but we honestly cannot do it without you! 

 

And on that note, this will be Dave’s last year as meet director as he heads off into retirement!  With Jason now permanently at a city school, a new county meet director will need to come forward.

 

   Sincerely,

 

 

 

   Dave and Jason

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rules and Regulations – Halifax County Track and Field Meet

 

1.            Age classifications:      

S                                  Senior                                                   under 19 as of Sept. 30/11

I                                   Intermediate                                          under 16 as of Sept. 30/11

              J                                 Junior                                                   under 14 as of Sept. 30/11

                           SAJ                              Junior High Special Olympian                 Grade 7-9                     

                           SAS                             Senior High Special Olympian                 Grade 10-12     

               Wheel                           Wheelchair                                            under 19 as of Sept. 30/11

Ask kids how old they are and do not rely on the grade level for age classes.

 

2.            A competitor may enter a maximum of 6 events, including relays.

 

3. Three athletes may be entered per event field event, per age class, per gender, per school.

NEW   Four athletes may be entered per track event, per age class, per gender, per school.

 

4.            In all throwing and jump-for-distance events, each competitor will be allowed 3 trials only. Best throw or  jump in three rounds is used for placing.  Ties will be broken by next best jump or throw. No jump/throw off will take place. Also…

* The first jump or throw of each competitor will be measured

   * In rounds 2 & 3, only those throws/jumps which place in the top 10 will be measured.  A stake  will be placed in the field at the 10th place distance (if the athlete faults in the 1st round then the 2nd round jump or throw will be measured so that they get at least 1 measured attempt)

 

5. Implements:                                         Shot Put           SB                               6.00kg

IB                                5.00kg

                                                                                       JB/IG/SG                     4.00kg 

JG                               3.00kg

SAJB/SASB                 4.00kg

SAJG/SASG                 3.00kg

                                      

                                                               Discus             SB                               1.75kg

                                                                                       IB                                1.50kg

                                                                                       All others                     1.00kg

                                                                                      

Javelin             SB                                800g

                                                                                       IB                                             700g

                                                                                       All others                      600g

 

6.            Hurdle heights & distances:                                           JG                                30" (0.76m) X 80m

                                                                                       IG/SG                           33" (0.83m) X 80m

                                                                                       JB                                33" (0.83m) X 100m

                                                                                       IB                                 36" (0.90m) X 100m

                                                                                       SB                                39" (1.00m) X 100m

 

7.            Hurdle placements:                                                        80 m                             100 m

                                       To first hurdle:                           12 m                             13 m

                                       Between hurdles:                       8 m                               8.5 m

                                       From last hurdle to finish:           12 m                             10.5 m

 

8.            Hurdlers will be disqualified if they fail to attempt to clear each hurdle during a given race or if judged to have gained advantage through improper techniques. They will also be disqualified if they interfere outside their lane with athletes in other lanes.  Races can be re-run at the discretion of the track referee if and athlete is impeded to an extent that an “unfair” race occurs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.            Starting High Jump Heights:                                           Class                           Height 

(all heights are 10cm below                                               SB                                1.35 m

 Provincial starting heights)                                                IB                                 1.30 m

                                                                                       JB                                1.15 m

                                                                                       SG                               1.15 m

                                                                                       IG                                 1.15 m

                                                                                       JG                                1.05 m

 

10. In the 400, 800, 1500, 3000, Hurdles and all relays, each race shall be run as a timed-section final.

 

11. 400 meters and below will be run in lanes for all age classes. 800m may use a waterfall start or curved line (depending on # of entrants) and 1500m and 3000m will start on a curved line.

 

12. All track events have priority over field events.  Competitors who are called away to a track event are to 1) let the field judge know and 2) report back as quickly as possible.  You may ask and be permitted to throw/jump ahead/later of your usual order, but once a round is finished you lose your attempt for that round. Athletes may not throw or jump more than once in a round but may move to first in one round and last in another round to create time. Likewise last in one round and first in the next round. Please ensure your athletes understand this procedure and are proactive in discussing this with field officials.

 

13.  Blocks will only be used in the final of the 100m. The heats of the 100m and the 200m and 400m timed section finals will not use blocks (blocks must be used in the 100m, 200m and 400m at the Regional Meet but there are many less entrants per race at Regionals). The 100m heats will be run on both sides of the track with juniors on one side and intermediates and seniors on the other. Finals for all classes will be on the main side.

 

14.  All hurdle, relay and running events from the 200m up (including the 200m), will be run as timed section finals.

 

15.  Qualifications for the 100m final are as follows:

Entries                                  # of heats                     Qualifications

9 - 16                                            2                           top 3 + 2 fastest times

17 - 24                                          3                           top 2 + 2 fastest times

25 - 32                                          4                           top 1 + 4 fastest times

33 - 44                                          5                           top 1 + 3 fastest times

41 - 48                                          6                           top 2 +  4 fastest to semi-final 

                                                                                                   then top 3 + 2 fastest to final

49 - 56                                          7                           top 2 + 2 fastest to semi-final

                                                                                                   then top 3 + 2 fastest to final

57 - 64                                          8                           top 3 to tri-semi-final

                                                                                                   then top 2 + 2 to final

                                           

16. All competitors must start and finish their events in order to qualify for Regionals.  If they qualify and will not be attending the Regionals, they must submit their names immediately to the official–in-charge of their event and/or have their coaches submit their names to the meet director preferably before leaving the site on Day 2.   No replacements will be made once the Regional meet is underway but we will make replacements for athletes who tell us they are not coming before the end of day Friday May 18th. Scratch rules at Regionals are much stricter and are often enforced on athletes who miss a morning event and try to compete in the afternoon.

 

17. Individual student athletes are permitted a false start each in all individual track events. Student athletes charged with a second false start in an individual event will be disqualified from that event.  For clarification, a heat, a semi-final and a final of an event like the 100m is considered 3 individual events not 1 individual event. 

 

 

18.  Only pin spikes (max. 7 mm) will be permitted on the track or runways. 

 

19. You will only be allowed 5 changes to your entries per day at the meet.  Jason will give you change sheets each day at the coaches meeting.  This process will be discussed at the first coaches meeting.  Once the deadline has passed please realize that the work needed to put the meet together is underway and we really need to focus on getting it together. Carefully enter your athletes and post a list for students to tell you the errors prior to the deadline. The official entries are what are downloaded at the entry deadline on Friday.  As always, you may change your relay members at any time but be sure they are only in 6 events. 

 

20. Ribbons will be awarded to the top 3 finishers in each event. Field events will give ribbons immediately following the 3rd round and track events 800m and above will give ribbons on the track. 400m and below will be given in the booth on day 2 of the meet.

 

21. The team point system will follow the Regional and Provincial Championship model. Please see NSSAF website for details

 

22.  Special Athletes: EPA’s should be with the special athletes at all times.

                             

23. Advancement to the Regional Meet for all competitors

Track Events                 top 8

Field Events                  top 8 (ties are broken when possible by next best jump/throw)

Relays                          top 4

 

24.   A reminder that senior boys no longer run the 5000m and now run the 3000m

 

25.  At districts only, if we have 4 or less athletes registered for the 3000m, we will run the more senior age group with the age class below.  This rarely occurs other than when in the SG 3000m where we sometimes run the 4 athletes at the same time as the intermediate girls.

 

26. Entry timeline

§         6 days prior to the meet (Thursday May 10th at 7pm) is the coaches’ due date for entering most of their athletes in the online database. At this time, Jason needs to go through and look for major errors (entering an athlete in 8 events, two different divisions, having 8 entries per event/per school per division, etc). I suggest that you post your tentative entries on Thursday morning and the students will tell you if there are mistakes. We will notify coaches (via email) of errors on Friday May 11th and ask them to make the necessary corrections in the online database by Saturday May 12th at noon (final deadline). All coaches can correct errors and all coaches can make changes/additions prior to noon Saturday noon but we ask that you are very cautious. We have noted coaches with no errors on Thursday and significant ones by Saturday.

§         4 days prior to the meet (Saturday May 12th at noon) is the final deadline for changes to the online database and your schools entries.  At this point, we will download the entries and make up heats/lanes and print all event paperwork from entries received. This process takes about 8 hours and we need to do the same for the city meet then run the city meet Monday and Tuesday so we hope you understand the need for the deadlines. Also, the database will still be open after noon on Saturday, but any revisions past noon will not be in the meet since the file is downloaded in one form and then converted into another for the meet. 

§         Day of the meet/on site changes may be made, but are limited to 5 changes per school per day. Coaches will be given “change” forms at the morning coaches meeting.  These forms will be completed by the coach/advisor and be given directly to the official/clerk of the event by the coach or athlete.  It will be accepted without question. Please fill this form out completely including school name and student name and classification. A change includes having an athlete in the wrong division, swapping one athlete for another if someone did not show, adding an event for an athlete, adding an athlete altogether, correcting an incorrect age division.