Typical HS pettiness

[baggettpv]

I give up on all the silliness that goes on in this sport... To all the people that believe winning is everything at the HS level especially from a 7'6" vaulter. Boo on you!!! You should be ashamed of yourself! Develop your athletes and let thier performances demand the win or the loss.
Prepare in all manners. Rules, history, procedures, protocol, mentality and emotion.

Rick Baggett
WSTC
US Senior Coach

[vaultman18]

So only some rules must be followed and others can be overlooked??? Is it petty? Probably. What I don't understand is why anyone cares. Rule books are sent to every HS in the country, so there should be no excuses. I have had kids dqed before in similar fashion and I took responsibility because I failed to teach my athletes the rule. I don't think I could bring myself to have someone dqed for such a small infraction but at the same time I would not call a coach who did a "cheater". In order to cheat you must break a rule.

[master]

I think it's not appropriate to DQ someone after the fact. Uniforms are supposed to be inspected before the competition, and if anything is out of spec, the athlete is supposed to be given a chance to make it right. If the competition actually started and the athlete was not already DQ'd and did not add the item during the competition, then it is supposed to be considered a legal uniform.

At least that was my understanding of reading the rules 5 years ago.

Not saying I agree with the rules, but here is what I read in the 2009 T&F Case Book under Jewelry:

4.3.3 SITUATION G: A competitor's second attempt in the long jump is a record-breaking performance. As the competitor leaves the pit, the referee notices an ankle bracelet on the competitor. The referee allows the record-breaking second attempt to stand, but prohibits the athlete from any additional attempts because of the ankle bracelet. RULING: Incorrect procedure. COMMENT: For an illegal uniform or jewelry, the competitor is disqualified from the event and, therefore, no attempts are recorded. (4-3 PENALTY)

[vcpvcoach]

This rule violation falls sqaurely on the shoulders of the head/polevault coach of the girl who was DQ'ed. I talk to all of our athletes before we get off the bus about jewerly, electronics, and uniforms at every meet. If it's a home meet, I have a quick meeting to remind them of these rules. Our athletes need to be reminded.

Is it petty, you bet it is. But, it's a rule at the high school level. The biggest question I have is why the official that was running the event didn't notice it before the event started. I'd bet that he/she didn't check the poles before the warmups started. (Yes, this is a new rule this season and other than the meets I run, no official this season has checked the poles before warmups.) I use a script to remind me to cover the jewerly and other rules before the warmups start.

As a coach, I always take the time you introduce myself to the officials and offer my assisance with running the event. I can gauge the experience of the person running the event by this conversation. If it's a volunteer, I give them my script to not only help them but educated them of the fashion and performance rules. I have never been turned down and most of the time that person is greatful for the help.

Remember, these athletes are teenagers. Most of the time, they are more worried about how they will do and not what the small rules are. Or, simply, they forget.

[sulli818]

yeah the official should have seen it and given her a warning before they started jumping. can anyone explain to me why they have such strict rules on bracelets, is it a safety issue? i could maybe see how a loose bracelet could get caught on a pole or something like that.

[rainbowgirl28]

yeah the official should have seen it and given her a warning before they started jumping. can anyone explain to me why they have such strict rules on bracelets, is it a safety issue? i could maybe see how a loose bracelet could get caught on a pole or something like that.

They don't want kids wearing bling out there, so they made the rules super extreme and allow NO jewelry of any kind except a watch.

[master]

... I'd bet that he/she didn't check the poles before the warmups started. (Yes, this is a new rule this season and other than the meets I run, no official this season has checked the poles before warmups.)

Are you saying the official is supposed to go to each vaulter and check each pole the vaulter may use during the warm-up or meet? Is that in addition to requiring a filled out and signed by the head coach form to be turned in to the official stating the weight of the vaulter and the poles that vaulter is planning to use? Is this a rule in the officials manual? Thanks.

[chasing6]

As a volunteer official I have seen kids who forget to take out earrings and quietly suggest they take them out because I know for a fact some of the coaches in attendance would DQ them. One such kid had 00 plugs in his ears (for those who don't know what that means, he stretched his lobes out enough so that a quarter could fit through the hole. they are then "plugged" with bone/plastic/ceramic disks). The strange thing in this situation is that taking the plugs out create more of a safety issue because there is now a huge dangling hole in his ear that can catch on something and rip. I don't think the rule was written with this type of situation in mind.

IMHO if it doesn't cause a LEGITIMATE safety issue (no, having pink spandex or a logo on your undershirt aren't safety issues) it shouldn't matter in the first place.

[vcpvcoach]

Yep, rule 7-5-5 states," Prior to warm-up, the field referee, head field judge or assigned inspector of implements shall inspect each pole to be used in the competition to verify that the poles are legal equiptment, per rule 7-5-3. This includes checking the placement of the top hand-hold band, numerical pole ratings a minimum of 3/4 inches in a contrasting color located within or above the top hand-hold band, and the proper binding of not more than two layers of adhersive tape of uniform thickness. The binding shall not be on or above the top hand-holf band."

So, how many meets did you attend this season when this rule was enforced?

[VaultPurple]

You mean we were suposed to have refs in high school? Ya learn something new every day...

But yea these rules are stupid... but none the less if they don't catch it in the uniform inspection before the meet most kids just assume it is legal and a lot of times they have good reason to due to lack of coaching. And you can blame the coach all you want but half the time or more they couldn't care less because they are just some random guy the school got to coach track because no one else wanted to. So if the kid loses a state title due to a rule they didn't know because of a coach that didn't care and an official that did not pay close enough attention before the meet, then that is not fair! Not all coaches are like the ones on pole vault power, mine didn't even go to half the meets, let alone know what color boxers I'm allowed to wear...

[master]

Yep, rule 7-5-5 states," Prior to warm-up, the field referee, head field judge or assigned inspector of implements shall inspect each pole to be used in the competition to verify that the poles are legal equiptment, per rule 7-5-3. This includes checking the placement of the top hand-hold band, numerical pole ratings a minimum of 3/4 inches in a contrasting color located within or above the top hand-hold band, and the proper binding of not more than two layers of adhersive tape of uniform thickness. The binding shall not be on or above the top hand-holf band."

So, how many meets did you attend this season when this rule was enforced?

None so far that I'm aware of. I am lacking in knowledge of what exactly each of those titles mean. Would someone explain what each of those positions have as responsibilities/duties from the perspective of running a pole vault competition? What is the person that keeps the Xs and Os chart and calls the order of participants and rules on whether a jump is a make or a fault called? If I read 3-10 correctly, that person would be called the event judge (who is a field judge I think). It would seem the titles in 7-5-5 are 'higher' than the event judge.

[losgatos]

Coaches who use the rules to win track meets are unbelievable. Instead of letting the kids compete they are looking for ways to dq them. I would hate to be this type of coach and have to wake up and look at myself in the mirror. Rules are for framework to run a track meet,not to take away kids abilities to compete. He could have just as easily let her know she could be dq'ed and let the two girls compete. That would be the honorable way to have done it.