Loomis Union School District

TRACK & FIELD LEAGUE  RULES

2024-25

The following rules will be used at all L.B.A.L. events.  This document will be made available by the home team (or event director when there is not a home team) at each event at the scorer’s table to settle all questions pertaining to L.B.A.L.

For all League and Finals meets:

5th grade can compete in
100, 200, 400, 800, mile, 4x100, 4x400

6th – 8th graders can compete in
100, 200, 400, 800, mile, Hurdles, 4x100, 4x400, HJ, LJ, Shot, Discus

• All League Mini-meets are non-scoring, although times are used for seeding at finals.
• All schools assist the hosting school for all of the events and each school should supply a timer for their own athletes. The hosting school is responsible to send all important information to other schools before the start of the meet (request of volunteers, equipment needed for meet, conditions of the course/set-up, etc.). 
• Non hosting schools report results to the league of the times/distances at each meet within 48 hours of the event occurring.

ORDER OF TRACK & FIELD EVENTS:

• To be used for League Mini-meets and Finals:
  • Hurdles, Mile, 4x100, 400, 100, 800, 200, 4x400
  • 5th girls, 5th boys, 6th girls, 6th boys, 7th girls, 7th boys, 8th girls, 8th boys

PROPER TRACK and MEET ETIQUETTE:

• Stay off the infield closest to the finish line. Stay out of the starter and the timers’ line of sight.
• Athletes should not cross the track at any time during a race.
• No pacing of another athlete.
• No unsportsmanlike conduct (swearing, taunting, show-boating, throwing of the baton, etc.
• Athletes must check in with the clerk of the course for each running event. Coaches, please identify to all athletes the clerk at the beginning of each meet. Hosting school, please identify to all visiting schools the clerk of the course.
• Jewelry not allowed during competition.

CLERK OF THE COURSE: 

• Organizes athletes and running events. For lane assignments—try not to have two athletes from the same school be next to each other. Rotate schools in the lanes. Fastest runners should be in the first heat and so on.
• Remind hurdlers that they must fully go over the hurdles and not deliberately knock them down or go around them with either leg.

STARTER: 

• Starts each event. Works with the timers

Commands for starter should be as follows:

• 800/mile:   “Runners to your mark”……gun/whistle
• All other events:  “Runners to your mark….set”….gun/whistle
• Remind timers to start their stopwatches on the smoke of the gun and not the sound of the gun or if using a whistle, the dropping of the arm by the whistle blower.  Keep consistent for all events and heats.

Finals

• To be eligible for the Finals, an athlete must qualify by participating in at least one league meet (athletes cannot participate in only the Finals even if for some reason they were absent on all of the pre-meets).  
• Athletes are limited to  4 events (track and field) plus both relays
• Events at finals will follow the same order as League Meets
  • 5th girls, 5th boys, 6th girls, 6th boys, 7th girls, 7th boys, 8th girls, 8th boys
  • Field Events:  Long jump, High jump, Discus, Shotput
  • Track Events: Hurdles, Mile, 4x100, 400, 100, 800, 200, 4x400
• Coaches have the ability to put one or two special condition athletes into an event with prior approval from the LBAL Commissioner.
• ALL ATHLETES MUST HAVE STICKERS for all events both RUNNING and FIELD events with name, school, grade, and gender pinned to their uniform to be able to compete in TRIALS. 
• Students must qualify for participation in the finals (Track and Field) events by meeting the below requirements:

Long Jump Girls:  6th 9 feet 7th 10 feet 8th 11 feet
Long Jump Boys 6th 10 feet 7th 11 feet 8th 12 feet

High Jump Girls:       6th  3’3” 7th 3’6” 8th 3’9”
High Jump Boys:       6th 3’6”          7th 3’9”     8th 4’0”

Discus  Girls:    6th 25 feet 7th 30 feet 8th 35 feet
Discus Boys: 6th 30 feet 7th 35 feet 8th 40 feet

Shot Put  Girls:    6th 10 feet 7th 15 feet 8th 20 feet
6 lbs 6 lbs 6 lbs
Shot Put Boys: 6th 15 feet 7th 20 feet 8th 25 feet
6 lbs 8 lbs 8 lbs
Mile: 5th - 8th   Under 12 minutes

Field Events:

• Number of athletes is based on qualifying meets.
• ALL warm up throws/jumps must be completed before the start of each field event.

• Announcements should be made throughout the meet to remind athletes to get all their attempts in before the end of the meet. Should have a “LAST CALL” to complete the event

Rules for Discus

Warm-ups: Warm-ups shall not be allowed unless supervised by an official or a coach. No further practice throwing shall be allowed once the event has concluded.

Competition: Competitors take their throw from inside a (8 ft 2in) in diameter. The Discus must land within an angle of approximately 40 degrees as chalked by the home meet team. Discus must be thrown with ONE hand only, no TWO handed throws.  A 1 kg Discus will be used by ALL competitors.

The Discus thrower must enter and leave the circle from an area of their choice behind the toe line, or a foul is called (Athlete may not enter or leave ring over toe line). Competitors may touch the inside of the circle's rim or stop line during the attempt, but cannot touch the past the front rim area. The thrower cannot touch the ground outside the throwing circle during an attempt, nor can he/she leave the circle until the discus hits the ground. The roll of the discus AFTER the first touch on the ground is NOT measured.

Athlete must pause before athlete starts throw attempt.

An unsuccessful attempt is when any of the below occurs: 

1. Competitor starts the throw without a pause after entering the circle
2. Competitor touches the circle or the ground outside the circle before the discus has landed 
3. The discus lands on or outside the throwing sector chalked 40 degree area (out of bounds). Landing on the sector line is a foul
4. Competitor leaves through front of the circle, over the toe line after completing the throw.

Measurement in the discus shall be from the nearest edge of the mark made by the discus where it lands in the sector to the inside edge of the toe board, pull tape taught to the near edge of the mark made by the discus (closest to toe line) and measure. Measurements will be to nearest lesser 1/4" inch or lesser centimeter.

Throwers will receive 2 attempts. The longest throw is measured. The best (longest) throw is used as the "Final Toss.”

Rules for Shot Put

Warm-ups: Warm-ups shall not be allowed unless supervised by an official or a coach. No further practice throwing shall be allowed once the event has concluded.

Competition: Competitors take their throw from inside a 7 feet in diameter circle.The shot put must land within an angle of approximately 30 degrees as chalked by the home meet team. The athlete must rest the shot in between the neck and shoulder and keep it tight to the neck while throwing. At the end of the throw, the thrower must push the throwing arm straight with the thumb pointing down; if the thrower does not push the ball out and throws it like a baseball, the thrower may receive injury.

The shot putter must enter and leave the circle from an area of their choice behind the toe line, or a foul is called (Athlete may not enter or leave ring over toe line). Competitors may touch the inside of the circle's rim or stop line during the attempt, but cannot touch the past the front rim area. The thrower cannot touch the ground outside the throwing circle during an attempt, nor can he/she leave the circle until the shot put hits the ground. The roll of the shot put AFTER the first touch on the ground is NOT measured.

An unsuccessful attempt is when any of the below occurs:

1. Competitor starts the throw without a pause after entering the circle
2. Competitor touches the circle or the ground outside the circle before the Shot put has landed
3. The shot lands on or outside the throwing sector chalked 40 degree area (out of bounds). Landing on the sector line is a foul
4. Competitor leaves through front of the circle, over the toe line after completing the throw.

Measurement in the shot put shall be from the nearest edge of the mark made by the shot put where it lands in the sector to the inside edge of the toe board, pull tape taught to the near edge of the mark made by the shot (closest to toe line) and measure. Measurements will be to nearest lesser 1/4" inch or lesser centimeter.

Throwers will receive 2 attempts. The furthest throw will be measured. The best (longest) put is used as the "Final Toss."

Six Pound (6 lb) Shot Put will be used by 6th Grade Boy and all FEMALE athletes.

Eight Pound (8 lb) Shot Put will be used by ALL 7th and 8th Grade Boy Athletes.

Rules for High Jump

Warm-ups: Warm-ups shall not be allowed unless supervised by an official or a coach. No further practice jumps shall be allowed once the event has concluded.

Competition:  Opening heights are as follows:

1) Each competitor will be given 2 attempts at a height.

2) Athletes should sign in with their label before they jump.

3) In order to be considered a fair jump – the athlete must jump off of one foot and keep the cross bar in place after landing.

4) Event stewards should ensure that landing pads, crossbar and standards are set/checked after each jump.

5) If an athlete can not clear a height after 2 attempts, they may not progress.

6) An “X” reflects a missed jump.

7) An “O” reflects a cleared jump.

8) The crossbar is raised 3 inches at a time.

9) A winner is determined by the jumper who clears the highest height.

10) In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined as stated below. 

• 1st Place tie: Jump Off
  • Begin at the next greatest height
  • Each jumper has one attempt
  • The bar is then alternately lowered and raised until one jumper succeeds at a given height
• 2nd or 3rd place tie:
  • The fewest misses at the height where the tie occurred
  • The fewest misses at the next greatest height
  • If still tied: 2nd - 8th Place:
    • Tie stands
    • Score as outlined below

Rules for Long Jump

Warm-ups: Warm-ups must take place prior to the start of competition. All jumpers should know their starting distance on the runway BEFORE they jump. A separate measuring tape will be provided by the hosting school. No run-backs will be allowed on the runway. Please make sure you arrive for competition with a label.

Competition:

1) Each competitor will be allowed two jumps.

2) Athletes will give a label to the event steward on their first jump.

3) After jumping, athletes will return to the front of the line for their 2nd and final jump.

4) A jump may not be measured if any part of the athlete’s shoe extends past the white “scratch” bar on the runway.

5) The jump is measured from the closest body part in the sand past the scratch bar to the scratch bar.  Measure from jump to scratch bar.

6) If an athlete is not able to make at least one fair jump without scratching, the athlete is disqualified.

7) Event stewards should measure, record, rake the sand between jumpers, then signal for the next jumper.

8) Placings are determined by the longest jumps.

9) In the event of a tie, the winner will be determined as follows:

• Compare second best jump.
  • If still tied then, compare 3rd best jump 
  • If still tied then tie stands
    • Score as outlined below

Track Events:

1. 75-meter LOW HURDLES—Five hurdles
   1. Hurdles: 13m to first hurdle-8.5m between-8m to finish line. 30 inch height. Runners to be seeded based upon league meet times, with the fastest 9 runners in the first heat, no matter the school.
2. MILE:  
   1. 5th grade b/g start together, 6th grade b/g start together, 7th grade b/g start together, 8th grade b/g start together with a chute at finish line
   2. Waterfall start
   3. *Clerk of the Course to determine additional combinations as needed
3. 4 X 100 m  relay
   1. Acceleration zone (10m) Exchange zone (20m). 
   2. Schools are allowed to have two relay teams per grade per gender.  
   3. All relay teams are grade and gender pure.
4. 400 m    
   1. League mini meets: Waterfall start.  
   2. Finals: Stay in lane for first two heats.  Waterfall start for the remaining runners.
5. 100 m
   1. 3 runners per school per gender per grade.  Runners to be seeded based upon league meet times, with the fastest 9 runners in the first heat, no matter the school.
6. 800 m:  
   1. 5th; 6th; 7th; 8th (waterfall start, cut in as soon as safe) 
   2. *Clerk of the Course to determine additional combinations.
7. 200 m.   
   1. 3 runners per school per gender per grade.  Runners to be seeded based upon league meet times, with the fastest 9 runners in the first heat, no matter the school.
8. 4 X 400 m  relay
   1. Water fall start.  
   2. Schools are allowed to have two relay teams per grade per gender.  
   3. All relay teams are grade and gender pure.

*For running the 400/800 meter runs, it is up to the Clerk of the Course and the Starter as to the number of races (all 5th;6th;7th;8th or separate races based on number of participants).

• Announcements should be made throughout the meet to remind athletes to get all their attempts in before the end of the meet. Should have a “LAST CALL” to complete the event.

Scoring:

• TOP 3 WINNERS FOR FINALS WILL EARN POINTS AS FOLLOWS:

       1st = 5 POINTS                2nd = 3 POINTS                 3rd =  1 POINT

• There are two teams, a Boys Team and a Girls Team for scoring purposes.  Scores will not be combined.
• Should there be a tie between competitors, follow the below procedure:

Tie’s & Scoring

• Example One: Two Athletes TIE for First Place
  • Formula:  First place points (5) + Second place points (3) ÷ total # of athletes tied (2) = total points awarded to each athlete (4)
    • Athlete #1 = 1st Place & 4 points
    • Athlete #2 = 1st Place & 4 points
  • Next best score earns Third Place & 1 point
• Example Two: Three Athletes TIE for First Place
  • Formula:  First place points (5) + Second place points (3) + Third place points (1) ÷ total # of athletes tied (3) = total points awarded to each athlete (3)
    • Athlete #1 = 1st Place & 3 points
    • Athlete #2 = 1st Place & 3 points
    • Athlete #3 = 1st Place & 3 points
  • Next best score earns Fourth Place and no points
• Example Three: Two Athletes TIE for 2nd Place
  • Formula:  Second place points (3) + third place points (1) ÷ total # of athletes tied (2) = total points awarded to each athlete (2)
    • Athlete #1 = 2nd Place & 2 points
    • Athlete #2 = 2nd Place &  points
  • Next best score receives Fourth Place and no points
• Example Four: Two Athletes TIE for Third Place
  • Both students receive Third Place and 1 point.  Next best score receives Fifth Place and no points.
• LONG JUMP
  • Compare second best jump. 
  • If still tied then tie stands
    • Score as outlined above
• SHOT PUT
  • Compare the second best put. 
  • If still tied then, compare 3rd best put
  • If still tied then tie stands
    • Score as outlined above

***A “HOW-TO” SHEET MUST ACCOMPANY ALL VOLUNTEERS RUNNING THE FIELD EVENTS. You should have a minimum of TWO ADULTS to run each field event.