Rules of Competition

VLAA Centre No. 43	Lilydale & Yarra Ranges Little Athletics Centre

		Rules of Competition

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LITTLE ATHS BACK TO SATURDAY MORNING FOR 22ND NOVEMBER 2008

PROGRAM 3

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OPEN DAYS - ENTRY FORMS AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE OR FROM CLUB TABLE

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On this page we outline the rules of competition used during LYRLAC competition

General Rules

The Yarra Ranges Little Athletics Centre accepts registrations from boys and girls in the age groups Under 6 to Under16 as at October 1st. Children attaining the age of 5 during the season may register.
All athletes must be registered with the Centre.
Children must wear the approved Club uniform with the current VLAA age group patch attached to the front.
Suitable footwear must be worn for all events
Under 12 to Under 15 athletes may wear spikes in laned track events and jumps. Spikes should only be worn during an event.
Only officials and competitors are permitted within the arena. The track must be crossed at the designated areas only.
Coaching is not permitted from the sidelines during an event. However, instruction by a Chief Official is permitted
All parents, officials and athletes are to abide by the VLAA Codes of Behaviour.

STARTING TIMES

Saturday - The On Track program for u6 and u7 athletes starts at 9:00am, and finishes at approximately 11:00am. Athletes in u8 to u15 should arrive at 8:30am to warm up. With the competition starting at 9:00am and finishing at approximately12:00pm
Friday - All athletes, u6 to u15 should arrive at 4.30pm, ready for a 5:00 pm start.

COMPETITION REGULATIONS

The Competition Regulations for the Conduct of All Victorian Little Athletic Championships (August 1998) will be used as a guide for Centre competition. The instructions to officials, printed on this web site and in the handbook, will be adhered to where practical for normal competition and will be enforced during Centre Championships. Any variations made will be due to the age and skill level of the children, time restraints or lack of officials.

CODE OF ETHICS

Parents, coaches and officials, by example of behaviour, have an enormous influence on our children. All adult participants in Little Athletics should form an accepted pattern of behaviour based on the following ideals.

Do not criticise children in front of others, but offer constructive criticism in private.
Do not criticise opposing athletes or supporters by word or gesture.
Accept decisions made by officials as being fair and called to the best of their ability.
Set a good example by your own personal appearance and actions.
Make every athletics meeting serve as a training ground for life and as a basis for good mental and physical health.
Place the welfare and development of the individual child above the need to win.

If Little Athletics is to be enjoyed by all, then the co-operation of parents, coaches and officials is of primary importance.

Guide to Timekeeping

FUNCTION

To measure the elapsed time between the start of a race and the finish.

DEFINITIONS

Start: At first sign of smoke from starters' gun, or sound if smoke not visible. Also the flash of a gun can be used.
Finish: When any part of the runners' torso crosses the plane of the finish line.
Torso: That part of the body not including the head, neck, arms and legs.

PREPARATION

Get a watch and have a few practices starting, stopping and resetting it.
Clarify which race and what place you will be timing and be alert.

POINTS TO WATCH

Hold the watch between the thumb and forefinger with forefinger on the button.
The watch must always be held still. You should eliminate all waste motion.
With about 30 metres of the race still to run, note the athlete you are timing and prepare to stop the watch. Do not anticipate the finish.
Always look at your watch prior to starting.
Remember to reset the watch to zero should a false start occur.
Never reset your watch prior to agreement being reached with either the chief timekeeper or other timekeepers.

RUNNING WATCH

When timing distance or race walking events it is not necessary or practical to time each runner with an individual watch but it is required that 3 timekeepers are used for recording of the first place. One timekeeper may use 2 watches and as the winner finishes, one watch is stopped for an accurate measurement of first place.
The second watch is kept running and as each other runner crosses the line, times are called by the timekeeper and recorded by a person standing with the timekeeper.
If 3 watches are on first place, the middle time is accepted as the correct time. If 2 watches are used the slower time is accepted.

PRINTOUT STOPWATCH

Where a printout stopwatch is used it is required to have two standard type stopwatches recording first place in case of a record.

DUTIES OF A CHIEF TIMEKEEPER

Ensure that timekeepers are placed in such a position that they:

Know what place he/she is to time;
Are in line with the finish line;
Have a good view of all lanes; and
Have a clear view of the starter.

The above can be achieved by the use of an elevated stand at least 5 metres from the track.

Hurdles

60 METRE HURDLES

There shall be six (6) flights in each lane - 12 metres from start to the first flight. 7 metres between each hurdle, then 13 metres from the last flight to the finish line.

80 METRE HURDLES

There shall be nine (9) flights in each lane - 12 metres from start to the first flight. 7 metres between each hurdle, then 12 metres from the last flight to the finish line.

90 METRE HURDLES

There shall be nine (9) flights in each lane - 13 metres from start to the first flight. 8 metres between each hurdle, then 13 metres from the last flight to the finish line.

100 METRE HURDLES

There shall be ten (10) flights in each lane - 13 metres from start to the first flight. 8.5 metres between each hurdle, then 10.5 metres from the last flight to the finish line.

300 METRE HURDLES

There shall be seven (7) flights in each lane - 50 metres from start to the first flight. 35 metres between each hurdle, then 40 metres from the last flight to the finish line.

For all hurdle events the height of the hurdles shall be:

Under 7 to Under 9 - 45cm
Under 10 & Under 11 - 60cm
Under 12 - 68cm
Under 13 to Under 15 - 76cm
300 metre Hurdles - 68cm

High Jump

EQUIPMENT

2 x High jump Stands.
Cross Bar (circular in cross section).
Measuring Stick or tape.
Landing Bags (minimum of 60cms thick).

BEFORE COMPETITION

Chief Judge shall ensure that all aspects of landing area and run - up are safe for athletes.
Ensure that the platforms that support the cross bar are facing the opposite upright
Allow competitors a practise jump(s) to check their run up.
Set bar at correct starting height, measurement shall be checked with the measurement stick perpendicular to the ground of the lowest point of the cross bar and top of the bar, i.e.. "Middle of bar". Measure outer edges higher so middle of bar is the correct height.
The uprights and landing area should be designed so that there is a clearance of at least 100mm between them to avoid displacement of the cross-bar through a movement of the landing area causing contact with the uprights.

INSTRUCTIONS

The bar should be raised in 5cm increments until there are 6 competitors or less, then in increments of 2cm or increments not less than 2em unanimously agreed by the remaining athletes.
The final competitor may continue to jump, at height raises agreed with the chief Judge, until the competitor has three successive failures.
An athlete may commence jumping at any height above the starting height. Three consecutive failures regardless of the height disqualifies the athlete.
An athlete may pass on his second or third trail at a particular height (after failing first or second time) and still jump at a subsequent height.
An athlete may approach the bar from any angle.
An athlete must take off from one foot only.
Diving over the bar is not recommended.
If the bar falls after an athlete has landed and left the mat it MAY be considered a failure. It is the decision of the judge if the bar fell because it was touched by an athlete.
If the athlete touches the ground or equipment (including the landing area beyond the plane of the uprights either between or outside the uprights), with any part of the body and fails to complete a successful jump, it is considered a failure. At the discretion of the Chief Official, an athlete has 90 seconds to complete a jump, and may have an unlimited number of baulks within this time frame. If the athlete does not complete a jump within the prescribed time it shall be considered a failure.

RECORDING

'Tick' or 0 indicates the bar has been cleared.
'X' indicates a failure.
' -' indicates did not jump or a pass.

DETERMINING THE RESULTS

The athlete who jumps the greatest height is the winner.
If there is a tie the athlete with the lowest number of jumps at the height at which the tie occurs shall be awarded the higher place.
If the tie still remains, the athlete with the lowest total of failures throughout the competition up to and including the height last cleared shall be awarded the higher place.

IF THE TIE STILL REMAINS:

If it concerns first place, the competitors tieing shall have one more jump at that height at which they failed, and if no decision is reached the bar shall be lowered or raised to the heights which shall be announced by the Chief Judge of the event; they shall then attempt one jump at each height until the tie is decided.
If it concerns any other place the competitors shall be awarded equal place in the competition.

OFFICIALS REQUIRED

Two officials to return the cross-bar to the supports.
One official to judge the jump.
One official to record.

SAFETY

The uprights/posts may be moved during a competition only if the chief judge in consultation with the arena Manager/Referee considers the take-off or landing ground has become unsuitable or dangerous. The uprights/posts may then be moved at the finish of the round. The landing area should be maintained in a safe condition. If a number of small bags are used then it should be ensured that there are no gaps.

Long Jump

EQUIPMENT

Take off mat: U6-U8 = 1.22m x lm, U9-U12 = .22m x 0.5m,
Take off board: U13-U15 = 1.22m x 0.2m
Measuring Tape (20m)
Rake, broom, shovel, hand brush, spike.
Place tickets, recording sheets.
Chalk or indicator markers, tape for run-up.

PREPARATION FOR EVENT

Ensure sand pit is level with run-up.
Sand may need to be dampened if it is dry.
Indicator markers shall be distributed to all competitors to mark run-ups.
The front edge of the take-off mat should not be less that 500mm from the front edge of the pit.

BASIC RULES

Each athlete is allowed a maximum of 4 trials.
To be a valid jump the athlete:
(a) Must take-off from one foot;
(b) Must place take-off foot on or behind the board/mat. If any part of foot is over front edge of board/mat then it is a foul jump.
No markers may be placed on runway but may be placed alongside runway.
No markers in landing area of sand pit.
If in running up to take-off an athlete passes the edge of the mat farthest from the pit, it shall be called a trial even if the jump is not complete.
The run-up may not exceed 40m.
If after competing the jump an athlete walks back through the landing area it is a 'no jump'.
In the course of landing an athlete must not touch the ground outside the landing area nearer to the take-off point than the nearest break (imprint) in the landing area.

MEASURING THE JUMP

Official selects break (imprint) made in sand by foot, hand, etc., which is closest to imprint made in take-off mat by take-off foot. This point in the pit is marked by spike, the zero end tape is held at the spike.
The tape is straightened so it lays over and in contact with imprint made by take-off foot in the take-off mat. The tape is drawn tight and the distance is measured to the nearest cm below distance jumped. For U13-U15 athletes using a board/mat the measurement must be taken perpendicular to the take-off line of its extension (i.e. Straight back from the imprint in the sand).
The competitor who has the longest measured distance from all jumps recorded is the winner. In the event of a tie then a decision is made on the next best jump recorded.
If an athlete takes off before the take-off mat of board, then the jump shall be measured from the break in the sand to the back edge of the take-off mat or the front edge of the take-off board.

OFFICIALS REQUIRED

Two officials at take-off area. Tasks include watching for foul jumps, recording measurements (see above for measuring the jump)
Two officials at side of pit. Tasks include finding break (imprint) made in sand (see above for measuring the jump) and raking and levelling sand in pit.
One official for recording.

RECORDING

Best performances should be circled or highlighted.

Triple Jump

EQUIPMENT

Take off mat: U6-U8 = 1.22m x lm, U9-U12 = 1.22m x.5m
Take off board: U13-U15 = 1.22m x.2m
Measuring Tape (20m)
Rake, broom, shovel, hand brush, spike.
Place tickets, recording sheets.
Chalk or indicator markers, tape for run-up.

PREPARATION FOR EVENT

Ensure sand pit is level with run-up.
Sand may need to be dampened if it is dry.
Indicator markers shall be distributed to all competitors to mark run-ups.
Take off mats should be set at correct distance from sand pit.

BASIC RULES

Each athlete is allowed a maximum of 4 trials.
Definition of Triple Jump, consisting of three distinct sections:
(a) Hop - Athlete takes off and lands on the same foot as that from which they have taken off.
(b) Step - Athlete lands on the other foot (to that used on the hop)
(c) Jump - Athlete jumps from one foot and lands on one or both feet in the sand pit
A foul jump is recorded if.-
(a) Any part of the athletes take off foot protrudes over the front line, or side edge of the take off mat or board
(b) After completing a jump the athlete walks back through the pit
(c) In the course of landing the athlete touches the ground outside the landing area nearer to the takeoff point than the nearest break in the landing area made by the jump
NB The trailing leg may make contact with the runway during the jump.
No markers may be placed on runway but may be placed alongside runway.
No markers in landing area of sand pit.
If in running up to take-off an athlete passes the edge of the mat farthest from the pit, it shall be called a trial even if the jump is not complete.
The run-up may not exceed 40m.
In the event an athlete lands in the pit on their step they should be allowed another trial after the position of the take off mat is altered.
To be a valid jump the athlete must land in the pit.

MEASURING THE JUMP

Official selects break (imprint) made in sand by foot, hand, etc., which is closest to imprint made in take-off mat by take-off foot. This point in the pit is marked by spike, the zero end tape is held at the spike.
The tape is straightened so it lays over and in contact with imprint made by take-off foot in the take-off mat. The tape is drawn tight and the distance is measured to the nearest cm below distance jumped. For U13-U15 athletes using a board/mat the measurement must be taken perpendicular to the take-off line of its extension (i.e. straight back from the imprint in the sand).
The competitor who has the longest measured distance from all jumps recorded is the winner. In the event of a tie then a decision is made on the next best jump recorded.
If an athlete takes off before the take-off mat of board, then the jump shall be measured from the break in the sand to the back edge of the take-off mat or the front edge of the take-off board.

OFFICIALS REQUIRED

Two officials at take-off area. Tasks include watching for foul jumps, recording measurements (see above for measuring the jump)
Two officials at side of pit. Tasks include finding break (imprint) made in sand (see above for measuring the jump) and raking and levelling sand in pit.
One official for recording.

RECORDING

Best performances should be circled or highlighted.

Discus

The discus is thrown from a circle into a sector of 40 degrees. The inside diameter of the circle is 2.5m. All lines used to mark the circle and sector are 5cm wide.

IMPLEMENT WEIGHTS

350gm - U6 - U8 Girls and Boys (recommended)
500gm - U9 - U10 Girls and Boys
750gm - U11 - U13 Girls & U11 - U12 Boys
1kg - U14 - U15 Girls & U13 - U15 Boys

EQUIPMENT

Sector and circle clearly marked
Measuring Tape (50m)
Discus (as above)
Place Tickets
Recording Sheets
Cloth

TO BE A VALID THROW

Each athlete is entitled to four trials.
The throw must be commenced from a stationary position.
The competitor may enter the circle from any direction but must leave from the rear half of the circle.
The athlete must not leave the circle until the discus has landed
The athlete must not touch the top of the circle or the ground outside the circle during the trial with any part of their body. They may touch the inside of the ring.
The discus must land so that the point of impact is within the inner edges of the lines marking the sector.
The athlete may, during the course of each trial, stop and place the discus down in the ring and then recommence the attempt again, providing that this occurs only once in any trial, and that no other infringement has occurred.

METHOD OF MEASUREMENT

Officials select the edge of the imprint mark made by the discus closest to the ring when landing. The selected point is marked by the zero end of the tape.
The tape is drawn tight and back through the centre of the circle.
The distance is measured at the point where the tape crosses the inner edge of the ring. Each measurement is to the nearest cm below the distance thrown.
Ties are broken by referring to the next best throw.

OFFICIALS REQUIRED

Two officials at throwing circle. Tasks include watching for foul throws, recording measurements and pulling the end of the tape through centre of the circle.
One official at side of sector. Tasks include finding and marking the point of impact of the implement and returning the discus to the circle.

RECORDING

Best performances should be circled or highlighted.

SAFETY

Everyone should stand behind the thrower and the sector should be clear
The discus should be carried back to the circle, never thrown.
No one should stand on the right side of a right handed thrower attempting to turn and vice versa.

Shotput

The shot is 'put' from a circle into a sector of 40 degrees. The inside diameter of the circle is 2.135m. All lines used to mark the circle and sectors are 5cm wide. The circle is divided into halves. A stop board l.22m long, 100mm high and 114mm wide may be used.

IMPLEMENT WEIGHTS

1kg - U6-U7 Girls & Boys
1.5kg - U8 Girls & Boys
2kg - U9-U12 Girls - U9-11 Boys
3kg - U13-U15 Girls - U12-U13 Boys
4kg - U14-U15 Boys

EQUIPMENT

Shot Put Circle and Stop Board
Measuring Tape (20m)
Shot (as above)
Place Tickets
Recording Sheets
Cloth

TO BE A VALID PUT

Each athlete is entitled to four trials.
The put must be commenced from a stationary position.
The competitor may enter the circle from any direction but must leave from the rear half of the circle.
The athlete must not leave the circle until the shot has landed
The athlete must not touch the top of the circle or stop board, or the ground outside the circle during the trial with any part of their body. They may touch the inside edge of the stop board.
The shot must land so that the point of impact is within the inner edges of the lines marking the sector.
The shot shall be put from the shoulder with one hand only. At the start of the trail the shot shall touch the jaw line, close to the ear and shall not be dropped below this position during the action of putting.
The shot must not be brought from behind the line of the shoulders.
The athlete may, during the course of each trial, stop and place the shot down in the ring and then recommence the attempt again, providing that this occurs only once in any trial, and that no other infringement has occurred.

METHOD OF MEASUREMENT

Officials select the edge of the imprint mark made by the shot closest to the ring when landing.
The selected point is marked by the zero end of the tape
The tape is drawn tight and back through the centre of the circle.
The distance is measured at the point where the tape crosses the inner edge of the ring.
Each measurement is to the nearest cm below the distance putted.
Ties are broken by referring to the next best throw.

OFFICIALS REQUIRED

Two officials at throwing circle. Tasks include watching for foul throws, recording measurements and pulling the end of the tape through centre of the circle.
One official at side of sector. Tasks include finding and marking the point of impact of the implement and returning the shot to the circle.

RECORDING

Best performances should be circled or highlighted.

SAFETY

Everyone should stand behind the putter and the sector should be clear.
The shot should be carried back to the circle, never thrown.

This page was last updated on Tuesday, 30. October 2007