NFHS Rule Changes for 2023

A

Altor

Well-known member
www.nfhs.org

Guidance for Officials, Rule Organization Focal Points of 2023 Track and Field/Cross Country Rules Revisions

The NFHS is the national leader and advocate for high school athletics as well as fine and performing arts programs. Within our 51 member state associations, we serve 19,500 high schools and more than 12 million young people.
www.nfhs.org www.nfhs.org

Some interesting stuff:
- Rule 3-4-3: Guidelines for referee when determining when a rerun might be necessary.
- Rule 5-9-2 and 5-9-3: Allows the referee to add a heat/section to the next round of competition instead of rerunning a preliminary race. (e.g. a hurdler is interfered with in the prelims and does not make the final as a result. Instead of rerunning that heat, the referee may choose to have a 2-section final and advanced the competitor anyways)
- New Rule 9: Specifically covers Indoor Track and Field.
- Rule 7-2-2: Mixed relays listed as a special event.

That last one really intrigues me. I hope with it being in the rule book, the OHSAA will make some allowance for allowing mixed relays in the regular season, even if they don't intend to make it a tournament event.
 
 
Altor said:
www.nfhs.org

Guidance for Officials, Rule Organization Focal Points of 2023 Track and Field/Cross Country Rules Revisions

The NFHS is the national leader and advocate for high school athletics as well as fine and performing arts programs. Within our 51 member state associations, we serve 19,500 high schools and more than 12 million young people.
www.nfhs.org www.nfhs.org


That last one really intrigues me. I hope with it being in the rule book, the OHSAA will make some allowance for allowing mixed relays in the regular season, even if they don't intend to make it a tournament event.
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I for one can do without this gimmick at meets.
 
Nosono said:
If we are talking about novelty events, it would be far more preferable than having the 4x200 as a part of every meet.
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Actually, the 4x200 has a far LONGER run in the OHSAA tournament than the 4x100. The 4x200, originally the 4x220 yards, was added to the OHSAA program in 1929. The 4x100, run as the 4x110, REPLACED the 4x220 in 1979. The one and only year the 4x110yd was run in the OHSAA tournament. In 1980, it became the 4x100m. Then with the 2004 season, the 2-lap relay came back. This was done purely in order to even out the participation in events betweeen boys & girls.
 
JAVMAN83 said:
Actually, the 4x200 has a far LONGER run in the OHSAA tournament than the 4x100. The 4x200, originally the 4x220 yards, was added to the OHSAA program in 1929. The 4x100, run as the 4x110, REPLACED the 4x220 in 1979. The one and only year the 4x110yd was run in the OHSAA tournament. In 1980, it became the 4x100m. Then with the 2004 season, the 2-lap relay came back. This was done purely in order to even out the participation in events betweeen boys & girls.
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History aside, there is no reason to have it if you also have a 4x100 and 4x400. After the girls pole vault was added, they should have dropped it totally.
 
Altor said:
I wouldn’t want it at every meet. But would make for an interesting race at the couple of relay meets I work each year.
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No chance I put any girl in that race that has any chance to score at conference or district meet in a mixed race at anytime during season. We have all seen big collisions during exchanges in relays at HS level when they all run similar paces. Now picture a 110 pound girl getting trucked after handing off by a 180 boy that run a 400 15 seconds faster than she does that just took the handoff looking backwards and accelerating. There is a reason none of the top 10 400 US girls took part in that relay last night.

Here is picture of one. Do you want your star female runner part of this?
1657988347040.png


Or this when half are males and other half females.
1657988313806.png
 
CC Track Fan said:
No chance I put any girl in that race that has any chance to score at conference or district meet in a mixed race at anytime during season. We have all seen big collisions during exchanges in relays at HS level when they all run similar paces. Now picture a 110 pound girl getting trucked after handing off by a 180 boy that run a 400 15 seconds faster than she does that just took the handoff looking backwards and accelerating. There is a reason none of the top 10 400 US girls took part in that relay last night.

Here is picture of one. Do you want your star female runner part of this?
View attachment 31575

Or this when half are males and other half females.
View attachment 31574
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I don't think too many dads & moms would want to see their young daughters involved in NASCAR on the track with the boys.
 
Concerns about the mixed 4x4?…….,1. Where do you put it in the order of events? 2. How do you score it ( half for boys and half for girls)? 3. Must you go boy-girl/boy-girl?.., at the world championship that’s what they had to do this year, to help lessen the risk of male/female contact I assume. I would agree with alter in that it may be a good event for a relay meet and do not think the risk of injury would be anymore than the shuttle hurdles and probably less for a “star” athlete (girl or boy) as they would probably be more in tune with 4x4 procedure. Would probably be a fan favorite like the shuttles are at our relays. Still, would probably be for our 2nd tier kids and help get them a increased chance to letter or gain experience. It’s rare that I would argue against opportunities for more kids when/if it doesn’t cost much, doesn’t hurt current opportunities and brings more kids/fans into track and field.
 
I had a meeting with some parents yesterday and once one mentioned mixed relays they all asked if we were going to do this at our invitational, what relay(s) it would be, and all were hoping their kids could run it.
 
The NFHS has not yet released the actual language of the eight new rules. Once they do we will be able to take a look and have a better understanding of how the changes apply to the sport in Ohio.

Each year when they release these there is some confusion among coaches and officials related to cross county for the current year. Its important to remember these rules do not take effect until 2023 (this should not be an issue this year as non of these rules effect cross country).

Once I have the final interpretations, January of 2023, I’ll share on this forum the changes and their interpretations for implementation.
 
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Could we see those novelty relay meets turn into mixed relay meets, whereas all the events are mixed?

Would it minimize the chances of a bad collision if you made all relays exchange in the order or girl-girl-boy-boy?
 
Nosono said:
If we are talking about novelty events, it would be far more preferable than having the 4x200 as a part of every meet.
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100% agree on the 4x200 as an event. If we want to make track and field relevant there is a need for changes—major changes to how the meets are run and the events. There is a need for major discussions on these issues at the high school level, college level, and professional level.
 
EuclidandViren said:
100% agree on the 4x200 as an event. If we want to make track and field relevant there is a need for changes—major changes to how the meets are run and the events. There is a need for major discussions on these issues at the high school level, college level, and professional level.
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Easily solved with no event changes. More dual/triangular meets & leave invitationals for the elite. That's what invitationals were created for in the first place.
 
madman said:
Someone, help me understand why there needs to be a restriction on entries for relays.
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So coaches like me don't lose our minds trying to figure out relays. That's another entire nights sleep lost the weeks of the District and Regional.
 
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