2009 Cross Country Manual

SEASON -- The season shall extend from August 10, 2009 through and including the state meet on October 31, 2009. Competition may begin on Monday, August 24.

COURSE -- Cross country shall be over a course 4,000 meters in length. An invitational or conference meet may be of greater or lesser distance. The course should be on a grass covered terrain. Measurement shall be along the middle of the course. The course shall be clearly marked by a wide line (with a material that is not injurious to the eyes or skin), or by signposts with large directional arrows wherever the course turns, or by flags one foot square and mounted on stakes that hold them two or more feet above the ground.

FLAG DESIGNATIONS:

red flag -- indicates a turn to the left

yellow flag -- indicates a turn to the right

blue flag -- indicates a course straight ahead

REGIONALS: There will be five regions for all classes. Regional Co-Ed meets will be held on Thursday, October 22, 2009 starting at 4:00 p.m. Double class sites will begin at 3:30 p.m. Each team may run seven runners and will count the top five finishers towards team’s total score.

STATE: Competition will begin at 11 a.m. Competition will begin with 4A followed by 3A, 2A and 1A. The girls will run first followed by the boys. An awards ceremony for Class 4A will follow the 3A girls’ race. An awards ceremony for Class 3A will follow the girls’ 2A race. An awards ceremony for Class 2A will follow the girls’ 1A race. An awards ceremony for Class 1A will follow the completion of the competition.

ELIGIBILITY: Ninth through twelfth grade students are eligible to participate.

SCORING: Scoring shall be: 1st place -- 1 point; 2nd place -- 2 points; 3rd place -- 3 points; 4th place -- 4 points; 5th place -- 5 points; etc. Displacement scoring will be used at the Regional and State Meet.

ALL CLASSES -- A maximum of seven entries per school. Displacement scoring will be used at the Regional and State Meet. The team score shall be determined by totaling the points scored by the first five finishers of each team. A school with less than five finishers shall qualify for individual placement, but no credit shall be given for team total.

Ties shall be resolved by comparing the sixth place finishers from the tying teams. The team with the best sixth place finisher shall be declared the winner. If one team does not have a sixth place finisher, the team with the sixth place finisher shall prevail.

STATE MEET: The State High School Cross Country Championship Meet consists of two (2) separate competitions, Team and Individual.

Qualifiers for the State Meet are as follows:

4A consists of the largest 48 schools from previous year enrollment. There shall be five regionals with the top three teams and the top 10 individuals qualifying for state.

3A consists of the next 64 schools from previous year enrollment. There shall be five regionals with the top three teams and the top 10 individuals qualifying for state.

2A consists of the next 72 schools from previous year enrollment. There shall be five regionals with the top three teams and the top 10 individuals qualifying for state.

1A consists of the remaining schools from previous year enrollment. There shall be five regionals with the top three teams and the top 10 individuals qualifying for state.

AWARDS: Team places and awards (duplicate in case of ties) shall be based on total team points scored.

Regional Meet: Members of the top three teams and the top 10 individual place winners will receive medals. A team banner will be presented to the winning team.

State: The winning and runner-up teams will receive trophies. Medals will be awarded to members of the top three teams in each class plus the top 10 individual place winners. Each individual and team champion will receive an acrylic plaque. All other participants will receive a vinyl plaque.

FOOTWEAR: Cross country footwear shall be worn and shall be only the spike shoe and/or sneakers.

REGIONAL AND STATE CROSS COUNTRY COURSE: No competitors shall be allowed to practice on their assigned regional course or on the state meet course ten days prior to the event. Exception if course is that which is used by a school for normal practice.

Regional sites are required to clearly mark the course, preferably with a double line. Each site must provide a chute area and must videotape the finish line.

STATE MEET: Any runner who crosses the finish line without wearing the proper timing chips issued to her shall be disqualified.

SPECTATOR CONDUCT

All spectators at state-sponsored Cross Country meets shall wear shoes. No one shall be admitted who is wearing a mask (hidden identity).

With the understanding that a cross country meet is held as a part of the educational institution, the Board of Directors of the Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union has adopted the following policies. It is the expectation that the host site enforces these rules regarding unacceptable behaviors:

Disrespectful conduct, including profanity, obscene gestures or comments, offensive remarks of a sexual nature, or other actions that demean individuals or the event. Penalty---EJECTION

Throwing articles onto the contest area. Penalty---EJECTION

Entering the contest area in protest or celebration. Penalty---EJECTION

Physical confrontation involving contest officials, coaches/directors, contestants, or spectators. Penalty---EJECTION

Spectator interference with the event. Penalty---EJECTION

Jumping up and down on the bleachers. Penalty--WARNING/EJECTION

Use of artificial noisemakers, signs, or banners. Penalty---WARNING/EJECTION

Chants or cheers directed at the opponent. Penalty---WARNING/ EJECTION

When the match starter/referee arrives on-site (30-60 minutes prior to starting time), the starter shall locate the administrator (event manager) in charge for the evening. If no administrator is available, the HOST COACH shall be deemed in charge. If a problem arises during the meet, the official shall notify the event manager of the problem, and shall inform the event manager of the remedy needed (could include asking for direct supervision of the area, warning issued by the event manager, or ejection from the area).

Host management is responsible for all spectators, regardless which school the spectator is supporting. Any necessary communication or action taken shall come from the event manager in charge.

ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO POLICY

No alcohol or tobacco is to be sold or consumed on the grounds of any state tournament venue leased or provided to the Athletic Union for the purpose of conducting a state championship. Section 123.46 of the Iowa Code states: A person shall not possess or consume alcoholic liquors, wine or beer on public school property or while attending a public or private school-related function. A person shall not be intoxicated or simulate intoxication in a public place. A person violating this subsection is guilty of a simple misdemeanor.

PETS/ANIMALS PROHIBITED

No pets are permitted at events sanctioned by the IGHSAU or IHSAA. Any person with a pet will be asked to leave. This policy shall comply with the provisions of Iowa Code 216c in that such a person with a disability or person training an assisted animal has the right to be accompanied by a service dog or an assisted animal under control. The person is liable for damage done to any premises or facility by a service dog or assisted animal.

POLICY ON THE PRESENCE OF BLOOD DURING

ATHLETIC CONTESTS IN GRADES 7-12

1. Before competing, cover any open wounds.

2. When a contest official observes an athlete bleeding during competition, competition shall be stopped on completion of the play or action in progress. Injuries creating visible bleeding shall be treated as any other injury in that the injured athletes shall be removed from the contest for the length of time specified by that sport’s injury rule and given proper attention.

As a point of reference, the specific injury rules for basketball, softball and volleyball are:

a. Basketball -- A player who is injured to the extent that the coach or any other bench personnel comes onto the court shall leave the game and may not return until the first opportunity for such player to return.

b. Softball -- Time shall be called when a player is injured and the appearance of blood is observed. Bench personnel will be allowed to spend reasonable time to cover and clean the wound before requesting a substitute. The pitching hand by rule may not be covered in part or whole by any substance. If the pitcher has an open wound on the hand that produces blood, she must be removed as pitcher until the problem is solved.

c. Volleyball -- Time shall be called when a player is injured and the appearance of blood is observed. Bench personnel will be allowed to spend reasonable time to cover and clean the wound before requesting a substitute. A participant shall not continue competition until the bleeding is controlled and the wound is covered.

For those sports not having a specific injury rule, the official shall allow sideline personnel to attend to the bleeding athlete for a reasonable amount of time before requesting a substitute. An athlete shall not continue competition unless the bleeding is controlled and the wound is covered. Any athlete who has left the contest due to bleeding shall not re-enter the contest until the bleeding has been controlled and the wound covered.

3. When a contest official observes an excessive amount of blood on a participant or their uniform, that participant shall leave the contest for the length of time specified by the sport’s injury rule and the blood shall be wiped from the participant and/or their uniform. If a team does not wish to remove the player from the game, one of its charged time outs may be used during which time the blood shall be wiped from the contestant. If the blood appears immediately prior to a quarter, halftime, or overtime intermission, sideline personnel may use such intermission to wipe the blood from the contestant. For those sports not having a specific injury rule, the official shall allow sideline personnel to wipe the blood off the athlete and play shall be resumed. An excessive amount of blood is that amount which could be easily transferred from one athlete to another.

4. Any time a contest is stopped due to blood being present, any Washable surfaces (i.e. gym floor, pool deck, equipment) contaminated with blood shall be properly cleaned using OSHA accepted standards and procedures before competition resumes.

5. Athletes should render first-aid to themselves or first-aid shall be administered by sideline personnel, not by contest officials.

6. The risk of contracting the AIDS virus as a contest official or participant is minimal. There are no documented cases of AIDS being transmitted through athletic participation.

HANDLING BODY FLUIDS DURING THE CONTEST

OFFICIALS’ LIMITS OF RESPONSIBILITIES

An examination of interscholastic sports rule books reveals there is little direction given officials regarding the handling of body fluids during a contest. Any mention that does exist is vague at best, and no rule book outlines a protocol that officials are to follow.

Therefore, the purpose of this document is to provide officials information regarding their responsibilities during a contest should an injury or illness occur which results in an athlete losing blood or vomiting in the competitive area.

In the event an athlete sustains an injury or becomes ill during a contest on the competitive surface or in close proximity such that the problem affects play or the continuation of the contest, IGHSAU officials shall take the following steps:

1. Stop the contest at the point a problem is recognized. The IGHSAU recognizes some rule books make specific statements about play interruption. All rule books have an “elastic clause” which allows an official to take whatever action may be required.

2. Do not administer first aid to any athlete except to comfort the athlete until those designated to administer first aid arrive.

3. Do not take part in handling blood, vomit, feces, pus or other body fluids.

4. Officials shall professionally monitor the situation as observers, keeping in mind the rules addressing interruptions, stoppage of play, starting play, and other specific rules that may apply.

5. Officials with specific qualifying training shall avoid participating in first aid treatment except when there is absolutely no other alternative.

Uniform rule -- If through injury or illness the uniform of a contestant becomes contaminated with body fluid, the official will disregard rule book codification on penalties for changing the participant’s uniform.

The IGHSAU supports officials and coaches who are responding to a situation with the philosophy that the welfare of the injured player always comes first. We ask officials to be aware of their responsibilities and limitations as outlined above, with the understanding school personnel (coaches, trainers, etc.) are responsible to work directly with the injured or ill player.