2021 Unified Track & Field Coaches Resource Guide
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Table of Contents 2021 Training & Competition Updates Overview/Coach Expectations Principal of Meaningful Involvement Program Summary Season Timeline Coach Responsibilities Trainings (Required) Team Rosters Team Event Rosters Rules of Competition Event and Competition Rules Training for Events Putting the Shot Shot Put How To Pull the Mini-Javelin Mini Jav How To Running Long Jump Running Long Jump How To Mechanics of Running Sprints - 100 & 400 Relays Runs - 800 Track Marking Training for the Season Training Session Plans Rain/Snow Practice Hosting a Meet Track & Field Meet Management Volunteer Needs Chart Official’s Rule Guide 1 Table of Content 2021 Training & Competition Updates 3 - 4 Covid 19 Health & Safety Guidelines 5 Fact Sheet – Interscholastic Unified Sports Track & Field 6 Principal of Meaningful Involvement 7 2021 Season Timeline 8 Required Coaches Trainings 9 Online Team Roster & Online Entry & Qualifier Forms 10 - 11 Appropriate Attire 12 Rules of Competition 13 - 18 Pull Out - Shot Put Set Up and Competition Management 19 Pull Out - Long Jump Set Up and Competition Management 20 Pull Out - Mini Jav Set Up and Competition Management 21 Training for Specific events: Shot Put 22 Training for Specific events: Mini Jav 24 Training for Specific events: Running Long Jump 27 Training for Specific events: Mechanics of Running - 100 & 400 Meters 31 Training for Specific events: Relays 35 Training for Specific events: Moderate Distance Events – 800 Meters 39 Training Plans 41 - 61 Practice 1 & 2 – Identifying Events 41 Indoor Practice – Rain or Snow 43 Running – Posture, Stride & arm Swing 45 Starts & Running for Time 47 - 50 Relays & Relay Running 51 Running Long Jump 55 Shot Put 57 Mini Jav 59 Time Trials 61 Meet Management 62 - 67 Officials Pull Out 62 Volunteer Needs Chart 66 Additional Resources 68 2 2021 Training & Competition Updates PIAA/SOPA Medicals – All rostered participants are required to complete the PIAA Medical form. 1. Change: Your school should retain the PIAA Medical, as they would for any other varsity sport. NEW: SOPA Waiver 1. NEW online waiver form – must be completed by the participant and if under 18 their parent/guardian. SOPA waiver for participation or direct link: https://forms.gle/C9Uf8xEKkVfE8zVG7 2. Completed forms will come directly to SOPA 3. If you have a family without internet access – Please contact me and I will provide you with a “paper” copy of the SOPA Waiver. Measuring Field Events - All measurements will now be recorded in meters and centimeters. We are using a new Games Management System that is set up in metric recording. Please check your tape measures! Practices - Follow all COVID-19 safety protocols instituted by your high school’s athletic department for practices and competitions. Participation Options - Special Olympics PA will provide guidance for how teams can include any students not attending school in-person on their Unified Track and Field team. Additionally, if changing COVID-19 conditions necessitate a high school to cease in-person instruction, Special Olympics PA has virtual practice plans which will permit team members to train at home. Competition Options - Special Olympics PA will offer two different types of track and field competition formats in response to possible restrictions due to COVID-19: 1. In-Person Training & Competition - No Restrictions on Teams Travelling and Competing: a. Dual or Tri-meets are held with two or three teams competing in-person at a host site. All COVID-19 safety precautions delineated by the State of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, and host high school are followed by all student athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and spectators. 2. In-Person & Virtual Student Training & Competition a. Students at School practice on the track and students at home join through a virtual platform. b. Head coach responsible for students on the track & an assistant coach will facilitate the on-line platform for the students at home. 3 c. Virtual students join the team for warm-ups and then are given instructions on their home training for the day. Workouts and drills will be provided by your UCS Liaison. d. Competition options for students practicing at home: 1. Time Trials – students are transported to the school by parents/guardian etc. after practice to perform their 1 track and 1 field event. This time/score will be used for season meets 2. Final Time - students are transported to the school by parents/guardian etc. after practice to perform their 1 track and 1 field event. This time/score will be used for regional championships. 3. This option is at the parent/guardian discretion. If the parent/guardian chooses not to transport the student to the school for scoring. The student will not participate in the competition but are still able to be part of the team through weekly workouts. 3. In-Person Training & Virtual Student Training & Virtual Competitions - Virtual competition is conducted when schools are not permitted to travel to other schools for in-person meets. a. General Overview of Virtual Track and Field Meet Format 1. On the scheduled meet day, teams gather at their home tracks and are connected via an online meeting platform. 2. One PIAA official will be scheduled by each school's athletic director to serve as the starter and enforce the rules of competition. 3. At each site, the teams conduct the events synchronously. Using an electronic score sheet provided by Special Olympics PA, times are entered online at the end of each individual track event and distances at the conclusion of each field event. 4. The electronic score sheet will have competition divisions for each event. Similar to the procedure for in-person meets, Special Olympics PA will use qualifying scores to establish divisions based on similar times or distances. 5. The electronic score sheet is updated in real time, with points awarded based on place of finish for each event competition division (5 points for 1st, 3 points for 2nd, 1 point for 3rd). 6. The overall team scores are updated in the online platform after each event to allow for the participants to know where their team stands in real time. 4 Covid -19 Health & Safety Guidelines 1. At Both Training and Competition: a. Masks - All students, coaches, volunteers, etc. should be wearing masks. 1. If necessary, Athletes may remove their masks when running. b. Water - Students should bring their own water bottles. 1. Names or initials should be marked on the caps/lids of plastic water bottles. c. On the Track - Athletes should be placed in every other lane for all running events to create safe distance. d. Starting blocks should NOT be used. e. Traveling students should change in their locker rooms before leaving their home school. f. Relay handoffs, student should wear non-latex disposable gloves that are safely disposed of immediately after they handoff the baton. 1. Prompt students not to touch their face, other equipment, etc. with the glove on. g. Shot-put/Mini Jav: 1. At Practice schools should practice field events in stations. 1. Students may take 3 - 4 consecutive throws or 3-4 non-consecutive throws (depending on the number of implements). 2. Students must retrieve their own implement. 3. Implements must be sterilized between throwers. 2. During Competitions visiting schools should bring their implements. 1. 2 schools at an event = 1. 6 mini javs 2. 2 shot puts 2. Depending on number of students in a division, students should take 3 non- consecutive 3. Students must retrieve their own implement after each throw. 4. Implements must be sterilized between throwers. 5 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Interscholastic Unified Sports® Interscholastic Unified Track and Field Program Special Olympics Interscholastic Unified Sports® (IUS) is a fully-inclusive co-ed high school sports program which successfully brings together students with and without disabilities. They train together and compete as equal teammates and through this experience, become friends. IUS teams are regarded like every other interscholastic sports team at the high school. A Unified Track and Field team can have a minimum of 12 and maximum of 40 participants. The team is co-ed and consists of a proportional number of high school students who are Special Olympics eligible and students without intellectual disabilities. This is an after-school program. All students need to have a physical examination and required consent forms completed. Format: Students select one track event and one field event in which to train and compete, and also may be selected to one relay team. In competition, they are placed in heats with other athletes who have similar qualifying times or distances. Based on their place of finish, students earn points for their Unified team. The Unified team with the most points wins the meet. Track Events include: 100 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters; 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relays Field Events include: Shot put, running long jump, mini javelin 10 week long season which begins the first week of March and ends the third week of May. Teams practice after school twice a week. They participate in at least three competitions against other high school Unified Track and Field teams. Members wear uniforms with their school’s name and colors. Teams participate in county or regional championships with the opportunity to advance to the IUS Track and Field State Championships held in conjunction with the PIAA state event. 6 PRINCIPLE OF MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT The most important of the “7 Criteria for the Success of a Special Olympics Unified Sports Program” is the principle of meaningful involvement. Fundamentally, the principle of meaningful involvement ensures that every player is given an opportunity to contribute to the success of his or her team through their unique skills and qualities. This means that every teammate: (a) demonstrates sufficient sport-specific skills and game understanding; (b) plays a valued role on the team that emphasizes his or her personal talents; and (c) has an opportunity to play without a heightened risk of injury.