Officials Rules, Training & Tools
Rules/Rule Books, Training Clinics/Manuals, Technical Resources & Clothing
Updated 10.20.2021
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Helpful Guide to the Acronyms for Organizations and Structures in Track & Field (rev. 10/05/2013)
________________________________________NCAA Cross Country Umpire Clinic
RULES, RULE BOOKS
Rule Changes for 2021
Rule Books
- Link to Rule Books available at USATF.org
- Links for ordering or downloading rule books directly from the publishers:
- USA Track and Field: Competition Rules
- NCAA: NCAA Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country Rules
- High School: Rules Book, Case Book, Officials Manual, etc.
- World Athletics: World Athletics Competition Rules to Download
TRAINING CLINICS/MANUALS
General Clinic Information
- 2021 Officials Training Clinic Schedule
- PA/USATF Membership Registration. PA/USATF membership is required to become a PA/USATF official.
Templates for Clinic Notices
Clinic Instructors (needed between late November and February each year)
Clinic Manuals
- How to Become and Official
- Introduction to Officiating
- National Officials Handbook
- Meet Management
- National Administration and Mechanics
- Horizontal Jumps
- Implements
- Implements Inspector: National Manual
- Implement Inspector: PA Handbook
- Clerk of the Course
- Throws
- Vertical Jumps
- LDR Manuals
- Race Walking
- 2016 Race Walk Officiating Handbook (2016)
- RW Officiating Handbook (2008)
- Combined Events
- Combined Events Officiating (2005)
Maps to Clinic Locations
- San Francisco State
- American River College
- Serra High School
- UC Davis
- Enterprise High School Redding
- UC Berkeley Stadium
- Los Gatos High School
- San Francisco City College
- Oakmont High School, Roseville
- North Salinas High School
- Wilcox High School, Santa Clara
OFFICIATING TECHNICAL RESOURCES
- Safety
- Safety in Track and Field: 1.5 MB file, 61 pages (2008)
- Officials Coordinator
- Officials Coordinator (2003)
- Referees
- Referees (2007)
- Umpires
- For all forms go to the Officials FORMS page
- Umpire Booklet with 12 Positions for printing back-to-back 13January2023 docx version
- Umpire Booklet with 12 Positions for printing back-to-back 13January2023 pdf version
- One-page Umpire Assignments with Track Layouts, with options for the back of the page: (a) hurdle heights and distances, (b) diagrams of breakline cone and hurdle placements, 13January2023 docx version
- One-page Umpire Assignments with Track Layouts, with options for the back of the page: (a) hurdle heights and distances, (b) diagrams of breakline cone and hurdle placements, 13January2023 pdf version
- Flag Holders for Track & Field Officials
- Technical Manager
- Technical Manager: 2MB file, 54 pages (2002)
- Starters
- Marshals
- Marshals (2006)
- Lap Scoring
- Lap Scoring Sheets for 3,000-m, 5,000-m, and 10,000-m races (up to 25 laps on track) plus an exercise to teach lap scorers and a sheet for the Chief Lap Scorer
- Lap Scoring Sheet for a 20-km race on a 1-km loop
- Lap Scoring Sheet and Training Exercise for a 20-km race on a 2-km loop
- Lap Scoring Sheet for a 50-km race on a 1.25-km loop
- 2011 USATF National Officials Committee Training Monograph
- Race Walking
- For all forms go to the Officials FORMS page
- SYLLABUS for INTRODUCTION TO RACE WALK JUDGING and OFFICIATING 24January2022 (PDF file for printing)
- CHIEF JUDGE’s DUTIES – card 1August2019 (Word docx file for printing back-to-back)
- SUMMARY of DQs and TIME PENALTIES for the Recorder to give to the Chief Judge immediately after the race, version 16December2019 (Word docx file)
- SUMMARY of DQs and TIME PENALTIES for the Recorder to give to the Chief Judge immediately after the race, version 16December2019 (PDF file)
- Race Walk JUDGING ASSIGNMENTS, TRACK Race with FIVE JUDGES, 16December2019 version (Word file)
- Race Walk JUDGING ASSIGNMENTS, TRACK Race with FIVE JUDGES, 16December2019 version (PDF file)
- RECORDER: This is an exercise to teach officials to be the Recorder for race walking events. This example is for a track race. (PDF with instructions)
- RECORDER: This is another exercise to teach officials to be the Recorder for race walking events. This example is for a road race. (PDF with instructions)
- PENALTY ZONE (formerly called the PIT LANE) TIME SHEET: This is a form used by the Pit Lane Official. See IAAF guidelines for operation of the pit lane. (Word docx file for printing)
- PENALTY ZONE (formerly called the PIT LANE) TIME SHEET: This is a form used by the Pit Lane Official. See IAAF guidelines for operation of the pit lane. (PDF file for printing)
- IAAF Guidelines for Race Walk Judges, including operation of the pit lane. (PDF file for printing)
- PENALTY ZONE (formerly called the PIT LANE) LAYOUT: This is a diagram and explanation of the penalty zone for any distance, updated 22 January 2023. See IAAF guidelines for operation of the pit lane. (docx file for printing)
- PENALTY ZONE (formerly called the PIT LANE) LAYOUT: This is a diagram and explanation of the penalty zone for any distance, updated 22 January 2023. See IAAF guidelines for operation of the pit lane. (pdf file for printing)
- 2016 Race Walk Officiating Handbook (2016)
- Pockets for Race Walk Judges’ Paddles & Clipboards and Flag Holders for Track & Field Officials
- Age Grading
- Road Racing Age Grading Tables (USATF resource)
- Race Walking Age Grading Calculator (.xls file)
- See also RW officials page, with additional age grading and training resources
- Power Walking
- U.S. Power Walking Association’s RULES and REGULATIONS plus OFFICIALS and COURSE RECOMMENDATIONS, downloaded 12 August 2019 (Word docx file for printing)
- U.S. Power Walking Association’s RULES and REGULATIONS plus OFFICIALS and COURSE RECOMMENDATIONS, downloaded 12 August 2019 (PDF file for printing)
- Electronic Measurement
- Electronic Measurements (USATF resource)
CLOTHING