So who starts the petition to get the rules clarified or changed? I don't mind a celebration of a win, but I don't want to see some TikTok dance on track either. The rules board can define if there's an issue of celebrating before the runner has completed the race as I think that's the trigger for the DQ. Personally I think you cross the line before you do so. As someone else stated, act like you've been there. But in the end, the rule needs clarification. Now's the time.
My take. Do I agree with a call? No. But I understand how this went down and why.
This was a battle of egos. He was called out for this in indoor track. That seemed innocent enough but the officials dug their heels in.
I would not consider him very smart to have done this again in outdoor track. if I understand officials well enough, they were looking for him to either comply with the ruling from indoor or ignore their directive.
His coach should’ve explained this to him prior to the race. If the coach didn’t, the coach shares some of this fault also. As a coach I know I would have let my athlete know not to celebrate before the finish line or celebrate at all after given what happened in indoor as ridiculous as that may sound. Maybe his coaches did and he didn’t listen to them either.
I was there as well, and in fact at the coaches meeting. The two things they continually stressed...no cell phones or electronics, and sportsmanship, specifically no celebrations. They were very clear about that, and to relay this to our athletes that such violations would result in a DQ. I said to another coach how they were really emphasizing the whole sportsmanship thing. I hadn't realized the same type thing has happened to the same athlete three months earlier. Whether we coaches agree to the rule or not was not as relevant as whether or not it was made clear, which it was.
The rules have been posted in this thread and said to be cited by the officials say nothing about celebration. The officials made up a rule outside the book and enforced it?
I disagree that celebrations are unsportsmanlike. It's being human, showing emotion, not being a robot. Do they want to encourage kids to be dead inside?
In cycling, they teach you to celebrate if there is room to do it. That includes zipping up your jersey and sitting up so people can read your sponsor and doing something with your arm(s). It doesn't matter if the other competition is far back/not good, you celebrate when you win because it's your job to represent your team and sponsor. Literally zero cycling fans consider it unsportsmanlike. Why should be viewed negatively in high school? The officials need to get a life.
Don’t compare pro sports to high school. Especially when the kid national class competing against the local small school kids.
I was there as well, and in fact at the coaches meeting. The two things they continually stressed...no cell phones or electronics, and sportsmanship, specifically no celebrations. They were very clear about that, and to relay this to our athletes that such violations would result in a DQ. I said to another coach how they were really emphasizing the whole sportsmanship thing. I hadn't realized the same type thing has happened to the same athlete three months earlier. Whether we coaches agree to the rule or not was not as relevant as whether or not it was made clear, which it was.
>>specifically no celebrations<<
How in the name of the all-mighty could this possibly be enforced? Isn't smiling after a win technically "celebrating"? Would a simple pump fist after crossing the line got a DQ? If he had simply raised one arm with an index finger raised as he crossed the finish line, like you see over a thousand times across the nation every Saturday during the season, would that be a DQ? If you watched the whole meet, did not a single other athlete raise an arm, finger or clench a fist? Nothing? Not one? If so, I pity these kids.
I don't care that he got DQ'ed as I hate showboating more than most, but I hate also vague rules that can be used on anyone, anytime because you can say "technically that qualifies". I wasn't there, so I can only hope they gave much more specific guidelines than "no celebrations or your DQ'ed". That is more than not helpful, you are setting yourself up for some "by the rules" coach filing lots of stupid protests that will be hard to deny.
Again, I really hate showboating. But the idea that "celebrating a win = bad sportsmanship" is too extreme even for me.
The over legislating in sports. Leaves too much space for the law and order types to find a rule break in almost any situation.
So who starts the petition to get the rules clarified or changed?
It's as easy as filling out a form in the NCAA. I looked for a similar link on the NFHS website but couldn't find one. I'm sure the NFHS Rules Book has a "How to submit a rules change" section but I don't have the book handy right now. The problem is people do nothing but complain about the officials but won't take the time to submit a proposal. Don't write, "I think this rule is stupid and needs to change." Submit a well-written proposal detailing WHY the rule should be changed and HOW the new rule should be rewritten. CONVINCE the committee that the rule needs to change and you may see a change. The officials did nothing wrong here; they simply enforced the rules as written. Just because an NFL official thinks it is stupid to call a Roughing the Passer penalty for touching the helmet of a quarterback with a bare hand doesn't mean he has the right to not enforce it.
I think fans and officials- especially the older you get- forget what it’s like to compete. An athletic competition is not cordial business meeting. It’s a physical competition aimed to get the most out of your body. Adrenaline, being in the zone, having that ‘Mamba mentality’, etc is part of competing. As an athlete, I could care less of an athlete talks smack to me, ‘taunts’, does whatever. In fact, I like it. I appreciate they actually care about beating me- plus it gives me a chip on my shoulder and motivates me even more to never lose to them again.
“Sportsmanship” can look different in different contexts. For example, “Sportsmanship” during the race is doing whatever you can to beat me (outside of pushing me down). Get in my head, make me feel inferior to you, show the crowd you’re better than me- do whatever you can to make it known I can never beat you. In your mind you should be the best, and the whole stadium should know you’re the best. Do whatever you want to pump yourself up and make the sport fun for you- I just want your best when you compete against me because that’s what I love about competitive sports. The only bad sportsmanship during the race is not being competitive. But an hour after we cool down and come down from the high of our adrenaline/emotions, if you’re still talking trash and taunting me, then you’re a tool and that’s bad sportsmanship.
So who starts the petition to get the rules clarified or changed?
It's as easy as filling out a form in the NCAA. I looked for a similar link on the NFHS website but couldn't find one. I'm sure the NFHS Rules Book has a "How to submit a rules change" section but I don't have the book handy right now. The problem is people do nothing but complain about the officials but won't take the time to submit a proposal. Don't write, "I think this rule is stupid and needs to change." Submit a well-written proposal detailing WHY the rule should be changed and HOW the new rule should be rewritten. CONVINCE the committee that the rule needs to change and you may see a change. The officials did nothing wrong here; they simply enforced the rules as written. Just because an NFL official thinks it is stupid to call a Roughing the Passer penalty for touching the helmet of a quarterback with a bare hand doesn't mean he has the right to not enforce it.
It's as easy as filling out a form in the NCAA. I looked for a similar link on the NFHS website but couldn't find one. I'm sure the NFHS Rules Book has a "How to submit a rules change" section but I don't have the book handy right now. The problem is people do nothing but complain about the officials but won't take the time to submit a proposal. Don't write, "I think this rule is stupid and needs to change." Submit a well-written proposal detailing WHY the rule should be changed and HOW the new rule should be rewritten. CONVINCE the committee that the rule needs to change and you may see a change. The officials did nothing wrong here; they simply enforced the rules as written. Just because an NFL official thinks it is stupid to call a Roughing the Passer penalty for touching the helmet of a quarterback with a bare hand doesn't mean he has the right to not enforce it.
He deserved the DQ because he violated the rules for a second time at the Maryland track championships (indoor/outdoor), celebrating before the completion of the race. Lift your arms up at the finish, not before. Track teams often get into fights from excessive celebrating, so there's a good reason for dq's for celebration. In baseball, the pitcher would plunk the next batter, setting off a brawl. No one wants more track brawls.
Talked with the coach of the 2nd place team(who's team was awarded with the win). He along with the majority of coaches was disgusted with the disqualification. No one saw any excessive celebration or taunting. Just a kid excited about securing a victory. Some people need to get the stick out of their a$.
ya. nobody is going to feel great about taking a win under those circumstances.
i had a similar situation with a kid during a team championship meet during indoor. he was looking back and waving the baton around. I guess the kid he just dusted, and his teammates, had been running their mouths to our guys before the meet, so you kind of understand. but still.
the official was very upset, but he let him off on a warning. Both the official and I gave him a stern talking to, and that was the end of it. The kid will never agree that he did anything wrong, but he understands not to do it again. End of story.
He just anchored 4x100 to victory. Literally ran straight off the track (gate is at end of straightaway). Athletes next to me talking about how great he is as I type. :-)