[lakedad]

I was at a meet over the weekend. The throwers were instructed that it was an open pit and that shots and discs would be examined but not weighed, and that anyone can use any shot or disc to throw.

One of the girl throwers brought her own disc. Both her coach and her did not want anyone else using it, so she would throw and then take it back to her parents to hold. The coach was called out on it by another coach and a pretty good argument started.

My question is, shouldn't she have been disqualified?

Thanks

[Altordwm]

First, the entire situation uses a twisted version of the "common implement" rule. The rule is designed to allow the games committee to provide implements for all to use, thus saving them from having to inspect hundreds of implements. There is no rules support for forcing schools to allow other competitors to use their implements.

I suppose they could make this a special "term and condition" of the meet, in which case the answer to your question lies with the terms and conditions since the rule book doesn't cover it.

[runningfool]

Should she have been DQed? IMO, no the rules don't support that. Was she, her coach, and parents guilty of poor judgement and sportsmanship? IMO, yes. You know what they say about karma.

[lakedad]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't sure and couldn't find an actual rule about shared equipment. I can completely understand that they didn't want others to use a very expensive disc, but then bring a different one to throw.

[bbaau]

To me her equipment so it should be know big deal , I guess I would of told officials ahead of time and the other coaches.

[oldthrower75]

In the OHSAA track and field rule book it clearly states that a athlete doesn't have to share implements. Like stated above: common implements refers to the host meet/invitational suppling implements which they can. Then the athletes have to use the implements supplied and not there own.
As a coach who has good equipment, I am not allowing other athletes to use ours. We have a limited budget and have a hard time buying good equipment. This is why other kids/athletes don't have good equipment $$$$. Not being mean spirited just worried where the next dollar will come from.

[Altordwm]

I forget about the OHSAA pre-season manual, because I don't consider it a "rules book." But, oldthrower75 is correct. It is clearly stated on page 21 in that document.

Section 12.15.
All rules relative to safety in the field events must be strictly adhered to. In addition, in those events in which implements must be weighed and gauged or certified as legal (shot put and discus), once those implements are certified, competitors may not remove them until the competition has concluded. The use of the term “common implements” means that the games committee has determined that competitors may use only those implements provided by the competition site. In all other circumstances, competitors may provide their own implements that shall be determined to be legal as mandated by the games committee in accordance with NFHS rules. No official has the authority to compel an athlete to share his or her implement with another competitor.

[lakedad]

Very interesting and thank you all again. I agree that someone should not be forced to share their own equipment. I bought a couple of very nice discs for my daughter. I just thought that when they announced it was an open pit and that anyone could use any disc or shot that this was some kind of rule.