Officiating Track & Field and Cross Country

Hundreds of thousands of high school boys and girls participate in track and field and cross country meets each year. That’s a lot of athletes attempting to outrun, outjump, and outthrow one another. It takes many dedicated, knowledgeable officials to supervise all these races, jumps, and throws to ensure they are executed in accordance with the rules governing the events.

Based on officiating mechanics endorsed by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), Officiating Track & Field and Cross Country is the definitive guide for new and experienced high school officials and administrators. Included are guidelines for what’s expected of you as an official, officiating procedures and responsibilities, and officiating duties before and during the meet.

Officiating Track & Field and Cross Country is not a rules book - it’s a practical resource for implementing correct mechanics as developed and approved by the NFHS. Officiating mechanics for all events are supported by more than 75 photos and illustrations of positioning, signaling, and field diagrams. Real-life cases demonstrate correct rulings, point out common officiating errors and how to avoid them, and challenge you to make the right call. A glossary of key track and field and cross country terms is also included.

Officiating Track & Field and Cross Country was developed by the American Sport Education Program (ASEP) in cooperation with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Based in Indianapolis, the NFHS is the rules authority for high school sports in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of officials nationwide and worldwide rely on the NFHS for officiating guidance. ASEP is a division of Human Kinetics and has been a world leader in providing educational courses and resources to professional and volunteer coaches, officials, parents, and sport administrators for more than 20 years. ASEP and the NFHS have teamed up to offer books, CDs, and online courses for high school officials through the NFHS Officials Education Program.