The NCAA recently approved the revision of a few rules for the 2018-19 track & field season.

These rules include the expansion of exchange zones in relay events, uniform changes, and shortening the start time for field competitors. With the season still a few months away, women’s and men’s track & field head coach Michelle Cross has scarcely spoken on the changes.

“We have spoken about them with the PAC but with no other teams,” Cross said. “I have also spoken about them with my assistants a few times.”

The main change for the 2018-19 season is the expanding of the exchange zone for relay events. The zone was expanded to 30 meters from the previous 20-meter standard.

“It will definitely affect our strategy,” said Cross. “The goal in the majority of those races is to have your fastest runner run the longest distance and this could affect it.”

Junior sprinter and jumper Mike Trax believes that the changes will be an asset to many of the Jacket runners.

“It will benefit our team,” Trax said. “We need more room to get the handoffs down. We were close to being disqualified a few times last year because of delayed handoffs.”

The NCAA also ruled that all members of a team must wear the same uniforms. The report from the NCAA states that “The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Rules Committee believes it should be easy to distinguish which team everyone represents during track meets. Committee members also received similar feedback via a national survey of track coaches.”

It goes on to say that any athlete who does not comply with the rule will be disqualified from their event. Cross believes it will have a small effect on some of the athletes on her team.

“Traditionally, our throwers have worn whatever they want,” said Cross. “We have had sprinters wear different shorts and tops but that hasn’t happened for three or four years. We have been pretty standard with our uniforms.”

In the final rule change, the NCAA reduced the time limit for a field event athlete to initiate their attempt. The time limit was changed to 30 seconds after the athlete is introduced from the previous standard at 60 seconds.

“I’m not a big fan of that rule,” Cross said. “I understand the reasoning of it, which is to speed up larger meets such as our meet in Youngstown, Ohio, which has 65 teams. For other meets, this just creates unnecessary anxiety.”

Trax shares the same mindset on the rule as Cross.

“Personally, I don’t like the change,” Trax said. “One minute allows for a longer time for you to focus and relax and to go through your routine. I do understand the rule though, especially for our larger meets.”

The panel also approved the usage of starting blocks that can detect if an athlete faulted in their start for sprint events. Cross believes this will not have a major effect on her teams.

“I’m waiting to see how the style matches up with the ones we use now,” said Cross. “I want the athletes to be comfortable with the blocks, but I’m assuming the new blocks will be similar to the ones we have now.”

All of these changes will be in effect for Waynesburg’s first indoor meet at West Virginia University Jan. 11, 2019.