Track & Field Manual Wheelchair Division

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Wheelchair Division

General Guidelines

• The Wheelchair Division will include participants from any conference 1A-6A.  
• The wheelchair racing and seated shot put events will be incorporated into the state meet schedule by UIL staff.
• The athletes in the Wheelchair Division will compete in separate races and field events from the traditional athletes. 
• The top nine (9) performances that meet the UIL designated qualifying standards will advance to the State Championships.
• The events are considered a pilot program and will be non-scoring events, meaning these events will not count towards any team championships.
• The top three athletes in each event will receive medals.  Athletes will be able to set state records at the state meet only. 

Events

Wheelchair division events for students in wheelchairs, boys and girls, to be held at the State Track & Field Meet:

• 100M Dash
• 400M Dash
• Shot Put

Eligibility for Participation

• Only high school students eligible under the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules Subchapter M are eligible to compete.
• All applicable UIL rules and regulations will apply.
• Any high school student may be eligible to participate in the Wheelchair Division track and field events with a documented permanent, physical disability. Each athlete’s physical disability must be verified by a licensed physician and maintained on permanent file at the school.
• Schools and athletes are responsible for all aspects of participation in the events.

Qualification Standards

Participants must meet the following standard for each event in order to submit an entry to the state meet.

EVENTS	BOYS	GIRLS
100m	:40	:45
400m	2:40	3:00
Shot Put	7’0” - 4K	7’0” - 6lbs.

Entry Requirements & Procedures

Entry Requirements

• Participants must submit a qualifying mark or performance to be considered for participation at the state event.  
• If more than nine participants submit eligible entries in any event, the UIL staff will choose the top nine performances submitted for the state meet.
• A qualifying performance may be obtained from any local competition during the regular season, district, area, regional or Paralympic events from spring 2024. Entries must be verified by official meet results.

Entry Procedures 

• School personnel will be required to submit verified qualifying performances.
• School personnel will be required to submit an official meet results document to verify the performance.
• Wheelchair Submission Form due no later than midnight on April 21, 2024. (https://www.uiltexas.org/machform/view.php?id=49701)
• All state qualifiers will be posted on the UIL website at the time they become available.

100m, 400m Wheelchair Equipment and Racing Standards

Athletes will be expected to compete in their school’s team uniform.  Reasonable accommodations will be made when necessary.  Resources for track and field equipment information can be obtained from the following link: http://www.texasregionalparalympicsport.org

• Manual wheelchairs only for track events, which may be specialized racing chair or an all sport chair.
• The racing chair may have two large wheels (not to exceed 70cm in diameter) and one small wheel (not to exceed 50cm in diameter). 
• The racing chair must be manually propelled by pushing on the wheels or the hand rims. The chair shall not be equipped with gears, levers or electronic steering.
• All participants must wear a racing helmet that is a hard-protective shell and should meet the safety standards of the American National Safety Institute (ANSI).
• Shoes are not required; however protective socks are recommended.
• All participants must start each event using racing gloves. 
• Athletes’ lower limb(s) must be secured to the track chair.  Any touch of the ground by a lower limb results in disqualification from the event
• Competitors are responsible for the proper functioning of the competition chair and equipment.  Athletes that experience an equipment failure may finish the event; however, no event will be delayed or rescheduled if such an incident occurs.

Shot Put Equipment and Seated Throwing Standards

Athletes will be expected to compete in their school’s team uniform.  Reasonable accommodations will be made when necessary. Resources for track and field equipment information can be obtained from the following link: http://www.texasregionalparalympicsport.org

• Implements shall meet NFHS regulations. The 4K shot put will be used for boys and 6lbs. shot put for girls.
• All participants must put the shot from a “chair” (manual wheelchair, throwing chair, power wheelchair). Scooters and “standing chairs” will not be allowed. Chairs may be designed based on the needs of the athlete.
• The upper most part of the cushion/seat on any chair may not exceed 75cm (29.5 inches) measured from the ground. The seat of the chair has to be square or rectangular and flat or sloped backwards.
• The chair may not have any moving parts or articulated joints.
• No part of the throwing frame or wheelchair may be outside of the circumference of the circle.
• The chair will be considered an extension of the athlete’s body.  For example: Any part of the chair touching the top of the stop board is a foul.
• A coach (only) may assist the athlete in getting to the competition area.
• A coach (only) may assist the athlete in entering and exiting the circle.
• Tie-down straps for the chair are recommended and should be provided by the athlete; however, a coach (only) may hold the chair during the throwing attempt to prevent excessive movement if no straps are available.
• The athlete’s body must remain in contact with the seat during the throw.