Middle School Physical Education
Track & Field Unit Study Guide
History of the Sport
Modern track and field began in England, where it evolved around the end of the 17th century and the beginning of
the 18th century, mostly in the form of running and walking races. The early 19th century saw the first
professional meets. Oxford and Cambridge Universities entered the scene around 1860, and the first official
British Championships were held in 1866. The sport then spread to the United States and Continental Europe. The
first modern Olympic games, in 1896, consisted mainly of track and field events.
General Track Information
 Track events are run counter-clockwise around the track.
 Olympic, College, High School, Middle School tracks are 400 meters around (4 laps = 1600 meters/1 mile).
 All field measurements are to 1/4 inch.
 All races end at the same place - the finish line (when the chest crosses)
 Running events include sprints, middle, and long distances.
Field Events
Boys
Shot Put
Get 3 puts
High Jump
Long Jump
Get 3 jumps
4 kg shot
(around 8 lbs)
Bar starts at
4'1"
-
Girls
Livonia MS Records
6lbs shot
Boys: 43'1"
Girls Record: 36.25"
Bar starts at
3'6"
-
Boys: 5'5"
Girls Record: 4'9"
Boys: 18’4”
Girls: 14'7.25"
Long Jump
 Measurements: taken to the nearest 1/4 inch and taken from the site closest to the take off board made by
the jumpers body.
 Technique & Form: Sprint to board. Jump with dominant foot and drive upward with the non-dominant leg. Use
modified ‘hitch-kick’ in the air to propel forward. Try to touch your toes to complete the jump (pike position).
 Safety: make sure the pit is clear before jumping, leave from the front of the pit.
Shot Put
 Technique & Form: Face the back of the ring to start, hold the shot with the middle 3 fingers,
against the neck, just below the ear. Use a slide technique to cross the ring. To put the shot;
plant, pivot, put. Arm follows through upward. Push the shot rather than throwing it. Power
comes from the legs. Wait for the measurement before leaving the rear of the ring.
 Safety: never put the shot when a student is in the ‘landing area’. Wait until all students are out of the way.
Always enter and leave from the back of the circle, line up here. Next person up is the spotter, and looks to
see where the shot lands.
High Jump
 Technique & Form: use the ‘J ‘approach. Take off with one foot, the one furthest from the mat. With
opposite leg and arms drive upward, arch the back to clear the bar. Kick feet upward. Use a ‘flop’ technique
when landing on the mat, chin to chest, land on the upper back and shoulders.
 Safety: do not jump until the person in front of you has cleared the mat. Do not touch the
bars or pole.
Track Event
Hurdles
 Distances: 55 and 200 meters.
 Form & Technique: begin with starting blocks. Straighten
body quicker than in sprinting, run over the hurdle - don’t
jump. Lift lead leg and bring heel over hurdle, rear/trail
leg is bent and stays flat. Lean forward at waist. Aim at
targets.
 Safety: Do not jump the wrong direction.
 Start: use starting blocks; always have another person
hold the blocks. Thumb and index fingers just behind the
starting line. Runner looks about 10 feet ahead. 3
command start; 1) “runners take your mark” 2) “set”
3) “Go”
Sprints
Livonia MS Records
Track Events
3200 Meter Run
8 laps
55 Meter Hurdles Boys (33")
Girls (30")
800 Meter Relay
4 x 200
800 Meter Run
2 laps
1600 Meter Run
4 laps
100 Meter Dash
400 Meter Dash
1 lap
3200 Meter Relay 4 x 800
200 Meter Hurdles 5 hurdles,
all 30"
70 Meter Dash
200 Meter Dash
1600 Meter Relay 4 x 400
400 Meter Relay
4 x 100
(yellow)
Boys
11:09
8.6
Girls
12:49
8.52
1:46
2:13.3
4:57.5
11.9
56
9:51
28.9
1:53.7
2:23.8
5:16
13.03
1:02
11:17
31.3
8.5
24.5
4:04
49.3
9.5
27.5
4:34
54.1
 Distances: 70, 100, 200 and 400 meters.
 Form & Technique: long strides, heels to rear, run on the balls of the feet. Arms bent, pumping forward and
backwards. Head relaxed. Remain low out of the blocks and gradually stand upright, at the finish line,
lean and contact tape with chest, this is when the clock stops.
 Start: use starting blocks; always have another person hold the blocks. Thumb and index fingers
just behind the starting line. Runner looks about 10 feet ahead. 3 command start;
1) “runners take your mark” 2) “set” 3) “Go”
Sprint Relay
 Distances: 400, 800, and 1600 meters.
 Exchange Zone = where the baton is passed. Runners must stay within the triangles of the zone when passing
the baton. Stay in your own lane until all runners have passed.
 Dropping the baton: if the baton is dropped in the exchange zone, pick it up and continue the race. If the
baton rolls out of your lane, pick it up and continue the race, but you may not interfere with any other runners
or you will be disqualified.
 Sprint Relays: 1 lap around the track total (1/4 lap for each runner), staggered start using starting blocks, use
a blind baton exchange (no not watch the baton as you receive it). We will use a visual pass right to left hand.
 Start: use starting blocks; always have another person hold the blocks. Thumb and index fingers just behind
the starting line. Runner looks about 10 feet ahead. 3 command start; 1) “Runners take your mark” 2) “Set”
3) “Go”
Strategies




Get off to a fast start in a sprint race.
In long jump, the jumper should measure off their running steps before taking a jump.
In a relay race, place your fastest runner in the last position for the race.
Pace yourself in a long distance race.
04/2009