04/27/23 – Procedure for Unified & Adapted Athlete Entry for Track & Field Postseason

April 27, 2023 Track and Field Blog Updates

In preparation for the 2023 KHSAA Track & Field postseason, we wanted to remind you of the opportunities available for the student-athletes of Kentucky. The KHSAA will continue to offer Unified (in partnership with Special Olympics Kentucky) and Adapted events to include regional and state track & field competitions. While most unified and/or adapted athletes have been participating throughout the season, it is important to review the following information prior to the start of the postseason.

ENTRY FORM 

• For both unified and adapted competitors, coaches must submit regional entries to the regional manager, via Form TR124 AND through ky.milesplit.com (with varsity entries) by the deadline, which is four (4) days prior to the date of each regional meet.
• TR124 Entry Form can be found here: FORM TR124

UNIFIED

• Unified partner athletes and special athletes must be listed on the Unified roster in the KHSAA database and each school needs to check the box for a Unified Team if they wish to compete in the regional and/or state competition. The Track & Field head coach or Athletic Director for each participating member school should enter Unified student-athletes on its postseason roster on the KHSAA database for Unified Track & Field.
• From that postseason roster, coaches must submit regional entries to the regional manager, via Form TR124 AND through ky.milesplit.com (with varsity entries), four (4) days prior to the first day of each regional meet. A student-athlete must be listed on the roster in order to participate in the postseason. Form TR124 is an online form and is currently open and accepting entries. Both the form and Milesplit entries are required to assist the KHSAA in ensuring that partners & athletes stay paired together in the state meet should they qualify.
• For 2023, each school will be limited to entering a maximum of six (6) pairs in each running event (2×50, 2×200, and 4×100) and a maximum of four (4) pairs in each field event (long jump and shot put). 
• As a reminder, the KHSAA currently offers five unified events, and here is how those events are to be conducted during the regular and postseason.
  • UNIFIED 2 x 50m RELAY (one partner/one athlete)
    • Partner athlete must start at the 100m dash start line, special athlete waits at the 50m line. Partner athletes must begin the race, special athletes must finish the race. Partner must race 50m to the athlete, exchange the baton (or touch hands), and then the special athlete will race the final 50m to the finish.
  • UNIFIED 2 x 200m RELAY (one partner/one athlete)
    • Partner athlete must start at the 400m dash start line, special athlete waits at the 200m start line exchange zones. Partner athletes must begin the race, special athletes must finish the race. Partner must race 200m to the special athlete, exchange the baton(or touch hands), and then the special athlete will race the final 200m to the finish.
  • UNIFIED 4 x 100m RELAY (two partners/two athletes)
    
    • This event will include 2 athletes and 2 partners that must compete in this order: partner athlete, special athlete, partner athlete, special athlete.
  • UNIFIED SHOT PUT (one partner/one athlete)
    
    • Unified partner athlete throws first, then the special athlete throws. Each participant gets 2 throws and the best throw for each athlete will be added together to determine the final distance for the team. These throws must take place in the unified division (cannot use performances from varsity shot put).
    • Boys in this division will throw a 4k shot.
    • Girls in this division will throw a 6 lb shot.
  • UNIFIED LONG JUMP (one partner/one athlete)
    
    • Unified partner athlete jumps first, then the special athlete jumps. Each participant gets 2 jumps and the best jump for each athlete will be added together to determine the final distance for the team. These jumps must take place in the unified division (cannot use performances from varsity long jump).

ADAPTED

• Adapted athletes will also need to be entered through TR124 AND through ky.milesplit.com (with varsity entries). Currently, there is not a roster system in the KHSAA database for adapted athletes, but coaches can enter athletes in the regional competition through TR124 and Milesplit.
• As a reminder, adapted athletes do compete on their own, they do not have a partner.
• After the entry deadline, based upon entries received, heats/divisions will be determined. 
• The KHSAA currently offers three adapted events and here is how those events are to be conducted during the regular and postseason.
  • ADAPTED 100m WHEELCHAIR
    
    • The athlete must utilize a racing wheelchair.
  • ADAPTED DISCUS
    • Athletes will have 3 throws in the preliminaries and 3 throws in the finals.
    • Boys and girls in the discus division will through the 1 kg discus.
  • ADAPTED SHOT PUT
    • Athletes will have 3 throws in the preliminaries and 3 throws in the finals.
    • Girls in the shot put division will throw the 6 lb shot. Boys in the shot put division will throw the 4 kg shot.
• After the entry deadlines, based upon entries received, heats/divisions/classes will be determined if necessary.

Please contact Sarah Bridenbaugh (sbridenbaugh@khsaa.org) should you have any questions pertaining to unified or adapted events.

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 289 member schools, both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 215 state championships to 51 teams and 164 individuals in 13 sports and six sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 106,000 rostered member school student-athletes, provides coaching education and sports safety programs for more than 12,000 coaches and licenses, and facilitates the distribution of training material for over 4,000 contest officials.