Off-Season Participation Guidelines

The Board of Directors has established the following guidelines relative to contact by coaches in a given sport with student-athletes who participate in that sport at times during the school year outside that sport's season as defined in “Sport Seasons Guidelines” contained elsewhere in this handbook:

1. Definitions.
    (a) Off-Season. "Off-season" means the period of time during the regular school year but outside the defined sport season for a specific sport.
    (b) Sports Season. "Sports season" means the period of time for a specific school team in each respective sport that begins with the first permissible date of practice in that sport and ends either with (a) the last permissible date for a regular season contest (if not participating in state series competition) in that sport; (b) the date of the team's elimination from state series competition in that sport; or (c) the state championship game in that sport; whichever first occurs for that team. During a sports season a school may organize its teams in the sport for practice and interscholastic athletic competition within the regulations established to govern that specific sport.
    (c) Coach. "Coach" means any person, regardless of whether they are employed or volunteer, who instructs, supervises, or otherwise manages student-athletes in conjunction with a practice, tryout, drill, workout, evaluation or competitive activity.
    (d) “Involved In Any Respect.” "Involved in any respect" means engaged in anything to do with a non-school team, including but not limited to, coaching, scheduling, transporting, officiating and the hiring of officials, training, taping, managing team expenses, purchasing of uniforms and equipment, etc.

2. During the off-season, a coach may have contact with student athletes who are members of his/her team outside the normal teacher-student classroom environment to make arrangements for and assist in the conduct of physical examinations; explain eligibility regulations; solve insurance problems; review films; build morale; and conduct off-season conditioning as defined in the “Off-Season Conditioning Guidelines” contained elsewhere in this handbook.

3. During the off-season, a coach or prospective coach of any member school may be involved with a non-school team in a sport that he/she coaches provided the non-school team meets the following requirements:
    (a) The team must be affiliated with an outside agency promoting athletic participation opportunities such as, but not limited to:
          Baseball – Babe Ruth, American Legion, city/county leagues
          Basketball – AAU, USA, USOC
          Golf – USGA, AJGA
          Soccer – FIFA, Youth leagues
          Softball – ASA, USSSA
          Swimming & Diving – USS, NISCA, ASCA, CSCAA, AAU
          Tennis – FTA, USTA, USOC, ITF
         Track & Field – USA, AAU
          Volleyball – USVBA, USOC, USA, AVA
          Wrestling – USA, AAU
    (b) Participation must include a published schedule of competition.
    (c) All fees or assessment for participation must be documented.
    (d) Participation shall be voluntary and shall not be required, either directly or indirectly, for membership on an interscholastic team.

4. Participation by a student in non-school athletics (i.e. AAU, American Legion, club settings, etc.) on a team that is affiliated with any school other than the school which the student attends, or attended the prior year, followed by enrollment by that student in the affiliated school, shall be considered prima facie evidence of recruiting by the school to which that student enrolled, or that the student enrolled in that school in whole or in part for athletic reasons. Unless this prima facie evidence of recruiting or that the student enrolled in the new school in whole or in part for athletic reasons is disproved by the school and student to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, the student shall be ineligible to represent that school in interscholastic athletic competition for a period of 365 consecutive days from the date of his/her enrollment in that school. A team affiliated with a school is one that is organized by and/or coached by any member of the coaching staff at, or any other person affiliated with, that school; and/or on which the majority of the members of the team (participants in practice and/or competition) are students who attend that school (Bylaw 11.4.10).

5. Member schools may make their gymnasiums and other athletic facilities available to outside groups or organizations such as USA Wrestling, AAU Basketball, American Legion Baseball and others as approved by the school district or governing body for a private school for the conduct of recreational activities programs without being in violation of FHSAA Bylaws under the following guidelines:
    (a) The school may not assume responsibility for, nor provide facilities for, these activities except under the condition that if the school’s facilities are used, such facilities must be contracted to the group or organization that is responsible for the program.
    (b) The school may not assume liability or insurance responsibility for non-school recreational activities.

6. The school administration shall assume the responsibility for ensuring compliance with these guidelines.

7. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in the assessment of penalties including, but not limited to, the following:
    (a) Assessment of a minimum fine of $2,500 per violation.
    (b) Loss of permissible practice time.
    (c) Loss of privilege to participate in a preseason jamboree or preseason classic with reimbursement of a minimum of $500 to each affected school and the FHSAA.
    (d) Reduced number of regular season “home” contests.
    (e) Loss of privileges to participate in the FHSAA State Series.


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