Open Facilities Program Guidelines

The Board of Directors has established the following guidelines relative to the conduct of open facilities programs by member schools:

1. Member schools may open their gymnasiums and other athletic facilities to students without being in violation of FHSAA Bylaws under the following guidelines:
    (a) The facility must be open to all students who are bona fide students in that school as defined in Bylaw 11.1.1. Opening facilities to a select group of students to practice individual skills for a specific sport is a violation of this policy.
    (b) A student may participate in open facility activities only in the school in which he/she is a bona fide student as defined in Bylaw 11.1.1.
    (c) A middle school student cannot participate in open facilities activities offered by a senior high school unless the middle school student is a bona fide student in that senior high school as defined in Bylaw 11.1.1.
    (d) Supervision by school personnel is required. School personnel, including faculty and non-faculty coaches in attendance, however, shall not provide coaching or instruction in the skills and techniques in any sport. Their presence may be in a supervisory capacity only.
    (e) Participation shall be voluntary and shall not be required, either directly or indirectly, for membership on an interscholastic team.
    (f) No sport specific tasks or drills shall be taught or assigned to students to perform during open facility activities.
    (g) Open facility activities in a specific sport (i.e. baseball, girls basketball, boys volleyball, wrestling, etc.) shall be concluded a minimum of two weeks prior to the first permissible date of interscholastic practice in that sport.
    (h) The school administration shall assume the responsibility for ensuring compliance with these guidelines.

2. 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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