FHSAA.org: Bylaws Governing Summer Athletic Participation

New bylaws govern participation in summer athletic activities sponsored by or affiliated with a school

The FHSAA Representative Assembly in January adopted two new bylaws that specifically address participation by students in summer athletic activities sponsored by or affiliated with a school. These new bylaws establish the conditions that must be met for the student to participate in such activities and how such participation will impact the student's athletic eligibility in the next school year.

Bylaw 11.1.1.1 creates the exception to Bylaw 11.1.1, the "bona fide student rule," that will allow a student who has not yet begun attending a school to participate during the summmer period in athletic activities sponsored by that school IF the student has been assigned to or accepted by the school and no longer attends his/her previous school. Bylaw 11.3.1.1 clarifies how Bylaw 11.3.1, the "residence rule," will apply to such a student by establishing that the student who participates in such summer athletic activities at a school will be considered to have established residence in that school for the upcoming school year and will not have athletic eligibility at any other school. It further establishes that if the student is assigned to or is accepted by more than one school for the upcoming school year, then the student's residential eligibility will be established for that school year in the first school at which such summer participation occurs.

Here are the two new bylaws:

Bylaw 11.1.1.1

"A student may participate in athletic activities sponsored by or affiliated with a school during the summer period immediately preceding attendance in that school if the student has been assigned to or accepted by the school and no longer attends his/her previous school. The student, pursuant to Bylaw 11.3.1, however, will be considered to have established residence in that school and will not be eligible to participate in interscholastic practice or competition at any other member school during that school year.”

Intent: To provide that students entering the ninth grade or changing schools between high school grades may participate in athletic activities sponsored by or affiliated with their new school during the summer period if the student has been assigned to or accepted by the school and no longer attends his/her previous school, and to provide that the student who takes advantage of this opportunity will establish residence in the school at which such summer participation occurs for the following school year.

Bylaw 11.3.1.1

"A student who, pursuant to Bylaw 11.1.1.1, participates in athletic activities sponsored by or affiliated with a school during the summer period following assignment to or acceptance by the school but preceding attendance in the school will be considered to have established residence in that school and will not be eligible to participate in interscholastic practice or competition at any other member school during that school year. A student who is assigned to and/or accepted by more than one school will be considered to have established residence in the school he/she first attends or participates in summer athletic programs or interscholastic practice prior to attendance, whichever first occurs."

Intent: To allow a student who is not yet a “bona fide student” as defined in Bylaw 11.1.1 to participate in summer conditioning programs and other drills conducted by a school that a student plans to attend in the fall without jeopardizing his/her eligibility in the new school. Locking the student’s residence for the school year in that school will prevent a student from applying to, being accepted by, and “trying out” at multiple schools over the summer before selecting the school he/she will attend.

For more information regarding these new bylaws and how they may affect a student's athletic eligibility, contact Associate Commissioner Sonny Hester in the FHSAA Office by email or by phone at (352) 372-9551 ext. 110.