MOST VIOLATED……BYLAWS AND POLICIES

WHERE DOES ELIGIBILITY START….

SCHOOL AUTHORITY

ATHLETICS IS A PRIVILEGE!!

BYLAW 9.1 GENERAL PRINCIPLES

• 9.1.1 PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS A PRIVILEGE.

• PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC PROGRAMS BY A STUDENT IS A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT.

• 9.1.1.1 LOCAL RULES MAY BE MORE STRINGENT.

• SCHOOLS AND /OR SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAY ADOPT MORE STRINGENT RULES FOR THE STUDENTS

UNDER THEIR SUPERVISION.

• NO SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT, HOWEVER, MAY ADOPT RULES THAT ARE LESS STRINGENT THAN

THOSE OF THE FHSAA.

COMMON ISSUES…

PRIVILEGE VS RIGHT…..

ESTABLISHING ELIGIBILITY

ATTENDANCE OPTIONS….Bylaw 9.2 Attendance Requirements

9.2.1 Student May Only Participate at School he/she First Attends Each School Year. A student must attend school, and may participate only in the interscholastic athletic programs sponsored by the school he/she first attends each school year, which is either: (s. 1006.20(2)(a), Florida Statutes)

(a) The school where the student first attends classes; or

(b) The school where the student first participates in athletic activities on or after the official start date of that sport season before he/she attends classes at any school.

COMMON ISSUES…• FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF PRACTICE ESTABLISHES ELIGIBILITY

• PARTICIPATION OVER THE SUMMER

• CHANGING SCHOOLS….

• WHAT’S REQUIRED??

• PRIOR COACHING CONTACT...

• IS THAT A PROBLEM??? (BYLAW 9.2.4/9.2.5/POLICY 22)

• MANDATORY PARTICIPATION TO MAKE THE SCHOOL’S TEAM (P.22.3.5)

• PARENTS, VACATION INTERFERENCE, EMPLOYMENT INTERFERENCE

• LACK OF GA6 (P22.3.7)

• FACILITY USAGE AGREEMENT (P.22.3.6)’

• TREAT ATHLETIC TEAM AS ANY OTHER ENTITY RENTING SCHOOL PROPERTY

• SCHOOL SPONSORED ACTIVITY (P.22.3.3)

• CO-MINGLING FUNDS (P.22.3.4)

• LACK OF A COMPETITIVE SCHEDULE (P22.3.2)

• FAILURE TO REGISTER WITH ORGANIZATION (P.22.3.1)

COMMON ALLEGATIONS OR VIOLATIONS COMMITTED IN POLICY 22 (BYLAW 9.2.4)

TRANSFERRING ATTENDANCE

I WANT TO TRANSFER TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL!

BYLAW 9.3 TRANSFER REGULATIONS

9.3.1 “TRANSFER” DEFINED.

• A TRANSFER OCCURS WHEN A STUDENT MAKES ANY CHANGE IN SCHOOLS AFTER HE/SHE ESTABLISHES RESIDENCY AT A SCHOOL EACH YEAR.

• WHEN IS A STUDENT CONSIDERED A TRANSFER?

9.3.2 TRANSFER ELIGIBILITY.

• A STUDENT WHO TRANSFERS FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER WILL BE ELIGIBLE AT THE NEW SCHOOL PROVIDED THE STUDENT QUALIFIES UNDER ONE OF THE SIX QUALIFYING CONDITIONS….

COMMON ISSUES…• NOT MEETING ONE OF THE SIX CONDITIONS

• FULL AND COMPLETE MOVE

• TRANSFERRING DURING THE SPORTS SEASON…..

• TRANSFERRING DURING THE CHANGE OF SEMESTER

• TRANSFERRING WHILE INELIGIBLE

PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION…• MINIMUM 2.0 GPA (B9.4)

• UNDERGRADUATE (B9.4.7)

• AGE (B9.5)

• 14-15 SY AGE 19 ON OR AFTER SEPT 1ST

• FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS (B9.6)

• EL2-PHYSICAL (B9.7)

• EL3 SERIES-CONSENT AND LIABILITY (B9.8)

• NO PRIOR COACHING CONTACT (B9.2.4/P22)

• NO RECRUITMENT (P36)

• DEFINITION OF PARTICIPATION (B9..10)….

• A STUDENT IN ATHLETIC UNIFORM DURING AN

ATHLETIC CONTEST IS DEFINED AS HAVING

PARTICIPATED.

• ANY MEMBER SCHOOL WHICH ALLOWS A STUDENT

TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC

COMPETITION (DRESS IN ANY PART OF THE FULL

UNIFORM WORN FOR THAT CONTEST WITH THE

EXCEPTION OF A CAP) IN VIOLATION OF THE

REGULATIONS OF THIS ASSOCIATION WILL BE HELD

GUILTY OF USING AN INELIGIBLE STUDENT AND

SUBJECT TO THE PENALTIES ASSESSED.

RECRUITMENT….

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF RECRUITING

• ENTICE

• URGE

• INFLUENCE

• PRESSURE

• ALL WITH THE OUTCOME, INTENT OF PARTICIPATION IN

ATHLETICS.

COMMON CONCERNS…..

IF A STUDENT PARTICIPATES ON THE NON-SCHOOL TEAM AND TRANSFERS, IS

THAT RECRUITING?

• IS THE TEAM AFFILIATED WITH A MEMBER SCHOOL?

• WAS THE STUDENT RECRUITED TO THE NON-SCHOOL TEAM PRIOR TO THE

TRANSFER (CHANGE) IN SCHOOLS?

• DID THE STUDENT RECEIVE SOME EXTRA BENEFIT (IMPERMISSIBLE BENEFIT) TO

PARTICIPATE ON THE NON-SCHOOL TEAM?

• IS THE BENEFIT AN ENTICEMENT, URGING, OR PRESSURE TO ATTEND THE

SCHOOL FOR ATHLETIC REASONS?

TYPES OF RECRUITMENT

• IMPROPER CONTACT (POLICY 37)

• CONTACT RESULTING IN URGING, PRESSURING OR INFLUENCING PARTICIPATION.

• IMPERMISSIBLE BENEFIT (POLICY 37)

• BENEFIT NOT PROVIDED TO EVERYONE.

RECRUITING RESOURCE:

HTTP://WWW.FHSAA.ORG/SPORTS/ELIGIBILITY-COMPLIANCE

CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE DEFINED

1.4.33 CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE – CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE IS EVIDENCE THAT IS PRECISE, EXPLICIT, LACKING IN CONFUSION AND OF SUCH WEIGHT THAT IT PRODUCES A FIRM BELIEF OR CONVICTION, WITHOUT HESITATION, ABOUT THE MATTER IN ISSUE.

THANK YOU !