Track & Field Camp/Clinic By-Laws Explained

During the school year, meaning from the day school starts in the fall until the day school ends at your school, IHSA has limits on what instruction students can and cannot receive during the school year.

Many colleges and universities conduct camps and/or clinics in specialized track and field events. For example, a weekend camp for shot put and discus, or a clinic for jumpers (long and triple). Coaches, parents and athletes are not certain if participation in such camps/clinics is allowed by IHSA By-laws. Refer to By-law 3.110 inclusive. In 3.111 the by-law stipulates "A coaching school, camp or clinic is defined as any program sponsored by an organization or individual, which provides instruction in sports theory and/or skills, which does not culminate in competition, and which is attended by more than two (2) persons from the school which the student attends."

If only one or two students from the same school attend the same camp or clinic during the school year it is legal. If three or more students from the same school attend the same camp or clinic during the school year it is not legal and all those students from the same school who attend are in violation of the by-law. During the summer, there is no limit to the number of students from the same school that attend the same camp or clinic.

In addition, By-law 3.111 also states: "Programs that involve only demonstration of skills or sports theory without providing instruction and requiring active participation by attendees are not considered coaching schools." That means if Jackie Joyner Kersee comes to the Girls State Track Meet on Saturday morning and talks to the athletes about how she trained for each of the events in the heptathlon, everyone at the meet could be there and listen to her talk and not be in violation of By-law 3.111. But, if Jackie asks one of the girls from your team to come out on the track with her and work on getting out of the blocks, now every school with more than two girls there is in violation of attending a coaching school because of instruction being provided to an active participant.

The simple rule of thumb: No more than you and another person from your school is thumbs up, while you and two or more other students from your school is thumbs down.