IHSA Announcements

December 16, 1999

Series of New Student Eligibility Rules Approved

The membership of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has voted to approve a series of changes to its by-laws designed to tighten the eligibility standards for athletes during their sport season(s) and loosen eligibility standards during the summer. The membership also amended the Constitution by voting to expand membership on its Board of Directors and Legislative Commission.

Ballots in the Association's annual referendum were counted in the IHSA Office Thursday (Dec. 16). A total of 28 proposals were submitted to the IHSA Legislative Commission in November. The Legislative Commission voted to place 22 of those proposals on the annual ballot Nov. 15. Member schools had until Dec. 14 to return their ballots. A simple majority of votes cast on each proposal determined whether it passed or failed. All 22 proposals on this year's ballot were approved.

The size of the Board of Directors will expand from seven to nine. The two new at-large seats will be occupied by high school principals, one of which will be a member of a racial minority and the other a member of the underrepresented gender (female). The size of the Legislative Commission will expand from 28 to 35. The seven new at-large seats will be occupied by racial minorities and females who are either principals, official representatives, athletic administrators or activity directors at member schools. The seven new members each will be elected from their respective Board of Directors geographic division. This change is effective July 1, 2000.

Another by-law approved for both athletics and non-athletic activities will require that only bona fide students attending member schools may be eligible to participate in sports and other activities. The new by-law defines bona fide students as those who are enrolled in the school and attending regularly at least 20 credit hours of work per week. This change is effective July 1, 2000.

The 19 by-law changes affecting student eligibility all go into effect May 1, 2000. The early effective date will allow member schools to set up programs for the summer of 2000 and next school term (2000-01) and have their students prepared for the changes.

One of the new changes stipulates students may not participate in any non-school competition using the "skill of the sport" during the season they are on their school team in the sport. For example, track and field athletes could not compete individually or as non-school team members in outside competition during the track season. All sport seasons are defined in Section 5 of the IHSA by-laws. The by-law provides for the IHSA Board of Directors to make exceptions for competition sponsored and conducted directly by the National Governing Body in the sport.

Another by-law change establishes the criteria for student tryouts for non-school teams, and defines what participation on a non-school team is. Another change prohibits students from playing against and practicing with any college, junior college or university athletic team. Another change allows high school coaches to coach non-school teams as long as no more than half the number of players needed to field a team in actual IHSA state series competition are on it.

Students will be able to attend coaching schools, camps or clinics during the school year as long as no more than two students from their IHSA member school are in attendance. Students also will be allowed to attend programs that involve only demonstration of skills and sports theory without providing instruction and requiring active participation. For example, a professional golfer could present a demonstration for all the golfers at the course while an invitational tournament is being conducted.

Another change adopts criteria for use of school team members as demonstrators at coaching schools, camps or clinics. One new by-law declares that participation by high school students in summer programs must be voluntary and in no way be an actual or implied prerequisite for membership on a high school team.

A far-reaching change allows the coaches at member schools to have a maximum of 25 contact days in their sport with students from their school during the summer. It opens the way for coaches to run camps, coach their teams in summer leagues and conduct clinics. The by-law defines contact days and limits students to having only 25 contact days per sport. Baseball and Softball, which have summer seasons, are not limited by this change. Also during the summer, schools will be allowed to transport students from their school to summer leagues, coaching school, clinics or other non-school contests.

The summer rules changes also establish the time between Saturday of Week No. 4 in the National Federation Standardized Calendar (generally the first Saturday of August) and the start of fall practice as dead time in all sports for students and their coaches.

A new by-law stipulates requirements of Open Gym, while another prohibits member schools from organizing or participating against other schools in a football scrimmage or game with the exception of 7-on-7 touch passing leagues.

It is the responsibility of the IHSA Board of Directors to adopt interpretations of these by-law changes. They will be announced as they are made.

Complete ballot results follow:

Summary of Proposals to Amend the IHSA Constitution and/or By-laws

Proposal: # 1 Board of Directors
(For: 341 Against: 172)
Section: Articles 1.310, 1.320, 1.340, 1.350 and 1.360 of the Constitution
Submitter: IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the IHSA Women and Minorities Action Team
Summary: Changes the composition of the Board of Directors from 7 to 9 members by adding two member school principals who will be elected from the membership at-large. One at-large member must be a racial minority and one must be a member of the underrepresented gender.

Proposal: #2 Legislative Commission
(For: 341 Against: 170)
Section: Articles 1.721, 1.722, 1.724 and 1.725 of the Constitution
Submitter: IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the IHSA Women and Minorities Action Team
Summary: Changes the composition of the Legislative Commission from 28 to 35 members by adding 7 members who will be elected from the membership at-large. At-large Commission members must be members of the under represented gender and/or minorities. They must be principals, official representatives, athletic administrators or activity directors.

Proposal: #4 Attendance
(For: 443 Against: 65)
Section: By-laws 3.017 and 4.019
Submitter: Don Dillon, Greenville
Summary: Provides that only bona fide students enrolled in and attending regularly at least 20 credit hours of high school work per week are eligible to participate in an interscholastic activity.

Proposal: #5 Independent Team Participation
(For: 437 Against: 76)
Section: By-law 3.111
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Would prohibit students who are members of a high school team from participating in competitions in "the skill of their sport" during the specific high school season for the sport. Would allow limited participation in non-school events sponsored and conducted by the National Governing Body for the specific sport during the high school season.

Proposal: #6 Independent Team Participation
(For: 468 Against: 45)
Section: By-law 3.112
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Clarifies that students may try out for non-school teams while members of a school team provided certain conditions are met.

Proposal: #7 Independent Team Participation
(For: 495 Against: 18)
Section: By-law 3.113
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Strengthens and clarifies what participating on a school team means.

Proposal: #8 Independent Team Participation
(For: 496 Against: 17)
Section: By-law 3.114
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Provides that when a school which does not maintain a team in a sport which competes during the regular season enters one or more students in competition in the IHSA state series for the sport, it shall then be considered to have a school team in that sport.

Proposal: #9 Independent Team Participation
(For: 483 Against: 41)
Section: By-law 3.115
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Language has been modified to prohibit both practicing competing on or with college, junior college or university athletic teams.

Proposal: #10 Independent Team Participation
(For: 479 Against: 36)
Section: By-law 3.116
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Provides that to be eligible for a school team, students must cease non-school competition in that sport no later than the date of the school team's first interscholastic contest in that sport.

Proposal: #11 Independent Team Participation
(For: 419 Against: 41)
Section: By-law 3.117
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Moves a current IHSA policy to the by-laws and clarifies the number of squad members a coach may have from his/her school on any non-school team.

Proposal: #12 Coaching School Participation
(For: 430 Against: 84)
Section: By-law 3.121
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Clarifies that a specific coaching school, camp, or clinic cannot be attended during the school term by more than two students from a particular school, by incorporating current interpretation into the by-law. Prohibits students from participating in coaching schools that involve the "skill of the sport."

Proposal: #13 Coaching School Participation
(For: 436 Against: 77)
Section: By-law 3.122
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Prohibits all students from attending coaching schools, camps or clinics after Saturday of Week number 4 in the IHSA Standardized Calendar. Prohibits all students from attending any coaching school, camp or clinic during the month of August.

Proposal: #14 Coaching School Participation
(For: 464 Against: 47)
Section: By-law 3.123
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Clarifies that students may participate in school physical conditioning programs and recreational programs at any time.

Proposal: #15 Coaching School Participation
(For: 491 Against: 21)
Section: By-law 3.124
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Moves a current IHSA policy to the by-laws. Clarifies when students may be used as demonstrators for a coaching school, camp or clinic conducted exclusively for coaches or officials.

Proposal: #16 Special Provisions for Summer Participation
(For: 502 Against: 15)
Section: By-law 3.161
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Moves a current IHSA policy to the by-laws. Clarifies that participation in summer programs must be voluntary, not a prerequisite for membership on a high school team.

Proposal: #17 Special Provisions for Summer Participation
(For: 450 Against: 62)
Section: By-law 3.162
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Moves a current IHSA policy to the by-laws. Clarifies that students may participate in summer baseball/softball school sponsored leagues from the last day of school in the Spring until Saturday of Week 7.

Proposal: #18 Special Provisions for Summer Participation
(For: 299 Against: 212)
Section: By-law 3.163
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Establishes a cap of 25 contact days during the summer for high school coaches with students from their schools. Would allow such contact to include camps, clinics, practices for summer leagues, and summer league games.

Proposal: #19 Special Provisions for Summer Participation
(For: 346 Against: 165)
Section: By-law 3.164
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Allows schools to provide transportation for their students to summer league contests, camps or clinics, if they so desire.

Proposal: #20 Special Provisions for Summer Participation
(For: 491 Against: 26)
Section: By-law 3.165
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Moves a current IHSA Policy to the by-laws. Establishes criteria under which member schools may conduct coaching schools, camps or clinics during the summer.
Proposal: #23 Special Provisions for Summer Participation
(For: 375 Against: 141)
Section: By-law 3.166
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Moves a current IHSA Policy to the by-laws. Provides that students may participate in a summer school class in an interscholastic sport taught by a coach or other faculty member from their school, provided it is not restricted to athletes and credit toward graduation is granted.

Proposal: #24 Special Provisions for Summer Participation
(For: 451 Against: 53)
Section: By-law 3.167
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Clarifies that schools may not participate in football scrimmages during the summer. The only exception is 7-7 passing leagues.

Proposal: #25 Open Gym Limitations
(For: 482 Against: 22)
Section: By-laws 3.170 and 3.171
Submitter: Submitted by the IHSA Board of Directors on behalf of the Non-School Competition Action Team
Summary: Moves a current IHSA Policy to the by-laws. Clarifies the parameters under which schools may hold open gym activities.