New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA)

Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703-739-9050 Fax: 703-739-9035 Email: mailbox@csiet.org Full Listing is the status that organiza tions and programs described in the CSIET Advisory List are accorded when they have demonstrated full compliance with the CSIET Standards. Provisional Listing reflects the Evaluation Committee's determin ation that an organiza tion is in its first or second year of listing with CS IET, and is judged to be in co mpliance with CSIET Standards. Conditional Listing is a status that may be gran ted to an organization that had previously achieved either a Full or Conditional Listing. It is issued to orga nizations that the Accredita tion Committee determines are substantially in compliance with the standards but which need improvement in one or more areas. Conditional Listing is grante d for one (1) year, but ma y be renewed for subsequent one (1) year periods upon completion of review by the Accr editation Committee. Conditional Li sting is not granted to newly applying organizations. 49 Sect. 9: Out-of-Season Competition A. School Year: Fall Starting Date Until Spring Closing Date 1. A coach may have contact with his/her team or potential (above grade 6) team members for the purpose of instruction, skill development and co nditioning outside of the season provided the following steps are followed: a. A coach is defined as anyone presently under cont ract or anyone under contract the previous year. (This includes volunteer coaches.) b. That no district provide d operational school funds are used to subsidize out-of -season activity. Use of Booster funds or fundraised monies is permissible only to subsidize activity that is open to all. c. A written plan is developed by the coach and approved by the principal, athletic director and superintendent MUST be submitted to th e NHIAA prior to implementing. (CM 11.14) d. The written plan describes the goals of the activity, the number of participants, the site to be used and the amount of time. e. The purpose is to allow individual and/or small gr oups of students to participate in conditioning and instructional/skill devel opment activities for individual growth and improvement. Scrimmages, games, leagues and full team practices are not allowed. f. The plan is approved and does not compete with existing seasonal commitments by the student athlete. The provisions of By-L aw Article II: Eligibility Sect. 7: Non-School Competition with respect to priority given to sc hool teams applies to activities pe rmitted under the provisions of this By-Law. g. The coach has the ability to have contact with his/her perspective athlet es during the academic year in the season that precedes their sport season. This woul d be termed the “live” period for contact. The fall season could work with stude nts during the previous sp ring season. The winter season could work with students during the fall and the spring season could work with students during the winter. h. Individual schools may adopt mo re restrictive policies relativ e to out-of-season competition based on the school districts po licies and or resources. Rationale: The NHIAA is strongly committed to the notion of encouraging student at hletes to play multiple sports and be as well rounded as possible. Although cont rary to this philosophy and proven success at the collegiate level (most college coaches want we ll rounded multi-sport at hletes) the NHIAA also recognizes and respects the desire of some student athletes to want to specialize in a spor t. By allowing limited contact throughout the school year it is our belief that these students can best benefit from working with their school-based coaches who ar e highly trained and unders tand the relationships between academics, athletics, a nd the life lessons taught that require both components of a sound education. Some coaches will opt not to have contact outside of this sport season as a way to encourage multi-sport athletes. This is to tally acceptable position to take. Others will welcome the opportunity, which is also fine as long as they encourage continued academic and at hletic development and achievement. As noted, no student should be required to participate outside of the NHIAA defined sport season and it is the responsibility of the school princi pal and athletic administra tor to ensure this does not occur. In the current system, the school officials have no way to police such abuse. B. Summer: * A high school coach who is employed by a school dist rict (paid or volunteer) may coach his/her sport under the following conditions: 1. The school year has ended for the school. 2. That no school funds are used (excludes faciliti es and equipment). Use of Booster funds or fundraised monies is permissible only to subsidize team activity that is open to all. C. Captains Practice: Captains’ practices are not permitted under any circumst ances whether during the school year or summer. 50 D. Other: Coaches may coach in All-Star competitions (eg. A.A.U.) and are exempt from this By-Law only if the following conditions exist: 1. That the NHIAA, through the Executive Director, has been properly notified by the member school principal of the coaches selection. 2. That no school funds or equipment are used. 3. That no more than 25% of the group/teams can co me from his/her school team or potential (above grade 6) candidates of that sc hool. Team rosters may not ex ceed NHIAA Tournament roster allocations. Expanding or rotati ng groups/teams is not permitted as a means to circumvent this policy. Regardless of how a program is structure d, the coach cannot have c ontact with more than 25% of his/her existing or potential players. 4. Whenever possible, the players from that same school must be divided between different groups/levels. 5. That where a conflict exists be tween the particip ation on a school sponsored team and an outside team; the school team will rece ive priority consideration. 6. Sports activities that are perm itted out of season must also meet the following conditions: a. No use of school owned or issu ed warm-ups and/or uniforms b. A student may accept a symbolic award or merchandi se which does not have a value or cost in excess of $20.00 E. Out of Season Competition Definitions: 1. Open Gym: School sponsored “open gym “or “after schoo l” activities are perm itted in the member school’s facilities out-of-season if they adhere to the foll owing principles. a. Diversity of students - Program must be open to all stud ents on an equal basis. b. Diversity of activities - A variety of sports must be activities that are offered throughout the year, not a focus on one (1) sport. c. Student conducted - Students must be able to ch oose from school offered activities. A coach of a sport under NHIAA jurisdiction shall follow all the regulations under the NHIAA Out of Season Competition By-Laws. d. Recreation emphasis - The program cannot be an organized progr am of instruction and/or competition. e. A high school coach who is employed by a school di strict (paid or volunt eer) may supervise an open gym under the conditi ons listed in a-d. 2. Conditioning Programs: School sponsored “conditioning pr ograms” are permitted “out-of-s eason” if they do not involve equipment which is specific to a sport conducted on an inte rscholastic basis. Ex amples of prohibited equipment include, but are not limited to: basketballs, volleyballs or nets, hockey stick (field or ice), or pucks/balls, track starting blocks , shots, discusses, hurdles, or hi gh jump and pole vault standards, football helmets, pads or dummies, baseball/softball bats, balls or bases, wrestling mats, gymnastic apparatus. Generic equipment such as cones, weights, jump rope s and other fitness apparatus are permitted in a conditioning program . The conditioning program must be open to all students on an equal basis. 3. Intramurals : A high school coach who is employed by a school dist rict (paid or volunteer) may organize a school sponsored intramural program in a ny sport as long as there is no instruction, and the activity is recreational in nature. Sect. 10: All-Star Competition The NHIAA does neither sanction nor e ndorse any All-Star team or competition in an y sport at any level. A student athlete who is a member of an NHIAA school team may not partic ipate in an All-Star game/event, in season or out, without losi ng eligibility in that sport for one (1) fu ll year (365 days) from the date of such participation with the All-Star team. 51 Following completion of high school eligibility in a spor t and prior to graduation from high school, a senior student athlete may participate in an All-Star competition. NOTE: Underclass student athletes' participation in non-NHIAA sponsored athletic competition shall not cause athletic ineligibility if the act ivity is not in conflict with NHIAA El igibility By-Law Article II; Sect. 7: Non-School Competition or Sect. 9: Out-of-Season Competition. Such activi ties include, but are not limited to AAU Baseball and Basketball, Select Soccer, Spir it Competitions, Junior Ol ympic Volleyball, Futures Field Hockey, and similar type competition. In order to participate in such activities during the school year, a re port submitted by the high school principal must be on file at the NHIAA that includes the name(s) of the participants in the form of a roster. Additionally, the high school coach shoul d be reported as well if involv ed in a program. The NHIAA does neither endorse nor sanc tion these activities. Sect. 11: Post Graduates/Early Graduation A student must be an undergraduate: i.e., he/she shall not be a graduate of a secondary school. An early graduate of a high school ma y represent his/her school in athle tics until the end of the sport season in which he/she is participating if ot herwise eligible. The official transcri pts must be withheld until at least the season is completed. Sect. 12: Individuals with Disabilities The NHIAA endorses and encourages th e participation of qualified student s with mental and/or physical disabilities in interscholasti c athletics, unless that stude nt poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or themselves. Each participating school is responsible for comp liance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act as it may pertain to the participation of individua ls with disabilities in school athletic programs. The NHIAA recognizes that some stud ents with Individual Educational Pr ograms (IEP's) must reside away from home. Such students who are in the least restrictive placement and who are ot herwise qualified to participate in interscholastic athlet ics shall be permitted to participat e in school athletic programs in the district where they sleep. Sect. 13: Charter, Home Educ ated and Non-Public Students A. Home Educated Students: The NHIAA shall declare home-educated students to be immediately eligible to try out for a team(s) to participate in interscholastic athlet ics if the following conditions are met: 1. The student must meet all established policies adopte d by the local school board. 2. The parents must submit a written request to the principal of the member school requesting their son/daughter's eligibility to tr y out for an athletic team in interscholastic athletics 3. A home-educated student may repres ent a charter school, non-public or public school in the district where they reside. The home-educated student must be living with th e parents or legal guardians in the family residence. 4. The principal must be satisfied there was no recruitment of the st udent for athletic purposes as defined under Definition of Recruitment in the NHIAA Handbook. 5. The student meets the guidelines of the Age of C ontestants Rule, Post-Graduate, Scholastic Standing Rule, Semester Rule and all other Eligibility Ru les set forth in By-Law Article II of the NHIAA Handbook. 6. The principal shall be required to certify the students' eligibility and that, prior to making such a certification, shall be satisfied the requirements of all NHIAA Eligibility Rules are met. 7. The Scholastic Standing Rule must be reviewed by the principal for each marking period the student athlete wishes to participate and recorded on the official transcri pt held by the school where the athlete participates. 52 8. The NHIAA member school must maintain a transcri pt of the student's acade mic record as well as other relevant Eligibility Rules (i.e. age, semesters, etc.) 9. If the principal determines the e ligibility requirements de tailed above have be en met, he/she may declare the student immediately elig ible to participate in interschol astic athletic co mpetition. The principal must inform the Association in writ ing that by completing the Non-Public and Home Educated Student Application, he/she has review ed all NHIAA Eligibility Rules and certifies the student has satisfied all of the e ligibility requirements and, therefor e, is eligible to try out in interscholastic athletics at their school. 10. The requirements of the New Hampshire educati on statutes, relative to school attendance and enrollment, must also be satisfied before a home educated student is d eclared eligible to participate. 11. A student falling under the provisions of this secti on is eligible to repres ent only one (1) school in any academic year. B. Charter and Non-Public Students: The NHIAA shall declare non-public st udents to be immediately eligible to try out for a team(s) to participate in interscholastic athlet ics if the following conditions are met: 1. A non-public and charter school stud ent may represent the non-public or charter school they attend or the public high school in the di strict where they reside. The non-public or charte r school student must be living with the parents or le gal guardians in the family residence. 2. The student must meet all established policies adopte d by the local school board. 3. The parents must submit a written request to the principal of the member school requesting their son/daughter's eligibility to tr y out for an athletic team in interscholastic athletics 4. The principal must be satisfied there was no recruitment of the st udent for athletic purposes as defined under Definition of Recruitment in the NHIAA Handbook. 5. The student meets the guidelines of the Age of C ontestants Rule, Post-Graduate, Scholastic Standing Rule, Semester Rule and all other Eligibility Ru les set forth in By-Law Article II of the NHIAA Handbook. 6. The principal shall be required to certify the students' eligibility and that, prior to making such a certification, shall be satisfied the requirements of all NHIAA Eligibility rules are met. The principal of the school where the student is particip ating must also certify th at the student meets all local criteria for el igibility as set by both the school of a ttendance and the school of interscholastic participation if such local requirements exceed those of the NHIAA. When a discrepancy exists between the standards fo r the two schools, the student athlet e must meet the higher of the two standards imposed. This includes academic, behavioral, or any othe r eligibility standards imposed by the local high schools. 7. The Scholastic Standing Rule must be reviewed by both principals for each marking period the student athlete wishes to participate. 8. The school of participation and the school of attendance are both entitl ed to any student records that are necessary to verify eligibility. 9. If the principal of both the school of attendance and the school of participation determine the eligibility regulations de tailed above have been met, the st udent may be imme diately declared eligible. The principal of th e school of participation must notify the NHIAA by indicating the students name on the Non-Public and Home Educated Student Form. 10. Should the principals of the school of attendance and school of participati on fail to agree on the eligibility status of a student at hlete, one or both may petition the Executive Director of the NHIAA for a ruling under the provisions of the Due Process Procedures By-Law. 11. The requirements of the New Hampshire educati on statutes, relative to school attendance and enrollment, must also be satisfied before a non public student is de clared eligible to participate. 12. A student falling under the provisions of this secti on is eligible to repres ent only one (1) school in any academic year. 53 Definition of Non-Public Sc hool – means a school established by an in dividual or group other than the state, subdivision of the state or federal government and whose operation, or an y portion thereof, rests with those officials who have not been publicly elected or appointed. Definition of Co-Curricular – includes those activities which are designed to suppl ement and enrich regular academic program of study, provide opportunities for social development, and encourage participation in clubs, athletics, performing groups, a nd service to school and community. Definition of Charter School – A charter school means an open enrollment publ ic school, operated independent of any school board and managed by a board of directors. A charter school shall operate as a non-profit secular organization under a charter granted by the State Board and in conformance with Chapter 194-B of the New Hampshire Education Laws Annotated. Definition of Representing a School – A student athlete who actively participates in any team tryout, practice, and /or competition represents that school for th at academic year. (1.15 CM) Sect. 14: Sports Season For eligibility purposes, the sports season begins on the starting date of that s port as listed in By-Law Article XXXIX relative to “Corresponding Dates for All Sports.” It is not the date of a teams first regular season contest. The sports season ends following th e final date that the school will be represented in NHIAA regular season, post-season tour nament, or Council of New Engla nd Secondary School Principals' Association (CNESSPA) ev ents in that sport. Sect. 15: Non-Member Schools Agreement to Compete with NHIAA Member Schools NHIAA member schools will be allowed to compete in co ntests against non-member schools in the sports of Cross Country, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Skiing, and Wrestling if the chief administrator of the non- member school agrees in writing, prio r to the start of the season that: A. The non-member school team shall not include a player who has reached the age of 19 before September 1 st of that year. B. Post-graduate students are not allowed to compete against NHIAA member schools. C. The length of the periods played will not exceed the maximum lengths prescribed by NHIAA game rules. D. The competition shall be conducted consistent with all NHIAA rules. This rule is not to be construed as requiring any non-NHIAA home team to pay game offi cials the fee that the NHIAA has established. The host school, in this case, will pay according to its agreement with their officials’ organization. E. National Federation playing rules shall be played in contests held in New Hampshire. (Exception: Skiing) Sect. 16: Filing Eligibility Affidavits The principal has the sole responsibility for determining athletic eligibility in the school . He/she shall be the official representative of the school in all hearings, appeals, and protests. Th is responsibility cannot be delegated away without prior appr oval of the NHIAA Executive Director. Such approval will only be granted for extraordinary and/or emerge ncy reasons. All eligibility regula tions apply to boy and girl athletes on all levels of competition (sub-varsity and varsity). 54 No student may represent their school in an inters cholastic athletic contes t unless the principal has certified said student's eligibility. The process for certifying such elig ibility is as follows: A. The NHIAA office will receive the af fidavit, signed by the principal, st ating that the school has entirely read, understands, will abide by, and will enforce all rules, regulations, and po licies contained in the NHIAA Constitution and By-Laws. The af fidavit will also state that al l boys and girls are eligible to participate in interscholastic athlet ics and that they meet all eligibil ity rules and regulations. The signed affidavits are due in the NHI AA office prior to the beginni ng of each sports season. B. A listing of all transfer students shall be sent to the NHIAA office at the beginning of each sports season. C. Eligibility lists shall be kept on file at each member school. Sect. 17: Requests for Eligibility Rulings The principal shall have the right to ask the Executive Director for eligibility ru lings. A principal may ask for a ruling on the elig ibility of a player from his own school or from another school. All requests for rulings on eligibility must be in writing. Verbal rulings or opinions are not to be considered official and no action will be forthcoming. Sect. 18: Assumed Name Participating under an assumed name in any athletic contest shall make th e student athlete ineligible for a period of 365 days from the date of the infraction. Sect. 19: Deviations from Eligibility Rules Deviations from the NHIAA Eligibility Rules may be gr anted after consideration of the following criteria: A. The merits of the individual case . B. Whether or not the granting of the deviation from the rule would be inconsistent with the purpose of the rule. C. Whether or not the individual concerned, caused or contributed to cause the existence of the factors, which result in ineligibility. D. Hardship Eligibility – Ha rdship Eligibility may be granted to a transfer student who does not meet the NHIAA Transfer Rule when sufficient evidence, as determined by the NHIAA Executive Director and/or Eligibility Committee, is provided to show that it was necessary for the student to transfer because of unforeseen, un avoidable, or unusual circumstan ces including, but not limited to, broken home conditions, terminal or se rious illness of parent or sibli ng, death of a parent or guardian, abandonment, loss of school accre ditation, bankruptcy, and/or loss of principle income of legal guardian(s), and provided the transf er was not for athletic reasons and there was no undue influence. Hardship is defined as an unforeseeable act, c ondition or event which may not reasonably and/or practically be avoided or corrected and which causes the imposition of a severe burden upon the student or his/her family. A hardship situation may be a s ituation which is unique to the student or his/her family which could not have been predicted, which doe s not apply to others in a similar sett ing and over which the family has no control. The request for an eligibility deviat ion must be given in writing to th e Executive Director of the NHIAA by the school principal only. The aforementioned criterion needs to be addressed in detail. The information submitted may be considered confidential at the request of the principal if invol ving sensitive information or personal information. Although every attempt will be made to offer a timely written response, the Executive Director will have 14 days to rule a decisi on. Following the decision of the Executive Director the school principal may appeal said decision per the due process proced ures found in By-Law Article V, Sect. 1:B. 55 Sect. 20: Schools Using Ineligible Contestants & Coaches Schools using *ineligible coaches or c ontestants shall forfeit a ll games and contests in which the ineligible coach or student participates. In self reporting the school ma y request a hearing with the Executive Director and/or Eligibility Committee to expl ain the circumstances of the situat ion. The Executive Director in consultation with the Eligibility Co mmittee may modify the consequences in the case of an unintentional violation of this rule. Likewise, intentional use of ine ligible contestants or failing to report a known violation may result in additional consequences to incl ude sanctions and fines. Other questions of forfeiture such as cancellation and other unusual circumstances shall be referred to the appropria te committee, through the Executive Director, for a decision. *Eligible coach means that the individual has met th e criteria outlined in By -Law Article I, Sect. 32, Coaches Eligibility. If no “eligible” coach is present the contest will be stopped. (Exception – refer to By- Law Article I, Sect. 10, School Represen tatives at Post S eason Activities.) Sect. 21: Policy Statement and School Recomme ndation Regarding Transgender Participation (Suspended pending further review) By-Law Article II Section 21 has been suspended pending further review. Member schools remain responsible for ensuring complian ce with state and federal law re garding gender-based eligibility determinations, which may be review ed as appropriate per the due pr ocess procedures found in NHIAA By- Law Article V, Section 1, B. (effective 2.14.25)