Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA)

2-1-1 The purpose of this non-profit organization shall be to regulate, supervise and administer interscholastic athletic compe - tition among its member schools to the end that the interscholastic program be an integral factor in the total educational program of the schools. This shall be accomplished by cooperation with all agencies vitally concerned with the health and educational welfare of high school, middle school and junior high school students; determining qualifications of individual contestants, coaches, and officials; providing information through literature and other materials to facilitate athletic relations among member schools; establishing standards for sportsmanship and competition; furnishing protec - tion against exploitation of school or student and in any manner directed by the member schools. Article 3 1 - Membership 3-1-1 Membership in the OHSAA is voluntary and shall be renewed annually by each member school’s Board of Education or similar governing body by execution of the Resolution Card approved by the Board of Directors. 3-1-2 Member schools must either be chartered by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce or operate in accordance with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Minimum Standards Chapter 3301-35-08 Non-Chartered Non- Tax Supported School. 3-1-3 A school which loses its charter by action of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce or which no longer operates in accordance with Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Minimum Standards Chapter 3301-35-08 Non-Chartered Non-Tax Supported School ceases to be a member of the Association. 3-1-4 The annual membership period begins August 1 and continues until July 31 of the following year. 3-1-5 As a condition of membership (initial and/or continuing), any and all lawsuits commenced by or on behalf of a member school, which lawsuit, in whole or in part, challenges a duly adopted Article of this Constitution or a duly adopted Bylaw of the member schools, shall be commenced in a court of general jurisdiction in Franklin County, Ohio. EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION AND VENUE vests with the courts (State and Federal) in Franklin County, Ohio, with respect to any and all court challenges brought by or on behalf of a member school, in law or in equity, challenging the Constitution, Bylaws, Regulations, and/or the interpretations or enforcement of the same by the Executive Director’s Office. 2 - Initial Membership Note: Requirements for initial membership may be waived in the event that a public school district closes a current mem - ber school(s) and then reopens a school or multiple schools under different names and IRN’s. Participation opportunities for students attending the new school(s) shall be addressed within the business rules of the OHSAA as well as state law. 3-2-1 A prospective member school shall submit an Application for Membership on which a prospective member school shall declare its one-year prospective period. During that prospective period, the school shall be required to submit docu - mentation corroborating the certifications on the Application for Membership, as set forth in Article 3-2-2, that will be submitted at the completion of the prospective period. 3-2-2 The Application for Membership, on the form prescribed by the OHSAA, must be completed and signed by the super - intendent of the school district (or the person acting in a similar capacity for any non-public school) certifying that with respect to its student-athletes and sports programs, the school has conformed with all bylaws and regulations of the OHSAA for a minimum period of one year immediately prior to the date of application, in accordance with Article 3-2-1. 3-2-3 The applicant must be able to certify that it has sponsored a total of six 7th-8th grade and/or varsity “recognized sports” (per Bylaw 1-5-1), with at least one per sports season in the year immediately prior to the date of application and that it intends to continue with its sponsorship of at least six recognized sports upon becoming a member of the OHSAA. Sponsorship of a 7th-8th grade and/or varsity recognized sport means that the school conducts competition in a mini - mum of 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests in each sport. Furthermore, the applicant must certify that it intends to and actually shall participate in the OHSAA-sponsored tournaments for at least one of the sports for which applicant provides sponsorship. 3-2-4 The Board of Education or similar governing body must adopt a resolution authorizing membership for all prospective 7th and 8th grade schools and/or high schools seeking membership under its jurisdiction. When a new school is opened CONSTITUTION 22 in a multi-high school/7th-8th grade school district or system, the superintendent or principal must request membership for that school using the form prescribed by the OHSAA. In this situation, initial membership requirements set forth in Article 3-2-1 may be waived. Conversely, when a non-member school in a multi-high school/7th-8th grade school district desires to seek membership in the Association after having been a non-member school for at least one year, that school shall fulfill the requirements of initial membership as outlined in Constitution Articles 3-2-1 and 3-2-2. 3 - Continuing Membership 3-3-1 The Board of Education, or similar governing body, must adopt a resolution authorizing continuing membership in the OHSAA for all 7th and 8th grade schools and/or high schools wishing to continue membership under its jurisdiction, which resolution shall be submitted to the Executive Director’s office no later than June 30 of each year for the ensuing school year. Note: Schools whose membership has been suspended for a year or which have not been a member for a year shall be considered under initial membership and shall follow the requirements of initial membership as outlined in Constitution 3-2. 3-3-2 If, at any time, a school’s Information Retrieval Number (IRN) changes, the Superintendent, or other administrative authority of that school system, is required to alert the Executive Director’s Office of such a change. Furthermore, the principal of each member school must submit the required sports registration forms through myOHSAA prior to the start of each school year. 3-3-3 A school that loses its charter by action of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce or which no longer operates in accordance with Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Minimum Standards Chapter 3301-35-08 Non-Chartered Non-Tax Supported School ceases to be a member of the Association. 3-3-4 Subject to Article 3-3-5 below, a member high school must continue to sponsor six varsity “recognized sports” (per By - law 1-5-1), with at least one per sport season during the school year in order to maintain membership in the OHSAA. 7-8th grade schools must also sponsor six OHSAA recognized sports, with at least one per season, during the school year in order to maintain membership in the OHSAA. Sponsorship of a varsity recognized sport or a 7-8th grade sport means that the school: 1. is required to conduct competition in a minimum of 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests in a team sport, (see General Sports Regulations 7.2.1 and 7.2.2 for the definition of individual and team sports); and/or 2. is encouraged to compete in a minimum of 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests in each individ - ual sport, and 3. at the high school level is required to participate in the OHSAA sponsored tournament for each of those sports. Exception: Schools that have restricted enrollment due to geographic placement may request written exemption from this sponsorship requirement prior to August 1 of the ensuing school year. The exemption may be granted solely at the discretion of the Executive Director’s office. Note: Schools that were members as of the 2009-2010 school year and did not meet the previous two-sport per season provision within the former article are exempt from this requirement until such time when they do meet the six recog - nized sport requirement, with at least one per sports season requirement. 3-3-5 If, a member school fails to sponsor the six total required “recognized sports” during a given school year, the school’s membership shall be placed on probation for the following school year. Part of this probation will be that the school’s sports teams shall be ineligible for participation in any OHSAA sponsored tournaments at the high school and/or 7th-8th grade level during that probationary period. If the probationary school fails to sponsor the six total required “recognized sports” during this probationary school year, the school’s membership in the OHSAA shall be terminated. Similarly, if during the course of any given school year a member school fails to sponsor a minimum of one varsity “rec - ognized sports” in any sport season, or one OHSAA recognized sport per season at the 7th-8th grade level, the school shall be ineligible for all postseason participation during that sports season during the following school year for any sports teams that they do offer. Note: Probation has a different meaning than suspension as denoted in Constitution 3-3-6. 3-3-6 In the event a member school is compelled to suspend sponsorship of its extracurricular activities, including interscho - lastic sports, due to levy failures or other economic hardships, that school’s membership in the OHSAA shall likewise be temporarily suspended until such time as the existing member school petitions to re-activate its membership in the OHSAA. During this period of suspended membership, all rights and privileges associated with membership shall be suspended. 23 CONSTITUTION

Phone: (614) 267-2502; Fax: (614) 267-1677; OHSAA.org Hours: Monday — Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 2 OHSAA Mission Statement To serve our member schools and enrich interscholastic opportunities for students. The OHSAA Believes That . . . • Participation in interscholastic athletics programs is a privilege, not a right. • Participation in interscholastic athletics programs complements a student’s school experience and teaches lifelong lessons of hard work, teamwork and self-discipline. • Participation in interscholastic athletics programs promotes citizenship and sporting behavior, instills a sense of community and promotes a lifetime appreciation for sports and healthy lifestyles. • All students, regardless of ethnicity, race or gender, should have an equal opportunity to participate in interscholastic athletics programs. • Sporting and ethical behavior are expectations in interscholastic athletics by all participants, coaches, administrators, officials and spectators. • Coaches, administrators and contest officials should serve as positive role models who are critical to a student’s development and success. • In order to minimize health and safety risks and maintain ethical standards, it is mandatory that interscholastic athletics participants are free from use of anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. • All rules, regulations and facilities for and supervision of interscholastic athletics programs should ensure maximum protection of the health, safety and well-being of each participant. • Limitations should be placed upon the length of sport seasons and the number of interscholastic contests played by participants. • Students should engage in a well-rounded experience that encourages participation in a multitude of extracurricular activities. • All attempts should be made to accommodate students with disabilities in interscholastic athletics programs. • Compliance with all school, OHSAA and state regulations along with contest playing rules is essential for everyone involved in interscholastic athletics programs. • Student academic achievement and success take priority over athletics achievement and success. • The success of a team is more important than individual awards. • Interscholastic athletics programs exist to prepare students for the next level of life, not the next level of sports. • Participation in interscholastic athletics programs can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and create memories that will last forever. The OHSAA Is Committed To . . . • Establishing and regulating regular season and tournament standards in order for competition to be fair and equitable. • Administering exceptional interscholastic athletics tournaments. • Promoting that interscholastic athletics participation complements a student’s educational experience. • Providing unparalleled leadership and customer service to our various constituents that is objective, responsive and inclusive. • Providing rulings that are swift, fair, consistent and impartial. • Operating with openness and demonstrating fiscal accountability. • Honoring our tradition of excellence, which has served our member schools for the past 100-plus years. • Honoring our ultimate purpose, which is to promote lifetime values, good citizenship, academic success, ethics and fair play in safe and sporting environments. 3 Inside the OHSAA What is the Ohio High School Athletic Association? Here’s a look at who makes up the OHSAA and how the OHSAA supports education-based athletics and its member schools and carries out its mission. MEMBERS, STAFF AND PARTNERS » Schools are volunteer members -

1-1-1 The name of this organization shall be the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA).

Session Sequence — State Finals 2025 Dec. 4-6-TBA Football 2026 2027 2028 Coaching Begins 8/1 8/1 TBA Season Begins 8/17 8/16 TBA Non-Interscholastic Date 8/17 8/16 TBA Tournament Entry/Withdrawal 10/6 10/5 TBA Regional First Round 10/30 10/29 TBA Regional Quarterfinals 11/6 11/5 TBA Regional Semifinals 11/13 11/12 TBA Regional Finals 11/20 11/29 TBA State Semifinals 11/27 11/26 TBA State Finals 12/3-12/5 12/2-12/4 TBA Thanksgiving 11/26 11/25 TBA Season Ends Conclusion of last regular season or OHSAA tournament game Coach — No Contact Period Begins on first day after last game and ends after 28th day STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS ORDER OF COMPETITION FOOTBALL CALENDAR Note: One of the Friday (F) state championship games will be played on Thursday. The specific division order for 2025 will be announced at a later date. Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 127 2026-2027 GOLF 8. GOLF — BOYS AND GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) Participation Limitation — 9th-12th Grades — 20 contests (20 days) 7th & 8th grades — 16 contests (16 days). A high school team and/or golfer may participate in a maximum number of 20 regular season contests. Any and all contests participated in by an individual shall count towards the team’s match limitation of 20. 7th and 8th grade golfers are permitted 16 matches. Each contest counts as one whether 9 or 18 holes and regardless of number of opponents. No team or individual may play more than two contests per day. 1.2) Interrupted Contest (regular season) — When play is interrupted/suspended due to events beyond the control of the responsible administrative authority, the contest may be resumed from the point of interruption that day, provided the golf course can be played in the same layout on which the course was found at the beginning of the competition that day. If play cannot be resumed from the point of interruption on the same day, the match/ tournament may be resumed from the exact point of interruption on a future date only when all participating coaches agree. If all participating coaches are not in agreement, the contest shall be replayed from the begin - ning on a future date and any suspended play will not count. The determination to resume play shall be made by a PGA Professional and/or home coach in accordance with OHSAA guidelines. 1.3) Interrupted Tournament — Any OHSAA tournament contest interrupted due to events beyond the control of the responsible administrative authority shall be resumed from the point of interruption. (At the state tournament, the tournament manager retains the right to determine whether to resume play or revert to an 18 hole event.) 1.4) School Representative — No team or individual entry will be permitted to compete in a contest unless accompa - nied by the coach or a person authorized by the Board of Education. Teams or individuals unaccompanied by such school representative will be disqualified. The school representative shall be present throughout the contest. 1.5) Caddies — Caddies are not permitted during a contest. Participants will be disqualified if any person assists by caddying or if the participant rides in any type of vehicle. Note : Course layouts may necessitate the use of shuttles from green to tee. Shuttles may be used during com - petition provided the shuttles are made available to all competitors. 1.6) Motorized Golf Carts - A medically authorized waiver is permitted for the use of a motorized golf cart. A school may request a wavier by submitting a copy of the doctor’s statement of need to the OHSAA Golf Administrator by email in advance of any competition. The OHSAA-authorized waiver shall be shown to the referee prior to each competition. Note : Motorized golf carts may be used during practice with no OHSAA approval needed. 1.7) Pull Carts — Pull carts are permitted. 1.8) Regular season contest formats – regular season contests may be played in any format by mutual agreement of all participating head coaches not to exceed to 36 holes in one day. 1.8.1) Stroke Play Scoring — When stroke-play is used for a contest, the team score shall be determined by totaling the scores of the four players with the fewest strokes for the contest. The team with the fewest number of strokes is the winner. During regular season matches, schools may play six individuals and score four by mutual agreement of the opposing coaches, prior to the match. Ties in team scoring shall be resolved by comparing the scores of the 5th lowest score, and the team with the 5th lowest score shall prevail. If one team does not have a 5th score, the team with a 5th score shall prevail. If the 5th lowest score does not break the tie, schools playing six individuals shall compare the sixth lowest score to break the tie. If the tie remains, the contest shall end in a tie or tied teams may play off the tie using four players selected by the coaches of the tied teams. In regular season play if a playoff is not feasible, the contest will end in a tie. In regular season play, ties for medalist or other awards will be left up to the host school. 1.8.2) Match Play Contests — Contests may be played in a match-play format mutually agreed upon by opposing coaches prior to the contest, not to exceed 36 holes. 1.8.3) Exhibition Match — Schools are permitted to schedule one match anytime during the season in a format of choice, not to exceed 18 holes. This match must be played with/against individuals who are not part of an interscholastic golf team, and would not count towards a team’s match limit or against a team’s won-lost record. 1.9) Conduct — A two stroke penalty shall be assessed for unsporting conduct. Unsporting conduct shall include but not be limited to: club throwing, willful acts which damage property or equipment on the course, use of abusive language, profanity, obscenities, and other unsporting conduct as determined by the Golf Rules Com- mittee. Penalties imposed may include disqualification. SPORTS REGULATIONS 128 GOLF 2026-2027 1.10) The home school coach shall serve as referee, enforcing all OHSAA regulations and U.S.G.A. rules. Any coach and/or designee serving in that capacity who is giving advice pertaining to these regulations and/or rules must have the regulations and rules book with him/her to ensure the rule/regulation is administered correctly. 1.11) Coaching — The coaching regulation permits two school board-approved coaches/designees assigned to the event to speak with his/her player(s), without delay of play at any time. During the player’s stipulated round, coaches are permitted to stand on the green. Coaches may not enter any sand bunker until their player has played out of the sand bunker. Participants will be assessed the general penalty if any other individual assists the participant by coaching and giving advice which could influence a player in determining play, the choice of a club or method of making a stroke (Rule 10.2). 1.11.1) Coaches are permitted to enter the bunker after the player has played their shot to rake the bunker. Note: A team member is not a partner and may not give advice to or receive advice from another member. 1.12) Cell Phone Policy – Cell phones can be used by players in four specific circumstances: 1.12.1) To use as a distance-measuring device 1.12.2) To input score for live scoring or other scoring programs being used 1.12.3) To call a rules official with questions 1.12.4) To call a coach or tournament manager for a health or safety issue 1.12.5) Cell phones may not be used as a green reading aide 1.13) Distance-Measuring Devices — A player may obtain distance information by use of a distance-measuring device. If during a stipulated round, a player uses a distance-measuring device to gauge or measure other conditions that might affect his or her play (e.g., elevation changes, wind speed, etc.), the player is in breach of Rule 4-3. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation 2.1) Golfers Who Have Not Competed for Their School This Season: A sports regulation identified as the Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Date stipulates that a golfer who has not participated for the school in golf that season must cease non-interscholastic golf competition prior to Wednesday, September 16, 2026 in order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition in golf. 2.2) Golfers Who Have Competed for Their School This Season: A member of an interscholastic golf squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, or regular season/tour - nament contest) sponsored by the Board of Education shall not participate in a non-interscholastic contest or competition as an individual or member of a team in the sport of golf during the school’s golf season (General Sports Regulation 7). Note: Examples of golf contests include, but are not limited to, all events that are organized for stroke play and match play competition such as club or course championships, tournaments, and leagues. Exception: Three waivers are permitted to participate in non-interscholastic events at any point during the 2026 golf season at the discretion of the school. 2.12.1) Waiver Process Each waiver must be requested from the OHSAA golf administrator prior to the event. Each waiver is valid for one event. To be considered one event, all play in the event must be held on consecutive days. 2.12.2) Non-interscholastic competition via-waiver will be permitted at any time during the 2026 season. 2.3) Participation in “skills contests” (such as but not limited to “Drive, Chip and Putt”) is not a violation of OHSAA Non-Interscholastic Individual Sports Regulation 7 for student-athletes. 2.4) Interscholastic golf coaches may coach athletes from the school where employed outside the interscholastic season of the sport. No coach may require participation until the official start of the interscholastic season. Exception: 7th-8th grade golfers are permitted to compete in non-interscholastic contests while competing for their school team. No waivers are needed. 3) Sponsorship 3.1) A school that sponsors girls golf, with four or more girls participating, shall have a separate girls team in order to enter the OHSAA-sponsored girls tournament competition. 3.2) A school that sponsors girls golf and has less than four girls participating may permit the girls to participate in both boys and girls matches during the regular season, provided they don’t exceed the total number of matches permitted. The girls will be permitted to enter and compete as individuals in the OHSAA-sponsored girls tour - nament provided the school is registered for the girls tournament. 3.3) A school that sponsors boys and girls golf and has separate teams shall schedule separate contests, but both may be held at the same time. Girls can choose to play on the boys team only, but must compete with the boys team SPORTS REGULATIONS 129 2026-2027 GOLF in the tournament. Or, girls can play on the girls team in every scheduled girls match, but can then play in any additional boys matches up to the total number permitted and still participate in the girls tournament. 3.4) A school that does not sponsor girls golf but has four or more girls participating may permit the girls to partic - ipate in both boys and girls matches during the regular season up to the total number permitted, but they must enter the OHSAA-sponsored boys tournament competition. 4) Penalties The maximum penalty for violation of General Sports Regulation 7, participation on a non-interscholastic golf squad, or any OHSAA regulations for any member of the school squad, EXCEPT a senior, is ineligibility for the remainder of the interscholastic golf season or the ensuing season. For a senior, the maximum penalty may be inel - igibility for the remainder of the school year. 5) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, https://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer . Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school golf within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible starting with varsity regular sea - son contest #11 and for any remaining regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament. 6) Other Bylaws and Regulations 6.1) For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations and in the Golf Coaches Guide posted at OHSAA.org. 6.2) For information on Out of State Travel competition see Bylaw 9-2 and the Golf Coaches Manual posted at OHSAA.org. 6.3) Spectators are permitted to attend, but are NOT permitted to converse with participants. It will be the respons - bility of contestants in each group to caution ANY spectator from talking to or interfering with contestants in their group. Failure to do so may result in a penalty of disqualification of contestants involved. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — July 29, 2026 2) First contest — July 29, 2026 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournaments — August 31, 2026 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — September 6, 2025 5) Coaching and Season end — October 17, 2026 6) Scrimmages — One permitted any time during the season 7) Exhibition Match — One permitted any time during the season 8) Regular season contests — 20 for team and individual and each interscholastic contest counts as one wheth - er 9 or 18 holes and regardless of number of opponents. (20 days) 9) Rules — United States Golf Association 10) Uniform Rules — General Sports Regulation 20 11) Officials — No requirements C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — July 29, 2026 2) First contest — July 29, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end — October 17, 2026 4) Scrimmages — None permitted 5) Exhibition Match — One permitted any time during the season 6) Regular season contests — 16 for team and individual and each interscholastic contest counts as one whether 9 or 18 holes and regardless of number of opponents 7) Rules — United States Golf Association 8) Uniform Rules — General Sports Regulation 20 9) Officials — No requirements SPORTS REGULATIONS 130 GOLF 2026-2027 Golf 2026 2027 2028 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 7/29 8/1 8/1 Season Begins 7/29 8/1 8/1 Tournament Draw 9/6 9/5 9/4 Non-Interscholastic Date 9/16 9/15 9/14 Division III Sectional 9/16-9/26* 9/15-9/25* 9/14-9/24* Division II Sectional 9/16-9/26* 9/15-9/25* 9/14-9/24* Division I Sectional 9/16-9/26* 9/15-9/25* 9/14-9/24* Division III District 9/28-10/3* 9/27-10/2* 9/26-10/1* Division II District 9/28-10/5* 9/27-10/4* 9/26-10/1* Division I District 9/28-10/7* 9/27-10/6* 9/26-10/1* Division III State Tournament 10/12-10/13* 10/11-10/12* 10/9-10/10* Division II State Tournament 10/11-10/12* 10/11-10/12* 10/9-10/10* Divison I State Tournament 10/12-10/13* 10/10-10/11* 10/8-10/9* Season Ends 10/17* 10/16* 10/14* Rosh Hashanah 9/12-9/13 10/2-10/3 9/21-9/22 Yom Kippur 9/20-9/21 10/1-10/2 9/29-9/30 * Indicates that these dates are subject to change until state tournament locations are finalized GOLF CALENDAR Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 131 2026-2027 GYMNASTICS 9. GYMNASTICS — GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation To be eligible for the team event competition in the OHSAA tournament in girls gymnastics, a school shall compete in a minimum of two interscholastic contests as a team (3 or more athletes in each of the four events) prior to the OHSAA Tournament. For individual competition, there is no minimum contest participation required. 1.1) Contest Limitations — A team/individual that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of contests per - mitted) or participates in regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests shall be re - moved from the OHSAA tournament. 1.2) Scoring during the regular season— In regular season meets in which team entrants are unlimited, it is not permissible to designate which four gymnasts shall be eligible to have their scores added to produce a team score. Any of the eligible competitors shall be able to score for the team. 1.3) Individuals who coach multiple teams— Coaches are permitted to serve as the coach for more than one school as long as they are properly credentialed and are Board-approved by each respective district/school. Should this transpire, it is up to the districts/schools involved to determine compensation, scheduling logistics and any other matters pertaining to the arrangement. The athletes from different schools may practice together under the direction of the coach but must always represent the school they attend in any competition 1.4) School Representative— No team or individual entry will be permitted to compete in a contest unless accompanied by the coach or a per - son authorized by the Board of Education. Teams or individuals unaccompanied by such school representative will be disqualified. The school representative shall be present throughout the contest. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation 2.1) Reference General Sport Regulation 7 for what is permitted in and outside of a school season and penalties that shall apply if violated, as outlined in Bylaw 11. A gymnastics athlete must cease non-interscholastic gymnastics competition by Monday, January 18, 2027 this is six weeks (42 days) prior to the Monday of the week of the state tournament in gymnastics, order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition provided applicable Bylaws and Regulations have been followed. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in gymnastics who violates this non-interscholastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in gymnastics shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in gymnastics in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed Date: Monday, January 18, 2027 EXCEPTIONS: • A student who has participated for the school team this season, may be granted permission to participate in TWO non-interscholastic contests/events, provided the participation does not violate any coach’s, school, or school district/system policy. • Each event shall have a clearly defined start and end date not to exceed one week (7 days) for each respective contest/event. • A waiver from the Executive Director’s office is required PRIOR to participation in a non-interscholastic event once a student has participated for the school team. • A non-interscholastic event that was conducted under the waiver counts as one of the individual’s maximum 14 contests allowed in the regular season. • Any student who participates in a non-interscholastic event on or after the non-interscholastic date indicated below, without receiving an OHSAA approved waiver, shall not be eligible for the OHSAA postseason tour - nament in addition to any other penalties may be prescribed. 4) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, OHSAA.org/Eligibility/ Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school gymnastics within 12 months immediately preceding the transfer date, are ineligible for all regular season contests and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with varsity regular season contest number 8. SPORTS REGULATIONS 132 GYMNASTICS 2026-2027 5) Other Bylaws and Regulations For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations at www.ohsaa.org . For information on Out of State Travel regulations see Bylaw 9-2 in the Bylaws on the Eligibility Page at www.ohsaa.org B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — October 30, 2026 2) First contest — November 30, 2026 3) Deadline date for OHSAA tournament — January 25, 2027 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — February 14, 2027 for tournaments starting at district level 5) Coaching and Season end with the State Tournament — March 7, 2027 6) Scrimmages — None permitted 7) Regular season contests — 14 for team and individuals; no limit on number of opponents 8) Rules — OHSAA Modified U.S.A. Gymnastics 9) Officials 9.1) Varsity — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 judge required. It is strongly recommended that two Class 1 judges officiate each meet. Class 2 judges may be utilized, but it is highly recommended that a Class 2 official judge with a Class 1 official. 9.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or 2 judge recommended. 9.3) Freshman — OHSAA Class 1 or 2 or non-registered level 8 JCI or higher recommended. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — October 30, 2026 2) First contest — November 30, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end with the State Tournament — March 7, 2027 4) Scrimmages — None permitted 5) Regular season contests — 12 for team and individuals; no limit on number of opponents 6) Rules — OHSAA Modified U.S.A. Gymnastics 7) Officials — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or 2 required Gymnastics 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 10/30 10/29 10/27 Season Begins 11/30 11/29 11/27 Non-Interscholastic Date 1/18 1/17 1/15 Sectional & District 2/15-2/28 2/14-2/27 2/12-2/25 State 3/6-3/7 3/4-3/5 3/3-3/4 Season Ends 3/7 3/5 3/4 GYMNASTICS CALENDAR Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 133 2026-2027 ICE HOCKEY 10. ICE HOCKEY A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) Only school teams recognized by the local Board of Education are eligible to participate in the OHSAA-spon - sored tournament. 1.2) An individual may participate in a subvarsity game and a varsity game in the same day. Participation in both counts as two games in the contest limitation of 35. (Penalty — See Sports Regulation 12) Note : A team/Individual that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of contests permitted) or participates in regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests may be removed from the OHSAA tournament. 1.3) Any regular season game in ice hockey which is not started due to unforeseen circumstances, such as failure of team to arrive, strikes, school closings, etc., is considered a “No Contest.” Games not played are not included in won-lost statistics. 1.4) A member school, when instituting an interscholastic ice hockey program for its initial season, or renewing such a program after not having had an interscholastic ice hockey program the preceding school year, shall be permitted to conduct tryouts for such interscholastic ice hockey squad between April 15 and May 30 of the relevant year. Said tryouts shall be conducted under the direction and supervision of the head and/or assistant coach for that interscholastic ice hockey squad, or if not yet retained, an adult familiar with interscholastic ice hockey who shall be selected by the principal and/or athletic administrator of such school. Said tryouts shall be conducted so as to conflict as little as possible with spring sports sponsored by the mem - ber school. Sundays may be used for such tryouts if no other dates are conveniently available for the student athletes, due to academic, athletic or extracurricular activities. Said school shall conduct no more than three (3) such tryout sessions. The school shall also conduct a supplemental tryout at the beginning of the winter sports season for all student athletes who could not attend the earlier tryout or who have since enrolled at the member school. Students qualifying for such squad at the initial April/May tryout shall not be removed from such squad at the winter sports tryout unless academically or otherwise ineligible for participation. This set of procedures may likewise be used by a member school which is reestablishing an interscholastic ice hockey program so long as such school did not compete in the OHSAA Ice Hockey Tournament the preceding school year. 1.5) All teams must respect a four-day acclimatization period during the first four days of practice. All athletes joining the team for the first time at any point during the season after the first day permitted for coaching also must participate in a four-day acclimatization period prior to competing in a contest. All teams will utilize the first four days of preseason practice to acclimate players to safe body contact in high school hockey. Specific instructions for delivering and receiving a body check in a safe manner to promote safety and minimize injuries are required during this acclimatization period. 1.6) The NFHS has mandated neck laceration protectors, which is detailed in the new Rule 3-4-4 in the NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Book, this furthers the NFHS’ commitment to risk minimization and the health and safety of participants and aligns the national rules with the measures taken by many state high school associations and youth hockey leagues across the United States. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation - See General Sports Regulation 7 For More Information 2.1) Ice Hockey Players Who Have Not Competed for Their School This Season: An ice hockey athlete who has not participated for the school in the sport of ice hockey that season must cease participation in non-interscholastic ice hockey on December 26, 2026 , in order to be eligible for OHSAA tour - nament competition. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in ice hockey who violates this non-interscholastic participation date in ice hockey shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in ice hockey in addi - tion to any other penalties that may be prescribed. 2.2) A member of an interscholastic ice hockey squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, preview or regular season/tournament game as a substitute or starter) sponsored by the Board of Education shall not par - ticipate in a non-interscholastic program (tryouts, practice or contest) as an individual or a member of a team in the sport of ice hockey during the school’s season. This regulation is applicable for those invited to participate in a tryout, group training or practices at a college or in contests, tryouts, group training or practices with any non-school team such as a club. 2.3) A member of an interscholastic ice hockey squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, preview or reg - ular season/tournament game as a substitute or starter) sponsored by the Board of Education may participate in non-interscholastic ice hockey prior to and after the school season under the following conditions outlined in General Sports Regulation 7. SPORTS REGULATIONS 134 ICE HOCKEY 2026-2027 3) Instructional Programs See Regulations for Instructional Programs under Section 7 of the General Sports Regulations and in the Ice Hock - ey Manual that is posted on the “Ice Hockey” section of the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org). 4) No Contact Period — Coaches See Regulations for No Contact Period — Coaches under Section 11 of the General Sports Regulations and in the Ice Hockey Manual that is posted on the “Ice Hockey” section of the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org). 5) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, https://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who par - ticipated in high school ice hockey within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible starting with varsity regular season contest #19 for any remaining regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — October 23 , 2026 2) First game — November 13, 2026 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament — January 18, 2027 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — February 11, 2027 if using Max Preps February 7, 2027 if Coach Vote 5) Coaching and Season end — March 14, 2027 6) Scrimmages/Previews — Maximum of four scrimmages/previews may be played and admission can be charged 6.1) Scrimmages/previews scheduled against Special Olympics teams, or a team of similar designation, may be approved by the OHSAA to be played in addition to the maximum allowable number of scrimmages/previews. A waiver for approval of such contests can be found on the “Ice Hockey” section of the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org). This waiver must be submitted to, and approved by, the OHSAA Ice Hockey Administrator prior to the contest taking place. 7) Regular season games — Maximum of 35 regular season games plus OHSAA tournament. Each contest played counts in the maximum of 35 contests permitted 8) Rules — National Federation Ice Hockey 9) Officials 9.1) Varsity — OHSAA Class 1 officials required 9.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — OHSAA Class 1 officials recommended 9.3) Freshman — OHSAA Class 1 officials recommended C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — October 23, 2026 2) First game — November 13, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end — March 14, 2027 4) Scrimmages — None permitted 5) Regular season games — 15 plus one postseason tournament not to exceed three games 6) Rules — National Federation Ice Hockey 7) Officials — OHSAA Class 1 officials recommended SPORTS REGULATIONS 135 2026-2027 ICE HOCKEY Ice Hockey 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 Coach-No Contact Period 8/1-8/24/26 8/1-8/24/27 8/1-8/24/28 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 10/23 10/22 10/22 Season Begins 11/13 11/12 11/12 Regionals 2/14-3/7 TBD TBD State* 3/13-3/14 TBD TBD Season Ends 3/14 TBD TBD Coach-No Contact Period** 28 days after the last game 28 days after the last game 28 days after the last game *The dates of the state semifinals and final is subject to change. Additionally, the end of the season corre - sponds with the date of the state final. **In addition to the no contact period after the last game, there is a no contact period from August 1 -24 each year. ICE HOCKEY CALENDAR Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 136 BOYS LACROSSE 2026-2027 11. LACROSSE — BOYS ALL GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS ARE IN PLACE FOR BOYS LACROSSE UNLESS NOTED WITHIN THE REGULATIONS BELOW. A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) A student athlete in grades 9-12 may play in a maximum of 92 quarters for the season plus the OHSAA-spon - sored tournament. (Penalty — See General Sports Regulation 12.) 1.2) A student-athlete in grades 7-8 may play in a maximum of 64 quarters plus one postseason tournament not to exceed four games by one team. (Penalty — See General Sports Regulation 12.) 1.3) A player shall be permitted to play in a maximum of eight quarters per day if two games are played at the same level (i.e. a varsity doubleheader). A player is not permitted to play in more than six quarters per common op - ponent across multiple levels (i.e. a JV / varsity doubleheader against the same school). Any part of a quarter is to be considered as a full quarter. In an overtime game, the extended time shall be considered an extension of the fourth quarter. Exception: A 7/8 Grade team participating in a postseason tournament as outlined below in C.5 may participate in up to a maximum of 12 quarters during such tournament. 1.4) Penalty for exceeding the quarter limitation per day: The penalty for exceeding the participation limitation during a contest is forfeiture of the contest in which the ineligible player is participating. When discovered, the ineligible player is removed from the contest, and the contest will continue to completion; however, the result of the contest shall be a forfeiture by the offending team. 1.5) A team/individual that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of contests per - mitted) or participates in regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests shall be re - moved from the OHSAA tournament. 1.6) Any scheduled regular season game in boys lacrosse which is not started due to unforeseen circumstances, such as failure of team to arrive, strikes, school closing, is “No Contest.” Games not played are not included in won-lost statistics and do not count toward the total number of games permitted to schedule. 1.7) All games shall consist of 4 quarters of the following length: Varsity: 12 minutes Junior Varsity and Freshmen: 10 minutes 7/8 Grade: 8 minutes EXCEPTION: 8th or “A” teams may elect to play 10 minute stop-time quarters, provided a) both teams agree; b) the game is scheduled and the assignor informed of the game length in advance; and c) the home team pays the appropriate game fee in the region (same as a Freshmen or JV game). 1.8) Interrupted Games 1.81) Any OHSAA tournament game interrupted due to events beyond the control of the responsible administrative authority shall be continued from the point of interruption. 1.82) A game called for any reason, where a winner cannot be determined or any game called at any time for mechanical failure (artificial lights, water systems, etc.) will be treated as a suspended game. If the game is to be completed, it will be continued from the point of suspension subject to the rules of the game. Such game will be completed unless both coaches agree not to complete the game. 1.83) Varsity games cannot end in a tie. Games are won, lost or suspended. 1.9) OVERTIME PROCEDURES — Only high school Varsity games will play overtime. All other levels of com - petition can end in a tie and no overtime will be played. EXCEPTION – Non-varsity tournament games, where a winner must be determined in order to advance in the correct bracket, may utilize overtime provided the participants and game officials are notified in advance of the start of the tournament. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation 2.1) Lacrosse Players Who Have Not Competed for Their School This Season: A sports regulation identified as the Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Date stipulates that a Lacrosse athlete who has not participated for the school in Lacrosse that season must cease non-interscholastic Lacrosse six weeks (42 days) prior to the Monday of the week of the state tournament in Lacrosse in order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in Lacrosse who violates this non-interscholastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in Lacrosse shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in Lacrosse in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. Date: March 29, 2027 – No non-interscholastic competition permitted on or after this date. SPORTS REGULATIONS 137 2026-2027 BOYS LACROSSE 2.2) A member of an interscholastic boys lacrosse squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, preview or regular season/tournament game as a substitute or starter) sponsored by the Board of Education shall not par - ticipate in a non-interscholastic program (tryouts, practice or contest) as an individual or a member of a team in the sport of boys lacrosse during the school’s season (General Sports Regulation 7). EXCEPTION: The Executive Director’s office may grant a waiver to this regulation in the event that the athlete has been selected to compete as a member of a junior or senior national team in the sport – General Sports Regulation 7. The intent of the waiver is to protect the integrity of the regulation and the interscholastic program while allowing the development of national-caliber athletes who have been invited to compete non-in - terscholastically during the school season. The procedure for requesting the waiver requires that the principal or official designee of the member school direct a request to the OHSAA boys lacrosse administrator, waiver must be requested prior to tryout. Please include the supporting documentation with the letter request. Each request will be reviewed on an individual basis. 2.3) A member of an interscholastic boys lacrosse squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, preview or regular season/tournament game as a substitute or starer) sponsored by the Board of Education may participate in non-interscholastic boys lacrosse prior to and after the school season under the conditions of General Sports Regulation 7 and are detailed as follows: 2.31) The number of interscholastic boys lacrosse players from the same school on a non-interscholastic squad is limited to six on the roster of that non-interscholastic squad. A roster is defined as all the members of the entire squad on that non-interscholastic squad that would practice together OR participate together in any non-interscholastic event. “Rotating players” that would exceed this number (6) is not permitted and the use of any “guest player” would be counted as one of the 5 players permitted on the non- interscholastic roster. Note : Graduating seniors who are participating on a non-interscholastic boys lacrosse squad after their final interscholastic contest of the season in the sport of boys lacrosse are exempt from this limitation. 2.32) There is no limit on the number of boys lacrosse squad members from the same school participating on the same squad during the period May 15-July 31 in accordance with General Sports Regulation 7. 2.33) A player may continue to play with a non-interscholastic squad in a national qualifying tournament in excess of the six player limitation after July 31 until the squad is eliminated but no later than Labor Day. 2.34) Non-interscholastic participation includes tryouts, training, practice and competition. 2.4) A student may not play in a non-interscholastic boys lacrosse contest, game or scrimmage, while a member of the interscholastic boys’ lacrosse squad. Non-interscholastic programs and ‘team membership’ are defined in General Sports Regulation 7. 2.5) All-Star Games —“All-Star” events are non-interscholastic events by rule. Student-athletes in team sports who wish to participate in one of these “all-star” competitions outside the interscholastic boys’ lacrosse season may do so without jeopardy to eligibility provided the students maintain compliance with General Sports Regulation 7 that address “Non-interscholastic competition.” The purpose of this special “All-Star” regulation is to provide an opportunity for the interscholastic team sport coach to coach players from his or her school. Coaches are permitted to coach in “All-Star” contests if they meet all the provisions of General Sports Regulation 7. 2.6) Modified versions of lacrosse defined as a game played by two teams each consisting of not more than 7 play - ers, nor fewer than 2 players, one of whom must be the goalkeeper, and played on a modified playing field between the end of the no-contact period and the day before the first day of coaching for the interscholastic season is permitted. The number of interscholastic lacrosse players from the same school on a non-interscholas - tic squad of a modified lacrosse roster is not limited. Interscholastic coaches are permitted to coach their own interscholastic players on teams participating in modified versions of lacrosse (e.g. box lacrosse). 3) Instructional Programs See Regulations for Instructional Programs under General Sports Regulation 7. 4) No Contact Period — Coaches See Regulations for No Contact Period — Coaches under General Sports Regulation 11. 5) Penalties 5.1) The maximum penalty for violation of General Sports Regulation 7 (participation with a non-interscholastic boys lacrosse squad while a member of the school’s interscholastic boys lacrosse squad) or any OHSAA reg - ulations for any member of the school squad, EXCEPT a senior, is ineligibility for the remainder of the inter - scholastic boys lacrosse season or the ensuing boys lacrosse season. For a senior, the maximum penalty shall be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. 5.2) The penalty for a coach for violation of General Sports Regulation 7 (non-interscholastic teams) may include suspension, probation, public censure, fine not to exceed $1,000 per occurrence, or such other penalty as the Executive Director may deem appropriate. SPORTS REGULATIONS 138 BOYS LACROSSE 2026-2027 6) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link: http://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school boys lacrosse within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible starting with varsity regular season contest #10 and for any remaining regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament. 7) Other Bylaws and Regulations 7.1) For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct see General Sports Regulation 13 & 14. 7.2) Out-of-State Travel For information on Out of State Travel competition see Bylaw 9-2 at OHSAA.org. 7.3) Boys lacrosse manual can be found on the boys lacrosse page on OHSAA.org. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — February 15, 2027 2) First game — March 12, 2027 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament — April 20, 2027 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — Wednesday, May 5, 2027 5) Coaching and Season end — June 6, 2027 6) Scrimmages — Maximum of three scrimmages 7) Regular season contests permitted — 18 8) Rules — National Federation (NFHS) Boys Lacrosse 9) Officials 9.1) Varsity — Three officials are recommended per OHSAA and NFHS/US Lacrosse guidelines. Minimum of two OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 officials required. Regardless of number officiating, all must be OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2. Note: If only one OHSAA official is present to officiate the contest, the game may be played if participating coaches agree. 9.2) Freshmen/Reserve/Junior Varsity — Minimum of two OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 officials required. Regardless of number of officials, ALL must be OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2. Note: If only one OHSAA official is present to officiate the contest, the game may be played if participating coaches agree. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching and instruction may begin — February 15, 2027 2) First game — March 12, 2027 3) Coaching and Season end — June 6, 2027 4) Scrimmages — Two (2) permitted. 5) Regular season contests permitted — 14 plus one (1) postseason tournament not to exceed four games. 6) Rules — National Federation (NFHS) Boys Lacrosse modified as follows: 6.1) Length of the game – Games will consist of four 10-minute stop-time quarters or four 8-minute stop-time quar - ters. 6.2) Play of the Game – 6.21) No overtime will be played at this level. 6.22) There is running clock in the second half if the score differential reaches 12 goals or more unless a) the game is being played with 8-minutes stop-time quarters; and b) both coaches agree in advance to waive this rule. 7) Officials — Minimum of two OHSAA Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3 officials required. All other officials shall be OHSAA Class 1, 2, or 3 or officials in training. Note : If only one OHSAA official is present to officiate the contest, the game may be played if participating coaches agree. SPORTS REGULATIONS 139 2026-2027 BOYS LACROSSE Boys Lacrosse 2027 2028 2028 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 2/15 2/14 2/19 Season Begins 3/12 3/11 3/17 Non-Interscholastic Date 3/29 3/27 TBA Regional Qualifying 5/11-5/22 5/9-5/20 TBA Regional Semis & Finals 5/24-5/28 5/23-5/26 TBA State 6/1- 6/6 5/30-6/3 TBA Season Ends 6/6 6/3 TBA Memorial Day 5/31 5/29 5/28 BOYS LACROSSE CALENDAR Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 140 GIRLS LACROSSE 2026-2027 12. LACROSSE — GIRL S ALL GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS ARE IN PLACE FOR GIRLS LACROSSE UNLESS NOTED WITHIN THE REGULATIONS BELOW. A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) A student athlete in grades 9-12 may play in a maximum of 92 quarters for the season plus the OHSAA-spon - sored tournament. (Penalty — See General Sports Regulation 12.) 1.2) A student-athlete in grades 7-8 may play in a maximum of 64 quarters plus one postseason tournament not to exceed four games by one team. (Penalty — See General Sports Regulation 12.) 1.3) A player shall be permitted to play in a maximum of eight quarters per day if two games are played at the same level (i.e. a varsity doubleheader). A player is not permitted to play in more than six quarters in a day per common opponent across multiple levels (i.e. a JV / Varsity doubleheader against the same school). Any part of a quarter is counted as one quarter. In an overtime game, the overtime shall be considered an extension of the second half. (Penalty — See General Sports Regulation 12.) Exception: If a team participates in a festival tournament (example: play-day, Hannigan) format with either abbreviated or full contest timing, a student-athlete may participate in a maximum of twelve quarters during such tournament. Twelve quarters of play in a day are also permitted in a postseason middle school tournament. All abbreviated and full timed contests count toward number of season contests permitted. Penalty for exceeding the quarter limitation per day: The penalty for exceeding the participation limitation during a contest is forfeiture of the contest in which the ineligible player is participating. When discovered, the ineligible player is removed from the contest, and the contest will continue to completion; however, the result of the contest shall be a forfeiture by the offending team. 1.4) A team/individual that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of contests per - mitted) or participates in regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests shall be re - moved from the OHSAA tournament. 1.5) Any scheduled regular season game in girls lacrosse which is not started due to unforeseen circumstances, such as failure of team to arrive, strikes, school closing, is “No Contest.” Games not played are not included in won- lost statistics and do not count toward the total number of games permitted to schedule. 1.6) All games shall consist of four quarters of the following length: Varsity: 12 minutes Four 12 minute quarters; stop-clock after goals and stop-clock in the last 2 minutes of each half (quarters 2 and 4) for all fouls in the critical scoring area unless there is a goal differential of 10 or more. Junior Varsity, Freshmen, and 7/8 Grade: 12 minutes Four 12 minute quarters; running clock after goals and stop-clock in the last 2 minutes of each half (quarters 2 and 4) for all fouls in the critical scoring area unless there is a goal differential of 10 or more. 1.7) Interrupted Games 1.71) Any OHSAA tournament game interrupted due to events beyond the control of the responsible administrative authority shall be continued from the point of interruption. 1.72) Once play begins the officials shall have the authority to interrupt or suspend the game due to dangerous weather or field conditions. The official’s decision is final. A game is considered legal and complete as per NFHS rules. An interrupted game continued on the same day shall be restarted from its point of interruption. 1.73) If a suspended game is replayed on another day, it must be played from the point of interruption. A suspended game may be terminated and considered complete by mutual agreement of the opposing coaches. The score at the point of termination will be the official score of the game. 1.8) OVERTIME PROCEDURES — Only high school Varsity games will play overtime. All other levels of com - petition can end in a tie and no overtime will be played. EXCEPTION – Non-varsity tournament games, where a winner must be determined in order to advance in the correct bracket, may utilize overtime provided the participants and game officials are notified in advance of the start of the tournament. 1.81) When the score is tied at the end of regular playing time for a regular season contest and overtime is to be played, teams shall follow the NFHS Girls Lacrosse Overtime Rule (Rule 4-6) for two total overtime periods. Each team shall be permitted one timeout per Rule 4-3-1. If the score is tied at the end of both periods, the final score shall be a tie. 1.82) Festival tournaments such as HGT or Heights Invitational will use the regular season overtime procedures, or the tournament director may elect to let contests end in ties because of time considerations provided the participants and game officials are notified in advance of the start of the tournament. SPORTS REGULATIONS 141 2026-2027 GIRLS LACROSSE 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation 2.1) Lacrosse Players Who Have Not Competed for Their School This Season: A sports regulation identified as the Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Date stipulates that a Lacrosse athlete who has not participated for the school in Lacrosse that season must cease non-interscholastic Lacrosse six weeks (42 days) prior to the Monday of the week of the state tournament in Lacrosse in order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in Lacrosse who violates this non-interscholastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in Lacrosse shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in Lacrosse in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. Date: March 29, 2027 – No non-interscholastic competition permitted on or after this date. 2.2) A member of an interscholastic girls lacrosse squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, preview or regular season/tournament game as a substitute or starter) sponsored by the Board of Education shall not par - ticipate in a non-interscholastic program (tryouts, practice or contest) as an individual or a member of a team in the sport of girls lacrosse during the school’s season (General Sports Regulation 7). EXCEPTION: The Executive Director’s office may grant a waiver to this regulation in the event that the athlete has been selected to compete as a member of a junior or senior national team in the sport – General Sports Regulation 7. The intent of the waiver is to protect the integrity of the regulation and the interscholastic program while allowing the development of national-caliber athletes who have been invited to compete non-in - terscholastically during the school season. The procedure for requesting the waiver requires that the principal or official designee of the member school direct a request to the OHSAA girls lacrosse administrator, waiver must be requested prior to tryout. Please include the supporting documentation with the letter request. Each request will be reviewed on an individual basis. 2.3) A member of an interscholastic girls lacrosse squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, preview or regular season/tournament game as a substitute or starter) sponsored by the Board of Education may participate in non-interscholastic girls lacrosse prior to and after the school season under the conditions of General Sports Regulation 7 and are detailed as follows: 2.31) The number of interscholastic girls lacrosse players from the same school on a non-interscholastic squad is limited to six on the roster of that non-interscholastic squad. A roster is defined as all the members of the entire squad on that non-interscholastic squad that would practice together OR participate together in any non-interscholastic event. “Rotating players” that would exceed this number (6) is not permitted and the use of any “guest player” would be counted as one of the 6 players permitted on the non- interscholastic roster. Note: Graduating seniors who are participating on a non-interscholastic girls lacrosse squad after their final interscholastic contest of the season in the sport of girls lacrosse are exempt from this limitation. 2.32) There is no limit on the number of girls lacrosse squad members from the same school participating on the same squad during the period June 1-July 31 in accordance with General Sports Regulation 7 . 2.33) A player may continue to play with a non-interscholastic squad in a national qualifying tournament in excess of the six player limitation after July 31 until the squad is eliminated but no later than Labor Day. 2.34) Non-interscholastic participation includes tryouts, training, practice and competition. 2.4) A student may not play in a non-interscholastic girls lacrosse contest, game or scrimmage, while a member of the interscholastic girls lacrosse squad. Non-interscholastic programs and ‘team membership’ are defined in General Sports Regulation 7. 2.5) Non-Interscholastic Waiver - A student-athlete may use a one-time waiver per season to attend an individually scheduled official college visit after the student-athlete has participated in an interscholastic scrimmage or contest. The waiver permits a student-athlete to participate with the college team in an individual workout or practice. The waiver may be used for any events that take place from the start of the season through the con - clusion of the scholastic season. The waiver form may be accessed on the OHSAA website and returned to the appropriate sport administrator. 2.6) All-Star Games —“All-Star” events are non-interscholastic events by rule. Student-athletes in team sports who wish to participate in one of these “all-star” competitions outside the interscholastic girls lacrosse season may do so without jeopardy to eligibility provided the students maintain compliance with General Sports Regulation 7 that address “Non-interscholastic competition.” The purpose of this special “All-Star” regulation is to provide an opportunity for the interscholastic team sport coach to coach players from his or her school. Coaches are permitted to coach in “All-Star” contests if they meet all the provisions of General Sports Regulation 7. 2.7) Modified versions of lacrosse defined as a game played by two teams each consisting of not more than 7 play - ers, nor fewer than 2 players, one of whom must be the goalkeeper, and played on a modified playing field between the end of the no-contact period and the day before the first day of coaching for the interscholastic season is permitted. The number of interscholastic lacrosse players from the same school on a non-interscholas - tic squad of a modified lacrosse roster is not limited. Interscholastic coaches are permitted to coach their own interscholastic players on teams participating in modified versions of lacrosse (e.g. box lacrosse). SPORTS REGULATIONS 142 GIRLS LACROSSE 2026-2027 3) Instructional Programs See Regulations for Instructional Programs under General Sports Regulation 7. 4) No Contact Period — Coaches See Regulations for No Contact Period — Coaches under General Sports Regulation 11. 5) Penalties 5.1) The maximum penalty for violation of General Sports Regulation 7 (participation with a non-interscholastic girls lacrosse squad while a member of the school’s interscholastic girls lacrosse squad) or any OHSAA reg - ulations for any member of the school squad, EXCEPT a senior, is ineligibility for the remainder of the inter - scholastic girls lacrosse season or the ensuing girls lacrosse season. For a senior, the maximum penalty shall be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. 5.2) The penalty for a coach for violation of General Sports Regulation 7 (non-interscholastic teams) may include suspension, probation, public censure, fine not to exceed $1,000 per occurrence, or such other penalty as the Executive Director may deem appropriate. 6) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link: http://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school girls lacrosse within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible starting with varsity regular season contest #10 and for any remaining regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament. 7) Other Bylaws and Regulations 7.1) For information on ejection policies for coaches and players see General Sport Regulations 13 & 14. 7.2) Out-of-State Travel For information on Out of State Travel competition see Bylaw 9-2 at OHSAA.org. 7.3) Girls lacrosse manual can be found on the girls lacrosse page on OHSAA.org. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — February 15, 2027 2) First match — March 12, 2027 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament — April 20, 2027 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — Wednesday, May 5, 2027 5) Coaching and Season end — June 5, 2027 6) Scrimmages — Maximum of three scrimmages. 7) Regular season contests permitted — 18. 8) Rules — National Federation (NFHS) Girls Lacrosse. 9) Officials 9.1) Varsity — Three officials are recommended per OHSAA and NFHS/US Lacrosse guidelines. Minimum of two OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 officials required. Regardless of number officiating, all must be OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2. Note: In the event only one OHSAA registered official arrives to officiate the game, the game may be played provided the participating coaches agree. 9.2) Freshmen/Reserve/Junior Varsity — Minimum of two OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 officials required. Regardless of number of officials, ALL must be OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2. Note: In the event only one OHSAA registered official arrives to officiate the game, the game may be played provided the participating coaches agree. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching and instruction may begin — February 15, 2027 2) First match — March 12, 2027 3) Coaching and Season end — June 5, 2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 143 2026-2027 GIRLS LACROSSE 4) Scrimmages — Two (2) permitted. 5) Regular season contests permitted — 14 plus one (1) postseason tournament not to exceed four games. 6) Rules — National Federation (NFHS) Girls Lacrosse and US Lacrosse Youth Girls’ Rulebook for 14-U, modified as follows: 6.1) Grade/Age – Open only to students in 7th and 8th grades. No student in 6th grade or below may participate regardless of age. If a student enrolled in grade 7 or 8 attains the age of 15 before August 1, the student shall be ineligible to participate in 7th & 8th grade lacrosse for the school year commencing in that calendar year. 6.2) Length of the game – Four 12 minute quarters; running clock after goals, and stop-clock in the last 2 minutes of each half (quarters 2 and 4) for all fouls in the critical scoring area unless there is a goal differential of 10 or more. 6.3) No overtime will be played at this level 7) Officials — Minimum of two OHSAA Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3 officials required. All other officials shall be OHSAA Class 1, 2, or 3 or officials in training. Note: In the event only one OHSAA registered official arrives to officiate the game, the game may be played pro - vided the participating coaches agree. GIRLS LACROSSE CALENDAR Girls Lacrosse 2027 2028 2029 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 2/15 2/14 2/21 Season Begins 3/12 3/11 3/17 Non-Interscholastic Date 3/29 3/27 TBA Regional Qualifying 5/11-5/22 5/9-5/20 TBA Regional Semis & Finals 5/25-5/28 5/23-5/26 TBA State 6/1- 6/5 5/30-6/4 TBA Season Ends 6/5 6/4 TBA Memorial Day 5/31 5/29 5/28 Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 144 SOCCER 2026-2027 13. SOCCER — BOYS AND GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) A player shall not be permitted to participate in more than three halves during any one day with a total of 42 halves for the season. Any part of a half is counted as one half. In an overtime game, the overtime shall be considered an extension of the second half. (Penalty — See Sports Regulation 12.) The penalty for exceeding the participation limitation during a contest is forfeiture of the contest in which the ineligible player is participating. When discovered, the ineligible player is removed from the contest, and the contest may continue to completion; however, the result of the contest shall be a forfeiture by the offending team. 1.2) All games shall consist of 2 halves of the following length: Varsity: 40 minutes Junior Varsity and Freshmen: 36 minutes Junior High: 30 minutes 1.3) Overtime Procedures — Overtime procedures have been established for OHSAA tournament play only. There is no overtime during regular season matches. Schools may request use of approved tournament overtime procedures for league / conference tournaments only. All requests must be made to the OHSAA soccer admin - istrator and are subject to approval. 1.4) Goal Differential/Running Clock – During any regular season or tournament contest, any time the score differ - ential reaches 6 goals or more after the first half of the contest, a running clock shall be used. After the 6-goal differential has been met but the score drops below six (6) goals, the clock reverts to regular timing. The clock shall be stopped only for an injured player on the field or when there is any unusual delay deemed necessary by the officials. 1.5) Girls playing on boys teams – Per Bylaw 1-6-1, girls may participate on a boys team. A girl is permitted to play on both the boys and girls soccer teams, and go back and forth, as long as the student adheres to participation in the maximum allowable number of 42 total halves per season (See Soccer Reg 1.1). Girls participating on the boys team must count toward that team’s competitive balance roster. Any team with a boy on it is consider a boys team. Boys teams, either consisting of all boys or co-ed athletes, shall compete against other boys teams (either consisting of all boys or co-ed athletes). A boys team with girls on it is only eligible to compete in the boys OHSAA Tournament. Girls who have been participating on both boys and girls teams during the regular season must choose if they will participate on the girls team or boys team for the OHSAA Tournament. Therefore, a girl may not compete on both boys and girls teams during the OHSAA Tournament. 2) Out-of-State Travel A soccer team may travel out of state to compete in contest scrimmages, previews and games in states or provinces in Canada that are contiguous to Ohio regardless of distance to travel. The states include Indiana, Kentucky, Mich - igan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The province includes Ontario. Additionally, a soccer team may travel out of state one time per interscholastic season to compete in states or provinces in Canada that are not contiguous to Ohio after obtaining approval from the Executive Director’s office (Bylaw 9-2-1). 3) Disqualification or Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection for Unsporting Conduct (Disqualification for unsporting conduct or flagrant violation) under Section 14 of the General Sports Regulations. 4) Uniform 4.1) Effective August 1, 2026: In accordance with NFHS Rule 4.1, teams who are found to be in violation of the uniform requirements shall be subject to a $100 fine per occurrence. Failure to have NFHS complaint uni - forms by the start of the OHSAA post season shall result in removal from the OHSAA Tournament. 5) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, infor - mation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, http://www.ohsaa.org/Eligi - bility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who partici - pated in high school soccer within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible starting with varsity regular season contest number 10 for any remaining regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament. 6) Non-Interscholastic Participation Reference the Regulations for Non-Interscholastic Participation in General Sport Regulation 7 for what is permitted in and outside of a school season and penalties that shall apply if violated, as outlined in Bylaw 11 SPORTS REGULATIONS 145 2026-2027 SOCCER A soccer athlete who has not participated for the school in soccer that season must cease non interscholastic soccer competition by Monday, September 7, 2026 order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition provided ap - plicable Bylaws and Regulations have been followed. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in soccer who violates this non-interscholastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in soccer shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competi - tion in soccer in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. DATE: Monday, September 7, 2026 6.2) Non-Interscholastic Soccer Participation Exceptions: 6.2.1) The Executive Director’s office may grant a waiver to this regulation in the event that the athlete has been selected to compete as a member of a junior or senior United States national team in the sport. (General Sports Reg 7.7) The intent of the waiver is to protect the integrity of the regulation and the interscholastic program while allowing the development of national-caliber athletes who have been invited to compete non- interscholastically during the school season. The procedure for requesting the waiver requires that the principal or official designee of the member school direct a request to the OHSAA soccer administrator. Please include the supporting documentation with the letter request. Each request will be reviewed on an individual basis. 6.2.2) A student-athlete may use a one-time waiver per season to attend an identification camp after the student-athlete has participated in an interscholastic scrimmage, preview or contest. The definition of an identification camp refers to an individual workout or individual camp being offered by a college or university and not any other type of team showcase or non-school competition or practice. The waiver may be used for any events that take place from August 1, 2026 through the non-interscholastic date of September 7, 2026 . The waiver form may be accessed on the OHSAA website and returned to the appropriate sport administrator. 6.3) Indoor Soccer shall be defined as a game played by two teams, each consisting of no more than 6 players, one of whom must be the goalkeeper, and played indoors between the end of the school’s soccer season and the day before the first day of coaching for the interscholastic season. There is no limit of players from the same school that may be on an indoor soccer team. Interscholastic coaches are permitted to coach their own interscholastic players on an indoor soccer team. 7) Individual Skill/Coaching Instruction In accordance with General Sport Regulation 7.10.2, soccer is permitted 13 contact days beginning the Monday of the week of May 15 through July 31. In addition to these 13 days, soccer coaches are permitted 5 additional con - tact days intended to be used between July 16-July 31 Therefore, soccer coaches are permitted a total of 18 contact days between May 15-July 31. These contact days are not mandatory. 8) Instructional Programs See Regulations for Instructional Programs under Section 7 of the General Sports Regulations. 9) No Contact Period — Coaches See Regulations for No Contact Period — Coaches under Section 11 of the General Sports Regulations. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — August 1, 2026 2) First match — Friday, August 14, 2026 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament Entry — September 28, 2026 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — October 11, 2026 , Boys-2:00 p.m. and Girls-3:00 p.m. 5) Coaching and Season end — November 17, 2026 6) Scrimmages or Previews — Maximum of five scrimmages 7) Regular season contests permitted — 17 8) Rules — National Federation Soccer 9) Uniform Rules — National Federation Soccer 10) Officials 10.1) Varsity — Regardless of the number of officials, minimum of two OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 officials re - quired. 10.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — Regardless of the number of officials, minimum of two OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 officials required. SPORTS REGULATIONS 146 SOCCER 2026-2027 Soccer 2026 2027 2028 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 8/1 8/1 8/1 Season Begins 8/14 8/16 8/14 Sectional 10/19-10/24# 10/18-10/23# 10/16-10/21# District 10/26-10/31 10/25-10/30 10/23-10/28 Regional 11/3-11/8 11/2-11/7 10/31-11/5 State 11/10-11/16 11/9-11/15 11/7-11/13 Season Ends 11/17 11/16 11/14 Coach — No Contact Period #Unless an earlier date is established by a District Athletic board (no earlier than two days prior to the established date). *Subject to change SOCCER CALENDAR 10.3) Freshmen — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 required. All other officials shall be OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 or officials in training. 10.4) All Levels — If only one OHSAA official is present to officiate the contest, the game may be played if par - ticipating coaches agree. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching and instruction may begin — August 1, 2026 2) First match — Friday, August 14, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end — November 17, 2026 4) Scrimmages — Two scrimmages 5) Regular season contests permitted — 14 plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 games 6) Rules — National Federation Soccer 7) Uniform Rules — National Federation Soccer 8) Officials — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3 official required. All other officials shall be OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 or officials in training Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 147 2026-2027 SOFTBALL 14. SOFTBALL — GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) No team or individual may play more than two games per day. Exception: teams and individuals may play and participate in 3 games per day on a non-school day one time during the regular season. 1.2) Teams – No school team may participate in more than 27 regular season games. Note: Doubleheaders may be played on any day pursuant to Board of Education or similar governing board policy. Doubleheaders count as two contests. 1.21) Any team exceeding the regular season participation limitation shall not be permitted to participate in the OHSAA tournament. 1.3) Individuals 1.31) An individual in grades 9-12 may play on a maximum of 32 playing dates plus OHSAA-sponsored tournaments. 1.32) An individual in grades 7-8 may play on a maximum of 21 playing dates plus one postseason or league/ conference tournament. 1.33) If an individual plays a game at any level on separate dates, each game counts toward the 32 playing dates limitation. (Example: A student plays in a non-varsity game on Monday and a varsity game on a Wednesday. Participation in both games counts as two dates toward the 32 maximum for the individual player.) 1.34) If an individual plays in a non-varsity game and a varsity game in the same day, each contest does not count toward the 32 playing dates limitation. (Example: A student plays in a non-varsity game and a varsity game on a Thursday. Participation in both games counts as one date toward the 32 maximum for the individual player.) Note: If the games described in 1.34 are occurring simultaneously, that same individual may not re-enter the game where the initial participation occurred. 1.4) Interrupted Games 1.41) A game called for any reason, where a winner cannot be determined (NF 4-3-1), or any game called at any time for mechanical failure (artificial lights, water systems, etc.) will be treated as a suspended game. If the game is to be completed, it will be continued from the point of suspension, with the lineup and batting order of each team exactly the same as the lineup and batting order at the moment of suspension subject to the rules of the game. Such game will be completed unless both coaches agree not to do so. 1.42) A game which has gone five innings and is called while an inning is in progress and before it is completed and the following situation prevails shall be a suspended game: The visiting team has scored one or more runs to tie the score or to take the lead and the home team has not retaken the lead. A suspended game that is not completed at a later date due to the inability to reschedule is considered a “No Contest,” not counted in the won-lost statistics, and both teams are permitted to schedule another contest. 1.43) Games cannot end in a tie. Games are either won, lost or suspended. 1.5) A game ends anytime after five innings when a team is 10 or more runs behind and has completed its term at bat. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation Reference the General Sport Regulation for Non-Interscholastic Participation in General Sport Regulation 7 for what is permitted in and outside of a school season and penalties that shall apply if violated, as outlined in Bylaw 11. A softball athlete who has not participated for the school in softball that season must cease non-interscholastic softball competition by Saturday, March 20, 2027 order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition provided applicable Bylaws and Regulations have been followed. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in softball who violates this non-interscholastic compe - tition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in softball shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in softball in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. DATE: Saturday, March 20, 2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 148 SOFTBALL 2026-2027 2.1) There is no limit on the number of softball squad members from the same school participating on the same squad during the period beginning with the last day of their school season – July 31. 2.2) A player may continue to play with a non-interscholastic squad in a national qualifying tournament in excess of the six player limitation after July 31 until the squad is eliminated but no later than Labor Day. 2.3) Indoor softball is defined as the game of softball, adapted to play in a indoor facility. Participation in indoor Softball is not a violation of OHSAA non-interscholastic Sports Regulation 7, for student-athletes if played indoors from November 1, 2026 – February 12, 2027 . Interscholastic coaches may coach their own interscho - lastic players on an indoor softball team. 3) Instructional Programs See Regulations for Instructional Programs under Section 8 of the General Sports Regulations on the Softball Page at OHSAA.org. 4) No Contact Period — Coaches See Regulations for No Contact Period — Coaches under Section 11 of the General Sports Regulations on the Softball Page at OHSAA.org. 5) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, http://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school softball within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible for all regular season con - tests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with varsity regular season contest number15. 6) Other Bylaws and Regulations For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations on the Softball Page at OHSAA.org. For information on Out of State Travel regulations see Bylaw 9-2 on the Eligibility Page at OHSAA.org. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — February 15, 2027 2) First game — March 20, 2027 3) The pitching distance shall be 43 feet 4) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament — April 20, 2027 5) Tournament seed/drawing meeting — May 2, 2027 (DIII-DVII) and May 9, 2027 (DI and DII) 6) Coaching and Season end — Saturday after state tournament ( June 12, 2027) . 7) Scrimmages or Previews — Maximum of four scrimmages or three scrimmages and one previews. Note: May be a combination of both, but may not exceed four in total. 8) Regular season games permitted (team) — Maximum of 27 9) Rules — National Federation Softball 10) Uniform Rules — National Federation Softball 11) Officials: 11.1) Varsity — Regardless of the number of officials, all must be OHSAA Class 1. Note: A Class 2 official may be used in emergency situations only with permission from the OHSAA Officiating Department. If a Class 2 official is used in a varsity game, the Class 1 shall be the lead Official and determine which official will work the plate. 11.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — Regardless of the number of officials, minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 required. 11.3) Freshmen — Regardless of the number of officials, all must be OHSAA Class 1, 2, 3 or an umpire in training. 11.4) If only one OHSAA official is present to officiate the contest, the contest may be played if opposing coaches mutually agree. SPORTS REGULATIONS 149 2026-2027 SOFTBALL C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — February 15, 2027 2) First Game — March 20, 2027 3) The pitching distance shall be 43 feet 4) Coaching and Season end — June 12, 2027 5) Scrimmages permitted — A maximum of two scrimmages per year. 6) Regular season games permitted — Maximum 17 and one postseason, league/conference tournament not to ex - ceed four games. 7) Rules — National Federation Softball. 8) Uniform Rules — National Federation Softball. 9) Officials — ALL must be OHSAA Class 1, 2, 3 or an umpire in training. Softball 2027 2028 2029 Coach — No Contact Period 8/1-8/31/27 8/1-8/31/28 8/1-8/31/29 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 2/15 2/14 2/12 Season Begins 3/20 3/18 3/17 Sectional 5/10-5/15 5/8-5/13 5/7-5/12 District 5/17-5/22 5/15-5/20 5/14-5/19 Regional 5/26-5/29 5/24-5/27 5/23-5/26 State 6/2-6/6 5/31-6/4 5/30-6/3 Season Ends 6/12 6/10 6/9 2027 2028 2029 II VI V IV VII III I II I V I VII III V VI VI IV IV VII III II SOFTBALL — GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT ROTATION SOFTBALL CALENDAR Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 150 SWIMMING AND DIVING 2026-2027 15. SWIMMING AND DIVING — BOYS AND GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation To be eligible for the OHSAA tournament in swimming and diving, student-athletes must become a member of the school team prior to the non-interscholastic date, at least four weeks (28 days) prior to the Monday of the week of the state tournament. 1.1) Contest Limitations A team/individual that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of contests per - mitted) or participates in regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests shall be re - moved from the OHSAA tournament. 1.2) Scheduling of Contests 1.21) A school may schedule varsity and non-varsity competition to be held on the same day. The opponents and officials shall be notified in advance that the contest will consist of both varsity and non-varsity competition. Competition thus scheduled is not considered to be exhibition. 1.22) All regular season swimming and diving contests that are concluded in a single day count as one contest regardless of the scoring procedure used or the number of schools competing (i.e., dual, double-dual, tri, quad, invitational, etc.) 1.3) In addition to the regulations outlined in these regulations, OHSAA board approved competition rules are out - lined in the Swimming & Diving Coaches and Officials Manuals. 1.4) Relay Entry In order to be eligible for relay event entry in the OHSAA-sponsored tournaments, a school shall compete in a minimum of two interscholastic contests as a school team prior to the non-interscholastic cutoff date. 1.5) School Representative No team or individual entry will be permitted to compete in a contest unless accompanied by the coach or a person authorized by the Board of Education. Teams or individuals unaccompanied by such school representa - tive will be disqualified. The school representative shall be present throughout the contest. In accordance with Bylaw 3-3-2, when a male coach is assigned to a girls’team, an adult female (non-high school student) should be present at the contest. When a female coach is assigned to a boys’team, an adult male (nonhigh school stu - dent) should be present at the contest. 1.6) Lifeguards In accordance with Ohio’s Health and Safety Code, the licensee of a public swimming pool, public spa or special use pool shall provide lifeguards. This includes pools used for interscholastic swimming and diving practice and competition. 1.7) Swimmers/Divers Who Have Not Competed for Their School This Season: A sports regulation identified as the Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Date stipulates that a swim - ming and diving athlete who has not participated for the school in swimming and diving that season must cease - non-interscholastic swimming and diving competition four weeks (28 days) prior to the Monday of the weekof the state tournament in swimming and diving in order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in swimming and diving who violates this non-inter - scholastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in swimming and diving shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in swimming and diving in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. 1.8) Girls Participating On Boys Teams OHSAA Bylaw 1-6-1 permits girls to participate on boys teams. Therefore, a girl that participates in boys events must compete in only boys events during that meet. She is, however, permitted to swim for the girls team during different events during the regular season, but cannot swim for both gender teams during the same event. Girls who swim in both girls and boys events may not exceed the number of contests permitted in the season. For the OHSAA Tournament, girls who have been participating in boys and girls events during the regular season must choose to compete in either the girls or boys tournament. A school that does not wish to sponsor girls swimming and diving but has seven or more girls participating may permit the girls to participate on the boys team, but they must enter the OHSAA-sponsored boys tournament competition. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation Reference the Regulations for Non-Interscholastic Participation in General Sport Regulation 7 for what is permitted in and outside of a school season and penalties that shall apply if violated, as outlined in Bylaw 11 SPORTS REGULATIONS 151 2026-2027 SWIMMING AND DIVING A swimming and diving athlete who has not participated for the school in swimming and diving that season must cease non-interscholastic swimming and diving competition by the non interscholastic date order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition provided applicable Bylaws and Regulations have been followed. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in swimming and diving who violates this noninter - scholastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in swimming and diving shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in swimming and diving in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. 2.1) Exception: The Executive Director’s office may grant a waiver to this regulation in the event that the athlete has been selected to compete as a member of a national team or has been invited to participate in national or international competition by virtue of his or her past performance in the sport. In the sport of swimming and diving the following guidelines have been used to determine waivers: 1) The student has been selected as a member of the junior or senior national team in swimming and/or diving by the achievement of national standards in an event or events. 2) The student was either the champion or the runner-up in the OHSAA State Swimming and diving Tournament the immediately preceding year. The intent of the waiver is to protect the integrity of the regulation and the interscholastic program while al - lowing the development of national-caliber athletes who have been invited to compete non-interscholastically during the school season. The procedure for requesting the waiver requires that the principal or official desig - nee of the member school directly send a request to the OHSAA swimming and diving administrator. Please include the supporting documentation with the wavier request. Each request will be reviewed on an individual basis. 3) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, OHSAA.org/Eligibility/ Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school swimming and diving in the 12 months immediately preceding the transfer date, are ineligible for all regular season contests and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with varsity regular season contest #9. 4) Other Bylaws and Regulations For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations at www.OHSAA.org. For information on Out of State Travel regula - tions see Bylaw 9-2 within the Bylaws on the Eligibility Page at www.OHSAA.org. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — October 23, 2026 2) OHSAA tournament deadline date — January 18, 2027 3) Tournament seed/drawing meeting — January 30 , 2027 4) First contest — November 23, 2026 5) Coaching and Season end — February 27, 2027 6) Scrimmages or Exhibitions — None permitted 7) Regular season contests — 16 for team and individuals Note: Schools may schedule a maximum of 16 contests for divers either within a swimming and diving contest or in a separate diving competition. 8) Rules — National Federation Swimming and Diving 9) Officials: 9.1) Varsity — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 official required 9.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 official required 9.3) Freshmen — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or 3 official required C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — October 23, 2026 2) First contest — November 23, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end — February 27, 2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 152 SWIMMING AND DIVING 2026-2027 Swimming and Diving 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 10/23 10/22 10/21 Season Begins 11/23 11/22 11/21 Non-Interscholastic Date 1/25 1/24 1/24 Sectional 2/8-2/13 2/7-2/12 2/6-2/11 District 2/15-2/20 2/14-2/19 2/13-2/18 State 2/23-2/27 2/22-2/26 2/21-2/25 Season Ends 2/27 2/26 2/25 SWIMMING AND DIVING CALENDAR 4) Scrimmages — None permitted 5) Regular season contests — 12 for team and individuals. 6) Rules — National Federation Swimming and diving. 7) Officials — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or 3 official required. Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 153 2026-2027 TENNIS 16. TENNIS — BOYS AND GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) Dual competition consists of three singles matches and two doubles matches using seven different players. OHSAA regular season dual contests must be played using this format, and not all doubles competition or all singles competition if the appropriate number of competitors are available to participate. 1.2) Each individual dual match is best two out of three sets. The 12-point tie-breaker rule shall be used when nec - essary. 1.21) During a regular season contest, when the winner has been determined (3 points scored), coaches may mutually agree to utilize a “super tiebreaker” in lieu of the 3rd set. 1.3) During invitational and/or conference tournaments, each individual may play three, two out of three set match - es or up to five eight-game pro sets per day. In those tournaments that include both two out of three set matches and pro sets, a combination of no more than three 8-game pro sets and one two out of three set matches may be participated in one day. 1.4) Prior to a contest , coaches may mutually agree to use no advantage scoring during the season. 1.5) Maximum number of regular matches per individual per day is three. Maximum number of pro sets per day (eight games each), tournaments only, is five. Each match played in dual competition counts as one contest in the season limitation. If a player participates in more than three matches, five pro sets, or a combination of pro sets and two out of three set matches as indicated above in one day, the player shall forfeit the additional match, and it shall count as two contests for the school and the individual in the season limitations. 1.6) There shall be a two-minute rest period between each set. 1.7) If weather or darkness interrupts a contest before either team has won three points (and thus the contest), in - complete matches shall be resumed at the exact point where suspended. The match(es) shall be rescheduled as soon as possible date agreeable to both coaches. Players not appearing for a rescheduled match shall forfeit their respective match. Unfinished contests where a winner cannot be determined shall not count toward the 22-contest season limitation. 1.8) The warmup period for all matches shall not exceed 10 minutes. 1.9) All warmup serves in both singles and doubles shall be taken prior to the start of play. 1.10) Play shall be continuous as defined within the U.S.T.A. Handbook. In case of injury or illness, after evaluation by a coach or trainer, a player will be allowed a maximum of five minutes for treatment after which the player must resume play or forfeit the match. 1.11) Singles players must play in order of team rank. The better doubles team must play No. 1 doubles. This rule also applies to injury or illness preceding a match. Forfeiting a point for a missing player’s position is not allowed. If the No. 1 player cannot compete, the regular No. 2 player plays at No. 1, the regular No. 3 player plays at No. 2, and the substitute is placed at No. 3. “Stacking” is not allowed under any circumstances. Note: This does not mean that the best player on the team must play first singles. However, if he/she is going to play singles, he/she must play at the No. 1 position. Any lineup which places a more skilled player above a less skilled player, and a more skilled doubles team above a less skilled doubles team is appropriate. 1.12) Continuous coaching is permitted. In addition to coaching at the ends of games 3, 5, 7, etc. and the end of each set, a coach may coach their own player(s) any time during the 25 seconds between points as long as the coach does not interfere with actual play on the court. 1.13) A coach shall not initiate a conversation with an opposing player or coach. 1.14) During a regular season dual contest, only one coach from each team may sit or stand near the net post and must stay within the area where the players’ chairs or benches would be located if not provided or be outside the court. 1.15) All team members must wear an appropriate school uniform or proper tennis attire, preferably in school colors. Proper tennis attire is defined as clothing specifically manufactured for tennis wear. Any lettering or pictures on clothing, and/or headgear must pertain to the school name or logo, the student’s name, a tennis racquet and/ or tennis ball, or be patriotic in nature (e.g. the United States flag). No phrases, quotes, or “slogans” shall be permitted. Manufacturer’s names or logos are permitted provided they do not exceed one and a half inches in height. Girls have the option of tennis dress or school uniform. “Doubles” team players shall wear colored tops that are of school color(s). Any visible undergarments that extend below the uniform shorts, dress, or skirt shall be the same color of the shorts, dress or skirt or represent school colors or, be all white or all black, or all gray. This dress code shall be enforced by the home coach or tournament director. Any clothing deemed to be “reflective” or “distractive” in nature shall not be permitted. Failure to comply will result in a player being denied the right to participate. Note: Headgear/wraps which are worn for religious and/or medical reasons are permitted. Note: Doubles players do not have to wear the exact same clothing as long as they are wearing school clothes and/or undergarments that fit the above requirements. SPORTS REGULATIONS 154 TENNIS 2026-2027 154 1.16) The home school coach shall serve as the referee, enforcing all OHSAA regulations as well as regulations expressed in the U.S.T.A. Friend at Court that have not been modified by the OHSAA. 1.17) School Representative: No team or individual participant will be permitted to compete in an interscholastic contest unless accompanied by a properly certified school coach or person authorized by the Board of Educa - tion or similar governing body. Teams or individuals unaccompanied by an authorized school representative shall be disqualified and removed from competition. The school’s representative shall be present throughout the contest. Also, only an individual who is authorized by a Board of Education or similar governing body, or a member of the school team, may participate in interscholastic match/contest activities (e.g. warmups). 1.18) Any girl who has not participated on the girls’ team in the fall, either in a scrimmage or match, may participate on the boys’ team in the spring of that school year. 1.19) A team/individual that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of contests per - mitted) or participates in a regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests shall be removed from the OHSAA tournament. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation 2.1) A member of an interscholastic tennis squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage or regular season/ tournament match) sponsored by the Board of Education or similar governing body shall not participate in a non-interscholastic contest or in non-interscholastic competition as an individual or a member of a team in the sport of tennis during the school’s season (Sports Regulation 7.2.2). EXCEPTIONS: • A student who has participated for the school team this season, may be granted permission to participate in TWO non-interscholastic contests/events as an individual and/or member of a doubles team, provided the participation does not violate any coach’s, school, or school district/system policy. • Each contest/event shall have a clearly defined start and end date not to exceed one week (7 days) for each respective contest/event. • A waiver from the Executive Director’s office is required PRIOR to participation in a non-interscholastic contest/event once a student has participated for the school team. • A non-interscholastic contest/event that was conducted under the waiver, counts as one of the individuals maximum 22 contests allowed in the regular season. • This exception may not be used to grant school “teams” additional contests. Any student who participates in a non-interscholastic contest/event on or after the non-interscholastic date indicated below, without receiving an OHSAA approved waiver, shall not be eligible for the OHSAA postseason tournament. In addition to this denial of participation, other penalties may be prescribed. 2.2) Participants who have not competed for their school during the season: A tennis athlete who has not participated for the school in tennis that season must cease non-interscholastic tennis competition six weeks (42 days) prior to the Monday of the week of the State Tournament in tennis to be eligible for OHSAA Tournament competition . For the 2026 girl’s tennis season, the non-interscholastic date has been extended to Tuesday due to the Labor Day Holiday. This non-interscholastic date(s) is indicated below. Thus, a student who wishes to join the school team “late” AND participate in the OHSAA state tournament must join the school team and stop non-interscholastic partic - ipation by the non-interscholastic date indicated below. Once a member of the school team (e.g. the student has participated in a school contest), the student is subject to tennis regulation 2.1. Any student who participates on or after the non-interscholastic date without receiving an OHSAA approved waiver, which must be approved prior to any non-interscholastic competition as indicated under 2.1 above, shall not be eligible to participate in the OHSAA tennis tournament. In addition to this denial of participation, other penalties may be prescribed. Non-Interscholastic Dates: • Girls: September 22, 2026 • Boys: May 4, 2027 Note: Non-interscholastic participation WILL ONLY be permitted on or after this date with a pre-approved waiver prior to the non-interscholastic event date. Interscholastic tennis coaches may coach athletes from the school where employed outside the interscholastic season of the sport. No coach may require participation until the official start of the interscholastic season. 3) Penalties The maximum penalty for violation of Sports Regulation 7.2.2 (participation with a non-interscholastic tennis squad or in non-interscholastic competition while a member of the school’s interscholastic tennis squad) or any OHSAA regulations for any member of the school squad, EXCEPT a senior, may be ineligibility for the remainder of the interscholastic tennis season or the ensuing tennis season. For a senior, the maximum penalty may be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. A school team/individual that violates the out of state travel restriction (Bylaw 9-2-1) shall also be removed from the OHSAA postseason tournament. SPORTS REGULATIONS 155 2026-2027 TENNIS 4) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, http://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school tennis within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible for all regular season contests, and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with varsity regular season contest #12 in tennis. 5) Other OHSAA Bylaws and Sports Regulations For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct, see Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations, which are also posted on the OHSAA website ( OHSAA.org ). For informa - tion regarding OHSAA Out of State Travel Regulations, see Bylaw 9-2, which is also posted on the OHSAA website ( OHSAA.org ). In addition, this information can also be found in the Tennis Coaches Manual that is located in the “Boys or Girls Tennis” section of the OHSAA website ( OHSAA.org ). B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin: Girls — August 1, 2026 Boys — March 8, 2027 2) First Match: Girls — August 7, 2026 Boys — March 26, 2027 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament: Girls — September 13, 2026 Boys — April 19, 2027 4) Tournament draw/seeding date: Girls — September 20, 2026 Boys — May 2, 2027 5) Coaching and Season end: Girls — Saturday after State Tournament – October 24, 2026 Boys — Saturday after State Tournament – June 5, 2027 After the conclusion of the sectional tennis tournaments, participants who qualify for further OHSAA tour - nament competition may practice with tennis players from other schools who have similarly advanced. Type of Contest Counts as Dual 1 League or Conference Tournament Scheduled for one or more days 1 Invitational Tournament (Single or Double elimination, or Round Robin) Scheduled for one day 1 Scheduled for two days 2 Note: If a team participates in a round robin tournament, the tournament typically has a format in which a school team plays a different school team in a dual match format (three singles and two doubles matches). These matches may take place in a “Team A” vs “Team B” ...”Team A” vs “Team C”... format OR in mixed/random order. As long as all other tournament rules are followed, a team’s participation in this round robin tournament will only count as a SINGLE match towards the season limitation, AND NOT as multiple matches against their regu - lar season contest limitation. It is assumed that there is but one league/conference tournament. For Invitational Tournaments, the number of contests applied to the contest limit is equal to the number of days the tournament is scheduled (2 day tournament = 2 matches towards contest limitation) 6) Scrimmages — Maximum of one prior to first contest 7) Regular season contests permitted: a. Maximum of 22 contests for team and individual (plus the OTCA team tournament) or the equivalent calculat - ed as follows: Note: If three or more teams come together and play an invitational and/or conference tournament and these teams play head-to-head (i.e. one team against another team) it shall count as one contest for each head-to-head competi - tion. It is assumed that there is but one league/conference tournament. For Invitational Tournaments, the number of contests is equal to the number of days the tournament is scheduled. SPORTS REGULATIONS 156 TENNIS 2026-2027 b. A team is limited to four tournaments per season. c. A player is limited to participation in a maximum of three matches per day or five pro sets (tournament only) per day. See Tennis Regulation 1.3 for tournaments that schedule both two out of three sets and pro sets. 8) Rules — United States Tennis Association which may be modified in accordance with OHSAA Bylaws and Sports Regulations 9) Officials — No requirements C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — Grades 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin: Girls — August 1, 2026 Boys — March 8, 2027 2) First match: Girls — August 7, 2026 Boys — March 26, 2027 3) Coaching and Season end: Girls — October 24, 2026 Boys — June 5, 2027 4) Scrimmages — None permitted 5) Regular season contests permitted a. Maximum of 16 contests for team and individual or the equivalent calculated as follows: Note: If three or more teams come together and play an invitational and/or conference tournament and these teams play head to head (i.e. one team against another team) it shall count as one contest for each head to head competi - tion. It is assumed that there is but one league/conference tournament. For Invitational Tournaments, the number of contests is equal to the number of days the tournament is scheduled. b. A team is limited to four tournaments per season. c. A player is limited to participation in a maximum of three matches per day or five pro sets (tournaments only) per day. See Tennis Regulation 1.3 for tournaments that schedule both two out of three sets and pro sets. Note: If a team participates in a round robin tournament, the tournament typically has a format in which a school team plays a different school team in a dual match format (three singles and two doubles matches). These matches may take place in a “Team A” vs “Team B” ...”Team A” vs “Team C”... format OR in mixed/random order. As long as all other tournament rules are followed, a team’s participation in this round robin tournament will only count as a SINGLE match towards the season limitation, AND NOT as multiple matches against their regu - lar season contest limitation. It is assumed that there is but one league/conference tournament. For Invitational Tournaments, the number of contests applied to the contest limit is equal to the number of days the tournament is scheduled (2 day tournament = 2 matches towards contest limitation). 6) Rules — United States Tennis Association which may be modified in accordance with OHSAA Bylaws and Sports Regulations 7) Officials — No requirements Type of Contest Counts as Dual 1 League or Conference Tournament Scheduled for one or more days 1 Invitational Tournament (Single or Double elimination, or Round Robin) Scheduled for one day 1 Scheduled for two days 2 SPORTS REGULATIONS 157 2026-2027 TENNIS Girls Tennis 2026 2027 2028 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 8/1 8/1 8/1 Season Begins 8/7 8/6 8/4 Non-Interscholastic Date 9/1 8/30 8/28 Sectional 9/28-10/3# 9/27-10/2# 9/25-9/30# District 10/5-10/10 10/4-10/9 10/2-10/7 State 10/15-10/16* 10/14-10/15* 10/13-10/14* Season Ends 10/24 10/23 10/21 #Unless an earlier date is established by a District Athletic Board (no earlier than two days prior to the established date). *Dates subject to change. Boys Tennis 2027 2028 2029 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 3/8 3/6 3/4 Season Begins 3/26 3/24 3/26 Non-Interscholastic Date 5/4 5/2 5/1 Sectional 5/10-5/15# 5/8-5/14# 5/7-5/12# District 5/17-5/22 5/15-5/20 5/14-5/19 State 5/27-5/28* 5/25-5/26* 5/25-5/26* Season Ends 6/5 6/3 6/2 #Unless an earlier date is established by a District Athletic Board (no earlier than two days prior to the established date). *Dates subject to change. TENNIS CALENDARS Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 158 TRACK AND FIELD 2026-2027 17. TRACK AND FIELD (OUTDOOR) — BOYS AND GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) Each student participant is limited to participation in a maximum of one contest per day. 1.2) Participation limitations: a. Grades 9-12 — Maximum of four track and field events per contest. This regulation applies to all competi - tions, single and multi-day, and both regular season and OHSAA tournaments. b. Grades 7 & 8 — Maximum of three events per contest. PARTICIPATION LIMITATION PENALTY—An athlete who exceeds the participation limitation becomes an ineligible athlete. In addition to penalties outlined by the NFHS rules. The forfeiture bylaws apply as written in Bylaw 10. 1.3) The javelin and hammer throw are not an approved event in interscholastic competition; participation in these events is prohibited. Schools that participate in these events may be subject to a $250 fine as well as a post season ban. 1.4) In addition to the regulations outlined in this document, NFHS/OHSAA approved modification to contest/ playing regulations can be found in the coaches and officials manuals. 1.5) Specialty Relays: Specialty relays are approved per NFHS Rules including mixed gender relays. a. All mixed gender relays must be competed per the regulations outlined in the Track & Field Coaches & Officials Manual and require an approved waiver from the sport administrator. b. All specialty relays must be competed per the regulations outlined in the Track & Field Coaches & Officials Manual. 1.6) A school squad may be divided so that the school is represented at two or more different contests on the same day. a. There is no distinction between 9th grade, Junior Varsity or Varsity competition. b. Participation in a double dual counts as two contests, triple dual counts as three contests. c. Each individual may only participate in 16 contests. 1.7) To allow for acclimation and sport-specific education a five (5) day practice period is RECOMMENDED prior to the first interscholastic competition for both high school and 7th and 8th grade. 1.8) Girls Participating On Boys Teams OHSAA Bylaw 1-6-1 permits girls to participate on boys teams. Therefore, a girl that participates in boys events must compete in only boys events during that meet. She is, however, permitted to participate for the girls team during different meets during the regular season, but cannot participate for both gender teams during the same meets. Girls who participate in both girls and boys events may not exceed the number of contests permitted in the season (16). For the OHSAA Tournament, girls who have been participating in boys and girls meets during the regular season must choose to compete in either the girls or boys tournament. A school that does not wish to sponsor girls track and field but has nine or more girls participating may permit the girls to participate on the boys team, but they must enter the OHSAA-sponsored boys tournament compe - tition. 1.9) All meets and events must be competed outdoors. 1.10)Exhibition or scratch competition is prohibited. All contestants must be eligible to score in all events participat - ed in as part of a meet; this includes events held after the contest official leaves the venue. Member schools who host exhibition competition may be subject to a $100 fine per instance/event. Member schools who participate in an exhibition event may be subject to a $50 fine per instance/event. 1.11)High school and 7 th /8 th grade competition may take place concurrently at the same venue. However, no head-to-head competition may take place. All 7 th /8 th grade contestants must be in separate heats/section/ flights from high school contestants. 1.12)No Contest When a meet/event is canceled (by the meet referee in council with the games committee) due to weather, darkness when no lights are available, damage to the venue after the beginning of warm-up, or other issues out of the control of the meet management that occur after the meet/event begins; the below must be followed. Track Meet - If 60% or more of the scheduled events have been scored, the meet must be scored based on the completed events and will count the same as a fully completed meet. Any events not being scored per below would not be included in this score. SPORTS REGULATIONS 159 2026-2027 TRACK AND FIELD - If less than 60% of the scheduled events have been completed, the meet must not be scored and will be con - sidered a “no contest”. The meet shall not be included in won-lost records, shall not count towards a student/ coach fulfilling any ejection consequence, shall not count towards a student fulfilling his/her transfer conse - quence, and shall not count towards the number of maximum allowable regular season contests permitted. Individual Events - In vertical field events. If all competitors who have elected to participate at opening height have completed their trials at opening height, the event should be scored based on the performances at the last height completed by all competitors who have not been eliminated from competition. The event will count as one of the allowed events for each competitor. Competitors who have passed and have not yet entered competition will be excluded from the scoring and the event will not count towards their maximum events allowed. If all competitors who have elected to participate at opening height have not completed their trials at open - ing height, the event should be scored as a no contest and the event will not count towards the competitors allowed number of events. - In horizontal field events If all competitors have completed 50% or more of their attempts (when four attempts are given) or two thirds of their preliminary attempts (when competing finals) the event shall be scored based on the performances though the last round completed by all competitors. The event will count as one of the allowed events for each competitor. If all competitors have not completed 50% of their attempts (when four attempts are given) or two thirds of their preliminary attempts (when competing finals) the event should be scored as a no contest and the event will not count towards the competitors allowed number of events. - In any running event If all scheduled sections or preliminary heats have been completed for a running event, that event shall be scored. The event will count as one of the allowed events for each competitor. If all scheduled sections or preliminary heats have not been completed for a running event the event should be scored as a no contest and the event will not count towards the competitors allowed number of events. Any events canceled due to safety/facility issues before the start of competition shall follow NFHS competition rules. Related to tournament competition, all events must be completed, you cannot have a no contest. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation 2.1) A member of an interscholastic track and field squad (any student who has participated in a regular season or tournament contest) sponsored by the Board of Education shall not participate in a non-interscholastic contest as an individual or a member of a team in the sport of track and field during the school’s season (Sports Regu - lation 7.2.2). EXCEPTION: A student who has participated for the school team in the current season may be granted permis - sion to participate in ONE (1) non-interscholastic event as an individual or member of a team NOT representing or associated with an OHSAA member school so long as the following criteria are met: • The event is not hosted by an OHSAA member school. • The participation must be disassociated with the school including registration, transportation, uniforms, etc. • The event has clearly defined start and end date not to exceed three (3) consecutive days. • The student shall not participate in an interscholastic contest during the same time period covered under the waiver. • The student will be limited to participation in four events at the meet, or one event if competing in the Hep - tathlon to Pentathlon. • The event must fully fall prior to the stated non-interscholastic date. A request for waiver must be submitted to the Executive Director’s office by a school administrator (via the appropriate waiver form) a minimum of 5 business days PRIOR to participation in an applicable non-inter - scholastic event once a student has participated for the school team. Any non-interscholastic event in which a student competed under the waiver shall count as one of the individual’s maximum 16 contests allowed in the regular season. 2.2) Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Dates: A track and field athlete who has not participated for the school in track and field that season must cease non-in - terscholastic track and field competition four weeks (28 days) prior to the Monday of the week of the State Tournament in track and field in order to be eligible for OHSAA Tournament competition. SPORTS REGULATIONS 160 TRACK AND FIELD 2026-2027 In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in track and field who violates this non-interscho - lastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in track and field shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in track and field in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. 2.3) Road racing is interpreted as a different sport than track and field. If the majority of the race is run on a road, participation is not a violation of the non-interscholastic competition bylaw. 2.4) Indoor track is interpreted as a different sport than track and field (outdoor), if all events contested take place indoors and the track is 300M or less. Track and field (outdoor) events may not be competed indoors. 2.5) Penalties: The maximum penalty for participation with a non-interscholastic track and field squad or in non-in - terscholas-tic competition while a member of the school’s interscholastic track and field squad or any OHSAA regulations for any member of the school squad, EXCEPT a senior, may be ineligibility for the remainder of the interscholastic track and field season or the ensuing track and field season. For a senior, the maximum penalty shall be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. 3) Coaches Education In addition to the general requirements outlined in the OHSAA Bylaws and GSR, schools sponsoring the Pole Vault must have at least one coach who has participated in pole vault safety training from an OHSAA-approved provider. If a school uses one coach for all athletes at the school (boys and girls) and both levels – high school (HS) and middle school (7-8), then only that coach must receive the training; however, that coach must be present during all training and competition. Training must be completed every three years. A list of approved training courses can be found on the Track & Field webpage. 4) Penalties Penalties for violation of sport regulations may include those listed in these regulations as well as those listed in Bylaw 11 5) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, http://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school track and field within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible for all regular season contests and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with varsity regular season contest #9. 6) Other Bylaws and Regulations For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations at OHSAA.org. For information on Out of State Travel regulations see Bylaw 9-2 at OHSAA.org . Please see the Track and Field Coaches and Officials Manual at OHSAA.org on the Track and Field Page for addi - tional NFHS rules governing Track and Field. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — February 22, 2027 2) First contest — March 26, 2027 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournaments — April 19, 2027 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — May 2, 2027 5) Coaching and Season end — June 6, 2027 6) Scrimmages — None permitted 7) Regular season contests — 16 for individuals 8) Rules — National Federation Track and Field 9) Officials: 9.1) Varsity – Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 official required who shall be the referee or the referee/starter in dual, triangular or quadrangular meets. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — February 22, 2027 2) First contest — March 26, 2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 161 2026-2027 TRACK AND FIELD Track and Field 2027 2028 2029 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 2/22 2/21 2/19 Season Begins 3/26 3/24 3/23 Non-Interscholastic Date 5/3 5/1 4/30 District 5/17-5/22 5/15-5/25 5/14-5/19 Regional 5/24-5/29 5/22-5/27 5/21-5/26 State 6/3-6/6 6/1-6/4 5/31-6/3 Season Ends 6/6 6/4 6/3 REGIONAL TOURNAMENTS Division I: Monday/Tuesday of District Week and Thursday and Saturday of Regional Week Division II and IV: Wednesday and Friday | Division III and IV: Thursday and Saturday TRACK AND FIELD CALENDAR STATE TOURNAMENTS — ORDER OF COMPETITION TBD 3) Coaching and Season end — June 6, 2027 4) Scrimmages — None permitted. 5) Regular season contests — Maximum of 12 per season plus one league championship meet plus the OHSAA-sponsored State Championship Meet; per individual (Championship May 15, 2026). 6) Rules — National Federation Track and Field. 7) Officials — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or 3 official required who shall be the referee or the referee/ starter, in dual, triangular or quadrangular meets. It is recommended that the referee shall not be a coach of a competing team. The referee in meets involving five or more schools must be an OHSAA Class 1 official. Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 162 VOLLEYBALL 2026-2027 18. VOLLEYBALL — GIRLS & BOYS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation Grades 9-12 1. All high school matches shall be played utilizing NFHS Volleyball rules. The libero rule shall be used for high school volleyball only. Note: Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, the libero will permitted in grades 7-12. Note: One libero is permitted for 7-8 grades. Two liberos are permitted for 9-12 grades. 1Boys volleyball shall utilize the NFHS Volleyball Rules Book, with the following modifications: a. Boys net height: Boys shall utilize the net height listed in NFHS Rule 3-1-4, which is 7’11 5/8”. b. Boys volleyball: The volleyball shall be the Molten Flistatec V5M5000 in any color combination. 2. All varsity dual matches shall be played in a best three of five format. Each set shall go to 25 points with no cap (must win by two points), and the deciding set shall go to 15 points with no cap. 3. Varsity regular season matches contested in any format other than a dual, head to head format, i.e., tri-match - es, quadrangular matches or other multi-match tournaments, may be played in a best three of five format if agreed upon in advance of the competition in the game contract(s). If there has been no advance contracting to play these matches in a best three of five format, then the matches shall be played in a best two of three format. 4. All non-varsity matches, including junior varsity, reserve, freshmen, etc., shall be played in a best two of three format. Each set shall go to 25 points with no cap (must win by two points), and the deciding set shall go to 25 points with no cap. 5. Match limitations for each high school team and individual player are 22 matches on no more than 22 playing dates. 6. Individual limitations for volleyball players who play in both Varsity and any non-varsity competition on the same day and against the same opponent consist of a maximum of six (6) sets per day per common opponent. Any part of a set is considered a full set. 7. In any tournament or regular season competition, teams and/or individuals shall be permitted to play a max - imum of three matches per day. 8. All regular season matches count in the 22 match limitations including non-varsity tournaments. 9. The penalty for exceeding the participation limitation during a match is forfeiture of the match in which the ineligible player is participating. When discovered, the ineligible player is removed from the set, and the match may continue to completion; however, the result of the contest shall be a forfeiture by the offending team. 10. A team/individual that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of contests permitted) or participates in regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests may be removed from the OHSAA tournament, as outlined in General Sports Regulation 12 and additional penal - ties may apply. 11. Any girl who has not participated on the girls’ team in the fall, either in a scrimmage or match, may partic - ipate on the boys’ team in the spring of that school year. Grades 7 & 8 1. All 7 & 8th grade matches shall be played in a best two of three format. Each set shall go to 25 points with no cap (must win by two points), and the deciding set shall go to 25 points with no cap. 2. Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, the libero will permitted in grades 7-12. Note: One libero is permitted for 7-8 grades. Two liberos are permitted for 9-12 grades. 3. A student may participate in no more than four (4) sets per opponent. Any part of a set is considered a full set. When playing more than one opponent, this rule applies for each opponent. 4. In any tournament or regular season competition, teams and/or individuals shall be permitted to play a max - imum of three matches per day. 5. The penalty for exceeding the participation limitation during a match is forfeiture of the match in which the ineligible player is participating. When discovered, the ineligible player is removed from the set, and the match may continue to completion; however, the result of the contest shall be a forfeiture by the offending team. 6. The net height for grades 7 & 8 shall be the same as the net height for grades 9-12 at 7’4 1/8”, per NFHS Rule. SPORTS REGULATIONS 163 2026-2027 VOLLEYBALL 7. Match limitations for each 7 & 8 grade team and player are 20 matches on no more than 20 playing dates. 8. Postseason Tournament—These regulations permit one postseason tournament not to exceed four matches. Postseason means after the 20 regular season matches have concluded. A player may play in just one postsea - son tournament. For example, if a student plays in the 7th grade postseason tournament, he/she is ineligible to play in the 8th grade postseason tournament. 1.1) When a volleyball match is interrupted for any reason, the match shall be resumed from the point of interrup - tion. 1.2) Any scheduled regular season volleyball set or match which is not started due to unforeseen circumstances such as failure of team to arrive, strikes, school closings, is considered a “No Contest.” Sets or matches not played are not included in won-lost statistics. 1.3) PREVIEW — A preview may be scheduled and played any time throughout the regular season. A Preview must conform to all requirements defined in General Sports Regulation 23. Previews are limited in length to two sets of 21 points each, played according to National Federation Volleyball Rules. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation Reference the Regulations for Non-Interscholastic Participation in General Sport Regulation 7 for what is permitted in and outside of a school season and penalties that shall apply if violated, as outlined in Bylaw 11 A volleyball athlete who has not participated for the school in volleyball that season must cease non-interscholastic volleyball competition by the established dates below, Monday, August 31, 2026 in order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition provided applicable Bylaws and Regulations have been followed. Girls Non-Interscholastic Date: Monday, August 31, 2026 Boys Non-Interscholastic Date: Monday, March 30, 2027 In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in volleyball who violates this non-interscholastic compe - tition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in volleyball, may be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in volleyball in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. 2.1) A girls volleyball player may continue to play with a non-interscholastic squad in a national qualifying tourna - ment in excess of the three-player limitation after July 31 until the squad is eliminated but no later than Labor Day. 2.2) All-Star Contests — All-Star events are non-interscholastic events by rule. Student-athletes in team sports who wish to participate in one of these “all-star” competitions outside the school volleyball season may do so without jeopardy to eligibility provided the students maintain compliance with General Sports Regulation 7. Coaches are permitted to coach in “All-Star” contests if they meet all the provisions of General Sports Regula - tion 7.6. 3) Instructional Programs See General Sport Regulation 7 for Non-Interscholastic Participation and Individual Skill Instruction . 4) No Contact Period — Coaches See General Sport Regulation 11 for information on the mandatory No Contact Period. 5) Penalties Violation of any Volleyball Regulations or General Sport Regulations are subject to penalties, as outlined in the Volleyball Regulations and/or Bylaw 11. 5) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, http://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school volleyball within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible for all regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with varsity regular season contest #12. 6) Other Bylaws and Regulations For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations at OHSAA.org . For information on Out of State Travel regulations see Bylaw 9-2 at OHSAA.org . SPORTS REGULATIONS 164 VOLLEYBALL 2026-2027 B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — Girls: August 1, 2026 | Boys: February 22, 2027 2) First match — Girls: August 17, 2026 | Boys: March 12, 2027 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournaments — Girls: September 21, 2026 | Boys: April 19, 2027 4) Tournament draw/seeding date — Girls: October 11, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Boys: May 2, 2027 at 2:00 p.m. 5) Coaching and Season end — Girls: November 14, 2026 | Boys: May 29, 2027 6) Scrimmages or Previews — Maximum of six scrimmages and/or previews. Note: May be a combination of both, but not exceed six in total. 7) Regular season matches — Maximum of 22 matches on no more than 22 playing dates. Each match played opposing another school shall be counted as one match in the 22 permitted, whether played in triangular, quadrangular or invitational tournament. 8) Rules — National Federation Volleyball Rules Book 9) Uniform Rules — National Federation Volleyball Rules Book 10) Officials: 10.1) Varsity — One Class 1 official who shall be the First Referee is required. The Second Referee shall be either Class 1 or Class 2 volleyball official. EXCEPTION: If an emergency arises which prevents the contracted Class 1 official from being present, a Class 2 official may be used as the First Referee provided the schools mutually agree. In the event that only one OHSAA registered official arrives to officiate the match, the match may be played provided the participating coaches agree. 10.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — Two OHSAA Class 1 or 2 volleyball officials required. 10.3) Freshmen — A minimum of one OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 volleyball official required. Regardless of the number, all officials shall be OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 or officials in training. 10.4) Line Judges — For varsity and reserve/junior varsity volleyball competition, all line judges shall be either well-trained adults or students not listed on the volleyball roster for the high school. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — Girls: August 1, 2026 | Boys: February 22, 2027 2) First match — Girls: August 17, 2026 | Boys: March 14, 2027 3) Coaching and Season end — Girls: November 14, 2026 | Boys: May 29, 2027 4) Scrimmages or Previews — Maximum of three scrimmages and/or previews. Note: May be a combination of both, but not exceed three in total. 5) Regular season matches — Maximum 20 matches on 20 playing dates plus one postseason tournament not to exceed four matches. The 7th grade tournament is considered one tournament as is the 8th grade tourna - ment. 6) Rules — National Federation Volleyball Rules Book 7) Uniform Rules — National Federation Volleyball Rules Book 8) Officials — A minimum of one OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 volleyball official required. Regardless of the number, all officials shall be OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 or officials in training. SPORTS REGULATIONS 165 2026-2027 VOLLEYBALL Girls Volleyball 2026 2027 2028 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 8/1 8/1 8/1 Regular Season Contests Begin 8/17 8/20 8/21 Sectional 10/19-10/24# 10/18-10/23 10/16-10/21 District 10/26-10/31 10/25-10/30 10/23-10/28 Regional 11/2-11/7 11/1-11/6 10/30-11/4 State 11/12-11/14 11/11-11/13 11/9-11/11 Season Ends 11/14 11/13 11/11 Thanksgiving 11/26 11/25 11/23 Coach — No Contact Period Starts with the first day after the last interscholastic contest and ends 28 days later. #Unless an earlier date is established by a District Athletic Board (no earlier than two days prior to the established date). 2028-2032-2036 2029-2033- 2037 2026-2030-2034 2027-2031-2035 VII IV I VI III VI VII II V III IV I II VII VI V IV I II III I V III VII VI II V IV VOLLEYBALL CALENDARS Boys Volleyball 2027 2028 2029 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 2/22 2/20 TBA Regular Season Contests Begin 3/12 3/10 TBA Regional Qualifying 5/8-5/15 5/6-5/13 TBA Regional Semi-Finals & Final 5/17-5/22 5/15-5/20 TBA State 5/28-5/29 5/26-5/27 TBA Season Ends 5/29 5/27 TBA Coach — No Contact Period 8/1-8/31 8/1-8/31 TBA VOLLEYBALL — G IRLS STATE TOURNAMENT ROTATION Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 166 WRESTLING 2026-2027 19. WRESTLING — BOYS & GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS — apply to all levels of interscholastic wrestling unless otherwise noted. 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) Participation Limitation 9th-12th Grades — 20 points; 7th & 8th grades — 17 points Wrestler’s Matches Per Day: 6 match maximum 10 match maximum (Two-day tournament) A high school team and/or wrestler may participate in a maximum number of regular season contests worth 20 points. Any and all matches wrestled by an individual shall count toward the team’s point limitation of 20 points. 7th & 8th grade wrestlers are permitted 17 points. Points are calculated as follows: Point(s) Wrestler’s Matches Per Day Event Example 1/2 point 1 match maximum Dual match 1 point 2 match maximum Tri-match 1.5 points 3 match maximum Quad match 2 points 6 match maximum One-day tournament 3 points 10 match maximum (5 per day) Two-day tournament Any event in excess of two days will have two points added for each day beyond the second day if more than 10 matches will be wrestled by any one individual during the tournament. The Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association (OHSWCA) Girls and Boys State Duals Tournament is recognized by the OHSAA. Participation in these events does not affect a wrestler’s ability to participate in the OHSAA Tournament. Additionally, participation in these events will not accrue any points toward the individual’s or team’s regular season schedule point limitation. 1.11) Team Regular Season Contest Limitation (9th-12th grades) A high school team may compete in a maximum of 20 points. There is no requirement for points to be allotted to tournament or non-tournament events. 1.12) Individual Contest Requirements An individual wrestler may participate in a maximum number of contests totaling 20 points. Any wrestler who exceeds the 20 point limitation is ineligible for further regular season or any OHSAA tournament competition. A wrestler may accrue his/her points from any schedule or level of competition. Note: 7th & 8th graders — 17 points. 1.13) High School Varsity Tie-Breaker A tie-breaker shall be used for all varsity dual meets. The first criterion is which team had any unsporting penalties. The remaining criteria are published in the NFHS Wrestling rulebook. 1.2) Multiple School-Sponsored Teams A school may sponsor two (same level) wrestling teams. When a school sponsors two wrestling teams, a sepa - rate schedule for each team is required and each schedule is bound by wrestling regulation 1.11 (above). 1.3) Practice — Practice is instruction given by a school coach to his/her team during the OHSAA-defined wrestling season. Practice sessions which involve wrestlers from other schools are scrimmages, unless both schools have the same board-approved coach. 1.4) Scrimmage — Any practice or workout between two or more teams is a scrimmage. Multiple team scrimmages shall count as one scrimmage; however, the time limit is three hours. 1.41) High schools (Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshmen) — Four scrimmages permitted. Three hour time limit for all scrimmages. Individual wrestlers from a school that does not have enough wrestlers to schedule or participate in dual meets (six or fewer weight classes) may practice or work out with other school teams or individuals during the regular season. Such situations shall be reported in writing to the Wrestling Administrator. After the conclusion of the Sectional Wrestling Tournament, wrestlers who qualify for further competition may “practice” with wrestlers from other schools who are similarly qualified. Any team or individual that exceeds the maximum number of contests (games, matches, meets, scrimmages) may be denied the right to participate in the OHSAA Wrestling Tournament during the year the violation occurs. SPORTS REGULATIONS 167 2026-2027 WRESTLING 1.5) Previews — A preview may not exceed one half of the regular season contest for any one athlete (three one-min - ute periods) or team and shall be wrestled according to National Federation Wrestling Rules. A preview may be scheduled and held only starting with the first day after the official start date of coaching and ending with the date of the first regular season event of the teams involved. 1.6) Weight Loss — The OHSAA does not permit any practice that endangers the health and safety of the partici - pants. Crash dieting, the use of diuretic, emetics and other drugs for weight reduction, the use of a sweat box, any type rubber, vinyl, or plastic sweatsuit or bag, hot showers, whirlpools or similar artificial heat devices for weight reduction is prohibited. The wrestling practice facility must be kept at a temperature not to exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit at the start of practice. Violation at a contest site shall automatically disqualify the contes - tant from further participation for the match or tournament. Such dangerous practices during training constitute a lack of institutional control. 1.7) Weight Classes — Grades 9-12 — 14 weight classes 1.71) Freshmen (Boys or Girls) —when the event is a freshman-only event, the weight classes shall be: 98, 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215, and 285.. The minimum weight for the 285-pound class shall be 210 pounds and is subject to the growth allowance, making it 212 pounds on and after 12/25. 1.72) Boys Weight Classes – when the event is predominantly male wrestlers, the weight classes shall be those weight classes adopted by the NFHS : 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215, and 285. The minimum weight for the 285-pound class is 210 pounds and is subject to the growth allowance, making it 212 pounds on and after 12/25. 1.73) Girls Weight Classes – when the event is a female-only event, the weight classes shall be: 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 155, 170, 190, and 235. The minimum weight for the 235-pound class is 184 pounds and is subject to the growth allowance, making it 186 pounds on and after 12/25. 1.74) Growth Allowance —A two pound allowance will be given on December 25. The growth allowance can only be used by a wrestler who has certified at a desired weight class. The growth allowance (and any other weight allowance) cannot be used to participate in a weight class if they have not already certified at the desired weight class. 1.75) Minimum Weights for Heaviest Weight Class - Note: This minimum weight is fixed before the 12/25 growth allowance and is 2 pounds heavier after the 12/25 growth allowance. These minimum weights are capped and are not subject to any other weight allowances. 1.76) Weight Class Certification – a wrestler can certify at a weight class at any level of competition. The certification must occur at a weigh-in in accordance with NFHS Rule 4-5. In order to certify at a weight class, a wrestler must weigh-in for that weight class and participate in one of the following scenarios: a) Compete in a match b) Accept an opponent’s forfeit c) Begin a match and accept an opponent’s medical default A wrestler cannot certify at a weight class by forfeiting or defaulting a match. 1.77) Weight Class Descent - If at any time during the season a wrestler weighs in and competes at a weight class more than one weight class above the minimum weight class for that day according to his/her weight loss plan, he/she shall forfeit the minimum weight class corresponding to that day and any subsequent lower weight class(es) remaining on the weight loss plan. A wrestler may weigh less than their weight loss plan allows for that day, but they cannot compete in a weight class lower than the weight class prescribed by their weight loss plan. 1.78) Out-of-State Opponents —The weight classes of the state in which competition is held shall be the weight classes wrestled. 1.8) Weight Management Program for grades 9-12 The establishment of a minimum wrestling weight based on 7% body fat for males and 12% for females is required for all senior high school wrestlers. The OHSAA does not advocate that a wrestler’s established mini - mum weight is the athlete’s best weight, but simply the minimum weight at which the athlete will be allowed to compete. A. ESTABLISHING MINIMUM WEIGHT Each wrestler must complete two steps to satisfy the certification process. The first step is weight assessment and the second step is competition. Step 1: Each wrestler must complete the weight management process. This will establish the wrestler’s minimum weight class (MWC), which is his/her safest and lowest weight class that he/she may compete. Step 2: Each athlete must compete one time at his/her lowest allowable weight class at or after the date in which the weight loss plan allows. The wrestler must make the original scratch weight in that weight class. Accepting a forfeit during a dual meet and moving up one weight class in a dual meet satisfy the competition part of the process. SPORTS REGULATIONS 168 WRESTLING 2026-2027 Note: Every wrestler, while descending to a lower weight class, must qualify by making scratch weight at that weight class before any additional pounds may be used. Wrestlers may certify for a weight class at the first weigh-in of the Sectional Tournament. The Weight Management program description, logistics of establishing minimum weight, and examples may be found in the Wrestling Manual, which is posted in the “Wrestling” section of the OHSAA website ( OHSAA. org ). B. PENALTIES Penalties for a wrestler circumventing (attempting to cheat and/or cheating) the weight assessment process: 1. First Offense – Suspension for one wrestling season. 2. Second Offense – Suspension for two wrestling seasons. A coach who knowingly cheats the Ohio Weight Management Program or assists a wrestler to circumvent the weight assessment process will be subject to penalties and sanctions imposed by the OHSAA Wrestling Administrator. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation See General Sports Regulation 7 for regulations on non-interscholastic participation. 2.1) Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Date: A wrestling athlete who has not participated for the school in wrestling that season must cease non-interscho - lastic wrestling competition six weeks (42 days) prior to the Monday of the week of the first state individual tournament in wrestling in order to be eligible for OHSAA Tournament competition. Boys Date: January 11, 2027 Girls Date: January 11, 2027 3) Out-of-State Travel For information on Out of State Travel competition see Bylaw 9-2 at OHSAA.org. 4) Ejection for Non-Sporting Conduct — and/or Flagrant Misconduct (7th-12th grades) Any wrestler or coach shall be ineligible for all levels of OHSAA tournaments (dual team and individual) until the ejection consequence has been completed. Each level of the OHSWCA Dual Team Tournament is qualified as a one- day tournament. See General Sport Regulations 13 & 14 for the complete ejection regulation. 5) Sponsorship 5.1) A school that sponsors girls wrestling and boys wrestling shall maintain separate schedules for girls and boys events. 5.2) A school that sponsors girls wrestling may permit girls to participate in both boys and girls events during the regular season, provided they don’t exceed the individual contest limitation in a season. Girls are permitted to enter and compete in the OHSAA girls wrestling tournament provided the school is registered for the girls tournament through the school’s myOHSAA account. 5.3) Girls may choose to participate in only boys wrestling events during the regular season and remain eligible for the OHSAA girls wrestling tournament provided the school is registered for the girls tournament through the school’s myOHSAA account. 5.4) A girl may participate in all girls wrestling events on their school’s schedule, and may also participate in any ad - ditional boys wrestling events up to the individual contest limitation, and still participate in the girls wrestling tournament provided the school is registered for the girls tournament through the school’s myOHSAA account. 5.5) A girl may only participate in either the OHSAA girls wrestling tournament or the OHSAA boys wrestling tournament. A girl wrestler cannot participate in both tournaments. 6) Penalties The maximum penalty for violation of General Sports Regulation 7 (participation with a non-interscholastic wres - tling squad while a member of the school’s interscholastic wrestling squad) or any OHSAA regulations for any member of the school squad, EXCEPT a senior, is ineligibility for the remainder of the interscholastic wrestling season or the ensuing wrestling season. For a senior, the maximum penalty shall be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. 7) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, infor - mation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, http://www.ohsaa.org/Eligibil - ity/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participat - ed in high school wrestling within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible starting with varsity regular season point #11 and for any remaining regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament. SPORTS REGULATIONS 169 2026-2027 WRESTLING 8) Modifications to Competition With mutual agreeance of all participating teams in an event, the competition may be modified in one or both of the following ways: 8.1) Multiple Entrants in Same Weight Class Schools may enter more than one wrestler in the same weight class in an event, including bracketed individual tournaments. 8.2) Home School Weigh-Ins (Sub-Varsity Only) Sub-varsity wrestlers may weigh-in at their home school on the day of competition. The host school / tour - nament director may dictate the time of day the home weigh-ins take place. Home school weigh-ins will be conducted using Trackwrestling-generated weigh-in forms and must be witnessed and signed by a school ad - ministrator / coaching staff / designee. Additionally, the signed weigh-in form shall be presented at the meet prior to the competition. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — 7TH & 8TH GRADES 1) Weight Management No weight management plan exists for 7th & 8th grade wrestlers. Coaches should encourage participation and de-emphasize weight loss. Coaches should educate wrestlers on good nutritional plans. 2) Weight Classes – Boys 7th & 8th grade weight classes includes 16 classes: 80, 86, 92, 98, 104, 110, 116, 122, 128, 134, 142, 150, 160, 172, 205 and 245. The minimum weight for the 245 pound class shall be 200 pounds and is subject to the growth allow - ance, making it 202 pounds on and after 12/25. Weight Classes – Girls 7th & 8th grade weight classes for competition with all girls includes 16 classes: 72, 80, 86, 92, 98, 104, 110, 116, 122, 128, 134, 142, 155, 170, 190, and 235. The minimum weight for the 235 pound class shall be 185 pounds and is subject to the growth allowance, making it 187 pounds on and after 12/25. 3) Growth Allowance The growth allowance is intended to grow the weight classes to accommodate the natural growth of the 7th & 8th grade wrestler. It is not intended to assist a youngster to “starve” himself / herself into a lower weight class. A two- pound growth allowance will be applied to all weight classes on December 25. In effect, all maximum weights in all weight classes go up two pounds. 7th & 8th grade wrestlers do not “certify” at a weight class, they are eligible for weight classes by their strict weight only, regardless of weight loss during the season. 4) Weigh-in Regulations (7th & 8th Grade) Wrestlers may weigh-in at their home school on the day of competition. The host school / tournament director may dictate the time of day the home weigh-ins take place. The weigh-in must be witnessed by an administrator/designee, and the approved, signed weigh-in sheet shall be presented at the meet prior to the competition. 5) Participation Limitation a) Review item 1.1 regarding participation limitations. 7th & 8th grade wrestling programs should have a bal - anced schedule which would include tournaments as well as home and away dual/tri matches. Teams and individual wrestlers are limited to a maximum of 17 regular season points. Note: The Ohio Athletic Committee’s (OAC) State Junior High Tournament is NOT an interscholastic event. Participation in an OAC event during the OHSAA season shall result in ineligibility for the remainder of the OHSAA season. b) No one below the 7th grade shall practice/participate with or against 7th & 8th grade wrestlers. 7th & 8th grade wrestlers shall not practice/participate with or against 9th-12th grade wrestlers. c) No requirement for dual or tri/matches exists for 7th & 8th grade. 6) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — November 13, 2026 7) First match — December 3, 2026 8) Season ends — March 14, 2027 9) Scrimmages — Two permitted or one scrimmage and one preview. Note: Individual wrestlers from a 7th & 8th grade school that does not have enough wrestlers to schedule or par - ticipate in dual meets (six or fewer weight classes) may practice or work out with other school teams or individu - als during the regular season. Such situations shall be reported in writing to the OHSAA Wrestling Administrator. 10) 17 regular season points and no specific requirements for the number of duals or tri matches SPORTS REGULATIONS 170 WRESTLING 2026-2027 170 11) Rules — National Federation Wrestling 12) Length of Matches a) Each period is 1 1⁄2 minutes. b) Consolation matches are comprised of three 1-minute periods. c) The overtime period is one one-minute sudden victory period followed by a 30-second period if necessary. In the ultimate tie-breaker, the person who scores first in the regulation match has choice and their choice is either up or down. If the wrestler was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, choice is offered to the opponent. 13) Rest between Matches - No contestant shall wrestle in two consecutive matches with less than a 30-minute rest between matches. 14) Officials — Regardless of the number of officials, all must be OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3, or officials in training C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — Grades 9-12 1) Coaching and tryouts may begin — November 13, 2026 2) First match — December 3, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end — March 14, 2027 4) Scrimmages — Maximum of four permitted or three and one preview. In a preview, an individual is limited to three one-minute periods 5) Regular season contests — Maximum of 20 points for teams and individuals 6) Rules — National Federation Wrestling 7) Length of Matches — Each period is 2 minutes; consolation match periods are 1-2-2 minutes 8) Rest between Matches - No contestant shall wrestle in two consecutive matches with less than a 30-minute rest between matches. 9) Officials: 9.1) Varsity — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 official required. 9.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or 2 official required. 9.3) Freshmen — Regardless of the number of officials, all must be OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3, or officials in training. SPORTS REGULATIONS 171 2026-2027 WRESTLING WRESTLING CALENDARS Boys and Girls Wrestling 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 Coaching Begins 11/13 11/12 11/10 Earliest Preview Date 11/14 11/13 11/13 Season Begins 12/3 12/2 11/30 Non-Interscholastic Date 1/11 1/10 1/8 Sectional 2/22-2/27 2/21-2/26 2/19-2/24 District 3/1-3/6 2/28-3/4 2/26-3/3 State 3/12-3/14 3/10-3/12 3/9-3/11 Season Ends 3/14 3/12 3/11 Easter 3/28 4/16 4/1 Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here 172 INDEX ABOUT THE OHSAA ..................................................................................................................................... 2-4 ADJUSTED ENROLLMENT COUNT ............................................................................................................. 33 ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY — BYLAW 3 ............................................................................ 34-36 Courtesy to Officials and Visiting Schools ................................................................................................ 35 Duties Regarding Appeals .......................................................................................................................... 36 Eligibility Certificates ................................................................................................................................ 36 Primary Responsibility .............................................................................................................................. 35 School Representative Must Accompany Team ......................................................................................... 35 School’s Responsibility When Hosting A Contest ..................................................................................... 35 Student Participation and Physical Examination Forms ............................................................................ 35 AFFILIATED ASSOCIATIONS ....................................................................................................................... 11 “ALL-STAR” CONTESTS/GAMES ........................................................................................................... 69-75 AMATUER .................................................................................................................................................. 56-57 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS ................................................................. 28-29 APPEALS PROCESS .................................................................................................................................. 16-17 ATHLETIC UNIFORMS ................................................................................................................................... 84 AWARDS — BYLAW 5 .................................................................................................................................... 59 BOARD OF DIRECTORS .................................................................................................................. 4, 6, 23-24 Executive Director ................................................................................................................. 4, 7, 11, 23-25 Division of State into Districts .................................................................................................................. 10 Meetings ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 Membership ......................................................................................................................................... 25-27 Powers and Duties ...................................................................................................................................... 28 Quorum ...................................................................................................................................................... 28 Term of Office ............................................................................................................................................ 28 Vacancy ...................................................................................................................................................... 28 BOARD OF EDUCATION ............................................... 16, 21-22, 27-30, 36, 38-49, 56, 59, 66, 69-75, 82-91 BOARD OF EDUCATION RESOLUTION ..................................................................................................... 16 BONA FIDE ........................................................................................................................................... 42, 46-50 BYLAWS ..................................................................................................................................................... 31-63 Bylaw 1 – Coverage ............................................................................................................................ 31-32 Bylaw 2 – Divisions and Tournament Assignments ........................................................................... 32-34 Byalw 3 – Administrative Responsibility ........................................................................................... 34-36 Bylaw 4 – Student Eligibility ............................................................................................................... 36-59 Bylaw 5 – Awards ...................................................................................................................................... 59 Bylaw 6 – Coaches .................................................................................................................................... 59 Bylaw 7 – Contracts ............................................................................................................................ 59-60 Bylaw 8 – Officials ............................................................................................................................. 60-61 Bylaw 9 – Contest Requiring Special Attention .................................................................................. 61-62 Bylaw 10 – Protests and Forfeitures ......................................................................................................... 62 Bylaw 11 – Penalties ........................................................................................................................... 62-63 Bylaw 12 – Suspended Schools ................................................................................................................. 63 Bylaw 13 – Parliamentary Procedure ....................................................................................................... 63 CALENDARS .............................................................................................................................................. 12-13 CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT INSURANCE ................................................................................................. 15 CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION .......................................................................... 94 CHEERLEADER PYRAMIDS AND ACROBATIC ROUTINES ................................................................... 86 COACHES ASSOCIATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 11 COACHES — BYLAW 6 .................................................................................................................................. 59 Requirements for Coaching ....................................................................................................................... 59 Other Information ...................................................................................................................................... 59 Salary of Coaches ...................................................................................................................................... 59 Comments to Media ................................................................................................................................... 90 COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS ......................................................................................................................... 38-41 COMPETITIVE BALANCE ................................................................................................................. 32, 34, 82 CONCUSSION REGULATIONS .............................................................................................................. 91-94 CONDUCT OF STUDENT ATHLETES ................................................................................... 15, 34-36, 42-44 CONFERENCES/LEAGUES .......................................................................................................... 59-60, 84, 86 CONSTITUTION ........................................................................................................................................ 21-29 Executive Director .................................................................................................................................... 25 District Athletic Boards ........................................................................................................................ 25-28 Governance ................................................................................................................................................ 23 Membership ......................................................................................................................................... 21-23 Membership Dues ...................................................................................................................................... 23 Name .......................................................................................................................................................... 21 173 Purpose ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 CONTESTS REQUIRING SPECIAL ATTENTION — BYLAW 9 ........................................................... 61-62 Non-Member Schools and Non-Interscholastic Teams ....................................................................... 61-62 Out-of-State Schools ............................................................................................................................ 61-62 CONTRACTS — BYLAW 7 ...................................................................................................................... 59-60 COVERAGE — BYLAW 1 ........................................................................................................................ 31-32 Application ................................................................................................................................................. 31 Interscholastic Competition ................................................................................................................. 31-32 Penalties ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 Recognized Sports ..................................................................................................................................... 32 Sponsorship ................................................................................................................................................ 31 Team Competition Between Sexes ............................................................................................................ 32 Team Membership ..................................................................................................................................... 32 CURFEW ........................................................................................................................................................... 83 DISABILITIES AMONG STUDENTS .............................................................................. 14, 24, 32, 36-40, 79 DISTRICT ATHLETIC BOARDS .............................................................................................................. 25-28 Elections ............................................................................................................................................ 8-9, 28 Meetings ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 Membership ......................................................................................................................................... 25-27 Nomination ................................................................................................................................................ 27 Powers and Duties ...................................................................................................................................... 28 Qualifications ............................................................................................................................................ 27 Quorum ...................................................................................................................................................... 28 Term of Office ............................................................................................................................................ 28 Vacancies .................................................................................................................................................... 28 DISTRICT MAP ............................................................................................................................................... 10 DIVISIONS AND TOURNAMENT ASSIGNMENTS — BYLAW 2 ....................................................... 33-34 Divisions and Tournaments Assignments ........................................................................................... 32-33 Tournament Assignments .................................................................................................................... 33-34 DRONES ........................................................................................................................................................... 89 EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................ 35, 66-67, 92-97 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ................................................................................. See BOARD OF DIRECTORS FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT .................................................................................. 17 FINES AND PENALTIES – TOURNAMENTS ............................................................................ 34, 62-63, 67 FORFEITS ......................................................................................................................................................... 85 GRADES 7 & 8 ........................................................................................................................................... 13, 84 HEAT ACCLIMATIZATION AND EXERTIONAL HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION ............................. 95-96 HISTORY OF THE OHSAA ....................................................................................................................... 18-19 HOME EDUCATED STUDENTS ................................................................................................................... 38 INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS ............................................................................................................... 57, 65 INTERNATIONAL AND EXCHANGE STUDENTS ............................................................................... 53-54 INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM ................................................................................................ 53 J1 VISA .............................................................................................................................................................. 34 LEAGUES/CONFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 59-60, 84 LIGHTNING AND INCLEMENT WEATHER .......................................................................................... 86-87 LINDSAY’S LAW ....................................................................................................................................... 94-95 MISSION STATEMENT OF THE OHSAA ........................................................................................................ 2 MEDIA REGULATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 89-90 Coaches’ and Participants’ Comments to the News Media ....................................................................... 90 Use of the OHSAA Trade Names and Trademarks ................................................................................... 90 Videotaping and Photography Regulation ........................................................................................... 89-90 MEMBERSHIP – BOARD OF DIRECTORS ........................................................................................... 23-24 MEMBERSHIP – DISTRICT ATHLETIC BOARDS ................................................................................. 25-29 MEMBERSHIP – SCHOOLS .................................................................................................................... 21-23 MYOHSAA .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS ...................................................................................................................... 57-59 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS .............. 20, 62, 65, 78, 86, 91-96 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ........................................................................................................... 86-87 NO CONTACT PERIODS – COACHES ................................................................................................... 73-75 NON-SCHOOL FACILITIES ............................................................................................................................ 75 OFFICIALS — BYLAW 8 .......................................................................................................................... 60-61 Decisions by Officials ................................................................................................................................ 61 Handbook for Officials and Directory ....................................................................................................... 61 Officials Required ...................................................................................................................................... 60 Officials Uniforms ..................................................................................................................................... 61 Rules Examination ..................................................................................................................................... 61 Rules Meeting Requirements ..................................................................................................................... 61 Selection of Officials for Regular Season Contests ............................................................................. 60-61 174 OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION .................................................................... 21-25, 33, 41, 43, 48-54 OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH .................................................................................................... 86, 92-94 OHIO INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATORS ASSOCIATION ................................... 23-24 OHIO REVISED CODE (O.R.C.) ...................................................................... 33, 35-36, 38, 42-49, 60, 73, 91 OPEN DATE .............................................................................................................................................. 95, 122 OPEN GYMNASIUM OR FACILITIES .................................................................................................... 74-75 PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE — BYLAW 13 ........................................................................................ 63 PENALTIES — BYLAW 11 ....................................................................................................................... 62-63 PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAMS .......................................................................................................... 74-75 POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES GOVERNING HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS .............................................. 15 PROTESTS AND FORFEITURES — BYLAW 10 .......................................................................................... 62 Additional Penalties ................................................................................................................................... 62 Forfeitures .................................................................................................................................................. 62 Protests Relative to Eligibility ................................................................................................................... 62 PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES ........................................................................................................................ 82-86 PUPIL ACTIVITY PROGRAM/COACHING PERMIT ...................................................................... 66, 91-93 RATING AND VOTING FOR OFFIALS .................................................................................................. 65-66 READY REFERENCE SPORTS DATES ................................................................................................... 12-13 RECRUITING ............................................................................................................................................ 54-56 REFERENDUM BALLOT ............................................................................................................... 28-29, 65-66 RULES, OFFICIAL CONTESTS ......................................................................................... 4, 14, 19, 24, 32-33 SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS – DIVISIONS .......................................................................................... 82, 32-34 SCRIMMAGE – INTERSCHOLASTIC .......................................................................................................... 85 STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ................................ See OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SPECIAL OLYMPICS OR PARALYMPICS .................................................................................................... 72 SPORT SEASONS ....................................................................................................................................... 12-13 SPORTS REGULATIONS General Sports ...................................................................................................................................... 65-88 Athletic Uniforms ........................................................................................................................ 84-85 Cheerleader Pyramids and Acrobatic Routines ................................................................................. 86 Conditioning, Weight Training and/or Physical Fitness Programs ............................................. 74-75 Ejection for Unsporting Conduct ................................................................................................. 76-79 Ejection of Coach ......................................................................................................................... 78-79 Ejection of Player ......................................................................................................................... 76-78 Ejection Procedures for Schools ........................................................................................................ 76 Exhibition Competition ...................................................................................................................... 86 Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Date ............................................................................. 74 Interrupted Contest ............................................................................................................................. 85 Mandatory Attendance ........................................................................................................... 65, 71-75 Mandatory No-Contact Periods – Coaches ........................................................................................ 75 Non-recognized Sports ................................................................................................................. 81-82 OHSAA Trade Names and Trademarks ............................................................................................. 90 Participants Leaving Playing Area ............................................................................................... 79-80 Preview ........................................................................................................... 31, 36, 69-70, 75, 85-86 Regulations for Participation in Camps, Clinics, Workshops, etc. ................................................... 79 Scrimmages ....................................................................................................................................... 85 Sudden Cardiac Arrest Regulations ............................................................................................ 94-95 Sunday Contests ................................................................................................................................. 86 Team Member .................................................................................................................................... 69 Team Play ..................................................................................................................................... 69-74 Tournament Entry/Withdraw and Draw/Seed Dates .................................................................... 66-68 Table of Fines and Penalties For Tournament Activities ........................................................... 67 Tournaments ................................................................................................................................ 82-83 Failure to Appear and School Closures ................................................................................ 82-83 Recognized and Emerging Sports ............................................................................................. 80 School Assignments-Division ................................................................................................... 82 Transportation To and From Interscholastic Contests ........................................................... 52, 55, 86 Specific Sports Baseball ...................................................................................................................................... 99-102 Basketball ................................................................................................................................. 103-106 Bowling .................................................................................................................................... 107-110 Cross Country ........................................................................................................................... 111-113 Field Hockey ............................................................................................................................. 114-116 Girls Flag Football .................................................................................................................... 117-119 Football .................................................................................................................................... 120-126 Golf .......................................................................................................................................... 127-130 Gymnastics ............................................................................................................................... 131-132 Ice Hockey ............................................................................................................................... 133-135 175 Boys Lacrosse .......................................................................................................................... 136-139 Girls Lacrosse .......................................................................................................................... 140-143 Soccer ....................................................................................................................................... 144-146 Softball .................................................................................................................................... 147-149 Swimming and Diving ............................................................................................................. 150-152 Tennis ....................................................................................................................................... 153-157 Track and Field — Outdoor ..................................................................................................... 158-161 Volleyball ................................................................................................................................. 162-165 Wrestling .................................................................................................................................. 166-171 STAFF DIRECTORY ..................................................................................................................................... 5-9 Board of Directors ................................................................................................................................... 6, 7 OHSAA Staff ....................................................................................................................................... 5, 7-8 District Athletic Boards ............................................................................................................................ 8-9 STATE RULES INTERPRETATION MEETING ................................................................................ 61, 65, 84 STUDENT ELIGIBILITY — BYLAW 4 .................................................................................................... 36-59 Age Limitation ..................................................................................................................................... 37-38 Amateur ................................................................................................................................................ 56-57 Conduct, Character, Discipline .................................................................................................................. 42 Eligibility ............................................................................................................................................. 36-37 Enrollment and Attendance .................................................................................................................. 38-40 International and Exchange Students .................................................................................................. 53-54 Maximum Allowable Contests ............................................................................................................. 45-50 Recruiting ............................................................................................................................................. 54-56 Residence ............................................................................................................................................. 42-45 Scholarship ........................................................................................................................................... 40-42 Transfers ............................................................................................................................................... 45-53 SUNDAY CONTESTS ...................................................................................................................................... 86 SUSPENDED SCHOOLS — BYLAW 12 ........................................................................................................ 63 TEAM REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 69-74 TOBACCO/VAPING, ALCOHOL, ILLEGAL DRUGS AND STEROIDS ..................................................... 98 TOURNAMENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 82-83 Failure to Appear and School Closures ................................................................................................ 82-83 Recognized and Emerging Sports ....................................................................................................... 32, 80 School Assignments-Division ................................................................................................................... 82 TRANSGENDER STUDENT POLICY ........................................................................................................... 32 UNIFORMS ........................................................................................................... See ATHLETIC UNIFORMS UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ................................................................................................. 57 VIDEOTAPING AND PHOTOGRAPHING REGULATIONS ................................................................. 89-90 176 Upcoming OHSAA State Tournaments Spring 2027 » Girls flag football – May 15 – Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton » 7th-8th TRACK AND FIELD – May 15 – Hilliard Darby High School » Boys Tennis – May 27-28 – Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason » Boys Volleyball – May 28-29 – Wittenberg University, Springfield » Softball – June 2-6 – Firestone Stadium, Akron » Track & Field – June 3-6 – Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, OSU » Lacrosse – June 4-5 – Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus » Baseball – June 10-13 – Credit Union Park, Akron, and Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, Canton Fall 2026 » Golf ( Div. II ) – October 11-12 – Firestone Country Club, Akron » Golf ( Div. I ) – October 12-13 – NCR Golf Club, Kettering » Golf ( Div. III ) – October 12-13 – NorthStar Golf Club, Sunbury » Girls Tennis – October 15-16 – Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason » 7th-8th Cross Country – October 25 – Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park » Field Hockey – November 5-7 – Thomas Worthington High School » Cross Country – November 7 – Fortress Obetz and Memorial Park » girls Volleyball – November 12-14 – Nutter Center, Wright State University, and Additional Sites » Soccer – November 13-16 – Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus » Football – December 3-5 – Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton Winter 2027 » Swimming & Diving – February 23-27 – C.T. Branin Natatorium, Canton » Bowling ( Div. II ) – February 26-27 – HP Lanes, Columbus » Bowling ( Div. I ) – March 5-6 – HP Lanes, Columbus » Gymnastics – March 6-7 – Hilliard Bradley High School » Girls Basketball – March 11-13 – University of Dayton Arena, Wright State University and Vandalia Butler HS » Wrestling – March 12-14 – Schottenstein Center, Ohio State University » Ice Hockey – March 13-14 – Nationwide Arena, Columbus » Boys Basketball – March 18-21 – University of Dayton Arena and Additional Sites www.OHSAA.org/Fan-Guide @OHSAASports Facebook.com/OHSAASports @OHSAASports @OHSAA_Sports @OHSAAVideos www.OHSAA.org STUDENT-ATHLETES’ RESPONSIBILITIES Treat opponents with the respect they deserve just as you would want to be treated. Exercise self control at all times, accepting decisions by officials, coaches and teammates and abiding by them. Display no behavior that could incite fans. Respect the integrity and judgment of the officials. Never argue or make gestures indicating the dislike of a decision. Always set a good example for your teammates and fans to follow. Accept both victory and defeat with pride and compassion, being neither boastful nor bitter. Congratulate opponents in a sincere manner following either a win or a loss. PARENTS’ and FANS’ RESPONSIBILITIES Realize that a ticket is a privilege to observe a contest and support high school athletics. It is not a license to verbally assault anyone or act in an outrageous manner. Conduct yourself as a positive role model and encourage other fans to follow suit. Realize that interschoalstic athletes are part of the educational experience and that its benefits go beyond the final score of the contest. Realize that everyone’s goal is to win, but winning is not our purpose. Our purpose is in interscholastic athletics is the human growth and development of the participants so that they can develop skills they can use throughout their lives. Respect the decisions made by officials and learn the rules of the game to better understand their decisions. Respect and support the task of the coaches. Respect opponents as students, and acknowledge them for striving t o do their best. Be a fan, not a fanatic. If you are a parent, be a parent that your child can be proud of. STUDENT FANS’ RESPONSIBILITIES Realize that a ticket is a privilege to observe a contest and support high school athletics. It is not a license to verbally assault anyone or generally be obnoxious. Conduct yourself as a positive role model and encourage other students to follow suit. Respect the property of the school and the authority of school officials and game administrators. Also respect yourself, your team, coaches, fellow fans and spirit groups. Use only positive cheers, signs and praise without antagonizing or demeaning opponents. Show respect for an injured player when they are removed from the contest. Do not applaud errors by opponents or penalties inflicted upon them. Do not heckle, jeer or distract members of the opposing team or contest officials. Never criticize the players or coaches for the loss of the game. Refrain from using profanity, racial or sexual comments and intimidating language or actions directed to others. # Encouraging # Humble # Positive Fan Code of Conduct For a more information on sporting behavior and the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s sportsmanship program, visit the OHSAA’s website at www.ohsaa.org. - - - - - - - - - - The following prohibited actions or items will result in individuals being ejected from the contest and potentially facing additional criminal and/or school discipline: Entering or throwing objects onto field, court or playing area or entering team, coaches or officials lockerrooms or offices. Intoxication or other signs of impairment related to alcohol consumption or the use of illegal substances. Behavior that is unruly, disruptive or illegal in nature. Fighting, taunting or threatening remarks or gestures. Foul or abusive language or gestures. Smoking, including e cigarettes and vaping, in any areas of the facility. Displays of affection not appropriate in a public setting and/or public indecency. Possession and/or use of illegal drugs or firearms. Obscene, indecent of offensive clothing. Failing to comply with instructions from school administrators, ushers, parking attendants, security, game management or law enforcement. National Federation of State High School Associations Officials Code of Ethics OFFICIALS Officials at an interscholastic athletic event are participants in the educational development of high school students. As such, they must exercise a high level of self-discipline, independence and responsibility. The purpose of this Code is to establish guidelines for ethical standards of conduct for all interscholastic officials. • Officials shall master both the rules of the game and the mechanics necessary to enforce the rules, and shall exercise authority in an impartial, firm and controlled manner. • Officials shall work with each other and their state associations in a constructive an cooperative manner. • Officials shall uphold the honor and dignity of the profession in all interaction with student- athletes, coaches, athletic directors, school administrators, colleagues, and the public. • Officials shall avoid the use of alcohol and tobacco products beginning with the arrival at the competition site until departure following the completion of the contest. • Officials shall prepare themselves both physically and mentally, shall dress neatly and appropriately, and shall comport themselves in a manner consistent with the high standards of the profession. • Officials shall be punctual and professional in the fulfillment of all contractual obligations. • Officials shall remain mindful that their conduct influences the respect that student-athletes, coaches and the public hold for the profession. • Officials shall, while enforcing the rules of play, remain aware of the inherent risk of injury that competition poses to student-athletes. Where appropriate, they shall inform event management of conditions or situations that appear unreasonably hazardous. • Officials shall take reasonable steps to educate themselves in the recognition of emergency conditions that might arise during the course of competition. • Officials shall maintain an ethical approach while participating in forums, chat rooms and all forms of social media. THE OHSAA OFFICIATING PROGRAM Certifies, Educates & Supports nearly 16,000 game officials The Ohio High School Athletic Association has built a comprehensive statewide officiating program that annually certifies, educates and supports nearly 16,000 game officials in Ohio. Respect for, and positive interaction with, officials are vital parts of education-based athletics and can teach life lessons for student-athletes, coaches and fans. All OHSAA officials are enrolled in the National Federation Interscholastic Officials Association, which includes training and insurance opportunities. State and local rules meetings, clinics, camps and interaction with local officials associations help support officials. There is also a formal recognition program for officials that includes certificates of service, a National Federation pin and ultimately the OHSAA Officials Hall of Fame. In addition, most OHSAA-sanctioned sports have a Director of Officiating Development who is responsible for the training and education of those sports officials. The DOD assists the OHSAA office with meeting topics, classes and virtually every aspect of officiating enhancement. To assist in the process in determining which officials will be assigned to OHSAA tournament contests the following school year, member high schools are required to rate and vote for officials. Following each regular-season varsity contest, head coaches or athletic administrators are required to rate the contest officials. Athletic administrators have additional voting responsibilities and each of the six District Athletic Boards and OHSAA office staff are a part of the tournament selection process as well. NOTES

4-1-1 The Board of Directors shall have the authority to levy any dues deemed necessary. Article 5 1 - Governance 5-1-1 The Board of Directors directs the Executive Director and establishes policy for the efficient operation of the Association. 2 - Board of Directors 5-2-1 The Board of Directors shall be composed of one classification representative from each of the district athletic boards elected from an athletic district, three representatives from district athletic boards elected from an athletic district: one who is an ethnic minority, one who is a female and one who is a 7th & 8th grade representative, a non-voting ex-officio member from the Director of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and a non-voting ex-officio member from the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. 3 - Qualification for Board of Directors Membership 5-3-1 The district athletic board representatives shall be members of the teaching profession and employed fulltime (minimum of 180 days) by a member school or schools. They shall be elected members of the district athletic boards representing the classification of schools or a representation category (female, ethnic minority and 7th & 8th grade) and the athletic districts whose terms of office are set for the Board of Directors according to this table. YEAR C E NE NW SE SW C E NE NW SE SW 2026-2027 A AAA AA AAA A AA 7-8 M F 2027-2028 A A AAA AAA AA AA F 7-8 M 2028-2029 AA A AAA A AA AAA F 7-8 M 2029-2030 AA A AAA A AA AAA F 7-8 M 2030-2031 AA AA A A AAA AAA F 7-8 M 2031-2032 AAA AA A AA AAA A 7-8 M F 2032-2033 AAA AA A AA AAA A 7-8 M F 2033-2034 AAA AAA AA AA A A 7-8 M F 2034-2035 A AAA AA AAA A AA F 7-8 M 2035-2036 A AAA AA AAA A AA F 7-8 M 2036-2037 A A AAA AAA AA AA 7-8 M F 2037-2038 AA A AAA A AA AAA M 7-8 F 2038-2039 AA A AAA A AA AAA M 7-8 F 2039-2040 AA AA A A AAA AAA M F 7-8 2040-2041 AAA AA A AA AAA A F M 7-8 5-3-2 The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Representative employed by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and appointed by the Director of the Department of Education and Workforce shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of the Board of Directors. 5-3-3 The representative of the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of the Board of Directors. 4 - Selection of Members to the Board of Directors 5-4-1 District athletic board members who are serving in the appropriate classification/representation category shall automat - ically be nominated for the Board of Directors position. In the matter of nominees from the classification positions (A, AA, AAA), the respective District Athletic Boards shall select the representative to serve on the Board of Directors. The deadline for appointment shall be no later than the May meeting of the Board of Directors. 5-4-2 When a vacancy or temporary incapacitation occurs for reasons other than expiration of term, the Board of Directors shall appoint a member for the remainder of that term or the duration of the incapacitation, who is qualified in accordance with this Constitution. 5-4-3 In the event that a District Athletic Board may not have a candidate to fulfill the term of a female, ethnic minority or 7th & 8th grade representative at the time when that candidate’s term commences, the Board of Directors may appoint a candidate that meets the candidate’s qualifications for the duration of that term. CONSTITUTION 24 5 - Term of Office 5-5-1 The term of office of a Board of Directors representative selected from a District Athletic Board shall be a full term of three years and begin on August 1. 5-5-2 The term of office of a Board of Directors representative ceases immediately when the representative no longer meets the qualifications in Constitution 5-3. 5-5-3 The term of office of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administra - tors Association representatives shall be indefinite, and a vacancy shall be filled through appointment by the State Super - intendent of Public Instruction and the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association leadership, respectively. 6 - Powers and Duties of the Board of Directors 5-6-1 The powers and duties of the Board of Directors include but are not limited to: 1. Employ the Executive Director. 2. Employ a Chief Financial Officer who shall render reports as requested by the Board of Directors, and shall cause to be published annually the audited financial report for the past fiscal year. 3. Conduct an annual review and/or evaluation of the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer. 4. Approve contracts with Association personnel. 5. Provide a retirement system for employees. 6. Approve the contest rules and regulations for each sport. 7. Authorize the Executive Director’s Office to organize and conduct all state sponsored interscholastic athletic tour - naments and determine and set entry fees as needed. 8. Establish an appeals process by which decisions of the Executive Director’s Office can be reviewed. This process may include holding hearings involving eligibility, qualifications, game contracts and controversies between or among schools and/or participants and officials regarding interscholastic athletics. This process may also include the appointment of an Appeals Panel separate from the Board of Directors for the review of all rulings by the Executive Director’s Office. If the Board appoints an Appeals Panel, the Appeals Panel shall have exclusive appellate jurisdic - tion over all rulings by the Executive Director’s Office. Appeals decisions, whether rendered by an Appeals Panel or the Board of Directors, shall be final. Neither the Board of Directors nor an Appeals Panel, if one is appointed, has the authority to waive, amend, or set aside any bylaw but rather must apply the bylaws precisely as they are written. The Board of Directors shall make the decision to appoint an Appeals Panel no later than the June meeting of the Board of Directors. 9. When appropriate, compel the attendance at any OHSAA hearing of the principal, athletic director, coach or such other school administrator from any school(s) affected or likely to be affected by the outcome of that hearing. 10. Approve recommendations from the Executive Director’s Office to adopt regulations and business rules to promote the purpose of the Association and/or for the timely, accurate and transparent implementation of specific bylaws so as to give them effect and meaning. 11. The Board of Directors may declare a position vacant on a District Athletic Board when an elected member fails to attend three consecutive meetings and/or fulfill the requirements of the position. 12. The Board of Directors may suspend a school from membership in the Association. 7 - Divisions of State into Districts 5-7-1 The Board of Directors shall divide the state geographically into six districts to be known as the Central, East, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest districts. The responsibility of each District Athletic Board shall be to execute those powers and duties as stipulated in Constitution 7-7-1 and 7-7-2 for the member schools that are located in the geographic district bearing the same name. 5-7-2 All member schools shall be assigned to the athletic district in which the school is located. 5-7-3 Member schools requesting permission to transfer from one district to another district must submit the required tranfer request application to the releasing and receiving district athletic boards and the Executive Director by no later than six (6) months prior to August 1 of the next divisional alignment year governed bt Bylaw 2, Section 1. Both district athletic boards shall have a 90-day period to provide an advisory recommendation to either support or oppose the transfer request in writing. The member school shall have a 10-day period to respond in writing to the district athletic boards. Based on the foregoing, the Executive Director shall have a 30-day period to evaluate the request and issue a decision using objective, published criteria. The member school may appeal any unfavorable decision to an Appeals Panel established pursuant to Article 5-6-1. If such a panel is not established, the member school may appeal to a panel comprised of the members of Board of Directors who are not from the affected district athletic boards. The appeal hearing shall involve representatives from the affected parties so that the panel may listen to all relevant factors and make an informed decision using the objective, published criteria. 25 CONSTITUTION All petitions for transfer become effective at the beginning of the next divisional alignment year governed by Bylaw 2, Section 1 with no retrospective activation. Members schools that transfer districts pursuant to this section shall not be permitted to request another transfer for the next eight (8) school years. 5-7-4 All member schools within an athletic district shall be assigned one of three classifications (A, AA or AAA) based upon the school’s size of enrollment as provided by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. All boys and girls in grades 9, 10 and 11 included in the school’s October enrollment report shall be counted for enrollment purposes with the exception of students who are identified as children with disabilities as expressed within the OHSAA Business Rules for Obtaining Enrollment Data. The Board of Directors is authorized to adopt policy for assigning students, who are not specified as assigned to a particular high school, to the appropriate member high school and to publish the policy on the Association’s website. Note : The policy, Business Rules for Obtaining Enrollment Data, was first prepared in April 2007, has since been modi - fied, and is posted on the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org) 5-7-5 The classification of schools within a given athletic district shall be determined on a biannual basis. 8 - Meetings 5-8-1 No later than the June meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board shall elect a president and vice-president to serve a term of one year beginning on August 1 and ending the following July 31. 5-8-2 The regular meetings shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President, or by any three voting members. 9 - Quorum 5-9-1 Five voting members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Phone: (614) 267-2502; Fax: (614) 267-1677; OHSAA.org Hours: Monday — Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. OHSAA Board of Directors Stephanie Evans, President, Director of Athletics and Student Services, Stewart Federal Hocking High School (Female Repersentative-Board of Dir. 2027) B: 740-662-6691 John Carter, Vice President, Athletic Administrator, Cleveland Benedictine High School (Ethnic Minority Representative- Board of Dir. 2028) B: 216-421-2080, ext. 343 Ray Hibbs , Athletic Administrator, Cadiz Harrison Central Junior/Senior High School (7th-8th Grade Representative- Board of Dir. 2028) B : 740-942-7710 Matt Hutchinson , Athletic Administrator, Wauseon High School (Class AAA Representative-Board of Dir. 2028) B: 419-335-5756, ext. 2007 Tom Nerl , Athletic Administrator, Cincinnati Mariemont High School (Class AA Representative-Board of Dir. 2028) B: 513-272-7617 Mark Rose , Athletic Administrator/Facilities and Technology Assistant, Portsmouth Clay High School (Class A Representative- Board of Dir. 2027) B: 740-354-6644, ext. 2201 Randy Tevepaugh , Athletic Administrator, Streetsboro High School (Class AA Representative-Board of Dir. 2027) B: 330-626-4902 Lane Warner , Superintendent, Elgin Local Schools, Marion (Class A Representative- Board of Dir. 2028) P: 740-382-1101 Jeff Wheeler , Principal/Athletic Administrator, Cambridge High School (Class AAA Representative-2027) B: 740-435-1100 Glen Gillespie , Executive Director, Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (ex-officio; Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association representative) P: 419-356-2278 Jared Cole , Physical Education Program Specialist, Office of Academic Success (ex-officio, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce representative) P: 614-466-0216 OHSAA Staff (To e-mail staff, use first initial of first name, followed by entire last name, followed by @ohsaa.org. Ex.: tstried@ohsaa.org) Charles Anderson , Manager of Officiating Andy Bixler , Director of Eligibility & Student Services Greg Bossick , Senior Accountant Monroe Britton , Sport Administrator Michael Cornathan , Sport Administrator BJ Duckworth , Sport Administrator Amanda Harding , Manager of Officiating Administration Steve Hoffbauer , Production and Facilities Specialist Alexis Holderman , Manager of Membership Services Keaton Jones , Manager of Officiating Technology Scott Kaufman , Director of Sport Administration & Operations Michelle Kern , Executive Assistant John Kronour, Ph.D. , Director of Sport Administration & Personnel Claudia Markoff , Customer Service Manager Kristin Ronai , Associate Executive Director Beau Rugg , Director of Officiating Ronald Sayers , Director of Eligibility & Technology Kelly Schoenly , Sport Administrator Tim Stried , Director of Communications Doug Ute , Executive Director Calvin Vermilya , Staff Accountant Laura Vermilya , Chief Operating Officer Lizzy Wilson , Manager of Eligibility Also – George Smalley , General Manager, and Miles Markiewicz , Associate General Manager, and Ava Penley , Partnership Account Coordinator, Teall Properties Group (TPG) Ohio OHSAA District Athletic Boards Central District Ryan Fitzgerard , Director of Business & Operations, Hamilton Local School District, Columbus (Class AA Representative-2029) B: 614-491-8044 Jason Moyer , Athletic Administrator, Tree of Life Christian School, (Class A Representative-2032) B: 614-784-1937 Mark Shively , Director of Classified Personnel and Support Services, Newark City Schools (Class AAA Representative-2031) B: 740-670-7046 Lane Warner , Superintendent, Elgin Local Schools, Marion (Class A Representative-2027) B: 740-382-1101 Scott Reeves , Assistant Superintendent, Teaching and Learning, Westerville City Schools (Ethnic Minority Representative-2032) B: 614-797-5728 Pam Bosser , Athletic Administrator, Lancaster High School (Female Representative-2031) B: 740-681-7553 Matt Gallatin, Ed.D. , Principal, Delaware Buckeye Valley Middle School (7th-8th Grade Representative-2027) B: 740-862-4107 Two To Be Named (Interim Class AA and Class AAA Representative-2026/2030) Secretary- Bob Britton P: 740-361-3142; bbritton@ohsaa.org Treasurer- Jim Hayes P: 740-207-1059; jhayes@ohsaa.org East District Michael Dunlap , Athletic Administrator, New Concord John Glenn High School (Class AAA Representative-2032) B: 740-826-7655 Chad Shawger , Superintendent, West Muskingum Local Schools, Zanesville (Class AA Representative-2029) B: 740-455-4052 Kevin Smith , Superintendent, Crooksville Exempted Village Schools Schools (Class AA Representative-2030) B: 740-982-7040 Gary Spinell , Athletic Administrator, Strasburg-Franklin High School (Class A Representative-2027) B: 330-878-5571 Casey Tolzda , Principal, Woodsfield Monroe Central High School (Class A Representative-2028) B: 740-472-0414 Jeff Wheeler , Principal/Athletic Administrator, Cambridge High School (Class AAA Representative-2031) B: 740-435-1100 Angelita Forte , Youth Services Coordinator, Steubenville City Schools (Ethnic Minority Representative-2031) B: 740-282-9741 Gina Franks , Director of Student Services, Dover High School (Female Representative-2027) B: 330-364-7124 Ray Hibbs , Athletic Administrator, Cadiz Harrison Central Junior/ Senior High School (7th-8th Grade Representative-2032) B: 740-942-7710 Secretary- Don Spinell P: 330-205-0851; dspinell@ohsaa.org Treasurer- Richard Hall P: 740-541-5583; rhall@ohsaa.org Northeast District Heather Beck , Athletic Administrator, Elyria High School (Class AAA Representative-2027) B: 440-284-8257 Kevin Leigh , Athletic Administrator, Parma Padua Franciscan High School (Class AA Representative-2032) B: 440-845-2444, ext. 128 William (Bill) R. Nye Jr., Ph.D. , Superintendent, Grand Valley Local Schools, Orwell (Class A Representative-2030) B: 440-805-4545 Paul Powers , Athletic Administrator, Aurora High School (Class AAA Representative-2028) B: 330-954-2008 Randy Tevepaugh , Athletic Administrator, Streetsboro High School (Class AA Representative-2031) B: 330-626-4902 Steve Watkins , Superintendent, Dalton Local Schools (Class A Representative-2029) B: 330-828-2405 9 John Carter , Athletic Administrator, Cleveland Benedictine High School (Ethnic Minority Representative-2027) B: 216-421-2080 Shyla Urban , Principal, Wellington High School (Female Representative-2032) B: 440-647-7405 Jim Penk , Assistant Principal, Austintown Middle School (7th -8th Grade Representative-2031) B: 330-797-3900, ext. 2003 Secretary- Jeff Cassella P: 440-477-4996; jcassella@ohsaa.org Treasurer- Mark McGuire P: 440-346-4827; mmcguire@ohsaa.org Northwest District Mike Bute , Superintendent, North Central Local Schools, Pioneer (Class A Representative-2029) B: 419-737-2392, ext. 5210 Brad Cooley , Superintendent, Norwalk City Schools (Class AAA Representative-2027) B: 419-660-1802 Todd Hoehn , Assistant Principal/Athletic Administrator, Fort Jennings High School (Class A Representative-2028) B: 419-286-2238, ext. 2200 Matt Hutchinson , Athletic Administrator, Wauseon High School (Class AAA Representative-2032) B: 419-335-5756 Jayson Selgo, Ed.D. , Superintendent, Archbold Area Local Schools (Class AA Representative-2031) B: 419-446-2728 Jeff Snyder , Superintendent, Lincolnview Local Schools, Van Wert (Class AA Representative-2030) B: 419-968-2226 David Alvarado , Administrator, Findlay Digital Academy (Ethnic Minority Representative-2032) B: 419-425-3598, ext. 114 Brenda Frankart , Director of Federal Programs, Liberty-Benton Local Schools, Findlay (Female Representative-2031) B: 419-422-8526, ext. 3009 Matthew Flewelling , Teacher, Clyde McPhearson Middle School (7th-8th Grade Representative-2027) B: 419-547-9150 Secretary- Kevin Calver P: 419-631-5996; kcalver@ohsaa.org Treasurer- Bill Hanna P: 419-230-4127; bhanna@ohsaa.org Southeast District Bo Arnett , Dean of Students/Athletic Administrator, Waverly High School (Class AAA Representative-2030) B: 740-947-7701, ext. 1002 Tony Deem , Superintendent, Southern Local Schools, Racine (Class A Representative-2031) B: 740-949-2669 Mark Knapp , Superintendent, Wheelersburg Local Schools (Class AA Representative-2028) B: 740-574-8484 Matthew McCorkle , Superintendent, Portsmouth City Schools (Class AA Representative-2027) B: 740-355-4400 Keith Myers , Athletic Administrator, Logan High School (Class AAA Representative-2029) B: 740-385-2069, ext. 11012 Mark Rose , Athletic Administrator/ Facilities and Technology Assistant, Portsmouth Clay High School (Class A Representative-2032) B: 740-354-6644, ext. 2201 Joe Turner , Principal, Hillsboro High School (Ethnic Minority Representative-2031) B: 937-393-3475 Stephanie Evans , Director of Athletics and Student Services, Stewart Federal Hocking High School (Female Representative-2027) B: 740-662-6691 Tony Williams , Athletic Administrator, Amanda-Clearcreek High School/ Middle School (7th-8th Grade Representative-2032) B: 740-969-7251 Secretary- Dan Brisker P: 740-352-0635; dbrisker@ohsaa.org Treasurer- Rick Edwards P: 740-591-9427; redwards@ohsaa.org Southwest District Tim Cook , Assistant Principal/Athletic Administrator, Mt. Orab Western Brown High School (Class AAA Representative-2029) B: 937-444-2544 Chip Hare , Athletic Administrator, Piqua High School (Class AAA Representative-2027/2028) B: 937-773-6314, ext. 1014 Sean Herbert , Athletic Administrator, Yellow Springs High School (Class A Representative-2027/2031) B: 937-767-7224 Matt Macy , Athletic Administrator, Arcanum High School (Class A Representative-2030) B: 937-337-5591 Tom Nerl, Athletic Administrator, Cincinnati Mariemont High School (Class AA Representative-2027) B: 513-272-7617 Chuck Richardson , Athletic Administrator, Norwood High School (Class AA Representative-2032) B: 513-924-2500 Jonas L. Smith , Athletic Administrator, Trotwood-Madison City Schools (Ethnic Minority Representative-2027) B: 937-854-3050, ext. 2802 Ashley Johnson , Athletic Administrator, Covington High School (Female Representative-2032) B: 937-473-2552 Paul Stone , Athletic Administrator, Dayton Oakwood Junior High School (7th-8th Grade Representative-2031) B: 937-297-5342 Secretary- Phil Poggi P: 513-600-3078; SWDAB-sec@ohsaa.org Treasurer- Joe Roberts P: 419-566-1255; SWDAB-treas@ohsaa. org Other Important Telephone Numbers Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association , Glen Gillespie, Executive Director P: 419-356-2278 web site: oiaaa.org Ohio Department of Education & Workforce B: 1-877-644-6338 or 614-995-1545 web site: https://education.ohio.gov Pupil Activity (Coaching) Permit Email: Educator.Licensure@SBOE.ohio.gov Ohio School Boards Association B: 1-800-589-6722 or 614-540-4000 web site: ohioschoolboards.org Buckeye Association of School Administrators B: 614-846-4080 web site: basa-ohio.org Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators B: 614-430-8311 web site: oassa.org Ohio Middle Level Association web site: ohiomla.org Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators B: 614-794-9190 web site: oaesa.org National Federation of State High School Associations B: 317-972-6900 web site: nfhs.org 10 Association Districts Central District — Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway and Union Counties, also Mechanicsburg (in Champaign County). East District — Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Tuscarawas and Washington Counties, also Crooksville (in Perry County), East Liverpool (in Columbiana County), East Liverpool Beaver Local (in Columbiana County), Magnolia Sandy Valley (primary area in Stark County), Minerva (in Stark County) and Navarre Fairless (in Stark County). Northeast District — Ashland, Ashtabula, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne Counties. Northwest District — Allen, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Mercer, Otta - wa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams, Wood and Wyandot Counties, also Ashland (in Ashland County). Southeast District — Adams, Athens, Fayette, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton Counties, also Amanda Clearcreek (in Fairfield County), Belpre (in Washington County), Circleville (in Pickaway County), Circleville Logan Elm (in Pickaway County), Fayetteville-Perry (in Brown County), Lancaster Fairfield Union (in Fair - field County), Marietta (in Washington County), Ripley-Union- Lewis-Huntington (in Brown County), Vincent Warren (in Wash - ington County), Waterford (in Washington County), Williamsport Westfall Local (in Pickaway County) and Winchester Eastern (in Brown County). Southwest District — Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Greene, Hamilton, Logan, Miami, Montgom - ery, Preble, Shelby and Warren Counties, also Fort Recovery (in Mercer County) and Minster (in Auglaize County). 11 Ohio High School Athletic Association Affiliated Associations • Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators • Buckeye Association of School Administrators • Ohio School Boards Association • Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators • Ohio Association of School Business Officials • Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association • Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association • Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association • Ohio High School Field Hockey Coaches Association • Ohio High School Football Coaches Association • Ohio High School Golf Coaches Association 2026-27 Coaches Associations Timelines for Proposals The following guidelines shall be followed for proposed changes to sports regulations or tournament regulations changes: 1.) Proposals for sports regulations or tournament regulations changes from state coaches associations shall be presented to their respective OHSAA sport administrator. 2.) If a proposal from a state coaches association is received, the OHSAA sport administrator shall discuss the proposal with the OHSAA Director of Sport Management and/or the OHSAA Executive Director. It will then be determined if: a.) The proposal can move forward to be presented to the Board of Directors as is, or b.) The proposal needs further discussion/work. Additional steps may include, but are not limited to: • The state coaches association and OHSAA Executive Director’s Office working together to craft a survey, including the pros and cons of the proposal(s), that will be sent to member school principals and/or any other OHSAA constituents deemed appropriate by the Executive Director’s Office • Determining if officers from the state coaches association should meet to provide feedback to additional members of the Executive Director’s Office and/or Board of Directors. 3.) If one or both steps in 2.) b.) have been followed and the Executive Director’s Office is in agreement with the proposed change, the Executive Director’s Office shall present the proposal to the Board of Directors. 4.) It is generally expected that state coaches associations proposals shall only be submitted one time per academic year. Exceptions may be made if another proposal(s) is deemed necessary by the OHSAA Executive Director due to extenuating circumstances. Note: Proposals approved by the Board of Directors shall become effective on the date established by the Board of Directors when adopted. • Ohio High School Gymnastics Advisory Committee • Ohio High School Ice Hockey Advisory Committee • Ohio High School Lacrosse Association • Ohio Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association • Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association • Ohio High School Fast Pitch Softball Coaches Association • Ohio High School Swimming Coaches Association • Ohio Tennis Coaches Association • Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches • Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association • Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association – www.associationdatabase.com/aws/ohsbca/pt/sp/Home_Page Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association – www.oh.nhsbca.org Ohio High School Bowling Coaches Association – www.ohsb.org Ohio High School Field Hockey Coaches Association Ohio High School Football Coaches Association – www.ohsfca.net Ohio High School Golf Coaches Association – www.ohsgca.com Ohio High School Gymnastics Advisory Committee – www.ohsgca.com Ice Hockey Coaches Advisory Committee Ohio School Girls Lacrosse Coaches Association – www.ohsglca.com Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association – www.ossca.org Ohio High School Softball Coaches Association – www.ohsfsca.org Ohio High School Swimming Coaches Association – www.gomotionapp.com/team/rechsohs/page/home Ohio Tennis Coaches Association – www.otca.us Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches – www.oatccc.com Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association – www.ohsvca.org Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association – www.ohswca.org 12 FALL First Practice Scrimmages & Previews First Contest Number Regular Season Contests Non-Interscholastic Date Tournament Draw/Seed State Tournament Dates/Sites Cross Country Aug. 1 None permitted Aug. 24 16 Oct. 5 Oct. 11 Nov. 7-Fortess Obetz and Memorial Park, Obetz Field Hockey Aug. 1 5 scrimmages or previews Aug. 17 18 Sept. 7 Oct. 11 Nov. 5-State Semifinals/Thomas Worthington High School Nov. 7-State Final/Thomas Worthington High School Football Aug. 1 2 scrimmages Aug. 8-16 Aug. 17 (first Friday is Aug. 21) 10 Aug. 18 Playoff Qualifiers Announced October 25 Oct. 30, Nov. 6, 13 and 20 - Regionals Nov. 27 State Semifinals Dec. 3-5 State Championships, Canton Golf July 29 1 scrimmage and 1 exhibition match July 29 20 Sept. 17 Sept. 6 Oct. 11-12 Div. II at Firestone Country Club, Akron Oct. 12-13 Div. I at NCR Golf Club, Kettering Oct. 12-13 Div. III at North Star GC, Sunbury Soccer Aug. 1 5 scrimmages or previews Aug. 14 17 Sept. 7 Oct. 11 Nov. 10-11-State Semifinals (sites TBA around Ohio) Nov. 13-16-State Finals/Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus Tennis (Girls) Aug. 1 1 scrimmage prior to first match Aug. 7 22 (see Handbook for match type) Sept. 1 Sept. 20 Oct. 15-16-Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason Volleyball (Girls) Aug. 1 6 scrimmages or previews Aug. 17 22 Aug. 31 Oct. 11 Nov. 12-14-Nutter Center, Wright State Univ., and Additional Sites WINTER First Practice Scrimmages & Previews First Contest Number Regular Season Contests Non-Interscholastic Date Tournament Draw/Seed State Tournament Dates/Sites Basketball (Boys) Nov. 6 6 scrimmages or previews Nov. 30 22 Nov. 30 Feb. 14 D3-7 Feb. 21 D1-2 March 18-21-University of Dayton Arena and Wright State University, Nutter Center Basketball (Girls) Oct. 30 6 scrimmages or previews Nov. 23 22 Nov. 23 Feb. 7 D3-7 Feb. 14 D1-2 March 11-13-University of Dayton Arena, Wright State University, Nutter Center, and Additional Site(s) Bowling Oct. 30 None permitted Nov. 13 24 Jan. 18 Jan. 31 Feb. 26-27-HP Lanes, Columbus (Div. II) March 5-6-HP Lanes, Columbus (Div. I) Gymnastics Oct. 30 None permitted Nov. 30 14 Jan. 18 Feb. 14 March 6-Hilliard Bradley High School (Team) March 7-Hilliard Bradley High School (Individual) Ice Hockey Oct. 23 4 scrimmages or previews Nov. 13 35 Dec. 26 Feb. 7 March 13-14-Nationwide Arena, Columbus Swimming & Diving Oct. 23 None permitted Nov. 23 16 Jan. 25 N/A Feb. 23-27-C.T. Branin Natatorium, Canton Wrestling (Girls and Boys) Nov. 13 4 scrimmages or previews Dec. 3 20 (see Handbook for event points) Jan. 11 Feb. 14 March 12-14-Schottenstein Center, OSU SPRING First Practice Scrimmages & Previews First Contest Number Regular Season Contests Non-Interscholastic Date Tournament Draw/Seed State Tournament Dates/Sites Baseball Feb. 22 4 scrimmages or previews March 26 27 April 5 May 9 June 10-13-Canal Park, Akron and Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium, Canton Flag Football (Girls) Feb. 15 2 scrimmages or previews March 5 12 March 5 TBD May 15-Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton Lacrosse Feb. 15 3 scrimmages or previews March 12 18 March 29 May 5 June 1-Boys State Semifinals (sites TBA) June 2-Girls State Semifinals (sites TBA) June 5-Boys State Finals, Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus June 6-Girls State Finals, Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus Softball Feb. 15 4 scrimmages or previews March 20 27 March 20 May 2 D3-7 May 9 D1-2 June 2-6-Firestone Stadium, Akron Tennis (Boys) March 8 1 scrimmage prior to first match March 26 22 (see Handbook for match type) May 4 May 2 May 27-28-Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason Track & Field Feb. 22 None permitted March 26 16 May 3 May 2 June 3-6-Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, OSU Volleyball (Boys) Feb. 22 6 scrimmages or previews March 12 22 March 30 May 2 May 28-29, Wittenberg University, Springfield 2026-27 OHSAA Sport Reference Calendar - High Schools 2026-27 OHSAA Sport Reference Calendar - High Schools Updated July 20, 2026. Dates and locations are subject to change. OHSAA recognized sports included below. Updated July 20, 2026. Dates and locations are subject to change. OHSAA recognized sports included below. 2026-27 OHSAA Sport Reference Calendar - High Schools Updated July 20, 2026. Dates and locations are subject to change. OHSAA recognized sports included below. 13 FALL First Practice Scrimmages & Previews First Contest Regular-Season Contests and Postseason Cross Country Aug. 1 None permitted Aug. 24 12 plus 1 league championship meet. OHSAA 7th & 8th Grade Invitational is Sunday, Oct. 25 Field Hockey Aug. 1 1 scrimmage or preview Aug. 17 14 Football Aug. 1 2 scrimmages after 3 days of full contact practice and before 1st game Week of Aug. 17 8 Golf July 29 None permitted July 29 16 Soccer Aug. 1 2 scrimmages or previews Aug. 14 14 plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 contests Tennis (Girls) Aug. 1 None permitted Aug. 7 16 (see OHSAA Handbook for match type) Volleyball (Girls) Aug. 1 3 scrimmages or previews Aug. 17 20 (on 20 dates) plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 contests WINTER First Practice Scrimmages & Previews First Contest Regular-Season Contests and Postseason Basketball (Boys) Nov. 6 3 scrimmages or previews Nov. 30 16 plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 contests Basketball (Girls) Oct. 30 3 scrimmages or previews Nov. 23 16 plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 contests Gymnastics Oct. 30 None permitted Nov. 30 12 Ice Hockey Oct. 23 None permitted Nov. 13 15 plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 3 contests Swimming & Diving Oct. 23 None permitted Nov. 23 12 Wrestling Nov. 13 2 scrimmages or previews Dec. 3 17 points (see OHSAA Handbook for event points) SPRING First Practice Scrimmages & Previews First Contest Regular-Season Contests and Postseason Baseball Feb. 22 2 scrimmages or previews March 26 17 plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 contests Flag Football (Girls) Feb. 15 2 scrimmages or previews March 5 10 plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 contests Lacrosse Feb. 15 2 scrimmages or previews March 12 14 plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 contests Softball Feb. 15 2 scrimmages or previews March 20 17 plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 contests Tennis (Boys) March 8 None permitted March 26 16 (see OHSAA Handbook for match type) Track & Field Feb. 22 None permitted March 26 12 plus 1 league championship meet. OHSAA state meet is May 15 Volleyball (Boys) Feb. 22 2 scrimmages or previews March 12 20 (on 20 dates) plus 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 contests 2026-27 OHSAA Sport Reference Calendar 2026-27 OHSAA Sport Reference Calendar for 7th and 8th Grade Member Schools for 7th and 8th Grade Member Schools As of July 13, 2026. Dates and locations are subject to change. Only OHSAA sanctioned sports included. As of July 13, 2026. Dates and locations are subject to change. Only OHSAA sanctioned sports included. 2026-27 OHSAA Sport Reference Calendar - 7th and 8th Grade As of July 13, 2026. Dates and locations are subject to change. Only OHSAA sanctioned sports included. 14 Students With Disabilities It is the policy of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) to support playing rules modifications, where appropriate, in order to accommodate students with disabilities so that they are able to participate in the interscholastic athletics programs sponsored by the member schools. To that end, the OHSAA shall receive requests for modifications to the interscholastic athletics programs in the 28 sports sponsored by the Association for students with disabilities, including those with hearing, visual and physical disabilities. The OHSAA commends and supports these students who wish to compete in the sports that are sponsored by the OHSAA, and sincerely desires to work with the member schools to enable students with disabilities to enjoy participation opportunities. The following procedures have been developed by the OHSAA to examine each individual case to insure that a request for modification does not give the student with the disability an advantage in the competition or put other competitors at a disadvantage or at risk. The OHSAA must consider the needs of all students involved in the competition. Evaluation Guidelines The OHSAA will evaluate each modification request using the following guidelines: 1. Does a modification already exist according to that sport’s national (NFHS or other) playing rules? 2. Would the modification fundamentally alter the nature of the event? 3. Is the requested modification reasonable under the circumstances? 4. Is the requested modification necessary for the student to participate? 5. Can the student participate at the same time as the other participants? 6. Would the requested modification give the student an advantage over other competitors? 7. Would the requested modification cause the other participants to be at a disadvantage or at risk? 8. Would the requested modification pose a safety risk to the student and/or any other participants in the event? 9. Would additional costs be involved, and if so, how would those costs be met? Requesting a Modification A member school administrator shall contact the OHSAA if a student desires to compete in an OHSAA sponsored sport. Please make your request in writing on official school letterhead as far in advance as possible (minimum of two weeks prior to the event). Please identify the exact nature of the requested modification in as much detail as possible. The OHSAA will not accept requests via the telephone, but will accept electronic submissions on school letterhead signed by an administrator. Address the evaluation guidelines giving sufficient documentation regarding the disability and the need for the requested modification(s). Identify the modification(s) requested for the event and any modification(s) that the school makes for the student daily. If the OHSAA approves a modification, it is the coach’s responsibility to provide a copy of the OHSAA approval notification to all affected schools competing in the event and to the head contest official. Only one response letter from the OHSAA is necessary for the modification to be permitted for all interscholastic contests in that sport or event for the current school year. If the student advances to Regional or State tournament competition, it is the responsibility of the member school to notify the OHSAA immediately. For the OHSAA’s guidelines on service animals for spectators, visit the OHSAA website ( OHSAA.org ). 15 Policies And Principles Governing The Administration of High School Interscholastic Athletics Competitive sports are an inherent part of the total education program for students in secondary schools. When properly organized and conducted, inter-school athletics provide numerous opportunities for students to participate in activities which promote growth and development, teach social and recreational skills and develop leadership qualities. These values are more readily attained when the program is based upon accepted standards and practices developed by professional leaders in education and when competing teams are members of and follow the regulations approved by a state high school athletic association. These regulations for high school interscholastic athletics of the Ohio High School Athletic Association are based upon the following principles and policies: 1. The major emphasis on interscholastic athletics should be upon skilled play and good sportsmanship. Competition should be equitable in order that full learning and enjoyment may be realized from game participation. 2. Every attempt should be made to provide favorable playing conditions in order that the competitive experiences of the students may be wholesome and result in the attainment of desirable attitudes and conduct. 3. The interscholastic program should be offered in conjunction with a comprehensive instructional physical education and intramural program. It should encompass a variety of activities. 4. The program should be financed by budgeted organizational and school funds rather than solely by admission charges. 5. The contest rules, regulations and supervision of the program should insure the maximum protection of the health and safety of the players. 6. Limitations should be placed upon the length of the sport season, the number of practice periods and the number of interscholastic contests played. 7. It is recommended that a student be a member of no more than one interscholastic team at any one time. 8. Athletic events shall be played according to the contest rules and regulations approved and adopted by the Board of Directors. Ohio High School Athletic Association Philosophy on 7th & 8th Grade Athletics Recommended by the OHSAA 7th & 8th Grade Schools Committee Adopted by the OHSAA Board of Directors on December 6, 2007 The purpose of seventh and eighth grade educational based athletics is to provide rich and wholesome activities for as many students as possible. As a result, students will develop to the greatest degree the talents and skills such as leadership, teamwork and discipline, which will enable them to become responsible citizens in our society while demonstrating good sporting conduct. We believe in interscholastic athletics as an integral part of the total school program reflecting the needs of the school, the community and the student. We believe the potential values to the students and coaches to be very essential. Competition under prescribed regulations and policies provides adolescents with the opportunity to develop ideas and habits of health, fair play, initiative, achievement, emotional control, good sporting conduct, social adaptability and good citizenship. Athletics fosters team and school spirit and a sense of community. We believe each coach should make every effort to provide opportunity for participation by all students involved in a sport. The students shall be taught the fundamental skills necessary for further growth and improvement in their respective sports. These skills are to be taught by an educated/trained coach. We believe that high quality skill development for students at the seventh and eighth grade level is of utmost importance. 2026-27 OHSAA Catastrophic Accident Insurance The Ohio High School Athletic Association has purchased excess catastrophic accident insurance for the 2026-27 school year. Information on the OHSAA catastrophic insurance plan is annually provided to the membership and posted on the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org). Note: The OHSAA does not provide catastrophic insurance coverage for students who participate in sports not recognized by the Association. Information regarding coverage for non-recognized sports is also annually provided to the membership and is available on the OHSAA website. 16 Ohio High School Athletic Association Appeals Process – 2026-27 INTRODUCTION In accordance with OHSAA Bylaw 3-1-1 and the Board of Education Resolution by which each school renews its membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (“OHSAA”), the principal in each member school has primary responsibility for enforcement for all matters pertaining to interscholastic athletics including issues of eligibility. Notwithstanding this, however, the member schools through their Constitution, Bylaws and Board of Education Resolution have charged the Executive Director’s Office of the OHSAA with the ultimate authority in deciding “all questions and interpretations of the Constitution, Bylaws and Regulations, and shall impose and enforce penalties.” Constitution Article 6, Section 6-1-2. As to issues of student eligibility, frequently the first time the Executive Director’s Office has even heard of a situation is after a school administrator has made an initial determination. Thus, in most cases, when the Executive Director’s Office first entertains the case, it is actually upon an inquiry resulting from the member school’s decision based upon the school’s interpretation and enforcement of the bylaws to which the school has agreed to be bound. All questions and interpretations of the Constitution, Bylaws, Regulations and applicable handbooks presented to the Executive Director’s Office are investigated by the Executive Director or someone from the Executive Director’s staff, albeit different levels of investigation are dictated by the nature of the issue presented. Oftentimes all relevant facts necessary for the Executive Director’s Office to make its determination are produced in the very same correspondence (letter, telephone call or email exchange) in which the issue is raised. Other matters may require further investigation, and in some instances, the Executive Director may hire an outside investigator and conduct an investigation that is more formal. It shall be noted that, in accordance with Bylaw 8-3-1, “Protests arising from the decisions and interpretations of the contest playing rules by officials will not be considered, and those decisions shall be final.” On occasion, school administrators, officials, coaches, parents and/or students form the opinion that the decision of the Executive Director’s Office was in error and as a result a desire to appeal that decision arises. The Constitution of the member schools of the OHSAA anticipates this and authorizes the Board of Directors to establish an appeals process for such occasions. Since 2012, that process has been through an appeals panel established by the Board. For the 2026-27 school year, all appeals of decisions made by the Executive Director’s Office shall again be heard by this Appeals Panel. In discharging its obligations under the Constitution, the Appeals Panel is bound by the limitations set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws and, like the Executive Director’s Office and the Board of Directors, the Appeals Panel does not have any authority to alter, amend, change, delete or add to the Bylaws. Only the member schools have the authority to do this and only then through the referendum process, as codified within Constitution Article 8, Section 8-1-2. Below are some frequently asked questions that may assist you in understanding this Appeals Process. The OHSAA will publish on its website at OHSAA.org the dates on which the Appeals Panel will hear appeals (note that these dates are subject to change). There is no fee to file for an appeal. However, in the event that the Executive Director’s Office agrees and is able to expedite an appeal to accommodate the appellant(s), a filing fee of no less than $300 will be assessed the appellant. This fee is payable to the OHSAA at the time of the appeal. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q1. Who may pursue an appeal of a ruling made by the Executive Director’s Office? A. Appeals from decisions rendered by the Executive Director’s Office may be pursued by students, parents of the student, school administrators, coaches, OHSAA contest officials or any other person (subject to FERPA) having a vested interest in the Executive Director’s Office’s decision from which the appeal stems, provided the appeal is initiated by a school administrator or the offending OHSAA contest official, if applicable. (See additional information on how to begin the appeals process in Q3.) Q2. To whom are appeals of a decision rendered by the Executive Director’s Office made? A. All rulings made by the Executive Director’s Office shall be appealed to the Appeals Panel. Appeals will generally be held in- person at the OHSAA Office in Columbus, but, subject to availability and/or other factors, some appeals may be held virtually. The Executive Director’s Office shall establish dates on which the Appeals Panel will convene for the purpose of conducting these hearings, and the dates will be published on the OHSAA website. In addition, emergency hearing dates and other contingencies may be established in order to provide for the effective and efficient disposition of appeals when an OHSAA tournament is underway or ready to begin and an appeal is necessary relative to the removal of an individual or a team from competition. Q3. How does someone appeal a decision made by the Executive Dir ector’s Office? A. To appeal a ruling by the Executive Director’s Office, a school official from your school must notify the Executive Director’s Office in a timely manner of your desire to appeal a ruling that the Executive Director’s Office has made. The “notice” requirements for this appeal include: (1) names and contact information of the persons involved in the appeal; (2) the applicable constitution, bylaw or sports regulation and the ruling at issue, and (3) the sport(s) in which the particular student/official desires to participate (if applicable). After the initial notice of the desire to appeal an eligibility decision has been made, further information may be required before the hearing time and date are established. Note: While the initial notice of appeal must be submitted by a school official from your school, with the exception of official’s appeals, it is not necessary that the school/school official support or endorse a student eligibility appeal. Furthermore, unless compelled to attend pursuant to the authority vested in the Executive Director’s Office, the school official need not participate in a student eligibility appeal hearing. School officials are, however, expected to cooperate in providing information that is relative to the appeal. 17 Q4. Who may attend the hearing on appeal to the Appeals Panel? A. In order to protect the privacy of students and their families, and in compliance with the rights afforded students and their families pursuant to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), these hearings are closed to the public. A representative of his/her/their choosing may accompany the appellant(s). Other immediate family members or interested parties may also be permitted to observe the appeal hearing – not to exceed five (5) persons – at the discretion of the Appeals Panel with the understanding, however, that the Appeals Panel shall have the authority to require the separation of witnesses as they may deem appropriate. The appellant or representative shall have the opportunity to present evidence through witnesses or documentary evidence, supporting the position as to why the appeal should be granted. The Executive Director’s Office does not have subpoena power and thus cannot issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses for this hearing. It is incumbent upon you to make all arrangements necessary for the attendance of any/all witnesses you desire in support of your appeal. The Executive Director’s Office has the authority to compel the attendance of school personnel at this hearing, and may exercise that authority if it is perceived that their attendance is necessary to assist in understanding facts relevant to the disposition of the appeal. In addition, the Executive Director’s Office will be represented by members of the staff who shall be present at and throughout the appeal – but not the deliberations of the Panel – as well as the OHSAA legal counsel. Staff and counsel will defend the decision from which the appeal is taken, and one should expect a vigorous defense of the same. Q5. What kind of record is made of the appeal proceedings? A. An “official record” of the proceedings shall be made by the Appeals Panel through a court stenographer. Likewise, any party to the appeal has the right to have his/her own court reporter present. However, that party shall be responsible for any and all expenses associated with their own reporter. If you would like a copy of the transcripts of your hearing, you must make arrangements for an original transcript of your hearing with the court reporter transcribing your hearing at your own cost. At the close of the hearing, the Appeals Panel shall require all documents/exhibits referenced in the hearing remain in the custody of the Executive Director’s Office for safekeeping. Such records are confidential and shall be retained by the OHSAA for a period of not less than four (4) years. Q6. What is the standard of review used by the Appeals Panel during this appeal process? A. It is important that appellants understand that, unless specifically provided in the particular Bylaw, the Appeals Panel has no authority to waive the requirements of the Bylaws (i.e., the standard of review is not whether your case is “unique” or otherwise deserving of a “waiver” of the bylaw in question). The standard of review to be used by the Appeals Panel is simply to determine whether the Executive Director’s Office, in rendering its ruling, made a mistake of fact, mistake of interpretation/application of the Bylaw in question or neglected to consider another Bylaw that may be applicable. A great deal of deference shall be given to the decision of the Executive Director’s Office. Notwithstanding this deference, appellants shall be permitted to introduce any new evidence they believe relevant to their case. Likewise, the Executive Director’s Office may introduce additional evidence in support of its decision. The burden of proof shall rest with the appellant. Q7. When and how will the appellant be notified of the Appeals Panel’s decision? A. Typically, within 48 hours of the appeal hearing the Appeals Panel will render a decision in these cases. Sometimes, however, the Panel determines that more information from the school or other sources is necessary before rendering its final ruling. Within 24 hours of the Panel’s decision and via telephone, every reasonable attempt will be made to inform the school or OHSAA contest official of the outcome of the appeal first, although that may be dependent upon the nature of the appeal. School officials are then asked to inform the appellants of the decision. While that call shall reveal the “official” decision of the panel, in most instances and as soon as practicable thereafter, a more formal letter ruling by mail or email will follow and will be sent to the initiating school or OHSAA contest official. This notification process is meant to expedite the information in order to minimize any negative impact from such a decision and to maximize the positive impact (e.g. the appeal is granted and the student-athlete is eligible for that evening’s contest) it may have on the appellant. Note: Decisions on appeals are made strictly by the Appeals Panel. Since the Executive Director’s Office has already rendered a ruling on the case, no one from that office directly involved in the original ruling will be involved in deliberations or rulings of the Appeals Panel. Q8. If the OHSAA Appeals Panel denies an appellant’s request to overturn the ruling made by the OHSAA Executive Director’s Office, can the same case be re-appealed? A. Once the OHSAA Appeals Panel has made its decision, the appellants are considered to have exhausted their administrative remedies. In rare instances, however, when there is newly discovered evidence, the Executive Director’s Office and/or Appeals Panel may entertain the prospect of a re-appeal of the case. 18 The History of the Ohio High School Athletic Association OHSAA Celebrated Its Centennial During 2006-07 School Year Originally Writen By Timothy L. Hudak, Sports Heritage Specialty Publications, with appropiate edits added The earliest days of interscholastic athletics in Ohio’s high schools, most probably starting in the immediate post-Civil War years, were a bit disorganized, to say the least. Boys (girls would have to wait a while) from one school would get a team together and challenge the boys from a neighboring school. No coaches, no set schedule, no uniforms and probably no practices, either. As time marched on, more and more schools began to participate in these interscholastic sporting events, which most likely consisted mainly of track and field events or baseball in those earliest days. These activities were totally unsupervised by school authorities, many of whom felt that they had no place in a young person’s education. Some administrators went so far as to prohibit the contests altogether. However, as the popularity of these sporting events grew among Ohio’s high schoolers, as demonstrated by their spread to schools throughout the state, many school authorities began to feel a need to organize these interscholastic sporting events. The Western Ohio Superintendent’s Round Table took the lead in this movement as early as 1887, but nothing of any consequence was done about the situation for almost another 20 years. Finally, in October of 1906, the Round Table of the Central Ohio Teacher’s Association endorsed a plan that had been adopted by the Western Ohio Superintendent’s Round Table earlier that same year. By this plan interscholastic athletics were formally made a part of Ohio’s high school landscape. As Paul E. Orr wrote in his 1956 history of the OHSAA, “renewed enthusiasm was aroused (in interscholastic athletics) and many, many schools all over the state entered the new organization with great zeal.” The newly established Board of Directors, whose duty it was to supervise athletics across the state, held its first meeting on November 9, 1907, now recognized as the birth date of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. George R. Eastman of Dayton Steele High School served as president, with W.H. Rice of Chillicothe serving as secsretary-treasurer and William McClain of London, S.H. Layton of Piqua and F.C. Kirkendall of Piqua also present. At its very next meeting, held on December 26, 1907, the Board of Directors set the date for its first championship event, a state track and field meet to be held on May 23, 1908, at Beaver Field at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Over 100 athletes, representing 23 of the then 30 member schools, participated in the meet. North High School of Columbus amassed the most points and “won the loving cup which was awarded as a token of the championship of this, the first state-wide contest” of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. The enthusiasm generated by that first event quickly spread across the state, and many more schools quickly joined the organization. The next several decades saw the OHSAA continue to grow its organization, putting into place much of the “machinery” that would run the OHSAA on a day to day basis, as well as help to lay the foundation for future changes and expansion of its programs. By the mid 1930s the organization had become recognized as a highly respectable and influential organization on the state high school scene. One of the most significant changes in the organizational structure of the OHSAA took place in 1925, when the business affairs of the Association were transferred from the Board of Directors to a full-time commissioner. The first commissioner was Mr. Horace Raymond (H.R.) Townsend, who held that post from 1925 until his death in 1944. Among the other areas to which the OHSAA directed much of its attention during these years were officiating and the overall health and well being of student-athletes. While the state track and field meet was very popular and remained an annual event, it would not be until 15 years later when the next state championship tournament was announced, that being for boys basketball. Boys golf was added to the “tournament trail” in 1927, with boys cross country, boys swimming and diving and baseball joining the tournament list in 1928. Unfortunately, the young ladies of Ohio would still have to wait another five decades to participate in their first state-wide tournament. This had less to do with OHSAA policies and desires, and more to do with the overall question, in the public eye, of the advisability or inadvisability of the participation of young girls in interscholastic sports in general. A survey by the OHSAA of the state’s high schools in 1937 showed that 55 percent of the schools provided interscholastic basketball for girls, but that same survey also showed that 67 percent of the responding schools favored dropping the sport for girls. Based in part on this survey, interscholastic basketball for girls was discontinued at OHSAA member schools in 1940. This was the death knell for all interscholastic sports for girls, at least in Ohio. It would be another quarter century or more before interscholastic sports for girls once again became “popular,” and almost 35 years before state tournaments for girls made the scene. Ironically, the OHSAA now sponsors 29 championship sports, 15 for girls and 14 for boys. The war years of 1941-45 provided some areas of particular concern for the OHSAA. First and foremost was whether or not the state tournaments, and athletics in general, should be discontinued for the duration of the war because of the restrictions placed on the general populace due to rationing. However, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and most of his administration urged that not only should the athletic programs be maintained, but that they be expanded as “a war defense measure.” The Board of Directors concurred, stating that “from a psychological standpoint, athletics in the face of the national emergency can be justified,” and the member schools were urged to continue their athletic programs as a patriotic duty. 19 However, as the war dragged on, it became increasingly difficult to continue with interscholastic sports, much less expand them. Rationing of rubber and gasoline made the use of school busses for transportation to events almost impossible, and many schools were without their coaches, who were now serving in the armed forces. Except for the state cross country meets in 1942 and 1943, all of the state tournaments went on as usual. Unfortunately, that changed during the 2019-20 school year when, due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the OHSAA cancelled the 2020 winter state tournaments for girls and boys basketball, individual wrestling and ice hockey and the entire 2020 spring sports tournament series for baseball, softball, lacrosse, track and field and boys tennis. The situation started to return to normal on September 1, 1945, when the restrictions on the use of school busses were lifted. Coaches started returning to their schools the following spring when they were discharged from military service following the conclusion of the war. In the years following WWII, the OHSAA dealt with many issues, a number of which had been tabled due to the war. These included such things as practice sessions, schedules, out-of-state play, length of seasons, etc. The question of allowing girls to participate in interscholastic sports again came up, with limited activity under very strict rules being granted – but still no state tournaments. By early 1956 less than half of the schools in the state were providing interscholastic sports opportunities for their female students. With the exception of wrestling in 1938, no new sports had been added to the OHSAA’s tournament list since the late 1920s (although boys gymnastics was held between 1926 and 1937, was reinstated in 1965 and dropped again after the 1994 championships). All of this changed during the decade of the 1970s, when the proverbial floodgates opened and 12 new sports were elevated to state championship tournament status, nine of which were girls’ sports. The importance of this newfound recognition of Ohio’s female athletes not withstanding, the biggest of these new tournaments was that for football, which was established in 1972. This represented the third, and final, phase in how the state high school football champions were determined. The first phase saw the state champion being declared by acclimation; that is, if enough football authorities (schools, newspapers, etc.) decided that a certain school was the champion, then it was pretty much accepted by one and all that they were the state champion. This process lasted between 1895-1946. In 1947 started the era of the “poll champions,” the winner being decided by a vote of selected newspaper writers and coaches from around the state, the vote being conducted by both the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI). This system decided the “official” state football champion until 1972, when the state playoffs began. Some statewide media polls are still conducted, but the officially recognized state football champions are those teams that win the title through the playoff process. While the number of football playing schools has not changed much since 1972, the playoff format has progressed from 12 total qualifiers in three classes to 224 qualifiers in seven divisions, with more expansion occurring in 2021. Due to COVID-19, all football-playing schools had the opportunity to enter the playoffs in 2020. In 2025, 12 qualifiers in 28 regions qualified for the playoffs, down from the 16 qualifiers per region utilized between 2021 and 2024. Between 1985 and 2006, four sports were elevated to state tournament status: girls soccer (1985), girls golf (1993) and boys and girls bowling (start of 2006-07 school year). Also, a dual team wrestling tournament (to complement the long-standing individual wrestling tournament) was conducted between 2013 and 2020, and the OHSAA began sponsoring boys and girls lacrosse as emerging sports starting in the spring of 2017. In January 2022, the OHSAA moved boys and girls lacrosse to fully recognized status and sponsored girls wrestling and boys volleyball as emerging sports beginning with the 2022-23 school year. Those sports became fully recognized starting with the 2025-26 school year. Expansion of tournament divisions in seven team sports was approved by the Board of Directors starting with the 2024-25 school year. Like football, girls volleyball, girls and boys basketball, baseball and softball now have seven tournament divisions (each previously had four) and girls and boy soccer now have five (both previously had three). The Board of Directors approved expanding cross country from three to four divisions and track and field from three to five divisions beginning with the 2025-26 school year and added girls flag football in spring 2027. The Board and Executive Director’s Office continue to assess the need to expand tournament divisions and/or add more participation opportunities for student-athletes. Over the last several decades the OHSAA has continued to monitor high school athletics in the state, changing and amending the rules and regulations of the Association as needed. It places an emphasis on good sportsmanship, ethics and integrity when it comes to how schools, coaches, athletes and parents conduct themselves when participating in the arena of high school athletics. When needed, the OHSAA has not failed to act in levying penalties on those who violate these principles. In addition, the OHSAA awards over $200,000 annually in scholarships to deserving student-athletes to help further their education and athletic endeavors at the college level. The Ohio High School Athletic Association is one of the oldest and most respected organizations of its type in the country. While it was established to organize high school athletics in Ohio, it is best known through the championship tournaments that it sponsors throughout the school year. With the schools divided by size into as many as seven divisions, these tournaments give every student-athlete in the state a chance at winning a state title. At the bigger schools this helps to solidify the school’s family, while at the smaller schools, whole communities come together to cheer on and support their local athletes. As its mission statement, newly adopted in fall 2019, says, the OHSAA truly aims “to serve our member schools and enrich interscholastic opportunities for students.” Note: Former OHSAA Association Commissioner the late Fred Dafler and former OHSAA Director of Communications & Special Projects Bob Goldring contributed to this article. 20 The National Federation of State High School Associations The National Federation consists of the fifty individual state high school athletic and/or activities associations and the association of the District of Columbia. Also affiliated are 10 interscholastic organizations from the Canadian Provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland-Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan as well as the Canadian School Sports Federation and the associations of the Republic of the Philippines, Okinawa, Guam and St. Thomas. These associations have united to secure the benefits of cooperative action which eliminate unnecessary duplication of effort and which increase efficiency through the pooling and coordinating of ideas of all who are engaged in the administration of high school athletic and activities programs. Origin and Growth The national organization had its beginning in a meeting at Chicago on May 14, 1920. L. W. Smith, secretary of the Illinois High School Athletic Association, issued invitations to neighboring states and state association representatives came from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. The primary purpose of the meeting was to discuss problems which had resulted from high school contests which were organized by colleges and universities or by other clubs or promoters. In many cases, little attention was paid to the eligibility rules of the high school associations or to other school group regulations and chaotic conditions had developed. At this first meeting it was decided that the welfare of the high schools required a more active part in the control of such athletic activities be exercised by the high school through the state associations, and this control necessitated the formation of a national organization. A Constitution and Bylaws were adopted and the group decided on the name “Midwest Federation of State High School Athletic Associations.” Principal George Edward Marshall, Davenport, Iowa, was elected president and Principal L.W. Smith of Joliet, Illinois, was elected secretary-treasurer. In 1921, four states, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin, continued their interest and became charter members through formal ratification of the Constitution. Largely due to their efforts the national organization grew during the early years. In 1922, the Chicago annual meeting was attended by representatives from 11 states, and the name of the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations was adopted. A number of college and university representatives who attended the meeting expressed sympathy for and interest in the efforts to introduce a high degree of order in the regulation of interscholastic contests. Since that time, the National Federation has had a healthy growth to its present nationwide membership. By 1940, a national office with a full- time executive staff became necessary and such office was established in September of that year. The legislative body is the National Council made up of one representative from each member state association. Each representative must be a state association executive officer or member of the state Board of Directors. The executive body is the Executive Committee of at least eight members from the eight territorial sections as outlined in the Constitution. Their election is by the National Council at its summer meeting. Statement of Philosophy The purpose of the National Federation of State High School Associations is to coordinate the efforts of its member state associations toward the ultimate objectives of interscholastic activities. It shall provide a means for state high school associations to cooperate in order to enhance and protect their interscholastic programs. In order to accomplish this, the National Federation is guided by a philosophy consistent with the accepted purposes of secondary education. Member state associations’ programs must be administered in accordance with the following basic beliefs: Interscholastic activities shall be an integral part of the total secondary school educational program which has as its purpose to provide educational experiences not otherwise provided in the curriculum, which will develop learning outcomes in the areas of knowledge, skills and emotional patterns and will contribute to the development of better citizens. Emphasis shall be upon teaching “through” activities in addition to teaching the “skills” of activities. Interschool activities shall be primarily for the benefit of the high school students who participate directly and vicariously in them. The interscholastic activity program shall exist mainly for the value which it has for students and not for the benefit of the sponsoring institutions. The activities and contests involved shall be psychologically sound by being tailored to the physical, mental and emotional maturity levels of the youth participating in them. Any district and/or state athletic meet competition to determine a so-called champion shall provide opportunities for schools to demonstrate and to evaluate the best taught in their programs with the best taught in other schools and in other areas of the state. Participation in interscholastic activities is a privilege to be granted to those students who meet the minimum standards of eligibility adopted cooperatively by the schools through their state associations, and those additional standards established by each school for its own students. The state high school associations and the National Federation shall be concerned with the development of those standards, policies and regulations essential to assist their member schools in the implementation of their philosophy of interscholastic activities. Nonschool activities sponsored primarily for the benefit of the participants in accordance with a philosophy compatible with the school philosophy of interscholastics may have values for youth. When they did not interfere with the academic and interscholastic programs and do not result in exploitation of youth, they shall be considered as a worthwhile supplement to interschool activities. The welfare of the schools demands a united front in sports direction policies and the high school associations provide opportunity for this unity. They must be kept strong. The National Federation, which celebrated its centennial in 2018-19, has its headquarters at 690 West Washington Street in Indianapolis, Phone: 317-972-6900. The mailing address is P.O. Box 690, Indianapolis, IN 46206, and the web site address is www.nfhs.org. The Executive Director is Davis Whitfield . The National Federation is the major rules writing body for interscholastic sports in the United States. Playing rules for junior high and high school competition as written, published and printed by the National Federation have been adopted by the OHSAA in all sports except golf, tennis, bowling and girls gymnastics. The Ohio High School Athletic Association has been a member of the National Federation since 1924. CONSTITUTION 21 CONSTITUTION August 1, 2026 Revised by Referendum — May 2026

6-1-1 The Executive Director shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and shall take the initiative in enforcing the Bylaws and Regulations and promoting the purpose of the Association. 6-1-2 The Executive Director shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors for all appointments for all employees in the Association office. 6-1-3 The Executive Director shall conduct an annual review and/or evaluation of all employees in the Association office or designate another administrative staff member to conduct said reviews and/or evaluations. 6-1-4 The Executive Director or another administrator staff member designated by the Executive Director shall decide all questions and interpretations of the Constitution, Bylaws and Regulations, and shall impose and enforce penalties. The Executive Director may compel the attendance of the principal, athletic director, coach or such other school administrator of the member school/schools whom the Executive Director deems to have knowledge or information relevant to any issues in any hearing before the Executive Director, the Board of Directors, or the Appeals Panel, if one is appointed. 6-1-5 The Executive Director or another administrative staff member designated by the Excutive Director shall provide for the preparation of forms for the use of schools, distribute reports and bulletins, arrange and conduct clinics, tournaments and other athletic contests. 6-1-6 The Executive Director’s Office shall provide the Board of Directors with business rules and other data pertinent to any phase of the Association’s work and perform duties as directed by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director or an - other administrative staff member designated by the Excutive Director shall be responsible for the minutes of the Board of Directors’ meetings. 6-1-7 The Executive Director shall provide the Board of Directors with data pertinent to any phase of the Association’s work and perform other duties as directed by the Board of Directors. 6-1-8 The Executive Director shall assign duties and responsibilities to all employees. 6-1-9 The Executive Director’s Office may temporarily suspend the strict compliance to specific Constitution Articles, Bylaws, and/or Sports Regulations if the non-compliance is district/school-wide; is a direct and proximate result of a natural disaster, a national/state emergency, or a force majeure; and provided that such suspension remains consistent with the underlying purpose of the Article, Bylaw or Sports Regulation being suspended. 6-1-10 The Executive Director shall evaluate requests for member school transfers between athletic districts.

1 - Membership 7-1-1 The district athletic boards shall be composed of nine members. Each of the three classifications (A, AA, AAA) of schools will be represented by two members on each district athletic board, and there will be three at-large members elected: one who is an ethnic minority, one who is a female and one who is a representative of a 7th & 8th grade school according to the following tables: CONSTITUTION 26 Year of District Election Class Starting Date Ending Date CENTRAL 2027 A August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 7th & 8th August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 2028 AA August 1, 2028 July 31, 2034 2029 AA August 1, 2029 July 31, 2035 2030 AAA August 1, 2030 July 31, 2036 2031 AAA August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 Female August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 2032 A August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 Minority August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 EAST 2027 A August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 Female August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 2028 A August 1, 2028 July 31, 2034 2029 AA August 1, 2029 July 31, 2035 2030 AA August 1, 2030 July 31, 2036 2031 AAA August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 Minority August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 2032 AAA August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 7th & 8th August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 NORTHEAST 2027 AAA August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 Minority August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 2028 AAA August 1, 2028 July 31, 2034 2029 A August 1, 2029 July 31, 2035 2030 A August 1, 2030 July 31, 2036 2031 AA August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 7th & 8th August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 2032 AA August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 Female August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 NORTHWEST 2027 AAA August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 7th & 8th August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 2028 A August 1, 2028 July 31, 2034 2029 A August 1, 2029 July 31, 2035 2030 AA August 1, 2030 July 31, 2036 2031 AA August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 Female August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 2032 AAA August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 Minority August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 SOUTHEAST 2027 AA August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 Female August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 2028 AA August 1, 2028 July 31, 2034 2029 AAA August 1, 2029 July 31, 2035 2030 AAA August 1, 2030 July 21, 2036 2031 A August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 Minority August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 2032 A August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 27 CONSTITUTION SOUTHWEST 2027 AA August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 Minority August 1, 2027 July 31, 2033 2028 AAA August 1, 2028 July 31, 2034 2029 AAA August 1, 2029 July 31, 2035 2030 A August 1, 2030 July 31, 2036 2031 A August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 7th & 8th August 1, 2031 July 31, 2037 2032 AA August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 Female August 1, 2032 July 31, 2038 2 - Qualifications for Election and Retention of a Position on the District Athletic Board 7-2-1 Members of the district athletic boards shall be members of the teaching profession and employed fulltime (minimum of 180 days) with high school responsibilities in a member school or schools, within the respective athletic district they represent. A member of the teaching profession is defined as an individual who holds a professional license as a teacher or administrator or serves as an athletic administrator approved by the Board of Education or other governing board in a non-public school. The 7th & 8th grade representative on each district athletic board shall be a member of the teaching profession and employed fulltime with more than 60% of his or her duties in that 7th & 8th grade school. 7-2-2 All licensed teaching and administrative personnel assigned to only one high school who are standing for election to one of the classification positions on the district athletic board shall be eligible to represent either the boys or girls classifica - tion of the school at the time the term of office begins. 7-2-3 All other licensed teaching and administrative school employees who are standing for election to one of the classification positions on the district athletic board must represent the boys or girls classification of a high school in the school district where employed at the time the term of office begins. 7-2-4 Only one member of a district athletic board may be employed by the same city, exempted village or local school district Board of Education in a public school or similar governing body in a non-public school. The Board of Directors shall have the sole authority to resolve all election issues pertaining to the district athletic boards including, but not limited to eligibility of candidates and conflicts under this provision. 7-2-5 A district athletic board member who remains employed in the same school at which she/he was employed at the time of his/her election is entitled to serve his/her full term provided she/he continues to have high school responsibilities and regardless of change in classification of his/her school. 7th & 8th grade district athletic board members who remain em - ployed in the same school district are entitled to serve the full term provided they continue to have at least 60% of their responsibilities at the 7th & 8th grade level. 7-2-6 A district athletic board member who changes employment (from one high school to another or one school district to another school district) may continue to serve the term of office to which elected provided the following conditions are met: 1. the school/school district of new employment is assigned to the same OHSAA athletic district; 2. the classification of the new school is the same as the school at which she/he was employed at the time of his/her election; and 3. there is no conflict with 7-2-4. Note: At-large elected members may continue to serve provided they remain em - ployed fulltime in a school within the same OHSAA athletic district and there is no conflict with 7-2-5. 3 - Nomination 7-3-1 Nomination for district athletic board membership shall be by petition, signed by at least six member high school princi - pals other than the nominee, regardless of classification within the district involved. Nomination for the 7th & 8th grade membership shall be by petition, signed by at least six member 7th & 8th grade principals other than the nominee. 7-3-2 The nominating petition shall be obtained from the OHSAA Executive Director’s office and shall contain the name and school of the candidate and specify the term of office. In order to be valid, a petition in a regular election must be received by April 30 at the OHSAA office no later than 4:00 p.m. Year of District Election Class Starting Date Ending Date CONSTITUTION 28 4 - Elections 7-4-1 The election of representatives to the district athletic boards shall be held between May 1-15. Ballots listing the names and schools of certified candidates shall be sent to member high school principals in the district to be represented based on the classification the voting member’s school will hold during the subsequent school year. In order to be counted, ballots must be received by May 15 no later than 4:00 p.m. Exception: Should May 15 fall on a weekend or a holiday, the deadline shall be moved to 4:00 p.m. on the next business day. 7-4-2 District athletic board candidates who are running for one of the classification positions shall be elected by a vote of the principals of member high schools of their classification within their district. At large district athletic board candidates shall be elected by a vote of all the principals of the member high schools within their athletic district (female and mi - nority representatives) or the principals of the member 7th & 8th grade schools (7th & 8th grade representative). 7-4-3 When a vacancy occurs for an unexpiring (interim) representative on a District Athletic Board and aligns with a vacancy for an expiring (incumbent) representative in the same classification on the same District Athletic Board, all candidates shall be placed on the ballot together for those two vacancies. Authorized high school principals shall then cast votes for their top two candidates. The candidate with the most votes shall select which position he/she shall serve, either the longer expiring (incumbent) term or the shorter unexpiring (interim) term. The candidate with the second-most votes shall fill the other position. 5 - Term of Office 7-5-1 A full term of office for District Athletic Board members shall be six years beginning August 1. 6 - Vacancies 7-6-1 The term of office of a district athletic board representative ceases when the representative no longer meets the qualifica - tions in Constitution 7-2. Exception: If the district athletic board representative is retiring and, prior to the effective date of retirement he/she has received a commitment from an employer that said employer will employ him/her, the term of office of that representa - tive shall continue PROVIDED the Board of Education or similar governing body takes affirmative action to employ the representative within 30 days of the effective date of retirement and the re-employment effectively begins within 65 days of the effective date of retirement. 7-6-2 When a vacancy occurs for an elected representative on the district athletic board for reasons other than expiration of the term, the Board of Directors shall appoint an interim representative who meets all of the requirements of the position and who shall serve until such time as the newly elected representative, elected during the next regularly scheduled election, takes office. This appointment shall take place at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors after the vacancy occurs. 7 - Powers and Duties 7-7-1 The district athletic boards shall assist the Board of Directors and the Executive Director in promoting the purposes of the Association, in organizing and conducting interscholastic athletic tournaments, and other duties as directed by them. 7-7-2 Each district athletic board shall be responsible for forwarding to the Executive Director’s office, financial and other specified reports on sectional and district tournaments, and all other materials and records as required to support the Association’s annual audit. 8 - Meetings 7-8-1 The annual organizational meetings of the district athletic boards shall be held in August at which time one of its members shall be elected president and one vice-president, both of whom shall serve for one year. 7-8-2 District athletic board meetings will be determined by each board to fulfill their responsibilities. 7-8-3 Special meetings of the district athletic boards may be called by the President, or by any three members of the board. 9 - Quorum 7-9-1 Five members of a district athletic board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Article 8 1 - Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws 8-1-1 In the event of a proposed or adopted legislative action or court order that modifies an existing bylaw or article of the constitution, the Board of Directors may immediately authorize the change in the bylaw or constitution so that the by - laws and/or constitution of the OHSAA will be in compliance with Ohio state law or the proposed legislative action. In addition, the Board is authorized to circulate an emergency petition for referendum vote to amend the Constitution and/ or Bylaws in the event circumstances that arise cause conflict within the Constitution and/or Bylaws. 29 CONSTITUTION In the event that a state law which previously modified a bylaw and/or article of the constitution is subsequently stricken from the Ohio Revised Code, the Board of Directors may immediately authorize a change in the bylaws and/or constitu - tion so that the previously approved language of the affected bylaw and/or article of the constitution is restored. 8-1-2 The constitution and bylaws of this Association may be amended by a referendum vote of the member schools in which the principal of the member school shall cast the vote of the school. 8-1-3 With respect to a matter which concerns only 7th & 8th grade member schools, principals of 7th & 8th grade member schools may vote. With respect to all other matters, only the principal of a member high school shall vote. 8-1-4 Any proposed amendment shall be adopted if it receives a majority of the votes cast. 8-1-5 An amendment may be initiated by the Board of Directors or by petition signed by the principals of no less than 75 mem - ber schools with a minimum of five signatures required from each district. 8-1-6 Prior to circulation of the petition for signatures, the originators of the petition shall consult with the Executive Director’s office to ensure that the petition is accurate and constructed in such a manner that it will change all related provisions of the constitution and/or bylaws of the OHSAA and file the proposed petition with the Executive Director’s office prior to obtaining signatures. The originator(s) of a petition may be any person(s) who is employed as an administrator, teacher or coach in an OHSAA member school. The school or school district where employed must be noted with the name on the petition. 8-1-7 Petitions to be submitted for referendum vote must be filed with the Executive Director’s office between August 1 and December 1 inclusive. 8-1-8 Voting on referendums to amend the constitution and bylaws shall be conducted between May 1 and May 15. Ballots shall be received in the OHSAA office no later than 4:00 p.m. on May 15. Exception: Should May 15 fall on a weekend or a holiday, the deadline shall be moved to 4:00 p.m. on the next business day. 8-1-9 The member school principal shall return the referendum ballot to the OHSAA office by the deadline specified in article 8-1-8. Failure to return the referendum ballot shall result in a penalty to the member school which failed to return the ballot. The Board of Directors, in accordance with Bylaw 11, shall establish the penalty. 8-1-10 All referendums to amend the constitution and bylaws will be presented for public explanation and discussion at a spring meeting of any principals and/or superintendents Associations at the request of the respective Association. In addition, similar public explanation and discussions should occur at other meetings of school administrators prior to the vote in May. 8-1-11 Amendments to the constitution and bylaws which receive a majority approval shall become effective August 1 following the vote unless the Board of Directors establishes another date, which date is indicated on the ballot. 8-1-12 No amendment submitted by petition for referendum vote may be resubmitted within three years of the previous vote, except by Board of Directors action. 31 BYLAWS BYLAWS Revised by Referendum — May 2026 The bylaws outlined in this handbook are an integral part of the member schools of the OHSAA and the Executive Director’s Office in order to create, administer and maintain the valuable and unique form of competition interscholastic athletics has to offer. This unique form of competition is a carefully constructed system that promotes competitive balance and serves the mission and purpose of education-based sports and activities. Interscholastic sports and activities are intended to foster a sense of community as well as to teach teamwork, citizenship and discipline. Other sporting organizations (and other forms of competition) exist to promote free player movement and are primarily designed to promote athletic development of the individual and provide a showcase for the athletic talents of those individuals. These organizations do not share the primary purposes of the member schools of this Associa - tion or the Executive Director’s Office and therefore cannot provide the unique type of competition created and maintained by the OHSAA through its member schools. Efforts randomly to impose adjustments or favoritism on these rules damage and undermine the very purposes for sponsorship of interscholastic competitions, the member schools and their Association and, in turn, damage all the students who either participate in an Association sport/activity or who support them. The member schools of the OHSAA and the Executive Director’s Office established by these member schools and charged with the ultimate authority to enforce these rules are committed to maintain this unique form of competition. BYLAW 1 — COVERAGE AND ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS Section 1. Application of Bylaws and Sports Regulations 1-1-1 The bylaws and sports regulations apply to all participants in interscholastic athletic contests involving students in grades seven through twelve and include matters of eligibility, contracts, qualifications, responsibility and behavior of various personnel. 1-1-2 Students enrolled below the seventh grade are ineligible for participation in interscholastic athletics. Students enrolled in grades 7 or 8 are ineligible for interscholastic competition on the same squad with students in grade 9 or higher. EXCEPTION : A student who attains the age of 15 prior to August 1 is eligible for interscholastic athletics only at the high school level not to exceed eight semesters. 1-1-3 Ninth grade students in all schools are high school students and shall compete in athletics in accordance with high school bylaws and regulations. 1-1-4 Four-year high schools may elect to have all students in grades 9-12 eligible to participate in varsity, junior varsity, re - serve and class teams. 1-1-5 9-12 grade students are not permitted to compete in interscholastic competition on the same team or squad with students below ninth grade. 1-1-6 These bylaws cannot be waived, modified or amended by mutual consent between or among contesting schools. Like - wise, these bylaws cannot be waived, modified or amended by the Executive Director’s Office except in accordance with Constitution 8-1-1 as authorized by the Board of Directors. Section 2. Sponsorship 1-2-1 All practices, games, previews and other interscholastic athletic contests shall be under the direct sponsorship and super - vision of the schools involved and shall be the financial responsibility of such schools. Please see Bylaw 3-2-1, School’s Responsibility When Hosting a Contest and Bylaw 8-2, Selection of Officials for additional information relative to this obligation. Note: Please see Bylaw 9-2-3 for sanctioning requirements if the contest is co-sponsored by or titled in the name of an organization outside the school community. 1-2-2 This bylaw applies to all sports recognized by the OHSAA. Section 3. Penalties 1-3-1 Penalties for violations of the Constitution, Bylaws and Sports Regulations shall be assessed in accordance with Bylaw 11 unless a specific penalty is provided in the Constitution, Bylaws and Sports Regulations. In such cases the specific penalty shall apply. Section 4. Interscholastic Competition 1-4-1 An “interscholastic athletic contest,” as used throughout the Bylaws and Sports Regulations of the OHSAA, is defined as a sports event which take place during the defined sports season in which student-athletes representing at least one school are engaged in sports-related activities with students representing at least one or more schools or non-interscholas - tic programs. This includes, but is not limited to, scheduled contests/meets/matches, previews, scrimmages, jamborees, electronic contests, invitational contests, and alumni games. Practices involving two or more schools shall also count as a contest unless those squads share the same board-approved coach or unless otherwise permitted in the sports/specific regulations for individual sports. See Bylaw 9 regarding contests requiring special attention. For purposes of this definition, “defined sport season” shall be determined by the sports regulations for that sport, begin - ning with the first date on which coaching may begin and concluding on the last date the school participates in a regular or postseason contest. BYLAWS 32 1-4-2 Instructional clinics and demonstrations designed for the teaching of fundamental skills and conducted for learning the - ory, techniques, rules, game procedure and strategy shall not be counted as a scheduled contest. 1-4-3 Interscholastic competition shall be conducted using contest rules adopted by the Board of Directors. Modifications or changes in sport rules are not permitted except those provided in the rule book and approved by the Board of Directors. Section 5. Recognized Sports 1-5-1 A “recognized sport” is one adopted by the Board of Directors and for which the OHSAA sponsors a tournament. 1-5-2 An “emerging sport” is a recognized sport that does not have wide-spread sponsorship by and among member high schools but for which there exists a growing or expanding interest in sponsorship by member schools. The Board of Directors shall adopt sport specific regulations and tournament regulations for participation in the tournament sponsored by the OHSAA but they may suspend the strict compliance to specific general sport regulations for that emerging sport. Note: Sports that the Board of Directors had approved as “recognized sports” as of August 1, 2022, shall be grandfathered in as recognized sports regardless of the percentage of member schools that sponsor that sport. 1-5-3 A “sponsored event” is an interscholastic contest(s) contracted through/for the Executive Director’s Office for which special rules must be created in conjunction with an outside entity to establish a format for statewide competition. Further, the Executive Director’s Office shall determine which OHSAA student eligibility bylaws, if any, are applicable to the athletes involved. 1-5-4 If and when a school or school district sponsors or authorizes a varsity, subvarsity, 7th or 8th grade squad/team that competes with other interscholastic squads in a “recognized sport,” the school or school district shall be responsible for assuring that any and all such squads/teams comply with all OHSAA Bylaws and Sports Regulations, particularly those related to scholarship, transfer, residency, age limitations and contest limitations. For purposes of this bylaw, a “spon - sored” team or squad shall include any “club” sport or team/squad. Section 6. Team Membership 1-6-1 Girls may play on a boys team. A female to male (FTM) transgender student may participate on boys teams as long as he is compliant with the OHSAA transgender policies. Please see the OHSAA policies on the Transgender Student at OHSAA.org. 1-6-2 A girl or transgender male (FTM) who is compliant with the OHSAA transgender policies and who is a member of a boys team shall follow all contests rules and regulations regarding the sport as specified for the boys. 1-6-3 Boys may not play on girls’ teams unless the overall opportunities, as referenced in the 1979 US Department of Educa - tion’s Title IX Policy Interpretation in accordance with Part 1 of the three part test, for interscholastic competition for boys are less than for girls and the competing schools mutually agree. A male to female (MTF) transgender student ’s participation shall be governed by the OHSAA policies on Transgender Students located at OHSAA.org 1-6-4 Interscholastic teams/squads sponsored by a member school may not consist of students from more than one school un - less otherwise permitted under an exception to Bylaw 4-3-1 or in accordance with the exception below: EXCEPTION: Member schools containing grades 7 and 8 may combine students from two or more member schools within the same public school district/non-public system of education to form one or more interscholastic team in a sport. Request for permission to combine students from two or more member schools in the same public district or non-public system must be submitted annually prior to the start of each sports season to the OHSAA in writing by the superintendent or his/her designee of the public district or non-public system. The request must be submitted using the form prescribed by the Executive Director’s Office. For purposes of tournament assignment, eligibility and placement, the Board of Directors and the Executive Director’s Office of the OHSAA shall adopt and publish from time to time, such rules as deemed necessary and proper for the timely, accurate and transparent implementation of this bylaw so as to give effect and meaning to this section. Section 7. Team Competition Between Sexes 1-7-1 Teams of the opposite sex shall not compete against each other in any interscholastic athletic contests. However, the Executive Director’s Office may waive the prohibition of this bylaw on a case-by-case basis provided the administrators of the proposed competing schools follow the procedures for obtaining such a waiver as prescribed by the Executive Director’s Office. BYLAW 2 — DIVISIONS AND TOURNAMENT ASSIGNMENTS Note: As a result of the May 2014 referendum, Bylaw 2 relating to classification and organization was significantly amended, effective beginning with the 2017-18 school year. Please visit the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org) for further details on the competitive balance plan, which should help administrators understand how to proceed. While the bylaw had an effective date of 2017-18, ‘roster data’ collection began in 2016 and is ongoing. Please continue to check the OHSAA website for updates and guidance, including the business rules for competitive balance. Section 1 — Divisions and Tournament Assignments 2-1-1 By entering into an OHSAA sponsored tournament, schools, on behalf of their teams and individuals, agree to compete at the sites, dates and times assigned to them by the OHSAA. Schools that enter into an OHSAA sponsored tournament shall compete in only the division to which they have been assigned for the applicable sport. 33 BYLAWS In team sports, schools are permitted to enter only one team in OHSAA-sponsored tournaments. In individual sports, schools are only permitted to enter the maximum number of individuals in OHSAA-sponsored tournaments as prescribed in the respective sports’ playing rules and/or tournament regulations. EXCEPTION 1: Schools may request an alternative divisional assignment to participate in the highest division of a respective sport on a sport-by-sport basis. Such a request must be submitted to the Executive Director’s Office by the deadline to be published on the OHSAA website on an annual basis. Requests to participate in any division other than the highest division shall NOT be considered. Note: Any requests for reassignment in the sports of boys and girls bowling, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls golf, gymnastics, boys and girls swimming and diving, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls track and field and boys and girls wrestling (i.e. individual sports) shall result in the entire team moving up to the highest division, not just individual athletes. EXCEPTION 2: Schools may request an alternative divisional assignment in the individual sports of bowling, cross country, golf, swimming and diving, track and field, and wrestling if the school offers the sport for both genders and the teams are assigned to different divisions. If such a request is made for the teams to participate in the same division, both teams shall be assigned to the highest division to which one of the teams was originally assigned. Such a request must be submitted to the Executive Director’s Office by the deadline to be published on the OHSAA website on an annual basis. Requests to compete in the lower of the two divisional assignments shall not be considered. 2-1-2 Enrollment information used for assigning schools to divisions shall be provided by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s enrollment report. All boys and girls in grades 9, 10 and 11 included in the school’s October enrollment report shall be counted for enrollment purposes except for students who are identified as children with disabilities within the OHSAA Business Rules for Obtaining Enrollment Data. The Board of Directors is authorized to adopt policy for assigning students, who are not specified as assigned to a particular high school, to the appropriate member high school and to publish the policy on the Association’s website. Note: The policy, Business Rules for Obtaining Enrollment Data, was first prepared in April 2007, has since been modi - fied, and is posted on the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org). 2-1-3 High schools in school districts that consolidate will be placed into divisions based on school enrollment of boys or girls in grades 10, 11 and 12 as of September 10 of the effective year of consolidation in accordance with the business rules, plus the real-time Adjusted Enrollment Count (outlined in Bylaw 2-2-1) in all applicable sports. In the event of the opening of a new high school or transfer of territory under Section 3311.38 of the Ohio Revised Code, member school division assignments will be based upon actual number of boys or girls enrolled in grades 10, 11 and 12 as of September 10 of the current year in accordance with the business rules, plus the real-time Adjusted Enrollment Count (outlined in Bylaw 2-2-1) in all applicable sports. 2-1-4 In the case of the opening , merging or closing of a high school or schools in a multi-high school district or non-public school system , or in the case of a non-member comprehensive high school or non-traditional high school becoming a member, the member high school division assignments for all high schools within the district /system shall be based upon the actual number of boys and girls enrolled in grades 10, 11 and 12 as of September 10 of the current year in accordance with the business rules, plus the real-time Adjusted Enrollment Count (outlined in Bylaw 2-2-1) in all applicable sports. Section 2. Tournament Assignment – Team Sports of Football, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball and Softball 2-2-1 Teams in the sports of football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball shall be assigned to a division based upon that school team’s Adjusted Enrollment Count. For purposes of this section, Adjusted Enrollment Count is the count as determined by adding the Initial Enrollment Count (EMIS reported number of boys or girls) and the Additional Roster Count for the given sport (Initial Enrollment Count + Additional Roster Count = Adjusted Enrollment Count). 2-2-2 The Additional Roster Count is determined by multiplying designated students on the given sport’s Initial Roster by the specific factor or Tier and adding them together. - In the sports of soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball – the designated students shall include students on a team’s tournament roster and anyone else who played in a varsity contest during the regular season. - In the sport of Football – the designated students shall include students in grades 10-12 on any roster and any fresh - man who played in a varsity contest during the regular season. EXCEPTION: A student who participates in a single varsity contest during a regular season is not required to be included in the Additional Roster Count submission provided the following criteria are met: 1 — The participation happens one time during the regular season; and 2 — The student is a manager/student assistant or has an intellectual or physical disability; and 3 — The student would not likely otherwise participate in a meaningful way or have an impact on the outcome of a contest; and 4 — It is required that the opposing coach and/or officials are made aware of the student’s participation before the stu - dent enters the contest. BYLAWS 34 The intent of this exception is to specifically reward and/or recognize a student manager or a student with an intellectual or physical disability for his/her special contributions to a team without potentially impacting a team’s divisional placement. Note: The annual submission of the Additional Roster Count for each respective sport shall be utilized to help determine the division to which that team shall be assigned the following school year. 2-2-3 Factors shall be assigned three levels of points: Tier 0, Tier 1 and a Tier 2. The purpose of the Factors is to determine from where the student-athletes come, from what system of education they come or if they are non-enrolled students in accordance with state law, and to make appropriate adjustments accordingly. Note: See the exception under Bylaw 2-2-2 for students who are not required to be tiered. 2-2-4 For public member schools, Factors shall be assigned as follows: — Tier 0 – the student and at least one legal custodian currently reside within the school district/designated/assigned attendance zone (unless the student is participating as a non-enrolled student at the member high school in accordance with state law). — Tier 1 – the student and at least one legal custodian currently reside outside the school district but the student has been continuously enrolled in the district since the beginning of 7th grade OR 2) the student, who is attending a school in a multiple-high school district, and at least one legal custodian currently reside outside the school’s designated/assigned attendance zone but still live within the school district OR 3) the student is participating as a non-enrolled student at the member high school in accordance with state law, or the student is participating on a J1 Visa.). — Tier 2 – the student and at least one legal custodian currently reside outside the school district and/or designated/as - signed attendance zone and the student has not been continuously enrolled in the district since 7th grade. EXCEPTION: A public school may consider an alternative Tier assignment for a student who resides outside its district and attended a non-public school in 7th AND 8th grade if the following criteria are met: a) The non-public school of attendance is physically located within the geographic boundaries of the public school district and; b) The student played sports at the non-residential public school in accordance with state law and; c) The student matriculates to the public high school and maintains continuous enrollment within the high school for the duration of his/her high school career. If all the aforementioned criteria are met, such a student may be assigned Tier 1 even though the student and his/her legal custodians reside outside of the school district and have not attended a district public school. If any of the aforementioned criteria are not met, this exception will not apply, and the student shall be assigned a Tier based on the standard analysis. Note: See Competitive Balance Business Rules, as outlined within Bylaw 2-2-7, to determine if the non-public elemen - tary school is within the feeder school boundaries of a high school within its same system of education. 2-2-5 For non-public member schools, Factors shall be assigned as follows: — Tier 0 – the student attended the same system of education continuously since the beginning of the 7th grade and at - tended one of the designated/assigned feeder schools continuously since the beginning of 7th grade. — Tier 1 – the student attended the same system of education continuously since the beginning of 7th grade but did not attend one of the designated/assigned feeder schools continuously since the beginning of 7th grade or the student is participating on a J1 Visa. — Tier 2 – the student did not attend the same system of education continuously since the beginning of 7th grade. 2-2-6 The Tier 2, or Sport Specific Factors, shall be as follows: —Three (3) in the sport of football. —Seven (7) in the sports of soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball. 2-2-7 The Board of Directors and the Executive Director’s Office of the OHSAA shall adopt and publish from time to time such rules as deemed necessary and proper for the timely, accurate and transparent (verifiable) reporting of the roster data in order to give effect and meaning to this section. Note: Schools that do not sponsor a respective team the immediately preceding season shall be assigned to a division in accordance with the Competitive Balance business rules that have been adopted by the Board of Directors. http://www. ohsaa.org/School-Resources/Competitive-Balance-Resource-Center. BYLAW 3 — ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY AND INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL Note: Many of the bylaws in this section outline the requirements and responsibilities of school administrators in educating coach - es, student-athletes and fans on the importance in interscholastic athletics of working together to ensure everyone is displaying proper and appropriate sporting behavior during all contests, including scrimmages. The bylaws also outline the requirement of school personnel when hosting a contest to provide safety and security for the visiting team(s), their spectators and the officials. Administrators are highly encouraged to annually review these bylaws and consider developing a sportsmanship program to help ensure your constituents are representing our schools and communities in an exemplary manner so that interscholastic athletics are providing our student-athletes with the best experiences possible. 35 BYLAWS Section 1. Primary Responsibility 3-1-1 The principal of the school shall be held primarily responsible in all matters pertaining to interscholastic athletics involv - ing the school. The principal has the responsibility to educate the member school’s students, coaches, school personnel, boosters and other appropriate persons involved in interscholastic athletics regarding OHSAA bylaws and sport regula - tions that could affect them. Further, the principal shall monitor the school’s compliance with OHSAA bylaws and sports regulations and conduct an appropriate inquiry if information arises concerning a possible violation of OHSAA bylaws and/or sports regulations. 3-1-2 All school administrative and athletic personnel have a duty to immediately report violations that may affect the status of an athlete, team or contest. 3-1-3 The principal, at his or her discretion, may assign other members of the administrative team to sign contracts and any other paper work requiring an official school signature. 3-1-4 No later than two weeks after the beginning of each sports season, the principal, through his/her athletic administrator, coaches and such other personnel as deemed advisable by said principal, shall conduct a mandatory, preseason program with all student-athletes who wish to participate in the upcoming sports seasons, their parents and booster club officer(s). The meeting shall consist of (a) a review of the student-eligibility bulletin and key essential eligibility requirements; (b) a review of the school’s Athletic Code of Conduct; (c) a sportsmanship, ethics and integrity component, and (d) a review of issues concerning concussions and steroids. Note: See General Sports Regulation 5 for penalties for non-compliance of this bylaw. Section 2. School’s Responsibility When Hosting A Contest 3-2-1 The host school has the responsibility to ensure that a contest or event is administered in a manner which emphasizes the educational values inherent in interscholastic athletics. It is the host school’s responsibility to remove any individual(s) who disrupts the educational goals of the contest or event. Likewise, the host school is ultimately responsible for the safety of all participants (players, coaches, officials, spectators, etc.) in the interscholastic contest immediately before, during and immediately after each contest or event. Therefore, the host school shall appoint a site director/manager or administrator-in-charge for every contest or event. The host school shall ensure that the site director/manager or administrator-in-charge is aware of the school’s emergency action plan and how to adjust it to meet the needs of the particular contest or event. Included in the emergency action plan shall be procedures to deal with emergencies, crowd management and health and safety protections. The plan shall also include procedures to ensure that unauthorized personnel are kept from the playing field; to provide safety and security for the visiting team(s), their spectators and the contest officials, and to provide safety and security for parking areas related to the contest or event. Penalties for violation of this bylaw shall be imposed by the Executive Director’s Office as specified in Bylaw 11. Section 3. School Representative Must Accompany Team 3-3-1 The principal or representative (s) authorized by the principal, in addition to the coaches, shall be present throughout all varsity football, and boys and girls varsity basketball games, home and away. It is highly recommended that a school administrator be present for all interscholastic contests, home and away, especially in the sports of boys’ and girls’ soccer and ice hockey. In all other sports, the host school shall appoint a site director/manager, who could be a coach, or admin - istrator-in-charge, for every contest or event. 3-3-2 When a male coach is assigned to a girls’ team, an adult female (non-high school student) should be present at the contest. When a female coach is assigned to a boys’ team, an adult male (non-high school student) should be present at the contest. Section 4. Courtesy to Officials and Visiting Schools 3-4-1 Recognized law enforcement officials should be given specific instruction by the school administrator as to duties before, during and after the contest. This will include keeping spectators from the field or floor during the contest, supervision of parking and safe conduct of contest officials and visiting team from the contest area. Failure to protect the contest, the teams or the officials constitutes a violation of the bylaws. Section 5. Student Participation and Physical Examination Forms 3-5-1 Athletic participation forms for participants in any of the grades 7-12 shall be signed by a medical examiner (Physician [M.D., D.O., or D.C.], Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Physician’s Assistant), the participant and by a parent or guardian. These forms must be on file with the principal or designee before any candidate for a team may participate in a practice. These forms shall require the medical examiner to certify the individual’s physical fitness no less than once every 13 months. EXCEPTION: If the preparticipation athletic evaluation is conducted between May 1 and June 1, the preparticipation evaluation, signed by the medical examiner, is valid for one calendar year plus the remainder of the next school year. 3-5-2 If a student athlete transfers to another school, the physical examination forms shall be transferred to the new school. 3-5-3 Section 3313.73 of the Ohio Revised Code reads in part as follows: “This section does not require any school child to receive a medical examination (preparticipation physical evaluation) or receive medical treatment whose parent or guard - ian objects thereto.” A form certifying this objection shall be signed by the parent or guardian and attached to the required BYLAWS 36 parental consent forms. However, nothing in Section 3313.73 of the ORC would preclude a school from adopting a Board of Education policy that would deny participation in interscholastic athletics for any student whose parent or guardian refused to permit a preparticipation physical evaluation. Section 6. Eligibility Certificates 3-6-1 At the beginning of each sport season each school’s administration shall prepare an eligibility certificate listing only those students eligible under OHSAA rules to represent the school in each sport. This eligibility certificate and the information contained therein shall be verified and signed by the principal of the member school. Said eligibility certificates shall be prepared separately for each sport in which that school participates and available for inspection upon request. 3-6-2 Corrections, additions and deletions may be made as the sport season progresses and filed in the appropriate school office. Section 7. Duties Regarding Appeals 3-7-1 All school administrative and athletic personnel, including interscholastic coaches, and student-athletes themselves, have a responsibility to cooperate fully with the Executive Director, the Executive Director’s staff and members of the Board of Directors in all matters which are the subject of any investigation, hearing or appeal. In addition, any retaliation or threatened retaliation against an individual or individuals, either inside or outside of the school’s employment or commu - nity, who provide information in connection with any investigation shall be regarded as a major violation of this bylaw provision, subject to Bylaw 11 sanctions including, but not limited to, membership suspension. 3-7-2 When requested by a member of the Board of Directors, or the Executive Director, the principal shall attend any and all hearings or appeals conducted on behalf of the OHSAA. BYLAW 4 — STUDENT ELIGIBILITY Section 1. Eligibility 4-1-1 Each student shall meet all requirements in this bylaw to be eligible to participate in interscholastic athletic competi - tion. Notwithstanding any provision of this Bylaw 4 to the contrary, if a student has met all of the substantive eligibility requirements of this Bylaw 4 but is declared ineligible due solely to an administrative error on the part of the school/ school personnel, the Executive Director’s office may, in its absolute and sole discretion, restore eligibility to that student (prospectively and retroactively), provided it can be shown that the student’s actions or failure to act did not contribute in any way to the administrative error that caused the declaration of ineligibility in the first place. Notwithstanding the restoration of eligibility, the school may be subject to additional penalties as prescribed in Bylaw 11. Note: The authority to correct administrative errors is limited to correcting student eligibility issues as codifed within Bylaw 4 – Student Eligibility. Students who have not met the high school or middle school scholarship requirement are not “substantively eligible”; and a student who fails to register for enough credit hours, fails a class(es) or drops a class that lowers the student below the requisite number of credits, always has a shared responsibility for this shortcoming thus disqualifying such shortcoming from the “due solely to an administrative error” category. Therefore, this Bylaw shall never be used in conjunction with Bylaws 4-4-1 or 4-4-5. EXCEPTION: A student who only participates in a single contest during a regular season is not required to meet all the requirements of Bylaw 4 but only if the following criteria are met: 1 — The participation happens one time during the regular season; and 2 — The student is a manager/student assistant or has an intellectual or physical disability; and 3 — The student would not likely otherwise participate in a meaningful way or have an impact on the outcome of a contest; and 4 — The opposing coach and/or officials are made aware of the student’s participation before the student enters the contest and the playing time is agreed to by both coaches. The intent of this exception is to specifically reward and/or recognize a student manager or a student with an intellectual or physical disability for his/her special contributions to a team even if they fail to meet certain criteria within Bylaw 4. 4-1-2 If a student participates in an athletic contest and his or her eligibility has been established by falsified information (includes but is not limited to: name, address, transcripts, birth certificate, etc.), or if an attempt is made to establish eligibility for a student by falsified information , the student shall be ineligible in Ohio for a maximum of one year from the date the penalty is imposed. 4-1-3 A student who is determined to be ineligible in accordance with Bylaw 4, or who is ineligible in accordance with any policy, rule or regulation as set forth in the General/Specific Sports Regulations, shall be ineligible to participate in any interscholastic sports contests, shall not be dressed in full uniform for any such contests and shall not participate in pre-game warmups during the student’s period of ineligibility. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it shall remain within the discretion of the student’s school administrators as to whether the student may continue to practice with the team, assist the coaches/managers with pre-game warmup drills, sit on the team bench/sidelines (jersey only), travel with the team and/or take part in other team functions during this period of ineligibility. 4-1-4 A student is a member of an interscholastic team when the student participates in an interscholastic contest. Such status as a team member continues until the start of the next school season in that sport. An athletic contest involving participants from another school or any non-interscholastic or any organized adult team is a game, preview or a scrimmage. 37 BYLAWS Notwithstanding the definition of an athletic contest above, if an interscholastic team only participates in a preseason event (preview, scrimmages, etc.) and does not participate in a regular season contest before dropping the sport and/or cancelling their season, the school will not be considered to have “sponsored the sport” for purposes of the application of Exception 6 to Bylaw 4-3-1. Such a student will still be considered to have “participated in the sport” for purposes of the transfer bylaw, but shall still be permitted to participate at a different school during the same season, subject to available opportunities afforded under an exception to Bylaw 4-3-1. For purposes of General Sports Regulation 7, these students will count towards the team membership of the school at which they participate in a regular season contest. Section 2. Age Limitation 4-2-1 Once a student attains the age of 20, the student will no longer be eligible for interscholastic athletic competition notwith - standing where that 20th birthday falls in relation to the sports season. EXCEPTION: If the student is a “child with a disability” as that term is defined within the Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities and Part B of the Federal IDEIA requirements and the student’s specific disability was diagnosed contemporaneous with the events which caused the student to be unable to meet the require - ments of this bylaw; and whose disability is the primary reason for student’s inability to meet the requirements of this bylaw, that student may be declared eligible by the Executive Director’s office if, in the sole discretion of the Executive Director’s office, the Executive Director’s office determines that: a) the student does not pose a safety risk to himself/herself or others; and b) the student does not enjoy any advantages in terms of physical maturity, mental maturity or athletic maturity over other student-athletes; and c) the student would not likely participate in any meaningful way in any contest or otherwise have any impact on the outcome of any contest in which the student does participate; and d) there is no evidence of “red-shirting” or other indicia of academic dishonesty. 4-2-2 If a student enrolled in grade 7 or 8 attains the age of 15 before August 1, the student shall be ineligible to participate in 7th & 8th grade interscholastic athletics for the school year commencing in that calendar year. EXCEPTION 1: If the student is a “child with a disability” as that term is defined within the Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities and Part B of the Federal IDEIA requirements and the student’s specific disability was diagnosed contemporaneous with the events which caused the student to be unable to meet the require - ments of this bylaw; and whose disability is the primary reason for student’s inability to meet the requirements of this bylaw, that student may be declared eligible by the Executive Director’s office if, in the sole discretion of the Executive Director’s office, the Executive Director’s office determines that: a) the student does not pose a safety risk to himself/herself or others; and b) the student does not enjoy any advantages in terms of physical maturity, mental maturity or athletic maturity over other student-athletes; and c) the student would not likely participate in a way which would significantly impact the outcome of the contest; and d) there is no evidence of “red-shirting” or other indications of academic dishonesty. EXCEPTION 2: If a student has repeated any grade from kindergarten through grade 3 at the recommendation of the student’s teachers or other educational professionals and for purely academic reasons and, as a result of repeating any of these grades, the student cannot meet the age limitations of this bylaw in the student’s eighth grade year with the 7th & 8th grade school, the Executive Director’s office may declare the student eligible notwithstanding this bylaw 4-2-2 if, in the sole discretion of the Executive Director’s office, the following criteria can be met: a) the student does not pose a safety risk to himself/herself or others; and b) the student does not enjoy any advantages in terms of physical maturity, mental maturity or athletic maturity over other student-athletes of her/his grade level; and c) the student would not likely participate in a way which would significantly impact the outcome of the contest; and d) there is no evidence of “red-shirting” or other indications of academic dishonesty. 4-2-3 An 8th grade student may, at the student’s option, become eligible for interscholastic athletics at the high school level when the student attains his/her 15th birthday before August 1 of the ensuing school year. The student who chooses to commence high school eligibility while still enrolled in grade eight is eligible at the school where the student is expected to enroll at the ninth grade level. A student opting to commence her/his eligibility at the high school level shall have no more than eight semesters of high school eligibility taken in order of attendance in accordance with Bylaw 4-3-3. Note: This means that a student’s senior year of eligibility will be affected if the student chooses to commence high school eligibility while still enrolled in grade eight. Furthermore, if the student does not opt to become eligible at the high school level, she/he shall be ineligible on account of her/his age at the 7th-8th grade level of interscholastic competition. 4-2-4 In determining the age of a student, the date of birth as recorded in the school records shall be considered as final, except that when birth records, filed within six years after date of birth, are available in the State Bureau of Vital Statistics or BYLAWS 38 a comparable governmental agency, it shall be used. If this information is not available and if the school records do not agree, the earliest date of birth shall be considered the valid date of birth. 4-2-5 Family Bibles, physician’s statements, parents’ affidavits, baptismal certificates etc., will not be accepted in lieu of birth certificates. Amendments to birth certificates filed after six years from date of birth will not be considered. Section 3. Enrollment and Attendance For purposes of this section and the interpretations there under: 1. — A student cannot attend a school without being officially enrolled; 2. — A student cannot be enrolled in more than one school at any given time, and 3. — Once a student is enrolled and attending a new school, the OHSAA shall consider the student withdrawn from the former school. Note: Not withstanding these exceptions to Bylaw 4-3-1, all high school students must also comply with the transfer Bylaw 4-7. 4-3-1 All students participating in a school-sponsored sport must be enrolled in and attending in accordance with all duly ad - opted Board of Education or similar governing board policies of that school. EXCEPTION 1: A student enrolled in the ninth grade separate from the high school (grades 10- 12) is eligible to partic - ipate with the school squad of the high school the student will be assigned to attend. EXCEPTION 2: A student enrolled in a career center, a joint vocational/technical school, or in College Credit Plus is eligible at the high school where the students’ records are maintained. EXCEPTION 3: A student enrolled full time in a postsecondary institution (now known as College Credit Plus) is eli - gible to participate at the high school where the student’s records are maintained, provided the student is receiving high school credit for a minimum of five one credit courses in the postsecondary institution. EXCEPTION 4: A student enrolled in a non-traditional (alternative, magnet, career-oriented, digital, specialty, etc.) school that is sponsored by a Board of Education/Governing Board is eligible to participate at the member school, oper - ated by the district/system sponsoring the non-traditional school provided the non-traditional school does not sponsor in - terscholastic athletics. Each student will be counted on the EMIS report for the member high school where that student’s eligibility is vested. Students who attend non-traditional schools that are sponsored by a multiple high school public school district shall be assigned for interscholastic athletics to member schools within the district based on the business rules for participation that have been adopted by the Board of Directors. https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/ Eligibility/BusinessRulesMultiHSPublic.pdf EXCEPTION 5: A student who is receiving home instruction in accordance with division (A) (2) of section 3321.04 of the Revised Code and is enrolled in a non-public member school in accordance with the partial enrollment policy of the governing board of that non-public school may be eligible at the non-public school where the student is enrolled and at - tending. Such partial enrollment policy requires that at least one of the courses be taken at the school’s physical location, and that the class counts towards graduation. Note 1: A student entering a member non-public school from a home school must do so at the beginning of the school year after having been home educated for at least one calendar year. Failure to meet this one-year provision requires the student to be enrolled for a minimum of one grading period before the student can be declared eligible. Note 2: State law permits home educated students in accordance with ORC 3312.04 (A)(2) to be afforded the opportu - nity to participate at the public school in the district of residence of the parents without any enrollment obligation. If the residential public school district does not offer the sport, the home educated student MAY participate at another non-res - idential public school provided the superintendent of that district permits such participation. EXCEPTION 6: Unless otherwise mandated within the Ohio Revised Code. Nonetheless, a student whose participation opportunity is afforded through these statutory provisions is still subject to the remaining eligibility requirements as with all other student-athletes including, but not limited to, age, semesters, scholarship and transfer eligibility bylaws. See these documents for an explanation of the current mandates: https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/Eligibility/BusinessRulesMultiHSPublic.pdf https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/Eligibility/BusinessRulesSingleHSPublic.pdf EXCEPTION 7: A student who is a “child with a disability” as that term is defined at 42 U.S.C. Section 12102 (ADA) and the Regulations promulgated thereunder who is enrolled in a Special Education program at a school outside of the district ofresidence of parents is eligible at the school where the student attends classes or the school located in the district of residence of the parents, PROVIDED each of the following is met: (a) the student’s parents reside in Ohio; (b) the school district in which the parents reside does not provide the required programs to meet the student’s special education needs; and (c) there is a contractual agreement specifying the responsibility for educating a “child with disabilities” be - tween the respective schoolboards or between the parents and the school the student with the disability will attend. 4-3-2 For purposes of the semester bylaws 4-3-3 and 4-3-4 only, enrollment and attendance in a school shall be deemed continu - ous until such date when a student has been officially withdrawn from the school in accordance with that school’s policies. 39 BYLAWS 4-3-3 After a stud ent completes the eighth grade or is otherwise eligible for high school athletics participation, the student ma y be eligible for a period not to exceed eight semesters taken in order of attendance, regardless of whether the student par - ticipates or is even eligible to participate in accordance with these eligibility bylaws. A student in grade 7 or 8 who attains the age o f 15 before August 1 shall be eligible only at the high school level for a period not to exceed eight semesters commencing with the semester of the student’s first participation at the high school level. See Bylaw 4-3-5 for further definition of what constitutes “order of attendance” as it relates to these semester bylaws. EXCEPTION 1: The Executive Director’s Office may permit a student who completes the eighth semester of eligibility during the season of a sport to complete the sports season of the sport in which the student is participating provided the student is enrolled in school. If such extension is granted, the student is ineligible for further interscholastic participation when the sports season, regular and tournament, has ended. EXCEPTION 2: If the student is a “child with a disability” as that term is defined within the Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities and Part B of the Federal IDEIA requirements and the student’s specific disability was diagnosed contemporaneous with the events which caused the student to be unable to meet the require - ments of this bylaw; and whose disability is the primary reason for student’s inability to meet the requirements of this bylaw, that student may be declared eligible by the Executive Director’s office if, in the sole discretion of the Executive Director’s office, the Executive Director’s office determines that: a) the student does not pose a safety risk to himself/herself or others; and b) the student does not enjoy any advantages in terms of physical maturity, mental maturity or athletic maturity over other student-athletes; and c) the student would not likely participate in any meaningful way in any contest or otherwise have any impact on the outcome of any contest in which the student does participate; and d) there is no evidence of “red-shirting” or other indicia of academic dishonesty. EXCEPTION 3: The Executive Director’s Office, in its sole discretion, may permit a student who began high school in another country to have eight semesters of high school eligibility in the United States when evidence can be presented that the student’s placement in high school outside the United States was inappropriate for the student’s age and academic capabilities. Note: If a student competes at the high school level as an ineligible student, that semester(s) of eligibility shall count toward the eight semesters permitted. 4-3-4 After a student completes the sixth grade or is otherwise eligible for 7-8th grade athletics participation and before the student enters the ninth grade, the student may be eligible for a period not to exceed four semesters taken in order of attendance, whether the student participates or not. EXCEPTION: If the student is a “child with a disability” as that term is defined within the Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities and Part B of the Federal IDEIA requirements and the student’s specific disability was diagnosed contemporaneous with the events which caused the student to be unable to meet the require - ments of this bylaw; and whose disability is the primary reason for student’s inability to meet the requirements of this bylaw, that student may be declared eligible by the Executive Director’s office if, in the sole discretion of the Executive Director’s office, the Executive Director’s office determines that: a) the student does not pose a safety risk to himself/herself or others; and b) the student does not enjoy any advantages in terms of physical maturity, mental maturity or athletic maturity over other student-athletes; and c) the student would not likely participate in a way which would significantly impact the outcome of the contest; and d) there is no evidence of “red-shirting” or other indications of academic dishonesty. 4-3-5 A student who is enrolled 15 or more school days in any semester, or who participates in an interscholastic contest prior to or during a semester, shall have that semester count as one semester of eligibility. In addition, the following situations shall count as a semester of eligibility: 1: A student who does not attend school in a semester due to a suspension or an expulsion shall have that semester(s) count in the total of four (grades 7-8) or eight (high school) that are permitted. 2: A student who does not attend school due to enrollment in a postsecondary institution that is not part of the College Credit Plus Program (dual credit for both high school and postsecondary school) shall have that semester(s) count in the total of four or eight that are permitted. 3: A student who does not attend any school for a semester(s) due to truancy shall have that semester(s) count in the total of four or eight that are permitted. 4: A student who does not attend any school for a semester(s) due to withdrawal, and a student who is excused from compulsory attendance to be home educated shall have that semester(s) count in the total of four or eight that are permitted. EXCEPTION: The Executive Director may, in the exercise of the Executive Director’s sole discretion, disregard a particular semester of “enrollment” if extenuating circumstances of such enrollment are presented and are shown to have existed through no fault of the student-athlete. 4-3-6 A student is considered a graduate when the student has completed the work required for graduation and is declared a graduate by the Board of Education or a similar governing board. Notwithstanding the fact the student may be age eligible BYLAWS 40 and have semesters of eligibility remaining, a graduate is no longer eligible for interscholastic sports except for partici - pation in the remaining contests of that semester. 4-3-7 A student who has received his or her education outside the United States is considered a graduate when the student has completed the work required for graduation or has completed the requirements for compulsory education as mandated by that country in which the student received his/her education. Notwithstanding the fact the student may be age eligible and have semesters of eligibility remaining, such a graduate is no longer eligible for interscholastic sports except for participation in the remaining contests of that semester. EXCEPTION : If it has been determined that a student, who has been educated in a system outside the United States, has not met the substantive academic requirements of the NCAA initial eligibility center in regard to high school graduation (notwithstanding ACT/SAT scores or English proficiency), the student may be declared eligible at a member school at the sole discretion of the Executive Director’s office. Section 4. Scholarship Note 1: The OHSAA will accept scholarship eligibility for students enrolling from outside Ohio if those students had met the eligibility standards of the state from which they transferred or the standards found in 4-4. Note 2: For students who attend community schools, vocational schools or non-traditional schools sponsored by a school district, students who are involved with STEM, College Credit Plus and other educational options and students who are home educated, the immediately preceding grading period determination shall be the grading period of the school for which the student wishes to compete. Please see https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/Eligibility/OtherEligibiltyDocs/CCP.Non-EnrolledStudent - GradeSheet.pdf to obtain a form to assist you in documenting grades for these students. Note 3: Scholarship Eligibility for the home educated student who was not home educated for an entire year, leaves a school for home education during a school year or who commences home education during the school year after being declared ineligible, shall be evaluated for eligibility based on ORC§3313.5312. Note 4: No student who has failed a course or was not enrolled in a course during the grading period shall be able to use that course to fulfill the scholarship requirement if the course was not a course that the student was enrolled in and passing at the conclusion of the grading period, unless in accordance with Exception 4. 4-4-1 In order to be eligible in grades 9-12, a student must be engaged in coursework during the immediately preceding grading period. For the purpose of this Bylaw 4, Section 4, the term “grading period” is defined as the school’s Board-adopted calendar (e.g., six week, nine week, 12 week or semester) and does not mean an interim marking period. Addition - ally, at the conclusion of the immediately preceding grading period, a student must have received passing grades in a minimum of five (5) one-credit courses or the equivalent, each of which counts toward graduation. For the purpose of this bylaw, the term “immediately preceding grading period” refers to the grading period of the school which immediately precedes the grading period in question. Please see Bylaw 4-3-1 for enrollment and attendance requirements during any given grading period. Additionally, a student engaged in a College Credit Plus (CCP) Course during a high school’s semester may be presumed to be passing that class until it is shown that the student has received a failing grade at the conclusion of the class or sub - sequently dropped the class, at which time the class can no longer be used to assist the student in meeting the five-credit standard. A student who is engaged in a CCP course has an added responsibility to immediately notify the school for which they participate when any changes with their enrollment status within the CCP course occurs, and it is the school’s obligation to confirm the schedule change upon receipt of notification. EXCEPTION 1: The Executive Director’s office may waive this requirement for a student in 12th grade and in their final year of school who (a) has accumulated sufficient credit hours to have graduated in the preceding semester/trimester, (b) continues to maintain engagement in coursework to the satisfaction of the school and in accordance with Bylaws 4-3-1 and (c) can demonstrate that the underlying purposes of this bylaw have been otherwise fulfilled based on an assessment of the student’s past behavior records, attendance and previous grades. EXCEPTION 2: The Executive Director’s office may waive the requirements of this bylaw provided the student expe - rienced a personal accident, illness or family hardship during the immediately preceding grading period which can be supported by documentation contemporaneously created at the time of the hardship . An appeal for such a waiver must come from the principal of the school using the form prescribed by the Executive Director’s Office and shall include contemporaneous documentation regarding the circumstances of the hardship . EXCEPTION 3: If a student’s failure to meet the requirements of this bylaw are due to an “incomplete” given in one or more courses which the student was taking during the grading period in question, the student may have his/her eligibility restored by the Executive Director’s office once the “incomplete” has been changed to a passing letter grade provided: a) the failure to complete the required coursework during the grading period was due to calamity day(s), family tragedy, or illness or accident as verified by a physician contemporaneous at the time of the incident; and b) the “incomplete” was given in accordance with Board of Education/other governing board adopted policies and procedures and is applicable to all students in the school; and c) the previously scheduled work and/or exams is/are completed within the time period provided in Board policy for completing work required to convert an “incomplete” into a letter grade; and 41 BYLAWS d) there is no evidence that the “incomplete” was given in order to afford the student extended time in order to provide the student tutoring or other educational services simply to avoid a failing grade. Note: This exception only applies where an “incomplete” has been issued and not a letter grade that is subsequently changed as a result of the extended time/additional work. If a high school district/system does NOT have a Board Policy on the Restoration of an Incomplete to a Grade or did not have a policy when this exception was requested, the student shall not be able to avail him or herself of this exception. EXCEPTION 4: A student enrolled in a College Credit Plus (CCP) course or courses which credit hours would have counted towards the satisfaction of this Bylaw BUT FOR the fact that the actual course work did not commence in the grading period in question (but within the same semester), can nonetheless have the course credit/credits count towards satisfaction of this requirement PROVIDED the student was enrolled in the CCP course at the beginning of the semester in question. Likewise, if the CCP course work is successfully completed within the semester of the high school’s calendar but before the high school’s calendar’s next grading period within the same semester starts, the CCP credits can count towards satisfaction of this requirement. (See Bylaw 4-4-1 for enrollment requirements during any given grading period) Note 1: This exception does not apply to CCP courses taken over the summer (see Bylaw 4-4-7) or those completed during a different semester. Note 2: If a student utilizes this exception to satisfy the requirements of this bylaw and subsequently drops the CCP course, the student shall become ineligible for the remainder of the grading period in question upon the school’s confir - mation of the schedule change. If the CCP course was not necessary to satisfy the requirements of the bylaw (5- credit standard) then there would be no penalty for dropping the course. 4-4-2 If, either through the due process pro cedure or the direct mediation process established by the Ohio Department of Educa - tion and Workforce in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, it is determined that a school has failed to provide all of the support services as identified in a student’s IEP as necessary for the student to receive a “free and appropriate public education,” AND the Executive Director’s office determines that this failure to provide these nec - essary services caused the student to fail to meet the requirements of Bylaw 4-4-1 or Bylaws 4-4-4 or 4-4-5, the student may be declared eligible by the Executive Director’s office upon the student’s successful completion of the appropriate compensatory education as ordered by the Independent Hearing Officer (I.H.O.) or through the mediation process. 4-4-3 The eligibility or ineligibility of a student continues until the start of the fifth school day of the next grading period, at which time the grades from the immediately preceding grading period become effective. For the purposes of this bylaw, “school day” includes faculty in-service days and regular school attendance days, but not holidays, calamity days or school breaks. EXCEPTION 1: Eligibility or ineligibility for the first grading period commences with the start of the fall sports season. EXCEPTION 2: A student coming off the “ineligible status” may become eligible after the fifth calendar day immediate - ly following the end of the grading period provided those grades can be obtained and verified by a school administrator. 4-4-4 A student enrolled in the first grading period after advancement from the eighth grade must have passed a minimum of four of all subjects carried the immediately preceding grading period in which the student was enrolled. 4-4-5 A student enrolling in the seventh grade for the first time will be eligible for the first grading period regardless of previ - ous academic achievement. Thereafter, in order to be eligible, a student in grade 7 or 8 must be engaged in coursework during the immediately preceding grading period and received passing grades at the conclusion of that grading period in a minimum of four of those subjects in which the student received grades. EXCEPTION 1 : The Executive Director’s office may waive the requirements of this bylaw provided the student expe - rienced a personal accident, illness or family hardship during the immediately preceding grading period which can be supported by documentation contemporaneously created at the time of the hardship. An appeal for such a waiver must come from the principal of the school using the form prescribed by the Executive Director’s Office and shall include contemporaneous documentation regarding the circumstances of the hardship. EXCEPTION 2: If a student’s failure to meet the requirements of this bylaw are due to an “incomplete” given in one or more courses which the student was taking during the grading period in question, the student may have his/her eligibility restored by the Executive Director’s office once the “incomplete” has been changed to a passing letter grade provided: a) the failure to complete the required coursework during the grading period was due to calamity day(s), family tragedy, or illness or accident as verified by a physician contemporaneous at the time of the incident; and b) the “incomplete” was given in accordance with Board of Education/other governing board adopted policies and procedures and is applicable to all students in the school; and c) the previously scheduled work and/or exams is/are completed within the time period provided in Board policy for completing work required to convert an “incomplete” into a letter grade; and d) there is no evidence that the “incomplete” was given in order to afford the student extended time in order to provide the student tutoring or other educational services simply to avoid a failing grade. Note: This exception only applies where an “incomplete” has been issued and not a letter grade that is subsequently changed as a result of the extended time/additional work. If a school district/system does NOT have a Board Policy on the Restoration of an Incomplete to a Grade or did not have a policy when this exception was requested, the student shall not be able to avail him or herself of this exception. BYLAWS 42 4-4-6 The primary responsibility for verifying eligibility rests with the receiving school. Eligibility shall be verified by review - ing school records or written verification from the sending school. 4-4-7 Summer school and other educational options may not be used to bring a student into compliance with Bylaws 4-4-1, 4-4-4 or 4-4-5. Note: The prohibition in this bylaw is applicable both prospectively and retrospectively. Section 5. Conduct, Character, Discipline 4-5-1 In matters pertaining to personal conduct in which athletic contests and their related activities are not involved, the school itself is to be the sole judge as to whether the student may participate in athletics. 4-5-2 In matters pertaining to personal conduct in which athletic contests and their related activities are involved, the principal and game officials shall file a report and the Executive Director’s office shall have jurisdiction to determine additional penalties including whether or not the student may participate in athletics. 4-5-3 Physical attacks on any official shall be reported to the Association office immediately by the officials involved. The Executive Director’s office shall conduct an investigation and determine the penalties involved. 4-5-4 Any students who are ejected or disqualified from an athletic contest in any sport for unsporting conduct or a flagrant violation shall be immediately placed under the direct supervision of a school official. 4-5-5 Any student suspended or expelled from a member school shall be ineligible for interscholastic athletics at any member school for the duration of the suspension or expulsion. For the purpose of this bylaw, suspension refers to the denial of attendance at school for a period of not more than 10 days. Expulsion refers to the involuntary removal of a student for more than 10 days. 4-5-6 Any student who is or would have been subject to a penalty or consequences for violations of a school’s Board adopted Code of Conduct (Student, Athletic) shall be declared ineligible in the event the student transfers to another school before the penalty or consequence has been fully served. Once the terms of the penalty or consequence have been fully served at the new school, or once one full calendar year has passed since the date of first attendance at the new school, whichever comes first, then the student is permitted to regain their athletic eligibility, at the discretion of the new school, assuming they are eligible in all other respects. It is the responsibility of an administrator at the former school to alert an adminis - trator at the student’s new school of any violation of this nature that would affect the student’s eligibility in interscholastic athletics and the duration of the suspension for that violation. Section 6. Residence 4-6-1 The districts for all public schools are established by the State Board of Education and defined for athletic purposes. In addition, school districts with multiple high schools may establish attendance zones within those districts. In determining one’s residence for purposes of these bylaws, the following criteria shall apply: (a) where the parents and family members sleep the majority of the time, (b) where the mail is received, (c) where the meals are prepared and eaten, (d) where the parents are registered to vote, and (e) where important family activities take place during significant parts of each day. Note: It shall not be considered a “bona fide” change of residence as prescribed in Bylaw 4-7-2, Exception 1, or Bylaw 4-7-4 (1) if the parents of a transfer student vacate the residence prior to one year from the date that the student’s transfer is approved, and the student remains in the school into which the transfer was approved. 4-6-2 A student whose parents, (biological or adoptive), reside outside the state of Ohio will be ineligible for interscholastic athletics in a member school. (See Bylaw 4-8-1 for eligibility requirements for international students). If/when a student is/has been subject to a custody order in accordance with Chapter 2151 of the Ohio Revised Code, the student shall no longer be subject to the provisions of this section of the residency bylaw. Note: Students affected by this out of state residence bylaw may still be affected by all other eligibility standards in Bylaw 4 including the transfer provisions in 4-7 and the international provisions in 4-8. EXCEPTION 1: The Executive Director’s office may declare a student who is the subject of a custody or guardianship order issued by a court of proper jurisdiction conferring custody/guardianship upon a grandparent, aunt, uncle or sibling who resides in Ohio, if, in the sole discretion of the Executive Director’s office, the Executive Director’s office deter - mines that the purpose of this change in custody was not for athletic reasons, but purely for the best interest of the student in terms of the student’s mental, physical and educational well-being. Such a student is ineligible until declared eligible by the Executive Director’s office. The Executive Director’s Office, in its sole discretion, may waive the formal requirement of a court order for a student who is 18, when circumstances are presented that the student was compelled to transfer schools and reside with a primary relative as outlined above who is a bona fide resident of the state of Ohio. Note: Upon enrollment of a student whose parents live outside the state of Ohio but within the United States or any of its territories, or if the parents move outside the state of Ohio prior to or during the student’s high school career, the principal of that school in which the student is being enrolled shall notify the Executive Director’s office of said enrollment, and the facts and circumstances regarding any change of custody so that the Executive Director’s office can make an informed decision regarding the student’s qualifications under this exception. 43 BYLAWS Please be advised that students who transfer into an Ohio high school under this residence exception must adhere to an exception to the transfer bylaw 4-7-2 or be prepared to fulfill the transfer consequence in any sport in which they participated in the 12 months immediately preceding the transfer. After the first 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests have been competed, the student shall then become INELIGIBLE for the remainder of the regular season contests. Furthermore, the student shall also remain ineligible to participate in the OHSAA sponsored tournament(s). EXCEPTION 2: The Executive Director’s office may grant eligibility to a student who makes a bona fide move into Ohio with his/her legal custodian/guardian, and it can be shown that, pursuant to a court order, the individual has had legal custody/guardianship of the student for a minimum of one year. Such a student is ineligible until declared eligible by the Executive Director’s office. Note: Upon enrollment of a student whose parents live outside the state of Ohio but within the United States or any of its territories, or if the parents move outside the state of Ohio prior to or during the student’s high school career, the principal of that school in which the student is being enrolled shall notify the Executive Director’s office of said enrollment, and the facts and circumstances regarding any change of custody so that the Executive Director’s office can make an informed decision regarding the student’s qualifications under this exception. Please be advised that students who transfer into an Ohio high school under this residence exception #2 and have been under the custody/guardianship of the individual who is now an Ohio resident for less than two years, must adhere to an exception to the transfer bylaw 4-7 or be prepared to fulfill the transfer consequence in any sport in which they partici - pated in the 12 months immediately preceding the transfer. After the first 50% of the maximum allowable varsity regular season contests have been competed, the student shall then become INELIGIBLE for the remainder of the regular season contests. Furthermore, the student shall also remain ineligible to participate in the OHSAA sponsored tournament(s). EXCEPTION 3: If a student’s parents move outside the state of Ohio at any time after the student has been enrolled and attending a minimum of 15 days at the beginning of the student’s 11th grade school year, the student may be declared eligible for the remainder of the student’s high school career at the high school he/she was attending at the time of the parents’ move, provided: a) the student’s enrollment at that high school has been continuous following the parents’ move, and b) the student meets all other eligibility requirements of these Bylaws. EXCEPTION 4: A student who enrolls at the sixth grade level in a school/district consisting of grades 1-12 and who maintains continuous enrollment shall be eligible for interscholastic athletics in grades 9 -12 in that school/district regard - less of place or state of residence of parents. A student who enrolls at the fourth grade level in a school/district consisting of grades 1-12 and who maintains continuous enrollment shall be eligible for interscholastic athletics in grades 7-8 in that school/district regardless of place or state of residence of parents. EXCEPTION 5: A student whose parent(s) has been continuously employed for a minimum of three years as a fulltime, licensed or classified employee in an Ohio school district or system, may be declared eligible in an Ohio school in that district or system where the parent is employed. Once eligibility is established at the member school/district, the student shall remain eligible under this exception for as long as he or she maintains continuous enrollment in that school. The student shall be ineligible until ruled eligible by the Executive Director’s Office. EXCEPTION 6: A student who has been continuously enrolled and attending a “parochial school” by the beginning of the sixth grade level and who has maintained continuous enrollment in that same system of education through grade 8 shall be eligible for interscholastic athletics in grades 9-12 if the student matriculates directly into a parochial high school in Ohio and maintains enrollment in that high school for the duration of their high school education. Should such a stu - dent ever break enrollment from the same system of education then they will no longer be eligible for residency eligibility under this exception. For purposes of this exception, a “parochial school” shall be defined as a school which is part of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, as denoted by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. A student who enrolls at the fourth grade level in a parochial school and who maintains continuous enrollment shall be eligible for interscholastic athletics in grades 7-8 in that school system regardless of place or state of residence of parents. Note: The OHSAA will use the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to denote schools within the same system of education. The student shall be ineligible until ruled eligible by the Executive Director’s Office. Please be advised that students who transfer into an Ohio high school under this residence exception must adhere to an exception to the transfer bylaw 4-7-2 or be prepared to fulfill the transfer consequence in any sport in which they participated in the 12 months immediately preceding the transfer. After the first 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests have been competed, the student shall then become INELIGIBLE for the remainder of the regular season contests. Furthermore, the student shall also remain ineligible to participate in the OHSAA sponsored tournament(s). EXCEPTION 7: The Executive Director’s office may grant eligibility to a student whose parent(s) have moved outside of Ohio provided the following criteria are met: a) the student has been continuously enrolled in the same district/system for a minimum of three years and; b) the student has been the subject of a custody or guardianship order issued by a court of proper jurisdiction confer - ring legal custodian/guardian to an individual for a minimum of one year and; BYLAWS 44 c) the student maintains continuous enrollment at the school within the district/system in which he/she has been enrolled and; d) the Executive Director’s office determines that the purpose of this change in custody was not for athletic reasons, but purely for the best interest of the student in terms of the student’s mental, physical and educational well-being A student may be declared eligible for the remainder of the student’s career at the school at which he/she was attending at the time of the parents’ move. Such a student is ineligible until declared eligible by the Executive Director’s office. Note : Should a student transfer to a different school after being approved under this residency exception, such an approval may follow if the Executive Director’s Office determines that the change in enrollment was not for athletic reasons. Should the resi - dency exception shift to a new school, please be advised that such a student must still adhere to an exception to the transfer bylaw 4-7-2 or be prepared to fulfill the transfer consequence in any sport in which they participated in the 12 months immediately preceding the transfer. EXCEPTION 8: A student who is enrolled in a member school that provides housing for the student and accepts the role of the parent in loco parentis. The student shall be ineligible until ruled eligible by the Executive Director’s Office. Please be advised that students who transfer into an Ohio high school under this residence exception must adhere to an exception to the transfer bylaw 4-7-2 or be prepared to fulfill the transfer consequence in any sport in which they participated in the 12 months immediately preceding the transfer. After the first 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests have been competed, the student shall then become INELIGIBLE for the remainder of the regular season contests. Furthermore, the student shall also remain ineligible to participate in the OHSAA sponsored tournament(s). EXCEPTION 9: A student who has been enrolled in an Ohio school pursuant to the Interstate Compact of Educational Opportunities for Military Children may be declared eligible at a member school upon submission of a special power of attorney, relative to the custody or guardianship of a child of a military family and executed under applicable law. The student shall be ineligible until ruled eligible by the Executive Director’s Office. EXCEPTION 10: A student who is a citizen of the United States may be declared eligible for interscholastic athletics in the event that the student’s parents are deported from the United States as long as the student maintains continuous en - rollment in an Ohio school. The student is not eligible until declared eligible by the OHSAA Executive Director’s Office upon submission of the appropriate documents. EXCEPTION 11: A student may be declared eligible for interscholastic athletics when the student’s parent(s) are cit - izens of the United States who reside outside the United States or any of its territories. The student is not eligible until declared eligible by the OHSAA Executive Director’s Office upon submission of the appropriate documents. Please be advised that students who transfer into an Ohio high school under this residence exception must adhere to an exception to the transfer bylaw 4-7-2 or be prepared to fulfill the transfer consequence in any sport in which they participated in the 12 months immediately preceding the transfer. After the first 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests have been competed, the student shall then become INELIGIBLE for the remainder of the regular season contests. Furthermore, the student shall also remain ineligible to participate in the OHSAA sponsored tournament(s). EXCEPTION 12: A student who is a United States citizen, and whose parent(s) are non-citizens living outside the Unit - ed States or any of its territories, may be eligible for interscholastic athletics subject to the restrictions and conditions set forth below: a) The student may be eligible for a maximum of one school year which is the first year of enrollment at the Ohio member school. b) The student has not previously participated in any other visitor exchange program in Ohio or any other state within the United States or any of its territories, or attended any other high school in the United States or any of its terri - tories. The period of participation in another visitor exchange program or the period of attendance at another high school in the United States or any of its territories shall count against the one-year maximum eligibility set forth in (a) above. c) There shall be no evidence of a direct placement for athletic purposes into a specific member school in Ohio. d) The member school at which the student wishes to be declared eligible for interscholastic athletic participation must submit the appropriate form(s) to the Executive Director’s office, and the student and school must cooperate with the Executive Director’s office in determining that all other requirements for eligibility have been satisfied, including the scholarship and age requirements. The student is not eligible until declared eligible by the OHSAA Executive Director’s Office upon submission of the appropriate documents. Note: A student may travel freely back and forth between the United States or any of its territories and the home country with the proper U.S. passport. Thus a student could have attended high school in the United States or any of its territories previously without being part of any International Exchange Program. It is the responsibility of the school administration to verify that the student in these circumstances meets all the requirements of eligibility expressed above. Please be advised that students who transfer into an Ohio high school under this residence exception must adhere to an exception to the transfer bylaw 4-7-2 or be prepared to fulfill the transfer consequence in any sport in which they participated in the 12 months immediately preceding the transfer. After the first 50% of the maximum allowable regular 45 BYLAWS season contests have been competed, the student shall then become INELIGIBLE for the remainder of the regular season contests. Furthermore, the student shall also remain ineligible to participate in the OHSAA sponsored tournament(s). Section 7. Transfers Note: Students who change high schools (transfer) are reminded that they must meet all eligibility standards found in Bylaw 4. This includes meeting the out of state residency bylaw 4-6-2, which requires a student to have a parent residing in Ohio or to meet one of the exceptions to that residency bylaw. 4-7-1 The transfer bylaws apply to all students enrolled in grades 9-12 who are transferring high schools whether the schools are public or non-public, member or non-member or whether the high schools are within the same school system or dis - trict. 4-7-2 Definition of Transfer: A student is considered to have transferred whenever a.) enrollment is changed from one school to another school and the student attends a new school, or b.) enrollment is changed from one school to become home schooled or vice versa, or c.) the student participates in a practice, scrimmage or contest in an OHSAA recognized sport with a school-sponsored squad of a school in which the student has not been enrolled and attending, or d) the participation opportunities afforded a student pursuant to state law change. Note 1: Notwithstanding (a) above, if enrollment is changed from one school to another school and the student attends a new school BUT returns to his/her prior school of attendance without playing interscholastic athletics for any school during the pendency of their withdrawal, such a student shall NOT be subject to the provisions of this section and shall be fully eligible, with respect to transfer, at the school in which he/she was initially enrolled. Note 2: Notwithstanding (b) above, if a student is enrolled in a school located in his/her residential district and withdraws from the school for home education pursuant to division (A)(2) of O.R.C. §§ 3321.04, or vice versa, such a student shall NOT be considered a transfer student subject to the provisions of this section. Note 3: Notwithstanding (c) and (d) above, if a non-enrolled student’s participation is pursuant to O.R.C. §§ 3313.5311 (Ohio non-public school students), 3313.537 (Ohio community/STEM school students), or O.R.C. §§ 3313.5321 (Ohio public school students) the non-enrolled student’s participation opportunity shall transfer back and forth between the student’s school of enrollment and the public school at which they are afforded a participation opportunity without transfer consequences based on sports offered at the school of enrollment. If the school of attendance ever sponsors the sport/sports in which the non-enrolled student wishes to participate, the student’s participation opportunity shall also be transferred back to the school of attendance without consequence. Note 4 : Notwithstanding (d) above, if a non-enrolled student’s participation is pursuant to O.R.C. §§ 3313.5312 (Ohio home educated students), the non-enrolled student’s participation opportunity shall transfer back and forth between the student’s residential school and a non-residential school, pursuant to the residential school’s sports offered, and no trans - fer consequence shall apply. Note 5 : Any in-season changes in the participation opportunities that may be afforded by state law shall be subject to Bylaw 4-7-3, unless otherwise specified within the Ohio Revised Code. Transfer Consequence: If a student transfers at any time after commencing the ninth-grade year, the student shall be ineligible for all OHSAA tournaments in those sports in which the student participated during the 12 months immediately preceding this transfer. In addition, the student shall be ineligible for all contests at all levels AFTER the first 50% of the maximum allowable varsity regular season contests have been competed in those sports in which the student participat - ed during the 12 months immediately preceding this transfer. The transfer consequence shall remain in effect until the one-year anniversary of the date of enrollment in the school to which the student transferred, at which time the student is no longer considered a transfer student. For purposes of the transfer bylaws, a student will be considered as having commenced the ninth grade year by either attending five or more days of school as a ninth grader or by establishing eli - gibility at a school by having participated in a contest. Furthermore, the term “participated in a contest” for purposes of the transfer bylaw means to have played at least one play in a scrimmage, preview/jamboree, Foundation game or regular season/ tournament game or contest. A student who did not participate in an OHSAA recognized sport in the 12 months immediately preceding the transfer is not subject to the consequence of this transfer bylaw. Note 1 : The Executive Director’s Office, in its sole discretion, is authorized to make certain equitable adjustments to the period of REGULAR SEASON ineligibility in cases when a student, through no fault of the athlete, is subject to documented, extenuating circumstances which prevent him/her from competing during all or part of the first 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests in a sport. However, no such approval shall ever permit a student-athlete a participation opportunity in the OHSAA postseason tournament of a sport in which they are ineligible. If such an adjust - ment is granted, 1) the student must be physically attending the school at the start of the season for such an adjustment to be considered and 2) the student will only be eligible for those contests outlined in the Executive Director’s Office’s approval, which will never exceed 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests regardless of whether the student participates in those contests. It is the sole responsibility of the school to which the student transfers to ensure a student granted such an adjustment participates only during the appropriate contests outlined in the Executive Director’s Office’s approval. BYLAWS 46 Midseason Transfers: Notwithstanding the above, if a student transfers during the season of a sport in which he or she has participated in a regular season contest, and if Bylaw 4-7-3 requires that the student is ineligible for participation in the remainder of the contests in that sports season, the student shall remain ineligible for the remainder of all regular season contests, as well as the OHSAA tournament, in that sport at the school into which the student has transferred (or at the school where the student is now permitted a participation opportunity). Furthermore, the student shall finish fulfilling his/her transfer consequence, for ONLY that sport in which the mid-season transfer occurred, at the start of the sport season during the next school year unless an exception can be met to restore eligibility for the next sport season. This consequence requires that the student shall remain ineligible for all preseason contests (scrimmages, preview/jamboree, Foundation games) and all regular season contests until the total number of varsity regular season contests missed (in - cluding those missed during the previous season) equals 50 percent of the maximum allowable regular season contests in that sport. Maximum Allowable Contests in All OHSAA-recognized Sports and Formula for Determining Eligibility under the 50% Transfer Consequence Sport Maximum # of Contests as per the OHSAA Board of Directors Policy Transfer Student: BECOMES IN ELIGIBLE AT VARSITY: Baseball 27 Games Game 15 Basketball (Boys and Girls) 22 Games Game 12 Bowling (Boys and Girls) 24 Matches Match 13 Cross Country (Boys and Girls) 16 Meets Meet 9 Field Hockey 18 Games Game 10 Football 10 Games Game 6 Flag Football 12 Games Game 7 Golf (Boys and Girls) 20 Matches Match 11 Gymnastics 14 Meets Meet 8 Ice Hockey 35 Games Game 19 Lacrosse (Boys and Girls) 18 Games Game 10 Soccer (Boys and Girls) 17 Games Game 10 Softball 27 Games Game 15 Swimming and Diving (Boys and Girls) 16 Meets Meet 9 Tennis (Boys and Girls) 22 Contests Contest 12 Track and Field (Boys and Girls) 16 Meets Meet 9 Volleyball (Boys and Girls) 22 Matches Match 12 Wrestling 20 Points/16 points (for schools thatdo not field teams – 6 or fewer weight classes) Point 11/9 Whenever a student is considered a transfer, as defined in Bylaw 4-7-2, but is permitted a participation opportunity at a member school at which they are not enrolled in accordance with ORC 3313.5311, 3313.5321 , 3313.5323 or3313.537, it is the responsibility of the member school where the student is participating to submit any applicable paperwork to waive the transfer consequence outlined above. If it is determined that one or more of the exceptions that follow represents an event which creates the need to transfer, i.e., creates a cause and effect relationship, then one of more of the following exceptions may apply: EXCEPTION 1: If a student is compelled to transfer to another high school as a result of a bona fide legal change of residence made by BOTH PARENTS (biological, adoptive or stepparents) from one public school district into another public school district, whether from outside the state of Ohio or within Ohio, the Executive Director’s Office, in its sole discretion, may waive all or part of the period of ineligibility for one or more sport/sport seasons at: a) the public high school in which the new residence is physically located (or any school to which the student is placed and enrolled in a multiple high school district) or; b) any non-public high school if the family’s new residence is at least 15 miles from their former residence, as deter - mined by the most direct route when using Google Maps or other such navigational system, or; c) any high school, public or non-public, if the new residence into which the family has moved is more than 80 miles from the residence from which the family moved, as determined by the most direct route when using Google Maps or other such navigational system. For purposes of this exception, a bona fide change of residence shall be defined as a change of residence during which the student’s parents have relinquished any and all responsibility with regard to the prior residence, through a sale, lease agreement with a non-family member, the transfer of the prior residence to an LLC for business purposes, or the termi - 47 BYLAWS nation of the lease, while having established the new residence as their primary residence as defined within Bylaw 4-6-1 of the OHSAA Handbook. In cases where the prior residence has been transferred to an LLC, the student’s parents must provide clear and convincing evidence that the prior residence is being utilized solely for bona fide business purposes and not for residential use. Evidence may include, but is not limited to, tax returns, commercial lease, commercial utility bills, etc. In cases where the student’s parents have not relinquished any and all responsibility, the Executive Director’s Office may grant the student partial eligibility, not to include participation in the OHSAA post season tournament in any applicable sports, should all other requirements of this exception be satisfied. In such a case, full eligibility may later be granted should the student’s parents provide proof that any and all responsibility of the prior residence has been relinquished since the original ruling. The requirement that “both parents” make the move may be waived by the Executive Director’s Office if the marriage of the parents has been or is in the process of being legally terminated or if the parents were never married. In addition, the Executive Director’s Office, in its sole discretion, may extend conditional eligibility for up to 90 days immediately following the date of the student’s transfer in cases where parents are making a bona fide move into a residence that is more than 80 miles from their former residence, and there are extenuating circumstances that are presented which prevent one of the parents from making the move immediately. This 90-day conditional provision may be extended for up to 90 more days ONLY in the case of medical or military obligations that prevent one of the parents from making the move at the same time as the other parent. If the person(s) making the bona fide move is not the biological or adoptive parent or stepparent of the student, the school administrator must disclose the custodial relationship, provide the court ordered documents and advise as to the where - abouts of the student’s biological or adoptive parents. An Affidavit of Bona Fide Residence in the form requested by the Executive Director’s Office, must be submitted along with any request for the application of this exception. Please refer to Bylaw 4-1-2 concerning eligibility established via falsified information. Note 1: The student and the student’s parents must reside in this new residence for a period of one year from the date on which this exception was applied to a given student in order to maintain eligibility at the school into which the student’s transfer has been approved. The school district will have a continuing duty to monitor compliance with the residency requirements during this one year period. Note 2: If, as a result of a bona fide change of residence of the student’s parents, a student transfers and is permitted a participation opportunity at a member school where he or she is not enrolled, in accordance with Bylaw 4-3-1 exceptions #4 and/or 6, the Executive Director’s Office may apply this exception 1 to restore full eligibility in regard to transfer/ change of participation opportunity provided the student’s participation is in accordance with OHSAA business rules and in accordance with Bylaw 4-7-3. EXCEPTION 2: If, as a result of a legal change of custody as between a student’s parents, who live in two different school districts, the student is compelled to transfer from one school district to the other school district where the other parent resides, the Executive Director’s Office may waive all or part of the period of ineligibility for one or more sport/ sport seasons provided the student continues to live with the new custodian in order to support the approval of the trans - fer to the new high school. If custody/guardianship of a student is changed to a non-parent which custody/ guardianship change is the result of the death or incarceration of the prior custodian, the intervention of child protective services, social services or similar state agency, and the new custodian/guardian lives in a different school district than the previous cus - todian/guardian, the Executive Director’s Office may waive all or part of the 50 percent period of ineligibility for one or more sports/sport seasons provided the student continues to live with the new custodian/guardian in order to support the approval of the transfer to the new high school. The Executive Director’s Office, in its sole discretion, may waive the requirement of a court-ordered legal change of custody for a student who is 18, when circumstances are presented that the student was compelled to transfer schools and reside with a parent who is a bona fide resident of the state of Ohio. By operation of statute, both parents in a Shared Parenting Plan are the residential and custodial parents of the child at all times under such Plan. Therefore, so long as a Shared Parenting Plan remains in effect, there can be no “change of custo - dy” as contemplated by this Exception 2. However, in the event a Shared Parenting Plan remains in effect but a change in the designation of “residential parent” has been made by the court within that plan, the student who is the subject to the Shared Parenting Plan may apply one time to the Executive Director’s Office for a one time exception to the transfer bylaw under this provision. Exception 2 permits the choice of the public high school located in the residential school district of the new legal custo - dian or new residential parent, or any non-public school. EXCEPTION 3: If the high school, which is either a chartered high school in a single high school public school district or a chartered non-public high school, in which the student is enrolled closes or discontinues its entire high school edu - cational program after grade nine, the student may enroll in any school and be immediately eligible at that high school insofar as transfer is concerned. Likewise, if the bona fide residence of the student’s parents is annexed to a different school district or consolidated within a school district, the student may be ruled eligible upon transfer to a school in the annexed or consolidated district subject to modification by formal action by the Boards of Education concerned. A copy of such action by Boards of Education must be on file in the Association office before the Executive Director’s office can rule the BYLAWS 48 student eligible. This exception shall be available to any student whose high school has closed as long as that high school was an OHSAA member school prior to the 2012-13 school year. Note 1: For school closings in a multiple high school district, see Bylaw 4-7-4 regarding intra-district transfers. Note 2: This exception has no application to the closing of any “non-traditional school” such as a community school or a non-chartered non-public high school or an out of state high school. EXCEPTION 4 : A student returning from a domestic exchange program with whom the member school has partnered to the same high school the student attended immediately before entering into this domestic exchange program may be declared eligible insofar as the transfer bylaw is concerned if all of the following conditions have been met: a) The domestic exchange program exists primarily for academic and educational learning experiences; and b) The student receives credits that apply toward the student’s graduation in the Ohio member school for the student’s work in the domestic exchange program; and c) In the event that student did participate in interscholastic athletics while enrolled in this domestic exchange pro - gram, the student’s athletic participation was secondary to his/her academic and educational reasons for participa - tion in the program; and d) The domestic exchange program has, in its curriculum guide, a structured beginning and ending to the program itself; and The Executive Director’s Office in its sole discretion may waive all or part of the period of ineligibility upon submission of the appropriate documentation for this exception. EXCEPTION 5: If the student transfers pursuant to state or federal statutes addressing academically poor performing schools, and the student can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Executive Director’s Office that the transfer is for purely academic reasons and not athletic reasons, the Executive Director’s office may declare such transferring student eligible for the second half of the season and the OHSAA tournament upon application to the Executive Director’s office. The OHSAA uses the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s List of EdChoice Schools as of the date of the transfer to denote academically poor-performing schools. Note 1: The student shall be entitled to one transfer only under the provisions set forth in this bylaw. In addition, this bylaw shall not be used to establish eligibility at another high school if the student transfers into and then back out of the poor performing school in an attempt to circumvent the transfer bylaw, nor can it be used to transfer between poor performing schools. Note 2: If a student has used this bylaw to transfer out of a poor performing school at any time during his or her high school career, the student shall not be permitted to transfer back to the same poor performing school and regain transfer eligibility. EXCEPTION 6 : If, as a result of the conduct of an adult associated with the school, a student is compelled to transfer in order to protect the student’s physical and/or mental well-being, the Executive Director’s Office may waive all or part of the period of ineligibility for one or more sport/sport seasons provided ALL of the following criteria are met: a) there is documented evidence the adult conduct was directed specifically towards the student; and b) the adult conduct is of such a nature as to trigger a criminal investigation or an event covered under ORC 2151.421 that would require a mandatory reporter to report to the proper legal authorities; and c) the student suffered/suffers physical harm and/or severe emotional distress that required/requires medical treatment and/or mental health treatment, which was contemporaneously documented at the time of the event; and d) there is no evidence the transfer is due to the student/family’s displeasure with a former coach’s training tactics and/or the student’s playing time. For purposes of this bylaw, “conduct” may include behavior of a physical nature as well as verbal and/or written expres - sions, gestures and interactions. The conduct referred to herein may also include interactions via social media or other forms of electronic communications. This exception will not be applied where there has been no documented evidence of a criminal investigation or a “report - able” event as outlined in criteria (b), nor will this exception be applied for a student who simply alleges displeasure with a former coach’s training tactics. EXCEPTION 7: If a student is compelled to transfer from a high school as a result of documented harassment, in - timidation or bullying as those terms are defined at ORC §3313.666 (A)(2), the Executive Director’s Office, in its sole discretion, may waive all or part of the period of ineligibility for one or more sport/sports seasons provided: 1) — The District’s Anti-Harassment, Anti-Intimidation, Anti-Bullying policies and procedures adopted in accordance with ORC §3313.666 have been substantially followed and complied with; and 2) — The District provides the Executive Director’s Office with a copy of the duly adopted policies and procedures; and 49 BYLAWS 3) — The District secures the appropriate releases from the student/student’s parents authorizing the District to provide a complete record of the events and circumstances on which the policies and procedures were initiated includ - ing: a) A specific, detailed report of the prohibited incident(s); b) An outline of the procedures used to respond to and investigate the reported incident(s); c) A copy of the findings that were a result of the complaint process and investigation; d) A specific, detailed disciplinary procedure for any individual found guilty of harassment, intimidation or bullying; e) All reports of notification to parents or guardians of any student involvement in the incident(s); f) A report of the intervention strategies and remedial action the school has undertaken to assist the student and redress the complaint. Note: In concurrence with ORC §3313.666 (A)(2), this exception cannot be used for any isolated incidents or alleged in - cidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying. Additionally, this exception cannot be used in cases where there has been no contemporaneous reporting of the alleged bullying, harassment or intimidation. EXCEPTION 8 : The Executive Director shall have the discretionary power to waive the residence requirements for a student who has been enrolled in the district in accordance with ORC §§ 3313.64 (F)(6) or 3313.64 (F)(7). The student is ineligible until ruled eligible by the Executive Director’s Office. EXCEPTION 9 : A student who has transferred to another high school to take advantage of the International Baccalaure - ate (IB) Diploma Program may be ruled eligible upon approval of the the Executive Director’s Office. Such a student who transfers under this provision and who subsequently drops out of the Diploma Program shall be declared immediately ineligible and may be subject to sanctions in accordance with Bylaw 11-Penalties. 4-7-3 If a transfer, as defined in Bylaw 4-7-2, takes place during the sport season in which the student has participated in a regular season interscholastic contest in a sport, the student shall be ineligible in that sport for the remainder of all regu - lar season contests, as well as the OHSAA tournament, in that sport at the school into which the student has transferred (or at the school where the student is now permitted a participation opportunity). Furthermore, the student shall finish fulfilling his/her transfer consequence, for ONLY that sport in which the mid-season transfer occurred, at the start of the sport season during the next school year, unless an exception can be met to restore eligibility for the next sport season. This consequence requires that the student shall remain ineligible for all preseason contests (scrimmages, preview/jam - boree, Foundation games) and all regular season contests until the total number of varsity regular season contests missed (including those missed during the previous season) equals 50 percent of the maximum allowable regular season contests in that sport. An in-season transfer student who only participated in sub varsity events at the former school prior to his/her transfer may use any of the OHSAA Transfer Bylaws/exceptions to restore his/her full athletic eligibility for participation in ONLY sub-varsity regular season contests at the new school into which the student transferred. If the sport in question does not have varsity/sub-varsity classifications at either the former school or the new school, then this option shall not be available. Furthermore, any such approval for sub varsity participation would only be extended for regular season participation (no OHSAA tournament competition). An in-season transfer student may not use any of the exceptions to the transfer bylaw to restore full athletic eligibility for participation in varsity regular season contests or the OHSAA tournament EXCEPT if one of the following circumstances occurs: 1) — The parents make a bona fide move into a new public school district, the student is approved for transfer eligi - bility under the requirements of Exception 1 of Bylaw 4-7-2 AND the school building into which the student transfers is more than 50 miles from the school building from which the student transfers as determined by mapquest.com, or such other navigational system as adopted by the Board of Directors at its August meeting, using the most direct route. 2) — As a result of a change in placement which is a result of the death or incarceration of the student’s parent(s) or the intervention of Children’s Services or a similar government agency, the student may be approved for transfer eligibility regardless of the distance between the two schools. 3) — The student transfers and their participation opportunity remains at the school from which they transferred. If so, the student is permitted to continue participation for the remainder of the season at that school ONLY IF they can meet the requirements of an exception to the transfer bylaw in order to restore their full athletic eligibility. If none of the aforementioned situations transpire, or if the student’s transfer no longer leads to a participation opportunity at the school from which they transferred, then the student shall become ineligible for the remainder of the season during which the transfer occurred. For purposes of this bylaw, “sport season” shall be determined by the sports regulations for that sport, beginning with the first date on which coaching may begin and concluding on the last date the school into which the student transferred (or at the school where the student is now permitted a participation opportunity) participates in a contest (regular season or postseason). Notwithstanding this definition of sports season, if the student’s former school concluded their season (i.e. BYLAWS 50 played last contest) prior to the student transferring schools (even if the receiving school is still playing), then the afore - mentioned proration outlined within Bylaw 4-7-3 shall not apply and the student shall be subject to the normal transfer consequence the following season unless an exception can be met. Note: In addition, if a student’s participation opportunity changes during the sport season in which the student has already participated in a regular season interscholastic contest in a sport at a school where they are not enrolled (pursuant to O.R.C. §§ 3313.5311 or 3313.537), the student is ineligible in that sport for the remainder of that sport’s season at the new school into which the student is now entitled a participation opportunity. A student may not use any of the exceptions to the transfer bylaw to circumvent this bylaw if the student is not transferring schools. If the student is transferring schools, then the same exceptions as outlined above apply. 4-7-4 The superintendent or person delegated by the superintendent of either a non-public system or public school district may transfer students within the system without jeopardizing their eligibility only by using one of the following exceptions. EXCEPTION 1: If, as a result of a bona fide legal change of residence made by BOTH PARENTS (biological, adoptive or stepparents) from one attendance zone into another attendance zone in a multiple high school district/system, the stu - dent is compelled to transfer to another district/system high school, the Executive Director’s Office may waive all or part of the period of ineligibility for one or more sport/sport seasons. The requirement that “both parents” make the move may be waived by the Executive Director’s Office if the marriage of the parents has been or is in the process of being legally terminated or if the parents were never married. If the person(s) making the bona fide move is not the biological or adoptive parent or stepparent of the student, the school administrator must disclose the custodial relationship, provide the court ordered documents and advise as to the where - abouts of the student’s biological or adoptive parents. An affidavit of bona fide residence in the form requested by the Executive Director’s Office shall be submitted along with any request for application of this exception. Note: Please refer to Bylaw 4-6-1 for a definition of bona fide residence. Also, the student and the student’s parents must reside in this new residence for a period of one year from the date on which this exception was applied to a given student in order to maintain eligibility at the school into which the student’s transfer has been approved. The school district/ system will have a continuing duty to monitor compliance with the residency requirements during this one-year period. Exception one permits the choice of the public high school in the parents’ new attendance zone only. EXCEPTION 2: If, as a result of a legal change of custody as between a student’s parents, who live in two different attendance zones within the multiple high school district/system, the student is compelled to transfer from one district/ system high school to another district/system high school, the Executive Director’s Office may waive all or part of the period of ineligibility for one or more sport/sport seasons provided the student continues to live with the new custodian in order to support the approval of the transfer to the new high school. If custody/guardianship of a student is changed to a non-parent, who lives in a different attendance zone than the previous custodian, which custody/guardianship change is a result of the death or incarceration of the prior custodian, the intervention of child protective services, social services or a similar agency, the Executive Director’s Office may waive all or part of the period of ineligibility for one or more sport/ sport seasons. A re-designation of residential parent within a Shared Parenting Plan will not comply with this exception. EXCEPTION 3: A member school in the district/system closes, or there was a mistake made in the student’s initial placement. This exception has no application to the closing of any “non-traditional school” or a non-chartered non-public high school. EXCEPTION 4: The student is a child with a disability whose program as prescribed by the student’s I.E.P. has been changed to another high school. EXCEPTION 5: If the student transfers pursuant to state or federal statutes addressing academically poor performing schools, and the student can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Executive Director’s office that the transfer is for purely academic reasons and not athletic reasons, the Executive Director’s office may declare such transferring student eligible for the second half of the season and the OHSAA tournament upon application to the Executive Director’s office. The OHSAA uses the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s List of EdChoice Schools as of the date of the transfer to denote academically poor-performing schools. Note 1: The student shall be entitled to one transfer only under the provisions set forth in this bylaw. In addition, this bylaw shall not be used to establish eligibility at another high school if the student transfers into and then back out of the poor performing school in an attempt to circumvent the transfer bylaw, nor can it be used to transfer between poor performing schools. Note 2: If a student has used this bylaw to transfer out of a poor performing school at any time during his or her high school career, the student shall not be permitted to transfer back to the same poor performing school and regain transfer eligibility. EXCEPTION 6: If, as a result of the conduct of an adult associated with the school, a student is compelled to transfer in order to protect the student’s physical and/or mental well-being, the Executive Director’s Office may waive all or part of the period of ineligibility for one or more sport/sport seasons provided ALL of the following criteria are met: a) there is documented evidence the adult conduct was directed specifically towards the student; and 51 BYLAWS b) the adult conduct is of such a nature as to trigger a criminal investigation or an event covered under ORC 2151.421 that would require a mandatory reporter to report to the proper legal authorities; and c) the student suffered/suffers physical harm and/or severe emotional distress that required/requires medical treatment and/or mental health treatment, which was contemporaneously documented at the time of the event; and d) there is no evidence the transfer is due to the student/family’s displeasure with a former coach’s training tactics and/or the student’s playing time. For purposes of this bylaw, “conduct” may include behavior of a physical nature as well as verbal and/or written expres - sions, gestures and interactions. The conduct referred to herein may also include interactions via social media or other forms of electronic communications. This exception will not be applied where there has been no documented evidence of a criminal investigation or a “report - able” event as outlined in criteria (b), nor will this exception be applied for a student who simply alleges displeasure with a former coach’s training tactics. EXCEPTION 7: If a student is a victim of harassment, intimidation or bullying as those terms are defined at ORC §3313.666 (A)(2) which harassment, intimidation or bullying has been documented to the school district/system in ac - cordance with the ORC, and as a result of this documented harassment, intimidation or bullying, the student is compelled to transfer, the Executive Director’s Office, in its sole discretion, may waive all or part of the 50% period of ineligibility for one or more sport/sports seasons provided; 1) — The District’s Anti-Harassment, Anti-Intimidation, Anti-Bullying policies and procedures adopted in accordance with ORC §3313.666 have been substantially followed and complied with; and 2) — The District provides the Executive Director’s Office with a copy of the duly adopted policies and procedures; and 3) — The District secures the appropriate releases from the student/student’s parents authorizing the District to provide a complete record of the events and circumstances on which the policies and procedures were initiated including: a) A specific, detailed report of the prohibited incident(s) b) An outline of the procedures used to respond to and investigate the reported incident(s); c) A copy of the findings that were a result of the complaint process and investigation; d) A specific, detailed disciplinary procedure for any individual found guilty of harassment, intimidation or bullying; e) All reports of notification to parents or guardians of any student involvement in the incident(s); f) A report of the intervention strategies and remedial action the school has undertaken to assist the student and redress the complaint. 4) — The District provides the Executive Director’s Office with all of the above-referenced records. 5) — In concurrence with ORC§3313.666 (A)(2), this exception cannot be used for any isolated incidents or alleged incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying, nor can this exception be used in cases where there has been no contemporaneous reporting of the alleged bullying harassment or intimidation. The student becomes ineligible beginning with the second 50% of the maximum allowable varsity regular season contests until declared eligible by the Executive Director’s Office under this exception. 4-7-5 A student shall be entitled to transfer to a school and have his/her eligibility restored at the discretion of the Executive Director’s Office provided requirements of one of the following provisions have been met: PROVISION 1: A student may RETURN to non-public education and have his/her eligibility restored at the discretion of the Executive Director’s Office one time during their high school career provided the following conditions are met: a) the student had been continuously enrolled in a school within the same system of non-public education as the school into which the student is transferring (e.g., Catholic Conference of Ohio, Ohio Association of International Schools, Association of Christian Schools International or other category as denoted by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce) beginning in the sixth grade and continuing consecutively through the entire eighth grade and; b) the student has not attended more than one other high school during the course of their high school enrollment. Furthermore, if the student commences attendance at any high school within the same system of non-public education then breaks enrollment for a period of time at a school located outside the same system of non-public education, this pro - vision will only be available for use back to the same high school at which the student was previously enrolled, provided the aforementioned criteria are all met. PROVISION 2: A student may transfer to a public school and have his/her eligibility restored at the discretion of the Executive Director’s Office one time during their high school career provided the following conditions are met: a) The student’s residential parent/legal custodian has resided in the public school district (in which the school is a part of) for a minimum of one year immediately preceding the request for eligibility and; BYLAWS 52 b) The student is transferring from a school which is within a different district/system than the school into which he/ she is transferring, regardless of whether the student is transferring from a public or nonpublic school. Note 1: For transfers covered under this Provision into a multiple high school district, the Executive Director’s authority to waive all or part of the period of ineligibility shall be applicable at only the member high school located in the parent’s residential attenance zone or, if there are no defined attendance zones, at the member high school that is closest to the parent’s residence unless the district superintendent makes a specific request, based upon objective educational criteria, for application of this Provision at another high school within the district. Such a request should accompany the Provision 2 application. Note 2: A non-public student whose parents live in two different public school districts may have the option under this bylaw to transfer to the public high school in either public school district in which the student’s parents reside provided the student has never established eligibility at a public school in a district in which a custodial parent resides. Note 3: Provision 2 cannot be used to transfer from the public high school of the district in which one parent resides to the public high school of the district in which the other parent resides in a split-family situation. If a student establishes his/her eligibility at a public high school located within the district of one legal custodian and subsequently transfers to another public high school in a different district of a different legal custodian, the original school of enrollment shall remain the student’s “residential district school” for the purposes of this provision until the student has been attending the new school for one calendar year. After one calendar year, the student will have reestablished his/her “residential district school” for the purposes of this provision and is no longer permitted to use this provision to transfer back to his/ her original school using this provision. Note 4: If, as a result of a transfer/change of participation opportunity in accordance with provision 2, a student is per - mitted a participation opportunity at a member school where he or she is not enrolled in accordance with Bylaw 4-3-1 provisions 4 and/or 6, the Executive Director’s Office may apply this provision 2 to restore full eligibility in regard to transfer/change of participation opportunity provided the student’s participation is in accordance with OHSAA business rules and in accordance with Bylaw 4-7-3. Application of this provision as a non-enrolled student shall constitute the student’s one time use of this provision. 4-7-6 If a student transfers between high schools within the same public school district, the student may have his/her eligibility restored by the Executive Director’s office provided the following conditions have been met: 1) — The student has been reassigned to the high school by the superintendent, or other administrative authority of that school district, as a result of a) redistricting, b) a material change in transportation circumstamces so as to create a hardship or c) a specific change of academic program, the details of which shall be clearly stipulated to the Executive Director’s office; and 2) — The reassignment takes place either a) after the conclusion of the previous school year and prior to the beginning of the current school year; and the student commences enrollment and attendance on day one of the current school year; or b) at this district’s semester break and the student commences enrollment and attendance on day one of the next semester; and 3) — The superintendent, or other adminstrative authority of the district, petitions the Executive Director’s office for the restoration of eligibility for the student no later than 15 school days after the beginning of the school year/ after the beginning of the new semester; and 4) — The superintendent, or other administrative authority of the district, certifies that the transfer is not being done for athletic reasons; and. 5) — The student becomes ineligible beginning with the second 50% of the maximum allowable varsity regular season contests until declared eligible by the Executive Director’s Office under this exception. Note 1: Change in academic program requests will have no application for seniors. Furthermore, this change in academic program transfer option is shall only be available one time only during the student’s high school career. A student who subsequently withdraws from the academic program to which he or she has been assigned shall be declared immediately ineligible and may be subject to sanctions in accordance with Bylaw 11. Note 2: Notwithstanding condition #2, if a material change in transportation circumstances creates an immediate hardship for a family, then the school district may reassign the student at any time throughout the course of a school year and still petition the Executive Director’s Office for a ruling, subject to Bylaw 4-7-3. 4-7-7 If a student transfers to a high school located within the jurisdiction of a non-public multiple high school system (e.g., Catholic Conference of Ohio, Ohio Association of Independent Schools, Association of Christian Schools International or other category as denoted by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce) from another high school within that same system, the student may have his/her eligibility restored by the Executive Director’s office provided the following conditions have been met: 1) — The student has been reassigned to the high school by the superintendent or other administrative authority of that school system as a result of a) a specific change of academic program the details of which shall be clearly stipulated in writing to the Executive Director’s office; or b) a material change in economic circumstances so as to create a hardship; or c) a material change in transportation circumstances so as to create a hardship; and 2) — The reassignment takes place either a) after the conclusion of the previous school year and prior to the beginning of the current school year; and the student commences enrollment and attendance on day one of the current 53 BYLAWS school year; or b) at the district’s semester break and the student commences enrollment and attendance on day one of the next semester; and 3) — The superintendent or other administrative authority of the system petitions the Executive Director’s office for the restoration of eligibility for the student no later than 15 school days after the beginning of the school year/ the beginning of the new semester, and 4) — The superintendent, or other administrative authority of the system, certifies that the transfer is not being done for athletic reasons; and 5) — The student becomes ineligible beginning with the second 50% of the maximum allowable varsity regular season contests until declared eligible by the Executive Director’s Office under this exception. Note 1: Change in academic program requests will have no application for seniors. Furthermore, this change in academic program transfer option is shall only be available one time only during the student’s high school career. A student who subsequently withdraws from the academic program to which he or she has been assigned shall be declared immediately ineligible and may be subject to sanctions in accordance with Bylaw 11. Note 2: Notwithstanding condition #2, if a material change in transportation circumstances creates an immediate hardship for a family, then the school system may reassign the student at any time throughout the course of a school year and still petition the Executive Director’s Office for a ruling, subject to Bylaw 4-7-3. 4-7-8 Notwithstanding Bylaw 4-7-2, a student who transfers between two OHSAA member schools governed by two different school districts/systems of education may have his/her eligibility restored if the Superintendents/Heads of School (or their designee) of those districts/systems complete a memorandum of understanding stating the transfer is unrelated to interscholastic athletics and is made to protect the student’s physical or mental well-being or address other extenuating circumstances they deem appropriate. The student remains subject to Bylaw 4-7-2 until the Executive Director’s Office declares eligibility. Note 1: This Bylaw shall only be applicable for the transfer of a student between OHSAA member schools. Additional - ly, it shall not allow a student to restore eligibility at a different school during the same sports season per Bylaw 4-7-3, Mid-Season Transfer. The student may be declared eligible up to two times under the provisions set forth in this bylaw. Section 8. International and Exchange Students 4-8-1 For the purpose of this bylaw, an international student is a student who is not a United States citizen and who is in Ohio re - ceiving education in an Ohio school. An international student who does not have a parent (biological or adoptive) residing in Ohio is ineligible for interscholastic athletics in Ohio unless the student can meet one of the exceptions below. The following exceptions apply. Note: Students who transfer into an Ohio high school under this international exception must adhere to transfer bylaw 4-7-2. EXCEPTION 1: The international student who is a participant in a recognized visitor exchange program may be eligible for interscholastic athletics subject to the restrictions and conditions set forth below: a) The international student may be eligible for a maximum of one school year which is the first year of enrollment at the Ohio member school. b) The international student has not previously participated in any other visitor exchange program in the United States. If the international student has participated in another visitor exchange program in Ohio or any other state, the period of participation in that other program shall count against the one year maximum eligibility set forth in (a) above. c) The international student is in this country pursuant to a J-1 Visa. No other visa type, passport or other documentation shall qualify the student for eligibility under this exception. d) There shall be no evidence of a direct placement for athletic purposes into a specific member school in Ohio. e) No more than five (5) international students from the same visitor exchange program, in one member school, shall be permitted to be eligible during any school year. f) The member school at which the international student wishes to be declared eligible for interscholastic athletic participation must submit the appropriate forms to the Executive Director’s office, and the student and school must cooperate with the Executive Director’s office in determining that all other requirements for eligibility have been satisfied. The international student described in this Exception 1 shall be ineligible until declared eligible by the Executive Direc - tor’s office upon submission of the appropriate form. EXCEPTION 2: A n international student may be declared eligible for interscholastic athletics upon the submission of a court approved document certifying the student’s adoption by a legal resident of the school district in which the student is attending. The student is not eligible until declared eligible by the Executive Director’s office upon submission of the appro - priate court documents. EXCEPTION 3: An international student may be declared eligible in accordance with specific state or federal statutes. BYLAWS 54 Note: Students who transfer into an Ohio high school under this international exception must adhere to transfer bylaw 4-7-2. 4-8-2 An Ohio student returning from an international exchange program may resume interscholastic competition in the same Ohio member school from which the student left provided the student meets all requirements relative to age, semesters of eligibility as well as preceding grading period scholastic requirements upon return to the member high school. These requirements mean that the student shall be considered to have used semesters of eligibility while studying abroad, and shall have received passing grades which count toward graduation in a minimum of five one credit courses or the equivalent in the final grading period of the exchange program (Bylaw 4-4-1). Such a student is ineligible until ruled eligible by the Executive Director’s office. However, if a student intends to audit all course work while engaged in the international exchange program and thus receive no credit for the experience, the Executive Director’s office may consider restoration of academic and/or semester eligibility upon return to the same high school under the following conditions: 1) — An application for consideration, which clearly articulates the academic program the student will fulfill, is filed with the Executive Director’s office prior to commencing participation in the international exchange program. The application will specify the course work to be attempted and the fact that no credit will be earned for the experience. 2) — The student will not participate in any sport in which he or she wishes to retain semesters of eligibility while engaged in the international exchange program. If the student participates in either an interscholastic or non-in - terscholastic program, the semesters during which such participation takes place shall count toward the total of eight which are permitted. 3) — This waiver is available only for sophmore or junior students who have completed their first or second year of high school. Section 9. Recruiting 4-9-1 A student is considered a prospective athlete after enrolling in the seventh grade, or the grade corresponding to the sev - enth grade for a student from a foreign country , irrespective of whether the student is currently enrolled in a public 7th-8th grade school located within a public school district or a non-public school that is part of a non-public system . Any attempt to recruit a prospective student-athlete for athletic purposes shall be strictly prohibited. 4-9-2 For purposes of this Bylaw Section 9, the term “recruit” shall mean the use of influence by any person connected or not connected with the school to secure the enrollment or participation of a prospective student-athlete for athletic purposes. The Executive Director’s Office may suspend the privilege of participation in interscholastic athletics for up to 30 days during the pendency of any alleged recruiting violation. EXCEPTION 1: It is permissible for coaches and other school employees of a public school district to have contact with seventh and eighth grade students currently enrolled in that public school district; however, coaches and other school employ - ees in a multi-high school public school district may have contact with only those students in grades seven and eight who are assigned by that district to attend that high school where the coach or school employee works. EXCEPTION 2 : It is permissible for coaches and other school employees of a non-public school system to have contact with seventh and eighth grade students currently enrolled in a non-public school of the same type (Catholic Conference of Ohio, Ohio Association of Independent Schools, Association of Christian Schools International or other category as denoted by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce) provided the boundaries of that non-public school system are clearly defined and on file with the Ohio High School Athletic Association and the contact is restricted to students enrolled within that defined boundary. Likewise, it is permissible for non-public school coaches to have contact with 7-8 grade students if the non-public school is K-12 and the 7-8 grade building is located in the same building as the high school and the 7-8 grade students would be assigned to the high school where the coach or school employee works. Note: Feeder schools boundaries designated for competitive balances purposes are NOT the same boundaries as refer - enced in this exception to the recruiting bylaw. Unless a school system assigns all the students at the elementary school(s) within a particular boundary to a particular high school and these boundaries are on file with the OHSAA, coaches are prohibited from contacting these students in accordance with this exception. 4-9-3 “Marketing,” though a form of recruiting students, may be permitted under this bylaw by any and all member high schools provided the marketing complies with the following requirements: 1) — Any marketing must involve the entire high school program and all of its elements and shall not be solely or primarily for the school’s athletic program or programs. 2) — If a mailing or electronic transmission is utilized, the mailing/transmission may not be directed to a specific individual or individuals by name. The use of “occupant” or “resident” is permitted. Once a prospective stu - dent-athlete has attended an open house/information session/shadow day as outlined in 4-9-3 #3, only then it is permissible for the school to send enrollment/general school information to the named individual. (See 4-9-4 #3 and #4 for guidelines outlining when a coach or other students are permitted to contact a prospective student-ath - lete.) 3) — Conducting an open house/information session/shadow day for all prospective students, which SHALL be held 55 BYLAWS on the campus of the member school, in a church or other house of worship that is a sponsor for that member school, or in one of the other schools sponsored by that same school system or district, is permissible provided all elements of the school program are presented. During such an event, it is permissible for a coach to talk with a prospective student-athlete in the presence of a school administrator if the conversation centers around program procedures and expectations but not the student’s expected impact on the program. EXCEPTION: A school may be permitted to hold an open house at an alternative site provided: a) the facility is open and accessible to the general public; and b) the facility is not a private club, private room within a public facility or a private home; and c) the school submits a request for a waiver to use this alternative site at least 30 days prior to the open house. 4) — Inviting a prospective student to campus for activities that are related to all aspects of the school’s educational offerings and not solely for athletic purposes is permissible provided the prohibition in item #2 is not violated. 5) — Using the school website or other forms of media such as billboards, newspaper advertisements, etc. to advertise all aspects of the school’s educational offerings and not solely athletics information is permissible. Schools are permitted to utilize athletic advertisements of this nature so long as the advertisement simply congratulates a team and does not attempt to promote the athletic program (i.e. a billboard congratulating a state championship team). 6) — Providing athletic camp brochures that advertise athletic camps/clinics available to a general population is permis - sible as long as 1) there are no direct mailing to specific individuals (See #2) and 2) the brochures are solely used to advertise for a specific non-interscholastic opportunity (camp/clinic). These brochures are not to be used to pro - mote the school. (See 4-9-4 #9 regarding prohibitions on school personnel who are permitted to be in attendance at these camps/clinics.) 7) — The only time in which it is permissible to invite students and/or their parents to a high school contest or another athletic related event such as a banquet or recognition ceremony is when the invitation is extended to an entire group or team, such a school’s 7th or 8th grade team or a non-interscholastic group such as a C.Y.O. program in a specific sport, AND the participation is mutually agreed upon by the administration of both schools/organiza - tions. Though the group may receive admission to the contest, this invitation to attend a high school contest or athletic related event shall not include running out onto the contest venue with the team or standing on the sidelines and shall not include locker room visits, pre-contest meals with the high school team and/or any other interaction with the team prior to or after the contest. 4-9-4 Forms of recruiting that are prohibited by this bylaw include but are not limited to: 1) — Using direct mailings or electronic communication to send information to a specific individual or individuals by name. However, mailings to “occupant’ or “resident” are permitted provided the stipulations outlined in 4-9-3 #1 and 4-9-3 #2 are followed. 2) — Meetings with, functions for or marketing to a select athletic group or individual/individuals, i.e., eighth grade team or individual sports participant for the purpose of influencing enrollment at the high school. 3) — Any coach or group of coaches having any contact with prospective student-athletes, except as permitted in Bylaw 4-9-3, who are not presently enrolled in the school’s educational program, or their parents/non-interscho - lastic coach, prior to 1) the student’s application fee being submitted to the school (for tuition based schools) or 2) the school accepting the student’s application for enrollment (for non-tuition based schools). Outside the context of a meeting during an open house/information session/shadow day, a coach is not permitted to have communication with a prospective student-athlete about athletics. Note: For the purposes of this section of Bylaw 4, the description of “coaches” as stated in Bylaw 6-1-1 and 6-1-2 shall be applicable. Furthermore, the mere fact that a coach may also have another job title with his/her employer does not relieve that individual from this prohibition. 4) — Any individual associated with a school, including team members, attempting to use electronic communication or a social media platform(s) to communicate with a prospective student-athlete about athletics prior to 1) the student’s application fee being submitted to the school (for tuition based schools) or 2) the school accepting the student’s application for enrollment (for non-tuition based schools). 5) — Interscholastic coaches answering athletic questions from prospective student-athletes and/ or their parents and describing their programs except within the school in accordance with approved administrative policies and pro - cedures (i.e. via admissions offices) and consistent with the provisions set forth in Bylaw 4-9-3 #3. Note: When an admissions officer is also a member of a coaching staff, that admissions officer shall have no con - tact with prospective enrollees except as specified within these bylaws as permissible for coaching staff members. 6) — Member schools distributing athletic publications or advertising solely for athletics, with the exception of camp/ clinic brochures following the guidelines outlined in 4-9-3 #6. All athletic materials must be accompanied by general school information prior to 1) the student’s application fee being submitted to the school (for tuition based schools) BYLAWS 56 or 2) the school accepting the student’s application for enrollment (for non-tuition based schools). 7) — Providing favors or inducements, such as T-shirts or caps, to prospective student-athletes or their parents. How - ever, if a perspective-athlete attends a camp/clinic run by a school, this student is permitted to accept any items (T-shirt, bag, etc.) as long as they are given to every participant at the camp/clinic. EXCEPTION : A small token, such as a “goodie bag” containing an item or items, the value of which cannot exceed $25 and which cannot be related to the school’s athletic program, may be given to prospective students who “shadow” or visit a member school in contemplation of enrollment. 8) — Providing financial aid or scholarships to a student-athlete on the basis of athletic ability/involvement. See Bylaw 4-10 for prohibitions on offering athletic scholarships to a student currently enrolled in a school. 9) — Using an athletic camp/clinic to distribute general admission information about the school. (i.e. nosetting up an admissions table or having admissions personnel/administrators available to answer questions about enrollment) During these camps/clinics a perspective athlete is permitted to accept any items (T-shirt, bag, etc.) as long as they are given to every participant at the camp/clinic. 10) — If a coach leaves a school to pursue a coaching opportunity at another school, the coach shall refrain from any communication regarding athletics with any students at his or her former school. Further as it relates to any for - mer student-athlete who might transfer to or enroll at the school where the coach is now approved as a member of the coaching staff, said transfer or enrollment shall create a rebuttable presumption of recruiting and render the student ineligible for up to one year from the date of enrollment unless the recruiting can be rebutted. Once the coach has been employed by or appointed to his/her new school for one calendar year from the date of em - ployment/approval, the coach is still prohibited from communication with any students at his/her former school, but there is no longer any obligation for the new school to rebut the presumption of recruiting unless specifically requested to do so by the Executive Director’s Office. 4-9-5 Prior to enrollment, a student-athlete may visit a public or non-public school in contemplation of enrollment , as long as that contemplated enrollment is consistent with Board of Education or similar governing board policy formally adopted by that school district and arrangements for the visit are made through the principal and/or school administrator desig - nated by the Board of Education or similar governing board. During such an event, it is permissible for a coach to talk with a prospective student-athlete in the presence of a school administrator if the conversation centers around program procedures and expectations but not the student’s expected impact on the program. After the conclusion of the visit, a coach is not permitted to have further communication with the prospective student-athlete about athletics (outside the context of another open house/information session/shadow day) prior to 1) the student’s application fee being submitted to the school (for tuition based schools) or 2) the school accepting the student’s application for enrollment (for non-tuition based schools). 4-9-6 All questions relating to enrollment, attendance or the athletic program shall be handled through the school administra - tion or the admissions office. If a coach is contacted by a parent or another individual who is advocating for a student, the coach is obligated to immediately disclose this contact to a school administrator and to cease all contact with the pro - spective student and/or parents until 1) the student’s application fee is submitted to the school (for tuition based schools) or 2) the school accepts the student’s application for enrollment (for non-tuition based schools). 4-9-7 Any violation of the recruiting prohibitions as set forth in this bylaw may cause the recruited student-athlete to be ineligi - ble upon enrollment . If it is determined by the Executive Director’s Office that a student-athlete was recruited in violation of these prohibitions, the Executive Director’s Office may deny the student-athlete from participation (which may include participation in the OHSAA tournament) in the sport or sports for which the student-athlete was recruited. Furthermore, the school in to which the recruited student-athlete enrolls or the school the recruiting attempts were intended to benefit shall be subject to sanctions as set forth in Bylaw 11. If a coach has been found to have violated these recruiting pro - hibitions by the Executive Director ’s Office, and is employed/approved to coach in the ensuing school year by another member school in the same sport in which the violations occurred, the school where the coach is employed/approved to coach may be subject to other penalties as set forth in Bylaw 11 including, but not limited to, ineligibility for OHSAA tournament competition in that sport. Section 10. Amateur 4-10-1 A student who represents a school in an interscholastic sport shall be an amateur in that sport. An amateur athlete is one who participates in the activities of his/her sport for the purpose of deriving the physical, mental and social benefits of or - ganized sports competition with no expectation of compensation for his/her participation. Since the student is considered an integral member of the student body, a clear line of distinction between educationally based athletics and professional sports must exist and be maintained at all times. It shall be the shared responsibility of school personnel, the athletes and their parents to maintain this clear line of distinction. An athlete is permitted to be a professional in one sport (in which they do not participate interscholastically) but still retain their amateur status in another interscholastic sport. 4-10-2 An athlete forfeits amateur status, and thus interscholastic athletic eligibility, if any of the following standards of ama - teurism are violated: a) Competing in athletic competition(s) for money/cash or other remuneration. EXCEPTION : If a student competes, in a competition where travel, meals and lodging expenses are being re - 57 BYLAWS imbursed, or where prize money is available, the student shall complete prior to the competition a Request for Retention of Amateur Status written declaration prior to the competition in which the student agrees that he or she: • will not accept any prize money/cash and; • will only accept awards/gifts/prizes which do not exceed the awards amount authorized by the Association (See Bylaw 5) and; • will only accept allowable travel, meals and lodging expenses provided that these expenses are not contin - gent upon the student’s individual or a team’s finish or performance or given as an incentive to achieve a specific goal or performance. Receipt of expenses received by the athlete shall be reported to the OHSAA via the approved form so as to determine whether or not the expenses are in excess of those reasonable amounts for travel, meals and lodging. b) Signing a contract or making a commitment of any kind to play professional athletics, regardless of its legal en - forceability or any payment received. This prohibits signing a contract during the interscholastic athletics season that is dated after the completion of the athlete’s interscholastic athletic eligibility; c) Receiving, directly or indirectly, a salary, reimbursement of expenses, merchandise or services or any other form of financial assistance or benefits from a professional sports organization based upon athletics skills or participation. EXCEPTION: An athlete may receive reimbursement of expenses as per item (a) for a professional tryout; d) Competing with any professional athletics team, even if no pay or remuneration for expenses was received; or 4-10-3 The following activities do not jeopardize amateur status: a) Accepting a fee for instructing, supervising or officiating in an organized youth sports program or recreation, playground or camp activities; b) Receiving school-sponsored membership or participation fees in youth serving agencies, athletic clubs, community recreation centers, instructional programs or camps, etc. provided such fees are paid directly to the agency; c) Receiving an award, playing equipment or prize of monetary value which does not exceed the awards amount authorized by the Association; d) Receiving all non-monetary benefits and awards provided to members of an Olympic team or Junior National Team beyond actual and necessary expenses, including entertainment, equipment, clothing, long distance telephone service, Internet access, and any other item or service for which it can be demonstrated that the same benefit is available to all members of the nation’s Olympic and/or Junior National team or the specific sport Olympic and/ or Junior National team in question; e) Accepting funds that are administered by the United States Olympic Committee pursuant to its Operation Gold Program; or f) Participating in member school, charitable or educational promotions or fund-raising activities that involve the use of athletic ability by student-athletes to obtain funds (e.g., swim-a-thons, lift-a-thons, shoot-a-thons) from donors, provided no compensation or prizes are given to the student-athletes based on their performance. Symbols of par - ticipation (T-Shirts, bags, etc.) are permitted as long as they are given to every athlete involved. g) Accepting scholarship funds that are administered by a national governing body, e.g. the United States Bowling Congress’ Scholarship Program, provided such funds are paid directly to a postsecondary institution and the funds are not available until after the student has graduated from high school. 4-10-4 A high school student who loses amateur status/athletic eligibility may apply to the Association for reinstatement in the inter - scholastic program. Such appeals shall be handled by the Executive Director in accordance with the bylaws and will include, but not be limited to, considerations such as length of time student relinquished amateur status, and total monetary gains acheived and considerations if those monies can be returned, and whether or not the student signed a contract. If a student-athlete in one sport violates a provision of the amateur bylaw as detailed above, the student-athlete may represent the member school in a different sport. Section 11. Name, Image & Likeness/Personal Branding Rights Pursuant to Bylaw 4-10-1, a student may not participate in an interscholastic sport unless the student is an amateur. Pay-for-play (receiving payments simply for being a student-athlete), entering an agreement/contract with a professional sports team and improper recruiting inducements remain prohibited. 4-11-1 For purposes of this bylaw, Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)/Personal Branding Rights shall mean the use of self-pub - licity due to public recognition (athletic fame) and/or the prominence a student may attain to receive a benefit through appearances, licensing, social media, endorsements and/or the use of branding. BYLAWS 58 Note 1: This bylaw has no connection to Bylaw 5, which permits a student to accept awards, gifts and prizes resulting from their participation/finish in athletic competitions. The requirements outlined within Bylaw 4-11 are solely related to a student-athlete’s promotional and marketing efforts based on their public recognition (athletic fame) or notoriety. Note 2: A collective is a third-party group, typically formed by alumni and supporters, that pools donations and fund - raising to create and manage NIL/Personal Branding Rights opportunities for student-athletes. The collectives provide student-athletes with sponsorships, endorsement deals and other ways to monetize their NIL/Personal BrandingRights, bridging the gap between athletes and the brands or businesses looking to leverage their popularity and control their earnings from their public persona. Collectives are strictly prohibited. 4-11-2 A student may enter into an agreement/arrangement whereby the student capitalizes on their Name, Image and Likeness/ Personal Branding Rights provided the following criteria are met: a) The student does not utilize the name, logos, mascots, trademarks or other proprietary properties of the OHSAA or any OHSAA member school or school team while receiving the compensation and/or during any promotions or imply that the OHSAA or the OHSAA member school or school team approves the NIL/personal branding activity, and b) The student does not engage in an NIL/Personal Branding Rights agreement that is provided, procured, or facili - tated by an OHSAA member school or an agent of the school (e.g. collectives, booster clubs, foundations, admin - istrators, coaches or other individuals), and c) The student does not engage in any name and image/personal branding activities during school hours, while traveling to or from any OHSAA event or during school or team events including any practice, meeting, contest, tournament or any similar event or facility the OHSAA deems inappropriate or distracting (defined henceforth as “official team activities”), and d) The student does not engage in an NIL/Personal Branding Rights agreement that provides compensation based on specific athletic participation, performance or achievement (e.g. points scored, etc.), and e) The student does not engage in an NIL/Personal Branding Rights agreement that is provided as an inducement to attend a particular school, and f) The student does not display the sponsor’s product or otherwise advertise for a sponsor during official team activ - ities, and g) The student is the only person impacted by the NIL/Personal Branding Rights agreement and this agreement shall never provide any money, merchandise, services of value or any other benefits directly to the student’s school and/ or team, and h) The student does not engage in an NIL/Personal Branding Rights agreement associated with gaming/gambling, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cannabis, banned or illegal substances, adult entertainment products or services, firearms or other weapons or any other product or service the OHSAA deems inappropriate or distracting, and i) The student is responsible for determining what, if any, effect the NIL/Personal Branding Rights agreement may have on eligibility with the NCAA, NJCAA and/or the NAIA. 4-11-3 A student engaged in an NIL/Personal Branding Rights agreement shall disclose each agreement to the OHSAA within 14 days after entering into said agreement. Students who fail to disclose their agreement(s) or fail to disclose their agree - ment(s) within the 14 days shall be subject to a period of ineligibility up to 20 percent of the sport season in which they participate and/or any other penalties as outlined in Bylaw 11. Note: Details on how to disclose said agreement(s) shall be posted on the OHSAA website. 4-11-4 A student engaged in an NIL/Personal Branding Rights agreement shall also comply with any other applicable OHSAA bylaws and regulations and any applicable policies of his or her school. 4-11-5 If a student transfers to a school and the transfer can be shown to be reasonably linked to a student’s NIL/Personal Brand - ing Rights agreement, a rebuttable presumption shall exist that the student has been recruited, which is in violation of Bylaw 4-9. The Executive Director’s Office may suspend the privilege of participation in interscholastic athletics during the pendency of any alleged violation of this bylaw. 4-11-6 Member school administrators and coaches shall have an obligation to educate the school community that any attempt to facilitate an NIL/Personal Branding Rights agreement to help secure the enrollment of a prospective student shall result in penalties as prescribed in Bylaw 11, including a review of the school’s membership status. 4-11-7 Student-athletes with NIL/Personal Branding Rights deals, along with their parents or guardians, are encouraged to seek professional advice, understand contracts thoroughly and prioritize academic and athletic commitments to protect the stu - dent-athlete’s eligibility and long-term success. These activities should be regarded as a business, and participants should stay compliant with school and state regulations and focus on building a strong support system to avoid mismanagement of funds and protect future opportunities. 4-11-8 A student may enter into an agreement with an athlete agent, as defined within ORC §§4771.01, solely for the purpose of marketing the student or the student’s reputation in accordance with Bylaw 4-11. Students and athlete agents must abide by all requirements set forth within ORC §§4771. A student engaged in an agreement with an athlete agent must disclose the agreement to the OHSAA within 14 days after entering into said agreement. Students who fail to disclose their agree - 59 BYLAWS ment, or fail to disclose their agreement within the 14 days, shall be subject to a period of ineligibility up to 20 percent of the sport season in which they participate and/or any other penalties as outlined in Bylaw 11. 4-11-9 Any violation of Bylaw 4-11 shall be subject to penalties outline in Bylaw 11. BYLAW 5 — AWARDS Section 1. Awards, Gifts and Prizes — Approved 5-1-1 An athlete may accept awards, gifts and/or prizes resulting from their participation/finish in athletic competition(s), in sports which they are an interscholastic athlete, from any entity provided: a) the item does not exceed $500 in total value per competition and; b) the award is not money/cash (See Bylaw 4-10-2 (a)) For purposes of this bylaw, gift cards/certificates which can only be used at specific businesses (local restaurant, retail stores, etc.) are not considered “money/cash” and are permitted to be given provided the value of the item does not exceed $500. Gift cards which can be used at various locations (i.e. “Visa gift cards”) are considered “money/cash” and are not permitted under this bylaw. Graduating seniors who have completed their respective sport season are no longer subject to the award/gift/prize limita - tion for their participation in that respective sport, regardless of their future participation in any other OHSAA recognized sport(s). Note: This bylaw has no application for events which are conducted outside a recognized sporting contest (i.e. slam dunk contests, homerun derby, etc.) or an event which is not identified as an OHSAA recognized sport (i.e. chess, etc.) 5-1-2 College scholarships may be accepted provided the amount of the scholarship is paid for college expenses. Section 2. — Awards — Violations 5-2-1 The penalty for violation for any member of a school squad, except a senior, shall be ineligibility in that sport for the ensuing season. 5-2-2 The penalty for violation for a senior shall be ineligibility for all interscholastic athletics the remainder of the school year. 5-2-3 The school itself shall be held accountable to the Association for any violation of this bylaw, by individuals or groups before, at, or after graduation. BYLAW 6 — COACHES Section 1. Requirements for Coaching 6-1-1 School administrators are primarily responsible for the supervision of coaches prior to, during and after all interscholastic contests except as specifically referenced in national playing rules that are applicable during an interscholastic contest and enforced by contest officials for proscribed conduct only. 6-1-2 All coaches, paid and volunteer, shall meet the criteria established by the State Board of Education. For more information, visit the Coaches Corner on the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org). Note: See Sports Regulation 4 for penalties for non-compliance with this Bylaw and procedures to adhere to for verifica - tion of such. 6-1-3 All coaches shall be approved by the Board of Education or similar governing board in non-public schools. 6-1-4 The designated head coach and all assistant coaches (paid and unpaid) for each sport team or individual sport for which a member school provides sponsorship shall, in addition to teaching the skills and strategies of their sport, be for their athletes a proper role model for citizenship, ethics, integrity and sporting conduct. Section 2. Salary of Coaches 6-2-1 The Board of Education or other similar governing board shall have exclusive jurisdiction on matters of salary, stipend or compensation of its coaches. Note: The Ohio Ethics Commission Opinion No. 2008-01 prohibits a school employee compensated by the Board of Education and serving as a coach from recieving compensation for the same services from any other source, including booster groups. BYLAW 7 — CONTRACTS Section 1. Contracts for Athletic Contests 7-1-1 Regular season contests between two or more member schools should be memorialized in writing and signed by repre - sentatives authorized by the competing member schools. All disputes involving the contracts referenced herein, including issues of anticipatory breach, that cannot be resolved between the member schools themselves shall be referred to the Executive Director’s office for binding resolution. Note: As it pertains to this bylaw, electronic signatures or other forms of electronic acceptance of a game contract are acceptable. BYLAWS 60 7-1-2 When schools come together to form a league or conference and said league or conference publishes a league or con - ference schedule of contests for its member schools, the league or conference schedule shall serve as a binding contract between the member schools of that league or conference in lieu of the single game contract referenced in Bylaw 7-1-1. Unless otherwise set forth in the league/conference Constitution and/or Bylaws, a league/conference schedule becomes “published” if/when the members of the league/conference approve the schedule and/or it is documented within its offi - cial meeting minutes. 7-1-3 All member schools of a league or conference shall adopt a Constitution and Bylaws of said league or conference which Constitution and Bylaws shall serve, among other purposes, as a binding contract between each of the member schools of said league or conference. As such, the Constitution and/or Bylaws shall contain provisions that address the addition of a new member school, the removal of an existing member FINAL- March 18, 2023 16 school and the voluntary with - drawal of an existing member school and the economic consequences for a unilateral breach of game contracts. 7-1-4 The voiding of a signed/published contract can only be done upon the mutual consent of the contracting schools. The deci - sion of a school to change league or conference affiliation does not void its previous contract obligations with the league or conference and its member schools. Furthermore, all league or conference contract obligations shall take precedence over any contracts executed later in time. 7-1-5 The suspension or termination of a school’s membership in the OHSAA shall render all contracts, including officials contracts, voidable by schools whose membership remains in good standing with the OHSAA. 7-1-6 When a new school district is created under Sections 3311.26 and 3311.37 of the Ohio Revised Code and therefore impacts the current league or conference schedules, all contracts for contests and officials made by the former school districts are declared null and void and new contracts for contests and officials should be negotiated by the new school district. 7-1-7 If game contracts cannot be fulfilled by reason of weather, strike, force majeure or similar such circumstances, the con - tracting school may: a) Void the contract by mutual consent of the schools involved, or b) Attempt to reschedule the contest at a convenient time and date to all schools. If the contest in question is a varsity football contest, if the schools are unable to mutually agree to rescheduled date to take place within 72 hours of the cancelled contest, the contract shall be considered null and void. c) If a) or b) cannot be met, the contracting school may refer the matter to the Executive Director’s Office for reso - lution. 7-1-8 If a school which has entered into a signed/published game contract cancels or attempts to cancel a game contract without the consent of the other school, or otherwise breaches the terms of the game contract, the schools shall: a) Attempt to resolve their contract dispute by and between themselves; or b) The non-breaching school may invoke the liquidated damages clause as set forth in its game contract; or c) Determine the financial loss to the non-breaching school and make a financial settlement; or d) If a), b) or c) cannot be met, the schools shall refer the matter to the Executive Director’s Office for binding res - olution. In arriving at a binding financial resolution, the Executive Director’s Office shall consider the financial records (attendance, gate receipts, concession sales, others) of past games previously played to ascertain damages to the non-breaching school. In addition to the foregoing remedies, the Executive Director’s Office is authorized to sanction the breaching school with a full array of sanctions as set forth in Bylaw 11 including, but not limited to, denial of participation in the OHSAA tournament in the sport in which the contract disputed occurred. Note: The Executive Director’s office will only attempt to resolve disputes of signed contracts and/or “published” league/ conference schedules. Section 2. Contracts with Officials 7-2-1 The contract between the school and the contest official should be executed on an OHSAA Contract for Officials or sim - ilar form and signed for specific dates by the official and the home school administrator or a certified OHSAA officials assigner authorized by the home school. 7-2-2 The official’s contract may be voided or terminated by mutual agreement of the official and the home school adminis - trator or the certified OHSAA officials assigner authorized by the home school provided such voiding or terminating is executed in writing. BYLAW 8 — OFFICIALS Section 1. Officials Required 8-1-1 OHSAA officials shall be used in certain sports played in Ohio. The list of sports and officiating requirements will be found in the Handbook for Officials and in the specific sports regulations found in this handbook. 8-1-2 Schools that violate the provisions of this section can be fined a maximum of $100.00 payable to the OHSAA for each offense and will not be accepted as a member school the following year unless any administored fine is paid. 61 BYLAWS Section 2. Selection of Officials for Regular Season Contests 8-2-1 The principal of the school, the official designee or a certified assigner shall attend personally to the selection of officials. Great care should be exercised in the selection of officials, well in advance of the contest and shall be mutually agreed upon by the schools involved. 8-2-2 When the contest begins each school waives all of its rights so far as objecting to the officials. Section 3. Decisions by Officials 8-3-1 Protests arising from the decisions and interpretations of the contest playing rules by officials will not be considered, and those decisions shall be final. The Executive Director’s office does not have the authority or jurisdiction to order contests replayed, or to overturn decisions of contest officials regarding the decisions and interpretations of contest playing rules. The decisions and interpretations of the rules by the contest officials are final. Note: The Executive Director’s Office is prohibited from reviewing an “in game” ruling/rulings by a contest official, even when the challenge to such ruling/rulings would alter the outcome of a contest. However, the Executive Director’s Office may review reliable, probative and substantial evidence for the purpose of reviewing the limited challenges to the enhanced ejection policies in accordance with General Sports Regulation 14. 8-3-2 Schools have an obligation to protect the contact/personal information of an official before and after a contest. Schools shall never provide an official’s contact/personal information to any person/entity without first obtaining permission by the official. 8-3-3 The record of the official scorekeeper at the conclusion of the contest is final unless an error is discovered. Such error shall be corrected as covered by specific contest rules. 8-3-4 Any team leaving the contest area before the conclusion of the contest because of dissatisfaction with the officiating will render the school liable to disciplinary action by the Association. Section 4. Handbook for Officials and Directory 8-4-1 The Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the Executive Director’s office, shall approve on an annual basis a Hand - book for Officials that shall outline the officiating code of ethics, officials/officiating requirements, officiating permit proce - dures, and such other matters as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Board of Directors. This Handbook for Officials , along with a Directory of Officials , shall be published for annual distribution to all member schools and registered officials. Section 5. Rules Examination 8-5-1 The dates for applications and examinations on the rules of the various sports to become an official will be determined and published by the Executive Director’s office. Section 6. Rules Meeting Requirements 8-6-1 Officials are required to attend local rules discussion meetings and state rules interpretation meetings as scheduled. Specific requirements for each sport are listed in the Handbook for Officials . Officials who have allowed their OHSAA permit to lapse and those not attending the designated meetings may be reinstated as outlined in the Handbook for Officials . Section 7. Officials Uniforms 8-7-1 The official uniform for officials in interscholastic sports shall be as specified in the officials manual in that sport or as adopted by the Board of Directors in that sport and specified in the Handbook for Officials . BYLAW 9 — CONTESTS REQUIRING SPECIAL ATTENTION Section 1. Contests with Non-Member Schools and Non-Interscholastic Teams 9-1-1 Members of the Association shall observe all Ohio eligibility standards, general and sport-specific sports regulations and playing rules in contests with non-member and non-interscholastic teams while competing in Ohio. Member schools are permitted to play non-member and/or non-interscholastic teams at their own discretion. Section 2. Contests with Out-Of-State Schools 9-2-1 Schools may travel out of state to compete in contests in states or provinces in Canada that border Ohio regardless of distance to travel. The states are Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The province is Ontario. Additionally, schools may travel out of state one time per sport per interscholastic season to compete in contests and/or practices in any location that does not border Ohio subject to approval from the Executive Director’s Office. (Visit ohsaa. org to obtain the required form to request this travel permission). If such an approval is granted, it is the sole discretion of the school as to whether the team/individual is permitted to miss school time. Penalty for violation: A school which travels to a non-bordering location to compete in contests on more than one occa - sion shall be ineligible for the OHSAA postseason tournament in the sport in which the out-of-state travel was involved and could be subject to additional penalties as referenced in Bylaw 11. A school which travels to a non-bordering location without approval from the Executive Director’s Office shall be subject to a fine and could be subject to additional penal - ties as referenced in Bylaw 11. 9-2-2 School-sponsored teams and individuals may travel to a bordering state for practice purposes with no limitations. School-sponsored teams and individuals may travel to a non-bordering state for practices purposes only as long as the trip is prospectively approved by the Executive Director’s Office and counts as the one permitted non-bordering state trip per season in accordance with Bylaw 9-2-1. BYLAWS 62 Note: Please reference the General Sports Regulations for additional explanation regarding the classification of a an event when another team is involved (i.e. scrimmage, practice, game, etc.). 9-2-3 Whether a contest/event is in Ohio or outside of Ohio but still within the United States, the host of the event must secure a sanction through the National Federation of State High School Associations for competition by a member school in any of the following contests: a) ANY event which includes an Ohio AND an out-of-state school that is co-sponsored by or titled in the name of an organization outside the school community; b) Events involving non-bordering states where five (5) or more states are involved; c) Events involving non-bordering states if more than eight (8) schools are involved; d) Events involving two (2) or more schools that includes a team from a foreign country, with the exception ofCanada and Mexico. Note 1: In (b) and (c) above, no sanction is required if the contest(s) only involve Ohio schools and/or schools which border Ohio. Note 2: If the contest is taking place outside of the United States, no NFHS sanction is required even if any aforemen - tioned criteria are met. Schools desiring to participate in an event covered under the aforementioned scenarios must visit https://www.nfhs.org/ Sanctioning/ in order to obtain the sanction. 9-2-4 In all contests competed outside Ohio, each participating school shall follow all Ohio eligibility standards, general and sport-specific sports regulations but shall follow the playing rules (NFHS or national governing body) as adopted by the host state Association. BYLAW 10 — PROTESTS AND FORFEITURES Section 1. Protests Relative to Eligibility 10-1-1 Concerns relative to the eligibility of a player on a competing team shall be presented, when discovered, to the principal for investigation. A written request for investigation of eligibility may be filed with the Executive Director in any sport. Section 2. Forfeitures 10-2-1 All athletic contests in which ineligible players have participated shall be forfeited. All forfeitures shall be reported im - mediately in writing to the OHSAA and all opponents. Please follow the guidance at http://www.ohsaa.org/eligibility/ GuidelinesForReportingUseOfIneligibleStudent.pdf to file a report. EXCEPTION: If a student participates in an athletic contest and his or her eligibility has been established by falsified information, the student shall be declared ineligible (see Bylaw 4-1-2), and forfeiture of the contest may be required. 10-2-2 Forfeitures of contests cannot be waived by mutual agreement. 10-2-3 If an ineligible student participates in an OHSAA-sponsored tournament in a team sport (soccer, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, baseball or softball), the team shall be disqualified from the tournament and the last team defeated, or the next highest ranking team, may take its place in the tournament. 10-2-4 A member of an eliminated team may participate in OHSAA individual tournament competition, if qualified. 10-2-5 If an ineligible student participates in a regular season or an OHSAA-sponsored tournament contest in an individual sport (bowling, golf, cross country, gymnastics, tennis, swimming and diving, track and field or wrestling) the contest is forfeited and all points, records, awards and qualifying positions won by the ineligible student shall be forfeited. However, all eligible participants shall keep their points, records, awards and qualifying positions. Section 3. Additional Penalties 10-3-1 Additional penalties may be assessed to the offending player, coach and/or school by the Executive Director. BYLAW 11 — PENALTIES 11-1-1 Penalties for violation of the OHSAA Constitution, Bylaws and Regulations shall be imposed by the Executive Director or another administrative staff member designated by the Executive Director. 11-1-2 Penalties include: suspension of membership, suspension of eligibility, forfeiture of games, forfeiture of champion - ship rights, probation, reclamation of expenses for the conduct of investigations and all other fees/expenses associated therewith, public censure, denial of participation in postseason tournaments (applicable to administrators, coaches and student-athletes), fines not to exceed $10,000 per occurrence or such other penalties as the Executive Director’s Office deems appropriate. 11-1-3 If property is damaged at a tournament site by competing school teams, student body or spectators, the school from which the students and/or spectators come shall be liable and pay the cost of repair or replacement. 11-1-4 If a lawsuit is commenced against the OHSAA seeking to enjoin the OHSAA from enforcing any or all of its Constitution, bylaws, sports regulations, decisions of the OHSAA, and an Order from a Court of proper jurisdiction is subsequently either voluntarily vacated, or stayed, or reversed or otherwise determined by the Courts that the equitable relief sought is 63 BYLAWS not or was not justified, the Executive Director may impose any one or more of the following in the interest of restitution and fairness to other member school’s athletes: a) Require that individual or team records and performances achieved during such participation be vacated or stricken. b) Require that team victories be forfeited to opponent. c) Require that team or individual awards earned during such participation be returned to the Association. d) Require the return of any financial receipts realized from tournament participation. e) Impose a monetary penalty commensurate with the expense to the OHSAA for the litigation. f) Require that the ruling be imposed the immediately following school year/sports season. BYLAW 12 — SUSPENDED SCHOOLS 12-1-1 When a school has been suspended as a member of the Association for violation of the constitution, bylaws or regulations of the Association, all contracts with other member schools are null and void. 12-1-2 Member schools of the Association shall not compete with schools which are under suspension by the Association. BYLAW 13 — PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE 13-1-1 Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern procedures in each situation not covered by the Constitution and Bylaws. 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 65 SPORTS REGULATIONS OHSAA SPORTS REGULATIONS Introduction Article 5-6-1 of the Constitution grants authority to the Board of Directors to determine the contest rules and regulations for each sport. The Board of Directors has adopted the following playing rules and contest regulations effective August 1, 2026 , except as specified within this section. The Executive Director is authorized to modify these regulations when it is deemed necessary by the Executive Director, subject to ratification by the Board of Directors. These regulations apply to all interscholastic teams and contests, including but not limited to varsity, junior varsity, reserve, junior, sophomore, freshman and 7th & 8th grade teams. For additional regulations specifically for grades 7 and 8, see General Sports Regulation 9. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1. Official Playing Rules and Rule Books The official playing rules and rule books as published by the listed organization have been approved by the Board of Direc - tors for all interscholastic athletic contests in the following sports. SPORT PLAYING RULES STATUS CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED FIELD HOCKEY NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED FOOTBALL NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED GOLF UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZED SOCCER NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED TENNIS UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZED VOLLEYBALL (GIRLS) NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED BASKETBALL NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED BOWLING* UNITED STATES BOWLING CONGRESS RECOGNIZED GYMNASTICS* U.S.A. GYMNASTICS RECOGNIZED ICE HOCKEY NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED SWIMMING AND DIVING NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED WRESTLING* (BOYS) NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED WRESTLING* (GIRLS) NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED BASEBALL NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED LACROSSE (BOYS) NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED LACROSSE (GIRLS) NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED SOFTBALL NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED TRACK AND FIELD NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED VOLLEYBALL* (BOYS) NATIONAL FEDERATION RECOGNIZED *Per Bylaw 1-4-3, “Interscholastic competition shall be conducted using playing rules adopted by the Board of Directors and/or modifications or changes in sport rules are not permitted except those provided in the rule book and approved by the Board of Directors.” Denoted sports have rule modifications outside of those permitted within the Rules Book that have been approved by the OHSAA Board of Directors. 2. Mandatory Attendance at or Participation in OHSAA-Sponsored Rules Interpretation Meetings 2.1) Any school sponsoring a sport recognized by the OHSAA in which a state tournament is held must have the head varsity coach, assistant varsity coach or athletic administrator attend or participate (online) in an OHSAA-sponsored state rules interpretation meeting in that sport by the communicated deadline date. 2.2) A late fee will be assessed to access an online meeting or to participate in an in-person meeting after the first day a regular season contest is permitted in the respective sport. 2.3) Failure to attend or participate in the sport’s state rules interpretation meeting by the established deadline shall result in ineligibility to participate in the OHSAA-sponsored tournament in that sport. 2.4) Those attending a meeting in person will be responsible to be in attendance within 10 minutes of the start of the meeting and remain until the conclusion of the meeting to receive credit for attendance. 3. Mandatory Requirement for Tournament Officials Selection To assist in the process in determining which contest officials will be assigned to OHSAA tournament contests the following school year, schools are required to vote for officials, and coaches are highly encouraged to rate officials . Voting by athletic administrators and ratings by coaches are combined with votes from local officials associations and officiating leaders to create GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 66 a composite score which develops a pool of tournament-eligible officials for the next school year. The sports in which voting is required and ratings are needed; the deadlines in which voting and ratings must be completed, and the procedures on how to vote for and rate officials are published on the OHSAA website, in the sport-specific OHSAA coaches/officials manual and provided in memos disseminated to athletic administrators. 3.1) Voting by Athletic Administrators By the established deadlines, athletic administrators are responsible for submitting a ballot listing a maximum of 15 officials in each required sport, preferably after consulting with their coaches. Failure to participate in the required voting process will result in the school being fined $50 per occurrence and may prohibit the school from participating in all future tournament competition in the sport for which the fine was issued. 3.2) Voting by Head Coaches By the established deadlines, head coaches are responsible for submitting a ballot listing a maximum of 15 officials in each required sport, preferably after consulting with their assistant coaches. Note : The OHSAA reserves the right to modify the rating and voting procedures based on the technology that is available. 4. Penalties for Failure to Acquire Pupil Activity Program/Coaching Permit (PAPP) Coaches, paid and/or volunteer, in grades 7-12, who do not possess the Pupil Activity Program/Coaching Permit, which is part of the State Board of Education requirements to coach in Ohio, shall not be permitted to coach at any level at an OHSAA member school. Individuals who have applied for a Permit but who have not yet been issued a valid credential shall not be permitted to interact with athletes, even under the supervision of a credentialed coach, until his/her Pupil Activity Permit num - ber is formally issued. However, per Ohio Administrative Code 119.06, coaches who have already obtained their permit and are going through the renewal process are permitted to continue coaching during the pendency of ODE’s review as long as the coach filed an application for their renewal within the specified time and in the manner required. Action by ODE rejecting any coach’s renewal shall not be effective prior to fifteen days after notice of the rejection is mailed to the coach. All Board-approved and properly credentialed coaches shall be listed on the Emergency Contact form for each sport. Further, any high school coach who does not possess this Permit at the first level of the tournament shall not be permitted to coach at any level of the tournament until such time that the Permit is obtained and verification of such permit is provided to the OHSAA. Falsification of this information shall result in a coach’s removal from the OHSAA tournament. Note : It is the intention of the OHSAA to perform random audits of the coaching permits throughout the school year and to fine schools that have not complied with Bylaw 6-1-2 in the amount of $250 per coach. In addition, the penalty for a coach not listed on the Emergency Contact form is removal from coaching in the OHSAA tournament. 5. Penalties for Failure to Conduct Pre-Season Meetings When it has been verified that the member school has failed to conduct a pre-season meeting(s) in accordance with Bylaw 3-1-4, the school shall be fined $500 for each violation. Note : Please refer to the OHSAA website for a checklist of items that must be covered and sample agendas and other resourc - es to assist with compliance. Each member school shall record on the OHSAA designated system the date and time of each meeting as well as the person responsible for each meeting. 6. OHSAA-Sponsored Tournaments Entry/Withdraw Procedures and Draw/Seed Meetings 6.1) In order for a member school to participate in an OHSAA tournament, the school principal or athletic administrator shall indicate and authorize their student-athletes’ tournament participation in the OHSAA designated system prior to the es - tablished deadlines. 6.2) A tournament entry/withdraw deadline will be established for each OHSAA tournament. The tournament entry/withdraw deadlines for each OHSAA tournament for the upcoming school year are listed later in Regulation 6. 6.2.1) Schools may change their tournament participation prior to the established deadline without penalty. Changes to OHSAA high school tournament participation after the established deadline will result in a penalty up to and including tournament ineligibility. 6.2.2) Schools that desire to enter an OHSAA tournament after the deadline may do so by filing a “Petition Letter of Late Entry” with the OHSAA Executive Director’s Office only. Late entry may be approved provided the tournament allows entry after the established deadline; the “Petition Letter of Late Entry” is received in the OHSAA Executive Director’s Office prior to noon on the Friday before the established draw/seeding date, and the school has met all tournament eligibility requirements prior to noon on the Friday before the established draw/seeding date. The OHSAA Executive Director’s Office shall have the authority to approve or deny such “Petitions of Late Entry.” Tournament managers and District Athletic Boards do not have the authority to approve such “Petitions of Late Entry.” Decisions to deny a late entry petition may be appealed. 6.2.3) Schools needing to withdraw from an OHSAA tournament after the established deadline may do so by filing a “Petition Letter of Withdraw” with the OHSAA Executive Director’s Office. Tournament managers and District Athletic Boards do not have the authority to approve such “Petitions of Withdraw.” 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 67 SPORTS REGULATIONS 6.3) A school coach, administrator or authorized school representative shall attend a mandatory coaches/draw/seed meeting for each sport for which a meeting is held. District Athletic Boards will provide schools with seeding information and will notify schools of the exact locations and times of the meetings. The specific dates for each sport’s coaches/draw/ seed meeting dates during the upcoming school year are listed later in Regulation 6. Common tournament draw/seed procedures shall be used as approved by the Board of Directors and listed within each sport’s tournament regulations. 6.3.1) Schools that fail to send a coach, administrator or authorized school representative to a mandatory coaches/ draw/seed meeting and/or fail to submit required seeding information or a seeding ballot will be assessed a penalty for each offense as shown later in Regulation 6. See the specific tournament regulations for additional procedures and/or penalties. 6.4) Schools that fail to participate in a tournament (individual or team) after indicating that they will enter a tournament may be ineligible to participate in that particular sport’s OHSAA-sponsored tournament the following year. Additional penalties may be assessed and may include: 1.) a monetary fine issued by the OHSAA Office; 2.) payment of officials’ fees for the missed contests; 3.) payment of the opponent’s travel expenses for the missed contests, and 4.) additional penalties as deemed appropriate by the Executive Director in collaboration with the respective District Athletic Board. See General Sports Regulation 16.4 for additional information on “Failure to Appear.” The penalties rendered by the OHSAA Office may be appealed. 6.5) Tournament fines and penalties shall be assessed by the OHSAA Office. District Athletic Boards do not have authority to determine or set fines. All fines shall be uniform across all sports of the OHSAA. 6.5.1) Fines and penalties are adopted and designed to: 1.) mitigate unnecessary costs in conducting a tournament when a school team does not attend according to the schedule adopted by the Executive Director, and 2.) provide a financial disincentive from a school making a decision to not participate in the OHSAA tournament. 6.5.2) All violations of General Sports Regulation 6 for a sectional or district tournament shall be communicated to the OHSAA Office. The OHSAA Office and the District Athletic Board shall coordinate the entry and withdrawal of teams and individuals from the tournament. 6.5.3) The Executive Director’s office shall prepare and invoice the school being issued the monetary penalty. 6.5.4) All fines for activities in General Sports Regulation 6 may be waived by the OHSAA Office only for extraordinary circumstances. Extraordinary circumstances are defined as unusual in nature and infrequent in occurrence. 6.5.5) Failure to pay fines prescribed in General Sports Regulation 6 may prohibit the school from participating in all future tournament competition until the fine is paid and/or have their membership status reviewed. 6.5.6) Fines for tournament withdrawal after the deadline shall not be imposed in addition to other penalties listed within this sports regulation. 6.6) The appeals procedure shall be established and communicated by the OHSAA Office. 6.7) The table of fines and penalties for tournament activities is as follows: ISSUE PENALTY Late entry petition to participate in tournament $50 Withdraw petition submitted after deadline to withdraw $50 Failure to submit seeding information when prescribed by OHSAA regulation $50 Failure for coach, administrator or authorized team representative to attend the tournament draw $150 Failure to pay specific sport fees required for tournament participation by the deadline (e.g., golf greens fees, bowling linage fees or wrestling weight management fees). Tournament ineligibility until fees are paid Failure to show up for a scheduled tournament contest $150 (Team Sports), $50 (Individual Sports), plus • cost of officials scheduled to officiate; plus, • cost of any site expenses incurred by the OHSAA; plus, • team expenses incurred by the opposing team, except for presale ticket revenue. Failure to pay a fine could result in forfeiture of any enrichment fund payment GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 68 2026-27 Sport First-Round Tournament Tournament Entry/Withdraw Draw/Seed Meeting Date (all at 2:00 unless noted) State Tournament Dates FALL SPORTS Golf 9/16-9/26 7/1-8/31 9/6 10/11-10/14 Girls Tennis 9/28-10/3 7/1-9/13 9/20 10/15-10/16 Soccer 10/19-10/24 (DIII-V) 10/26-10/31 (DI-II) 7/1-9/28 10/11 (B-2:00 p.m., G-3:00 p.m.) 11/13-11/16 (Finals) Girls Volleyball 10/19-10/24 (DIII-VII) 10/26-10/31 (DI-II) 7/1-9/28 10/11 11/12-11/14 Girls Field Hockey 10/19-10/31 7/1-9/28 10/11 11/5-11/7 Cross Country 10/31 (DI) 10/24 (DII-IV) 7/1-9/28 10/11 11/7 Cross Country - 7th/8th State Championship 10/25 NA NA 10/25 Girls Flag Football TBD 7/1-4/15 TBD 5/15 Football 10/30 7/1-10/7 NA 12/3-12/5 (Finals) SPRING SPORTS Girls Softball 5/10-5/15 (DIII-VII) 5/17-5/22 (DI-II) 7/1-4/20 5/2 (DIII-VII) 5/9 (DI-DII) 6/2-6/6 Boys Tennis 5/10-5/15 7/1-4/19 5/2 5/27-5/28 Track and Field High School 5/17-5/18 (DI) 5/17-5/22 (DII-V) 7/1-4/19 5/2 6/3-6/6 Track and Field 7th/8th State Championship 5/15 NA NA 5/15 Boys Volleyball 5/8-5/15 7/1-4/19 5/2 5/28-5/29 Baseball 5/17-5/22 (DIII-VII) 5/24-5/29 (DI-II) 7/1-4/26 5/9 6/10-6/13 Boys Lacrosse 5/13-5/22 7/1-4/19 5/5 (3:00 p.m.) 6/5-6/6 Girls Lacrosse 5/13-5/22 7/1-4/19 5/5 (3:00 p.m.) 6/5-6/6 *Indicates dates are subject to change or tentative. #Indicates no penalty for schools withdrawn from the tournament per OHSAA regulations for not meeting the eight-game minimum for tournament qualification. WINTER SPORTS Swimming and Diving 2/8-2/13 7/1-1/18 NA Placed 2/23-2/27 Girls Gymnastics 2/15-2/27 7/1-1/25 2/14 3/6-3/7 Bowling 2/7-2/14 (DII), 2/14-2/21 (DI) 7/1-1/18 1/31 2/26-2/27 (DII) 3/5-3/6 (DI) Girls Basketball 2/15-2/20 (DIII-VII) 2/22-2/27 (DI-II) 7/1-2/1 (DIII-VII) 7/1-2/8 (DI-II) 2/7 (DIII-VII) 2/14 (DI-II) 3/11-3/13 (Semi-final and Finals) Ice Hockey 2/14-3/7 7/1-1/ 18 2/7 3/13-3/14 Girls Wrestling 2/22-2/27 7/1- 1/25 2/14 3/12-3/14 Boys Wrestling 2/22-2/27 7/1-1/ 25 2/14 3/12-3/14 Boys Basketball 2/22-2/27 (DIII-VII) 3/1-3/6 (DI-II) 7/1-2/8 (DIII-VII) 7/1-2/15 (DI-II) 2/14 (DIII-VII) 2/21 (DI-II) 3/18-3/21 (Semi-finals and Finals) 6.8) Important Tournament Dates for 2026-27 (note that these dates will change each year): Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 69 SPORTS REGULATIONS 7. Non-Interscholastic Participation and Individual Skill Instruction 7.1) Non-Interscholastic Participation Definitions 7.1.1) Definition of a Non-Interscholastic Program or Team – A non-interscholastic program, also known as a non-interscholastic team, is one in which a student-athlete participates in team play or as an individual, and that program or team is not under the direct or indirect control of the OHSAA member school. This means the OHSAA member school does not sponsor (one that is Board of Education- or other governing board-approved), supervise or have financial responsibility for that non-interscholastic program or team. The non-interscholastic program or team, in which participation occurs outside the school season, may be composed of participants in grades 7 through 12 and may be operated within or outside the OHSAA member school facility. Admission may be charged, and fees or expenses may be collected for training and/or competi - tions sponsored by that non-interscholastic program or team. It is not necessary for a coach to be present or for instruction to be given for a program or team to be considered a non-interscholastic program or team. Examples of or names associated with non-interscholastic programs or teams are: church, intramural, rec (rec - reation), YMCA, CYO, AAU, USAVB, USSF, USASwimming, all-star, club, non-interscholastic or any com - bination of players involved in team play. Note : See Sports Regulation 7.3.1.a) for the number of team members permitted on the non-interscholastic team who came from the same school or who participated in that sport as a team member at another school in the preceding season. A roster is defined as all the members of the entire non-interscholastic team that would practice together or participate together. “Rotating players” from the same interscholastic team is not permitted in the non-interscholastic team player limitation. 7.1.2) Definition of a School Program or Team – A school (interscholastic) program or team is one in which a student-athlete participates in team play or as an individual, and that program or team is under the direct or indirect control of the OHSAA member school. This means the OHSAA member school sponsors (one that is Board of Education- or other governing board-approved), supervises or has financial responsibility for that program or team. See Bylaw 3 for administrative responsibilities as they relate to a school program or team. Member schools may sponsor more than one varsity or sub-varsity team for interscholastic competition, but each team must have its own schedule and may not exceed the contest limitations for that sport. Note : See the specific sport regulations for participation limits for individuals. 7.1.3) Definition of a School Contest – An “interscholastic athletic contest,” as used throughout the Bylaws and Sports Regulations of the OHSAA, is defined as a sports event which takes place during the defined sports season in which student-athletes representing at least one school are engaged in sports-related activities with students representing at least one or more schools or non-interscholastic programs. This includes, but is not limited to, scheduled contests/meets/matches, previews, scrimmages, jamborees, electronic contests, invitational contests, and alumni games. Practices involving two or more schools shall also count as a contest unless those squads share the same board-approved coach or unless otherwise permitted in the specific sport regulations, for individual sports. See Bylaw 9 regarding contests requiring special attention. For purposes of this definition, “defined sport season” shall be determined by the sports regulations for that sport, beginning with the first date on which coaching may begin and concluding on the last date the school participates in a regular or postseason contest. 7.1.4) Definition of a Member of a Interscholastic Team/Team Member (Bylaw 4-1-4) – A student is a member of an interscholastic squad when the student participates in an interscholastic contest. Such status as a squad member continues until the start of the next school season in that sport. An athletic contest involving participants from another school or any non-interscholastic or any organized adult team is a game, preview or a scrimmage. 7.1.5) Definition of Coaching – Coaching is providing instruction or being present with a team or individual during contests, tryouts, training and practices. If a school coach, whether paid, volunteer or designated, is approved for his/her coaching position by a Board of Education or similar governing board prior to June 1, the coach is accountable to all OHSAA rules and regulations beginning June 1. For additional regulations on school coaches, see Bylaw 6. 7.2) Regulations Prohibiting Students from Participating on Non-Interscholastic Teams During the School Team’s Season 7.2.1) Team Sports – A member of an interscholastic team in the team sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball may not participate in an athletic contest, a tryout or any type of interscholastic team or group training or practices (including open gyms/fields) with a non- interscholastic team in that same sport during the interscholastic team’s season. Note : This regulation applies to students invited to participate in a tryout, group training or practice at a college or in contests, tryouts, group training or practices with any non-interscholastic program or team. 7.2.2) Individual Sports – A member of a interscholastic team in the individual sports of bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and wrestling may not participate in an athletic contest with a non-interscholastic team or in non-interscholastic competition in that same sport during the interscholastic team’s season. GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 70 However, athletes in these individual sports are permitted to participate with a non-interscholastic program in a tryout or a practice(s) during the school season. 7.3) Regulations Permitting Students to Participate on Non- Interscholastic Teams Outside of the Interscholastic Team’s Season 7.3.1) Team Sports – A member of a school program or team in the team sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball may participate with a non-interscholastic program or team in contests, tryouts, training and/or practices prior to and after the interscholastic team’s season under the following condition: a) The number of team members on the non-interscholastic team who are enrolled at the same school and/or participated in that sport at that same school in the preceding season, or team members on the non-inter - scholastic team who participated in that sport at another school in the preceding season and transferred or matriculated to the same school, is limited to the number of team members outlines below. Rotating players from the same team is not permitted within the player limitation. Note : Students who did NOT play for an interscholastic team the previous year do not count in the team limitation of that sport. The team limit is as follows: Limitation on Sport Number of team members Baseball 6 Basketball 3 Field Hockey 6 Football 7 Ice Hockey 5 Boys Lacrosse 6 Girls Lacrosse 6 Soccer 6 Softball 6 Volleyball 3 Notes: a.) The team limit is not in effect for the sports of basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer and volleyball beginning the Monday of the week of May 15 through July 31 when the non-interscholastic team is coached by a coach not employed by the school in which the team members are participating. b.) The team limit is not in effect for the sports of baseball, boys volleyball, lacrosse and softball as soon as a team member has completed his/her interscholastic team’s season through July 31 when the non-interscho - lastic team is coached by a coach not employed by the school in which the team members are enrolled and participating. c.) If the non-interscholastic team is being coached by a school coach, whether paid, volunteer or designated, the team limitation shall remain in effect at all times (with the exception of the 13-day rule as outlined in GSR 7.5) d.) For purposes of this regulation, team members who matriculate to the same school do not count toward the team limitation for that school until they are enrolled and attending that school. e.) For purposes of this regulation, “rotating players” is defined as utilizing a member of a school program who was not on the original roster of the non-interscholastic team in place of another member of the same school program due to an absence or injury. f.) A member of an interscholastic team may continue to participate with a non-interscholastic team in a na - tional qualifying tournament after July 31 until the team is eliminated from the tournament but no later than Labor Day. g.) Graduating seniors or students completing their athletic eligibility at the end of the semester are exempt from the team limitation once their school season in the same sport has been completed. h.) These regulations do not apply if the “members” of the non-interscholastic squad are all siblings (by blood or adoption) and no other player from the same interscholastic squad is a participant on behalf of the non-in - terscholastic squad. i.) Students from interscholastic teams shall not be required to attend the coaching/instruction. A paid or unpaid school(interscholastic) coach employed by a Board of Education or other governing board violates this reg - ulation when he/she suggests or implies that a student’s chance to be selected for an interscholastic team is contingent upon this participation. 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 71 SPORTS REGULATIONS j.) If a student-athlete quits or is dropped from an interscholastic team and joins a non-interscholastic team during the interscholastic team’s season, he/she may not rejoin that interscholastic team for the remainder of the season. k.) In football, no full contact is permitted. Any contact must be within number 1, A, B or C below in the contact definitions from the Football Regulations below. Football Contact Definitions 1. Unrestricted Activities A. Air (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Players run a drill unopposed within contact. B. Bags (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run against a bag or other soft contact surface. C. Control (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run against speed until the moment of contact; one player is pre-determined the “winner” by the coach. Contact remains above the waist, and players stay on their feet. 2. Restricted Contact A. Thud (Non-coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run at assigned speed until the moment of con - tact; no pre-determined “winner.” Contact remains above the waist and players stay on their feet and a quick whistle ends the drill. B. Live Action (Non-coach pre-determined outcome) – Games, scrimmages and drills run 7.3.2) Individual Sports – A member of a interscholastic team in the individual sports of bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and wrestling may participate with a non- interscholastic program or team in contests, tryouts, training and/or practices prior to and after the school’s season with no restriction when coached by either a school coach or a non-interscholastic coach. Notes: Students from interscholastic teams shall not be required to attend the coaching/instruction. A paid or unpaid school (interscholastic) coach employed by a Board of Education or other governing board violates this regulation when he/she suggests or implies that a student’s chance to be selected for a school (interscholastic) team is contingent upon this participation. If a student-athlete quits or is dropped from an interscholastic team and joins a non- interscholastic team during the interscholastic team’s season, he/she may not rejoin that interscholastic team for the remainder of the sea - son. 7.4) Tackle Football School-Sponsored Showcases or Combines – Schools that host a Showcase or Combine outside the “summer contact days” window (prior to the week of May 15 or when schools do not want to use a summer contact day) must stay within General Sports Regulations 7.9.1 and 7.9.2. Note 1: Showcases/Combines may not have team play, including 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 play. Note: 2: Helmets and cleats are permitted. Note 3: No full contact is permitted. Any contact must be within number 1, A, B or C below in the contact definitions from the Football Regulations below. Contact Definitions 1. Unrestricted Activities A. Air (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Players run a drill unopposed within contact. B. Bags (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run against a bag or other soft contact surface. C. Control (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run against speed until the moment of contact; one player is pre-determined the “winner” by the coach. Contact remains above the waist, and players stay on their feet. 2. Restricted Contact A. Thud (Non-coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run at assigned speed until the moment of contact; no pre-determined “winner.” Contact remains above the waist and players stay on their feet and a quick whistle ends the drill. B. Live Action (Non-coach pre-determined outcome) – Games, scrimmages and drills run 7.5) Regulations Permitting Coaches to Coach Their Own Student-Athletes on Non- Interscholastic Teams Outside of the Interscholastic Team’s Season 7.5.1) Team Sports (13-Day Rule) – Members of a school team’s coaching staff in the team sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball may coac h and/or provide instruction to (including, but not limited to, video or film study) any number of students from their teams in excess of the team limit set forth in General Sport Regulation 7.3 for a maximum of 13 days beginning the GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 72 Monday of the week of May 15 through July 31 except that participation cannot be mandatory. In addition: a.) Sport specific events coordinated by a school shall count as one of the 13 days when the number of students from that school’s team exceeds the team limit set forth in General Sport Regulation 7.3, or seven in the sport of football, even if the event does not involve a member of an interscholastic team’s coaching staff coaching. b.) The 13-day limitation applies to the entire coaching staff. Each individual coach is not entitled to 13 differ - ent days for coaching. The days refers to any amount of time utilized during the 13 days (i.e. the regulation does NOT permit 312 total hours of coaching . . . 13 days of 24 hours each). c.) Participation during the 13 days shall not be mandatory. d.) In football, all activities must be non-contact and the only football equipment the player may wear is hel - mets and cleats. Any contact must be within number 1, A, B or C below in the contact definitions from the Football Regulations below. Contact Definitions 1. Unrestricted Activities A. Air (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Players run a drill unopposed within contact. B. Bags (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run against a bag or other soft contact surface. C. Control (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run against speed until the moment of contact; one player is pre-determined the “winner” by the coach. Contact remains above the waist, and players stay on their feet. 2. Restricted Contact A. Thud (Non-coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run at assigned speed until the moment of con - tact; no pre-determined “winner.” Contact remains above the waist and players stay on their feet and a quick whistle ends the drill. B. Live Action (Non-coach pre-determined outcome) – Games, scrimmages and drills run 7.5.2) So long as the team limitation is observed (See 7.3.1), a paid or unpaid school (interscholastic) coach approved by a Board of Education or other governing board may coach students from his/her interscholastic teams in team play at any time except during the mandatory no-contact period. See General Sports Regulation 7.3.1 for more details on the non-interscholastic team limitation. 7.5.3) Individual Sports – Members of a interscholastic team’s coaching staff in the individual sports of bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and wrestling may coach students from their interscholastic teams outside the school (interscholastic) season. In addition: a.) Students from interscholastic teams shall not be required to attend the coaching instruction. 7.6) Regulation on All-Star Games (Coaching or Participating on Non- Interscholastic Teams Outside of the Interscholastic Team’s Season) 7.6.1) School coaches may coach players from his or her school in special “All-Star” contests. Coaches may also coach in “All-Star” contests during the no-contact period. 7.6.2) Individuals shall not participate in “All-Star” contests until after they have completed their final contest for their school. 7.6.3) All-Star contests are considered non-interscholastic and the limitations outlined in General Sport Regulation 7 shall apply to underclassmen. 7.7) Exceptions to Participation on Non- Interscholastic Teams for Students 7.7.1) Special Olympics or Paralympics – After a student becomes a member of a school (interscholastic) team sponsored by the Board of Education or other governing board, the student may participate in tryouts and/or a contest(s) sponsored by either the Special Olympics or the United States Paralympics provided: a.) A request for waiver is submitted to the Executive Director’s Office that includes that student’s name, nature of the disability and the date of the event(s) in which the student desires to compete. The waiver must be submitted by the school’s principal or another senior administrator. 7.7.2) National Governing Body Selection or Other Waivers – After a student becomes a member of a school (interscholastic) team sponsored by the Board of Education or other governing board, the student may participate as a member of a national team, as determined by the National Governing Body in that sport, or in a national or international competition by virtue of his/her past performance in an OHSAA sport. Note : Students who wish to participate in contests/events that are not national competitions approved by a National Governing Body may, if applicable, request a waiver for such participation in accordance with the 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 73 SPORTS REGULATIONS specific regulations of that respective sport. 7.8) Individual Skill Instruction Definitions 7.8.1) Definition of Individual Skill/Coaching Instruction – Instruction or coaching provided by a board approved coach to a member of that same interscholastic team in which the techniques and skills of the sport are being taught and the activity does not involve team instruction or play. 7.8.2) Definition of Providing Individual Skill/Coaching Instruction – It is considered to be providing individual skill/coaching instruction by a school coach when the techniques and skills of the sport are taught in a one-on one or individual setting. This means instruction or coaching comes directly to a student-athlete from a coach or instructor. A student-athlete watching video/film with a coach or instructor is also an activity defined as individual skill/coaching instruction. 7.8.3) Definition of Team Play – activity of individuals with more than one player opposing one player (2-on-2, 2- on-1, 3-on-2, 3-on-3, 4-on-4, 5-on-5, etc.). 7.9) General Individual Skill Instruction Regulations 7.9.1) Students from interscholastic teams receiving individual skill/coaching instruction from a school coach shall not be required to participate in sessions where individual skill/coaching instruction is provided. A paid or unpaid school (interscholastic) coach employed by a Board of Education or similar governing board violates this regulation when he/she suggests or implies that a student’s chance to be selected for a school (interscholastic) team is contingent upon this participation. 7.9.2) There is no limit on the number of school coaches that may be present when individual skill/coaching instruction is provided to student-athletes as long as the contact between the coaches and athletes adheres to the regulations outlined in 7.10.1. 7.9.3) Non-interscholastic coaches or instructors may provide individual skill/coaching instruction to a member of an interscholastic team at any time provided the individual skill/coaching instruction does not violate any Board of Education (or similar governing board), school administrators’ or school coaches’ policies or the Ohio Revised Code. 7.9.4) Students from interscholastic teams may be used for out-of-season demonstration purposes if approved in advance by the Executive Director’s Office. 7.10) Individual Skill/Coaching Instruction – Team Sports of Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball and Volleyball 7.10.1) From August 1 through May 14 From School Coaches – In the sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball, individual skill/coaching instruction may be received by a member of an interscholastic team or individuals at any time prior to and after the school season and outside the defined no-contact periods (see General Sports Regulation 11) from school coaches provided the number of individuals per group per school coach providing instruction does not exceed the team limit set forth in General Sports Regulation 7.3 . During such instruction, the coach and their individual groups may be in the same facility; however, the groups must be clearly defined and shall not combine for instruction at any time or participate in “team play.” Please refer to General Sports Regulation 7.8.3 for the definition of “team play.” It is permissible to have groups rotate to different coaches for specific skill instruction being delivered by that coach, however, the students in each group must remain the same. Note: In football, all activities must be non-contact and the only football equipment the player may wear is helmets and cleats. 7.10.2) From the Monday of the week of May 15 through July 31 From School Coaches – In the sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball, individual skill/coaching instruction may be received by a member of an interscholastic team or individuals at any time from school coaches provided the number of individuals present per group per school coach providing instruction does not exceed the team limit set forth in General Sports Regulation 7.3 . During such instruction, the coach and their individual groups may be in the same facility; however, the groups must be clearly defined and shall not combine for instruction at any time to participate in “team play” without utilizing one of the team’s 13 days permitted within General Sports Regulation 7.5.1. Please refer to General Sports Regulation 7.8.3 for the definition of “team play.” It is permissible to have groups rotate to different coaches for specific skill instruction being delivered by that coach, however, the students in each group must remain the same. 7.11) Individual Skill/Coaching Instruction – Individual Sports of Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Gymnastics, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field and Wrestling 7.11.1) Individual skill/coaching instruction may be received by a member of an interscholastic team at any time from either school or non-interscholastic coaches or instructors. 7.12) Penalties for Violation of Regulations in This Section 7.12.1) The maximum penalty for violation of these regulations by a member of an interscholastic team shall be GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 74 ineligibility for interscholastic athletics for a maximum of one year. 7.12.2) The maximum penalty for violation of these regulations by a paid or unpaid school (interscholastic) coach employed by a Board of Education or similar governing board shall be suspension from participation in camps, clinics, workshops and programs where individual skill/coaching instruction is provided to members of the interscholastic team were employed for a maximum of one year and any other penalties in Bylaw 11-1-2, Penalties, as deemed appropriate by the Executive Director’s Office. 7.13) Penalties for Violation of Regulations in This Section 7.13.1) The maximum penalty for violation of these regulations for any non-senior member of an interscholastic team may be ineligibility in that sport for the remainder of the season or the ensuing season. 7.13.2) The maximum penalty for violation of these regulations for a senior may be ineligibility for all interscholastic athletics for the remainder of the school year. 7.13.3) The penalty for a coach for a violation of these regulations may include suspension, probation, public reprimand, a fine not to exceed $1,000 per occurrence or any other penalty as the Executive Director may deem appropriate. 8. Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Deadline A period of time has been created between the start of the OHSAA sport season and a later sport-specific deadline in which an individual may compete non-interscholastically prior to joining his/her OHSAA school team in that sport and still be eligible to compete in the OHSAA tournament. The sport-specific deadline (e.g. non-interscholastic date) to cease all non-in - terscholastic competition in order for that student to be eligible for the OHSAA tournament is listed in the specific sport’s regulations published elsewhere in this handbook. Please note that this regulation to cease non-interscholastic competition prior to the non-interscholastic date is applicable to all student-athletes, both in-state students and out-of-state students who move to Ohio during the sport season. Note: Students are not eligible to participate non-interscholastically and on the OHSAA school team in the same sport at the same time. Should the student cease non-interscholastic participation by the sport-specific deadline, all other applicable bylaws and regulations must be followed. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in an individual sport (bowling, cross country, golf, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and wrestling) and who violates this non-interscholastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in that sport in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. 9. Conditioning, Weight Training and/or Physical Fitness Programs 9.1) Definition of a Conditioning, Weight Training or Physical Fitness Program – These programs include specific train - ing for strengthening the body, developing the cardiovascular system, improving flexibility and agility and do not include specific sports skills training or instruction. 9.2) Specific Regulations 9.2.1) These programs may be conducted at any time and are not a violation of OHSAA Bylaws and Regulations so long as no coaching and instruction of sports techniques and skills is provided. Students from school teams shall not be required to attend these programs. A paid or unpaid school (interscholastic) coach employed by a Board of Education or other governing board violates this regulation when he/she suggests or implies that a student’s chance to be selected for a school (interscholastic) team is contingent upon this participation. 9.2.2) These programs may have oversight by any individual approved by the Board of Education or governing body including coaches. 9.2.3) Equipment used in playing a sport is prohibited in these programs. 10. Open Gymnasiums or Facilities Member Schools Facilities 10.1) Regulations 10.1.1) A school may open its athletic facilities for unstructured free play provided the activity is supervised by a school employee who may remove participants or spectators for disciplinary reasons. 10.1.2) The school may designate the sport or sports that will be played during the free play period, but may not limit participation to a select group of students from within the school. The school may also designate the grade levels involved and may limit participation to students enrolled in the school. 10.1.3) There may be no designation from coaches of who will play on which team or who will play whom. Only the students participating may be involved in selecting or substituting players. 10.1.4) Coaches may not extend individual invitations, written or oral, to any student who is not enrolled and in that school district. However, school coaches may send an invitation to other school coaches to invite their students 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 75 SPORTS REGULATIONS to an open gymnasium or facility. 10.1.5) A coach, paid or unpaid, violates the provision of these regulations when the coach requires, suggests or in any way implies that a student’s chance to be selected for an interscholastic squad is contingent upon participation at an open gymnasium or facilities program. 10.1.6) Mandatory attendance at open gymnasiums or facilities is not permitted. 10.1.7) It is not a violation for the coach or supervisor to participate in unstructured free play in the open gym or facilities. 10.1.8) Member schools may restrict individuals from observing the open gym activity. 10.1.9) Open Facilities are intended to be a stand-alone activity. Open Facilities may not be part of a structured camp or clinic. 10.2) Penalty for Violation 10.2.1) Any individual who violates any of the open gymnasium or facilities regulations is subject to penalty as specified in Bylaw 11. 10.2.2) A school which permits use of athletics facilities in violation of the open gym nasium or facilities regulations is subject to penalty as specified in Bylaw 11. Non-School Facilities 10.3) Regulations for School Squad Members (Bylaw 4-1-3) A school squad member may participate in unstructured free play at non-school athletic facilities without jeopardizing athletic eligibility providing there are no violations of the following regulations: There may be no designation from coaches of who will play on which team or who will play whom. Only the students participating may be involved in selecting or substituting players. 10.3.1) Coaches may not extend individual invitations, written or oral, are permitted to any student who is not enrolled and in that school district. However, school coaches may send an invitation to other school coaches to invite their students to an open gymnasium or facility. 10.3.2) A coach, paid or volunteer, violates the provision of these regulations when the coach requires, suggests or in any way implies that a student’s chance to be selected for an interscholastic team is contingent upon participation at an open gymnasium or facilities program. 10.3.3) Mandatory attendance at non-school facilities is not permitted. 10.4) Penalty for Violation 10.4.1) A squad member who participates at a facility where there is one or more violations of the open gymnasium or facilities regulations may be penalized not to exceed one year of ineligibility for interscholastic athletics. 10.4.2) A school coach who is responsible for causing a violation of any of the open gymnasium or facilities regulations by a squad member is subject to penalty as specified in Bylaw 11. 11. Mandatory No-Contact Periods — Coaches 11.1) Any coach, paid or volunteer, approved by the Board of Education shall not coach or provide skill instruction (including, but not limited to, video or film study) to team members in their sport of the sports of basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, soccer or girls volleyball for the period of time starting with the first day after the school’s last interscholastic contest and ending 28 days later. This includes any type of tryouts in or out of school for purposes of non-interscholastic competition, or any skill instruction facilitated or organized by any coach, paid or volunteer, by the Board of Education. 11.2) Any coach, paid or volunteer, approved by the Board of Education shall not coach or provide skill instruction (including, but not limited to, video or film study) to team members in their sport of the sports of baseball, boys volleyball, boys and girls lacrosse or softball for the period of time between August 1 and August 31. The period for basketball and ice hockey shall be between August 1 and August 24. This includes any type of tryouts in or out of school for purposes of non-interscholastic competition, or any skill instruction facilitated or organized by any coach, paid or volunteer, by the Board of Education. Exceptions — Activities which may be conducted by a coach with members of a school team in their sport during the mandatory no-contact period include: all-star contests ; awards ceremonies; fundraisers; providing oversight during weight training; conditioning or physical fitness programs: verbal contact with underclass athletes for the purpose of reviewing the season that just concluded and goal setting for the next season; verbal contact with a senior athlete for the purpose of facilitating the college recruitment process; contact as a faculty member assigned to teach in the regular curriculum (ex.: physical education courses such as weight training, fitness, etc.); contact as a certified athletic trainer involved with athlete rehabilitation and treatment, pick up and return of school-issued equipment, and attendance at OHSAA tournaments. Penalty — Any coach who violates the mandatory no contact periods regulations may be prohibited for one calendar year from out-of-school season contact with athletes from the school where employed. Violations of the mandatory no-contact GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 76 periods are subject to penalty as specified in Bylaw 11. 12. Regular Season Participation Limitation Penalty A team that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of contests permitted) or participates in regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests in the respective sport is subject to the penalties outlined in Bylaw 11, which may include denial of any school team in the respective sport from participation in the OHSAA tournament . Athletes from sub-varsity teams may not be used to replace the varsity team in the OHSAA tourna - ment. An athlete who exceeds the regular season participation limitation (periods, quarters, halves, or contests) as specified in the individual sports regulations becomes an ineligible athlete. The athlete is ineligible for further regular season competition if the violation occurs prior to the end of the season or tournament competition if the violation occurs during the last regular season contest in the sport concerned. The forfeiture bylaws apply as written in Bylaw 10. Should a team in an individual sport exceed the regular season participation limitation but a specific individual athlete on that team did not exceed the individual participation limitation, that specific individual athlete may be eligible for participa - tion in the OHSAA tournament. Should a team in an individual sport participate in a regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests but a specific individual athlete on that team did not participate in a contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests, that specific individual athlete may be eligible for participation in the OHSAA tournament. 13. Ejection Procedures for Schools 13.1) Ejections by OHSAA Contest Officials After a contest official provides electronic notification of an ejection, the OHSAA shall electronically notify the school’s athletic administrator, who shall have seven days to respond to the notification and outline the subsequent con - tests in which the ejected individual(s) shall fulfill their mandatory suspension(s). If no response has been received after seven days, the OHSAA shall electronically notify the school’s athletic administrator a second time, and the athletic administrator shall be given seven additional days to respond to the notification. If no response has been received after the second 7-day period lapses, the OHSAA shall electronically notify the school’s principal, who shall have seven additional days to respond to the notification. If no response has been received after the third 7-day period lapses (21 total days), the OHSAA shall electronically notify both the principal and athletic administrator one final time, and the school shall have seven additional days to respond to the notification. If no response has been received after the fourth 7-day period lapses (28 total days), the OHSAA shall assess the school a $150 fine per unanswered report. Failure to adhere to this procedure shall result in the school being subject to addi - tional penalties as outlined in Bylaw 11. 13.2) Ejections by Non-OHSAA Contest Officials (Out-of-State Ejections) It is the responsibility of each member school to notify the OHSAA Office each time a coach or player(s) has been ejected from a contest played out of state within seven days once the team has returned to the school. Failure to adhere to this procedure shall result in the school being fined $150 and subject to additional penalties as outlined in Bylaw 11. 14. Ejection for Unsporting Conduct (Disqualification for unsporting conduct or flagrant violation) 14.1) Players 14.1.1) Standard Ejection Penalty Any player ejected or disqualified from a contest (including scrimmages and previews) for unsporting conduct or fla - grant foul shall be ineligible for all contests for the remainder of that day. In addition, the player shall be ineligible for all contests at all levels in that sport until the student has sat out two regular season/tournament contests (one in football) at the same level as the ejection or disqualification and may be subject to additional penalties as deemed appropriate under Bylaw 11 by the Executive Director’s Office. Students disqualified from a contest for non-unsporting conduct reasons are not subject to the additional ineligible contest(s) described here (the 5th personal foul in basketball is an example). These types of disqualifications will be documented in the sport specific regulations.” Note 1: The Executive Director’s Office is strictly prohibited from reviewing any extraneous evidence such as video/ audio recordings or entertain any/all challenges to the propriety of one or the other of these two ejections except insofar as a challenge to the identification/misidentification of the ejected player and/or a misapplication of a rule that directly results in the ejection of a player or coach (e.g. a basketball coach incorrectly ejected for two indirect technical fouls). Note 2: For ejections occurring during the last game of the season, refer to General Sports Regulation 14.1.7. Note 3: The OHSAA prohibits the use of any device capable of recording or transmitting visual images in locker rooms, restrooms or other areas where there is an expectation of privacy. Prohibited items includes cameras, cell phones, tablets and any other recording equipment. Note that the expectation for privacy can be suspended during a team celebration when all individuals are aware that the expectation for privacy is suspended. This shall be announced be a coach or ad - 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 77 SPORTS REGULATIONS ministrator. 14.1.2) Sub-varsity Ejections Ejections that occur at sub-varsity levels must serve the same ejection consequence as stated above or until the passage of 10 calendar days following the ejection, whichever occurs first. Note: For ejections occuring during the last game of the season, refer to General Sports Regulation 14.1.7. 14.1.3) Football Ejections In the sport of football, a player disqualified for flagrant personal fouls other than fouls in Rule 9, Section 4 Articles 1, 2 and 3-j, shall be ineligible for all contests for the remainder of that day. Such fouls will not carry the automatic one game suspension. The disqualification for these fouls may be extended through the next scheduled game at the same level of the disqualification by the OHSAA Football Administrator or his/her designee. Video of these fouls is required to be sent (preferably via an email) to the OHSAA Football Administrator or his/her designee within 48 hours of the contest. The OHSAA Football Administrator may add a one game suspension upon review. 14.1.4) Baseball Ejections Any player ejected for malicious contact shall be ineligible for all contests for the remainder of that day. In addition, the player shall be ineligible for all contests at all levels in that sport until two regular season/tournament contests are played at the same level as the ejection or disqualification. If video is presented to the Director of Officiating, or their designee, and the video clearly shows the ejection action did not meet the NFHS definition of malicious contact, the suspension length may be reduced. The player(s) in question is ineligible until such time as the Director of Officiating or their des - ignee rules on the submitted video or the four-game penalty (two in football) has been fulfilled. 14.1. 5 ) Wrestling Ejections In the sport of wrestling, any player ejected or disqualified for unsporting conduct or flagrant foul shall be ineligible for all wrestling contests for the remainder of that day and event. In addition, he/she shall be ineligible for all contests at all levels in wrestling until two regular season/tournament contest points or two event days at the same level as the ejection or disqualification have been completed. Note: For ejections occurring during the last game of the season, refer to General Sports Regulation 14.1.7. 14.1. 6 ) Soccer Disqualifications In the sport of soccer, a player is considered “disqualified” upon receiving a subsequent caution, or “double yellow” (NFHS Rule 12-8-2(b)) and shall be ineligible to participate for the remainder of the current contest. Note: Players that receive a “double yellow” do NOT have to sit out for one subsequent contest. In addition, no ejection report is required for a “double yellow” and officials shall instead file a sportsmanship report. 14.1. 7 ) Ejections for Fighting Any player ejected for fighting shall be ineligible for all contests for the remainder of that day. In addition, the player shall be ineligible for all contests at all levels in that sport until four regular season/tournament contests (two in football) are played at the same level as the ejection or disqualification. In the sport of wrestling, any player ejected for fighting shall be ineligible for all wrestling contests for the remainder of that day and event. In addition, he/she shall be ineligible for all contests at all levels in wrestling until four regular season/tournament contest points or four event days at the same level as the ejection or disqualification have been completed The definition of fighting is found in the NFHS playing rules and reads as follows: “Fighting is any attempt by a player or non-player to strike or engage a player or non-player in a combative manner unrelated to the sport. Such acts include, but are not limited to, attempts to strike an opponent(s) with the arm(s), hand(s), leg(s), or foot (feet), whether or not there is contact.” If video is presented to the Director of Officiating, or their designee, and the video clearly shows the ejection action did not meet the NFHS definition of fighting (as written above), the suspension length may be reduced. The player(s) in ques - tion is ineligible until such time as the designee rules on the submitted video or the four-game penalty (two in football) has been fulfilled. Note: For ejections occurring during the last game of the season, refer to General Sports Regulation 14.1.7. 14.1. 8 ) Guidelines for Ejected Athletes A student who has been declared ineligible for two games (one in football; see wrestling policy above) may be on the sidelines/team bench, accompany and/or travel with the team but may not participate in pregame warmups and may not wear a team warmup or game uniform while on the sidelines/team bench, accompanying and/or traveling with the team. See Bylaw 4-1-3 for additional regulations regarding what ineligible athletes are permitted to do during their period of ineligibility. When ejection or disqualification of a player results from illegal substitution in baseball, softball or basket - ball, the two contest ineligibility does not apply. 14.1. 9 ) Ejections Occurring at the End of Season If the ejection or disqualification occurs in the last contest of the season, the student shall be ineligible for the same period of time as stated above in the next sport in which the student participates and may be subject to additional penalties as deemed GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 78 appropriate under Bylaw 11 by the Executive Director’s Office. 14.1. 10 ) Ejection for a Second Time A student who is ejected or disqualified a second time in a scrimmage, preview, regular season contest or OHSAA tour - nament contest shall be suspended for the remainder of the season in that sport and may be subject to additional penalties as deemed appropriate under Bylaw 11 by the Executive Director’s Office. A student who has been ejected or disqualified for unsporting conduct for the second time in the season during the last contest shall be ineligible for a period of time/ number of contests subject to the discretion of the Executive Director. The period of ineligibility shall commence during the next sport in which the student participates. Note 1: The Executive Director’s Office is strictly prohibited from reviewing any extraneous evidence such as video/ audio recordings or entertain any/all challenges to the propriety of one or the other of these two ejections except insofar as a challenge to the identification/misidentification of the ejected player and/or a misapplication of a rule that directly results in the ejection of a player or coach (e.g. a basketball coach incorrectly ejected for two indirect technical fouls). Note 2: For ejections occurring in soccer, a double yellow card ejection cannot be paired with a red card ejection to create the “second ejection of the season.” The two ejections referenced in 14.1.9 must be red card ejections. 14.1. 11 ) Enforcement of Ejection Policy It is the responsibility of the local school authorities to ensure this regulation is enforced. When an ineligible student is allowed to participate, forfeiture of the contest is mandatory. This regulation shall apply to all regular season and tourna - ment contests and shall in no way limit the discretionary authority of the Executive Director as specified in the OHSAA tournament regulations. In accordance with Bylaw 8-3-1, the decisions of contest officials are final. Note : When national playing rules (see the specific national playing rules) refer to a disqualification for unsporting con - duct or a flagrant violation, this is considered an ejection as referenced in this regulation. 14.2) Coaches 14.2.1) Standard Ejection Penalty Any coach ejected or disqualified from an interscholastic contest (including scrimmages and previews) for unsporting conduct shall be suspended from coaching in all contests for the remainder of that day. In addition, the coach shall be ineligible for all contests at all levels in that sport until the coach has sat out two regular season/tournament contests (one in football) at the same level as the ejection or disqualification Further, the coach shall be fined $100, with the fine payable to the OHSAA no later than 14 days after the ejection report has been submitted, and the coach shall take the National Federation of State High School Association’s “Teaching and Modeling Behavior” course, which must be completed no later than 14 days after the ejection report has been submitted, and can be taken at www.nfhslearn.com. Additionally, the coach may be subject to additional penalties as deemed appro - priate under Bylaw 11 by the Executive Director’s Office. Note 1: The Executive Director’s Office is strictly prohibited from reviewing any extraneous evidence such as video/ audio recordings or entertain any/all challenges to the propriety of one or the other of these two ejections except insofar as a challenge to the identification/misidentification of the ejected player and/or a misapplication of a rule that directly results in the ejection of a player or coach (e.g. a basketball coach incorrectly ejected for two indirect technical fouls). Note 2: For ejections occurring during the last game of the season, refer to General Sports Regulation 14.2.7. 14.2.2) Sub-varsity Ejections Ejections that occur at sub-varsity levels must serve the same ejection consequence as stated above or until the passage of 10 calendar days following the ejection, whichever occurs first. Note: For ejections occurring during the last game of the season, refer to General Sports Regulation 14.2.7. 14.2.3) Wrestling Ejections In the sport of wrestling, any coach ejected or disqualified for unsporting conduct or flagrant foul shall be ineligible for all wrestling contests for the remainder of that day and event. In addition, he/she shall be ineligible for all contests at all levels in wrestling until two regular season/tournament contest points or two event days at the same level as the ejection or disqualification have been completed. Note: For ejections occurring during the last game of the season, refer to General Sports Regulation 14.2.7. 14.2.4) Soccer Disqualifications In the sport of soccer, a coach is considered “disqualified” upon receiving a subsequent caution, or “double yellow” (NFHS Rule 12-8-2(b)) and shall be ineligible to participate for the remainder of the current contest. Note 1: Coaches that receive a “double yellow” do NOT have to sit out for one subsequent contest, nor do they have to pay the $100 fine and take the NFHS class. In addition, no ejection report is required for a “double yellow” and officials shall instead file a sportsmanship report. 14.2.5) Ejections Due to Fighting Any coach ejected for fighting shall be ineligible for all contests for the remainder of that day. In addition, the coach shall 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 79 SPORTS REGULATIONS be ineligible for all contests at all levels in that sport until four regular season/tournament contests (two in football) are played at the same level as the ejection or disqualification. In the sport of wrestling, any coach ejected for fighting shall be ineligible for all wrestling contests for the remainder of that day and event. In addition, he/she shall be ineligible for all contests at all levels in wrestling until four regular season/ tournament contest points or four event days at the same level as the ejection or disqualification have been completed. The definition of fighting is found in the NFHS playing rules and reads as follows: “Fighting is any attempt by a player or non-player to strike or engage a player or non-player in a combative manner unrelated to the sport. Such acts include, but are not limited to, attempts to strike an opponent(s) with the arm(s), hand(s), leg(s), or foot (feet), whether or not there is contact.” If video is presented to the Director of Officiating, or their designee, and the video clearly shows the ejection action did not meet the NFHS definition of fighting (as written below), the suspension length may be reduced. The player(s) in question is ineligible until such time as the designee rules on the submitted video or the four-game penalty (two in foot - ball) has been fulfilled. Note: For ejections occurring during the last game of the season, refer to General Sports Regulation 14.2.7. 14.2.6) Guidelines for Ejected Coaches On the day of the ejection, a coach who has been disqualified shall be ejected from the vicinity of the playing area and is prohibited from further contact, direct or indirect, including electronic communication with team members, managers and other coaches during the remainder of the contest. The coach must return to the locker room or team bus or leave the premises. The coach shall not go to the spectator area. After the initial ejection and suspension, a coach who has been suspended from coaching for the next contest(s) may attend the next contest(s), but must be seated in the spectator area and may not give instructions to the players or to the individual who has been assigned to coach the team any time prior to or during the contest including halftime or any intermission. A suspended coach shall not travel with the squad to an away contest. 14.2.7) Ejection Occurring at End of Season If the ejection or disqualification occurs in the last contest of the season, the coach shall be ineligible for the same period of time as stated above in the same sport during the following season in the next school year and may be subject to addi - tional penalties as deemed appropriate under Bylaw 11 by the Executive Director’s Office. 14.2.8) Failure to Comply with Ejection Regulations The penalty for failure of the coach to comply with the ejection regulation shall result in the forfeiture of the contest. 14.2.9) Ejection of Coach When No Other Coach Present If a coach is ejected/disqualified from a contest and no other coach or a person authorized by the Board of Education from that school is present (Bylaw 3-2-1), the contest shall be forfeited. 14.2.10) Ejection for a Second Time A coach who has been ejected or disqualified for unsporting conduct for the second time in a scrimmage, preview, regular season contest or OHSAA tournament contest shall be suspended indefinitely and required to attend a mandatory confer - ence with the Executive Director at the OHSAA headquarters. The principal of the school shall be required to attend this conference as well. Any penalty shall be determined in accordance with Bylaw 11. Note: The Executive Director’s Office is strictly prohibited from reviewing any extraneous evidence such as video/audio recordings or entertain any/all challenges to the propriety of one or the other of these two ejections except insofar as a challenge to the identification/misidentification of the ejected player and/or a misapplication of a rule that directly results in the ejection of a player or coach (e.g. a basketball coach incorrectly ejected for two indirect technical fouls). 14.2.11) Enforcement of Ejection Policy It is the responsibility of the local school authorities to ensure this regulation is enforced. When a suspended coach is allowed to participate, forfeiture of the contest is mandatory. This regulation shall apply to all regular season and tourna - ment contests and shall in no way limit the discretionary authority of the Executive Director as specified in the OHSAA tournament regulations. In accordance with Bylaw 8-3-1, the decisions of contest officials are final. 15. Participants Leaving The Playing Area — Spectators Entering the Playing Area 15.1) No member of any school-sponsored interscholastic athletics squad shall leave the ‘playing area’ in which a contest is being conducted and enter the ‘spectator area’ of the facility to engage in any type of conflict—verbal or physical. If a student-athlete leaves the ‘playing area’ and enters the ‘spectator area’ of a facility to so engage a person, the maximum penalty may include ineligibility for up to one calendar year. 15.1.1) The school shall immediately report the situation to the Executive Director’s Office and conduct an investigation to report what happened, what caused it to happen, what was done by the school to diffuse what happened and what ‘safeguards’ have been implemented by the school to prevent future occurrences. The school and/or student- athlete shall be subject to additional penalties as outlined in Bylaw 11. 15.2) No spectator at any school-sponsored interscholastic athletics squad shall leave the ‘spectator area’ in which a contest is being conducted and enter the ‘playing area’ of the facility to engage in any type of conflict—verbal or physical. If a spectator leaves the ‘spectator area’ and enters the ‘playing area’ of a facility to so engage a person, the minimum GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 80 penalties shall be: 15.2.1) The OHSAA shall recommend to the member school sponsoring the contest that the individual shall be denied admission to any contests sponsored by the member schools of the OHSAA for a period of time to be determined in consultation with school administration and the Executive Director’s Office. 15.2.2 ) The school shall immediately report the situation to the Executive Director’s Office and conduct an investigation to report what happened, what caused it to happen, what was done by the school to diffuse what happened and what ‘safeguards’ have been implemented by the school to prevent future occurrences. The school shall be subject to additional penalties as outlined in Bylaw 11 16. Recognized Sports, Emerging Sports and Sponsored Events 16.1) Recognized Sports Recognized sports for the 2026-27 school year are baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, girls field hockey, girls flag football , football, golf, girls gymnastics, ice hockey, boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, soccer, girls softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, wrestling. 16.2) Emerging Sports Per Bylaw 1-5-2, an “emerging sport” is a recognized sport that does not have wide-spread sponsorship by and among member high schools but for which there exists a growing or expanding interest in sponsorship by member schools. The Board of Directors shall adopt sport specific regulations and tournament regulations for participation in the tournament sponsored by the OHSAA but they may suspend the strict compliance to specific general sport regulations for that emerging sport. Note: Sports that the Board of Directors had approved as “recognized sports” as of August 1, 2022, shall be grandfathered in as recognized sports regardless of the percentage of member schools that sponsor that sport. 16.2.1) There are no Emerging Sports for the 2026-27 school year. 16.2.2) A process for training and registering contest officials shall be developed and a director of officiating development shall be hired. 16.2.3) A process for assigning officials to tournament contests shall be developed and adopted. GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL, SOCCER, GIRLS VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, SOFTBALL Number of Teams Number of Divisions 199 or less I (1) 200-299 I, II (2) 300-399 I, II, III (3) 400-499 I, II, III, IV (4) 500-599 I, II, III, IV, V (5) 600-699 I, II, III, IV, V, VI (6) 700 and more I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII (7) INDIVIDUAL SPORTS & LACROSSE, BOYS VOLLEYBALL, FIELD HOCKEY, ICE HOCKEY Number of Teams Number of Divisions 200 or less I (1) 201-450 I, II (2) 451-700 I, II, III (3) 701 or more I, II, III, IV (4) 16.2.4) The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to suspend compliance with General Sports Regulation 17.1, Divisions Determination. 16.2.5) The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to assess membership dues that are different than those assessed for Recognized Sports. 16.2.6) The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to provide financial assistance for sites to host tournament contests that is different that those provided for Recognized Sports. 16.2.7) The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to determine the implementation year of an Emerging Sport. 16.2.8) The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to determine at any time if a sport shall remain an Emerging Sport, move to a fully Recognized Sport or be discontinued. 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 81 SPORTS REGULATIONS 16.2.9) The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to adopt additional stipulations for Emerging Sports that have not been listed. 16.3) Sponsored Events Per Bylaw 1-5-3, A “sponsored event” is an interscholastic contest(s) contracted through/for the Executive Director’s Office for which special rules must be created in conjunction with an outside entity to establish a format for statewide competition. Further, the Executive Director’s Office shall determine which OHSAA student eligibility bylaws, if any, are applicable to the athletes involved. Guidelines to Place Teams into Tournament Divisions Football The top 72 football-playing schools based on enrollment (including Competitive Balance roster data) will be placed in Division I of the football tournament. The remaining schools will be divided as evenly as possible and placed into six additional football divisions based on enrollment (including Competitive Balance roster data). All divisions shall qualify 64 teams (16 per region) to the OHSAA Tournament. Girls Volleyball, Boys and Girls Soccer, Boys and Girls Basketball, Baseball, Softball The largest 64 schools based on enrollment (including Competitive Balance roster data) shall be placed into Division I. The next largest 72 schools based on enrollment (including Competitive Balance roster date) shall be placed into Division II. The remaining schools shall be divided as evenly as possible based on enrollment counts (including Competitive Balance roster data). Boys and Girls Cross Country The top 14 percent of cross country teams based on enrollment will be placed in Division I of the cross country tournament. The remaining schools will be divided as evenly as possible and placed into three additional cross country divisions based on enrollment. Boys and Girls Track and Field The top 12 percent of track and field teams based on enrollment will be placed in Division I of the track and field tournament. The remaining schools will be divided as evenly as possible and placed into four additional track and field divisions based on enrollment. All Other Sports (boys and girls bowling, field hockey, boys and girls golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls swimming and diving, boys volleyball, and boys and girls wrestling) All schools shall be placed into tournament divisions as evenly as possible based on school enrollment counts. 16.3.1) Sponsored Events for the 2026-27 school year are pending and subject to Board of Directors approval. 16.3.2) Should the OHSAA align with an outside entity, all policies, procedures and regulations related to the organization and administration of the Sponsored Event shall be memorialized in writing and agreed to by the OHSAA Executive Director, or their designee, and a representative of the outside entity. 16.3.3) Among the items a signed agreement between the OHSAA and an outside entity shall pro vide clarity on for a Sponsored Event include, but are not limited to, what OHSAA bylaws and general sports regulations shall be adhered to; what are the Sponsored Event’s regular season and/or championship or tournament regulations; what are the financial arrangements; what insurance coverage is in place; how is officiating handled, and who has oversight of legal issues, including site agreements, certifications, sponsorships, merchandise, media, licensing and trademarks. 16.3.4) The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to adopt additional stipulations for Sponsored Events that have not been listed. 16.4) Process for Consideration for Emerging Sports and Sponsored Events 16.4.1) Organizations, entities and school groups interested in the OHSAA adopting an Emerging Sport or Sponsored Event should contact the Executive Director’s Office. Once details are shared, those organizations, entities or school groups may be directed to work with the within the Executive Director, or his/her designee. 16.4.2) Organizations and school groups interested in the OHSAA adopting an Emerging Sport shall only be considered after completing the OHSAA Emerging Sport Checklist, available upon request from the Executive Director’s Office. 16.5) Non-Recognized Sports A non-recognized sport is one which is not listed as Recognized or Emerging. There is no obligation for a school to comply with any OHSAA bylaws or sports regulations when conducting interscholastic athletics programs in sports GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 82 which are not recognized However, schools are asked to register a non-recognized sport with the OHSAA for record- keeping purposes. A local school district may reserve the right to require participants in non-recognized sports to meet certain eligibility standards and conform to certain sports regulations. Catastrophe insurance under the OHSAA plan for Recognized and Emerging sports will not be available for non- recognized sports, with the exception of sideline cheer during OHSAA sponsored events. Schools are offered an opportunity to purchase catastrophe insurance coverage for non-recognized sports under a separate plan. 17. Tournaments 17.1) Tournament Assignments OHSAA high school tournaments will be sponsored and conducted in divisions according to the number of schools spon - soring a team in the recognized sport. Team Sports —Those that require a certain number of players to form a team. For the 2026-27 school year , those sports are baseball, boys and girls basketball, field hockey, football, girls flag football , ice hockey, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls soccer, softball and boys and girls volleyball. Individual Sports —Those that involve primarily participation and scoring by individuals and in which team scoring could be obtained by totaling the efforts of individuals. For the 2026-27 school year , those sports are boys and girls bowl - ing, boys and girls cross country # , boys and girls golf, gymnastics, boys and girls swimming and diving, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls track and field and boys and girls wrestling. The minimum number of individuals required for a team designation* follows: Bowling 5 Swimming and Diving 6 Cross Country # 5 Tennis 4 Golf 4 Track and Field 9 Girls Gymnastics 3 Wrestling 7 * The number for a team designation has been selected to reflect either the minimum number of participants needed to score in a contest or the number of participants needed to compete in at least half of the contest’s events. #In the sport of cross country, team designations (used for determining scoring for the current year’s tournaments, ad - vancement to the regional tournament, and “team” participants in subsequent years’ tournaments) shall NOT be the number of students entered into or beginning a district tournament, but rather the number of students from that school that FINISH the district tournament (i.e. a minimum number of five) and score for their team. Divisions Determination —The number of divisions in OHSAA high school tournaments in a sport shall be determined by the number of school teams that participated in the tournaments the preceding year or years, depending upon the sport. The Board of Directors shall have the final authority in determining the number of Divisions per sport and MAY use the following table as a guideline. Sports tournament changes relative to adding or discontinuing a division may be made only after the number of schools has been higher or lower for two successive years. Exceptions: —The Board of Directors may schedule tournament play in divisions other than specified in the table above for all emerging sports and for the recognized sports of boys and girls lacrosse, and boys and girls wrestling, and boys volleyball. Note : Bylaw 2-1-1 indicates that in team sports, schools are permitted to enter only one team in OHSAA-sponsored tournaments and that in individual sports, schools are only permitted to enter the maximum number of individuals in OHSAA-sponsored tournaments as prescribed in the respective sports’ playing rules and/or tournament regulations. 17.2) School Assignments—Divisions After the number of divisions is approved by the Board of Directors, schools are assigned to high school tournament di - visions based upon the specifications in Bylaw 2-1-2 and Bylaw 2-2-1. In all sports, except football, a school sponsoring a sport is eligible for tournament participation regardless of regular season performance. The number of schools assigned to each division shall be determined by the number of school teams that participated in the tournament either the previous year or two years earlier. The Board of Directors shall have the final authority in determining how many teams are placed into each division and MAY use the following table as a guideline: * If a school is permitted to utilize the exception to Bylaw 2-1-1 to move up to Division I from its originally assigned divi - sion, the Board may consider adjusting the number of teams assigned to a division to keep the participation opportunities outlined above as the minimum standards. 17.3) Failure to Appear and School Closures – OHSAA Tournament Contests Teams and competitors are required to play tournament contests at the scheduled time, date and location. “Closure,” “closed” or “school closing” shall mean that a local school or school district’s board of education/governing board or superintendent/head of school has canceled all high school classes and/or school-sponsored extracurricular ac - tivities due to inclement weather; a strike; a natural or technological/man-made disaster; an issue deemed catastrophic or an emergency*, or the local health authority has canceled all high school classes and school- sponsored extracurricular activities due to a specific public health/safety concern. 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 83 SPORTS REGULATIONS For head-to-head tournament contests which involve a school that was closed on the day of the scheduled contest, the District Athletic Board and/or the Executive Director’s Office shall work with the impacted schools to reschedule the contest, if desired, as long as the contest can be completed before the next level tournament game is scheduled. For tournament contests which include three or more teams (meets, etc.). the tournament shall proceed as scheduled unless the District Athletic Board and/or the Executive Director’s Office reschedules the event because of a natural disaster, a national/state emergency, inclement weather or another force majeure. However, an individual school closing shall not automatically cause the meet to be rescheduled. * Note : A local school or school district may be open but a local school or school district’s board of education/governing board or superintendent/head of school may also determine that it is unsafe for its school’s team to travel to the site of the tournament contest. If so, the above guidance would apply. The following tournament regulations apply to team and individual sports unless national playing rules address “failure to appear” or school “closures”: 17.3.1) Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball If a team “fails to appear” without notifying the opposing team, officials and/or site management or is not ready to play within 30 minutes of the scheduled starting time of the tournament contest, a ‘no contest’ shall be declared and the opposing team shall advance to the next round of competition. See Bylaw 10 and Sports Regulation 21 for additional details that may be applicable. In the event of a school “closure” within 48 hours of a tournament contest in which the school is scheduled to participate, the Executive Director ’s Office, in collaboration with the administrative staff, District Athletic Boards and/or Board of Directors and tournament personnel, shall make all reasonable efforts to accommodate the competing school with rescheduling the contest (time, date and/or location), provided that such rescheduled dates do not adversely affect the next round of the tournament competition/tournament schedule and contest officials can be obtained. In the event of a “closure” at the site of the tournament contest within 48 hours of a tournament contest(s) in which schools are scheduled to participate, the Executive Director ’s Office, in collaboration with the admin - istrative staff, District Athletic Boards and/or Board of Directors and tournament personnel, shall reschedule (time, date and/or location) the tournament contest(s) for the schools thus affected. Note : In the event a school is not closed but unforeseen or extenuating circumstances arise within 48 hours of a tournament contest in which the school is scheduled to participate, the Executive Director ’s Office, in collaboration with the administrative staff, District Athletic Boards and/or Board of Directors and tournament personnel, shall make all reasonable efforts to accommodate the competing school with rescheduling the con - test (time, date and/or location), provided that such rescheduled dates do not adversely affect the next round of the tournament competition/ tournament schedule. 17.3.2) Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Gymnastics, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Individual Wrestling If a team or individual participant “fails to appear” without notifying the opposing team, officials and/or site management or is not ready to play within 30 minutes of the scheduled starting time of the tournament contest, a ‘no contest’ shall be declared and the opposing team/individual shall advance to the next round of competition. See Bylaw 10 and Sports Regulation 21 for additional details that may be applicable. In the event of a school “closure” within 48 hours of a tournament contest in which the school is scheduled to participate, the tournament shall proceed as scheduled.* *Note : The Executive Director ’s Office, in collaboration with the administrative staff, District Athletic Boards and/or Board of Directors and tournament personnel, reserves the right to delay or reschedule a tournament competition when all factors related to the severity of the situation are considered and provided it is practical to delay or reschedule such competitions. In the event of a “closure” at the site of the tournament competition within 48 hours of a tournament com - petition in which schools are scheduled to participate, the Executive Director ’s Office, in collaboration with the administrative staff, District Athletic Boards and/or Board of Directors and tournament personnel, shall reschedule (time, date and/or location) the tournament competition for the schools thus affected. 17.4.3) Information on any changes related to dates, times and/or sites for OHSAA tournament contests will be posted on the Association’s website (www.ohsaa.org). 18. OHSAA-Sponsored Tournaments Curfew Regulations The priority when making the decision to delay, suspend, continue or postpone a contest is the safety of the student-ath - letes, coaches/school administrators, parents/fans and officials. 18.1) No tournament contests/events shall start later than 11:00 p.m. 18.2) When deciding whether to delay, suspend, continue or postpone a tournament contest/event, the tournament manager must consult with the school administrator/designee. Items to consider in the decision: GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 84 • The estimated time to complete the contest. • The travel time of all schools involved. • The current and expected weather conditions. • The availability of the officials. • Other events scheduled at the host site and the participating schools. 18.3) In the case of unforeseen circumstances or an emergency, the following factors shall be used to develop a tournament contest/event contingency plan: • Overnight accommodations. • A list of all parties involved and local emergency telephone/cellular numbers. • Plans established by the participating schools’ emergency plan. Note : A sample tournament contest/event contingency plan is posted on the OHSAA website (www.ohsaa.org). The OHSAA recommends that all member schools develop an athletic contest/event contingency plan for use during the regular season. 19. Grades 7 & 8 Participation for OHSAA Member Schools 19.1) A student shall not participate in more than one interscholastic contest in the same sport on any one day unless permitted by specific sports regulations. Exceptions: baseball, basketball, softball, volleyball, tennis. (See specific sport regula - tions.) 19.2) Sports Season Waiver — Schools, leagues or conferences may adjust seasons to accommodate school teams because of the lack of availability of physical facilities or personnel or due to other reasons as deemed appropriate by the league or conference. Proposed changes in seasons shall be submitted in writing to the Executive Director and include the pro - posed dates of the 7th & 8th grade season not to exceed the length of the interscholastic season for the sport concerned. All other regulations regarding contest limitations, required practice time and coaching requirements shall be followed. 19.3) 7th & 8th grade students shall not practice with 9th through 12th grade students, and vice versa, unless specified in the sport specific regulations. And per Bylaw 1-1-2, “students enrolled in grades 7 or 8 are ineligible for interscholastic com - petition on the same squad with students in grade 9 or higher.” Please note Bylaw 1-7-1 for competition between sexes. Note : 7th & 8th grade students in the sports of bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and wrestling may practice at the same facility, at the same time as 9th through 12th grade students and under the supervision of the same coaching staff so long as there is no head-to-head competition or physical contact. 19.4) It is strongly recommended that 7th & 8th grade teams/individuals avoid competition against 9th through 12th grade students, and vice versa. Please see individual sport regulation for any specific rules and note Bylaw 1-7-1 for compe - tition between sexes. 19.5) Per Bylaw 1-1-2, students below the 7th grade may not practice with or participate with 7th through 12th grade students. 19.6) It is strongly recommended that the coaches of 7th & 8th grade sports complete the OHSAA rules interpretation meetings for the sports they are coaching. 19.7) Sixth-grade students may NOT participate on 7th and 8th grade interscholastic teams. 20. Athletic Uniforms 20.1) Uniforms The purpose of an athletic uniform is to identify participants. Uniforms worn by participants in a high school athletic contest must conform to the playing rules adopted by the OHSAA for that sport. High school uniforms shall not be used as a medium to express an individual/team’s opinion/platform on any given topic. Unless precluded in the sport rulebook, any lettering or emblems on uniforms must pertain to the school name, school nickname, individual’s name, the sport, drug use prevention, sportsmanship, ethics or integrity, promotion of a health/ wellness cause (suicide prevention/cancer awareness, etc. or be an American flag, provided it does not violate the rules of the sport in regard to location. Any visible manufacturer’s logo on a uniform or undergarment must conform to the rules adopted by the national rules committee for that sport. However, if there is no specific rule, the maximum size is 2 1 / 4 square inches with no dimension exceeding 2 1 / 4 ”. Additional regulations are indicated within the playing rules of the sport and may be included in the sport’s specific regulations. 20.2) Head Decorations/Headwear/Religious Apparel Regardless of NFHS playing rules, Ohio state law requires that officials/contest administrators not prohibit, require a waiver, or create any obstruction to wearing religious apparel when competing or participating in interscholastic athletics or extracurricular activities, unless a legitimate danger to participants is identified due to wearing religious apparel. If such a danger is identified, the administrator or official of the event or activity shall offer all reasonable accommodations to the participant wearing religious apparel. 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 85 SPORTS REGULATIONS 20.3) Medical Devices Unless the specific rules code stipulates otherwise, athletes in sports of a collision/contact nature should not be permitted to wear devices such as insulin pumps, heart monitoring equipment and/or other diagnostic or therapeutic appliances while participating in interscholastic contests. In the event that a medical professional prescribes a student-athlete to wear or carry a medical device during competition in anon-contact sport, such medical necessity shall be specified in writing and signed by the prescribing physician. The device shall be attached to the body in a manner fitting with the device that is safe for the athlete and does not cause danger to other athletes. Items may be carried by hand or in a pouch/fanny pack if they cannot be safely attached to the body in another manner. The medical statement shall be shown to the head contest official prior to the athlete’s being permitted to participate; this statement can be shown on paper or electronically. Examples of approved medical devices include but are not limited to EpiPens, inhalers, insulin pumps, glucose monitors and heart monitors. Athletes participating with these devices are still subject to NFHS Rules if their medical device is dropped or becomes dislodged from the body and interferes with other athletes. 21. No Contests/Forfeitures, Interrupted/Suspended Contests and Tournament Forfeits 21.1) No Contest Any scheduled regular season or tournament contest which is not started shall be considered ‘no contest’ unless specified in the sport specific regulations. A ‘no contest’ shall not be included in won-lost records, shall not count towards a stu - dent/coach fulfilling any ejection consequence, shall not count towards a student fulfilling his/her transfer consequence and shall not count towards the number of maximum allowable regular season contests permitted. Additionally, if a reg - ular season contest is scheduled to be played but the assigned officials fail to fulfill their contract, the contest can still be played, subject to agreement by both schools, but it shall be counted as a “no contest” and shall not count in the win-loss record for either team. However, the event shall still count towards the team’s maximum allowable regular season contest total. 21.2) Interrupted/Suspended Contest If an interscholastic contest (game, match, meet, etc.) is interrupted/suspended for any reason beyond the control of the responsible administrative authority, the contest shall be resumed from the point of interruption unless there is a specific procedure for determining the outcome of an interrupted contest (e.g., baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer and softball). If there are no game-ending procedures outlined in the sport and if the contest is not resumed, the contest shall be counted as a no contest and shall not be included in won-lost records, shall not count towards a student/coach fulfilling any ejec - tion consequence, shall not count towards a student fulfilling his/her transfer consequence, and shall not count towards the number of maximum allowable regular season contests permitted. Unless denoted in other OHSAA regulations, forfeitures of regular season or tournament contests may occur if a team refuses to resume a contest which has already started and which teams are still present (e.g. it has then been suspended and has not concluded) 21.3) Tournament Forfeits Please see Bylaw 10 for regulations regarding tournament forfeitures. Should a forfeiture occur not involving an ineli - gible student, the forfeit shall be included in won-lost records. Many national playing rules stipulate the exact score of forfeited contests. In accordance with Bylaw 10, forfeitures in OHSAA team sports tournaments shall mean the forfeiting team shall be disqualified from the tournament and the opponent in the contest of the forfeited tournament contest, or the next highest ranking team, may take its place in the tournament. See football tournament regulations regarding qualifiers to the OHSAA state football tournament. 22. Interscholastic Scrimmage 22.1) An interscholastic scrimmage is defined as a contest in sports in which the rules of the sport are not required to be fol - lowed in all respects. In all sports with the exception of golf, the length of the scrimmage is limited to a maximum of three hours per squad or individual per day for grades 9-12, and two hours per squad or individual per day for grades 7-8. 22.2) A scrimmage may involve any number of teams from various schools. A scrimmage does not count in the won/lost record for any school involved in the scrimmage. 22.3) Admission may be charged for a scrimmage at the discretion of the school. 22.4) This regulation prohibits two or more school teams from practicing together unless it is a scrimmage or unless both schools have the same board-approved coach. 22.5) A scrimmage must be considered the same for all schools involved. 22.6) See each sports’ specific regulations to determine if that sport permits scrimmages. The regulations for those sports in which scrimmages are permitted will specify whether scrimmages must be completed prior to the first regular season contest or scrimmages may be held after the first regular season contest. 23. Preview 23.1) A preview is an athletic contest played according to the adopted rules for a sport except that one-half the length of a regular season contest is permitted. Previews are permitted only in those sports in which scrimmages are allowed. Refer to the specific sport relative to length of preview and when it may be scheduled. 23.2) A preview may be scheduled and played only starting with the first day after the official start date of coaching. A preview does not count in the won/lost record. GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2026-2027 SPORTS REGULATIONS 86 23.3) Admission may be charged for a preview at the discretion of the school. Note: See specific sport-by-sport regulations for additional guidance on previews. 24. Exhibition Competition Any event or competition involving students representing member schools may involve only students who are eligible in all respects insofar as age, enrollment and attendance, scholarship, residence and individual sports limitation. So-called “scratch” or “exhibition” competition permitted or conducted by any school could result in ineligibility for athletes and additional penalties assessed to in accordance with Bylaw 11. Exception: Sport-specific regulations/playing rules may permit the unscored participation of eligible student-athletes, but such competition must count towards the maximum allowable number of contests limitations established by the OHSAA in terms of both team contest limitations and individual player limitations. 25. Sunday Contests Sunday contests are permitted by the Board of Directors. Local Board of Education/league/conference polices shall govern regular season schedules but, per GSR 17.3, teams/individuals are required to play OHSAA tournament contests at the scheduled time, date and location, including any scheduled Sunday contests. Any team/individual electing not to participate on the scheduled date will result in a forfeiture. 26. Transportation To and From Interscholastic Contests It is the responsibility of the Board of Education or other governing board of a member school to provide for the safe transportation of student-athletes and other contest participants to and from athletic events. The OHSAA Catastrophe Accident Insurance Policy covers team or group travel directly to and from a covered event. A covered event is defined by the OHSAA (the authorized policy holder) as any regular-season (includes scrimmages and previews) or tournament competition in an interscholastic athletic event in an OHSAA-recognized sport, sponsored by the Board of Education or governing board of a member school. Travel must be supervised by staff members or designated representatives of the member school. Therefore, it is recommended that schools require student-athletes and other participants in interscholastic athletic events to travel with their school squads in school-authorized carriers. It is not recommended that students be released to travel with parents or other persons; however, permission to make alternative travel arrangements remains the purview of the Board of Education/governing board of the member school. In the event that such alternative arrangements are approved, it is strongly recommended that the Board of Education secure proof of insurance from those who will be providing the transportation. 27. Cheerleading Pyramids and Acrobatic Routines 27.1) All cheer and spirit sideline activities and game performances during regular season contests shall be in accordance with the safety standards prescribed by the National Federation High School Spirit Rules. Note : By NFHS Spirit Rules, “stunting” or “building” is the act of building stunts by spirit groups and is permited. 27.2) Additional Regulations for OHSAA Tournaments: 27.2.1) In addition to the NFHS Spirit Rules, the following “stunting” skill restrictions are in place at OHSAA sponsored tournaments, including the OHSAA Spirit State Championships: - No basket, sponge or elevator tosses allowed - No inversions - No twisting release dismounts from stunts - Single leg extended stunts are limited to liberties and liberty hitches 27.3) Penalty In OHSAA-sponsored tournaments, individual sideline spirit participants violating the regulations shall be removed from the field or court immediately. 28. A Note on Public Health Issues The Centers for Disease Control, Ohio Governor, Ohio General Assembly and/or Ohio Department of Health will offer guidance as to whether or not to close a school or university due to a public health issue. Local decisions can also be made by the local health authority or each board of education/governing board. Closures are not recommended except in extreme circumstances. 29. Penalties Penalties for violations of these General Sports Regulations that are not otherwise stated shall be administered in accor - dance with Bylaw 11. 30. Lightning and Inclement Weather These guidelines provide a default policy to those responsible or sharing duties for making decisions concerning the suspension and restarting of practices and contests based on the presence of lightning or thunder. The preferred sources 2026-2027 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 87 SPORTS REGULATIONS from which to request such a policy for your facility would include the nearest office of the National Weather Service. Proactive Planning 1. Assign staff to monitor local weather conditions before and during practices and contests. 2. Develop an evacuation plan, including identification of appropriate nearby safer areas, and determine the amount of time needed to get everyone to the designated safer area: a.) A designated safer place is a substantial building with plumbing and wiring where people live or work, such as a school, gymnasium or library. An alternate safer place from the threat of lightning is a fully enclosed (not convertible or soft top) metal car or school bus. 3. Develop criteria for suspension and resumption of play: a.) When thunder is heard or lightning is seen*, the leading edge of the thunderstorm is close enough to strike your location with lightning. Suspend play for at least 30 minutes and vacate the outdoor activity to the previously designated safer location immediately. b.) 30-minute rule. Once play has been suspended, wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard or light - ning is witnessed* prior to resuming play. c.) Any subsequent thunder or lightning* after the beginning of the 30-minute count will reset the clock and an - other 30-minute count should begin. d.) When lightning-detection devices or mobile phone apps are available, this technology could be used to assist in making a decision to suspend play if a lightning strike is noted to be within 10 miles of the event location. However, you should never depend on the reliability of these devices and, thus, hearing thunder or seeing light - ning* should always take precedence over information from a mobile app or lightning-detection device. * At night, under certain atmospheric conditions, lightning flashes may be seen from distant storms. In these cases, it may be safe to continue an event. If no thunder can be heard and the flashes are low on the horizon, the storm may not pose a threat. Independently verified lightning detection information would help eliminate any uncertainty. 4. Review the lightning safety policy annually with all administrators, coaches and game personnel and train all personnel. 5. Inform student-athletes and their parents of the lightning policy at the start of the season. 31. Assignment of Contest Officials Member schools, their administrators and/or assigners acting on their behalf, shall utilize the assigning platform approved by the OHSAA (DragonFly) when contracting with contest officials. Furthermore, the acceptance by the contest official of the offer extended by the member school, school administrator and/or assigner acting on behalf of the school (or con - ference/league) shall constitute an offer and acceptance and shall become at that moment a legally binding contract. MEDIA REGULATIONS 89 MEDIA REGULATIONS August 1, 2026 The Ohio High School Athletic Association develops the regulations for media coverage of all OHSAA tournament contests. Some policies shall also be in effect for regular season contests. General media regulations shall be approved annually by the Board of Directors and published separately from the OHSAA Handbook . A. Videotaping and Photographing Regulations Section 1. — Regular Season Contests a.) It is permissible for a school or a school representative to videotape or photograph regular season contests (including previews and scrimmages) of the team or individuals from one’s own school. Such videotapes or photographs may be used for “in-game” coaching purposes only if it is specified in the national playing rules of the sport or in the specific sport regulations. b.). It is permissible for a school or a school representative to videotape or photograph regular season contests (including pre - views, scrimmages and/or practices) of teams or individuals not from one’s own school only with the written consent of all schools participating in the contest(s). Section 2. — OHSAA Tournament Contests Videotaping and Photographing by Participating Schools a.) Videotaping OHSAA tournament contests of the team or individuals from one’s own school participating in the contest is permitted provided prior arrangements are made with the tournament manager, and it is done at the expense of the school involved. A maximum of two individuals per school are permitted to videotape. b.) All photographs and videos taken by school representatives of the team or individuals from one’s own school at OHSAA tournament contests are for school use ONLY. The use of photographs or videos taken by school representatives for com - mercial purposes is strictly prohibited. Such videotapes or photographs may be used for “in-game” coaching purposes only if it is specified in the national playing rules of the sport or in the specific sport regulations. c.) It is permissible for a school or a school representative to videotape or photograph tournament contests (including prac - tices) of teams or individuals not from one’s own school only with the written consent of all schools participating in the contest(s) . d.) It is permissible for a school or school representative to utilize video and photographs of tournament contests (including practices) of teams or individuals not from one’s own school only with the written consent of all schools participating in the contest(s) . Section 3. — Regular Season and OHSAA Tournament Contests Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones) a.) For purposes of this policy, an unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”), commonly known as a drone, is any aircraft without a human pilot aboard the device. b.) The use of drones can only be authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). If a license is granted to an individual by the FAA for use of a drone and that authorization is verified, it is the responsibility of each local school district to establish additional policies for the use of drones during home regular season contests (including previews and scrimmages) and practices. c.) The use of drones is prohibited for any purpose by any persons at OHSAA tournament contests, beginning an hour before the scheduled start time to an hour after the contest ends. At tournament contests, if management discovers that a drone is being used, management shall attempt to locate the operator to have the drone removed from the facility area, but the contest shall not be delayed. Management shall remove anyone attempting to use a drone and/or confiscate the drone until the event has been completed d.) An exception to this policy may be made in specific cases for the OHSAA’s official television partner or official photog - rapher, provided the operator of the drone is licensed by the FAA, that authorization can be verified and the management of the tournament facility permits the presence of drones for broadcast purposes under the control of the OHSAA. Note: Such approval for certain stadium events means the FAA issued Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs), and aircraft operation has been authorized by Air Traffic Control (ATC). e.) For drone safety and security concerns at home sites/home facilities or OHSAA tournament contests, contact an FAA Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) special agent (847-294-7521) or the Central Regional Operation Center, which is staffed 24/7 (817-222-5006). Videotaping and Photographing by Spectators a.) Spectators taking videos or photos at OHSAA tournament contests shall not interfere with the view of a contest by other spectators, nor will spectators or their equipment take additional space in seats that have been purchased. No spectators shall be provided “media” access to videotape or photograph an event, nor will spectators and/or their equipment be per - mitted in any playing area. In addition, no sources of power will be provided for spectators’ video or photo equipment. MEDIA REGULATIONS 90 b.) All photographs and videos taken by spectators at OHSAA tournament contests are for personal use ONLY. The use of spectator photographs or videos for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited. c.) The tournament site accepts no liability for damage or theft of spectator equipment or injury as a result of privately owned equipment. d.) The OHSAA reserves the right to remove violators of these policies from a tournament contest, invoke additional penal - ties and seek maximum legal recourse. B. Coaches’ and Participants’ Comments to the News Media OHSAA Bylaw 8, Section 2, reads in part, “Great care shall be exercised in the selection of officials, well in advance of the contest and agreed upon by schools involved. When the contest begins each school waives all of its rights so far as objecting to the officials.” Public criticism of officials is a direct reflection upon those who were responsible for assigning the officials to the game. Officials are trained and expected to make no derogatory public comments directly to the media or through the use of social media regarding other officials, the players, coaches or schools. Coaches and participants are expected to follow the same pro - cedure and make no derogatory public comments directly to the media or through the use of social media regarding not only the officials, but also the players, coaches or schools. Failure to follow this request will result in penalties as outlined in Bylaw 1 1. C. Use of the OHSAA Trade Names and Trademarks The OHSAA owns certain trade names and trademarks that are registered and protected under state and federal law. Any unautho - rized use of these trade names and trademarks is strictly prohibited. Notwithstanding this prohibition, the OHSAA does issue certain non-exclusive, non-transferable limited licenses for the use of its trade names and trademarks. The OHSAA’s policies regarding these licenses can be found on the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org) under “News and Media.” 91 SPORTS MEDICINE 91 SPORTS MEDICINE August 1, 2026 1. CONCUSSION REGULATIONS - I mplementation of State Law and NFHS Playing Rules Related to Concussion It is important for all individuals involved in interscholastic athletics to recognize the potential for catastrophic injury and even death from concussions. Thus it is extremely important that each coach, administrator, contest official and medical support personnel review their responsibilities in protecting students. Further both students and parents have responsibilities in this area as well. Note : It has always been the ultimate responsibility of the coaching staff, in all sports, to ensure that students are only put into practice or contests if they are physically capable of performing. However, all individuals involved in the conduct of interscholastic competi - tion have responsibilities in this endeavor. In January 2011, the OHSAA Board of Directors adopted a sports regulation which incorporated the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) playing rules related to concussion recognition and management. On April 26, 2013, legislation adopted by Ohio’s General Assembly on concussion and head injuries in youth sports became effective. On February 14, 2013, the OHSAA Board of Directors mandated that these regulations become effective on April 26, 2013, for the remainder of the spring sports season and thereafter. This OHSAA regulation, as amended to incorporate this recent legislation, now reads: Any student, while practicing for or competing in an interscholastic contest, who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with having sustained a concussion or head injury (such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confu - sion or balance problems) shall be immediately removed from the practice or contest by either of the following: a. The individual who is serving as the student’s coach during that practice or competition. b. An individual who is serving as a contest official or referee during that practice or competition. 1.2) Return to Play Protocol If a student is removed from practice or competition due to a suspected concussion or head injury, the coach or referee who removes the student shall not permit the student, ON THE SAME DAY THE STUDENT IS REMOVED, to return to that practice or competition or to participate in any other practice or competition for which the coach or contest official is responsible. Thereafter, which means no earlier than the next day, the coach or contest officials shall not permit the student to return to practice or competition until both of the following conditions are satisfied: 1.21) The student’s condition is assessed by either of the following: a. A physician, who is a person authorized under Chapter 4731 of the Ohio Revised Code (OCR) to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine or surgery (M.D. or D.O.) b. Any other licensed health care provider that the school district board of education or other governing author - ity of a chartered or non-chartered nonpublic school, authorizes to assess the student who has been removed from practice or competition. 1.22) The student receives written authorization that it is safe for the student to return to practice or competition from a physician or other licensed health care provider authorized to grant the clearance. Go to the “Sports Medicine” Section of the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org) to retrieve the OHSAA’s Medical Authorization to Return To Play (RTP) form. A school district board of education or governing authority of a chartered or non-chartered nonpublic school may autho - rize a licensed health care provider who is not a physician to make an assessment and grant authorization for a student to return to participation only if the provider is acting in accordance with one of the following as applicable to the provider’s authority to practice in Ohio: a. In consultation with a physician; b. Pursuant to the referral of a physician; c. In collaboration with a physician, or d. Under the supervision of a physician. Note : A physician or other licensed health care provider who makes an assessment or grants clearance for a student to return to participation may be a volunteer. 1.3 ) Coaches Requirements All coaches, paid and volunteer, must possess a current Department of Education-issued Pupil Activity Program/Coach - ing Permit. When renewing this permit, the coach will be required to complete an online concussion education course as stipulated in the section entitled Approved Online Concussion Education Course . This course is valid for three years and expires at the time the Pupil Activity Program/Coaching Permit expires. 1.4) Contest Requirements Legislation signed into law by the Governor provides that no school “shall permit” an individual to referee inter - scholastic athletic contests unless the individual holds a Pupil Activity Program/Coaching Permit or has success - fully completed within the last three years a training program in concussion recognition. Therefore, all OHSAA SPORTS MEDICINE 92 licensed officials shall possess either a current Department of Education-issued Pupil Activity Program/Coaching Permit or show evidence of completing an approved online concussion education course as stipulated in the section entitled Approved Online Concussion Education Courses. This course is valid for three years from the date of completion and must be entered on the official’s myOHSAA profile. 1.5) Student and Parent Requirements All students and their parents or legal guardians shall review and sign the “Concussion Information Sheet” which has been developed by the Ohio Department of Health and which shall be distributed by OHSAA member schools to all students and their parents prior to each sports season. Students and parents shall review and sign this form each year and should keep a copy of the form. In addition, parents and students are encouraged to complete an approved concussion education course. 1.6) Approved Online Concussion Education Courses The following free online training courses have been approved by the Ohio Department of Health for coaches and contest officials National Federation of State High School Associations Concussion in Sports: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/concussion-in-sports-2 This free online course is available through the NFHS. Complete a brief registration form to take the course. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Heads Up Concussion in Youth Sports Online Training Program: https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/training/index.html Note : Both courses offer a “certificate of completion” upon successful passage. The NFHS course allows organizations to search for and track coaches and other individuals such as contest officials who have completed the course, while the CDC course does not. 1.7) Frequently Asked Questions 1.71) What are the “signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion?” The National Federation rule lists some of the signs, symptoms and behaviors consistent with a concussion. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has pub - lished the following list of signs, symptoms and behaviors that are consistent with a concussion: SIGNS OBSERVED BY OTHERS SYMPTOMS REPORTED BY ATHLETE • Appears dazed or stunned • Headache or “pressure” in head • Is confused about assignment • Nausea • Forgetfulness • Balance problems or dizziness • Uncertainty of game score or opponent • Double or fuzzy vision • Moves clumsily • Sensitivity to light or noise • Answers questions slowly • Feeling sluggish • Loses consciousness • Feeling foggy or groggy • Shows mood, behavior or personality changes • Concentration or memory problems • Cannot recall events prior to hit or fall • Confusion • Cannot recall events after hit or fall 1.72) Who is responsible for administering this rule? All individuals who have responsibilities and duties in the interscholastic athletics environment are responsi - ble: coaches, contest officials, administrators, students, parents and medical personnel. 1.73) What is the role of coaches in administering this rule? • Coaches are to review and know the signs and symptoms of concussion and to prohibit any athlete who displays these signs or symptoms from participating in a practice or a contest. • Coaches are not medical professionals and have no authority to determine whether or not a student has sustained a concussion. The coach is responsible for insuring that the student’s parents are notified and the student is referred to a medical professional. • Coaches shall be aware that any student removed from a practice or a contest due to a suspected concussion or head injury shall not return to participation on the same day as the removal. • Coaches shall possess a current Pupil Activity Program/Coaching Permit and shall take one of the approved online concussion courses upon renewal of the permit. 1.74) What is the role of contest officials in administering the rule? • Officials are to review and know the signs and symptoms of concussion and to direct immediate removal of any student who displays these signs or symptoms. When informing the head coach about removal of an athlete, the official shall be accompanied by another (second) official if possible. 93 SPORTS MEDICINE • An official shall not permit the athlete who has been removed under this rule to return to competition that same day. • If a contest official is aware that a student has been permitted to return to competition on the same day as removal, that official shall immediately stop play and remove that student from competition and report the incident to the OHSAA. • Note that officials are not medical professionals and have no authority to determine whether or not a stu - dent has sustained a concussion. The official is responsible for directing removal when he or she observes signs and symptoms that may indicate a student is concussed. • All Officials shall possess either a current Pupil Activity Program/Coaching Permit or shall complete one of the online concussion courses which are valid for three years from the date of completion. • At initial licensure or renewal of the OHSAA officiating permit, the official shall indicate that he or she has either a current Pupil Activity Program/Coaching Permit or has completed one of the approved online concussion courses. • All officials should carry with them evidence of completion of one of these options at all times while offici - ating a contest. • Officials are required to submit to the OHSAA the “OHSAA Concussion Report” within 48 hours whenev - er a student has been removed from a contest under this regulation. 1.75) What are the expectations of student-athletes in concussion management? • While all individuals involved in the interscholastic athletics program have a responsibility to recognize the potential for catastrophic injury and even death from concussions, it is also the responsibility of stu - dent-athletes to recognize the signs, symptoms and behaviors consistent with a concussion. • Student-athletes who exhibit symptoms such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion or balance problems, have the responsibility to report these immediately to their coach and/or health care professional. Teammates also share the responsibility to report these symptoms when they are exhibited by a fellow student-athlete. • Student-athletes shall review and sign, on an annual basis, along with their parents or legal guardians, the Ohio Department of Health’s Concussion Information Sheet found on the OHSAA website. 1.76) Who decides if an athlete has not been concussed and/or who has recovered from a concussion? • Only an M.D. (Medical Doctor), D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy), or another health care provider approved by the school’s Board of Education or other governing body who is acting in accordance with one of the following as applicable to the provider’s authority to practice in Ohio: a. In consultation with a physician; b. Pursuant to the referral of a physician; c. In collaboration with a physician; d. Under the supervision of a physician is empowered to make the on-site determination that an athlete has not received a concussion. Even if that determination has been made, however, the student may not return to practice or competition on the same day he/she has been removed from a practice or competition . • If any one of these physicians or authorized medical providers has answered that “yes” there has been a concussion, that decision is final. 1.77) Can an athlete return to play on the same day as he/she has been removed from a practice or competition for a suspected concussion? • No, under no circumstances can that athlete return to play that day. • No coach or contest official shall allow a student to return to practice or to competition on any day after the initial removal until that student has been assessed and cleared for return with written authorization by a physician or licensed health care provider authorized by the school. • If the event continues over multiple days, then the designated event physician has ultimate authority over return to play decisions. 1.78) Once the day has concluded, who can issue authorization to return to practice/competition in the sport for a student who has diagnosed with a concussion? • Once a concussion has been diagnosed by a physician or other approved health care provider, only a physician or approved provider can authorize subsequent Return To Play (RTP), and such authorization shall be in writing to the administration of the school. This written RTP authorization shall be kept at the school indefinitely as a part of that student’s permanent record. Go to the “Sports Medicine” section of the OHSAA website ( OHSAA .org) to access the OHSAA “Medical Authorization to Return to Play” Form. • School administration shall then notify the coach as to the permission to return to practice or play. SPORTS MEDICINE 94 1.79) What should be done after the student is cleared by an appropriate health care professional? • After a clearance has been issued, the student’s actual return to practice and play should follow a graduated protocol. • The National Federation of State High School Associations has included the following graduated protocol in its Suggested Guidelines for Management of Concussion in Sports: ( Note : This is simply a suggested protocol. The appropriate health care professional who issues the clearance may wish to establish a differ - ent graduated protocol.) 1.8) NFHS Suggested Medical Clearance Return To Play Protocol a. Engage in activities of daily living (i.e. walking) b. When the athlete appears clear, begin low-impact activity such as walking, stationary bike, etc. c. Initiate aerobic activity fundamental to specific sport such as running or skating, and may also begin progressive strength training activities. d. Begin non-contact skill drills specific to sport such as dribbling, fielding, batting, etc. e. Full contact in practice setting. f. Game play/competition. • Athlete must remain asymptomatic to progress to the next level. (It is often suggested that an athlete not be allowed to progress more than one level per day.) • If symptoms recur, athlete must return to previous level and should be reevaluated by an appropriate health care professional. • Medical check should occur before contact. (Final written clearance from the medical professional shall be obtained before the athlete engages in any unrestricted or full contact activity.) 1.9) Quick Links From The Ohio Department Of Health ,nformation for &oaches, Officials, Parents and 6tudents, Plus Additional 5esources ² https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/know-our-programs/child-injury-Prevention/youthconcussions/ Ohio’s 5eturn to Play /aw ² https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/know-our-programs/child-injury-prevention/resources/rtp-law 1.10) Additional Concussion Resources 1ationwide &hildren’s Hospital ² &oncussion ,nformation Toolkit https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/specialties/concussion-clinic/concussion-toolkit CDC Materials on Returning to School for Parents, School Nurses and Educators https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/schools/index.html 2. SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST REGULATIONS Ohio law requires additional coaching requirements for all interscholastic coaches (paid and volunteer) and new educational stan - dards for parents and student-athletes regarding Sudden Cardiac Arrest. This law, known as Lindsay’s Law, became effective beginning with the 2017-18 school year. The OHSAA has collaborated with the Ohio Departments of Health and Education, along with other major Ohio healthcare organi - zations and the Ohio Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, to provide education that is relevant and easily accessible so that interscholastic coaches and the parents of our student-athletes can come into compliance with the statute. With the leadership provided by ODH, ODE, the Ohio Chapter of the American College of Cardiology and other major Ohio health - care organizations, we have developed our own “Ohio” materials to be used to comply with this requirement. The materials include a short video for parents, which is posted to the ODH, ODE and the OHSAA (OHSAA.org) websites; an informational handout and a sign-off form (much like the current Concussion Form) which must be signed by parents and student-athletes and is included in the package of consent forms found in the OHSAA PPE and the paper forms; and a training video and informational handout for coaches which is posted on the ODE website and includes a completion certificate for verification. Additionally, Coaches’Tool Chest (https://coachestoolchest.com/) offers an updated and approved Sudden Cardiac Arrest course that includes the requirements to satisfy Ohio’s Lindsay’s Law mandates. The videos can be assessed through the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org) under the “Sports Medicine” section. Likewise, the educa - tional materials for parents and students, which include a short memo and video, and the sign-off forms for parents and students, are also available on the OHSAA website (OHSAA.org) under the “Sports Medicine” section. It is strongly recommended that each member high school in the state have at least one functional automated external defibrillator (AED) on site at the school and/or facility at all times and easily accessible during any school related function, including athletic practices, contests and/or other events, for use during emergencies. A person or entity that acquires an AED shall comply with all regulations governing the placement within a facility of an AED. AEDs are to be made available under the advice and consent of a physician by individuals with proper training and certification. 95 SPORTS MEDICINE AED Use and Location Recommendations: a. All Athletic Trainers, coaches, administrators and any other school personnel should have access to an AED on the school property. b. It is recommended that institutions sponsoring athletic events and/or activities have an AED on site, or access to one, at each athletic venue for practices, contests or other athletic events. c. In the event of cardiac arrest, the Emergency Action Plan should be activated, AED retrieved and EMS activated, simulta - neously. d. It is recommended that an AED should be located within two minutes (American Heart Association) of the location and venue of any athletic activity and available at any time. e. The AED should be stored in a safe and accessible location and should be well marked, publicized and known. f. AEDs should be inspected to ensure they are in proper working order. This includes making sure the batteries are charged and wires and electrodes are in good condition. Note: As of this printing, pending state law may modify this recommendation to make it a requirement. If a change occurs, the OHSAA will share updates with the membership. 3. HEAT ACCLIMATIZATION AND EXERTIONAL HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION 3.1) The following information should be reviewed with coaching and sports medicine staff prior to any interscholastic prac - tice this August. Please remember that there are several OHSAA sports that have a required acclimatization period prior to the commencing of any contests or physical contact, which is the case for football and ice hockey . The other sports are boys and girls cross country, which require a minimum of 10 days of interscholastic practice prior to any competition for a student, and ice hockey which has a four-day acclimatization period . Specifics of the ice hockey acclimatization period are in IH GSR 1.5. The following is the regulation that addresses the mandatory five-day period in football. 3.2) Five Days of Acclimatization Required — Acclimatization is a period of time when players can become accustomed to the heat and humidity. Health professionals recommend at least a five-day period. All football candidates must participate in five days of pre-season, non-contact acclimatization prior to any physical contact. No pads may be worn on the first two days. Shorts, helmets, shoes may be worn. Shoulder pads may be added on day three and four, but no contact is permitted. Full equipment may be worn on the fifth day, but contact is prohibited. Candidates reporting late must participate in five days of non-contact acclimatization. This rule applies to all school teams from grades 7-12. 3.3) All coaching and medical staff personnel shall observe the following precautions for all sports competed outdoors and/ or in a hot, humid environment: 3.31) Stress to participants the importance of properly hydrating themselves during the day leading up to the contest, and also to drink 8-to-12 ounces of water or sport drinks 20 minutes prior to the contest. This practice can help prevent problems during practice and contests. 3.32) Schools should have unlimited amounts of water and sport drinks on hand during a contest, and coaches in team sports should be prepared to play a lot of players rather than just the starters. 3.33) Contest officials are permitted to establish predetermined breaks during a contest, such as halfway through each period. At that time players can drink water and remove their equipment, which should also take place at halftime (the more skin that is exposed, the more cooling that can take place). This provision applies to all sports. 3.34) NFHS football playing rules allow the referee to shorten periods per mutual agreement by the opposing coaches. In addition, by mutual agreement a game may be terminated at any time. 3.35) Contest managers are advised to monitor conditions for others affiliated with the contest, like cheerleaders, band members, coaches, officials and especially spectators. 3.36) In football, if schools decide NOT to play a contest, it becomes an open date for both. If one school desires to play but the other does not, there are no forfeits involved. Again, it would become an open date for both schools. However, schools do have the option to reschedule contests, and OHSAA regulations do permit schools to play more than one contest per week. There also are no OHSAA regulations that prohibit games from being played on Sundays. The same concepts apply to all other OHSAA sports. 3.37) Please review the OHSAA General Sports Regulation 30 on inclement weather and lightning. In short, upon the first indication that thunderstorm development is within 10 miles of the game site, the activity shall be suspended until 30 minutes after the storm has left this 10-mile zone. Individuals should move to a safe area until the storm has moved away. 3.38) Know both the Temperature and Humidity. The greater the humidity, the more difficult it is for the body to cool itself. Test the air prior to practice or a game using a wet bulb, globe, temperature index (WBGT index) which is based on the combined effects of air temperature, relative humidity, radiant heat and air movement. The wet bulb temperature should be measured prior to practice, every 30 minutes at minimum during practice, and the intensity and duration of practice adjusted accordingly. Recommendations are as follows: SPORTS MEDICINE 96 WBGT Recommendation <79.7ºF Normal activities Three separate 3 minute breaks per hour 79.8-84.6ºF Three separate 4 minute breaks per hour Helmets and other equipment should be removed when the athlete is not directly involved with the competition, drill or practice and it is not otherwise required 84.7-87.6ºF Maximum practice time of 2 hours Four separate 4 minute breaks per hour FB: Limit to helmet, shoulder pads, and shorts during practice Considering postponing practice to later in the day Allow athletes to change to dry shirts and shorts at defined intervals 87.8-89.7ºF Maximum of 1 hour of training with four separate 5 minute breaks in that hour No additional conditioning allowed FB/LAX: No helmets, shoulder pads, or other equipment is permitted Consider postponing practice to later in the day Allow athletes to change to dry shirts and shorts at defined intervals > 89.8ºF No outdoor workouts No indoor workouts unless air conditioned Note: This chart is not simply air temperature. It is an index using a wet bulb, globe, thermometer that measures heat and humidity. 3.39) The OHSAA advises careful monitoring of the weather and plans to modify training and competition including: a. Modification of equipment, if applicable to the sport; b. Allowance for more frequent rest breaks and the use of shaded areas for those breaks; c. Modification of practice time; d. Availability of water always; e. Availability of cold water immersion tubs for onsite cooling; f. If exertional heat stroke is suspected, immediate onsite cooling using cold water immersion before trans - port by EMS, and g. Review and practice of the OHSAA’s recommended Emergency Action Plan, “ Anyone Can Save A Life ,” or similar plan for all sports teams with special emphasis on the heat illness section. Note: It is strongly recommended that schools have cold water immersion tubs available for onsite cooling. The onsite cooling recommendation is if exertional heat stroke is suspected (core temperature greater than 105°F), the athlete be cooled immediately in cold water immersion and their core temperature reaches 102°F prior to transport by EMS. The athlete would then be removed from the cold water immersion when their core temperature reaches 102°F, if core temperature measuring devices are accessible. Visit the OHSAA Sports Medicine webpage (https://www.ohsaa.org/medicine) for references on WBGT, cold water immersion and exertional heat stroke references. 4. COLD WEATHER GUIDELINES The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) provides these guidelines to help member schools develop or refine their cold weather policies. These recommendations aim to prevent, recognize, and treat cold-related injuries and illnesses during athletic practices and competitions. Understanding Cold Weather Risks Cold-related illnesses and injuries are common when participating in outdoor activities in low temperatures. Even above freeing, the body can lose heat quickly, making physical activity uncomfortable and potentially life-threatening. What is Wind Chill? Wind chill is how cold it feels on the skin when wind is factored in with air temperature. Wind increases heat loss, rapidly reduc - ing both skin and internal body temperature—making cold weather significantly more dangerous. Recognizing Cold Exposure Symptoms Early recognition of cold stress is critical. Common symptoms include: 97 SPORTS MEDICINE a. Shivering (early warning sign, leads to fatigue) b. Numbness, pain, swelling, or redness in fingers, toes, ears, and nose c. Burning sensations on exposed skin. d. Headaches, dizziness, and watery eyes e. Slurred speech, clumsiness , poor judgment, or disorientation If an individual wants to lie down and rest during cold exposure, this is a medical emergency. Activate your Emergency Action Plan immediately. Common Cold Exposure Injuries Condition Description Symptoms Treatment Frostnip Non-freezing injury, affects extremities Redness, numbness, tingling Gently warm with clothing or skin-to-skin contact. Do not rub Chilblain Swelling from ruptured blood vessels Swelling, redness, numbness Gently rewarm skin. Avoid rubbing. Frostbite Tissue destruction from freezing Pale, hard skin, numbness Rewarm in warm (not hot) water. Seek medical help. Hypothermia Dangerous drop in core body temperature (<95ºF) Slurred speech, confusion, slow breathing Warm the body. Activate EMS immediately. Risk Factors for Cold Injuries • Dehydration • Poor physical conditioning • Wet or tight clothing • Inadequate nutrition • Altitude exposure • Medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, anemia, sickle cell) Prevention Strategies • Wear layered clothing, especially over the core. • Use windbreakers, insulated pants, gloves, hats, and wool socks (avoid cotton). • Ensure athletes are adequately dressed or do not allow participation. • Maintain hydration and caloric intake. • Never allow athletes to train alone in cold weather. Outdoor Practice Recommended Guidelines by Wind Chill Wind Chill Temperature Practice Guidelines Above 35°F Normal outdoor practice 32²35ƒ) no precipitationMax 1 hour; return indoors for 30 mins before resuming 2²31ƒ) with precipitationMax 40 mins; 20-minute indoor break; no return if clothing is wet 15²31ƒ) no precipitationMax 30 mins; 15-minute indoor break ”2ƒ) with precipitationNo outdoor practice ”15ƒ) no precipitationNo outdoor practice Competition Recommended Guidelines by Wind Chill Wind Chill Temperature Event Guidelines ”3ƒ) Monitor for cold injuries; notify coaches and officials ”25ƒ) Provide extra clothing and rewarming opportunities ”15ƒ) Modify activity and allow frequent rewarming breaks ”ƒ) Strongly consider canceling/rescheduling the event Ensure all athletes wear dry clothing covering extremities, especially dry socks and gloves. SPORTS MEDICINE 98 5. EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS Per state law, all schools shall ensure that there is a venue specific written athletic Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place that describes steps to be taken in the event of an emergency. It is recommended that each athletic venue has specific language. It is recommended that the following items are included, at minimum, in the EAP: a. List all on-site emergency equipment that may be needed in an emergency situation; b. Include appropriate contact information for EMS; c. Steps to take in event of an emergency; d. Map of the venue with emergency access identified; e. Healthcare professional who will provide medical coverage during practices, games and/or other events. Emergency Actions Plans shall: a. Be rehearsed annually, at a minimum. The rehearsal shall include pertinent school staff and onsite medical providers. b. Be reviewed each year, at a minimum. The review shall include pertinent school staff and the local EMS provider. c. Be distributed to all athletics staff members, as well as healthcare professionals who will provide medical coverage during practices, games and/or other events onsite. 6. TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, ILLEGAL DRUGS AND STEROIDS 6.1) Tobacco/Vaping School participants (coaches, players, trainers, managers, statisticians, scorekeepers, cheerleaders, etc.) and contest offi - cials in an athletic contest are prohibited from using any form of tobacco or electronic cigarettes or similar devices (e.g. vaping) at the playing site of an interscholastic contest. Penalty for violation by school participants is disqualification from that contest. Violations by contest officials shall be reported to the OHSAA. 6.2) Alcohol and Illegal Drugs The sale of, the distribution of, or the consumption of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs is not permitted at the site of any contest involving OHSAA member schools. 6.3) Steroids A student who uses anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs is ineligible for interscholastic competition until such time as medical evidence can be presented that the student’s system is free of anabolic steroids or other perfor - mance-enhancing drugs. Note: At its September 1998 meeting, the OHSAA Board of Directors endorsed the position statement issued by the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee of the National Federation of State High School Associations on the use of drugs, medicine and food supplements in inter scholastic sports. The statement is as follows: “School personnel and coaches should not dispense any drug, medication or food supplement except with extreme cau - tion and in accordance with policies developed in consultation with parents, health-care professionals and senior admin - istrative personnel of the school or school district. “Use of any drug, medication or food supplement in a way not prescribed by the manufacturer should not be authorized or encouraged by school personnel and coaches. Even natural substances in unnatural amounts may have short-term or long-term negative health effects. “In order to minimize health and safety risks to student-athletes, maintain ethical standards and reduce liability risks, school personnel and coaches should never supply, recommend or permit the use of any drug, medication or food sup - plement solely for performance-enhancing purposes.” 7. ATHLETIC TRAINER SERVICES Consistent with the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Practice, the American Academy of Neurology and others, it is strongly recommended that a licensed Athletic Trainer is present at all sporting events, including practices, where stu - dent-athletes are at a high risk of injury, or for contact or collision sports. 8. OTHER IMPORTANT LINKS • Ohio State Medical Association - www.osma.org • Ohio Athletic Trainers’ Association - www.oata.org SPORTS REGULATIONS 99 2026-2027 BASEBALL 1. BASEBALL A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) No team or individual may play more than two games per day. Note: Completion of a suspended game along with a regularly scheduled game(s) is not considered a double - header (Penalty – see Sports Regulation 12). 1.2) Teams – No school team may participate in more than 27 regular season games on 27 playing dates. Note: Doubleheaders may be played on any day pursuant to Board of Education or similar governing board policy. 1.21) Any scheduled game which is not started due to unforeseen circumstances, such as failure of team to arrive, strikes, school closings, etc., is considered a “No Contest.” Games not played are not included in won-lost records. 1.22) Any team that exceeds the regular season participation limitation shall not be permitted to participate in the OHSAA tournament and maybe subject to additional penalties as outlined in Bylaw 11. 1.3) Individuals 1.31) An individual in grades 9-12 may play on a maximum of 32 playing dates plus the OHSAA-sponsored tournaments. 1.32) An individual in grades 7-8 may play on a maximum of 21 playing dates plus one postseason or league/ conference tournament. 1.33) If an individual plays a game at any level on separate dates, each game counts toward the 32 playing dates limitation. (Example: A student plays in a non-varsity game on Monday and a varsity game on Wednesday. Participation in both games counts as two dates toward the 32 maximum for the individual player.) 1.34) If an individual plays in a non-varsity game and a varsity game in the same day, each contest does not count toward the 32 playing dates limitation. (Example: A student plays in a non-varsity game and a varsity game on a Thursday. Participation in both games counts as one date toward the 32 maximum for the individual player.) 1.4) Interrupted Games 1.41) A game called for any reason, where a winner cannot be determined (NFHS Rule 4-3), or any game called at any time for mechanical failure (i.e., artificial lights, water systems, etc.) will be treated as a suspended game. If the game is to be completed, it will be continued from the point of suspension, with the lineup and batting order of each team the same as the lineup and batting order at the moment of suspension, subject to the rules of the game. Pitches thrown during any suspended game count in the normal day to day limitation described in Baseball Sports Regulation 1.7. Such game will be completed unless both coaches agree not to do so. 1.42) A game which has gone five innings and is called while an inning is in progress and before it is completed and the following situation prevails shall be a suspended game: The visiting team has scored one or more runs to tie the score or to take the lead and the home team has not retaken the lead. A suspended game that is not completed at a later date due to the inability to reschedule is considered a “No Contest,” not counted in the won-lost statistics, and both teams are permitted to schedule another contest. 1.43) Games cannot end in a tie. Games are either won, lost or suspended. 1.5) Any suspended OHSAA tournament game shall be continued from the point of suspension at a later time. All OHSAA tournament games shall be played to completion (10 run rule applicable). 1.6) A game ends anytime after five innings when a team is 10 or more runs behind and has completed its term at bat. 1.7) Pitchers in grades 7-12 are limited to pitch count restrictions as stated below: Level Daily Pitch Limit 0 Days of Rest 1 Day of Rest 2 Days of Rest 3 Days of Rest Grades 7-12 125 pitches 1-30 pitches 31-50 pitches 51-75 pitches 76+ pitches SPORTS REGULATIONS 100 BASEBALL 2026-2027 1.71) A pitcher may finish the current batter if the daily pitch limit (125) is reached during that at bat. 1.72) At the end of each contest, coaches will submit pitcher number and pitches thrown in the designated data collection system, if such data collection system is determined by the OHSAA. 1.73) All pitches thrown in a suspended game or a “no contest” game shall count toward the daily pitch limit and the total number of pitches thrown. 1.74) All pitches thrown in a scrimmage or preview shall count toward the daily pitch limit and the total number of pitches thrown. 1.75) All pitches thrown shall count per player and not per arm, should you have an ambidextrous pitcher. 1.76) Each school/team must keep a record of all pitches thrown by each of their players in each game and make this available to the OHSAA upon request. 1.77) Any player pitching during a period in which rest is required is considered to be pitching as an ineligible player. Any victorious contest in which an ineligible player is participating will result in forfeiture of the contest. Note: The daily pitch limit days of rest are based on a full and complete days and not (24) hours. End of the Contest: Both team Head Coaches shall meet at the end of the completed game to verify pitch count records with each other and resolve any discrepancies onsite. Discrepancies: Should there be any pitch count discrepancies discovered during the contest, time shall be called and the two head coaches shall discuss on-site. Should there be a pitch count discrepancy discovered after the contest, the two schools shall discuss. If an agreement cannot be made, the official pitch count shall be the count in the book of the home team. The OHSAA Director may assist with discrepancies and apply penalties as outlines in Bylaw11. 1.8) Previews — A preview may be scheduled and played at any time throughout the regular season. A preview may not exceed four innings for any one player or team and shall be played according to National Federation Baseball Rules. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation 2.1) Reference the Regulation for Non-Interscholastic Participation and Individual Skill Instruction in General Sport Regulation 7 for what is permitted in and outside of a school season and penalties that shall apply if vio - lated, as outlined in Bylaw 11. 2.2) As outlined in the Notes section of General Sport Regulation 7.3.1, please see the following exceptions for the sport of baseball: 2.22) There is no limit on the number of baseball squad members from the same school participating on the same squad during the period beginning with the last day of their school season - July 31. 2.23) A player may continue to play with a non-interscholastic squad in a national qualifying tournament in excess of the six player limitation after July 31 until the squad is eliminated but no later than Labor Day. 2.3) All-Star Games — “All-Star” events are non-interscholastic events by rule. Student-athletes in team sports who wish to participate in one of these “all-star” competitions outside the school baseball season may do so without jeopardy to eligibility provided the students maintain compliance with General Sports Regulations 7. Coaches are permitted to coach in “All-Star” contests if they meet all the provisions of General Sports Regula - tion 7.6. 2.4) Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Dates: A baseball athlete who has not participated for a school baseball team that season must cease non-interscho - lastic baseball competition by April 5, 2027 in order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition pro - vided applicable bylaws and regulations have been followed. The penalty for violating this Regulation may be considered ineligible for the OHSAA postseason tournament and subject to additional penalties, as outlined in Bylaw 11. DATE: April 5, 2027 2.5) Participation in indoor baseball is not a violation of OHSAA non-interscholastic Sports Regulation 7.3 if played indoors from November 1, 2026 -February 1, 2027 , for student-athletes. 3) Instructional Programs See General Sport Regulation 7 for Non-Interscholastic Participation and Individual Skill Instruction . 4) No Contact Period — Coaches See General Sport Regulation 11 for information on the Mandatory No Contact Period . SPORTS REGULATIONS 101 2026-2027 BASEBALL 5) Penalties Violation of any Baseball Regulations or General Sport Regulations are subject to penalties, as outlined in the Baseball Regulations and/or Bylaw 11. 6) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, https://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who par - ticipated in high school baseball within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible for all regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with varsity regular season contest #15. 7) Other Bylaws and Regulations For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations at OHSAA.org . For information on Out of State Travel regulations see Bylaw 9-2 at OHSAA.org . B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — February 22, 2027 2) First game — March 26, 2027 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament — April 26, 2027 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — May 9, 2027 5) Coaching and Season end — June 19, 2027 6) Scrimmage or Previews — Maximum of four scrimmages and/or previews. Note: May be a combination of both, but may not exceed four in total. 7) Regular season games permitted (Team) — Maximum of 27 (on 27 playing dates). Double headers may be played on any day pursuant to school policy. 8) Rules — National Federation Baseball Rules Book 9) Uniform Rules — National Federation Baseball Rules Book 10) Officials: 10.1) Varsity — All must be OHSAA Class 1 umpires. Note: A Class 2 official may be used in emergency situations only with permission from the Executive Direc - tor’s Office. If a Class 2 official is used in a varsity game, the Class 1 shall be the lead Official and determine which official will work the plate. 10.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 required. 10.3) Freshmen — All must be OHSAA Class 1, 2, 3 or an umpire in training. 10.4) Per NFHS Rule 10-1-1, it is recommended that game officials include the umpire-in-chief and one, two or three field umpires. Whenever possible, at least two umpires are required. If only one OHSAA official is present to officiate the contest, the contest may be played if opposing coaches and the umpire mutually agree. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — February 22, 2027 2) Date first game may be played — March 26, 2027 3) Coaching and Season end — June 19, 2027 4) Scrimmages permitted —A maximum of two scrimmages per year. 5) Regular season games permitted — Maximum 17 and 1 postseason/league/conference tournament not to exceed 4 games. 6) Rules — National Federation Baseball. 7) Uniform Rules — National Federation Baseball 8) Officials — All must be OHSAA Class 1, 2, 3 or an umpire in training . SPORTS REGULATIONS 102 BASEBALL 2026-2027 BASEBALL — BOYS STATE TOURNAMENT ROTATION 2029-2033-2037 2030-2034- 2038 2027-2031-2035 2028-2032-2036 VII IV I VI III VI VII II V III IV I II VII VI V IV I II III VI V III VII I II V IV Baseball 2027 2028 2029 Coach — No Contact Period 8/1-8/31 8/1-8/31 8/1-8/31 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 2/22 2/21 2/19 Season Begins 3/26 3/24 3/23 Sectional 5/17-5/22 5/15-5/20 5/14-5/19 District 5/24-5/29 5/22-5/27 5/21-5/26 Regional 6/1-6/3 5/31-6/1 5/29-5/31 State 6/10-6/13 6/8-6/11 6/7-6/10 Season Ends 6/19 6/17 6/16 Easter 3/28 4/16 4/1 BASEBALL CALENDAR Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 103 2026-2027 BASKETBALL 2. BASKETBALL — BOYS AND GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) Mandatory practice may begin: 1.1.1) Girls – October 30, 2026 1.1.2) Boys – November 6, 2026 1.2) Grades 9-12 are allowed 6 scrimmages or preview (See 1.13 for Foundation Games). 1.3) PREVIEW/SCRIMMAGE — A preview may be scheduled and played only starting with the first day after the official start date of coaching and ending with the date of the first regular season game of the teams involved. Previews must be played according to National Federation Basketball Rules and shall meet all definitions in Sports Regulation 23. 1.4) SPECIAL WAIVER — A scrimmage or preview scheduled against a Special Olympics team, or a team of simi - lar designation, may be approved by the OHSAA to be played in addition to the maximum allowable number of scrimmages or previews. A waiver for approval of such contests can be found on the “Basketball” section of the OHSAA website. This waiver must be submitted to, and approved by, the OHSAA Basketball Administrator prior to the contest taking place. 1.5) Any scheduled regular season basketball game which is not started due to unforeseen circumstances such as failure of team to arrive, strikes or school closings is considered “No Contest.” Games not played are not in - cluded in won-lost statistics and cannot be considered “Forfeits.” 1.6) A student athlete in grades 9-12 may play in a maximum of 132 quarters plus OHSAA sponsored tournament. (Penalty — See General Sports Regulation 20.) 1.7) A student-athlete in grades 7-8 may play in a maximum of 96 quarters plus one postseason or league/conference tournament not to exceed four games by one team. (Penalty — See General Sports Regulation 20.) 1.8) 7th and 8th grade students shall not practice with 9th through 12th grade students, and vice versa. Exception: If a member high school sponsors a basketball team but is unable to field a roster of at least ten (10) players (grades 9-12), the school can petition the Executive Director’s office to approve combined practices with the high school and 7/8 grade teams as long as the following criteria are met: a. Both the high school and the 7/8 grade school are OHSAA member schools and; b. Both the high school and the 7/8 grade school are part of the same district/system and; c. Coaches at the high school are permitted to have contact with the 7/8 grade students under an exception to Bylaw 4-9-2 (recruiting) and; d. The request is for an entire 8 th grade team or combined 7/8 grade team to practice with the high school team, and not for individual 7/8 grade students to practice with the high school team. e. The Superintendent of the district/system signs off on the request to the Executive Director’s Office. Any request for combined practices other than for low numbers will not be considered. If approved, the 7/8 grade students SHALL NOT be placed on any high school roster, nor are they permitted to play in any high school contests. The approval shall only be granted for practice purposes. 1.9) A student shall not be permitted to participate in more than six quarters during any one day. Any part of a quar - ter is to be considered as a full quarter. In an overtime game, the extended time shall be considered an extension of the fourth quarter. 1.10) Penalty for participation in more than six (6) quarters per day: • When discovered during a contest, the student shall be disqualified from the game and the game shall continue to completion. The contest will result in a forfeiture by the offending team. All quarters played by the indi - vidual shall count toward the maximum permitted. The OHSAA Basketball administrator shall be notified. • When discovered after a contest is completed, the contest will result in a forfeiture by the offending team. Additionally, all quarters played by the individual shall count toward the maximum permitted for the player in a season. The OHSAA Basketball administrator shall be notified. 1.11) Length of quarters: a. Varsity — 8 minute quarters. b. Freshman, reserve or junior varsity — 6 minutes recommended, maximum of 7 minutes. c. Grades 7 & 8 — 6 minutes maximum. d. Overtime — 8 minute quarters – 4 minute overtime; 6 or 7 minute quarters – 3 minute overtime. 1.12) Member schools electing to participate in the Basketball Service Week Foundation Game are permitted to use SPORTS REGULATIONS 104 BASKETBALL 2026-2027 one of their six allotted scrimmages to play a regulation game under all normal game conditions. Foundation games do not count against a team’s won-lost record and may be played any time between November 9 and the first Sectional tournament contest (Girls) and November 16 and the first Sectional tournament contest (Boys). 1.13) Game Ball: The official game ball adopted by the OHSAA is the Rawlings CompOhioCB (boys) and the Rawlings CompOhio28.5CB (girls) and is required to be used for all regular season and tournament contests in grades 7-12. 1.14) Rule 5, Section 5, Article 3 - Note in the NFHS Rule Book states: A state association, by adoption, may in - stitute a running clock when a specified point differential is reached at a specific time in the game.” Ohio has adopted this rule and is defined as follows: Any time a score differential reaches 35 points during the second half, a running clock will be utilized. After the 35-point differential has been met but the score drops below 30 points, the clock reverts to regular timing. Should a game reach the 35-point differential in the second half, the clock shall only be stopped for an injured player on the court, team timeouts or when there is an unusual delay deemed necessary by the contest officials. 2) Out-of-State Travel A basketball team may travel out of state to compete in contest scrimmages, previews and games in states or provinces in Canada that are contiguous to Ohio regardless of distance to travel. The states include Indi - ana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The province includes Ontario. Additional - ly, a basketball team may travel out of state one time per interscholastic season (Bylaw 9-2-1). Schools must complete the form from the following link when they are participating in a non-contiguous state: https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/Eligibility/forms/NonBorderingStateApproval.pdf Penalty for violation: The school shall be ineligible for the OHSAA postseason tournament in the sport in which the out-of-state travel was involved and could be subject to additional penalties as referenced in Bylaw 11. 3) Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection Policies for Players and Coaches under Sections 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations. 4) Transfer Bylaw Due to the many questions regarding this bylaw and its application to students wishing to play basketball please go to this link http://www.ohsaa.org/Eligibility/Transfer to assist in understanding this bylaw. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to this bylaw are ineligible for all varsity regular season contests and including the OHSAA tournament beginning with varsity regular season game #12. 5) Non-Interscholastic Participation 5.1) Basketball Players Who Have Not Competed for Their School This Season:A sports regulation identified as the Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Date stipulates that a basketball athlete who has not participated for the school team in basketball that season must cease non-interscholastic basketball participation by the first allowable competition date in basketball in order to be eligible for OHSAA Tournament competition provided all other applicable bylaws and regulations have been followed. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in basketball who violates this non-interscholastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in basketball shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in basketball in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. Girls: November 23, 2026 – No non-interscholastic competition permitted on or after this date Boys: November 30, 2026 – No non-interscholastic competition permitted on or after this date 5.2) A member of an interscholastic basketball squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, preview or regu - lar season/tournament game as a substitute or starter) sponsored by the Board of Education shall not participate in a non-interscholastic program (tryouts, practice or contest) as an individual or a member of a team in the sport of basketball during the school’s season (Sports Regulation 7.2). 5.3) A member of an interscholastic basketball squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, preview or reg - ular season/tournament game as a substitute or starter) sponsored by the Board of Education may participate in non-interscholastic basketball prior to and after the school season under the conditions of General Sports Regulation 7.3 and 7.5. 5.4) All-Star Games — “All-Star” events are non-interscholastic events by rule. Student-athletes in team sports who wish to participate in one of these “all-star” competitions outside the school basketball season may do so without jeopardy to eligibility provided the students maintain compliance with General Sports Regulations 7.3 and 7.6 that address Non-School Team Competition. The purpose of this special “All-Star” regulation is to provide an opportunity for the interscholastic team sport coach to coach players from his or her school. Coaches are permitted to coach in “All-Star” contests if they meet all the provisions of General Sports Regulation 7.6. Participation during the no-contact period for coaches is permitted. 6) Instructional Programs See Regulations for Instructional Programs under Section 7 of the General Sports Regulations. SPORTS REGULATIONS 105 2026-2027 BASKETBALL 7) No Contact Period — Coaches See Regulations for No Contact Period — Coaches under Section 11 of the General Sports Regulations. 8) Penalties 8.1) The maximum penalty for violation of Sports Regulation 7.2 (participation with a non-interscholastic basket - ball squad while a member of the school’s interscholastic basketball squad) or any OHSAA regulations for any member of the school squad, EXCEPT a senior, is ineligibility for the remainder of the interscholastic basket - ball season or the ensuing basketball season. For a senior, the maximum penalty shall be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. 8.2) The penalty for a coach for violation of Sports Regulation 7 (non-interscholastic teams) may include suspen - sion, probation, public censure, fine not to exceed $1,000 per occurrence or such other penalty as the Executive Director may deem appropriate. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Tryouts, coaching, instruction may begin — Girls: October 30, 2026 Boys: November 6, 2026 First game — Girls: November 23, 2026 Boys: November 30, 2026 2) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament — Girls: February 1, 2027, DIII-DVII February 8, 2027, DI-DII Boys: February 8, 2027, DIII-DVII February 15, 2027, DI-DII 3) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — Girls: February 7, DIII-DVII at 2 p.m . February 14, DI-DII at 3 p.m. Boys: February 14, DIII-DVII at 2 p.m. February 21, DI-DII at 2 p.m. 4) Coaching and Regular Season end— Girls: March 13, 2027 Boys: March 21, 2027 5) Scrimmage or Previews — Maximum of six scrimmages or previews (any combination) (Note: An approved OHSAA Foundation Game may replace one scrimmage) 6) Regular season games — Maximum of 22 games 7) Rules — National Federation Basketball (NFHS) 8) Officials: 8.1) Varsity — Class 1 Basketball Only. In the event only one OHSAA registered basketball official arrives to offi - ciate the game, the game may be played provided the participating coaches agree 8.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — Class 1 or Class 2 Basketball Only. In the event only one OHSAA registered basket - ball official arrives to officiate the game, the game may be played provided the participating coaches agree 8.3) Freshman — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3 basketball official required. All other offi - cials are required to be OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 or basketball official in training C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Tryouts, coaching and instruction may begin — Girls: October 30, 2026 Boys: November 6, 2026 2) First game — Girls: November 23, 2026 Boys: November 30, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end — Girls: February 22, 2027 Boys: March 1, 2027 4) Scrimmages or Previews — Maximum of three scrimmages or previews (any combination) 5) Regular season games — Maximum of 16 games 6) Postseason games — 1 league/conference tournament or 1 postseason tournament not to exceed 4 game - Maximum of two (2) contests can be played in one calendar day 7) Rules — National Federation Basketball (NFHS) SPORTS REGULATIONS 106 BASKETBALL 2026-2027 Girls Basketball 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 10/30 10/29 Season Begins 11/23 11/22 Tournament Draw DIII-DVII 2/7 2/6 Tournament Draw DI-DII 2/14 2/13 Sectional 2/15-2/20 2/14-2/19 District 2/22-2/27 2/21-2/26 Regional 3/1-3/7 2/28-3/5 State 3/11-3/13 3/9-3/11 Season Ends 3/13 3/11 2028-2031-2034 2029- 2032 - 2035 2027-2030- 2033 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD DI DI DI BASKETBALL — STATE TOURNAMENT ROTATION Boys Basketball 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 11/6 11/5 Season Begins 11/30 11/29 Tournament Draw DIII-DVII 2/14 2/13 Tournament Draw DI-DII 2/21 2/20 Sectional 2/22-2/27 2/21-2/26 District 3/1-3/6 2/28-3/4 Regional 3/8-3/14 3/6-3/12 State 3/18-3/21 3/16-3/19 Season Ends 3/21 3/19 BASKETBALL CALENDAR The chart below reflects DI playing the last game, DII playing the late game on Friday and a rotation of the other five divisions. 8) Basketball — The approved ball shall have a circumference minimum of 28 1/2 inches to a maximum of 29 inches for 7th & 8th grade competition 9) Officials — One OHSAA Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3 basketball official required. All other officials required to be an OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 or basketball official in training Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 107 2026-2027 BOWLING 3. BOWLING — BOYS AND GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) All high school bowling matches shall be played utilizing USBC playing rules which may be modified in ac - cordance with OHSAA Bylaws and Sports Regulations. 1.2) A minimum of two (2) regular games of tenpin regulation scoring followed by a minimum of two (2) Baker games will constitute an official, regular season match. Total combined pins for all games bowled win the match. Regular season matches (excluding tournaments) that bowl more than the minimum number of games as described above require the permission of the participating schools. 1.21) In addition to regular season matches, teams may participate in tournaments that utilize an all-Baker format, provided that a minimum of four (4) teams participate in each respective level/division and no fewer than six (6) Baker games are bowled by each participating team. Boys teams and girls teams may not participate against each other in regular season matches/tournaments without prior permission of the OHSAA Executive Director’s Office. All matches count in the 24 match season limitation. 1.22) Match limitations for each team and individual are 24 matches, plus the OHSAA postseason tournament. a. A match is defined as head-to-head competition or a regular season tournament. b. Regular season tournaments with multiple teams count as one match in field of play competition. For tournaments that only feature head-to-head competition shall count each head-to-head competition as one match. c. If a tournament runs multiple and/or consecutive days, each day shall count as one match. d. Teams and bowlers may not participate in more than one match, or in one game, simultaneously. 1.23) A team/individual that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of matches permitted) or participates in a regular season match(es) prior to the designated start date for matches shall be removed from the OHSAA tournament. a. Participation Limits – Players may be moved between varsity and non-varsity teams at the discretion of the coach. The maximum number of matches in which a bowler may participate during the regular season is 24. Bowling a frame or any part of a frame in any game shall constitute a match. No player may compete on a school varsity and school non-varsity team simultaneously that day during a match. The match in which the student first competes (non-varsity or varsity) must have concluded prior to the student bowling in the next match (non-varsity or varsity). 1.24) Competition is permitted between boys bowling teams and girls bowling teams on a case-by-case basis. This competition is permitted only when the Executive Director’s Office issues a waiver prior to the competition occurring. Such matches shall count toward the 24-match season limitation. Note: Bowling Regulation 3 prohibits students from bowling as a member of a boys team and a girls team during a season. 1.25) Any scheduled regular season match which does not start shall be deemed a no-contest and shall not count in the won-loss record or season limitation. Any match that does start and is interrupted for any reason beyond the control of the responsible parties, if resumed, shall be resumed from the point of interruption. If the match is interrupted and not resumed, and a winner cannot be determined, the match shall not count in the season limitation. 1.26) Tiebreakers a. Team - Ties for team match total pins and the advancement of teams in tournaments and/or the placement of teams on brackets will be broken by a 9th and 10th frame roll-off between one player from each team selected by each respective head coach. This roll-off will be repeated until the tie is broken. For the initial tiebreaker, the winner of a coin toss will select their starting lane and determine who bowls the 9th frame first. Bowlers will rotate lanes for the 10th (and any additional) frame. b. Individual - Ties for advancement/awards in matches that provide for individual advancement/ awards will be broken based on the highest single game bowled in the series being used to determine advancement/awards. Should this also result in a tie, there will be a 9th and 10th frame roll-off until the tie is broken. For the initial tiebreaker, the winner of a coin toss will select their starting lane. Bowlers will rotate lanes for the 10th (and any additional) frame. c. Baker Game - no individual Baker Game shall end in a tie in head-to-head Baker game competition that advances teams on brackets or tournaments. In such situations, the tie will be broken by a 9th and 10th frame roll-off between one player from each team selected by each respective head coach. This roll-off, utilizing the same two players will be repeated until the tie is broken. Each team member will bowl a 9th and 10th frame roll-off on the same lane in which the Baker game was bowled. The team member shall continue to bowl on the same lane until the tie is broken. The winner of a coin toss shall determine who bowls first. SPORTS REGULATIONS 108 BOWLING 2026-2027 1.3) A team will field five (5) players at a time in matches . A minimum of three (3) players must be present to con - stitute a legal lineup. Absent and/or tardy bowlers will receive a score of zero (0) for any missed frames. Missed frames cannot be made up. Any school that fails to field a legal lineup at the time the match commences shall not be permitted to participate in the match. 1.4) . School teams are not permitted to practice against each other. School teams may practice in the same facility at the same time, but member schools may not “combine” teams to practice simultaneously on the same lanes. Such practice would be considered a scrimmage and scrimmages are not permitted in the sport of bowling. Exception: The day prior to a school’s participation in the OHSAA state tournament series it is permissible for individuals/teams to practice on the same lane at the tournament facility. 1.5) Lineups – A coach may change his/her team lineup (order of bowling) prior to the start of any game. Eligible bowlers who arrive late may be added to the lineup. 1.6) Substitutions – A coach may substitute a player “at will” at any time before or during a game. However, once removed from the lineup, the removed player(s) may not re-enter play until the start of the next regular or Baker game. A player once removed is reclassified as a substitute bowler and may be used as a substitute bowler in any spot in the team lineup upon legal return to play (subsequent game). A coach substituting any player for any reason must notify the match scorekeeper and opposing coach at the time of the substitution. The partial game score produced by the removed player and substitute shall not be computed in the individual pin count of either player when determining advancement/awards in respect to matches/tournaments. Conferences may establish their own regulations to determine a student’s bowling average. Total pin count determines a team’s standing in regular season/tournament matches . Penalty: An illegal substitute shall be assessed a score of zero (0) for all frames, or part of a frame, bowled. A substitution has to occur for the score to count or not count. Note: Any frame, or part of a frame bowled, counts in the total number of matches bowled in the season lim - itation of 24 matches. See Bowling Regulation 1.22 a. 1.7) The home school coach or tournament manager shall serve as the official, enforcing all OHSAA regulations and appropriate USBC rules. 1.8) School Representative – No team or individual entry will be permitted to compete in a match unless accompa - nied by a properly certified school coach or a person authorized by the Board of Education or similar governing body. 1.9) Uniforms 1.91) Uniform Tops: a. All participants must wear the same sleeved, bowling shirt which conforms to school/OHSAA regulations. b. Uniform tops shall require the school name on the back of the uniform top. The name of the school must be at least 1 inch in height. c. Uniform tops do not require a number. 1.92) Uniform Bottoms: a. All participants must wear solid black pants/bottoms. b. If a participant is wearing a skirt or shorts, they must be black and be no shorter than the end of the bowler’s index finger when standing. Uniforms may be mixed (e.g., pants, skirts and/or shorts). c. Pants shall be worn at waist level and not sag or touch the floor. d. Cargo, yoga pants, jeggings, leggings, zebra/zubaz, and painter pants (i.e. pants with multiple side pockets down the leg) and warmups are not permitted. 1.93) Headbands, if worn, must be a solid color and bear no markings, other than the school name, or official nickname, or mascot logo. Headbands do not need to be the same color for each team member. It is not necessary for each team member to wear a headband. Hair ribbons are permitted. Hats are not permitted nor are bandanas of any type. 1.94 Bowling center logos are not permitted on any part of the uniform . Manufacturer’s logos (Nike, Adidas, etc.) are permitted on uniforms, not headbands. See General Sports Regulations 20 for additional information on uniforms. 1.95 Conferences and/or leagues may have their own requirements but may not conflict with OHSAA uniform requirements. 1.10) Electronic Devices may be used for coaching and scoring purposes only during an OHSAA match . 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation A member of an interscholastic bowling squad (any student who has played in a regular season/tournament match ) sponsored by the Board of Education or similar governing body shall not participate in a non-interscholastic match SPORTS REGULATIONS 109 2026-2027 BOWLING or event during the school’s bowling season (Sports Regulation 7). Note: Examples of non-interscholastic bowling matches include, but are not limited to, club or intramural bowling, bowling facility championships, tournaments, leagues (adult and/or youth), charitable events and other events that are organized for the purpose of competition or fundraising. Exception: A student, who has participated for the school team this season, may participate in two non-interscho - lastic matches /events as an individual participant provided the participation does not violate any coach’s, school, or school district/system policy. Each match /event shall have a clearly defined start and end date, not to exceed one-week (7 days) for each respective match /event. In addition, for the match /event to be considered a permissible event, all participation must be scheduled on consecutive days. A waiver from the Executive Director’s Office is required prior to a student’s participation in a non-interscholastic match /event once a student has participated for the school team. NO waiver will be granted for participation that occurs on or after January 18, 2027 . Any student who participates in a non-interscholastic match /event on or after the non-interscholastic date indicated below, without receiving an OHSAA approved waiver, shall not be eligible for the OHSAA postseason bowling tournament. In addition to this denial of participation, other penalties may be prescribed. This exception may not be used to grant school ‘teams’ additional matches , nor may it be used to participate in any league. 2.1) The maximum consequence for violation of Bowling Regulation 2, and/or Sports Regulation 7.2.2, participa - tion on a non-interscholastic bowling squad, or in a non-interscholastic bowling event; or any OHSAA regula - tions for any member of the school squad is ineligibility for the remainder of the interscholastic bowling season or the ensuing season. For a senior, the maximum penalty shall be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. Note : For a senior, the maximum penalty shall be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. 2.2) An individual who has not participated as a representative of the school in a bowling match during the current season must cease non-interscholastic competition prior to the non-interscholastic date indicated below to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition in bowling. Once a member of the school team (the student has participated in a school match ), the student is subject to Bowling Regulation 2. In addition to this denial of participation, other penalties may be prescribed. 2.3) No non-interscholastic competition permitted on or after this date. The non-interscholastic date is: Date: January 18, 2027 2.4) Interscholastic bowling coaches may coach athletes from the school where employed outside the interscholas - tic season of the sport. No coach may require participation until the official start of the interscholastic season. 3) Sponsorship 3.1) Per Bylaw 1-6-1, girls may participate on a boys team. Once a girl has joined the boys team, she is not permitted to join the girls team at any time during the remainder of that respective season and would need to finish the year on the boys team. Girls participating on the boys team must count toward that team’s competitive balance roster. 3.2) A school that sponsors girls bowling, with five or more girls participating, shall have a separate girls team in order to enter the OHSAA-sponsored girls team tournament competition. 3.3) A school that does not sponsor girls bowling and has indicated it will not enter the girl’s postseason tournament, but has one or more girls participating, may permit the girls to participate on the boys team. They shall enter the OHSAA-sponsored boys tournament competition. 3.4) A school that sponsors girls bowling and has less than five girls participating may permit the girls to participate as individuals with the boys team during the regular season. The girls are permitted to enter and compete as in - dividuals in the OHSAA-sponsored girls tournament provided the school is registered for the girls tournament, or may enter the OHSAA-sponsored boys tournament. 3.5) No boy may bowl on a girls team. A boys team that has less than five (5) bowlers shall permit members of the boys team to participate in the OHSAA boys tournament as individuals. 3.6) No bowler may bowl on both a boys team and girls team during the same school season. 3.7) No bowler may bowl in both the boys and girls OHSAA tournament. 3.8) A school that sponsors boys and girls bowling and has separate teams shall schedule separate matches, but both may be held at the same time. A school representative must be present during all matches. 4) Penalties Violation of any Bowling Regulations or General Sport Regulations are subject to penalties, as outlined in the Bowling Regulations and/or Bylaw 11. 5) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, http://www.ohsaa.org/ SPORTS REGULATIONS 110 BOWLING 2026-2027 Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school bowling within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible for all regular season match - es, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with varsity regular season match #13. 6) Other Bylaws and Regulations For additional information regarding uniforms, use of foreign substances, altering the ball surface, out of state travel, spectators, and the OHSAA ejection policy, etc. please refer to the OHSAA Bowling Coaches Manual located on the Bowling Page on the OHSAA website. In addition, information regarding the ejection policy for coaches and players can be found in Sections 13 and 14 of the OHSAA General Sports Regulations, which are in the OHSAA Handbook and posted at OHSAA.org. High school bowlers with a verifiable physical disability that prohibits them from delivering a bowling ball by walking and throwing are permitted to use a ramp as the method to deliver the ball. Bumpers that prohibit a ball from rolling into the gutter on a lane are not allowed. The team coach should have in their possession at all matches a document from a licensed medical professional stating that the bowler has a disability that prohibits the bowler from walking and throwing the ball. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — October 30, 2026 2) First match — November 13, 2026 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament — January 18, 2027 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — January 31, 2027 , 2:00 p.m. 5) Season ends — March 6, 2027 6) Scrimmages — None permitted 7) Regular season matches — 24 for team and individual and each interscholastic match counts 8) Rules—United States Bowling Congress (USBC) as modified by OHSAA 9) Officials — No requirements Bowling 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 10/30 10/29 TBA Season Begins 11/13 11/12 TBA Non-Interscholastic Date 1/18 1/17 TBA Sectional – Div II 2/7-2/24# 2/6-2/13# TBA Sectional – Div I 2/14-2/21# 2/13-2/20# TBA District – Div II 2/14-2/21 2/13-2/20 TBA District – Div I 2/21-2/28 2/20-2/27 TBA State – Div II 2/26-2/27 2/25-2/26 TBA State – Div I 3/5-3/6 3/3-3/4 TBA Season Ends 3/6 3/4 TBA #Unless an earlier date is established by a District Athletic Board (no earlier than two days prior to the established date) BOWLING CALENDAR Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 111 2026-2027 CROSS COUNTRY 4. CROSS COUNTRY — BOYS AND GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) Each competitor must practice a minimum of 10 days under supervision of the individual or coach authorized by the Board of Education before competing in a contest (high school and middle school). 1.2) No Contest: Any race not competed due to weather or darkness shall be scored as a no contest. 1.3) Exhibition or scratch competition is prohibited. All contestants must be eligible to score in all races; this includes events held after the contest official leaves the venue and “open races”; team scores must be given. Member schools who host exhibition competition may be subject to a $100 fine per instance/event. Member schools who participate in an exhibition event may be subject to a $50 fine per instance/event. Additional pen - alties in accordance with Bylaw 11 are applicable. 1.4) In addition to the regulations outlined in this document, NFHS/OHSAA approved modification to contest/ playing regulations can be found in the coaches and officials manuals. 1.5) A school squad may be divided so that the school is represented at two or more different contests on the same day. a. There is no distinction between 9th grade, Junior Varsity or Varsity competition. b. Each student participant is limited to participation in a maximum of one contest per day. c. Each individual may only participate in 16 contests. 1.6) DISTANCE a. Grades 9-12 — 5,000 meters b. Grades 7 & 8 — 3,200 meters maximum. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation 2.1) A member of an interscholastic cross country squad (any student who has participated in a regular season/tour - nament contest sponsored by the Board of Education) shall not participate in a non-interscholastic contest as an individual or a member of a team in the sport of cross country during the school’s season (Sports Regulation 7.2.2). 2.2) Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Dates: A cross country athlete who has not participated for the school in cross country that season must cease non-in - terscholastic cross country competition four weeks (28 days) prior to the Monday of the week of the State Tournament in cross country in order to be eligible for OHSAA Tournament competition. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in cross country who violates this non-interscho - lastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in cross country shall be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in cross country in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. 2.3) Road racing is interpreted as a different sport than cross country. If the majority of the race is run on a road, participation is not a violation of the non-interscholastic competition bylaw Schools may not conduct a road race on their school’s cross country course. 2.4) The maximum penalty for violation of Sports Regulation 7.2.2 (participation with a non-interscholastic cross country squad or in non-interscholastic competition while a member of the school’s interscholastic cross coun - try squad) or any OHSAA regulations for any member of the school squad, EXCEPT a senior, may be ineligi - bility for the remainder of the interscholastic cross country season or the ensuing cross country season. For a senior, the maximum penalty may be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. 3) Sponsorship 3.1) A school that sponsors girls cross country, with five or more girls participating, shall have a separate girls team in order to enter the OHSAA-sponsored girls tournament competition. 3.2) A school that sponsors girls cross country and has less than five girls participating may permit the girls to participate as individuals with the boys team during the regular season, and the girls will be permitted to enter and compete as individuals in the OHSAA-sponsored girls tournament provided the school is registered for the girls tournament. 3.3) A school that sponsors boys and girls cross country and has separate teams shall schedule separate contests, but both may be held at the same time. 3.4) A school that does not sponsor girls cross country but has five or more girls participating, may permit the girls to participate on the boys team, but they must enter the OHSAA-sponsored boys tournament competition. 4) Penalties Penalties for violation of sport regulations may include those listed in these regulations as well as those listed in Bylaw 11 SPORTS REGULATIONS 112 CROSS COUNTRY 2026-2027 5) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, https://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer . Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school cross country within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible for all regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with varsity regular season contest #9. 6) Other Bylaws and Regulations 6.1) Ejection for Unsporting Conduct For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct See Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations here OHSAA.org. 6.2) Out-of-State Travel For information on Out of State Travel regulations see Bylaw 9-2 at OHSAA.org. 6.3) Please find the Cross Country Manual at OHSAA.org on the Cross Country Page for additional NFHS rules governing Cross Country. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Tryouts, coaching and instruction may begin — August 1, 2026 2) First contest — August 24, 2026 Exception: Those schools participating in the OHSAA Invitational August 21-22, 2026 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament — September 28, 2026 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — October 11, 2026 5) Coaching and Season end — First Saturday in November — November 7, 2026 6) Scrimmages — None permitted. 7) Regular season contests — Maximum of 16 per individual. 8) Rules — National Federation Cross Country. 9) Officials: 9.1) Varsity — Minimum of one OHSAA Registered Class 1 official who shall be the contest referee required. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Tryouts, coaching and instruction may begin — August 1, 2026 2) First contest — August 24, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end — November 7, 2026 4) Scrimmages — None permitted. 5) Regular Season contests — Maximum of 12 for individual plus one league championship meet and the 7th and 8th Grade OHSAA Cross Country State Championship — October 25, 2026 6) Rules — National Federation Cross Country. 7) Officials — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 or 3 official required who shall be the referee or the referee/ starter, in dual, triangular or quadrangular meets. It is recommended that the referee shall not be a coach of a competing team. The referee in meets involving five or more schools must be an OHSAA Class 1 official. SPORTS REGULATIONS 113 2026-2027 CROSS COUNTRY REGIONAL AND STATE TOURNAMENTS — ORDER OF COMPETITION 2026: 1,2, 3, and 4 | 2027: 4, 3, 2 and 1 | 2028: 1,2,3 and 4 CROSS COUNTRY CALENDAR Cross Country 2026 2027 2028 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 8/1 8/1 8/1 Season Begins 8/24 8/23 8/21 Non-Interscholastic Date 10/5 10/4 10/2 District 10/24 10/23 10/21 Regional 10/31 10/30 10/28 State 11/7 11/6 11/4 Season Ends 11/7 11/6 11/4 Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 114 FIELD HOCKEY 2026-2027 5. FIELD HOCKEY — GIRLS A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) A player shall be permitted to play in a maximum of two games per day up to a maximum of six quarters per common opponent. The maximum number of contests shall be 18 with a maximum total of 108 quarters for the season. The penalty for exceeding the participation limitation during a game is forfeiture of the game in which the ineligible player is participating. When discovered, the ineligible player is removed from the game, and the game may continue to completion with one less player on the field; however, the result of the contest shall be a forfeiture by the offending team. 1.2) Any regular season game in field hockey which is not started due to unforeseen circumstances, such as failure of team to arrive, strikes, school closings, is considered a “No Contest.” Games not played are not included in won-lost statistics. 1.3) Any tournament game interrupted due to events beyond the control of the responsible administrative authority shall be continued from the point of interruption. 1.4) Varsity high school regular season games that are tied at the end of regulation shall play one 10-minute sudden victory overtime. Please refer to the regulations found at ohsaa.org for a detailed description of this overtime procedure. If the game is tied at the end of the SV 10-minute overtime, the game shall be recorded as a tie. 1.5) Non-varsity high school regular season tournament competition only may play Sudden Victory Penalty Strokes to break the tie. The winner of the coin toss, which shall be called by the visiting team, may choose to stroke or to defend the goal first. 1.6) The game clock shall run continuously during the second half of any regular season or OHSAA tournament game once the goal differential of five has been reached in the second half. If that goal differential becomes less than five, the game clock shall operate as per NFHS rules. 1.7) A team/individual that exceeds the regular season participation limitation (maximum number of contests per - mitted) or participates in regular season contest(s) prior to the designated start date for contests may be re - moved from the OHSAA tournament and additional penalties may apply. 2) Non-Interscholastic Participation Reference the Regulations for Non-Interscholastic Participation in General Sport Regulation 7 for what is permitted in and outside of a school season and penalties that shall apply if violated, as outlined in Bylaw 11 2.1) A field hockey athlete who has not participated for the school in field hockey that season must cease non-inter - scholastic field hockey competition by Monday September 7, 2026 order to be eligible for OHSAA tournament competition provided applicable Bylaws and Regulations have been followed. In addition, an athlete who has participated for the school in field hockey who violates this non-interscholastic competition date by participating in a non-interscholastic contest in field hockey may be ineligible for OHSAA tournament competition in field hockey in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed. 2.2) A player may continue to play with a non-interscholastic squad in a national qualifying tournament in excess of the five-player limitation after July 31 until the squad is eliminated but no later than the established Non-In - terscholastic Date (see Field Hockey Regulation 2.5). 2.3) Non-Interscholastic Waiver: A student-athlete may use a two-time waiver per season to attend an individually scheduled official college visit after the student-athlete has participated in an interscholastic scrimmage or contest. The waiver permits a student-athlete to participate with the college team in an individual workout or practice. The waiver may be used for any collegiate events that take place from the start of the season through the conclusion of the scholastic season. The waiver form may be accessed on the OHSAA website and returned to the appropriate sport administrator. 2.4) Participation in indoor field hockey, under the rules of the International Rules for Indoor Field Hockey, is not a violation of OHSAA non-interscholastic team Sports Regulation 7.2 for student-athletes. 2.5) All-Star Games — All-Star events are non-interscholastic events by rule. Student-athletes in team sports who wish to participate in one of these “all-star” competitions outside the school field hockey season may do so without jeopardy to eligibility provided the students maintain compliance with General Sports Regulation 7.6. 2.6) Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Dates: A field hockey athlete who has not participated for a school team in field hockey that season must cease non-in - terscholastic field hockey competition by September 7, 2026 in field hockey in order to be eligible for OHSAA Tournament competition provided applicable Bylaws and Regulations have been followed. Date: September 7, 2026 SPORTS REGULATIONS 115 2026-2027 FIELD HOCKEY 3) Individual Skill/Coaching Instruction In accordance with General Sport Regulation 7.10.2, field hockey is permitted 13 contact coaching days beginning May 11 – July 31. In addition to those 13 days, field hockey coaches are permitted 5 additional contact days in - tended to be used from July 15 – July 31. Therefore, field hockey coaches are permitted a total of 18 contact days between May 11 – July 31. These contact days are not mandatory. 4) Instructional Programs See General Sport Regulation 7 for Non-Interscholastic Participation and Individual Skill Instruction . 5) No Contact Period — Coaches See General Sport Regulation 11 for information on the Mandatory No Contact Period. 6) Penalties Violation of any Field Hockey Regulations or General Sport Regulations are subject to penalties, as outlined in the Field Hockey Regulations and/or Bylaw 11. 7) Other Bylaws and Regulations For information on Ejection for Unsporting Conduct, see Ejection Policies for Coaches and Players under Section 13 and 14 of the General Sports Regulations at OHSAA.org . For information on Out of State Travel regulations, see Bylaw 9-2 at OHSAA.org . 8) Transfer Bylaw While all questions regarding the transfer bylaw should be addressed to the appropriate school administrator, in - formation regarding the transfer bylaw can be found on the OHSAA website at this link, http://www.ohsaa.org/ Eligibility/Transfer. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to the transfer bylaw, and who participated in high school field hockey within 12 months of the transfer date, are ineligible for all varsity regular season contests, scrimmages, and the OHSAA postseason tournament beginning with regular season contest #10. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — August 1, 2026 2) First game — August 17, 2026 3) Deadline date for OHSAA Tournament — September 28, 2026 4) Tournament draw/seeding meeting — October 11, 2026 , at 2:00 p.m 5) Coaching and Season end — November 7, 2026 6) Scrimmages and Previews — Maximum of five scrimmages 7) Regular season games — 18 8) Rules — National Federation Field Hockey Rules Book 9) Officials — Varsity only — Two field hockey officials required. In the event that only one official is available to officiate, the game may be played provided the participating coaches agree. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching, tryouts and instruction may begin — August 1, 2026 2) First game — August 17, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end — November 7, 2026 4) Scrimmages — One permitted 5) Regular Season games — 14 6) Rules — National Federation Field Hockey Rules Book 7) Officials — Minimum of one OHSAA Class 1 Field Hockey Official recommended SPORTS REGULATIONS 116 FIELD HOCKEY 2026-2027 Field Hockey 2026 2027 2028 Coaching and Tryouts Begin 8/1 8/1 8/1 Season Begins 8/ 17 8/ 16 8/14 Regionals 10/19-10/31 10/18-10/30 10/16-10/28 State 11/5-11/7 11/4-11/6 11/2-11/4 Season Ends 11/7 11/6 11/4 Thanksgiving 11/26 11/25 11/23 Coach — No Contact Period Starts the first day after the last interscholastic contest and ends 28 days later. FIELD HOCKEY CALENDAR Any changes to future sports dates after publication will be included here SPORTS REGULATIONS 117 2026-2027 GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL 6. GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) Practice And Coaching 1.11) In accordance with General Sport Regulation 7.5.1, girls flag football coaches are permitted 13 contact days beginning May 11, 2027 – July 31, 2027. These contact days may not be mandatory. 1.12) Mandatory Practice may begin February 15, 2027, for all schools. 1.13) Any practice or workout including two or more school teams or partial teams is a scrimmage. 1.14) Conduct of Practice Sessions. Know both the temperature and humidity . 1.14.1) Please reference Sports Medicine Regulation 3, Heat Acclimatization and Exertional Heat Ill - ness Prevention for more, including the full wet bulb temperature chart. WBGT Recommendation <79.7ºF Normal activities Three separate 3 minute breaks per hour 79.8-84.6ºF Three separate 4 minute breaks per hour Helmets and other equipment should be removed when the athlete is not directly involved with the competition, drill or practice and it is not otherwise required 84.7-87.6ºF Maximum practice time of 2 hours Four separate 4 minute breaks per hour FB: Limit to helmet, shoulder pads, and shorts during practice Considering postponing practice to later in the day Allow athletes to change to dry shirts and shorts at defined intervals 87.8-89.7ºF Maximum of 1 hour of training with four separate 5 minute breaks in that hour No additional conditioning allowed FB/LAX: No helmets, shoulder pads, or other equipment is permitted Consider postponing practice to later in the day Allow athletes to change to dry shirts and shorts at defined intervals > 89.8ºF No outdoor workouts No indoor workouts unless air conditioned This is a wet bulb chart, not Fahrenheit chart. Reference Sports Medicine Regulation 3 for the full wet bulb temperature chart, heat acclimatiza - tion and exertional heat illness prevention guidelines 1.2) Scrimmages 1.21) Any practice or workout including two or more teams or partial teams is a scrimmage. 1.22) Grades 9-12 – Scrimmages may be held after one day of full mandatory practice. 1.23) Grades 9-12 may participate in a maximum of four scrimmages not to exceed three hours in length. The three-hour time limit begins when the scrimmage begins. High school teams may use a game format in one or both of their scrimmages and they may charge admission . 1.24) Grades 7 and 8 may participate in two scrimmages after one day of full mandatory practice. A scrimmage is limited to a maximum of two hours with the time being counted continuously once the scrimmage be - gins. 1.3) Halves And Game Limitations 1.31) 9th-12th grade student is limited to playing: a) A maximum of 30 halves per season (excluding OHSAA tournaments). 1.32) 7th & 8th grade student is limited to playing: a) A maximum of 20 halves per season. 1.4) Length Of Periods 1.41) Grades 7 & 8 — Maximum length of each half is twenty minutes. SPORTS REGULATIONS 118 GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL 2026-2027 1.42) Grades 9-12 – Maximum length for each half is twenty minutes. 1.5) Playing Rules 1.51) Playing rules will be based on the NFHS Flag Football rule book with modifications. A completed document for playing rules will be available late 2026. 1.52) Game Ball: The Wilson Youth Ball is recommended. 2) Out-of-State Travel A football team may travel out of state to compete in contests (scrimmages, previews and games) in states that are contiguous to Ohio regardless of distance to travel. The states include Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Canadian province includes Ontario. Additionally, a football team may travel to a non-con - tiguous state or province one time per interscholastic season. (Bylaw 9-2-1). Schools must complete the form from the following link when they are participating in a non-contiguous state: https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/ files/Eligibility/forms/NonBorderingStateApproval.pdf. A football team may not travel out of state to practice (See Bylaw 9-2-2 for exceptions). 3) Ejection for Unsporting Conduct Any student or coach ejected or disqualified for unsporting conduct or a flagrant foul shall be ineligible for all foot - ball contests for the remainder of that day. In addition, he/she shall be ineligible for all football games at all levels until one regular season/tournament contest is played at the same level as the ejection or disqualification. (General Sports Regulations Sections 14). Exception 1: A player disqualified for fighting shall be ineligible for all football contests for the remainder of that day. In addition, he/she shall be ineligible for all football games at all levels until TWO regular season/tournament contest is played at the same level as the ejection or disqualification. The disqualification for these fouls ma be reduced by the OHSAA Football Administrator or his/her designee. Video of these fouls shall be emailed to the OHSAA Football Administrator or his/her designee within 48 hours of the contest. 4) Transfer Bylaw Due to the many questions regarding this bylaw and its application to students desiring to play football, please go to the OHSAA website ( OHSAA.org ), click on the “Eligibility” link, then click on the “Transfer Bylaw Resource Center” to assist in the understanding of this bylaw. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to this bylaw are ineligible for all contests after game 5 of the regular season including postseason contests. 5) Noise A. Bands shall not play music at football games while the ball is in play, or while signals are being called by the quarterback. This means that it is not permissible to use either: 1. Drum roll or beat 2. Cymbals clashing 3. Horn sounds, or 4. Any other kind of musical instrument while the play is underway in football. 5. Roving bands shall be allowed to participate at the discretion of the host Athletic Director. However, such bands shall not perform while the ball is in play or while signals are being called by the quarterback. B. Amplified noise shall not be played while the ball is in play, or while signals are being called by the quarterback. This includes, but is not limited to: 1. Any noise over the public-address system. 2. Any “powered” noise such as a cannon or whistle. Note: Game Administration shall be notified if these violations occur and they shall correct the situation. Game officials are not authorized to give a penalty for these violations. 6) Non-Interscholastic Participation 6.1) Team Sports - A member of a school program or team in the team sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, girls flag football, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball may participate with a n inter - scholastic program or team in contests, tryouts, training and/or practices prior to and after the interscholastic team’s season under the following condition: The number of team members on the non-interscholastic team who are enrolled at the same school and/or par - ticipated in that sport at that same school in the preceding season, or team members on the non-inter- scholastic team who participated in that sport at another school in the preceding season and transferred or matriculated to the same school, is limited to the number of team members outlines below. Rotating players from the same team is not permitted within the player limitation. SPORTS REGULATIONS 119 2026-2027 GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL Note : Students who did NOT play for an interscholastic team the previous year do not count in the team lim - itation of that sport. The team limit for girls flag football is 4. OTHER PLAYERS FROM THE SAME SCHOOL MAY NOT BE ROTATED ONTO A TEAM. 6.2) Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Dates: 6.21) A girls flag football athlete who has not participated for the school team in girls flag football that season must cease non-interscholastic football prior to the season start date of March 5 in order to be eligible for OHSAA Tournament competition provided applicable Bylaws and Regulations have been followed. 6.22) Girls flag football players may be used for out-of-season demonstrations only if approved in advance by the Football Administrator. 6.3) Coaching And Coaches 6.31 All interscholastic girls flag football coaches, whether paid or volunteer, must be approved by the Board of Education. 6.32 See General Sports Regulation 7.9 for regulations permitting school coaches to provide individual skill instruction from August 1 through May 31. 6.33 See General Sports Regulation 7.6 for regulations permitting school coaches to coach their own student- athletes on non-school teams outside the school team’s season. 7) Coaches — No Contact Period See Regulations for No Contact Period – Coaches under Section 11 of the General Sports Regulations. 8) Penalties 8.1) The maximum penalty for violation of Sports Regulation 7.4 (participation with a non-interscholastic football squad) or any OHSAA regulations for any member of the school squad, EXCEPT a senior, is ineligibility for the remainder of the interscholastic football season and/or the ensuing football season. For a senior, the maxi - mum penalty shall be ineligibility for the remainder of the school year. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching and tryouts may begin — February 15 for all schools 2) First game — March 5, 2027 3) Tournament entry/withdrawal deadline - W/O penalty – 4/15; With penalty – 4/22 4) Coaching and Season end – Conclusion of last regular season or tournament game. 5) Scrimmages – Two scrimmages are permitted. Schools may use a game format in scrimmages and charge admission 6) Regular season games —12 Note: Schools may play a regular season game after the tournament has started if they have not reached 12 regular season contests. 7) Rules — National Federation Flag Football 8) Officials: 8.1) Varsity — OHSAA girls flag football only. Minimum crew of at least three (3). Note: The maximum number is four (4) officials. 8.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity/Freshman/Middle School — Minimum of 2, recommended 3 girls flag football only C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching and tryouts may begin — February 15 for all schools 2) First game — March 5, 2027 3) Coaching and Season end – May 1, 2027 or at the conclusion of last contest, whichever occurs earliest 4) Scrimmages – Two after 1 day of practice 5) Regular season games —Maximum of 10. 6) Rules — National Federation Flag Football with modifications SPORTS REGULATIONS 120 2026-2027 FOOTBALL 7. FOOTBALL A. GENERAL REGULATIONS 1) Interscholastic Participation 1.1) Practice And Coaching 1.11) In accordance with General Sport Regulation 7.5.1, football coaches are permitted 13 contact days begin - ning May 11, 2026 – July 31, 2026 . In addition to these 13 days, football coaches are permitted 5 addition - al contact days intended to be used between July 15, 2026-July 31, 2026 , to complete the acclimatization process. Therefore, football coaches are permitted a total of 18 contact days between May 11, 2026 – July 31, 2026 . These contact days may not be mandatory. 1.12) Mandatory Practice may begin August 1 for all schools. 1.13) All schools must respect a five-day acclimatization period. All 5 days of acclimatization may be com - pleted from July 15-July 31. These days are separate from the 13 contact days in General Sports Regulation 7.5.1. Attendance on these days MAY NOT BE MANDATORY. Athletes that complete acclimation in July may participate in full contact on August 1. All athletes joining the team for the first time at any point during the season after the first day of mandatory practice must participate in a five-day acclimatization period prior to any contact drills. There must be an adequate recovery period between practice sessions. 1.14) During practices within the acclimatization period, players may wear helmets only on the first two days. On days three and four, helmets and shoulder pads are allowed. From day five onward, full pads are al - lowed. Full contact is NOT permitted until the acclimatization period is completed. During these acclima - tion days, athletes may engage in conditioning, speed, strength, agility drills and may use “dummies” for drills and walk-through practices. 1.15) Any practice or workout including two or more school teams or partial teams is a scrimmage. 1.16) Conduct of Practice Sessions. Know both the temperature and humidity . 1.16.1) Please reference Sports Medicine Regulation 3 Heat Acclimatization and Exertional Heat Illness Prevention for more, including the full wet bulb temperature chart. WBGT Recommendation <79.7ºF Normal activities Three separate 3 minute breaks per hour 79.8-84.6ºF Three separate 4 minute breaks per hour Helmets and other equipment should be removed when the athlete is not directly involved with the competition, drill or practice and it is not otherwise required 84.7-87.6ºF Maximum practice time of 2 hours Four separate 4 minute breaks per hour FB: Limit to helmet, shoulder pads, and shorts during practice Considering postponing practice to later in the day Allow athletes to change to dry shirts and shorts at defined intervals 87.8-89.7ºF Maximum of 1 hour of training with four separate 5 minute breaks in that hour No additional conditioning allowed FB/LAX: No helmets, shoulder pads, or other equipment is permitted Consider postponing practice to later in the day Allow athletes to change to dry shirts and shorts at defined intervals > 89.8ºF No outdoor workouts No indoor workouts unless air conditioned This is a wet bulb chart, not Fahrenheit chart. Reference Sports Medicine Regulation 3 for the full wet bulb temperature chart, heat acclimatization and exertional heat illness prevention guidelines 1.17) Preseason Practices: When more than one practice takes place in a day, full contact is permitted only during one of the practice sessions. With the importance of recovery time to help minimize concussion risks, con - sideration should also be given to the timing of full contact during the next day (i.e. if full contact occurs during session 2 of two-a-days, there should not be full contact in session 1 of two-a-days the following day). SPORTS REGULATIONS 121 FOOTBALL 2026-2027 Note: On a day consisting of two practices, it is strongly recommended the two practices be separated by at least three (3) hours of continuous rest in a cool environment. 1.17.1) Contact Definitions 1. Unrestricted Activities A. Air – (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Players run a drill unopposed without contact. B. Bags – (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run against a bag or other soft contact surface. C. Control – (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run at assigned speed until the moment of contact; one player is pre-determined the “winner” by the coach. Contact remains above the waist and players stay on their feet. 2. Restricted Contact A. Thud – (Non coach pre-determined outcome) - Drill is run at assigned speed until the moment of contact; no pre-determined “winner”. Contact remains above the waist and players stay on their feet and a quick whistle ends the drill. B. Live Action - (Non coach pre-determined outcome) – Games, scrimmages and drills run in game- like conditions. These are the only times that players are taken to the ground. 1.18) In Season Practice 1.18.1) Consider limiting full contact on consecutive days. 1.18.2) A student-athlete is limited to 30 minutes of full contact in practice per day. 1.18.3) A student-athlete is limited to 60 minutes of full contact in practice per week. 1.18.4) A student-athlete can be involved in full contact in a maximum of two practices in a seven-day span. 1.2) Scrimmages 1.21) Any practice or workout including two or more teams or partial teams is a scrimmage. 1.22) Grades 9-12 – Scrimmages may be held after one day of full contact practice and prior to the first game. 1.23) Grades 9-12 may participate in a maximum of two scrimmages not to exceed three hours in length. The three-hour time limit begins when the scrimmage begins. High school teams may use a game format in one or both of their scrimmages and they may charge admission . 1.24) Grades 7 and 8 may participate in two scrimmages after 3 days of full contact practice. A scrimmage is limited to a maximum of two hours with the time being counted continuously once the scrimmage begins. 1.3) Quarters And Game Limitations 1.31) 9th-12th grade student is limited to playing: a) A maximum of four quarters in one day. b) A maximum of 50 quarters per season (excluding OHSAA tournaments). 1.32) 7th & 8th grade student is limited to playing: a) A maximum of four quarters in one day. b) A maximum of 32 quarters per season 1.33) Any player who participates in two or more consecutive downs in one quarter shall be charged with one quarter of play. A down in which the offensive team is in a scrimmage kick formation or a free kick occurs does not count in the quarter limitation. A down repeated due to penalty does not count. Note: This is not the formula for Competitive Balance rostering. 1.4) Length Of Periods /Special Rule Modifications 1.41) Grades 7 & 8 — Maximum length of each quarter is eight minutes. 1.42) Grades 9-12 – Maximum length for each quarter for 9th, JV and Reserve is 9 minutes. Varsity – Maximum length of each quarter is 12 minutes. 1.43) Overtime Procedure: Regular season varsity high school games which are tied at the end of regulation time shall be continued until there is a winner (no ties) by using the 20-yard line overtime procedure. Overtime is not permitted below the varsity level. Note: Use the OHSAA overtime procedure that is posted on the OHSAA website on the football page. Do NOT use the overtime procedure listed in the NFHS Rules Book. 1.44) Point Differential/Running Clock: After the first half of regular season 7th-8th grade, sub-varsity and varsity contests, any time the score differential reaches 30 points or more, a running clock shall be SPORTS REGULATIONS 122 2026-2027 FOOTBALL used. After the 30-point differential has been met but the score drops below 30 points, the clock reverts to regular timing. The Running Clock procedure may be used at any time during the game when both coaches agree. Running clock procedures, which include when the clock will still be stopped, are published on the OHSAA website on the football page. Note: The use of this rule does not preclude the use of NFHS Rule 3-1-3, which reads: “A period or periods may be shortened in any emergency by agreement of the opposing coaches and referee. By mutual agreement of the opposing coaches and the referee, any remaining periods may be shortened at any time or the game terminated.” 1.45) Kickoff Modification below Varsity Level: There will be no Free Kicks (Kickoffs) for 7th and 8th grade or Freshman contests. JV contests may include Free Kicks IF both coaches agree (by informing the Referee) prior to the contest. There shall be no Free Kicks if one coach does not agree. Teams may begin the game with kickoffs and discontinue at any time during the contest by agreement of the coaches. 1.46) Kickoff modification rule Experiment for all levels Violations of 6-1-3a,b or 6-1-4 (encroachment on a free kick, or a formation violation by K on a free kick) would be treated as a live ball foul, as opposed to the current dead ball foul. Pop up kick violations (rule 6-1-11) would remain a dead ball foul. This change would enhance player safety by eliminating the need for re-kicks in many scenarios. Assuming R has possession of the ball at the end of the play, R would have the option of having the foul enforced at the succeeding spot per 10-4-2 EXC., or previous spot enforcement. 1.5) No Contest/Forfeit Teams are expected to play all games not begun on the earliest potential makeup date. If a game is not played on the scheduled date and the schools are unable to agree to a mutually convenient makeup date, the Exec - utive Director’s office will determine whether the date is treated as a “no-contest” or forfeiture, taking into consideration the reason for cancelling the scheduled contest and the rationale used by the schools in their efforts to re-schedule the contest. 1.6) Eight-Player Football High school and 7th-8th grade teams may participate in a modified version of 11-player football by utilizing eight players. 1.61) High schools with enrollments of 160 males or less (obtained from October 2018 enrollments plus Competitive Balance factors) may choose to participate in eight-player football. 1.62) Schools that choose to play the eight-player format shall not have both an 11-player team and an eight- player team. 1.63) Schools (Varsity Teams) that choose to play the eight-player format are not eligible to qualify for and participate in the OHSAA 11-player football tournament. 1.64) Schools (Varsity teams) that choose to play the 11-player format may participate in an “exhibition” 8-player format contest with permission from the OHSAA Executive Director’s office. The contests utilizing the 8-player format shall count as open dates for those schools desiring to qualify for the OHSAA’s 11-player tournament. 1.65) Middle schools and sub-varsity teams have the flexibility for their one team to participate in 11-player or 8-player formats. 1.66) Schools playing eight-player football must follow all other OHSAA bylaws, general sports regulations and football regulations unless noted elsewhere. 1.7) Grades 7 & 8 – Special Information 1.71) Game Ball — (Wilson Game Ball Recommended) The football used in games involving players in the 7th or 8th grade shall be the youth football. 1.72) Modification In games involving only players below ninth grade, teams will not free kick. In place of a free kick, the receiving team will put the ball in play by a snap. The snap shall be made from the yard line 25 yards beyond the kicking team’s free kick line. This modification does NOT apply to scrimmage kicks (punts or placement). 2) Out-of-State Travel A football team may travel out of state to compete in contests (scrimmages, previews and games) in states that are contiguous to Ohio regardless of distance to travel. The states include Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Canadian province includes Ontario. Additionally, a football team may travel to a non-con - SPORTS REGULATIONS 123 FOOTBALL 2026-2027 tiguous state or province one time per interscholastic season. (Bylaw 9-2-1). Schools must complete the form from the following link when they are participating in a non-contiguous state: https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/ files/Eligibility/forms/NonBorderingStateApproval.pdf. A football team may not travel out of state to practice (See Bylaw 9-2-2 for exceptions). 3) Ejection for Unsporting Conduct Any student or coach ejected or disqualified for unsporting conduct or a flagrant foul shall be ineligible for all foot - ball contests for the remainder of that day. In addition, he/she shall be ineligible for all football games at all levels until one regular season/tournament contest is played at the same level as the ejection or disqualification. (General Sports Regulations Sections 14). Exception 1: A player disqualified for flagrant personal fouls other than fouls in Rule 9, Section 4 Articles 1, 2 and 3-j, shall be ineligible for all contests for the remainder of that day. The disqualification for these fouls may be extended through the next scheduled game at the same level of the disqualification by the OHSAA Football Admin - istrator or his/her designee. Video of these fouls shall be emailed to the OHSAA Football Administrator or his/her designee within 48 hours of the contest. Exception 2: A player disqualified for fighting shall be ineligible for all football contests for the remainder of that day. In addition, he/she shall be ineligible for all football games at all levels until TWO regular season/tournament contest is played at the same level as the ejection or disqualification. The disqualification for these fouls ma be reduced by the OHSAA Football Administrator or his/her designee. Video of these fouls shall be emailed to the OHSAA Football Administrator or his/her designee within 48 hours of the contest. 4) Transfer Bylaw Due to the many questions regarding this bylaw and its application to students desiring to play football, please go to the OHSAA website ( OHSAA.org ), click on the “Eligibility” link, then click on the “Transfer Bylaw Resource Center” to assist in the understanding of this bylaw. Note that students who transfer and do not meet an exception to this bylaw are ineligible for all contests after game 5 of the regular season including postseason contests. 5) Noise A. Bands shall not play music at football games while the ball is in play, or while signals are being called by the quarterback. This means that it is not permissible to use either: 1. Drum roll or beat 2. Cymbals clashing 3. Horn sounds, or 4. Any other kind of musical instrument while the play is underway in football. 5. Roving bands shall be allowed to participate at the discretion of the host Athletic Director. However, such bands shall not perform while the ball is in play or while signals are being called by the quarterback. B. Amplified noise shall not be played while the ball is in play, or while signals are being called by the quarterback. This includes, but is not limited to: 1. Any noise over the public-address system. 2. Any “powered” noise such as a cannon or whistle. Note: Game Administration shall be notified if these violations occur and they shall correct the situation. Game officials are not authorized to give a penalty for these violations. 6) Non-Interscholastic Participation 6.1) A member of an interscholastic football team may participate with a non-interscholastic program or team in contests, tryouts, training and/or practices prior to and after the interscholastic team’s season under the follow - ing condition: The number of team members on the non-interscholastic team who are enrolled at the same school and/or par - ticipated in that sport at that same school in the preceding season, or team members on the non-inter- scholastic team who participated in that sport at another school in the preceding season and transferred or matriculated to the same school, is limited to the number of team members outlines below. Rotating players from the same team is not permitted within the player limitation. Note : Students who did NOT play for an interscholastic team the previous year do not count in the team lim - itation of that sport. The team limit for football is 7. Note: All activities must be non-contact and the only football equipment the player may wear are helmets and cleats. SPORTS REGULATIONS 124 2026-2027 FOOTBALL No full contact is allowed. Any contact must be within number 1, A, B or C below in the contact definitions from the Football Regulation1.17.1 below. Contact Definitions 1. Unrestricted Activities A. Air – (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Players run a drill unopposed without contact. B. Bags – (Co ach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run against a bag or other soft contact surface. C. Control – (Coach pre-determined outcome) – Drill is run at assigned speed until the moment of contact; one player is pre-determined the “winner” by the coach. Contact remains above the waist and players stay on their feet. 2. Restricted Contact A. Thud – (Non coach pre-determined outcome) - Drill is run at assigned speed until the moment of contact; no pre-determined “winner”. Contact remains above the waist and players stay on their feet and a quick whistle ends the drill. B. Live Action - (Non coach pre-determined outcome) – Games, scrimmages and drills run in game-like conditions. These are the only times that players are taken to the ground. 6.2) All-Star Competition In the sport of football, athletes may participate in one “All-Star” contact football competition after the con - clusion of the season, subject to reporting to the Executive Director’s Office. Graduating seniors are exempt from the one game limit for All-Star contests, though discretion is advised for contests played in excess of on All-Star game. See General Sports Regulation 7.6 for regulations permitting coaches to coach their own student-athletes on non-school teams outside the school team’s season (“All-Star” Games). 6.3) Individual Non-Interscholastic Competition Dates: 6.31) A football athlete who has not participated for the school team in football that season must cease non- interscholastic football prior to the season start date of August 17 in order to be eligible for OHSAA Tournament competition provided applicable Bylaws and Regulations have been followed. 6.32) Football players may be used for out-of-season demonstrations only if approved in advance by the Football Administrator. 6.4) Coaching And Coaches 6.41 All interscholastic football coaches, whether paid or volunteer, must be approved by the Board of Education. 6.42 See General Sports Regulation 7.9 for regulations permitting school coaches to provide individual skill instruction from August 1 through May 31. 6.43 See General Sports Regulation 7.6 for regulations permitting school coaches to coach their own student- athletes on non-school teams outside the school team’s season. 7) Coaches — No Contact Period See Regulations for No Contact Period – Coaches under Section 11 of the General Sports Regulations. B. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 9-12 1) Coaching and tryouts may begin — August 1 for all schools Note: The five-day acclimatization period may begin July 15 but may not be mandatory until July 31. 2) First game — August 17, 2026 3) Tournament entry/withdrawal deadline - W/O penalty – 10/7; With penalty – 10/14 4) Coaching and Season end – Conclusion of last regular season or tournament game. 5) Scrimmages – Two scrimmages are permitted. Schools may use a game format in scrimmages and charge admission 6) Regular season games —10 Note: Schools may play a regular season game after the tournament has started if they have not reached 10 regular season contests. 7) Rules — National Federation Football SPORTS REGULATIONS 125 FOOTBALL 2026-2027 8) Officials: 8.1) Varsity — OHSAA Class 1 football only. Minimum crew of at least 6 with Center Judge. Note: Five (5) officials may be used in areas (or specific games) where 6 are not available. 8.2) Reserve/Junior Varsity — Minimum of 4, recommended 5 OHSAA Class 1 or Class 2 football only. Freshman — Minimum of 4 OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 football officials required. All other officials shall be OHSAA Class 1, 2, or 3 or OHSAA football officials in training. In the event only 3 OHSAA regis - tered football officials arrive to the game, the game may be played provided the participating coaches agree. C. SPECIFIC REGULATIONS — GRADES 7 & 8 1) Coaching and tryouts may begin — August 1 for all schools Note: The five-day acclimatization period may begin July 15 but may not be mandatory until July 31. 2) First game — After 3 days of full contact practice, but no earlier than August 17, 2026 3) Coaching and Season end – October 31, 2026 or at the conclusion of last contest, whichever occurs earliest 4) Scrimmages – Two after 3 days of full contact practice 5) Regular season games —Maximum of 8. 6) Rules — National Federation Football (with kickoff modification) 7) Officials — Minimum of 4 OHSAA Class 1, 2 or 3 football officials required. All other officials shall be OHSAA Class 1, 2, or 3 or OHSAA football officials in training. In the event only 3 OHSAA registered football officials arrive to the game, the game may be played provided the participating coaches agree. SPORTS REGULATIONS 126 2026-2027 FOOTBALL Year I II III IV V VI VII

» 28 Sanctioned Sports (14 Girls, 14 Boys) » Approximately 400,000 Student-Athletes in Grades 7-12 » Approximately 15,000 Officials » Approximately 70,000 Coaches » Six District Athletic Boards elected by the member schools in that district » State Board of Directors (rotation system from the District Athletic Boards) » Executive Director and Office Staff (24 full-time employees) » Partner with Coaches Associations for Each Sanctioned Sport » 10 Allied Educational Organizations TOURNAMENTS, ELIGIBILITY AND SERVICES » OHSAA focuses on the life lessons that student-athletes learn through their involvement with athletics. » Strives to conduct the best state tournaments in the country » Advocate to Ohio Dept. of Health and Governor’s Office for return to play during COVID-19 pandemic » Enrollment data for tournament divisions comes from Ohio Dept. of Education » Member schools voted for Competitive Balance Proposal in 2014 (affects soccer, volleyball, football, basketball, softball and baseball) » Assist schools with monitoring eligibility of student-athletes: - Constitution and bylaws voted on by school principals each May. - Schools are the primary enforcement of bylaws and sports regulations. » Provide services to member schools, such as: 1. Coaches Education 2. Sports Medicine and Safety Programs 3. Parent Preseason Meeting Resources 4. Sportsmanship and “Respect the Game” Programs 5. Website Posting Board Services 6. Booster Education FINANCES » Since 2022, OHSAA annually gives $3 million back to schools in travel reimbursement and Athletic Enrichment Fund donation » OHSAA annually awards more than $200,000 in college scholarships » OHSAA pays for catastrophic insurance coverage for students and accident insurance for officials ($500,000 annual premium) » OHSAA State Office Revenue Sources: 85% - Ticket Sales from Tournaments 7% - Corporate Sponsorships 5% - Officials Dues 3% - School Membership Dues 0% - Tax Dollars Educate Through Sports The OHSAA OHSAA Mission Statement: To serve our member schools and enrich interscholastic opportunities for students. 4 About The OHSAA Now in its 120th year, the Ohio High School Athletic Association is a non-profit service organization that regulates and administers interscholastic competition in a fair, consistent and impartial manner. This means the OHSAA ensures that everyone has a chance to compete on an even playing field. Approximately 814 high schools and 732 7th-8th grade schools belong to the OHSAA, which represents over 400,000 students competing in 29 sanctioned sports (15 for girls and 14 for boys). Schools voluntarily become members of the OHSAA. Each member school has an equal voice in determining the bylaws and constitution of the OHSAA. Regardless of the size of the school or whether the school is public or non-public, each member school has one vote. When a school becomes a member of the OHSAA, it agrees to follows the regulations as approved by the membership. The OHSAA Board of Directors is charged with employing the administrative and support staff; determining contest rules and regulations; organizing a series of statewide tournaments, and establishing an appeals process for rulings that are made by the executive director or his staff. Board representatives are members of the teaching profession, are employed full-time by a member school and are elected to their positions. The OHSAA executive director and the staff are charged with enforcing the regulations and promoting the purpose of interscholastic athletics. Among their duties are to answer questions from the member schools and make interpretations on the regulations; prepare for and conduct tournaments; serve as an educator by conducting meetings, clinics and workshops for officials, coaches, administrators and student-athletes, and manage the fiscal affairs of the association. There currently are 23 staff members employed by the OHSAA, with the office located in Columbus. The OHSAA is organized into six geographic regions called athletic districts. Each nine-member District Athletic Board assists the OHSAA in conducting sectional and district tournaments. The OHSAA receives no state tax money. The primary source of financial support comes from tournament gate receipts. For years, no dues to maintain membership within the OHSAA or to enter most OHSAA tournaments were assessed. Member schools are provided rule books, educational materials and other printed items along with catastrophic accident insurance coverage that is paid for by the OHSAA at an annual cost of over $500,000. OHSAA Commissioners/Executive Directors 1925-1944 ............................................................................................................................ Horace Raymond (H.R.) Townsend 1944-1958 ......................................................................................................................................................... Harold Emswiler 1958-1963 ........................................................................................................................................................... W.J. McConnell 1963-1969 ............................................................................................................................................................. Paul E. Landis 1969-1977 ......................................................................................................................................................... Harold A. Meyer 1977-1980 .......................................................................................................................................................... George D. Bates 1980-1989 ................................................................................................................................................. Richard L. Armstrong 1990-2004 .............................................................................................................................................................. Clair Muscaro 2004-2018 ............................................................................................................................................................. Daniel B. Ross 2018-2020 ........................................................................................................................................................... Jerry Snodgrass 2020- ............................................................................................................................................................................. Doug Ute 5 Who to Contact at the OHSAA Updated July 2026 Who To Contact At The OHSAA Updated July 202 6 Other OHSAA Areas If You Are Calling About ...................................... Ask to Speak With Accounting/Finance ................................... Laura Vermilya, Greg Bossick, Calvin Vermilya Athletic Discussion Meetings ........................................... Kristin Ronai Board of Directors Meetings ............................................ Kristin Ronai Bylaws/Constitution ........................................................... Ronald Sayers Catastrophic Insurance .....................................................Laura Vermilya Competitive Balance – General ................. Ronald Sayers, Andy Bixler , Kristin Ronai Competitive Balance – Technical ..................................... Ronald Sayers Corporate Sponsorships/Contracts .................................George Smalley , Miles Markiewicz, Ava Penley OHSAA Main Phone: 614-267- 2502 OHSAA General Email: webmaster@ohsaa.org OHSAA Fax: 614-267-1677 OHSAA Sanctioned Sports Sport .................................................................................... Contact Baseball ..............................................................................Monroe Britton Basketball .............................................................................. Doug Ute Bowling ........................................................................Michael Cornathan Cross Country .......................................................................BJ Duckworth Field Hockey ......................................................................... BJ Duckworth Football (11 -person and flag) ............................................... Beau Rugg Golf ............................................................................. Monroe Britton Gymnastics ..........................................................................Kelly Schoenly Ice Hockey ..............................................................................John Kronour Lacross e ........................................................................... ... Monroe Britton Soccer ................................................................................... Kelly Schoenly Softball ................................................................................. Kelly Schoenly Swimming & Diving ............................................................ BJ Duckworth Tennis .....................................................................................John Kronour Track & Field ..........................................................................BJ Duckworth Volleyball ..................................................................... Michael Cornathan Wrestling ............................................................................Monroe Britton Eligibility and Transfers (School Administrators Only) If You Are Calling About ...................................... Ask to Speak With Eligibility Questions .............. Andy Bixler , Ronald Sayers , Lizzy Wilson Appeals (Student Eligibility) ..........................................Alexis Holderman Custody Change ...................................................................Ronald Sayers International Exchange Students ...........................................Lizzy Wilson Moves Into the District ...........................................................Lizzy Wilson Transfer Back to Residential District................................. .....Andy Bixler Non -School Team Questions........Specific OHSAA Sport Administrator Officiating If You Are Calling About ...................................... Ask to Speak With Officiating Certification Classes ............................... Charles Anderson Assigners ..............................................................................Keaton Jones Clinics.......................................................... Beau Rugg, Charles Anderson DragonFly Athletics – Officials/Assigners ........................ Keaton Jones Ejections ....................................................................... Amanda Harding Online Meetings... ........................................................ Amanda Harding Insurance ............................................................................ Laura Vermilya Registrations/Renewals/Records ......................................... Keaton Jones Regulations ............Beau Rugg, Charles Anderson, Amanda Harding & . .............................................................................. ......Keaton Jones Rule Books .................................................................. Amanda Harding Tournament Assignments ..............................Beau Rugg, Keaton Jones DragonFly Athletics – School Use ................................... Keaton Jones DVDs (of state tournaments) ....................................... Steve Hoffbauer Elections – District/State Boards ........... ...........................Ronald Sayers Enrollments and Classifications ................... Kristin Ronai , Ronald Sayers General Questions .................................................................Michelle Kern Insurance ............................................................................ Laura Vermilya Job Postings ......................................................................... Tim Stried Licensing/Merchandise ..................................................... Laura Vermilya Mailings ........................................................................... ..Steve Hoffbauer Media, Broadcasts & State Tournament Credentials ............ Tim Stried Membership Inquiries (including lists) ...................... Alexis Holderman myOHSAA /Technology Support ...... Ronald Sayers, Alexis Holderman Open Dates .......................................................................... Tim Stried Participation and Board Resolution Cards ................ Alexis Holderman Photos (from state tournaments) ......................................... Tim Stried Publication Sales ............................................................... .. Michelle Kern Regional Update Meetings .............................................. Kristin Ronai Representation/Divisional Breakdowns ......................... Ronald Sayers Sanctioning – Non-Member/Interstate Contests ........ ....Kristin Ronai Scholar-Athlete Scholarships ................................................. Andy Bixler Sport Administration (General) ............ ..John Kronour , Scott Kaufman Sports Medicine/Healthy Lifestyle Issues .................... Monroe Britton State Records ....................................................................... Tim Stried Tickets – State Tournaments.......................................... Claudia Markoff Tournament Finances ................................................... Laura Vermilya Website (OHSAA.org) and Social Media ............................... Tim Stried OHSAA Staff Contact Information Main Phone: 614-267- 2502 Name Extension Email Charles Anderson ................. 110 ....................... canderson@ohsaa.org Andy Bixler ............................ 116 .......................... ..... abixler@ohsaa.org Greg Bossick .......................... 118........................... .. gbossick@ohsaa.org Monroe Britton ................... 135 .......................... mbritton@ohsaa.org Michael Cornathan ............... 115 .....................mcornathan@ohsaa.org Michelle Kern ........................ 100 ...................... ......... mkern@ohsaa.org BJ Duckworth ........................ 107 ..................... bjduckworth@ohsaa.org Amanda Harding ...................151......................... ....aharding@ohsaa.org Steve Hoffbauer ................. 102 ....................... shoffbauer@ohsaa.org Alexis Holderman ................. 128 .... ............... aholderman@ohsaa.org Keaton Jones ....................... 113 ............................ ..kjones@ohsaa.org Scott Kaufman........................ TBA ......................... skaufman@ohsaa.org John Kronour ....................... 150 ............................ jkronour@ohsaa.org Claudia Markoff ................... 109 ............................ cmarkoff@ohsaa.org Kristin Ronai ......................... 132 .............................. kronai@ohsaa.org Beau Rugg ............................. 111 ............................... brugg@ohsaa.org Ronald Sayers ....................... 130 ............................ rsayers@ohsaa.org Kelly Schoenly ..................... 127...........................kschoenly@ohsaa.org Tim Stried ............................. 124 ............................. tstried@ohsaa.org Doug Ute .............................. 121 ................................ . dute@ohsaa.org Calvin Vermilya .....................133 ......................... cvermilya@ohsaa.org Laura Vermilya .................... 103 ......................... lvermilya@ohsaa.org Lizzy Wilso n ........................... 112 ............................. lwilson@ohsaa.org George Smalley .................... N/A .. george.smalley@teallpropertiesgroup.com Miles Markiewicz ................ .N/A .... miles.markiewicz@teallpropertiesgroup.com Ava Penley ............................N/A . ava.penly @teallpropertiesgroup.com Responding to inquiries from member schools’ administra- tors, officials and tournament managers is the OHSAA’s top priority. Parents of student-athletes are asked to direct ques- tions about eligibility or OHSAA regulations to a school administrator before contacting the OHSAA. If school admin- istrators need assistance answering questions, the school administrator will contact the OHSAA. The OHSAA staff will respond to most emails from parents. 6 John Carter Vice President Athletic Administrator Cleveland Benedictine High School Ethnic-Minority Rep Northeast District Term Expires 7/31/28 Stephanie Evans President Director of Athletics & Student Services Stewart Federal Hocking High School Female Rep Southeast District Term Expires 7/31/27 Jeff Wheeler Principal/Athletic Administrator Cambridge High School Class AAA Rep East District Term Expires 7/31/27 Mark Rose Athletic Administrator/ Facilities and Technol - ogy Assistant Portsmouth Clay High School Class A Rep Southeast District Term Expires 7/31/27 Matt Hutchinson Athletic Administrator Wauseon High School Class AAA Rep Northwest District Term Expires 7/31/28 Randy Tevepaugh Athletic Administrator Streetsboro High School Class AA Rep Northeast District Term Expires 7/31/27 OHSAA Board of Directors Ray Hibbs Athletic Administrator Cadiz Harrison Central Junior/Senior High School 7th-8th Grade Rep East District Term Expires 7/31/28 Tom Nerl Athletic Administrator Cincinnati Mariemont High School Class AA Rep Southwest District Term Expires 7/31/28 Lane Warner Superintendent Elgin Local Schools, Marion Class A Rep Central District Term Expires 7/31/28 Glen Gillespie Executive Director Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Ex-Officio Jared Cole Physical Education Program Assistant Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Ex-Officio 7 Ronald Sayers Director of Eligibility & Technology Beau Rugg Director of Officiating Kristin Ronai Associate Executive Director Michael Cornathan Sport Administrator Claudia Markoff Customer Experience Manager John Kronour, Ph.D. Director of Sport Administration & Personnel Michelle Kern Executive Assistant Amanda Harding Manager of Officiating Administration Keaton Jones Manager of Officiating Technology Alexis Holderman Manager of Membership Services Monroe Britton Sport Administrator Greg Bossick Senior Accountant Calvin Vermilya Staff Accountant Charles Anderson Manager of Officiating Tim Stried Director of Communications Andy Bixler Director of Eligibility & Student Services BJ Duckworth Sport Administrator OHSAA Staff • Graduate of Bellville Clear Fork High School • Awarded bachelor’s, master’s and graduate teaching degrees from Ashland University, where he also earned his principal’s and superintendent’s licenses • Coach and teacher at Sarahsville Shenandoah High School, 1988-92 • Coach, teacher and athletic administrator at New Washington Buckeye Central High School, 1992-96 • Principal at Marion Elgin High School, 1996-00 • Superintendent of Elgin Local Schools, Marion, 2000-09 • Superintendent of Newark City Schools, 2009-20 • Executive Director of OHSAA since September 2020 Doug Ute, Executive Director Kelly Schoenly Sport Administrator Steve Hoffbauer Production & Facilities Specialist Laura Vermilya Chief Operating Officer Lizzy Wilson Manager of Eligibility Scott Kaufman Director of Sport Administration & Operations 8 Ohio High School Athletic Association