Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA)

(55 Match Limit per athlete, excluding forfeits, in the regular season) MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION SPORTS CALENDAR The season in which a sport is played is left to the discretion of each school. However, in order to participate in a Middle School Division State Championship, schools mu st qualify by competing in the postseas on events in that season leading up to the state championship. FALL SEASON WINTER SEASON SPRING SEASON Pre-Season Practice Rule Does not apply Team Sports: Rule Applies Individual Sports: No restrictions Team Sports: 8 days of team practice are permitted during a 15 consecutive school day period from the first day of school to the end of the first semester Individual Sports: No restrictions First Practice Date Football Monday, NFHS Week 3 All Other Sports Monday, NFHS Week 4 Monday, NFHS Week 13 Monday, NFHS Week 31 Scrimmage Rule Does apply Does apply Does apply First Contest Date (Deadline to File Eligibility & Schedules in TSSAA Portal) Set by the school administration, but must follow 3 days of practice. Set by the school administration, but must follow 3 days of practice. Set by the school administration, but must follow 3 days of practice.. Off-Season Team Sports: 8 days of team practice are permitted during a 15 consecutive school day period after January 1 st and prior to the end of the school year. Individual Sports: No restrictions Team Sports: 8 days of team practice are permitted during a 15 consecutive school day period after January 1 st and prior to the end of the school year. Individual Sports: No restrictions Team Practice: Practice not allowed for team sports. Individual Sports: No restrictions Summe r No restrictions No restri ctions No restrictions Dead Period Rule Does apply NFHS Week 52 & 1 Does apply NFHS Week 52 & 1 Does apply NFHS Week 52 & 1 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 32 July 13, 2026 MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION SPORT SPECIFIC CALENDARS Sport Maximum Number of Regular Season Contests Sectional Completion Date State Championship Dates Baseball

(Each meet counts as 1 Date.) Girls Flag Football Spring

(Each meet counts as 1 Date) Girls Soccer Fall

NFHS Week 14 Softball (Girls)

NFHS Week 46 Soccer (Girls)

(Max. Tournaments – 2 Each count as 2 Matches) Volleyball Fall

(Max. Tournaments – 2 Each counts as two matches.) Basketball Winter

(Max. Tournaments – 2 Each counts as 2 Matches) Bowling Winter No Limit Softball Spring

(Max. Tournaments – 2 Each counts as 2 Matches) Unified Track Spring

NFHS Week 32 Cross Country 12 Dates Saturday, NFHS Week 12 Saturday, NFHS Week 13 Football *See below for pre-season acclimatization and practice regulations

NFHS Week 46 Tennis 15 Matches N/A USTA event in Fall Track & Field 8 Dates Saturday, NFHS Week 45 Monday, NFHS Week 47 Volleyball (Girls’)

NFHS Week 46 Basketball

(Each tournament counts as 2 matches.) Football Fall 10 Games Track Spring

(Max. Tournaments – 3 Each count as 2 Games) Soccer Spring

(Max. Tournaments – 4 Each count as 3 Games) Lacrosse Spring

(Max. Tournaments – 5 Each count as 4 Games) Cross Country Fall 11 Dates Tennis Spring

(Max. Tournaments – 4 Each count as 3 Matches) Golf Fall 14 Contest per Individual Wrestling Winter

Girls’ Flag Football 12 games N/A N/A Gol f 15 Dates N/A TMSGA event in Spring Lacrosse 12 Games N/A N/A Soccer

NFHS Week 14 Wrestling 12 Dates Saturday, NFHS Week 23 Friday, NFHS Week 24 NOTE: For sports that are played in the Spring, when NFHS Week 47 is the same week as Memorial Day, first practice dates and championship dates will be shifted. Football Pre-Season Acclimatization: Helmets and shoulder pads may be worn the Monday of the week prior to the first practice date (NFHS Week 2). Each individual athlete must pr actice in helmets and shoulder pads for three days prior to practicing in full pads, regardless of when they start practicing. Practice in pads is permitted on the first practice date pr ovided pre-season acclimatization has been comp leted by each individual athlete. Football Practice Regulations: 1. Practice time in pads may not exceed 3 hours in a single practice. 2. If there are multiple practices in pads on a single day, onl y one session per day should include full contact. The total practice time in pads may not exceed 5 hours, with practi ces separated by at least three hours of rest in a cool environment. 3. No student shall participate in multiple practices in pads on consecutive days. Helmets may be worn at any time. A practice would be considered a practice in pads if shoulder pads and/or football pants with or without pads are worn. If weather postpones a practice in pads, the practice may resu me after conditions are deemed safe and the remainder of the allotted practice time may be comple ted. In addition, all TSSAA Football Prac tice Regulations must be followed. Off-Season Practice: A maximum of 12 days within a 15 consecutive sch ool day period and one interschool scrimmage are permitted. The first two days of offseason practice must be in helmets only. Football Summer Practice: Practice is allowed, but no pads are permitt ed. Helmets may be worn. Pads may not be worn during team-against-t eam competition. Please see FAQ’s on pages 37-56. Section 9. A school participating in the high school division may not participate in a regular season contest once they have participated in a postseason contest. The s ports season for a school shall end when the team has been eliminated from the TSSAA tournament series or has w on the state championship. The sports season shall end for a school whose team does not enter the tournament seri es with the playing of the last regularly scheduled game. The sports season for a school participating in the middle school division shall end when the team has been eliminated from the TSSAA tournament series or has w on the state championship. T he sports season shall end for a school whose team does not enter the tournament se ries with the playing of the last regularly scheduled game. Please see FAQ’s on pages 37-56. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 33 July 13, 2026 Jamborees Section 10. A member school may participate in one jamboree per sport provided (a) the jamboree is held before any of the participating schools play their first game; (b) the jamboree is s ponsored by the participating schools and all proceeds go to the participati ng schools; (c) the jamboree is conduct ed in accordance with the following regulations: A. No team or participant shall play more t han the equivalent of half of a game or contest. B. Registered TSSAA o fficials must be used. C. Schools must hold membership in TSSAA or membership in a Tennessee conference in order to be eligible to participate in a jamboree. (Out-of-st ate schools must obtain appr oval from their state association before participating.) D. In the high school division, football schools may pa rticipate in a jamboree as early as Thursday of the week preceding the opening of football season. E. In the high school division, basketball schools may participate in a jamboree one week preceding the opening of basketball season. Participation in such a jamboree shall not count as a regular-season contest or pre-season scrimmage provided the jamboree meets the above regulations. TSSAA Share In Tournament Receipts Section 11. (High School Division) Eighteen percent of the gross proceeds from district and regional girls volleyball, district and regional girls so ccer, district and regional soccer, di strict and regional bowling, district and regional girls bowling, district and r egional baseball, district and regional gi rls softball, quarterfinal and semifinal boys lacrosse, quarterfinal and semifinal in girls lacros se, regional, sub-sectional, and sectional track and field meets, regional and sectional wrestlin g tournaments, invitational, county, conference, district and regional basketball tournaments shall be paid to TSSAA. After all expenses in connection with the holding of the state tournaments in baseball, basketball, boys lacrosse, bowling, cross country, tennis, football, gi rls flag football, girls lacrosse, girls softball, girls volleyball, golf, soccer track and field, and wrestling have been paid, the retent ion and/or disbursement of any remaining funds shall be determined by the Board of Control. Middle School Division Post Season Tournament Financial Guidelines A. During the pre-tournament meeting, administrators s hall vote on the amount each individual worker should receive (example: Amount to pay director, clock operator, announcer, gate keepers, custodian, etc.). B. Eighteen percent of the gross proceeds from sectional baseball, basketball, girls soccer, girls softball soccer, and wrestling tournaments shall be paid to TSSAA. C. Every host school shall prepare a financial report immediately following the tournament. D. Every school participating in the tournament shall be pr ovided a copy of the financial report from the host school. E. Items included on the Tournament Financial Report should be income by details, itemized expenses, and total number of shares and amount to be divided per school. The amount divided should be the income minus the expenses. Shares per school should be determined based on the number of games each school plays. A copy of the financial repo rt shall be forwarded to the TSSAA office. F. TSSAA strongly recommends that each school rece ive tournament shares based on the number of games played after all expenses are paid. G. It is recommended that concessions be kept by the host school. This would not be included in the Tournament Financial Report. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 34 July 13, 2026 Filing of Tournament and Playoff Financial Reports Section 12. All checks for district, regional, and sectional t ournaments and playoffs must be distributed within 10 business days of the completion of the tournament or gam e. Failure, without good cause, will result in a $100.00 late fee to be paid to TSSAA and used in the A.F. Bridges sportsmanship program to go to schools or individuals receiving awards. Failure, without good cause, to dist ribute funds within 20 business days will result in an additional $200.00 late fee (total $300.00). Failure, without good cause, to distribute funds within 40 days will result in an additional $200.00 late fee (total $500.00). The school may not host any tournament or playoff until the principal or athletic director appears before the Boar d of Control to explain the reasons. The Board would then determine whether the school could host t ournaments or playoffs in the future. Awards Section 13. In the high school division, TSSAA shall furnish trophies, plaques, ri bbons and medals in TSSAA- sponsored sports as determined by the Board of Control. In the middle school division, TSSAA shall furnish tro phies, plaques, ribbons and medals in the middle school division State Championship Sports at the state and sectional level. Please see FAQ’s on pages 37-56. Use of Tobacco Section 14. The use of tobacco in any form by coaches, offi cials, and athletes is prohibited at TSSAA sanctioned events. Officials Section 15. Officials used in high school division and middle school division contests in which TSSAA member schools participate are independent contra ctors and are not employees of TSSAA. Individuals desiring to serve as officials in contests in which TSSAA member schools participate must register wi th TSSAA. The Executive Director shall establish the mi nimum qualifications and standard s for registration with TSSAA. Section 16. For the high school division, (a) All officials who work a TSSAA contest shall be registered and approved by TSSAA unless it is an emergency situation. Sc hools using non-registered officials shall be fined $15 for the first offense. Continued use of non-registered officials will subject the school to suspension or other penalty as determined by the Board of Control. (b) For varsity contests, all officials must be assigned by the TSSAA approved local association. For middle school division varsity contests, all officials must be registered and approved by TSSAA. If a registered official who has been engaged for an athletic contest fails to appear, the principal of the home school may, with the approval of the visiting school, select an official for the contest. If this is done, the principal of the home school must mail to the Executive Director within 48 hours eviden ce showing that a registered official was employed for the game and that the official did not appear. The principal of the home school shall give the name and address of the registered official who was employed to officiat e the game, and the name and address of the non-approved official used as a substitute. Section 17. In all high school division and middle school division sports sanctioned by TSSAA, the officials’ jurisdiction begins upon the arrival of one official within the visual confines of the field or court and ends when the last official leaves the premises at the conclusion of t he game. It shall be the duty of a game official to file immediately a report with the state office if there is an y unusual incident involving unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of the players, coaches, cheerleaders, or fans. Section 18. The Executive Director shall have authority to susp end the registration of o fficials who are guilty of unsportsmanlike or unethical conduct or who fail to file immediately required reports with the state office. Such decisions shall be subject to review by the Board of Control upon appeal by the official. Section 19. An official shall be prohibited from working in an athletic contest in which a member of his/her immediate family — son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, fa ther, husband or wife — is playing or is serving as a coach for either team. If an official is a teacher, the offici al is prohibited from working in an athletic contest if one of the teams represents the school in which the official is employed as a teacher unless otherwise approved by the Executive Director. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 35 July 13, 2026 Section 20. A school may drop an official from a game after the official has been engaged. If a school decides that it is wise to break its agreement with an official, it may be done by paying the official the regular fee for the game. Canceled and postponed games do not come under the ab ove provision, provided that the official is duly notified. In the case of postponed games, the officials that were originally employed must be given the opportunity to work on the new date. Please see FAQ’s on pages 37-56. Bond Section 21. The Executive Director of the TSSAA shall execut e annually a Surety Bond on $30,000 or more if the Board of Control directs, covering TSSAA funds held by him. The fee on this bond is to be paid from the Association funds. Amendments Section 22. The Bylaws of the TSSAA shall be amended by the same method as the Constitution. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 36 July 13, 2026 TENNESSEE SECONDARY SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. Q. How are members of the Board of Control and Legislative Council selected? A. Members of the Board of Control and of the Legislative Council are selected at the annual regional meetings in the fall. Each school represented has one vote. The sites, dates, and times of these meetings are determined by the Board of Control and posted on the TSSAA Calendar of Events. 2. Q. May a decision made by the Executive Dire ctor be appealed to the Board of Control? A. Yes. 3. Q. What procedure is followed by a school that wishes to appeal to the Board of Control a decision of the Executive Director? A. The school principal should notify the Executive Director in writing that the principal wants the Board of Control to review the case. If it is satisfactory to hold the review of the case at the next regul ar meeting of the Board of Control, it will be listed on the agenda. If the case is of such nature that the school wants immediate action, the principal should so indicate. The Executive Director w ill then communicate with the president of the Board who will call a special session to consider the case. Wh en such a special session of t he Board is called, the school requesting the special session shall pay all expenses of t he meeting in the event the B oard of Control sustains the decisions of the Executive Director. 4. Q. Does the Executive Director have a vote on matte rs that are presented to the Board of Control? A. No. The Executive Director is not a member of the B oard of Control and therefore can have no vote on matters being considered by it. 5. Q. How may a member school submit a proposal to amend the Constitution or to change the Bylaws? A. By putting the suggested change in writing and filing it with the Executive Director no later than October 15 preceding the Regional Meetings. Schools may also submit a proposal to be placed on the Legislative Council’s agenda by sending it to the Executive Director four weeks prior to the scheduled meeting. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 37 July 13, 2026 TENNESSEE SECONDARY SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION BYLAWS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Membership 1. Q. How much are a school’s membership dues? A. Annual membership dues will be $1.50 per student (based on ADM for the current classification period). The minimum fee is $300. High Schools that include middle school and high school configurations will pay the high school membership fee and may choose to join at the mi ddle school level for an additional $150. Maximum Fees: $2,500 (High School); $1,500 (Middle School). 2. Q. If a school is not currently a member of TSSAA, what must th ey do in order to join TSSAA? A. If a high school meets the requirements as set forth in Article I, Section 1 of the TSSAA Bylaws, the school must make application to the Board of Control. By completing the TSSAA New Member Request Form , your school will be asking the Board of Control to consider you application for membership at their next Board of Control meeting. If a middle school meets the requirem ents as set forth in Article I, Section 1 of the TSSAA Bylaws, the school will need to submit the TSSAA New Member Request Form . 3. Q. Is there a deadline for applying for membership in the high school division? A. If a high school meets the requirements as set forth in Article I, Section 1 of the TSSAA Bylaws and they are participating in a sanctioned sport(s), the deadline to submit their request to the Board of Control is the November meeting prior to the school year in which they would like to join. If the school only desires to participate in a cooperative program, the deadline to submit their request to the Board of Control is the June meeting prior to the school year in which they would like to join. Prior member schools that continue to se rve students within the state of Tennessee may submit thei r request to join TSSAA to the Board of C ontrol by the November meeting prior to the school year in which they would like to join. The TSSAA New Member Request Form must be completed at least one week prior to the appropriate Board of Contro l Meeting. Schools that make application after the aforementioned deadlines may be approved for membership, but will not be eligible for postseason competition, nor will member schools be required to schedule contests with them. 4. Q. Is there a deadline for applying for membership in the middle school division? A. If a middle school meets the require ments as set forth in Article I, Sect ion 1 of the TSSAA Bylaws and they are participating in a championship event sport, the deadline to submit their request to join is November 15 th prior to the school year in which they would like to join. If the sc hool only desires to participate in a cooperative program, the deadline to submit their request to join is June 1 st prior to the school year in which they would like to join. Once the administration of the school submits the TSSAA New Member Request Form , the sate office will start the process of adding the school to the membership. Sc hools that make application after the aforementioned deadlines may be approved for membership, but will not be eligible for postseason competition, nor will member schools be required to schedule contests with them. Responsibility of the Principal 1. Q. Who is held responsible for a member school’s observance of TSSAA regulations? A. The principal or administrative head of the school. 2. Q. Who is responsible for the conduct of the spectators at a game? A. The principal and coach of the host school are primarily re sponsible. It is the duty of t he host school to see that adequate security is present and assigned so that any disorder can be handled immediately. If the game is played on a neutral field and no host team is designated, the competing schools are jointly responsible for 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 38 July 13, 2026 providing adequate security protection. Each school is responsible for the conduct of its students and fans, regardless of where an athletic contest is played. Non-Faculty Coaches and Classified Employees 1. Q. How long does a non-faculty coach have to successfully complete NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health, & Safety for Coaches” courses after being submitted to the TSSAA? A. All non-faculty coaches must successfully co mplete the NFHS courses prior to coaching. 2. Q. How long does a classified employee have to successfully complete NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching” courses after being submitted as a coach to the TSSAA? A. All classified employees must successfully co mplete the NFHS course prior to coaching. 3. Q. How often does a non-faculty coach or a classified em ployee have to complete their required NFHS courses? A. This is a one-time TSSAA requirement fo r non-faculty coaches and classified employees. 4. Q. Where can I obtain information about the NFHS “Fundam entals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health, & Safety for Coaches” courses? How do I access the courses? A. Information regarding the NFHS courses can be found at nfhslearn.com. Persons required to take these courses will first have to register as a new user at nfhslearn.com. This c an be done by selectin g "Register" in the upper right hand corner of the homepage. Once you have registered, you will need to click on “Courses” on the tool bar at the top of the page and search for the appropria te courses. Each participant must pay online with a credit or debit card when they register for the courses. 5. Q. Are student-teachers cons idered non-faculty coaches? A. If he/she is currently student teac hing, he/she is allowed to do whatever his/her supervising teacher (college professor in charge) allows him/her to do as part of hi s/her total educational experience. He/She would not be considered non-faculty while he/she is student teaching and should be submitted as a full-time teacher in the portal. 6. Q. Are retired educators considered non-faculty coaches? A. No. 7. Q. If one of my coaches is a Full-Time Teacher/Administrat or at another school, are they considered non-faculty coaches? A. No. When submitting their names in the portal, they should be marked as a full-time teacher. 8. Q. Do non-faculty cheerleading coaches or classified employees serving as a cheerleading coach have to be registered with TSSAA? A. Yes. However, it is not necessary for you to pa y for cheerleading coaches. We only need the names for insurance purposes. Cheerleading coaches do not have to complete the NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health, & Safety for Coaches” courses. Also , cheerleading coaches must attend or complete online the Cheerleading Rules Meeting every year. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 39 July 13, 2026 9. Q. Can I register a non-faculty coach or classi fied employee online throughout the school year? A. Yes. Once they have been approved by the principal, superintendent, and/or local board of education, they can be submitted online. The appropriate registration fee per non-faculty coach ($75 high school division / $50 middle school division) must be submitted to the state office. As a reminder, for the high school division all coaches must be registered and assigned as a coach fo r their sport(s) prior to the TSSAA Date of First Contest and for the middle school division all coaches must be registered and assi gned as a coach for their sport(s) prior to the first regular season contest or the school will be fined. Enrollment and Attendance Q. Is there any regulation about the time a student must enroll in order to be eligible during a given semester? A. Yes. A student must enroll on or before the twentieth day of a semester. Academic Rules – High School Division 1. Q. A school requires 28 units of credit for graduation. How many credits must a student earn by the first day of the next school year in order to be eligible? A. Students in a school that requires 24 or more credits for graduation must earn six credits the preceding school year. 2. Q. A school requires 21 units of credit for graduation. How many credits must a student earn by the first day of the next school year in order to be eligible? A. Students in a school that requires less than 24 units of credit for graduation must earn five credits the preceding school year. 3. Q. A student is academically eligible at the beginning of the school year. At the end of the first semester the student passes only one subject. Is the student eligible to participate in athletics the second semester? A. Students that are academically eligible at the beginn ing of the school year will be academically eligible the entire school year. 4. Q. A student is currently attending a school that require s less than 24 credits for graduation. At the end of the school year the student earns five credits and transfers to a school that requires 28 credits for graduation. What is the student's eligibility status? A. Eligible. The student will be academically eligible sinc e he/she would have been eligible to participate at his/her previous school. Academic eligibility for a student is based on the requirements of the school the student was attending at the conclusion of the previous school year. 5. Q. A student is currently attending a sc hool that requires 28 credits for graduat ion. The student earns five credits at the end of the school year. The student transfers to a school that requires only 21 credits for graduation. What is the student's eligibility status? A. Ineligible. The student was ineligible academically at the school he/she was attending at the conclusion of the previous school year. Students cannot transfe r in order to gain academic eligibility. 6. Q. At the beginning of the school year, a student is academic ally ineligible to participate in athletics. May the student gain eligibility the second semester? A. Yes. Students who are academically ineligible first semester may gain eligibility the second semester by earning a passing grade in five classes or three blocks or the equivalent by t he end of the first semester. These 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 40 July 13, 2026 students will be eligible to participate no earlier than the fi nal day of the first semester for all students, provided the final grades have been recognized by the school administration. 7. Q. A school requires 21 credits for graduation. The student fails every course the first semester. He/she earns three credits the second semester. Can the student att end summer school and earn two credits toward academic eligibility? A. Yes. Credits earned in summer school may be counted toward academic eligibility. All credits must be earned by the first day of the beginning of the school year. 8. Q. At the end of the second semester, a student has earned four credits for the school year. The student is in a school that requires 24 or more cred its for graduation. Can the student attend summer school and earn one credit and, also, take a correspondence course and receive one credit toward academic eligibility? A. Correspondence c ourses approved by the local board of education may co unt toward athletic eligibility provided the student receives credit toward graduation. 9. Q. An 8 th grade student in middle school finishes the highe st ending grade and is academically promoted to the next higher grade. What is his/her eligibility status? A. The student will be academically eligible the entire school year. 10. Q. A special education student meets the academic requi rements of his/her IEP by the beginning of the school year. What is his/he r eligibility status? A. The student will be academically eligible the entire school year. 11. Q. A student attends a school that requires 24 or more cr edits for graduation. The student does not attend school during the fall semester. He/she re-enters school the spring semester and earns four units of credit. What must the student do in order to be academically e ligible for athletics the next school year? A. The student must enroll in summer school or correspo ndence courses that are recognized by the local board of education and counts toward graduation and earn two full uni ts of credit by the first day of the beginning of the school year. The student must earn six full units of credi t. Academic eligibility is based on credits earned and not subjects passed. 12. Q. The school passing mark is 70. At the close of the firs t semester an athlete has a grade of 80. At the close of the second semester the grade in the same subject is 65. At the end of the school year the two grades are averaged and the student is allowed one unit of credit. May this subject be used in meeting the academic requirements? A. Yes. 13. Q. A student passes both semesters of a course, but does not receive credit toward graduation at the end of the school year because he/she does not m eet the attendance policy. Is the student academically eligible to participate in athletics? A. No. If the student does not receive credit toward gra duation, the course may not be counted toward athletic eligibility. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 41 July 13, 2026 14. Q. A student has an incomplete or is conditioned at t he end of the school year. Will the student be eligible for participation as soon as the conditions are removed? A. A student who receives an incomplete in a subject which causes him/her not to meet minimum scholastic requirements is ineligible until the course is satisfactor ily completed. His/Her eligibility is restored at that point. 15. Q. A student repeats a course for which the student has al ready received a passing grade or is taking a course for which the student is not receiving credit toward graduati on. Will this subject count as one of the credits earned the preceding school year for athletic eligibility? A. No. A student may not repeat a course that he/she has already passed for athletic eligibility purposes nor may a student count a subject for which he /she is not receiving credit toward s graduation for athletic eligibility purposes. 16. Q. A student enrolls in a school and attends on ly two days. Is this considered enrollment? A. No. In the definition of “enrolled” , (c) states, ‘‘A student is considered “enrolled” at a school when the student has either attended classes for three days, has engaged in three or more days of footba ll, girls volleyball, cross country, golf, or girls soccer practice during the period after the TSSAA Fi rst Day of Practice, or has participated in an athletic contest in any Fall sport. 17. Q. A student attends school for twenty-five days and t hen drops out. During the twenty-five days of attendance: (a) he/she participated in one or more athletic contests ; (b) he/she did not participate in any athletic contest? A. (a) Student will be charged with a semester si nce he/she participated in an athletic contest. (b) Student will not be charged with a semester sinc e that student did not attend forty or more days. (See Article II, Section 1 of the TSSAA Bylaws.) Academic Rules – Middle School Division 1. Q. What is the academic rule in middle school division? A. To be eligible to participate in athletic contests a student shall have been academically promoted to the next higher grade. Any student repeating a grade is ineligible to participate. A student who is ineligible at the beginning of the school year may gain eligibility the second semester by passing five (5) subjects or the equivalent the preceding semester provided the student is not repeating the same grade. 2. Q. May a student compete in athlet ics if they are being held back? A. Any student who repeats the 6 th , 7 th , or 8 th grade shall not be eligible until they have reached the next higher grade. 3. Q. A student is academically eligible at the beginning of the school year. At the end of the first semester the student passes only one subject. Is the student eligible to participate in athletics the second semester? A. Students that are academically eligible at the beginn ing of the school year will be academically eligible the entire school year. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 42 July 13, 2026 4. Q. A student is ineligible at the beginning of the school year . Is it possible for the student to gain eligibility later? A. Yes, the student may gain eligibility the second seme ster by passing five subjects, or the equivalent, the preceding semester, provided the student is not repeating the same grade. These students will be eligible to participate no earlier than the final day of the first seme ster for all students, provided the final grades have been recognized by the school administration. 5. Q. Can a student attend summer school and ear n credits toward academic eligibility? A. Yes. Credits earned in a summer school accredited by the State Department of Education may be counted toward academic eligibility, provided the student was enr olled during the spring semester immediately preceding the summer session and attended at least 40 days of that sp ring semester. All credits must be earned by the first day of the beginning of the school year. 6. Q. A special education student meets the academic requi rements of his/her IEP by the beginning of the school year. What is his/he r eligibility status? A. The student will be academically eligible the entire school year. 7. Q. The school passing mark is 70. At the close of the firs t semester an athlete has a grade of 80. At the close of the second semester the grade in the same subject is 65. At the end of the school year the two grades are averaged and the student is allowed one unit of credit. May this subject be used in meeting the academic requirements? A. Yes. 8. Q. A student passes both semesters of a course, but does not receive academic credit at the end of the school year because he/she does not meet the attendance policy. Is the student academically eligible to participate in athletics? A. No. If the student does not receive credit toward gra duation, the course may not be counted toward athletic eligibility. 9. Q. A student has an incomplete or is conditioned at t he end of the school year. Will the student be eligible for participation as soon as the conditions are removed? A. A student who receives an incomplete in a subject which causes him/her not to meet minimum scholastic requirements is ineligible until the course is satisfactor ily completed. His/Her eligibility is restored at that point. 10. Q. A student was not in school during the spring semest er. May that student attend summer school and become eligible for athletic participation the following fall by pa ssing five subjects in summer school that would give him/her the required number of credits for eligibility? A. No. A student must have been in school the preceding se mester or the last semester school was in session in order to be eligible. A summer session is counted as a continuation of the spring semester. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 43 July 13, 2026 11. Q. A student repeats a course for which the student has al ready received a passing grade or is taking a course for which the student is not receiving credit toward graduati on. Will this subject count as one of the credits earned the preceding school year for athletic eligibility? A. No. A student may not repeat a course that he/she has already passed for athletic eligibility purposes nor may a student count a subject for which he /she is not receiving credit toward s graduation for athletic eligibility purposes. 12. Q. A student enrolls in a school and attends on ly two days. Is this considered enrollment? A. No. In the definition of “enrolled” , (c) states, ‘‘A student is considered “enrolled” at a school when the student has either attended classes for three days, has engaged in three or more days of footba ll, girls volleyball, cross country, golf, or girls soccer practice during the period, on or after the Monday of the week of August 1, or has participated in an athletic contest in any sport.’’ 13. Q. A student attends school for twenty-five days and t hen drops out. During the twenty-five days of attendance: (a) he/she participated in one or more athletic contests ; (b) he/she did not participate in any athletic contest? A. (a) Student will be charged with a semester si nce he/she participated in an athletic contest. (b) Student will not be charged with a semester sinc e that student did not attend forty or more days. (See Article II, Section 1.) Semester Rule – High School Division 1. Q. What is the maximum number of semesters a student can attend school and still be eligible for athletic participation in the High School Division? A. After a student has attended school EIGHT SEMESTERS he/she is ineligible for further athletic participation. 2. Q. When does the EIGHT SEMESTER count begin? A. As soon as a student enrolls in the ninth grade. A st udent is considered as enrolled in the ninth grade when he/she schedules two or more ninth grade subjects afte r having completed one school year in the eighth grade. Semester Rule – Middle School Division Q. What is the maximum number of semesters a student can attend school and still be eligible for athletic participation in the Middle School Division? A. A student has 6 semesters to complete 4 possibl e semesters of participation after entering the 7 th grade. No student shall participate in any sport more than 3 seasons. Repeating Rule Q. If a student plays middle school sports in 7 th or 8 th grade and then repeats 8 th grade and participates again, what is the status of the student’s eligibility? A. A student who participates in school athletics for more than two years after entering the 7th grade shall be ineligible for participation in all sports at all levels in the 9th grade. Grade Participation – High School Division 1. Q. If an eighth grade student participates as a member of a high school division team, is such participation charged against the student? A. No. Such a student will still be entitled to four years of participation in the high school division. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 44 July 13, 2026 2. Q. May a seventh grade student participate or practi ce as a member of a high school division team? A. No, a student must be enrolled in the 8 th grade or higher grade before he/she can participate or practice in the high school division. Grade Participation – Middle School Division Q. When can a student begin participating as a me mber of a team in the middle school division? A. No student in a grade below the 6 th grade can practice or participate as a member of a team in the middle school division. Age Limit – High School 1. Q. Is a student whose nineteenth birthday falls on August 1 ineligible for participation in the high school division? A. Yes, any student who becomes nineteen years of age on or before August 1 of any school year is ineligible. 2. Q. If a student becomes nineteen years of age on August 2, or any date thereafter, is that student eligible to participate for the remainder of the school year? A. Yes. Age Limit – Middle School Division 1. Q. Is a student whose fifteenth birthday falls on August 1 i neligible for participation in the middle school division? A. Yes, any student who becomes fifteen years of age on or before August 1 of any sc hool year is ineligible. 2. Q. If a student becomes fifteen years of age on August 2, or any date thereafter, is that student eligible to participate for the remainder of the school year? A. Yes. Physical Examination and Parental Consent 1. Q. A student receives a pre-participation physical on May 1 of the current school year. How long is that physical valid for the purposes of the TSSAA Bylaws? A. The physical would be valid for the following school y ear, through the summer, and up until the first official day of practice for fall spor ts the next school year. 2. Q. A student who has not participated in sports during the current school year receives a pre-participation physical on April 1 in preparation for their school’s spring f ootball practice which begins on April 2. How long is that physical valid for the purposes of eligibility and the TSSAA Bylaws? A. The physical would be valid for the current school year an d the summer up until the first official day of practice for fall sports the next school year. The physical would not be valid for the next school year for the purposes of eligibility. Physicals must be dated on or after Ap ril 15 to be valid for the upcoming school year. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 45 July 13, 2026 Students Changing Schools 1. Q. A student attended a junior high school that ends in t he 9th grade and participated in high school athletics. The student is now transferring to a new school to st art the 10th grade. Does the student need to meet the transfer rule to be eligible? A. No, the student completed the highest or terminal gr ade at their previous school, so this move is not considered a “transfer.” 2. Q. An international student participated in school soccer in their home country but has not played in the US. Does this student have an athletic record? No, students only have an athletic record if they have par ticipated in a contest for a TSSAA member school or for a school that is a member of another state’s athletic association that hol ds membership in the NFHS. Students with no athletic record will be immediately eligible at their new school, provided they are enrolled and in regular attendance and meet all other eligibility requirements. 3. Q. Can a student with an athletic record transfer and remain eligible? A. Yes, provided the transfer is the student’s first transfer since establis hing an athletic record and it occurs between school years. 4. Q. A student attended school A in the fall but did not play sports. He transferred to school B at Christmas and played basketball. Over the summer the student transf ers to school C. Is he eligible at school C? Yes, provided he meets all other eligibilit y requirements. The transfer from Sc hool B to School C is his first time to transfer schools since establishing an athletic re cord, and the transfer was made during the summer between school years. 5. Q. Do previous transfers count when determ ining the eligibility of a transfer student? A. Yes. All transfers that have occurred since the student initially established an athletic record count, regardless of whether the student was ruled eligible or ineligible due to a previous transfer. 6. Q. If a student transfers for the first time between school years to a school where ther e is an athletic coaching link, is the student eligible? A. No. All other eligibility requirements apply, including those found in Arti cle II, Section 13 (Ineligible Transfer Students). In this case, the athletic coaching link makes the student ineligible at all levels of competition for twelve months past their first dat e of enrollment at the new school. 7. Q. If a student transfers for the first time between school years after having established an athletic record and moves in with someone other than a parent or guardian, is the student eligible for athletic participation? A. Yes, provided the student meets all other eligibility requirements. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 46 July 13, 2026 8. Q. Are there situations where a transfer student with an athlet ic record could be ruled eligible even if their transfer occurs during the school year or it is not the student’s first transfer sinc e establishing their athletic record? A. Yes, Article II, Section 14B makes the following stu dents eligible, by rule, prov ided they meet all other requirements: 1. The student is required to change schools as a direct result of re-zoning of the existing residence of the student’s family unit or re-assignment of students by the local school system provided the student transfers at the time they are re-zoned or re-assigned; 2. The student who has been determined by a Court to be dependent and neglected and consequently changes residences and schools as a result of a Court order; 3. The student is moving as a direct result of the dissolution of the student’s home due to death; 4. The student is in foster care and has consequent ly changed residences and schools as a result of a change in placement; or 5. The student changes schools as a direct result of the military deploy ment of their parent or guardian. 9. Q. What is the process for appealing an e ligibility determination for a transfer student? A. A hardship application can be submitt ed by the administration of the school at which eligibility is sought. The hardship will be evaluated by the Executive Dire ctor with the following criteria in mind: a) The circumstances causing the student to fail to satisfy the eligibilit y rule were unforese en or unavoidable; b) application of the rule to the st udent works an undue hardship in light of the unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances; and c) application of the rule would not accomplish the pu rpose or purposes for which the rule was intended; Non-Traditional Students 1. Q. For the purposes of athletic eligibility, who does TSSAA consider to be a Non-Traditional Student? A. TSSAA recognizes the followi ng as Non-Traditional Students:  a student enrolled in a public virtual school reco gnized by the Tennessee Department of Education  a legally-registered independent homeschool student  a homeschool student enrolled in a church-related umbrella school  a homeschool student enrolled in an online accredited school  a student enrolled in a non-member independent sch ool with an enrollment of less than 200 students in grades 9-12 (high school) or 6-8 (middle school) and that does not offer the sport in which the student wishes to participate. 2. Q. How is the tuition and financial aid rule applied to a non-traditional student who attends an independent school? A. The student must pay full tuition at the independent sch ool and meet the same financial aid requirements as a traditional student. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 47 July 13, 2026 3. Q. How is the academic rule applied to non-traditional students? A. If the student is enrolled in a school or virtual program that awards tr aditional academic credits, then the student must earn credits in the same manner as traditi onal students under the Academic Rule. If the student is enrolled in a school or program that does not award traditional academic credits, then the student must achieve sufficient academic progress each semest er to remain on track for graduation at the conclusion of four years from the beginning of his/her freshman year. 4. Q. When must a non-traditional student notify a school of his/her intent to participate? A. A student should notify the member school of his/her int ent to participate before the first practice date in the sport. 5. Q. Where can non-traditional stud ents participate in athletics? A. A non-traditional student may only participate for a school serving the territory in which they live. These schools include the student’s zoned public school, a s ystem-wide charter or magnet school, or an independent school that serves the territory in which they live. Tuition and Financial Aid 1. Q. Is it permissible for a school to employ a student for summer work who has not attended the school the previous year? A. No. In order for a student, who will be participating in athletics, to be em ployed by a school during the summer the student must have attended the school the previous school year. 2. Q. Can a Division II school employ student-athletes to “work off” tuition? A. No. Article II, Section 16 of the TSSAA Bylaws sets fo rth the only means for reduction of tuition. A school may employ student-athletes as long as the remuneration or consideration for work is not in excess of the amount regularly paid for such service. 3. Q. Must all financial aid to student-athletes be need-based? A. Yes. 4. Q. Who is allowed to pay a student-athlete’s tuition? A. If tuition is charged, it must be paid by a parent, bona fide guardian, or other family member. 5. Q. Can TSSAA member schools participating in Division II offe r particular groups of empl oyees tuition discounts? A. Yes, provided it is written into the school’s policies. For example, schools may choose to offer a tuition discount to a specific group (all full-time faculty members, all non-faculty head coaches, all trainers, etc.). The discount MUST be given to ALL individuals in a particular category or else it will be considered financial aid. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 48 July 13, 2026 Recruiting Rule 1. Q. What are some guidelines for understanding the Recruiting Rule? A. Following are some guidelines for understanding the Recruiting Rule: 1. Athletes or prospective athletes should be treat ed no differently than students who are not athletes. Students should be seen as students and not singl ed out based on their potent ial athletic ability. 2. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, a coach who is contacted by any student or family or individual about attending a school where he or she is the coach should inform that person that he or she needs to contact the administrative official or officials of t he school who normally deal with the admission process. 3. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, any meeti ng with coaches regarding athletes or prospective athletes should be a part of the adm issions process at the school and should take place at the school. 2. Q. How is influence for athletic purposes interpreted in the recruiting rule? A. Examples of influence for athletic pur poses may include, but are not limited to: 1. Offers of or acceptance of any special privileges not afforded to other students, whether athletes or not. 2. Offers of financial aid based on need to any prospective student-athlete by any member of the coaching staff. All financial aid questions shoul d be referred to the principal or pe rson in charge of financial aid. 3. Inducing or attempting to induce or encourage an y prospective student-athlete to attend any member school for the purpose of participating in athletics ev en when the special remuneration or inducement is not given. 4. Any initial contact or prearranged contact by a memb er of a coaching staff or representative of the school and a prospective student-athlete. 5. Offering or acceptance of any item with school adve rtisement (shirt, caps, jackets, etc.) to a prospective student; provided that this example does not apply to items that a school gives to all families that participate in the school’s admission process. 6. Admitting students to athletic contests free of charge based on their participation in athletics with non- school teams. 7. Recognizing students at athletic c ontests based on their participation in athletics with non-school teams. 8. Coaches or their representative s sending questionnaires, cards or letters, contacting, or visiting prospective student-athletes and/or their families. For purposes of the example, the terms “coach” assumes that the individual initiating the contact is acti ng in his or her capacity as a coach. If that person serves another role at the school and is not acting in his or her capacity as coach, then there may be no violation, unless the contact is really a method for what is in fact the use of infl uence for athletic purposes. 9. Coaches or their representative s asking prospective student-athletes or family members for contact information. 10. Any social media post that encourages prospect ive student-athletes to consider attending the school. 11. The school or person associated with the school havi ng input into the selection of a student in a foreign exchange program. 12. A member of the school’s coaching sta ff serving as a host family for a student. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 49 July 13, 2026 3. Q. What is allowed or permitted by member schools in contacting prospective students? A. The Recruiting Rule is not intended to prevent a mem ber school from marketing its total school program or conducting programs designed to attract students based on the school’s overall educational and extracurricular programs. However, such programs must not be used as a method for securing students for athletic purposes. Examples of programs or things that would be permissible include, but are not limited to: 1. A school may provide general information about a schoo l’s athletic program(s) to elementary, junior high, or middle school students, with t he permission of the administration of all schools involved. The students who receive the information should be determined by the administration of all schools involved. 2. Once a student has pre-enrolled at an independent school in the spring or summer, taken necessary steps, been accepted or approved, paid a deposit (if requi red), and signed a contract indicating they will attend, the school may contact the student or fam ily concerning summer programs, camps, physicals, etc., provided the student has: a. Signed the independent school’s enrollment contract; and b. Paid the deposit required by the independent school. 3. Mass marketing or mass-media advertising for a school, directed to the general student population. 4. Responding to inquiries from parents of prospe ctive students about various aspects of the school’s program. These inquiries should be referred to the admi nistrative official or officials of the school who normally deal with the admission process. 4. Q. Are there activities that might appear inconsistent with the Recruiting Rule and the Guidelines but have been historically engaged in by many member schools a nd are permitted under the current Recruiting Rule and Guidelines? A. Yes. Over the course of many years, there are a nu mber of activities that many schools have customarily engaged in and that have not been regarded as violations of the Recruiting Rule. So long as the activity does not single out particular student-athletes, and so long as the activity is not being used to circumvent the Recruiting Rule, the following such activities are permissible rega rdless of any apparent inconsistency with the Recruiting Rule or the Guidelines: 1. Students on school teams and/or all students in a school or particular grade may be admitted to athletic contests free of charge provided it has been appr oved by the administration of all schools involved. 2. Students on school teams and/or all students in a school or particular grade may be recognized for their accomplishments at athletic contes ts provided it has been approved by the administration of all schools involved. 5. Q. What are some examples of Level 1 Violations? A. Following are some examples of Level 1 Violations:  The "Retweet": A coach or school athletic account re tweets, likes or comments on a prospective student's "I am blessed to announce I will be playing for [School] next year" graphic.  The "Welcome Post”: The school’s social media manager creates a "Welcome to the Family" graphic for a prospective transfer student.  The "Public Comment": A coach commenting, "Can't wa it to get to work!" on a prospective student's transfer announcement post. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 50 July 13, 2026 6. Q. What are some examples of Level 2 Violations? A. Following are some examples of Level 2 Violations:  A coach posting: "If you aren't getting the playing time you deserve, my DMs are open."  A coach posting: “It’s never too late to come be a [Mascot]!”  A coach responds to a DM from a student at another school with information about how they can apply to come to their school, rather than referrin g that student to the admissions office.  A video or social media post which markets the adva ntages of an academic program to student-athletes as opposed to marketing the advantages of t he academic program to all prospective students.  A video or social media post which highlights the at hletic program as opposed to marketing the total school program and includes a call to action to apply or enroll. 7. Q. What are some examples of Level 3 Violations? A. Following are some examples of Level 3 Violations:  A coach sends a Direct Message (DM) or text to a student-athlete at another school to ask whether they are interested in transferring or applying to that school.  A coach asks a current player or bo oster to contact a specific student at another school to "recruit" them.  A coach of an independent team that uses a school’s facilities for practice encouraging students who are not enrolled at the school to consider transferring.  A booster club member or program donor initiates co ntact with a prospective athlete or their family encouraging them to apply or transfer to the school they support. 8. Q. What are some examples of Level 4 Violations? A. Following are some examples of Level 4 Violations:  Cash, gift cards, any items of commercial value, moving expenses, rent/housing, job opportunities, or "under the table" monetary promises.  Offering and NIL opportunity contingent upon enrollment at a particular school. Amateur Rule 1. Q. Can an athlete post a link to a business they are rece iving payment for sponsoring if there are references to the school in their social medi a profile where the link appears? A. No. References to the school or pictures depicting the athlete in their uniform may not appear in the post containing a link to the sponsoring business. 2. Q. Can a coach or other school official facilitate, co ordinate, promote, or negotiate an NIL agreement for a student-athlete enrolled at his/her school? A. No. A school can provide generic educational materials or advice regarding the factors that should be considered before entering into an NIL deal but should never be involved with coordinating, facilitating, promoting, or negotiating agreements for student-athletes. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 51 July 13, 2026 3. Q. Can a booster club or other school support organizati on make payment to a student-athlete for the use of his or her name, image, or likeness? A. No. Payment from a school booster club could reas onably suggest the endorsement or sponsorship of the TSSAA school. 4. Q. Can a school or school support organization dist ribute money for services to a student through a Name, Image Likeness Collective? A. No. School association with a collective would be co nsidered express or implied sponsorship or endorsement of the activity. 5. Q. If an athlete wishes to give private lessons or run a mini camp using school facilities and advertises the lesson or camp, is he/she in violation of the Amateur Rule by mentioning the school as the host site in the advertisement? A. Yes. Students may receive payment for activities not re lated to performance provided that they are carried out in a manner that does not suggest the endorsement or sponsorship of a TSSAA school. To avoid the inference or suggestion that the school endorses or sponsors the activity, the school should not be mentioned in the advertisement. The student may, of course, inform those who contact him or her about the location of the lessons or camp, but that location – if it is a member school – should not be mentioned in any advertisement. If a student is using a school’s facility for instru ctional purposes, he or she should be tr eated the same as any member of the student population regarding usage agreements, fees, etc. 6. Q. Are there limits as to how much an athlete can make from an endorsement or sponsorship? A. No. 7. Q. Are there limits as to how much an athlete can charge for giving lessons or putting on a camp? A. No. 8. Q. Can a coach of a school assist an athlete who is giving lessons or putting on a camp? A. No. A coach’s assistance would reasonably suggest support or endorsement by the school. 9. Q. Are there restrictions as to the types of businesses athletes can sign NIL agreements with? A. Not at this time. 10. Q. Does a school have to document its athletes’ NIL activities? A. Not for the purposes of TSSAA. However, school officials may wish to maintain an awareness of those activities in order to ensure that the activities do not suggest the endorsement or sponsorship of the school. 11. Q. If a coach is contacted by a comm unity member seeking a pitcher/receive r/setter/etc. to provide lessons to their child, could the coach direct them to one of his/her players? A. No. A coach directing someone to one of his/her players for this purpose would reasonably suggest endorsement or sponsorship of the school. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 52 July 13, 2026 Award Rule Q. If a student accepts a gift card or apparel from an out side entity during a camp, combine, showcase, etc., will he/she lose his/her eligibility? A. No. Accepting these items from an outside source dur ing a camp, combine, or showcase, etc., would not make a student ineligible. Bowling, golf and tennis student s must abide by USBC, USGA, and USTA regulations in regards to accepting awards. Independent-Game Participation – High School Division 1. Q. Team A is eliminated in the district basketball tournament. May players on Team A participate in an independent game or tournament without endangering their eligibility? A. The basketball season ends for any member school when the school is eliminated from tournament play. Students may participate in a game as members of independent teams in any sport after the season for that sport has closed without affecting their eligibility, provided the amateur rule is not violated. 2. Q. A golfer wishes to participate in a club tournament dur ing the golf season. Is this a violation of the independent rule? A. No, provided the golfer participates as an individual and not as a member or representative of his/her school. The independent rule does not apply to sports with an i ndividual championship (golf, tennis, bowling, wrestling, track and field, and cross country). 3. Q. May a player participate in a game with an independent team after participating in a school contest at any level prior to the conclusion of the season? A. No. The student shall be ineligible at the varsity leve l once TSSAA is made aware of the incident in the sport in which the violation occurs. 4. Q. Is it a violation for an athlete in baseball or softball to practice with an independent team? A. No, provided the independent team is not scrimmaging an other independent team as a part of their practice. 5. Q. Is it a violation for an athlete in track or cross country to participate in a road race? A. No. The independent rule does not apply to track and field or cross country. 6. Q. A basketball player participates in an independent game an d the school notifies the state office of the violation. What is the penalty for the student athlete? A. The student will be ineligible at the vars ity level for the remainder of the season. 7. Q. What are some examples of scrimmage situations t hat would not be considered a violation of the Independent Game Participation Rule? A. Following are two examples:  48 students are trying out for an AAU basketball, travel baseball or softball, club soccer or 7 on 7 football team. This group of students would be consi dered one team and could participate in scrimmage situations.  65 students are invited to a college university to pr actice with a college team. This group of students, along with the college students, would be consider ed one team and could participate in scrimmage situations. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 53 July 13, 2026 Independent-Game Participation – Middle School Division 1. Q. Team A is eliminated in the district basketball tournament. May players on Team A participate in an independent game or tournament without endangering their eligibility? A. The basketball season ends for any member school when the school is eliminated from tournament play. Students may participate as members of independent teams in any sport after the season for that sport has closed without affecting their eligibility, pr ovided the amateur rule is not violated. 2. Q. May a player participate in a scrimmage, practice game or game with an independent team after participating in a basketball or football contest? A. No. The student shall be ineligible immediatel y in the sport in which the violation occurs. 3. Q. A basketball player participates in an independent game an d the school notifies the state office of the violation. What is the penalty for the student athlete? A. The student will be ineligible at the vars ity level for the remainder of the season. Unsportsmanlike Conduct Q. If a school has a fan that is ejected in the first quart er of a basketball game and subsequently has a fan ejected in the fourth quarter of the same game, w hat is the monetary penalty to the school? A. The school will be fined $250 per occurrence for a total of $500. Schools Which Member Schools May Play or Scrimmage 1. Q. What schools may member high school division team s scrimmage during pre-season or play during regular season? A. High school division teams may play or scrimmage the following: 1. Any school team with grades 9 and above. 2. An individual homeschooled student who might be invited to participate in a track meet, wrestling competition, golf competition, etc. This would primarily apply to individual sports. 3. A homeschool team in a team sport, such as bask etball, baseball, softball, etc., where homeschooled students go together to form a cooperative team. 2. Q. What schools may middle school division teams scrimm age during pre-season or play during regular season? A. Middle school division teams ma y play or scrimmage the following: 1. Any middle school team with grades 6, 7, and 8. 2. An individual homeschooled student who might be invited to participate in a track meet, wrestling competition, golf competition, etc. This would primarily apply to individual sports. 3. A homeschool team in a team sport, such as bask etball, baseball, softball, etc., where homeschooled students go together to form a cooperative team. 3. Q. Who can a member school of TSSAA not play? A. Any non-school team. Examples would be a club team, teams that are not recognized as a school team by the school/school system they represent, recreational pa rk league team, or any type of independent team. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 54 July 13, 2026 Contests and Tournaments with Out-Of-State Teams Q. May a member school participate in tournaments or meets involving out-of-state teams that have not been sanctioned? A. No. All tournaments or meets invo lving out-of-state teams must be sanctioned by TSSAA, the other state associations concerned, and the National Federation. Varsity Teams Q. Can a school’s junior varsity team part icipate against another school’s varsity team? A. No. A game is either a varsity game for both teams, a junior varsity game for both teams, or a scrimmage for both teams. An exception may be made by the Executiv e Director when a school is beginning an athletic program. TSSAA SPORTS CALENDAR 1. Q. A coach has a weight lifting program at school duri ng off-season and in the time permitted by the sports calendar. The program is open to both players and non-players. Is this a violation? A. No, provided activities are limited to weight li fting, and provided no player is required to attend. 2. Q. Can a coach have a conditioning program in the off season, provided it is not during the Dead Period? A. Yes, provided it is a program that would benefit all students and is open to all players and non-players. 3. Q. May a school with grades 7-12, 8-12 or 9-12 have 12 days of varsity spring football practice and 12 days of freshman spring football practice? A. No. A school may have only 12 days of off-season practice in football. 4. Q. Is it permissible for a school to have try-outs before the first practice date? A. Try-outs are considered practice. During the school-y ear try-outs can be held during anytime team practice is allowed and only students enrolled and in regular attendance at that school may participate. Try-outs may be held in the summer during the time outlined for practice in that sport. 5. Q. In football, five schools come together on a Saturday for a five-way scrimmage on two practice fields. Team A is working a half line scrimmage against Team B, Team C is working 7-on-7 with secondary against quarterbacks and receivers, etc. Later in the day, Team B is scrimmagi ng Team A, B vs. C, etc. How would this be counted? A. This is one scrimmage date. All schools would ha ve either two scrimmages or one scrimmage date remaining in preseason. 6. Q. Three schools go together for a three-way scrimmage wi th A vs. B, B vs. C, and C vs. A set up during the day. How would this be counted? A. This is either two scrimmages for each team or on e scrimmage date for each team. It really does not make any difference. All three schools would have either two scrimmages or one scrimmage date remaining in preseason. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 55 July 13, 2026 7. Q. School A and School B get together and set up a scrimmage with their two schools. During the scrimmage the freshman teams are working against each other at 2:00; the junior varsity teams are working against each other at 3:30; and the varsity teams come back that night and wo rk against each other at 7:00. How would this be counted in preseason scrimmages. A. This is one preseason scrimmage for both schools, provided all of the scrimmaging is at one site. 8. Q. A school invites nine schools to participate in an all-day scrimmage on a Saturday. What can occur and how is this counted toward the scrimmage rule? A. If any of the schools invited scrimmage more than one school, then it would count as a scrimmage date for that school and for all the schools that participate against more than one school in the all-day affair. The schools would then have either two scrimmages remaining or one scrimmage date. 9. Q. How many students may receive individual instru ctions during the pre-season and/or off-season?  Outside of pre-season team practice in baseball and softball, individual instruction may be given to no more than five students per day.  Outside of pre-season team practice in soccer, i ndividual instruction may be given to no more than six students per day in soccer.  Outside of off-season team practice in football and girls soccer, individual instruction may be given to no more than six students per day.  Outside of off-season team practice in basketball an d girls volleyball, individual instruction may be given to no more than three students per day. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MANY COACHES YO U HAVE IN A PARTICULAR SPORT. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ALLOWED TO RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN ABOVE. 10. Q. Are school personnel/coaches permitted to coach non- school teams with players from their school in the preseason or offseason? A. If the TSSAA sports calendar does not permit practice during the time of year that the non-school team is practicing or playing, then school personnel are not perm itted to coach these teams regardless of how many or how few players from their school are participating for the non-school team. 11. Q. Does the 50% rule apply to summer teams in any sport? A. No. The 50% rule applies only to the following high school division sports: basketball, baseball, and softball and only from the beginning of the school year unt il the season begins in the sport involved. 12. Q. School A has one gym and is scheduled to have volleyb all practice until 6:00 PM. Can School A have Open Facilities for basketball beginning at 6:30 PM? A. Yes. Open Facilities is permitted year round (Monday through Friday) except during the Dead Period. It does not have to occur immediately after the school day ends. 13. Q. Can a school use their fac ilities during the Dead Period? A. The Dead Period restricts students from having contact with staff members from their school. It does not restrict students from facilities unless t he school staff is present at the activity. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 56 July 13, 2026 Awards 1. Q. Does TSSAA name All-District, A ll-Region, or All-State Teams? A. No. These teams are normally selected by the coac hes, the Tennessee Sports Writers Association, or the Associated Press. 2. Q. From where/whom do middle sch ool division tournament directors get the awards for their tournament? A. Tournament Directors may contact Crown Awards to or der awards. Their contact information is as follows: Crown Awards – (800) 542-6044 Officials and Contracts with Officials 1. Q. May a school use one or more non-registered officials in a contest provided the other officials are registered? A. All football officials, including t he clock operator, must be registered with TSSAA. All basketball officials, except the timer and scorer, must also be registered with TSSAA. All baseball and girls softball umpires must be registered with TSSAA; also wrestling, girls soccer, soccer , girls volleyball, boys lacros se, girls lacrosse, girls flag football officials. 2. Q. What is the penalty for using a non-registered football, basketball, wrestling, girls volleyball, girls soccer, soccer, girls softball or baseball official? A. Schools using non-registered officials shall be fined $15 for the first offense. Cont inued use of non-registered officials will subject the school to suspension or ot her penalty as determined by the Board of Control. 3. Q. If a registered official has been employed but for some reason fails to appear, may a school use a non- registered official without being subject to any penalty? A. Yes, provided the state office is notified in writing wi thin 48 hours after the game is played. This report should give the name and address of the registered official who was employed to work the game and the reason for his/her failure to do so if known; also the name and address of the official who was used in place of the registered official. 4. Q. What is the policy of TSSAA towa rd the decisions of officials? A. The decisions of officials are accepted as final and binding. 5. Q. May a school drop an official from the game after the official has been engaged? A. Yes, if a school decides that it is wise to break it s agreement with an official, it may be done by paying the official the regular fee for the game. 2026-27 TSSAA Handbook Page 57 July 13, 2026 COACHING REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST Non-Faculty Coaches serving as Coaches _____ Must be approved by the principal, director of schools, and/or school board each year. _____ Must be submitted by the principal to TSSAA each year. _____ Must successfully complete the NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health, & Safety for Coaches” courses prior to his/her employment. * Classified Employees serving as Coaches _____ Must be approved by the principal, director of schools, and/or school board each year. _____ Must be submitted by the principal to TSSAA each year. _____ Must successfully complete the NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching” course prior to his/her employment. * Retired Educators (five or more years of teaching experience) & Full-Time Certified Teachers (those who are currently teaching a minimum of 100 school days) are not considered non-faculty. These individuals have no other requirements. These individuals must be submitted by the principal to TSSAA each year. * Coaches who have successfully completed the ASEP Coaches Education Course AND the TSSAA Online Coaches Training Session prior to May 15, 2013, will not be required to take the NFHS courses. 2026-29 GENERAL OFFICIAL'S INFORMATION The following fees for regular season varsit y contests have been set by the Board of Co ntrol. With the exception of basketball , these fees do not apply to invitational tournaments. J.V. or B-T eam, freshman, and middle school fees are not set by TSSAA and are negotiable with the local officials’ association. Mileage Fees The Board of Control has set the following fees for mileage, wh ich applies to all officials, and is to be based on mileage that is calculated in Arbiter: 1. If an official travels 30 to 60 miles one-way, they will receive an additional $10. 2. If an official travels more than 60 miles one way, they wil l receive an additional $20. In Lacrosse, they will receive an additional $50. 3. If an official travels less than 30 miles one way, no additional fee will be paid. Sport Fees Notes Baseball Two Officials Single Game $105.00 Doubleheader (JV/JV) $135.00 Doubleheader (JV/V) $135.00 Doubleheader (V/V) $195.00 Three Officials Single Game $100.00 Doubleheader (JV/JV) $125.00 Doubleheader (JV/V) $125.00 Doubleheader (V/V) $185.00 Doubleheader fees apply to regular season contests only when there is no more than 30 minutes between games. If one game of the doubleheader is a JV game, it is limited to 5 innings or a 1:15 time limit, whichever comes first. NO EXCEPTIONS. Basketball Two Officials Single Game $105.00 Doubleheader $150.00 Three Officials Single Game $95.00 Doubleheader $140.00 Doubleheader fees apply to all regular season contests, including Invitational Tournaments and Classics, where there is no more than 15 minutes between contests Football $130.00 E.C.O. – $100.00 Girls Flag Football Single Game - $65 per official Multiple Games @ a Site - $55 per official Girls Soccer and Socce r Two Officials One Game $100.00 Three Officials One Game – $100.00, $90.00, $90.00 Girls Softball Two Officials Single Game $95.00 Doubleheader (JV/JV) $125.00 Doubleheader (JV/V) $125.00 Doubleheader (V/V) $175.00 Three Officials Single Game $90.00 Doubleheader (JV/JV) $115.00 Doubleheader (JV/V) $115.00 Doubleheader (V/V) $165.00 Doubleheader fees apply to regular season contests only when there is no more than 30 minutes between games. Girls Volleyball Best of Three (25, 25, 25) One Match $85.00 Second Match $50.00 Third Match $50.00 Best of Five (25, 25, 25, 25, 15) One Match $85.00 Second Match $70.00 Third Match $70.00 Two officials must be used for all matches, including Invitational Tournaments and Post-Season Tournaments. Lacrosse Two Officials $125.00 Three Officials $100.00 Wrestling Single Dual Meet Per Official $90.00 Two or More Duals Per Official per Dual $80.00 2026-27 TSSAA Rules Meetings ADMINISTRATOR’S MEETINGS Sept. 21 9:00 AM Cookeville High School 10:00 AM Middle School Meeting Sept. 22 9:00 AM Daniel Boone High School 10:00 AM Middle School Meeting Sept. 23 9:00 AM Hardin Valley Academy 10:00 AM Middle School Meeting Sept. 24 9:00 AM Silverdale Baptist Academy 10:00 AM Middle School Meeting Sept. 28 9:00 AM Ensworth High School 10:00 AM Middle School Meeting Sept. 29 9:00 AM White Station High School 10:-00 AM Middle School Meeting Sept. 30 9:00 AM Liberty Tech. Magnet High School 10:00 AM Middle School Meeting Oct. 1 9:00 AM Spring Hill High School 10:00 AM Middle School Meeting REGIONAL MEETINGS Nov. 4 10:00 AM Liberty Tech. Magnet High School Nov. 9 10:00 AM Ensworth High School Nov. 10 10:00 AM Hardin Valley Academy BASEBALL RULES MEETINGS Jan. 3 3:00 PM Cookeville High School Jan. 4 6:30 PM Battle Creek High School Jan. 7 6:30 PM Goodpasture Christian School Jan. 18 6:30 PM Hardin Valley Academy Jan. 20 6:30 PM Daniel Boone High School Jan. 21 6:30 PM Boyd Buchanan High School Jan. 24 3:00 PM White Station High School Jan. 25 6:30 PM Liberty Tech. Magnet High School BASKETBALL RULES MEETINGS Sept. 27 4:00 PM Morristown East High School Sept. 28 6:00 PM Daniel Boone High School Sept. 30 6:00 PM Hardin Valley Academy Oct. 1 6:00 PM Boyd Buchanan High School Oct. 4 2:00 PM DeKalb Co. High School Oct. 5 6:00 PM Wilson Co. ATC Oct. 7 6:00 PM Shelbyville Central High School Oct. 12 6:00 PM Memphis University School Oct. 14 6:00 PM Dresden High School Oct. 15 6:00 PM Liberty Tech. Magnet High School FOOTBALL RULES MEETINGS July 13 6:00 PM Goodpasture Christian School July 14 6:00 PM Rossview High School July 15 6:00 PM Shelbyv ille Central High School July 20 6:00 PM Liberty Tech. Magnet High School July 21 6:00 PM Memphis University School July 22 6:00 PM Peabody High School July 26 2:00 PM Watertown High School July 27 6:00 PM McMinn Co. High School July 28 6:00 PM Hardin Valley Academy July 29 6:00 PM Daniel Boone High School July 30 6:00 PM Boyd Buchanan High School GIRLS SOFTBALL RULES MEETINGS Jan. 3 2:00 PM Cookeville High School Jan. 4 5:30 PM Battle Creek High School Jan. 7 5:30 PM Goodpasture Christian School Jan. 18 5:30 PM Hardin Valley Academy Jan. 20 5:30 PM Daniel Boone High School Jan. 21 5:30 PM Boyd Buchanan High School Jan. 24 2:00 PM White Station High School Jan. 25 5:30 PM Liberty Tech. Magnet High School TRACK RULES MEETINGS Jan. 19 6:00 PM Riverdale High School Jan. 20 6:00 PM Memphis University School Jan. 21 6:00 PM Liberty Tech. Magnet School Jan. 25 6:00 PM Bearden High School Jan. 26 6:00 PM Girls Preparatory School Jan. 27 6:00 PM Daniel Boone High School Jan. 28 6:00 PM Gr een Hill High School WRESTLING RULES MEETINGS Sept. 27 4:00 PM Science Hill High School Sept. 28 6:00 PM Bearden High School Sept. 29 6:00 PM Silverdale Baptist Academy Oct. 18 4:00 PM Memphis University School Oct. 19 6:00 PM Rossview High School Oct. 20 6:00 PM Goodpasture Christian School Oct. 22 6:00 PM Siegel High School THE FOLLOWING RULES MEETINGS WILL BE OFFERED ONLINE: BOWLING, CHEERLEADING, GIRLS SOCCER, GIRLS VOLLEYBALL, GOLF, LACROSSE, SOCCER, TENNIS NOTE: In order to complete the online coaches meetings, coaches must log into their personal TSSAA Portal Account and be assigned as a coach for the sport in which they are taking the online rules meetings.