Rules of Eligibility

AGE LIMIT - An athlete shall be ineligible if he/she becomes 19 years of age on or before September 1st.  A birth certificate is required of all contestants.  No freshman may play on a freshman team if he/she has reached the age of 16 by September 1st.

DATE OF ENROLLMENT - An athlete shall be enrolled no later than the 14th official school day of the block credit grading period to be eligible.

ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY - A student, who, upon having his/her work checked for a 9-week period, shows that he/she is not meeting eligibility requirements, will be removed from competitions governed by A.I.A. To be eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities, Student-Athletes are expected to maintain passing grades in all classes and hold at least a 1.0 GPA.

A.I.A. Policy requires the student be enrolled in a minimum of five courses the first 6 semesters of high school and a minimum as determined by the district during the seventh and eighth semesters. 

A special staffing may be convened for a special education student who is declared ineligible by Progress Reports mailed at mid-quarter. 

On Thursday following a grading interval, notices of ineligibility will be provided to coaches and sponsors.  Coaches and sponsors are expected to notify the students, in private, on that day. Notification of ineligibility will be sent to the parent via first class letter within six working days of the end of the grading interval.  School staff and coaches are expected to keep ineligibility confidential.  A grading interval is defined as the period from the first day to the last day of a quarter as noted on the district calendar. 

Students who have been declared ineligible at the end of a grading interval shall be declared ineligible until the first Thursday FOLLOWING the next grading interval.  Ineligibility brought about by “incompletes” because of extenuating circumstances (severe illness, death in family, etc.), shall be eliminated at the time the “incomplete” becomes a passing grade and approval by the principal and his/her designee is given.  Students declared ineligible may regain their eligibility following the four and one-half week progress report if they are passing all classes in which they are enrolled. 

Any student who does not meet eligibility criteria, or is in danger of being declared ineligible, should have full access to the resources of the school to correct this problem. 

In the high school this may include the following, as are felt to be appropriate to the particular student: 

A student may voluntarily attend these sessions or they may be assigned to attend by a coach. 

Support programs, including the after school tutorial program will be available to all students, as appropriate. 

RESIDENCE: An athlete, whether an adult or not, is privileged with eligibility only at the school in the district of which his/her parents are domiciled.  An athlete who transfers from one high school to another is INELIGIBLE to participate in interscholastic competition in the school to which he/she transfers for 50% of contests of any sport the athlete participated in during the previous 12 months..  An athlete transferring to or from a private or parochial school should contact his/her Athletic Director for eligibility information. 

DROPPING SCHOOL: If a player drops from school after the 15th day during a semester, he/she will not become eligible until he/she has attended school one full semester and passes in five subjects.

ELIGIBILITY: An athlete is privileged with eligibility for only four consecutive seasons in each sport and for only eight consecutive semesters after he/she first enrolls in the ninth grade.  An athlete who is a member of a school team shall not practice or compete for or with any other group, club, organization, association, in that same sport during the interscholastic season of competition of that sport.  An athlete shall not compete for money or other monetary compensation.  An amateur athlete shall participate and always have participated under his/her own name.

APPROVAL FROM PARENTS: Before a student can practice for any interscholastic athletic contest he/she must have on file in the office of the Principal for each school year, a permit from his/her parents or guardians giving permission for him/her to participate.  (AIA Packet)

EMERGENCY CONSENT FORM: Must be signed by parent/guardian before the student will be cleared to participate.  (AIA Packet)

PHYSICIAN’S STATEMENT: Proof that a student has been properly examined by a licensed physician and found to be physically fit to compete is required before the student may practice for an athletic event or contest.  All student athletes are required to have a new physical examination at the beginning of each school year.  (AIA Packet) 

INSURANCE: All students shall have on file a certificate of compliance with the extra-curricular insurance program prescribed by the school district before they will be eligible to represent their high school in any interscholastic athletic contest. 

FEE/REFUNDS: All students trying out for a sport must pay a $75.00 athletic fee.  Refunds of athletic fees are only available if the student does not make the team or the student quits the team prior to the first competition.  No athletic fees will be refunded after the first competition date. 

CONTACT SPORTS: (Participation in) All students (K - 12) will be excluded from contact sports if he/she has a plasti-cast or splint that was prescribed by a physician.  The policy is intended to include physical education classes involved in contact sports as well as extra-curricular sports.

All students with their parents, MUST view the film INFORMED CONSENT@ prior to participating in Interscholastic sports.  

• remedial programs  
• development programs  
• teacher tutorials
• peer tutorials
• parent volunteer assistance
• individual assistance
• after school tutorial staffed by a certified teacher