The IIAAA is proud to support the efforts of our education-based athletic leaders at the middle level.
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IIAAA Middle School Representatives
Section 1
Jeff Fairbairn
Pierce MS
jfairbairn@mvsc.k12.in.us
Section 2
David Lang
Zionsville West MS
dlang@zcs.k12.in.us
Section 3
Stephanie Gillett
Christian Academy
sgillett@caschools.us
2017 Revision Committee:
District 1 – Kim Kilmer – Lowell
District 2 – Gene Teel, West Noble / Joe Brown, Concord
District 3 – Kiel Atkinson, Wash Twp / Mike Connors, Belzer / Kelly Antcliff, Zionsville Andy Aspass, Lynhurst / Brian Kendall, Chapel Hill
District 4 – Jamie Wingler, Center Grove Central / Dave Edens, Clark Pleasant
District 5 – Tom Cullen, East Washington
District 6 – Tim Martin. South Spencer
Original Document 7/1977, Revised 4/17/1984, Revised 5/1/1990, Revised 1/18/1995, Revised 1/30/2004, Revised 4/21/2011, Revised 3/15/2017
—TABLE OF CONTENTS—
I. IIAAA Forward
II. Middle School Level Guidelines
This publication has been prepared for those who administer the interschool athletic programs for middle level schools. On January 21, 1975, the IHSAA authorized the appointment of a committee to study and prepare guidelines for athletics in middle level schools. Many member schools had asked for guidance in the direction of a program adapted to the abilities of students at this level of competition. An understanding of the physiological and emotional development of early adolescents, the need for providing safety precautions, and the importance of protecting the best interests of students, prompted this request. The lack of specific limitations in number of contests, age of participants, etc., often resulted in abuses, inequities, inconsistencies and unfair competition. This Committee met frequently; conducted its study and received cooperation of a high percentage of school administrators. The following guidelines represent the judgment of the middle level representatives attending the State Athletic Administrators Association Conference in Indianapolis, and the Study Committee comprised of middle level representatives from each of the state’s six districts.
Preamble
The Indiana High School Athletic Association and the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association do not govern middle level schools, but recommend that they follow these rules within the guidelines set by the individual school district, principals’ association, district athletic association, or school’s athletic conference. Middle schools shall comply with Title IX.
Purpose
The purpose of these guidelines shall be to encourage, unify and give direction to wholesome amateur interschool athletic competition between middle level grade students. All such interschool athletic competition coming under the suggested guidelines shall be subservient to and complementary to the academic or curricular functions of the schools, which are their primary purposes. To assure that the program of interschool athletic competition remains steadfast to the principles of wholesome amateur athletics and subservient to its primary academic or curricular functions of education of the middle level school, schools should cooperate with agencies vitally concerned with the health and educational welfare of school students; furnish protection against exploitation of schools or their students; determine guidelines for qualifications of individual contestants, coaches and officials; and provide written communications to establish guideline standards for eligibility, competition and sportsmanship.
Section 1
All contests rules for events are adopted from the NFHS. These guidelines apply to all teams and all contestants enrolled in middle level schools participating in interschool athletic contests, tourneys and/or meets. The guidelines below are those deemed age appropriate for athletes in the Indiana.
Authority
Section 1 – The principal is recognized as the school representative and as such is accountable for conduct of the athletic program of that school.
Section 2 – The principal has the authority to designate a faculty member/s employed in that school system to act as a director of the teams representing the school.
Section 3 – It is understood that any school corporation may adjust the scope of athletic activities.
Section 4 – The principal or designee shall institute adequate team and crowd control measures at all contests in which the school participates and assures that their school’s participants and fans conduct themselves in a proper and sportsmanlike manner.
Certification of Eligibility
Section 5
Consent and Release Certificates
Section 6
Students, prior to their first practice, should have had:
Section 7
Students who are physically unable to practice for 5 consecutive days due to illness or injury should present to their principal or director a statement from a physician licensed to practice medicine that they are again physically fit to participate in interschool athletics.
Section 1
Students participating in sixth grade, seventh grade and/or eighth grade athletic contests should be eligible within the following guidelines:
6th grade – A student who is or shall be fourteen (14) prior to or on the scheduled date of the last contest in a sport should be ineligible to compete in grade-level specific sports within the following guidelines.
7th grade – A student who is or shall be fifteen (15) prior to or on the scheduled date of the last contest in a sport should be ineligible to compete in grade-level specific sports within the following guidelines.
8th grade – A student who is or shall be sixteen (16) prior to or on the scheduled date of the last contest in a sport should be ineligible to compete in grade-level specific sports within the following guidelines.
Section 2
In non grade-level specific sports, a student who is or shall be 16 prior to or on the scheduled date of the last competition in a sport should be ineligible for competition in that sport.
Section 1
All contestants in middle level school sponsored contests should be amateurs in that sport in which they wish to participate.
Section 2
Students should not play under assumed names nor accept remuneration, directly or indirectly, for playing on athletic teams.
Section 3
Students should not be considered as violating their amateur standing if they participate in any sport, out of season, sponsored by professionals.
Section 4
School having students who have violated their amateur standing should notify any school against whom competition occurred which involved that student’s participation.
Section 5
A student may accept reasonable meals, lodging and transportation if such are accepted in service rather than money or in some other material form.
Section 1
The giving and receiving of awards should:
NOTE: The giving and receiving of awards with the consent and under the supervision of the school principal concerned should mean that the school principal in each school should have real control and supervision without pressure of any kind from outside persons or groups of persons.
Section 2
Awards such as trophies, plaques, medals, ribbons or similar articles of symbolic value may be given.
Section 3
Schools belonging to athletic conferences may make awards to the winning schools or winning participants.
Section 4
Suitable awards may be accepted by schools and/or students from such local organizations as service clubs, patriotic organizations, civic groups, and dads’ and mothers’ clubs. Commercial businesses may name a player or players of the game or week provided the student does not accept merchandise, meals, cash, etc. for such an honor.
Section 1
Coaches should be regularly certified to teach in schools in Indiana if possible, however lay coaches may be used.
Section 1
Contestants’ conduct, in and out of school, should be such as:
These are general rules applying to all interschool contests.
Remember that official rules of contest are those published by the NFHS.
Section 1
No games, meets or tourneys should be played by schools without the sanction of the principals.
Section 2
Interschool athletic contests should follow the recommended guidelines for that contest.
Section 3
In all contests, the decisions of the officials shall be considered final and binding.
Section 4
Students may represent only one school in any sport during a tournament series.
Section 5
All-boys teams and all-girls teams should not participate against each other in interschool athletic contests.
Section 6
There should be no interschool athletic contests played or practices or clinics held on Sunday. Calling one or more team members together on Sunday for the purpose of studying scouting reports or viewing films of games should be considered a violation.
Section 7
In order to protect the health and safety of all participants, when a school is involved in a strike situation, suspension of students, etc., which prevents regularly scheduled supervised practice sessions of normal length and frequency, prior to participation, there should be:
Section 8
Withdrawal of a school athletic team from an athletic contest in progress other than emergency situation and, unless by mutual consent of both schools, should jeopardize future scheduling considerations.
Section 1
The “Contract for Athletic Contests” should be used for all interschool athletic contests and countersigned by the principal or director of the schools involved.
Section 1
The officials in all interschool contests requiring officials should currently be licensed by IHSAA.
Section 2
All licensed officials should wear the current officials’ insignia on the prescribed uniform.
Section 3
Written contracts are suggested between schools and officials.
Section 1
Participation in an athletic contest or any other similar team during the same season in which they represent their school in that sport is strongly discouraged.
Section 2
A student who participates in an interschool contest when ineligible other than in scholarship, too many quarters, too many events and similar oversights, should become ineligible only in that sport for the remainder of that sport season unless facts were purposely withheld or misrepresented. Such deliberate action should make the student ineligible in all sports for the remainder of that semester and all of his/her next semester in school.
Section 3
Participation of students in an organized athletic contest with or against players not belonging to their school constitutes a game. An organized “scrimmage” or practice by students with or against teams or players not belonging to their school is considered a game.
Section 1
Each school should establish their own scholastic requirements for students participating in their interschool athletic contest.
Section 1
The use of undue influence by any person or persons to secure or to retain a student or to secure or to retain one or both parents or guardians of a student as residents should cause the student to be ineligible for interschool athletics.
Section 2
No student should be eligible to participate in any interschool contest under the rules, if it should be shown that he/she or any member of their family is receiving any remuneration, either directly or indirectly, to influence them or their family to reside in a given school district or territory in order to establish eligibility on the team of said school.
NOTE: Individual participants may be considered eligible to participate in an immediately following season’s sport contest after 5 days of organized practice.
Rule 51 – Baseball (Boys)
*Baseball Pitch Count Sub Varsity 1-25 pitches 0 day rest, 26-35 1 day, 36-60 2 days, 61-80 3 days, 81-90+ 4 days.
Rule 52 – Basketball (Boys & Girls)
Rule 53 – Cross Country (Boys & Girls)
Rule 54 – Football (Boys)
Rule 55 – Golf (Boys & Girls)
Rule 56 – Gymnastics (Girls)
Rule 57 – Soccer (Boys & Girls)
Rule 58 – Softball (Girls)
Rule 59 – Swimming (Boys & Girls)
Rule 60 – Tennis (Boys & Girls)
Rule 61 – Track and Field (Boys & Girls)
Track and Field events: 4x800M Relay, 100M Hurdles, 110M Hurdles, 100M, 1600M, 4x100M Relay, 400M, 200M, 2400M, 4x400M Relay, Shot, Discus, Long Jump, High Jump (by local adoption of pole vault and 200M Hurdles may be included).
Rule 62 – Volleyball (Girls)
Rule 63 – Wrestling (Boys)
*maximum of two pounds will be given