Page 156 - 2023-24 By-Laws

National Federation of State High School Associations

Part VI: National Federation of
State High School Associations
Indiana was admitted in 1924. The National Federation was organized in 1920 and
now consists of 50 member state high school associations. Canadian Federation and 9
Canadian provinces are presently affi liated.

These associations have united to secure the benefi ts of cooperative action which elimi-
nates unnecessary duplication of work and which increases effi ciency through the pooling

and coordinating of eff orts of all who are engaged in high school athletic activities.
The legislative body is the National Council made up of one representative from each
member state association. Such representative must be an offi cer or a member of his/her

state board of control. The executive body is the Executive Committee of eight members
elected by the National Council from the membership of the Boards of Control, Com-
missioners and Executive Secretaries of member state associations from eight territorial
sections as outlined in the constitution. Terms are stag-
gered and for three years.
The growth in size and infl uence of the state high
school associations and their National Federation
insures some degree of teamwork on the part of 22,000
high schools and this teamwork has enabled them to
formulate policies and plans for improving high school
athletic conditions and to make these plans function.
The National Federation probably represents the larg-
est closely knit organized body of athletes in the world.
The opportunities for contributing to the welfare of the
high school athletic program are unlimited.
The Federation was organized primarily to secure
proper adherence to the eligibility rules of the various
state associations in interstate contests and meets. As
the prestige of the national organization grew, a pro-
gram for the sanctioning of interstate meets was developed. This later led to defi nite action
relative to national and sectional athletic events. At the present time, no national athletic
meet or tournament is sanctioned. Meets or tournaments, which involve the schools of
more than one state, are sanctioned in accordance with defi nite limitations in connection
with the distance to be traveled, the type of sponsor, the amount of school time involved,
and extent to which such events interfere with smaller meets which insure participation by
greater numbers of those who need the training. The scope of the National Federation work
has broadened so that all high school athletic and many non-athletic groups profi t through
an exchange of experiences and a pooling of interests.
The activities of the National Federation are based on the belief strong state and
national high school athletic organizations are necessary to protect the athletic interests of
the high schools, to promote an ever increasing growth of a type of interscholastic athletics
which is educational in both objective and method and which can be justifi ed as an integral
part of the high school curriculum, and to protect high school students from exploitation for
purposes having no educational implications. To accomplish these things, it is necessary
for educators to exercise teamwork on a nationwide scale.

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