Page 33 - 2023-24 By-Laws

Rule 1 - Rule Coverage

(1.) Twenty (20) member Schools currently are sponsoring a program in the Sport;
(2.) There is documentation submitted which demonstrates the Sport’s viability to grow
meaningful sport participation opportunities for girls and boys in the Sport, including
data regarding injuries and information about health and safety protocols, data of
participants in other states and at the collegiate level, data of gender, race and ethnicity
participants, data of non-scholastic participation, data of the geographic participation,
letters of support from coaches organizations and other associations or organizations
involved in the sport;
(3.) Suggested IHSAA sport-specific rules (e.g. playing and practice seasons) for this
Sport are submitted; and
(4.) Ten (10) letters of commitment are submitted from member Schools that either
currently sponsor or intend to sponsor a program in the Sport, which include the
following supporting materials: a current/proposed budget with specific line items for
a program in the Sport, a roster size and number of full-time and part-time coaches
for a program in the Sport, a description of practice and competition facilities needed
for a program in the Sport, a listing of local and regional competition opportunities for
a program in the Sport, a timeline to varsity status for the Sport, and a description of
the current relationship with any Sport governing bodies.
c. Provided such requirements have been satisfied, the Board at the next Annual Meeting
may, by majority vote, recognize the Sport as an Emerging Sport.
d. After a Sport has been designated an Emerging Sport, it will be listed in the IHSAA General
Eligibility Rules and any School sponsoring a program in that Sport shall register its
coaches with the IHSAA. The IHSAA will offer limited administrative services to Schools
sponsoring a program in that Emerging Sport, such as free rule books, free rules meetings
in the Emerging Sport and free participation in the Catastrophic Medical program for the
students participating in the Emerging Sport. Participation in the Emerging Sport and all
Contests in the Emerging Sport are subject to all the IHSAA rules and policies, including
the General Eligibility Rules.
e. The following sports are currently Emerging Sports: Boys Volleyball; Girls Wrestling
(2022).
1-5 Mutual Agreement to Violate rules Prohibited
Mutual agreements to violate the rules of this Association shall result in Suspension of all
Schools involved.
Q & A
Rule Coverage – Generally
Q. 1-1 May a member School support a grade school team in the same school system
out of its athletic funds?
A. Yes, while the IHSAA rules do not prohibit it, state and school rules may limit
such activity.
Q. 1-2 Do seniors have any rights and privileges as athletes under the IHSAA rules
which not granted to other students?
A. No, the IHSAA rules do not address a student’s class or grade level.
Q. 1-3 Is a student who misses classes on the day the basketball team plays a Contest
eligible to participate in that game?
A. The IHSAA rules do not address this matter. The member School’s policy would
determine eligibility.

RULE 2 – CLASSIFICATION OF SCHOOLS
2-1 Classification Criteria
Schools may be classified in Team Sports up to a maximum of Four (4) Classes, except
football, according to the following criteria:
a. If Fifty percent (50%) of the member Schools sponsored a team and entered the IHSAA
tournament in the previous year, that sport may have Two (2) Classes.
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