Page 44 - 2023-24 By-Laws

Rule 5 - Amateurism and Assumed Name Prohibition

such recognition. (rule 5-2)
Q. 5-3 A junior basketball player wins a non-School free-throw shooting contest. The
first place prize is a trip to Disney World. May the player accept the trip?
A. No. The student may not accept prizes or remuneration for participation in the
student’s sport. (rules 5-2, 6-1)
Q. 5-4 May a tennis player with remaining IHSAA eligibility receive and accept a tennis
racket through a sporting goods dealer “free list” or “loan list”?
A. No, a tennis player who receives merchandise of any kind (or cash) in recognition
of athletic achievement becomes ineligible in tennis. (rule 5-2)
Definition of Amateurism
Q. 5-5 Is the definition of amateurism by other organizations accepted by the IHSAA?
A. No, amateurism is defined by the IHSAA for IHSAA purposes. There is no definition
of amateurism acceptable to all organizations, and the IHSAA does not recognize
the definition of amateurism by other organizations. (rule 5-1)
Students Sharing in Gate Receipts
Q. 5-6 Are member School students permitted to participate and split the gate receipts
among the players including the high School students?
A. No, this would be considered a violation of amateurism. (rule 5-2)
Students Working
Q. 5-7 Do students who receive money for services such as a lifeguard, caddie, camp
or clinic counselor, tennis or swimming instructor, summer recreation supervisor
or official, jeopardize their eligibility in high school?
A. No, provided they merely receive reasonable and legitimate wages for services
actually rendered. (rule 5-3)
Student Expense Reimbursement
Q. 5-8 Does acceptance of reimbursement for expenses for a non-School competition
constitute a violation of the Amateurism Rule, rule 5?
A. No, under rule 5-3, and provided the reimbursement can be documented,
is reasonable and does not exceed actual out-of-pocket expenses, such
reimbursement does not violate the Amateurism Rule.
Q. 5-9 What constitutes acceptable documentation for expense reimbursement?
A. Acceptable documentation for expense reimbursement is an itemized bill which
has been properly receipted by the person or entity receiving the payment(s).
Q. 5-10 Can a student who plans to attend a showcase be sponsored by a third party,
such as the student’s father’s company, which would pay for all the cost and fees
of the showcase?
A. Yes. A third party may ‘sponsor’ a student’s participation in a non-School event,
such as a Camp/Clinic, a non-School team competition or a showcase, and
may pay the student’s reasonable meals, lodging, and transportation. However,
such a sponsor cannot pay the actual “fee” for participation in the event and, of
course, cannot pay anything to or on behalf of a student for the student’s athletic
participation or performance. The Participation Rule, rule 15, has one exception,
and that is where a fee for a Camp/Clinic can be waived or paid by a third party
for an Underprivileged Student (See, Definitions).
Keeping Player Equipment and Uniforms
Q. 5-11 Does a student always violate the Amateurism Rule, rule 5-2, when the student
athlete fails to return player equipment or a player’s uniforms following the
conclusion of the student’s participation on a School Team or a Non-School Team?
A. No. A student’s failure to return equipment or a uniform to a School Team or to
a Non-School Team violates the Amateurism Rule only when the student has
not paid a reasonable fee to participate on the Team. When a student pays a
participation fee to a Team, it is presumed that all or a share of the fee is going
to the cost of outfitting the student athlete with equipment and uniforms, and
therefore, when the student athlete leaves the Team, the student should be able
to keep that equipment and those uniforms which the student athlete originally
help pay for, and should not be found in violation the Amateurism Rule. However,
31