Page 45 - 2023-24 By-Laws

Rule 5 - Amateurism and Assumed Name Prohibition

a student athlete violates the Amateurism Rule, rule 5-2, when the original cost
of the equipment and uniforms which the student athlete keeps exceeds Two
Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00).
College Letter of Intent
Q. 5-12 Do students violate their amateur status when they sign a college enrollment
“Letter of Intent”?
A. No, however acceptance of other material things might violate their amateur
status. (rule 5-2)
Amateurism Unique to Sport
Q. 5-13 If a student’s non-School participation in an IHSAA Recognized Sport (i.e.
swimming) would result in a technical violation of the Amateurism Rule, rule 5,
but the student does not participate that sport (swimming) at his/her School, would
the student’s eligibility in other sports (i.e. track) be impacted by the violation?
A. No, any eligibility penalty for a violation of the Amateurism Rule is sports-specific,
and here, it would only be if the student’s non-school sports participation was in
the student’s School sport (track) that an Amateurism Rule violation would result
in an eligibility penalty for the student. (rules 5-2, 5-4)
Student Pictures, Advertising
Q. 5-14 Does a student violate the Amateurism Rule, rule 5, when the student’s picture
or the team’s pictures appears in an advertisement of a particular business,
commercial product or service?
A. No, provided the student(s), collectively or individually, receive no remuneration
from the advertiser. (rule 5-2)
Student Recognition
Q. 5-15 May a restaurant owner, in a community, select a player of the week and give
that student-athlete a free hamburger?
A. IHSAA rules would not prohibit a restaurant owner, newspaper, etc., from selecting
a “player of the week”. However, a student-athlete who is selected may not receive
cash, food, gift certificates, merchandise, etc., as a result of this recognition. (rules
5-2, 6-5)
Non-IHSAA Recognized Sports
Q. 5-16 Does a student violate the Amateurism Rule, rule 5, when the student accepts a
cash prize for participating in a rodeo or a motorcycle race?
A. No, the Amateurism Rule relates only to participation in an IHSAA Recognized
Sport, and since rodeo and motorcycle racing are not IHSAA Recognized Sports,
participation in those sports and receiving a prize will not result in an eligibility
penalty. (rules 1-2, 5-2)
Status of “-Thons”
Q. 5-17 May student-athletes participate in a “jog-a-thon,” “swim-a-thon” or other
fundraising activities and earn money for their sport?
A. Yes, however, the ‘-thon’ must occur outside of Contests and monies raised for
such event/s must be allocated to the sponsoring organization. (rule 6-3)
Performance Recognition
Q.5-18 May a student get a sponsor for his or her performance during a Contest,
and have the proceeds go to a charity or to the booster club (i.e., ask a local
businessman to donate to charity or to a booster club $5 per free-throw a
student makes at the upcoming game)?
A. No, use of a student’s performance in a Contest to generate funding for the sport
or for a charity is prohibited. A student (or a coach, athletic booster club, etc.) may
not use a student’s performance in any Contest to raise funds for any purpose.
(rule 5-2)
Student as a Model
Q. 5-19 Can a member School’s booster club sell calendars with photos of the School’s
basketball team displayed on the cover or the months of the calendar?
A. Yes, provided the students are not compensated for the photo or for modeling,
etc. (rule 5-2)

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