Page 60 - 2023-24 By-Laws

Rule 9 - Contests

A. No, it is a violation of the Sunday Rule, rule 9-13, for a student athlete to participate
in a School Practice during the authorized Practice Season or Contest Season on
Sunday, and therefore attendance at a Practice by a member of a Member School
Coaching Staff is prohibited. For example, if several swimmers on a School team,
who also belonged to a Non-School club, decided to swim on Sunday at a club
practice to prepare for the upcoming Tournament Series swim meet, this practice
would not violate the Sunday Rule, provided no member of the Member School
Coaching Staff called or even encouraged this practice, and of course, no member
of the Member School Coaching Staff may be present during this practice. (rule
9-13)
Season Contests
Q. 9-15 Whose approval is needed to play a Contest?
A. The principal, or his/her designee, of a School must approve all Contests. No
Contest shall be played by a member School without a signed IHSAA Contract for
Athletic Contests. (rule 9-1)
Q. 9-16 Does the IHSAA stipulate any price for tickets other than for IHSAA Tournament
Series?
A. No, other than a recommendation that reasonable ticket prices be charged.
Q. 9-17 Does the omission of an admission charge make any difference as to the designation
of a Contest as a game?
A. No, games are Contests with or without admission charges.
Q. 9-18 A local service club in a community is interested in sponsoring an invitational
basketball tournament involving other member Schools. May they sponsor this
event?
A. No, a member School may enlist the help of local service organizations to assist with
an event, but unless the IHSAA has granted an exception, all athletic Contests and
tournaments in which member Schools participate must be under the sponsorship
and the jurisdiction of a member School or the IHSAA. (rules 9-1, 9-2, 9-3)
Q. 9-19 Can a member School team play in a Contest sponsored by some non-school
group?
A. No, all athletic Contests must be held under the direct supervision of a member
School, held under the direct supervision of a non-member School or held under
the direct supervision of the IHSAA. (rule 9-3, 9-15)
Intra-School Practice
Q. 9-20 Can a member a School’s freshmen or reserve team Practice with an athletic team
of a junior high school whose students automatically matriculate to the School?
A. Yes, provided the team is from a school which meets the definition of Feeder School.
(rule 9-4, See Definition of “Feeder School”)
Playing rules
Q. 9-21 Can Two (2) teams decide to set aside National Federation playing rules during a
Season Contest?
A. No. All Season Contests and all Tournament Series Contests must be conducted
under the National Federation rules, or in golf, under the USGA rules, unless the
IHSAA has modified the rules, in which event the rules, as modified by the IHSAA,
control. (rules 1-5, 51-63)
Scrimmages and Jamborees
Q. 9-22 Is a Controlled Scrimmage considered to be a Practice or an Season Contest?
A. A Controlled Scrimmage is a special interscholastic practice whereby Two (2)
member Schools work out against one another under IHSAA guidelines and under
the direct supervision of their respective coaches. A Controlled Scrimmage does
count as a Practice toward meeting the minimum number of Practices required to
play in a Season Contest, but does not count as a Season Contest. (rules 50-6;
See, Definitions).
Q. 9-23 How many separate days of Practices must a student have prior to his/her
participation in a Jamboree?

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