Page 142 - 2025-26 By-Laws

Rule 55 - Football

football activity by a player where the goal is to take one or more competing players to
the ground as the result of a collision), and the player’s protective equipment is limited
to helmet, shoes, girdle and mouthpiece. The total time on the fi eld cannot exceed Two
and one-half (2½) hours.
b. On the second (2nd) and third (3rd) days of football Practice, there cannot be full contact
and the player’s protective equipment is limited to helmet, shoulder pads, shoes, girdle
and mouthpiece. If multiple Practice sessions are held on a single day, the total time on
the fi eld cannot exceed Three (3) hours, but if there is only One (1) Practice session, the
total time on the fi eld cannot exceed Two and one-half (2½) hours.
c. On the fourth (4th) day of football Practice, and later, there can be full contact and players
can have full pads. If multiple Practices are held on a single day the total time cannot
exceed Five (5) hours, but if there is only One (1) Practice session, the total time on the
fi eld cannot exceed Three (3) hours.
d. Beginning Monday of IHSAA calendar week 5:
(1.) There can be no more than Two (2) Practice-sessions per day.
(2.) There cannot be back to back calendar days having Two (2) Practice sessions on
a single day.
(3.) After the third (3rd) day of Practice, if there are Two (2) Practice-sessions on a single
days :
i. There can be only One (1) full contact/full padded Practice session.
ii. The break between Practices must be at least Three (3) hours in duration
and during the break there cannot be player physical exertion.
iii. During the break a classroom instruction session, not to exceed Forty-fi ve
(45) minutes, is permitted.
iv. During the break an indoor walkthrough session in a climate controlled
environment, not to exceed Forty-fi ve (45) minutes, is permitted.
(4.) On One (1) practice session days an outdoor walkthrough session with no protective
equipment worn, not to exceed a Forty-fi ve (45) minutes, is permitted provided the
walkthrough session ends at least Three (3) hours before the Practice begins, or starts
no sooner than Three (3) hours after the Practice ended.
e. After Friday of week 7, a football team and a football player may participate in a maximum
of Two (2) Practices per IHSAA Corresponding Week which involves contact equal to
the ‘Thud’ level (drill is run at competitive speed through the moment of contact; no pre-
determined “winner”; contact remains above the waist; players stay on their feet; a quick
whistle ends the drill) or the ‘Live’ level (drill is run in game-like conditions and is the only
time that players are taken to the ground), while wearing full protective equipment.
55-5
All Member School pre-season football Practices held prior to the fi rst authorized Contest
date shall be held on the regular Practice/play football facility under the direct supervision of
the Member Schools coach/es.
55-6 Special Pre-Season Events
a. During the pre-season a School:
(1.) may participate in One (1) Varsity football Controlled Scrimmage or in Two (2) quarters
of One (1) Varsity football Jamboree, or
(2.) may participate in One (1) Sub-Varsity Controlled Scrimmage
b. Controlled Scrimmages.
A School may participate in One (1) Controlled Scrimmage with another IHSAA Member
School no earlier than the day following the Fifth (5th) day of Practice and prior to the First
(1st) scheduled Season Contest (see definition of Controlled Scrimmage).
c. Jamboree. A School’s Varsity football Jamboree can be played on Saturday of Week 6.
Each School shall be limited to playing no more than Two (2) quarters. The number of
plays in which a School can participate in a Jamboree is limited.
55-7
The last date for ninth grade and reserve football is Thursday, Week 16.

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