Page 143 - 2025-26 By-Laws

Rule 55 - Football

Q & A
Football - Generally
Q. 55-1 When must attendance at a Summer School-sponsored football Camp/Clinic
end for football players?
A. Attendance must be terminated prior to Monday of Week 5. (rule 15-2.5(e))
Quarters
Q. 55-2 When a player participates in more than the allowed number of football quarters
on successive days or during a week, what action is required?
A. A violation of the maximum contest rule requires that the School to forfeit the
game in which the player exceeded the limit, charge the player with each
quarter of participation, and send a written report to the Commissioner. (rule
3-9.5)
Q. 55-3 Is a football player charged with a quarter of participation if the student
participates in a Varsity kicking down?
A. No, a student participating just in a Varsity kicking downs (kickoff s, kickoff
returns, punts, punt returns, fi eld goals, and kicked extra points) during a
quarter will not have the quarter count under the maximum quarter rule, rule
55-3.1.
Q. 55-4 What is the maximum number of season quarters in which a football player
may participate during one week?
A. Maximum weekly season quarter participation is as follows:
Varsity Sub-varsity
4 0
3 2
2 4
1 4
0 5
Q. 55-5 When counting quarters of participation for a football player, which day of the
week is the beginning of the week?
A. When counting the weekly quarters of participation for a football player, the
football week starts on a Friday and runs through the following Thursday.
Overtimes
Q. 55-6 How many overtimes may be played in a non-varsity level Contest?
A. All teams below the Varsity level are limited to no more than Two (2) overtimes.
(rule 55-3.4)
Practices
Q. 55-7 During the IHSAA pre-season Practice period in August may a student who is
practicing with his/her high school football team play in a non-school sponsored
baseball tournament?
A. Yes, under IHSAA rule 15 a student who is participating in one sport (e.g.,
football) during the School Year may participate in another sport (e.g., baseball)
out-of-season in a non-School program, provided the participation in the out-
of-season sport does not violate the out-of-season maximum player limitation,
rule 15-2.2(a).
Q. 55-8 Will a School, which was doing repair work on its regular football fi eld making
and it was impossible to hold Practice on the fi eld, be permitted to hold Practices
at another fi eld located in a city park?
A. Yes.
Q. 55-9 What is considered Full Protective Equipment?
A. Full protective equipment means a helmet, shoulders pads, a mouth piece and
shoes. (See, Defi nitions)

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