Page 51 - 2025-26 By-Laws

Rule 7 - Coaches

7-2 Coaches’ Required Attendance at rules Interpretation Meetings
For each sport in which the Association conducts a rules interpretation meeting, the head
coach for each gender shall be required to attend either in person or via an on-line meeting.
7-3 Coach May Not Coach at Two Different Schools
A coach (paid or volunteer) may not coach Two (2) teams at different Schools in the same
sport during the same sport season.
Q & A
Coaches - Generally
Q. 7-1 Who is regarded as being a coach of an IHSAA Recognized Sport at a member
School?
A. A member School coach is an individual who coaches students in grades 9-12
in any IHSAA Recognized Sport, and includes all non-teaching coaches and all
volunteer coaches. (rule 7-1)
Q. 7-2 Who may coach a member School team?
A. A coach may be a teacher [this would include someone who is regularly licensed,
regularly employed and regularly paid as such by the School out of School funds]
or may be a non-teacher. (rule 7-1.3)
Q. 7-3 May a university student teacher assist in coaching while assigned to a member
School?
A. Yes, a university student teacher may assist in coaching at a member School.
(rule 7-1.3)
Q. 7-4 May an un-paid volunteer or a non-teacher be hired to coach a member School
team?
A. Yes. An un-paid volunteer or non-teacher may coach at a member School provided
the hire is approved by the Principal.
Q. 7-5 May an individual, who is a full-time teacher, serve as a non-teaching coach in
boys and girls cross country at a neighboring member School?
A. Yes, the IHSAA rules do not restrict where a non-teaching coach is employed.
Q. 7-6 An individual who has been coaching girls’ basketball in a member School has the
coaching contract terminated for the following year and is so informed in writing
by the school officials. May this individual now coach a Non-School Team where
Three (3) of the coach’s former players are members of the Non-School Team?
A. Yes, because this individual is no longer a member School coach. However, if
the termination of coaching services is not confirmed officially in writing and/or is
merely verbal and/or an action that is anticipated, the individual is still considered
to be a member School coach and may not coach such a team. (rule 15-2.2b)
Coaching Remuneration
Q. 7-7 Can non-School funds (e.g. booster club funds) be used to pay a coach of a
School team?
A. No, under the Coaches Rule, rule 7, only a School’s funds may be used to pay
a School’s paid coaches. (rules 7-1.1, 7-1.2)
Q. 7-8 May team members present a gift to their coach?
A. Yes, so long as it is of symbolic value only. (rule 7-1.1)
Q. 7-9 An unpaid or nominally-paid coach for a team works for, is employed by or
receives money and/or benefits from a team booster, or from a company which
is controlled by a team booster, and it appears from the circumstances that some
or all of the coach’s obligations to that booster or to that booster’s company are
to provide coaching or services to that team. Is this allowed under the Coaches
Rule, rule 7?
A. No, a purpose of the Coaches Rule regarding coach remuneration (rules 7-1.1,
7-1.2), is to assure that all coaching remuneration is approved by and paid through
the School. And while the use of totally unpaid volunteer coaches is permitted,
it is contrary to the rules when boosters are able to pay, and thereby control, an
unpaid coach or a nominally-paid coach by indirectly paying that coach through
outside wages and benefits. If an unpaid or nominally-paid coach is an employee
or worker for a known booster, or the company of that booster, it will be presumed
that the coach is a recipient of remuneration in violation of rule 7-1.1 and 7-1.2,
and the coach should not coach.
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