| WSSDA IAC looks at
proposed amendments to the WIAA handbook
Posted January 25, 2007
Each year the member schools of the
Washington Interscholastic Activities Association submit proposed amendments
for the WIAA handbook. These proposals are distributed to all member schools and are discussed in WIAA district meetings. They are then voted on in the spring at the WIAA Representative Assembly.
The WSSDA Interscholastic Activities Committee,
chaired by Roger Myers (Stanwood-Camano), will meet Feb. 10 to
determine which recommendations it will make to the WIAA Executive
Board and the assembly. School board members are encouraged to
review the amendments and provide input to their
Director Area representatives on the WSSDA IAC.
The IAC also recommends that all school boards have their district
athletic director present these amendments during a board meeting as
soon as possible.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE WIAA HANDBOOK
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The following summary provides a brief
description of the proposed amendments. School directors should
contact their district athletic director for a complete copy of
the amendments as well as an explanation of the rationale behind
each proposal. |
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#1 (Middle Level Schools Only) |
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Section
52.6.1 Middle Level Basketball: Presently, seventh- and
eighth-graders who earn a position on a junior-high ninth-grade
basketball team can participate in only 10 games, while
ninth-graders on the same team can play in all 12 scheduled
games. This amendment would allow seventh- and eighth-graders to
fully participate in all games. (A similar provision already
exists for middle level football.) |
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#2 (Middle Level and High Schools) |
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Section 8.0.0, 8.3.0 WIAA Executive Board
(Qualifications): This amendment would allow a member of the
WSSDA IAC — if selected by the WIAA district — to be a voting
member of the WIAA Executive Board. |
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#3 (Middle Level and High Schools) |
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Section 14.0.0, 14.3.1 Forensics (Eighth Grade
Participation): This amendment would allow — but not require
— eighth-graders to participate in forensic activities.
Presently, eighth-graders are not permitted to participate in
high school forensic activities. |
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#4 (Middle Level And High Schools) |
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Section 17.2.0 In Season — Definition:
This amendment would allow a high school coach to be involved in
a community-level program sponsored in lieu of a middle level
sports program, no matter the length of the program. The
current rule limits the season to 12 weeks. |
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#5 (Middle Level And High Schools) |
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Section 17.4.0 Split Season: This
amendment would bring the regulations up to date. There are now
alternate seasons, which has eliminated the need to offer a
split season. |
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#6 (Middle Level And High Schools) |
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Section 17.6.7 Out-of-Season: This
amendment would give coaches one opportunity to meet with
incoming students regarding their participation in high school
activities. |
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#7 (Middle Level And High Schools) |
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Section 17.12.1 Contest
Limitation: This amendment would clarify a previous rule and
would prevent a school from scheduling too many contests. It
would also require league varsity contests to count as varsity
contests no matter which players participate in those events. |
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#8 (Middle Level And High Schools) |
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Section 17.24.0, 17.24.1.D Recruiting:
This amendment would address the recruitment of student-athletes
and would stipulate that recruited students be declared
ineligible (for all levels of play) for one full calendar year. |
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#9 (Middle Level And High Schools) |
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18.10.1 Transferring Students: This amendment would declare
that all schools — public, private and those in multi-high
school districts — fall under the same rule. Presently,
student-athletes in multi-high school districts are not required
to meet the rationale for transferring. |
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#10 (Middle Level And High Schools) |
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Section 18.15.0 Eighth Grade Participation:
This amendment would provide consistency within the “1B”
classification. All 1B schools would have the opportunity to
draw upon eighth-grade students to participate as needed to
salvage high school programs. (All references to “B schools with
an enrollment less than 75” would be changed to “1B schools.”) |
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#11 (Middle Level and High Schools) |
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Section 18.25.0, 18.25.2.B Ejection from a
Contest: Presently, a student who has been suspended for a
contest could turn out for a sport in another season, remain on
the squad only until his suspension has been served, then
quit the squad. This violates the intent of the rule. This
amendment would require a student who has been suspended and
wishes to serve that suspension in another sport to be a member
of the team for the entire season of the sport. |
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#12 (Middle Level and High Schools) |
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Section 23.0.0, 23.1.1 Coaches: This
amendment would address the payment of stipends for coaches and
advisors by outsider groups, such as booster clubs. It would
require that any payments in excess of $100 be approved
by the Board of Directors. |
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#13 (Middle Level and High Schools) |
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Section 24.4.0 Officials (Use of Registered
Officials): This amendment would bring track and field
programs in alignment with other WIAA sports that require the
use of officials registered with the Washington Officials
Association. The fees would be determined by the WIAA/WOA Review
Committee. |
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#14 (Middle Level and High Schools) |
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Section 27.0.0, 27.2.5 Rule Violations and
Penalties: This amendment would align the WIAA rule with
rules currently in place at each WIAA district. It would allow
for each subsequent board to review the action of the previous
level to determine if the penalty is appropriate and levy
additional penalties as deemed appropriate without a member
school having to appeal the ruling. |
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#15 (Middle Level and High Schools) |
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Section 27.0.0, 27.3.0 Rule Violations and
Penalties (Use of Ineligible Participant): This amendment
would establish a comparable time period in which a student
would be ineligible as compensation for the time period that the
student competed illegally. |
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#16 (Middle Level and High Schools) |
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Section 27.5.0, 27.5.6, 27.5.7. 27.5.8
Penalties for Violation: This amendment would eliminate rule
27.5.5, which is one of the few WIAA handbook rules that
mandates a specific penalty. The purpose for elimination is to
provide leagues, WIAA district boards, the district directors’
appeals board and the WIAA Executive Board with more options in
addressing violations. |
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#17 (High Schools Only) |
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Section 4.2.0 Classifications (High School
Classifications): This amendment would reduce the time limit
from eight years to four years for the WIAA to “adjust” the
qualifying enrollment standard. (The eight-year time limit
establishes only the baseline for each classification. Schools
that have enrollment changes may move from one classification to
the next in two-year cycles.) |
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#18 (High Schools Only) |
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Section 4.2.0 Classifications (High School
Classifications): This amendment would require private 1B
schools to compete as 2B schools. |
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#19 (High Schools only) |
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Section 4.2.0 Classifications (High School Classifications):
This amendment would require private 1B schools to use a
weighted formula to calculate enrollment. |
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#20 (High Schools only) |
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Section 4.5.0 Classifications for Alternative
Schools (Classifications for Alternative Schools in Multiple
High School Districts): This amendment would not require
out-of-district students enrolled in an alternative school to
count against the regular school count. Students attending the
alternative school would continue to be eligible at their
resident public school district. |
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#21 (High Schools only) |
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Section 18.6.5 Academic Probation Period:
This amendment would standardize the probationary period for
fall sport athletes. |
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