AHSAA adopts rule changes

The Alabama High School Athletic Association Legislative Council approved a number of legislative by-laws submitted by member schools at its annual spring meeting held at the AHSAA office June 5. The 32-member legislative council ratified 15 of the 33 legislative proposals submitted by member schools at its spring meeting. To ratify a proposal submitted, a minimum two-thirds vote (22) must vote for the proposal.

All proposals ratified will begin in the 2024-2025 school year. Several proposals deal with summer practice regulations. Among them, Proposal 31 will allow schools to have a summer tryout to be held during the allowable period for that sport but cannot be mandatory. It can be held in addition to the tryout that is already allowed during the school year. Proposal 33 will allow coaches to work with their players during the Dead Week period set aside for the summer conference, except for the day of the specific sport’s coaching clinic and rules clinic.

Some of the other proposals ratified include:

Proposal 1: Removes the All-Star regulation restriction from Rule 1, Eligibility, Section 20, ALL-STAR REGULATIONS. The rationale is that athletes can go to tournaments and showcases with outside teams as long as it is not called an all-star game.

Proposal 2:  Deals with Rule: Section 22 Camps & Summer Camps. It allows during Dead Week for school facilities to be used with principal approval and camp host agreement for summer camps during All-Star Sports Week.

Proposal 8: Changes Bylaw Rule 1 – Eligibility Exception 2(a) to say: “Dependent children of a certified full-time teacher or administrator employee who accepts a position in another school attendance zone or school may transfer to the new school and may be eligible to participate at the new school if all other requirements are met. Application must be made to the executive director of the AHSAA for dependent child eligibility for clarification of non-certified full-time teachers and/or administrators. Note: A new hire must remain employed at the new school for a minimum of nine months to establish the dependent child’s eligibility.”

Proposal 10: This change deals with eligibility Under the Change of Residency – Section 3. It changes the wording under Note (c) to state: “For parents who were never married, the one-time custody exemption may be granted when there are final ordered custody papers as long as both parents are listed on a state-issued birth certificate and all other eligibility requirements are met.”

Proposal 12: This proposal removes the following guideline from Rule 1, Section 9 Guideline 3  – “Only one unit (or subject) of physical education per year may be counted.” This would allow a student to have more than one physical education unit as an elective.

Proposal 20: Dealing with Section 13, it eliminates the rule that prohibits students participating in two levels of competition on the same day or in the same event.

Proposal 21: Amends Rule III, Section 15 – Coaching Outside the School Year to allow a school coach to coach a student from his/her school on a non-school team if the non-school team is an Olympic level team. Requests must be made to the Central Board prior to the event and at a regularly scheduled board meeting.

Proposal 22: Concerning Rule 1 – Section 7, it changes the note to allow in-season camps. It now states “College tryouts or individual camps are allowed outside the high school sports season or during the sports season with coach and principal approval.”

Proposal 24: Amends Rule III, Section 15 to read: “Work done in PE class does not count toward the two hours per week.”

Proposal 25: Addresses Summer Practice Competition. Since many families travel during the week of July 4, which falls within the allowable weeks for fall sports, the change proposes the last week of the winter/spring overlap to include fall sports.

Proposal 28: Moves the start date for the sport of tennis back three weeks to coincide with the start date for baseball and softball to allow for more daylight and warmer weather. This change will be instituted as soon as current state championship venue contracts are able to be adjusted to accommodate the change.