Rules Question

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Can someone please help with this question. Once a high school JV team has played a game are they allowed to scrimmage a travel team of 13 and 14 years who are only 8th graders?

Thanks for the help

 

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No, No, No, No.

http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/rglts/SB09-10.pdf

4.1) A member of an interscholastic softball squad (any student who has played in a scrimmage, preview or regular season/tournament game as a substitute or starter) sponsored by the Board of Education or other governing board shall not participate in a non-interscholastic program (tryouts, practice or contest) as an individual or as a member of a team in the sport of softball during the school’s season (Sports

4.3) A student may not play in a non-interscholastic softball contest, game or scrimmage, while a member of the school softball squad, until the student’s school team has completed its schedule. This includes tournaments when applicable.

http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/rglts/GenSportsReg09-10.pdf
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4. Non-Interscholastic Programs​

4.1)​

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Definition – A non-interscholastic program is defined as an organization composed of players in grades 7-12 either in or outside of school in which the primary purpose is to compete in contests no matter whether admission is charged, fees or expenses are collected, or whether or not a coach is present, and regardless of whether instruction is given. Examples of non-interscholastic programs include but are not limited to: church, intramural, Y.M.C.A., C.Y.O., A.A.U., USAVB, USSF, City Recreation, All-Star, Club or any noninterscholastic team or combination of players involved in team play.

4.2) Member of an Interscholastic (School) Squad – A student is considered to be a member of an interscholastic squad when the student participates in an interscholastic contest in a sport that is sponsored by the Board of Education or other governing board and the sport is one of the 24 recognized sports as authorized by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. An athletic contest involving participants from another school or any non-interscholastic program is labeled as a game, meet, match, preview, scrimmage or other type of competition.
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4.3)​

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Participating in Non-Interscholastic Programs – Team Sports – A member of an interscholastic squad sponsored by the Board of Education or other governing board in a team sport (Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Ice Hockey, ******, Softball and Volleyball) shall not participate in an athletic contest, tryouts or any type of training or practices on a non-interscholastic squad or as an individual in a team sport in the same sport during the school’s interscholastic sports season.​

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Now, if those 8th graders were all a school based team... The word "travel" is what kills the deal.​

 

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Now, if those 8th graders were all a school based team... The word "travel" is what kills the deal.​

That's a no no too. ;&

34.3) 7th & 8th grade students may not practice with, participate on the same team with or compete against 9th through 12th grade students.
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34.4) Students below the 7th grade may not practice with or participate with 7th through 12th grade students.​

http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/rglts/GenSportsReg09-10.pdf​

 

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C'mon now!! You're just makin' those rules up as we go!! Next thing you know they won't even let 'em EAT together!!

Gotta love OH$AA!

 

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I admit I am responding perhaps in haste, but I'm not sure this is against the rules that IceBlack has pasted here. Maybe after I'm done typing this post I will have changed my mind.

First, we are talking about what is legal for the JV team, not the team of 8th graders.

I don't see a violation of 4.1. The JV girls are participating as a member of their school, not as a member of a non-interscholastic program. The JV girls are not participating "in" a non-interscholastic program, they are participating against one.

4.3 is not so clear. I would argue that for the JV team, it is a scholastic contest since it is for their school team. I would argue that the meaning of non-interscholastic is that the high school player can't play as part of a non-interscholastic team, not that they can't play a non-interscholastic team.

I think my arguments are reinforced by the bottom part of IceBlack's post where he/she posts the part of 4.3 of participating in non-interscholastic programs - team sports. The gist of it is that high school players can't participate "in" those programs during the school season, not that they can't play against those teams.

So, I haven't changed my mind, I think the scenario presented by zips15 is legal for the JV team. I would call the OHSAA to get its interpretation, though. I have more confidence in my own analysis than anything the OHSAA might say, thank you very much, but the OHSAA will be the one whose decision counts, so I would listen to it.

 

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Not sure if this applies, but when our middle school teams started play several years ago. Probably about 1/2 of our opponents were "club teams". While the players may have all been from the same school, they were not a sanctioned team by the school district.