A Message From the Executive Director …

Click to view index of columns

The month of February always signals the start of the winter sport tournament season.  This year, it also will signal the end, as the State Bowling Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, February 23 at Plaza Lanes in Des Moines, and the State Basketball Tournament runs the week of February 25.  It has been a long, difficult weather season for everyone, and we certainly hope for good weather in the interests of safety for all participants and spectators during the tournament travel season.

This year’s tournament moved forward one week from its normal calendar position due to a restructuring of dates for all winter sports associated with Wells Fargo Arena’s availability and its interests in hosting NCAA championship events during mid-March.  In addition, the fact that 2008 would have ordinarily marked the earliest possible start date for the tournament series, a rare February finish awaits.  Next year, the calendar rolls back, and the State Tournament is held during the week of March 2.

Over 2300 students will participate in this year’s tournament.  Just over 600 are members of the 32 teams.  Others, including National Anthem singers, Halftime performers, and band members have a role just as important during the tournament week. Their selection is just as prestigious as the 32-team qualifiers.  The tournament wraps up on Saturday night with a parade featuring the state champions crowned since last year’s tournament.

BOOSTER CLUBS

Booster Clubs and community supporters play a large part in the lives of the qualifying teams, not only during the tournament week, but also throughout the year.   I wanted to take some time in this column to address what booster clubs, local businesses and/or individuals can do without putting a student’s eligibility at risk.

Awards rules have been clarified by the Iowa Department of Education in recent years.  There are four subsections of the awards rules, which apply to various scenarios.

Awards from the student’s school.  A student will be permitted to receive only the customary ribbon or medal for participation in an interscholastic athletic contest.  A student will be allowed to receive from the student’s school, for participation in the interscholastic athletic program, an award whose value cannot exceed $25.  Nothing in this sub-rule shall preclude or prevent the awarding and the acceptance of an inexpensive, un-mounted, unframed paper certificate of recognition as an award, or an inexpensive table favor which is given to everyone attending a banquet.

This rule limits what a student can receive as an award for participation in a contest to a ribbon or medal or certificate.  A school cannot give other prizes such as T-shirts, gift certificates, etc. to students as a result of the student’s participation in an event.  The school can give any award other than cash or a cash equivalent up to a value of $25 to recognize participation in the sport in general.  You often see plaques or trophies for team MVP, best defender, etc.  given at the post-season banquet.  This rule allows for those awards.

Awards for participation in school programs from other than the student’s school.   No student shall receive any award from an individual or outside organization for high school participation while enrolled in high school, except that nothing in this sub-rule shall preclude the giving of a complimentary dinner by local individuals, organizations, or groups, with approval of the superintendent, to members of the local high school athletic squad.  No student shall accept any trip or excursion of any kind by any individual, organization, or group outside the student’s own school or the governing organization, with the exception of bona fide recruiting trips that meet NCAA requirements.  Nothing in this sub-rule shall preclude or prevent the awarding and the acceptance of an inexpensive, un-mounted, unframed paper certificate of recognition as an award, or an inexpensive table favor which is given to everyone attending a banquet.

This rule essentially prohibits all student awards from individuals or organizations outside of the school as a result of a student’s participation on a team, or in an individual event.  In so many words, the only organization or individual that can provide awards for participation on a school team is the school itself.  Notice there is an exception in this rule to allow a complimentary dinner with the approval of the school administration.  While no organization can give a student cash for dinner, a business or booster club can pay for a team meal, as long as the meal is available to the entire team and not selected individuals.   We often see this as businesses show support for their team at a state tournament.

Awards for participation in nonschool programs.   If a student participates in an outside school activity during the school year, the student may not receive any award the value of which exceeds $25.  During the summer months, a student may enter an event in any sport as an individual or as a member of a team not representing the student’s school, subject to sub-rule 36.15(6).  If the student wins an award, the student may accept the award provided it does not violate the amateur award rule of the amateur sanctioning body for that sport.

This section discusses the awards a student can receive for participation on non-school teams.  Keep in mind this rule is sport specific.  In other words, a student who received an award in a sport such as gymnastics or trap shooting which violates this provision would not adversely impact her eligibility in swimming or basketball.

This rule does not prohibit a student from participating in an event with a cash prize, or a prize exceeding the values spelled out in the rule.  It does prohibit the student from collecting the prize, however, if that is the case.

A common question concerns the ability of a booster club to use its funds to pay for a student’s (team’s) entry into an out-of-season camp.  The Department of Education offered an interpretation several years ago that clarifies as long as a booster club is not a school entity (e.g. it has its own incorporation status, own bank account, control its own dispersals, etc.), it may pay camp or clinic for students from a particular school.  Cash cannot be given to any student, and these funds must be paid directly to the camp.  If a booster club’s funds are controlled by the Board of Education, or those funds are held in school accounts, then monies may not be used to defray camp expenses.

Absolute prohibition on cash or cash equivalent.   At no time may any student accept an award of cash or cash equivalent.

This may be the most critical section of all.  Receipt of cash or a gift card or gift certificate that can be used like cash immediately compromises the eligibility of a student.

This includes a prohibition of coaches paying cash as performance incentives.  We’ve addressed coaches offering their team members $1 for each three-point goal made, or gift certificates to a local sporting goods store for reaching attendance goals at off-season conditioning or weight-lifting.  Not only does this compromise a student’s eligibility, but it may compromise the license of the coach with the Board of Educational Examiners.

It is impossible to address all of the questions, which arise concerning the award rules.  Best practice is to contact the State Office to verify the legality of any award before it is given if the award is not clearly delineated as legal by this rule.  We need and appreciate the support of booster clubs and local businesses, but must be careful to ensure that support comes within the framework of the award rules.

AHEAD

Some of the things that lie ahead this spring include:

Discussion of a specific indoor track season.  With a state championship now offered in indoor track and field and some schools running in six or seven indoor meets while others don’t begin until the outdoor season and, given the question of academic eligibility penalty impact, the IGHSAU Board of Directors will be discussing the potential of separate indoor and outdoor track and field seasons.

Official’s Licensure.  The Board has been discussing mandatory criminal background checks of officials.  It appears those checks are unlikely to be mandated, but there will likely be some limitation of licensure for officials who have committed an act which forced their registration on a sex offender registry.

Best of luck to all through the busy tournament month of February, and thanks for taking the time to review the information in this column.