08/30/13 – Reminder on “Off Season” during school year limitations

August 30, 2013 Softball Blog Updates

This is a reminder to all softball coaches and administrators with regard to limitations to “off season” during the school year activities (“Fall Ball”).  We have received some reports of schools using school uniforms and other identifying apparel which is prohibited.  

Please review and be mindful of the stipulations.

Case BL-23-14- What are the restrictions during the school year outside of the defined Limitation of Seasons (off-season) when the school’s team members are participants or school coaches are involved?

Coaching is defined as any activity by the coach at a time the athletes are participating in skills (either preparatory or specific to that sport) in a setting in which skills are taught, refined, or practiced. Coincidental participation by a coach and an athlete in a sport such as a golf outing, where the coach and athlete(s) are not entered as a entry or group, or in an activity such as distance running with many runners but no direct coaching, would not specifically be considered coaching.

The “off-season” is the period during the school year for each sport or sport/activity that is outside the defined start and end dates for the sport or sport/activity as detailed in Bylaw 23. The restrictions begin on the first day of school and end on the earlier of the day following the last day of school or May 31.

Activity during the off-season by member school coaches has the following continuing restrictions:

(1) Any restriction includes all members of the athletic coaching staff, paid or unpaid, head or assistant, and at all levels;

(2) Participation in any activity may not be mandatory for the students and there may be no penalties assessed, expressed or implied for non-participation;

(3) No school owned or issued equipment (catching gear for baseball/softball) may be used;

(4) No school uniforms, mascots, team identifying apparel or transportation may be used;

(5) No coach or school / school system may provide or fund transportation for these players to play in outside leagues, even if personal transportation is utilized;

(6) No funds may be used for participation in organized play including payments for officials, field usage, field preparation, etc. Payment by booster groups is the same as payment by the school and cannot be used to circumvent this requirement;

(7) There is no insurance coverage with regard to the KHSAA Catastrophic Policy;

(8) The activity cannot be restricted solely to members or prospective members of a team;

(9) No member of the coaching staff may be paid for sports specific instruction at a school owned facility;

(10) Nothing about these interpretations allow for the use of specific school issued football, baseball or softball gear during this period except during the allowable time periods of Bylaw 23;

(11) Nothing about these interpretations change any of the provisions of Bylaw 9 that prohibit players in basketball and football from participating in an organized game for any other entity from the start of school to the end of the season (including KHSAA postseason play); and

(12) All activity must have approval from the school principal. All other restrictions related to the scheduling, composition, pool and use of available personnel including coaches, and other logistical arrangements are the jurisdiction of the building Principal in compliance with all local district policies. This applies to any sport or sport-activity held within that local school facility or off-site activities where the coach and team members are simultaneously present, in compliance with Bylaw 1 of the Association.

The following situations would NOT be permitted due to these restrictions:

(1) School Team A going to School Team B’s field/gym and play a game with umpires;

(2) School Team A going to School Team B’s field/gym and play a game as part of a “Fall League” or “Outside League”; and

(3) Any activity expressly prohibited by the school Principal.

 With these restrictions in mind, the following activities would be permitted:

(1) Coaches may provide voluntary individual instruction to students that have previously represented the school;

(2) Participate in an organized league at a non-school facility;

(3) A school leasing its athletic facility to an outside league/group (not affiliated with the school) provided there is an existing, written agreement for fair market value for the usage, and such does not eliminate the other restrictions;

(4) Players and coaches from one school participating in a league at the city park play against another team that has players and coaches from another school; and

(5) Members from School A receive instruction from members of School A coaching staff on site at the school facility provided all participants were from School A.