Recent News

Independent Game Participation Rule
Once a student’s name is listed on the school’s eligibility report, if a student participates in an independent game in that sport after the first contest date allowed and before the season has closed or his/her name has been removed from the eligibility report at the request of the school principal, the student shall be ineligible at the varsity level as explained below.Any organized game in which players not registered with TSSAA participate – regardless of whether admission is charged – is considered as an independent game. Violation of this rule will render the student ineligible for 25% of the number of contests/dates allowed in that sport by the sports calendar or for the remainder of the season in that sport, whichever number is the least. Violation of this rule a second time in the same sport in the same season will render the student ineligible in that sport for the remainder of the season.Once a violation of this rule has been confirmed, the student will be ineligible for the remainder of the season in that sport.A student’s name may be removed from the school’s eligibility list upon written request of the principal prior to the first official contest date allowed in that sport without penalty. After the first official contest allowed, a student’s name may be removed from the school’s eligibility list upon written request of the principal, and he/she may then participate as an independent without penalty. If the principal requests the state office to remove a student’s name after the first official contest date allowed in that sport, such student may not again be certified during the season of that sport.

This rule does not apply to bowling, golf, and tennis, wrestling, cross country, and track and field.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Team Sports (Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Soccer)

Students may practice with an independent team regardless of whether or not scrimmage situations occur at the practice for the independent team as long as the scrimmage situation only involves the independent team that is conducting the practice. A group of students who are assembled to try-out for an independent team is considered a single team regardless of the number of students involved. Examples:

• 48 students are trying out for an AAU basketball, travel baseball or softball, club soccer or 7 on 7 football team. This group of students would be considered one team and could participate in scrimmage situations.
• 65 students are invited to a college university to practice with a college team. This group of students, along with the college students, would be considered one team and could participate in scrimmage situations.

Individual Sports (Golf, Bowling, Tennis, Wrestling, Cross Country, Track and Field)

Wrestling, Cross Country, and Track and Field should be added to the current list of Golf, Bowling and Tennis where the Independent Game Participation Rule does not apply.

Approved the following proposals for TMSAA Items:

1. Rules Meetings for Coaches
   Section 10. A member of the coaching staff in each sport and cheerleading or the Athletic Director shall attend a state rules meeting, if held, or complete the online rules meeting (if available), in the sport involved every year by a set deadline, or the school will be fined $50.00. The coach must complete a make-up online rules meeting if they missed the face-to-face meeting or did not complete the online meeting by the original deadline. If not, the head coach will not be eligible to coach in the post-season tournament series. The school is still fined if the coach takes the make-up meeting after the original deadline.
2. Substitutes Leaving Bench Area During an Incident or Fans Coming onto the Field or Floor
   Section 8. A. The school will be required to submit a report and video tape if available. All schools are instructed to inform individuals taping to continue taping all incidents. B. For substitutes leaving the bench area during an incident, the school will be fined a minimum of $250.00. In addition, other non-monetary disciplinary action may occur, including but not limited to probation and/or restrictive probation for the sport in which the incident occurred.
3. Coaches Ejected for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
   Section 9. B. The school will be given a choice of removing the coach for a specified number of contest(s) and pay a fine of $250.00 or face further disciplinary action. The school shall not allow the suspended coach to attend games while under suspension. D. On any subsequent ejection by the same coach, the school will be given a choice of removing the coach for a specified number of contest(s) and pay a fine of $500.00 or face further disciplinary action. The school shall not allow the suspended coach to attend games while under suspension.
4. Playing of Ineligible Student-Athletes
   Section 14. If an ineligible contestant competes in a meet, match or tournament and any violation of TSSAA rules occurs, all points earned by that student, or by a relay team of which he/she may have been a member, in that meet or tournament are to be declared forfeited; and in team sports (baseball, basketball, football, girls soccer, soccer, girls softball and girls volleyball) the entire contest is forfeited. When a team plays an ineligible athlete in TSSAA tournaments or playoffs, the entire contest is forfeited, the team is removed from the tournament or playoff, and no team replaces that team in the tournament series. All awards and money earned from the post season tournament series must be returned to TSSAA. The penalty for playing an ineligible contestant shall be $25.00 per contest with a maximum fine of $100.00, provided it is voluntarily reported by the school, which is in violation, to the Executive Director. If it is not voluntarily reported by the school to the Executive Director, the penalty shall be $50.00 per contest. Other non-monetary penalties may be assessed by the Executive Director based on all the facts.
5. Basketball Sports Calendar
   Maximum number of regular season contest is 20 games.
6. Denied the following proposal regarding Off-Season Practice
   Maximum of 5 days of Off-Season team practice within a 10 consecutive school day period. This would be for basketball and any sport a school plays during the fall season with the exception of football which would be the same as high school.

Approved proposed addition to Article IV, Section 8 (Sports Calendar) of the TSSAA/TMSAA Bylaws:

1. Twelve (12) days of practice are permitted during a 15 consecutive school day period. The first two (2) days of practice must be helmets only.
2. Full contact in practice shall not be permitted on three (3) consecutive days.
3. Full contact in practice shall not last more than 45 minutes per day per group.
4. Full contact in practice shall be limited to not more than 135 minutes per week per group.
5. One scrimmage is permitted.
6. The one scrimmage must be counted as one of the twelve practice days.

New Business

1. Approved the proposed addition to Article IV, Section 8 (summer Football Sports Calendar) of the TSSAA Byalws:There can only be 10 days of team-against-team competition.  Two days may occur after the conclusion of the school year until the Dead Period in Tennessee only.  All remaining days of team-against-team competitionwhich must occur after the conclusion of the Dead Period.  Pads may not be worn during school-against-school competition.