CIF rules violation?

A coach may not associate with atheletes in the off season. The following is from the http://www.cifss.org website:

QUESTION: What constitutes a violation of the Association Rule between coach and student?
ANSWER: Throughout the CIF Southern Section Blue Book within each of the sports sections under the general heading of ORGANIZED TEAM PRACTICE, the following paragraph is normally included. This example would be in baseball: "ORGANIZED TEAM PRACTICE: Organized team practice shall be interpreted as meaning the association of a coach with potential team members for the purpose of learning or practicing the skills of baseball. Organized before and after-school team practice may not be conducted until February 14 and may continue until the close of school in June. Before February 14, coaches may associate with potential team members for the purpose of learning or practicing skills of baseball only during one regular physical education class."
It is important to realize that these prohibitions should not be interpreted exclusively to mean formal practice sessions. Coaches, during those restricted periods during the school year, should conform to the spirit as well as the letter of the regulations. For example, a basketball coach who is in a gym outside the season of sport, during a non-practice period while potential athletes from his or her team are shooting baskets is in violation of the association rule; a swimming coach who is on the deck of a pool while potential members from the team are swimming in that pool is in violation of the association rule.

In terms of practical athletic administration, it must be assumed that the previous two examples would result at one time or another, in the transmission of the skills of that particular sport from coach to student. Were this interpretation not to be restrictive, it would create an impossible situation in attempting to interpret whether practice of some kind was going on, or not, between coaches and students. Therefore, in associating with potential athletes, the coach should take those necessary precautions to remove himself or herself from an environment which would inherently be suspect in relationship to our association rules.

QUESTION: May a basketball coach at any level be involved with the administration, supervision and/or organization of a fall or spring basketball program where students from his or her school are participating? ANSWER: No - The only contact a coach may have with the student athlete outside the season of sport would be during a regularly scheduled physical education class in which the student is enrolled.
QUESTION: During the season of sport, may a coach coach an outside team in which students from his school are members? ANSWER: No. During the season of sport a coach may not be coaching his students on an outside team. The only variation to this rule would be if it were a program approved by a national governing body of a sport as a national team. This would require prior approval by the CIF Southern Section Office.

Enroll 'em now for summer school at the HS and as soon as middle school graduation takes place and they are enrolled for summer school at the HS, they are HS students at that point, can play this summer and needn't wait for September.

How about summer camps run by the HS coach and staff? They seem to be nearly mandatory around here and a lot of incoming 9th graders will attend them. They are open to everyone, not just incoming freshman.

Can a Varsity baseball coach run a baseball team (AAU, USSSA or USABF)during the summer or fall consisting of his prospective varsity and JV players?

From CIFSS.org:
QUESTION: What are the guidelines for sport camps? ANSWER: (A) High school sponsored sport camps during the school year or during the summer:
(1) Only students registered or enrolled in the high school can attend.

(2) The high school name or nickname can be used.

Principal of the high school has given permission for the camp to take place.

(B) Other sport camps during the school year or

during the summer:

(1) Students from other high schools and/or individuals from the general community are invited to attend.

(2) High school name or nickname cannot be used in the title of the camp or used in the promotion of the camp.

(3) Organizers/coaches should secure facility permit for use of school and equipment.

(4) Organizers/coaches should provide required liability insurance.

(5) The camp may be identified as the coach’s/organizer’s camp, but without any connection to the high school or the high school sports program.

NOTE: During the regular school year (from the start of the fall season until school is out in June) all Blue Book Rules apply, i.e., the Association Rule, etc.

Different sports have different deadlines, but in general, an athelete competing in a 'club' sport in the off-season cannot play for his HS coach. An incoming 9th grader is included. But there are 'windows' of time where it is permissible.

In baseball, the HS coach can work with his team all he wants up until Aug. 1st., including tournaments, travel ball, etc. After Aug. 1st, if the team is still playing, he has to turn it over to someone not directly affiliated with the HS program ... which is why he'll usually have a non-HS co-coach that can carry on with the team.

This is why you often see HS coaches that are involved with off-season club teams moving any players from their own school to other teams coached by other HS coaches ... usually someone they know and trust as a friend that is coaching in a different league.

From the North Coast Section (CIF website)

"Summer time is defined as the period of time between last CIF competition of the school year (currently the CIF Boys’ Golf Championship) until the NCS published first official day of practice in the fall. During the summertime NCS/CIF bylaws concerning use of facilities, equipment, assignment of a coach by the school or school district, practices and non-NCS/CIF contests do not apply.

However, all NCS and CIF Eligibility Bylaws related to pre-enrollment contact and undue influence apply both during the school year and in the summer. Summer is not open season to recruit students to attend or transfer to the school.

If, during the time period defined above as summertime, the school or district administration approves the use of its facilities and equipment, a coach may work with one or more potential team members. If the school administration approves, examples are:
1. Coaches may have a regular practice everyday of the week, including Sunday.
2. Coaches may schedule two practices a day. 3. Coaches may work with an individual student on the track, in the pool, on the field, or in the gym.
4. School A may invite School B to play a game.
5. Football coaches may check out equipment for potential football players to go to camp. 6. Football coaches may take potential football players to camp.
7. Coaches may sponsor clinics at their school.
8. Coaches may invite more than one school to participate in multiple games or scrimmages. 9. Schools may practice together.
10. Schools may use school uniforms, balls, protective gear, protective equipment, facilities, etc."

Basically, many of the rules that apply to contact during the school year no longer apply. Do check to make sure there is no violation on pre-enrollment contact rules. It does not sound like your Colt team is a violation of CIF rules, at least as interpreted by the North Coast Section

Adam Farb
North Bay Xtreme Baseball

Garry is from SoCal and so the CIF-SS rules apply.

The one that surprised me was when we played Chatsworth high's feeder team in a 14u tournament last summer. Their head coach wasn't the official coach of the team but he was there running things on the field the whole time. The nominal coach of the team told me that none of the kids were going into 9th grade the coming season but I'm not sure if I believed that, some of those kids were pretty darn big and pretty darn good. He did say that the kids who were going into 9th grade were sent to another team to play so that could have been the case.

I will say that those kids were well coached and there's a reason that Chatsworth wins as many titles as they do.

Thanx guys for the rule clarification.

It makes sense now, but when we were told of it, we already played three games. It was an awesome experience, as short as it was. Boy, those high school kids can play ball!!

The kid pitched one inning in each game because of Little League concerns. He struck out six in those three precious innings and allowed two hits and one run. What got me was the size of some of these 15 and 16 year-olds playing!

I just wish somebody would have looked in the rule book to see if it was ok to let these 8th. graders' play before the season started.

At least the kid got noticed by the Freshman, J.V., and Varsity coaches.

The high school had an incoming Freshman sports orientation last week and he signed up for baseball and football. The only problem is he will be in Little League All-Stars (looks like he'll make it for sure) during most of the Summer League baseball session. The football progam starts on the opening day of All-Star competition, so it's going to take some juggling to get it all together!

I'm not sure what position he wants to play in football; he's left-handed, 6'1", but only weighs about 150. We'll see.

Hope the politics in both sports isn't as bad as Little League, lol...

Again, thanx to all who replied.

I'm sure I'll be asking a lot of questions on this forum, so please take it easy on the newbie...lol

Garry