Section 1. Amateur Status Required.
To be eligible to participate in an Inter-School Practice, Scrimmage, or Contest, a student must be an amateur in the sport involved. An amateur student is one who engages in athletic competition solely for the educational, physical, mental, social, and pleasure benefits derived thereof. Where the official rules for a sport provided for under ARTICLE XVIII of these By-Laws establish requirements for amateur status, such requirements shall govern to the extent inconsistent with this ARTICLE II.
Section 2. Loss of Amateur Status.
A student loses amateur status in an interscholastic sport whenever:
- The student, or the school or organization which the student represents, or the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s), receives compensation, other Consideration, or an award not permitted under Section 3 hereof, for or related to the student’s athletic ability, performance, participation, or services.
- The student receives Consideration for becoming a member of an athletic organization or school.
- The student accepts compensation or other consideration for coaching, teaching, or training in that sport. It is not a violation of this rule for a student to receive normal and customary compensation for acting as an instructor in or officiating recreational activities, or for serving as a lifeguard at swimming areas.
- The student plays on a professional team or as an individual professional athlete in that sport.
- The student signs a contract whereby the student agrees to compete in any athletic competition for Consideration. It is not a violation for a high school baseball player to attend a professional baseball try-out camp, provided that (1) no expenses are paid to the student, and (2) the student’s participation is otherwise in conformity with the National Federation Major-Minor League Agreement.
- The student sells or pawns the student’s athletic achievement awards.
Section 3. Permissible Awards.
A school may purchase a sweater, jacket, blazer, blanket, shirt, shorts, jersey, cap, watch, ring, scroll, photograph, medal, plaque, or similar award, with appropriate institutional insignia or comparable identification, for a student who has earned the official school letter or award, and present the same at the time the official school award is made.
The sponsor or sponsors of an Athletic Event or group of Athletic Events may purchase a sweater, jacket, blazer, blanket, shirt, shorts, jersey, cap, watch, ring, scroll, photograph, medal, plaque, or similar award, with appropriate institutional insignia or comparable identification, for a student who has earned the official award for an Athletic Event or Events, and present the same at the time the official award for the Athletic Event or Events is made. Such sponsor or sponsors may also pay the expenses for a student to participate in educational programs, tours, and field trips provided by the sponsor or sponsors in connection with the Athletic Event or Events.
A non-profit service organization approved by the school Principal, or the news media, may purchase a sweater, jacket, blazer, blanket, shirt, shorts, jersey, cap, watch, ring, scroll, photograph, medal, plaque, or similar award, with appropriate insignia or comparable identification, for a student, in recognition of the student’s athletic ability or performance, and present the same at a time appropriate to such recognition.
The institutions listed above in this Section 3 may also sponsor athletic banquets to which students may be invited, without charging admission to such students.
A student may accept from an institution of higher education which the student visits in connection with the student’s prospective or possible attendance there as a college student, reasonable expenses necessitated by such visit, and free admission to home Athletic Events of such institution which occur during such visit.
Section 4. How Amateur Status Can Be Regained.
A student who has lost amateur status may be reinstated by the suspending body after a period of one year from the date of suspension, providing that the student refrains from all activity prohibited by Section 2 hereof during that year. A student who has lost amateur status pursuant to Section 2A, B, and/or C hereof may be reinstated by the suspending body effective upon the student’s return to the provider of the Consideration item or items which caused such loss of amateur status.
INTERPRETATIONS
May 22, 1953, as amended July 28, 2005. A student-manager of an amateur baseball team, who receives Consideration, is not to be considered a player unless the student actually participates in a game played by that amateur baseball team.
May 12, 2001. The loss of eligibility in a sport provided under ARTICLE II will not affect those students who have exhausted their eligibility in that sport at the time the loss provided in ARTICLE II would otherwise occur. This relates almost exclusively to senior.
