CIF Practice Allowance Guidelines

506. PRACTICE ALLOWANCE/GUIDELINES

For the benefit of the physical and mental health of our student-athletes, all practices (as defined herein) under the auspices of the high school athletic program during the season of sport shall be conducted under the following conditions (See also Bylaw 504.M.):

A. All teams will be allowed no more than eighteen (18) hours of practice time per week and no more than four (4) hours in any single day.

(1) Multiple Practice Sessions:

a. Double day practices shall not be held on consecutive days.

b. Must include a minimum of three (3) hours rest between practices.

(2) Golf Only

A. In the sport of golf only, a team is allowed a maximum of two (2) days per week of 18-hole practice rounds. [Counts as four (4) hours]

B. Any competition day would count as three (3) hours toward the allowable weekly and daily practice hours no matter the length of the contest(s). No practice may be held following the conclusion of any contest.

C. Definition of Practice

(1) Any school team or individual activity organized by the coach that is intended to maintain or improve a student-athletes skill proficiency in a sport; AND/OR

(2) Any school team or individual activity that includes skill drills, game situation drills, inter-squad scrimmages or games, weight training, chalk talks, film review, meetings outside of school time (excluding parent meetings) that are implicitly/explicitly required by the coach; AND/OR

(3) Any other coach-directed or supervised school team or individual activity or instruction for a specific sport (private, small group or positional instruction, etc.) AND/OR

(4) Any other team or individual instruction for a specific sport organized or supervised by any team

member, or anyone else associated with the high school athletic program, team or school; AND

(5) Outside organization activity (club, etc.), shall not be used to circumvent these Bylaws.

D. Other mandatory activities (including, but not limited to study hall, tutorial sessions, team dinners), shall not be considered part of practice time. These activities must be approved by the principal. Activities that would be included herein are exclusive to any activity already covered in number C.(1)-(5) above.

E. This Bylaw shall not supersede any School/District/Section policies that may be more restrictive.

F. Penalties

Following the determination of a violation of CIF Bylaw 506, North Coast Section has determined that the following penalties will be assessed:

First infraction by a team

1. Team/Individual will forfeit twice the number of hours in which the team is in violation of the rule, with a minimum two-hour penalty.

2. The school athletic administration will meet with the involved coach to review the CIF practice guidelines.

3. School must report the infraction according to NCS Bylaw 1103.

Second infraction by a team within a two-year period

4. Team/Individual will forfeit twice the number of hours in which the team is in violation of the rule, with a minimum two-hour penalty.

5. Head Coach is not eligible to coach in the post-season for the first two contests the school participates.

6. School must report the infraction according to NCS Bylaw 1103.

7. The school will not be allowed to host NCS Championship contests in the violating sport for a period of one year from the date of the third violation.

Third infraction by a team within a two-year period.

8. Team/Individual will forfeit twice the number of hours in which the team is in violation of the rule, with a minimum two-hour penalty.

9. Head coach is not eligible to participate in post-season competition.

10. School must report the infraction according to NCS Bylaw 1103.

11. The school will not be allowed to host NCS Championship contests in the violating sport for a period of one year from the date of the third violation. The school is placed on probation for a period of two years. The parameters of probation are as follows:

1. Any additional team/school violation will subject the school to the following penalties:

a. The school will not be allowed to host NCS Championship contests in any sport for a period of one year from the date of the third violation.

b. School coaches will not be allowed to coach in the first two contests of any NCS Championship contest or post-season contest the school is involved.