Virginia High School League (VHSL) is an organization of public high schools in Virginia. The league seeks to encourage student participation in desirable school activities by conducting or supporting programs of interscholastic activities. VHSL was developed in 1913 in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it publishes annually a code of rules for all VHSL activities in the state. VHSL INDIVIDUAL ELIGIBILITY REGULATIONS (VHSL HANDBOOK, SECTION 28) General Rules applicable to all students. 

To be eligible to represent the school in any VHSL sponsored interscholastic contest, a student shall meet the following requirements: 

28-1-1 BONA FIDE STUDENT RULE - The student shall be a regular bona fide student in good standing of the school which he represents. 

28-2-1 GRADE RULE - The student shall be enrolled in the last four years of high school. 

28-3-1 ENROLLMENT RULE - The student shall have been regularly enrolled in the school which he represents no later than the fifteenth day of the semester. 

28-4-1 SCHOLARSHIP RULE - The student shall:

• (a) For the first semester, be currently enrolled in not fewer than three subjects, or their equivalent, offered for credit and have passed three subjects, or their equivalents, offered for credit the immediately preceding year or the immediately preceding semester for schools that certify credit on a semester basis.

  • (a-1) Students in 4x4 programs must take three subjects per term and pass three subjects per term.

• (b) For the second semester, be currently enrolled in not fewer than three subjects, or their equivalent, offered for credit and have passed three subjects, or their equivalent, offered for credit the immediately preceding semester.

• (c) Eighth-grade students who passed five 8th grade subjects the past school year and reached the age of fifteen on or before the first day of October may compete on the varsity level (if the sport is not offered on the junior high level in Virginia). 

28-5-1 AGE RULE - The student shall not have reached the age of 19 before the first day of August of the school year in which he competes. 

28-6-1 TRANSFER RULE - The student shall not have enrolled in one high school and subsequently transferred to and enrolled in another high school without a corresponding change in the residence of his parents, parent, or legal guardian.

28-7-1 SEMESTER RULE - The student shall not have been enrolled in the last four years of high school for a period of more than eight consecutive semesters, beginning with the semester in which he was enrolled for the first time in the ninth grade or with the semester in which he was first enrolled after passing four eighth-grade subjects in a previous school year, whichever occurred first, and the eight consecutive semesters shall be counted continuously from that point, regardless of whether or not he is enrolled in school. 

28-8-1 AMATEUR RULE - The student shall be an amateur. An amateur is an athlete who engages in VHSL athletics solely for the educational, physical, mental and social benefits he derives there from, and to whom VHSL athletics are nothing more than an avocation. 

28-9-1 ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION - PARENTAL CONSENT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION RULE - The student shall have submitted to the principal of his school, prior to becoming a member of any school athletic squad or team, League Form No. 2 (Physical Form), completely filled in and properly signed, attesting that he has been examined and found to be physically fit for athletic competition, and that his parents consent to this participation. 

28-10-1 AWARDS RULE - The student shall not have accepted nor accept from any source whatsoever, in recognition of or as a reward for his athletic skill, any award other than letters, medals, charms, cups, plaques, letter sweater, or similar trophies, or any award of value other than of intrinsic value. These listed awards may be accepted only when presented or approved by his school, or when earned in VHSL sanctioned meets or tournaments. 

28-12-1 ALL-STAR PARTICIPATION RULE - Students who have completed their eligibility in a sport may participate in no more than one all-star game in that sports season prior to graduation form school. 

28-13-1 SPORTSMAN RULE -

• (1) Member schools are required to conduct all their relations with other schools in a spirit of good sportsmanship.

• (2) Any athlete who in protest lays hands or attempts to lay hands on an official may be declared ineligible for up to one year. Any athlete who strikes an opponent, coach, or a spectator during or following an athletic event may be declared ineligible for up to 1 year.