Membership to Vote on Two Summer Coaching Contact Items

April 10, 2015

There are 10 amendments to the Constitution, Bylaws and Rules of Eligibility for the membership to consider and vote on at the 2015 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Annual Meeting Wednesday, April 22 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Stevens Point. 

Two of the proposals relate to the summertime coaching contact language within the Rules of Eligibility.

Coaches are afforded unrestricted school contact with their student-athletes during the respective sport season and during an approved five-day period during the summer. Currently, some coaches are permitted unlimited non-school contact to work with student-athletes in their programs in non-school programs during the summer (i.e. Legion baseball, ASA softball teams or any running clubs), except in the sports of basketball, football, hockey and volleyball.

There is an important distinction to be made between the two forms of coaching contact with players they will coach the following season. The first is unlimited non-school contact, which pertains to contact outside the school’s auspices. No school resources can be used to fund the activity, pay the coach or supervisors, or pay for transportation to-and-from events. The non-school opportunities must be voluntary and not limited to students on the basis of school affiliation, athletic experience or team status. 

Unlimited non-school contact, which is completely separate from school involvement, must not be confused with the second form of contact, which is unrestricted school contact. With unrestricted school contact, a school’s facilities and resources may be used for transportation, compensation of coaches or supervisors, and may resemble the typical activities during the school season.

In each of the forms of summertime coaching contact, the opportunities must remain strictly voluntary.
This distinction should assist in understanding the breadth and impact of the amendments on coaches having contact with student-athletes they will be coaching during their seasons.

The first amendment with summer coaching contact implications would expand the unrestricted school opportunities in basketball beyond the existing five days of unrestricted school contact in the summer. If passed, basketball coaches would be allowed one hour of unrestricted school-sponsored instruction with up to six basketball players at one time on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between June 16 and July 31, excluding the week of July 4.

The request for additional unrestricted school contact in the summer was advanced by basketball coaches. The Sports Advisory Committee voted 8-6 in favor of the request, and the Advisory Council approved an amended version of the request by a 12-1 vote. However, the Board of Control, citing the potential fiscal impact on schools, voted unanimously not to support passage of the amendment. 

The second consideration would open unlimited non-school coaching contact in the summertime to all sports except football for the period of time between the last day of school and the first day of school.

It may be relevant to note that football, basketball, hockey and volleyball are the only sports currently that are not allowed unlimited non-school contact during the summer. If passed, the amendment would allow the sports of basketball, hockey and volleyball unlimited non-school contact in the summer, provided the contact has no school involvement or resources, is voluntary, and is not limited to students on the basis of school affiliation, athletic experience and/or team status.

Therefore, because the unlimited non-school contact opportunity is completely non-school, there is no influence on schools’ expectations to compensate coaches. In addition, the non-school summer activities remain completely voluntary; so students would not be required to participate in those programs. Any concerns of specialization in particular sports would remain the choice of the student and family.

To clarify further, this amendment does not affect the rules on unrestricted school involvement. Coaching contact in a school team’s practices and games during the summer are only allowed during the Board of Control approved five contact days.

The Sports Advisory Committee, Advisory Council and the Board of Control each reviewed the proposed amendment, and each voted to support adoption of the plan that will provide more uniformity in the summer coaching contact provisions.

To review each of the proposed Constitutional amendments advanced to the Annual Meeting for a membership vote and for information about the 2015 Annual Meeting, visit the WIAA website at: