Football
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Called TSSAA Legislative Council Meeting Agenda for Tuesday, 9/1/15, at 1PM
CALLED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
September 1, 2015- 1PM CDT
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Call to Order and Roll Call
Proposed Addition to Definitions:
Financial Assistance Program – Any program through which a school provides financial assistance to student-athletes and/or to any member of the student-athlete’s immediate family. Employment by a member school of a student-athlete or a student-athlete’s parent(s), guardian(s), or immediate family member(s) (other than as a full-time certified teacher or classified employee) shall be regarded as a financial assistance program.
3. Proposed Addition to Article I, Section 3 (Membership):
For tournament competition there shall be two categories. Division I shall be schools whose student - athletes competing at the varsity level do not receive need - based financial aid. Division II shall be those schools whose student-athletes competing at the varsity level may be the recipients of need-based financial aid, and any other school that chooses to participate in Division II. Any school with a financial assistance program involving student-athletes and/or their immediate family must be classified as a Division II school.
4. Proposed Addition to Article II, Section 16 (Tuition and Financial Aid):
If tuition is charged, it must be paid by parent, bona fide guardian or other family member. If a parent, guardian or other family member secures a loan for payment of tuition, it must remain an obligation of the parent, guardian or other family member to repay the principle and interest in full with no exceptions. Any loan program, grant program, educational foundation or similar program that is established and/or administered, in whole or in part, by a school or official of a school for a student-athlete and/or any member of the immediate family attending the school is considered financial aid. Financial aid will be allowed under the following conditions:
5. Proposed Addition to Article II, Section 13 (Ineligible Transfer Students):
e. If a student transfers into a new school where an “athletic coaching link” existed in the past 12 months, that student is ineligible for 12 months at all levels in the specific sports where a link was present. Links include (1) attendance at an open gym or camp (and then transferring); (2) playing on non-school (independent) or summer sports teams (and then transferring to that coach’s school); (3) transferring into a school where a former coach has just been hired; and (4) transferring into a school where a former or current personal trainer or strength and conditioning coach is employed.
This rule does not apply if the student moves to his/her zoned school after completion of the highest ending grade at his/her previous school.
6. Proposed Addition – Article II, Section 26 (new):
Eligibility Zones:
1) Each school shall have an Eligibility Zone.
a. For public schools, the Eligibility Zone shall be the geographic boundaries and bus routes of the area served by that school as established by the local board of education.
b. For a system-wide public school, the Eligibility Zone shall be the geographic boundaries of the school system.
c. For an independent school, the Eligibility Zone shall be any location within a 20-mile radius of the school.
2) Any student who lives outside the Eligibility Zone of a school and enrolls in that school after the end of his/her 7th grade year shall be ineligible in all sports at all levels for his/her 9th grade year, or the first twelve months of enrollment if after the start of the 9th grade year.
7. Proposed Addition to Weight Training/Conditioning Definition:
Only students who are enrolled and in regular attendance at the school may participate during the school year.
Rationale: Allowing students who are not attending the school to participate in weight lifting and conditioning increases the likelihood of undue influence to secure the attendance of the student for athletic reasons.
8. Proposed Change to Article II, Section 9 (Coaches):
All coaches will fall under one of the following categories:
1) Full-time Certified Teacher (a minimum of 100 school days) of a board of education with a Tennessee teaching license or the equivalent.
2) Retired Educator (five or more years’ experience) with a valid Tennessee state teaching license or the equivalent.
3) Non-faculty Coach – Anyone approved by the principal, superintendent, and/or local board of education in the normal course of employment procedures in accordance with applicable state law.
4) Classified Employee – Any individual employed by a member school or school system in a position that does not require a teaching license or the equivalent. A Classified Employee must be employed 30 hours or more per week in a non-coaching position and may not be an independent contractor or an employee of an independent contractor.
A. Coaching Requirements
1) All coaches must be approved by the principal, superintendent, and/or local board of education prior to coaching.
2) All coaches must be submitted online in the school’s log in area to the state office annually. This must be done prior to coaching.
3) Non-faculty Coaches and Classified Employee Coaches must complete the NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health, & Safety for Coaches” courses prior to assuming the position. Coaches who have successfully completed the ASEP Coaches Education Course prior to May 15, 2013, will not be required to take the NFHS courses. A school must pay an annual registration fee of $50.00 per Non-faculty Coach. There is no registration fee for a Classified Employee.
B. Use of a coach who does not meet all the requirements listed above or the use of a Non-faculty Coach or Classified Employee Coach who has not been submitted to the state office shall result in a fine of $500.00.
C. All coaches are subject to the TSSAA rules and regulation and must conduct themselves in a manner becoming of a coach and representative of the school. All coaches are responsible to the principal of his/her school. Coaches must realize that they have more responsibilities than the general public to understand the purpose of high school athletics and the principles behind the TSSAA rules, and they must maintain that level of understanding and purpose when dealing with the general public and students. Coaches must be paid entirely from funds approved by either the board of education, governing board of the school, Director of Schools, or the Principal of the school.
Rationale: This proposal removes the current limitations on the number of Non-faculty Coaches that a school may use in a program. Louisiana is the only other state that has limits on the number of Non-faculty Coaches that can be involved in a program. TSSAA receives numerous inquiries each year from administrators seeking to name additional Non-faculty Coaches to work with their programs and are unable to do so because of the current limitations in the TSSAA Bylaws.
The proposal would also remove the current requirement that a coach have five or more years of experience as a TSSAA registered assistant coach before becoming eligible to be a head coach in football, basketball, baseball, softball, and track and field. A recent query showed that there are 49 head coaches of these sports who are either a Classified Employee Coach or a Non-faculty Coach. Texas is the only other state in the United States that requires a school to utilize a full time employee for these head coaching positions.
The proposal would align the TSSAA requirements with the current TMSAA requirements. Our query showed 177 Non-faculty or Classified Employee Coaches serving as head coaches in football, basketball, baseball, softball, and track and field in the TMSAA. We have not heard from any TMSAA administrators who have had issues with the current TMSAA rule which allows Non-faculty personnel to assume the head coaching positions in football, basketball, baseball, softball, and track and field. The decision as to whether or not to utilize a Non-faculty Coach or Classified Employee Coach in a school’s athletic program should be left entirely in the hands of the school administration and/or LEA.
September 1, 2015- 1PM CDT
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Call to Order and Roll Call
Proposed Addition to Definitions:
Financial Assistance Program – Any program through which a school provides financial assistance to student-athletes and/or to any member of the student-athlete’s immediate family. Employment by a member school of a student-athlete or a student-athlete’s parent(s), guardian(s), or immediate family member(s) (other than as a full-time certified teacher or classified employee) shall be regarded as a financial assistance program.
3. Proposed Addition to Article I, Section 3 (Membership):
For tournament competition there shall be two categories. Division I shall be schools whose student - athletes competing at the varsity level do not receive need - based financial aid. Division II shall be those schools whose student-athletes competing at the varsity level may be the recipients of need-based financial aid, and any other school that chooses to participate in Division II. Any school with a financial assistance program involving student-athletes and/or their immediate family must be classified as a Division II school.
4. Proposed Addition to Article II, Section 16 (Tuition and Financial Aid):
If tuition is charged, it must be paid by parent, bona fide guardian or other family member. If a parent, guardian or other family member secures a loan for payment of tuition, it must remain an obligation of the parent, guardian or other family member to repay the principle and interest in full with no exceptions. Any loan program, grant program, educational foundation or similar program that is established and/or administered, in whole or in part, by a school or official of a school for a student-athlete and/or any member of the immediate family attending the school is considered financial aid. Financial aid will be allowed under the following conditions:
5. Proposed Addition to Article II, Section 13 (Ineligible Transfer Students):
e. If a student transfers into a new school where an “athletic coaching link” existed in the past 12 months, that student is ineligible for 12 months at all levels in the specific sports where a link was present. Links include (1) attendance at an open gym or camp (and then transferring); (2) playing on non-school (independent) or summer sports teams (and then transferring to that coach’s school); (3) transferring into a school where a former coach has just been hired; and (4) transferring into a school where a former or current personal trainer or strength and conditioning coach is employed.
This rule does not apply if the student moves to his/her zoned school after completion of the highest ending grade at his/her previous school.
6. Proposed Addition – Article II, Section 26 (new):
Eligibility Zones:
1) Each school shall have an Eligibility Zone.
a. For public schools, the Eligibility Zone shall be the geographic boundaries and bus routes of the area served by that school as established by the local board of education.
b. For a system-wide public school, the Eligibility Zone shall be the geographic boundaries of the school system.
c. For an independent school, the Eligibility Zone shall be any location within a 20-mile radius of the school.
2) Any student who lives outside the Eligibility Zone of a school and enrolls in that school after the end of his/her 7th grade year shall be ineligible in all sports at all levels for his/her 9th grade year, or the first twelve months of enrollment if after the start of the 9th grade year.
7. Proposed Addition to Weight Training/Conditioning Definition:
Only students who are enrolled and in regular attendance at the school may participate during the school year.
Rationale: Allowing students who are not attending the school to participate in weight lifting and conditioning increases the likelihood of undue influence to secure the attendance of the student for athletic reasons.
8. Proposed Change to Article II, Section 9 (Coaches):
All coaches will fall under one of the following categories:
1) Full-time Certified Teacher (a minimum of 100 school days) of a board of education with a Tennessee teaching license or the equivalent.
2) Retired Educator (five or more years’ experience) with a valid Tennessee state teaching license or the equivalent.
3) Non-faculty Coach – Anyone approved by the principal, superintendent, and/or local board of education in the normal course of employment procedures in accordance with applicable state law.
4) Classified Employee – Any individual employed by a member school or school system in a position that does not require a teaching license or the equivalent. A Classified Employee must be employed 30 hours or more per week in a non-coaching position and may not be an independent contractor or an employee of an independent contractor.
A. Coaching Requirements
1) All coaches must be approved by the principal, superintendent, and/or local board of education prior to coaching.
2) All coaches must be submitted online in the school’s log in area to the state office annually. This must be done prior to coaching.
3) Non-faculty Coaches and Classified Employee Coaches must complete the NFHS “Fundamentals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health, & Safety for Coaches” courses prior to assuming the position. Coaches who have successfully completed the ASEP Coaches Education Course prior to May 15, 2013, will not be required to take the NFHS courses. A school must pay an annual registration fee of $50.00 per Non-faculty Coach. There is no registration fee for a Classified Employee.
B. Use of a coach who does not meet all the requirements listed above or the use of a Non-faculty Coach or Classified Employee Coach who has not been submitted to the state office shall result in a fine of $500.00.
C. All coaches are subject to the TSSAA rules and regulation and must conduct themselves in a manner becoming of a coach and representative of the school. All coaches are responsible to the principal of his/her school. Coaches must realize that they have more responsibilities than the general public to understand the purpose of high school athletics and the principles behind the TSSAA rules, and they must maintain that level of understanding and purpose when dealing with the general public and students. Coaches must be paid entirely from funds approved by either the board of education, governing board of the school, Director of Schools, or the Principal of the school.
Rationale: This proposal removes the current limitations on the number of Non-faculty Coaches that a school may use in a program. Louisiana is the only other state that has limits on the number of Non-faculty Coaches that can be involved in a program. TSSAA receives numerous inquiries each year from administrators seeking to name additional Non-faculty Coaches to work with their programs and are unable to do so because of the current limitations in the TSSAA Bylaws.
The proposal would also remove the current requirement that a coach have five or more years of experience as a TSSAA registered assistant coach before becoming eligible to be a head coach in football, basketball, baseball, softball, and track and field. A recent query showed that there are 49 head coaches of these sports who are either a Classified Employee Coach or a Non-faculty Coach. Texas is the only other state in the United States that requires a school to utilize a full time employee for these head coaching positions.
The proposal would align the TSSAA requirements with the current TMSAA requirements. Our query showed 177 Non-faculty or Classified Employee Coaches serving as head coaches in football, basketball, baseball, softball, and track and field in the TMSAA. We have not heard from any TMSAA administrators who have had issues with the current TMSAA rule which allows Non-faculty personnel to assume the head coaching positions in football, basketball, baseball, softball, and track and field. The decision as to whether or not to utilize a Non-faculty Coach or Classified Employee Coach in a school’s athletic program should be left entirely in the hands of the school administration and/or LEA.
