ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS

Note: All required forms and notifications are expected to be submitted by the announced deadlines. Further details and updated PIAA rules and regulations referred to in this document are available on line at www.piaa.org.

Age

You may not have reached your 19th birthday by the date of June 30 that immediately precedes the beginning of the school year.

In sports where interscholastic competition is limited to grades 7 through 9, you may not have reached your 16th birthday by the date of June 30 that immediately precedes the beginning of the school year.

In sports where interscholastic competition is limited to grades 7 and 8, you may not have reached your 15th birthday by the date of June 30 that immediately precedes the beginning of the school year. (PIAA)

Amateur Status

A student must be an amateur. You will lose your amateur status in a sport for one year if:

You or an organization that you represent, or your parent/guardian receives money or property for (or related to) your athletic ability, performance, participation or services.
You accept compensation for teaching, training or coaching a sport. The exception to this policy is the receipt of normal and customary compensation for instructing or officiating recreational activities, or for serving as a lifeguard at swimming areas. (PIAA)

Attendance

A pupil must be regularly enrolled in a secondary school in full-time attendance. A pupil who has been absent from school for a total of twenty or more days in a semester shall not be eligible to participate in any athletic contest until he/she has attended school for a total of forty-five (45) school days following the twentieth day of absence. An exception may be considered by a PIAA district committee when there is an extended absence because of approved reasons. (PIAA)

A student must be in attendance for at least the four (4) class periods of the school day immediately prior to dismissal time in order to participate in an interscholastic practice or competition on that day. An attendance irregularity during the last day of classes of the school week will make a student ineligible for activities during the weekend Exceptions for absence for educational, religious and medical reasons will be made when prior approval from the student's assigned, secondary school office has been granted. (SCASD)

Consent of Parent/Guardian

A student shall be eligible for participation in each sport only when there is on file with the principal a certificate of consent signed by a parent or guardian. (PIAA)

Any student wishing to participate in practices, inter-school practices, scrimmages and contests for a PIAA-affiliated sports teams must meet the following requirement(s):

Complete a Comprehensive Initial Pre-Participation Physical Exam (CIPPE) performed by an Authorized Medical Examiner (AME) within one calendar year prior to the start of such participation. In addition, the student must submit all properly completed and signed forms related to this CIPPE to the SCASD Director of Athletics according to schedules posted by the SCASD Department of Athletics.

Furthermore, any student with a current CIPPE on file with the SCASD Athletics Department who suffers an illness or injury which:

• Renders him/her unable to participate in 25% or more regular season contests in the the preceding sports season, and/or
• Results in absence from school for 10 or more days, and/or
• Requires surgery and/or
• Rehabilitation of an injury…

must complete and submit to the SCASD Athletics Director the PIAA Comprehensive Pre-participation Physical Re-Evaluation and Re-Certification authorized, medical examiner form.

Finally, if the athlete is participating in wrestling, he/she must have established a minimum wrestling weight class utilizing the National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) Optimal Performance Calculator as the mechanism to calculate the minimum wrestling weight. The SCASD certified assessor will perform all required testing. (PIAA)

Period of Participation

You are eligible for practice or participation in interscholastic athletics upon entry into seventh grade. You will lose your eligibility when you reach the end of eight, consecutive semesters beyond the eighth-grade year, without regard to the period of attendance. (PIAA)

All-Star Contests

A student will lose his/her PIAA eligibility in a sport for one year if he/she participates in an all-star contest in that sport. (PIAA)

Curriculum

A pupil must pursue a curriculum defined and approved by the principal as a full-time curriculum. This curriculum must be approved by and conform to the regulations of the State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania School Code, and any policies established by the local school board.

Eligibility is determined both weekly and by marking period:

Weekly

A student must maintain a passing average in at least four, full-credit subjects or the equivalent. Eligibility shall be cumulative from the beginning of a grading period, and is reported by the teaching staff on a weekly basis. In the event a student-athlete does not meet this standard on the last school day of the week, he/she shall be ineligible for athletic competition from the Sunday immediately following the report of failure through the next Saturday.

Marking Period

A student-athlete must have passed at least four, full-credit subjects, or the equivalent during the previous grading period in order to be eligible for athletic competition.

A student declared ineligible due to failing grades in a preceding grading period shall be ineligible to participate for the first 15 school days of the next grading period. Eligibility for the first grading period is based on your final grades for the preceding school year. (PIAA)

Home-schooled, secondary students residing within the District shall be eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics at the age-group school within their regular attendance area. Parents must register their children with the District by March 15 of the school year preceding the one in which they wish to participate. Charter school students attending SCASD schools are also eligible to participate in interscholastic athletics at the age-group school within their regular attendance area. (SCASD)