2000 MHSAA Handbook--Regulation IV

REGULATION IV—
RULES GOVERNING CONTESTS INVOLVING JUNIOR HIGH/MIDDLE SCHOOLS

SECTION 1—COMPETITION LIMITED TO ELIGIBLES
SECTION 1—No junior high/middle school shall enter any athletes or athletic teams in any contest unless the athletes or athletic teams of that junior high/middle school are eligible under Regulation I or III; nor shall any school knowingly permit its athletes or athletic teams to compete in a game or contest against a member school in which an ineligible athlete is used. This Regulation also applies to all interscholastic teams sponsored by the school under MHSAA jurisdiction.

INTERPRETATIONS—SECTION 1
(Interpretations 145-149, of Regulation II, Section 1 are applicable to junior high/ middle schools.)

SECTION 2—ADMINISTRATION
SECTION 2—The principal of the junior high/middle school, or that member of the faculty approved by the principal, shall administer the teams representing the school, and shall sign all contest and officials contracts.

INTERPRETATION—SECTION 2
(Interpretation 150 of Regulation II, Section 2 is applicable to junior high/middle schools.)

SECTION 3—COACHES OF TEAMS
SECTION 3—The person responsible for the immediate training or coaching of a junior high/middle school athletic team SHOULD be a member of the regular teaching staff of the school district. If a non-faculty member is used (paid or volunteer), that person must be registered by the school with the MHSAA on a form provided for that purpose BEFORE beginning duties. A non-faculty member coach must be at least eighteen (18) years of age and not a high school student.

NOTE: The Representative Council URGES that all schools strive to the standard that only qualified faculty members are used as head coaches for interscholastic athletic teams, and that all non-faculty coaches complete the MHSAA’s Program for Athletic Coaches’ Education (PACE) or equivalent program.

INTERPRETATIONS—SECTION 3
(Interpretations 151-153 of Regulation II, Section 3 are applicable to junior high/middle schools.)

SECTION 4—MASTER ELIGIBILITY LISTS
SECTION 4—Schools shall prepare a Master Eligibility List (Form-1) of all students eligible for that sport under the provisions of the Regulations, including current semester record. Additions to the squad should be duly added. Current copies of the Master Eligibility List are to be available to competing schools upon request.

INTERPRETATIONS—SECTION 4
(Interpretations 154-155 of Regulation II, Section 4 are applicable to junior high/middle schools.)

SECTION 5—APPROVED IN-STATE MEETS OR TOURNAMENTS
SECTION 5(A)—Any meet or tournament with three or more teams held within Michigan for Michigan schools and sponsored by a non-member school or organization, must be approved by the MHSAA prior to the contest. (1983) SECTION 5(B)—Competition held in Michigan, conducted by member schools, needs no MHSAA approval. All such meets and tournaments shall be conducted in accordance with all rules and regulations as set forth by the MHSAA. (1983)

INTERPRETATIONS—SECTION 5
(Interpretations 156, 157, 159 and 160 of Regulation II, Section 5 are applicable to junior high/middle schools.)

SECTION 6—CONTESTS WITH OUT-OF-STATE SCHOOLS
SECTION 6(A)—No jr. high school/middle school shall schedule or play a game with a school in another state unless that school is a member in good standing in its State Association, provided it is eligible for such membership.
SECTION 6(B)—Any interstate contest sponsored by a non-member school or organization requires approval by the National Federation, the states involved and the MHSAA. Request for such approval must be made AT LEAST 30 DAYS prior to the contest. (1983)
SECTION 6(C)—When there is athletic competition between three or more schools of various states, there must be approval by the state association of the host school, the respective association of the state or states of participating schools, and if one or more of the states do not adjoin the host state, the National Federation. (1983)
SECTION 6(D)—International competition must be sanctioned by the National Federation and the home state association. The MHSAA must be informed 60 DAYS prior to the competition and will initiate the necessary forms for member schools. (1983)
SECTION 6(E)—Schools which desire to conduct practice sessions out of state at a site more than 600 highway miles round-trip from their location must complete and submit to the MHSAA office the “Out-of-State Travel Declaration” form at least 30 days in advance of departure. (1994)

INTERPRETATIONS—SECTION 6
(Interpretations 161-165 of Regulation II, Section 6 are applicable to junior high/middle schools.)

SECTION 7—USE OF REGISTERED OFFICIALS
SECTION 7—Junior high/middle schools shall use, in the sports concerned, only those athletic officials who are registered with the Michigan High School Athletic Association of the current year in football, basketball, girls competitive cheer, baseball, ice hockey, wrestling, girls gymnastics, softball, girls volleyball and soccer. The referee and/or starter used in all junior high/middle school swimming, cross country or track and field meets must be registered for the current year in that sport: In girls volleyball, the referee and umpire must be registered.

INTERPRETATIONS—SECTION 7
(Interpretations 165-169 of Regulation II, Section 7 are applicable to junior high/middle schools.)

SECTION 8—SPORTS LIMITATIONS
SECTION 8—No seventh or eighth grade student shall be a member of more than one interscholastic team at the same time. (1979)

INTERPRETATION—SECTION 8
230. When junior high/middle schools desire to compete in interscholastic athletics in more than one division for sake of uniformity, it is recommended that such divisions be established on the basis of height, age and weight.

SECTION 9—TIMES OF GAMES
SECTION 9—Whenever possible, junior high/middle school competition should be played before 5 p.m. and should not be scheduled at a time and place which would require unreasonable hours or overnight trips.

SECTION 10—LIMITATIONS OF COMPETITION JR. HIGH/MIDDLE SCHOOL VARIATIONS
SECTION 10 (A)—A junior high/middle school may have any number of teams but no school may allow any team or individual to play more than the following number of games in the sports concerned, and in accordance with the conditions indicated.
SECTION 10 (B)—Fall sports practices for seventh and eighth grades may begin on the Monday before Labor Day, regardless of the date of the first day of school. When school begins before the first allowable practice date, fall sports for a school may begin on the first day of classes for that school. In football, schools forced by regulation into a later practice starting date than all of their opponents may, with MHSAA Executive Committee approval, begin practices the same time as their earliest starting opponent. Ninth grade football teams of junior high/middle schools may begin practice on the same date as the grade 10-12 football teams of that school district if the ninth grade team is comprised only of ninth graders or students who have been approved for eligibility advancement. Other seasons and starting dates will be established by the local district, league or conference.
SECTION 10 (C)—Ninth grade students may engage in interscholastic athletic competition as representatives of their school, if the junior high/middle school elects to have them do so, under the same limitations of competition and other senior high school eligibility rules that are allowed ninth graders in senior high schools. There shall be mutual agreement by competing schools to the modifications allowed ninth graders of junior high/middle schools as hereinbefore provided, otherwise the competitive policies for the sports hereinafter listed as applying to junior high/middle schools are in effect:

1. BASEBALL/SOFTBALL—
—Ten (10) days of competition during the season. (1986)

2. BASKETBALL—
—Twelve (12) basketball games. Games involving only students below the 9th grade shall be played in six (6) minute quarters. A school sponsoring games involving teams which combine 9th grade students with the 8th and/or 7th grades may be played in eight (8) minute quarters. A student may compete in not more than one (1) game of interscholastic basketball per day, and in not more than two (2) games per week. During one tournament per season, a student may play three (3) games in one week (Monday through Sunday). (1992)
1. The regulation size basketball will be used for seventh and eighth grade boys basketball unless the two competing teams (by contract or league adoption) mutually agree to use the smaller ball.
2. The three point line and goal will be used for all boys and girls interscholastic competition unless the two competing teams (by contract or league adoption) mutually agree not to do so.

3. COMPETITIVE CHEER—
—Junior high/middle school competitive cheer teams shall be limited to a maximum of four (4) competitions during their competitive cheer season. A team shall be limited to one competition per day and no more than two (2) competitions per week (Monday through Sunday).
1. The competitive cheer format consists of a Required Round and an Open Round.
2. During competition a minimum of four (4) and a maximum of sixteen (16) team members are allowed on the floor for competition in either round.

4. CROSS COUNTRY—
—Junior High/Middle School Cross Country distance is to be limited to 3200 meters or two miles. Competition shall be limited to ten meets per season with a maximum of two (2) meets per week. Students shall not compete in two meets on the same day. (1989)
Rules of junior high/middle school cross country are those printed in the National Federation Track and Field Rule Book with MHSAA modifications included in Regulation IV, Section 7 of the MHSAA HANDBOOK.
Cross Country distances may be shortened by mutual consent of the competing schools prior to the date of the meet.

5. FOOTBALL—
—Six (6) games. Games involving only students in grades 7 and/or 8 shall be played in eight (8) minute quarters. Games which include a combination of 9th grade students and those in the 8th and/or 7th grades may be played in ten (10) minute quarters. A student may compete in not more than one game of interscholastic football in six (6) consecutive calendar days. There shall be no competition between junior high/middle school and senior high school teams in football, except that junior high/middle schools may compete in football with ninth (9th) grade teams from four-year schools provided the games are played under rules governing junior high/middle school football (1976)
Regulation II, Section 9(B-C-D) and interpretations 160-168 are applicable to junior high/middle schools.

6. SOCCER—
—Junior High/Middle School Soccer teams and students shall be limited to a maximum of 12 games per season. A game shall consist of four (4) 15 minute quarters. Games that are tied at the end of regulation playing time shall remain tied. (1991)

7. SWIMMING—
—Teams and students are limited to a maximum of two meets per week and a maximum of twelve contests per season. (1977)

SWIMMING—ORDER OF EVENTS
—All events for junior high/middle school are as published in the National Federation Swimming and Diving Rules Book. Distances may be shortened or events eliminated by mutual consent of competing schools prior to the day of the meet.

SWIMMING—SCORING
—All dual league and invitational meets—Scoring is to be in accordance with provisions of the current year officials National Federation Swimming and Diving Rules Book.

SWIMMING—ENTRIES
—A contestant may compete in a total of four (4) events, two of which must be relays. Preliminary trials and/or finals constitute participation in one event. Diving and relays are considered as events.

8. TENNIS—
—Competition is limited to 12 events per year and no more than three (3) individual matches daily. There are no weekly limitations. USTA rules are to be used (with only MHSAA modifications allowed).

9. TRACK AND FIELD—
—The events are to be in accordance with the Michigan High School Athletic Association approved Track and Field List for junior high/middle schools.
A contestant may compete in any three track and/or field events from the approved list of Junior High/Middle School order of events. Preliminary trials and relays are considered as events. A student shall not compete in events in 2 track meets held on the same date or 1 meet held on two days which would be in violation of these limitations of competition for 1 meet.
Teams and students are limited to a maximum of ten days of competition per season. (1998)
TRACK AND FIELD—ORDER OF EVENTS
NOTE: 1: When boys and girls meets are conducted simultaneously, the events listed below are to be used. The boys events shall precede the girls events in even years; the girls events shall precede the boys events in odd years. If meets are not run simultaneously, the events listed for those not participating are to be eliminated. Schools must mutually agree to run the order of events in yards or meters prior to the meet. If schools cannot mutually agree, the host school will decide. Distances may be shortened or events may be eliminated by mutual consent of competing schools before the meet begins.

Junior High/Middle School Order of Events for Boys and Girls
Yards and (Metric)
1. 3200 Meter Run
2. 55 Meter Hurdles (5 hurdles) (33” boys, 30” girls)
3. 800 Meter Relay
4. 800 Meter Run
5. 1600 Meter Run
6. 100 Meter Dash
7. 400 Meter Dash
8. 3200 Meter Relay
9. 70 Meter Dash
10. 200 Meter Hurdles (5 hurdles, 35 meter intervals) (30”)
11. 200 Meter Dash
12. 1600 Meter Relay
13. 400 Meter Relay

FIELD EVENTS
1. Pole Vault
2. Shot Put (8 lb. 13 oz. or 4 Kg. for boys; 6 lb. for girls)
3. Running High Jump
4. Running Long Jump

NOTE 2: The 3200 Meter Run must be conducted during the field events.
NOTE 3: Both the boys and girls 55 meter Hurdles will be over five hurdles spaced as follows: 13 meters to the first hurdle 8.5 meters between the hurdles and 8.0 meters from the last hurdle to the finish.
NOTE 4: In the 200 meter (30”) low hurdles, the hurdles are set 35 meters from the start, 35 meters between hurdles and 10 meters to the finish.
NOTE 5: One false start shall be permitted in Junior High/Middle School competition (When the above order of events are used.)
Scoring — Dual Meets — Individual events are to be scored 5-3-1
Other Than Dual Meets — Scoring is to be in accordance with the National Federation Edition of the Track and Field Rules Book and the current year.
Scoring Note: By prior mutual agreement of competing schools or by league or conference adoption, teams may score four places in dual meets and five places in triangular meets.

10. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL—
—Teams and students are limited to a maximum of two days of competition per week and a maximum of twelve days of competition per season. A maximum of fifteen games per day is allowed. (1997) It is permissible for junior high/middle school volleyball programs to lower the volleyball net to 7 feet for girls or 7 feet, 7 inches for boys, by prior mutual consent of competing teams. If there is no mutual consent, the net would be set at the National Federation regulation height of 7 feet 4 1/8 inches for girls or 7 feet, 11 5/8 inches for boys.

11. WRESTLING—
—The season shall be restricted to a maximum of thirteen (13) consecutive weeks with a limit of sixty days of practice and/or competition. Contestants are limited to two weigh-ins per week (Monday through Sunday) with a maximum of twelve (12) weigh-ins per season. An individual may participate in up to six (6) events in which a wrestler may participate in more than two matches.
RULES AND WEIGHT CLASSES
The National Federation Wrestling Rules Book shall be followed except as indicated below:
1. In dual or tournament competition, matches shall consist of three (3) periods, one and one-half (1 1/2) minutes each.
2. An overtime match, shall observe rule 6, section 7 except that the overtime period shall be a maximum of one minute. The overtime tie-breaker period will remain a maximum of thirty seconds.
3. All schools shall provide legal uniforms for the team no later than the third year of the school sponsorship of a wrestling program.
4. Weight Certification:
(a) The parent, coach, and principal shall mutually agree on the lowest minimum weight at which the wrestler may compete.
(b) The agreement shall be in writing and kept on file by the principal.
(c) The lowest weight at which a wrestler may compete shall be the weight class(es) for which the athlete’s actual weight qualifies him, at the first competition following two weeks of team practice (but not lower than agreed upon minimum).
(d) Two weeks of practice shall be interpreted as ten days of on-the-mat practice for the team.
5. Leagues may establish their own weight classification procedure for league, dual meet and league tournaments. Unless mutual agreement is made prior to the date of the competition they shall use the mutual pairings procedure using the weight classification chart as guidelines for determining those pairings, no wrestler shall be paired where the difference of weight between them is more than one weight class.
70 lbs. 105 lbs. 137 lbs.
75 lbs. 110 lbs. 145 lbs.
80 lbs. 115 lbs. 155 lbs.
85 lbs. 120 lbs. 167 lbs.
90 lbs. 125 lbs. 185 lbs.
95 lbs. 130 lbs. Heavyweight
100 lbs.

NOTE: All contestants in the Heavyweight Class must weigh at least 168 lbs. The maximum weight allowable for heavyweight wrestlers shall not exceed 250 lbs.
6. It is recommended that the Wrestling Nutrition Education Program be presented by the local nutrition education coordinator to schools sponsoring junior high/middle school wrestling.
7. It is strongly recommended that in non-tournament competition team scores be eliminated. If final team scores must be kept, they shall be based on actual matches wrestled.
8. A junior high/middle school may participate in the minimum weight program. However, all calculations must be conducted at the local level. The MHSAA will not process the skinfold data.

INTERPRETATIONS—SECTION 10
231. Competition limitations pertain to both boys and girls.
232. See Regulation II, Section 10, (B, C, D); Section 11, (B, C, G and H); and Interpretations for additional limitations of competition.
233. It is optional with junior high/middle schools to have separate ninth grade teams in any sport and if they elect to do so these teams may compete against other ninth grade junior high/middle school teams or against senior high school teams under the same regulations pertaining to number of games, length of games, or competition limitations that apply to senior high schools. In the event there are any seventh or eighth grade members on a junior high/middle school team, junior high/middle school regulations pertaining to length of games and limitations of competition are to be in effect for the competition.
234. Junior high/middle school football has the same practice limitation as the high schools’.
235. Game or contest conditions usually involve league, tournament or organized play or when admission is charged.
236. A school is required to conduct a minimum of ten (10) days of practice in wrestling prior to the first contest, to be included within the 13-week period.
237. A student ineligible under any of the provisions of Regulations I or III, or one who has competed in a meet or tournament in accordance with the maximum limitations of competition for that meet or tournament in the sport concerned, may not take part in a meet or tournament immediately preceding, during, or immediately after either of the above in a so-called “exhibition or practice event,’’ or in one in which points may not be scored.
238. Alternatives to the lengths of contests are permitted as long as no student exceeds the maximum minutes of playing time stated in specific game rules and the total extra playing time for the team does not exceed 25% of a regulation game or contest.
239. Three days of competition in a week in those sports limited to two competitions per week (basketball, volleyball and wrestling) will be permitted at the junior high/middle school level (grades 7 and 8) for days of competition canceled because of Acts of God or emergency closing of the facility, providing the rescheduled day of competition is the first available date mutually agreeable to both schools.
240. If a school district chooses to sponsor interscholastic sports competition for sixth or lower grades, it is recommended that those teams should not exceed the limitations of competition for grades 7-8 that are prohibited in the MHSAA Handbook.

SECTION 11—“ALL STAR” CONTESTS/NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
SECTION 11 (A)—No athletic director, coach, teacher, or administrator of a Michigan high school, and no athletic official registered with the Michigan High School Athletic Association, shall at any time during the school year for his or her school, assist either directly or indirectly with the coaching, management, direction, selection or transportation of players, promotion, or officiating of any “all star” exhibition or similar contest, or of any contest that is or purports to be a national high school championship event or the qualification thereto, in any MHSAA tournament sponsored sport if any of the participants is enrolled in an MHSAA member junior high/middle school at the time of the event. (1986)
SECTION 11 (B)—Any junior high/middle school which uses an individual as a coach or manager of an interscholastic athletic team who has violated the provisions of Section A of this Rule shall be subject to probation or suspension. (1947)
SECTION 11 (C)—Any individual who violates the provisions of Section A of this Rule shall be ineligible for registration as an athletic official with the Michigan High School Athletic Association for a period of at least one year. (1947)

INTERPRETATIONS—SECTION 11
(See Interpretations (128-144)
(Interpretation 210 of Regulation II, Section 13 is applicable to junior high/middle school(s).