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1i1 i ~~( 2000-2001 AAA HANDBOOK of the Arkansas Activities Association 3920 Richards Road North Little Rock, AR 72117 501-955-2500 FAX 501-955-2600/955-252 l Visit our web site at www.ahsaa.org ~ ~ Building Citizenship Through Activities Participation FORWARD This official Handbook of the Arkansas Activities Association, hereafter referred to as the AAA, is compiled and distributed to all member schools of the state. It is for the specific use of all persons connected with the administration and supervision of the various activity programs in the member schools and for general use of parents, pupils, and fans who feel a need to understand the rules and regulations of the AAA. Handbooks may be purchased upon request. It is the desire of the Board of Directors of the AAA that this handbook, containing the constitution and bylaws of the assoctation and eligibility rules for the various activities, be designed to clarify and interpret the numerous requirements and regulations pertaining to the administration of all interscholastic contests, festivals, etc. In the rules that follow, the singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular as the context requires or permits. Where appropriate, pronouns refer to either gender. If there is a question concerning any phase of this handbook, the Executive Director should be contacted for an explanation. If there is a question concerning the eligibility of a contestant in any interscholastic activity, the Executive Director should be contacted in writing for an official interpretation of the rule in question. NOTE: The only official interpretations are those in writing in response to requests received in writing. The members of the Governing Body, the officers of the association, and the Executive Director and staff desire to promote educational and cultural standards of sportsmanship and effective citizenship, among all participants and to extend the activities programs that will provide additional opportunities for all students to participate and compete in a variety of sports and activities at their own level of ability and interest. INDEX Activity Districts ......................... ..... .... .... ... ...... ... ...... .... .................. ........ ............................................... ..... .... ... ......... .. .. .... 10-11 Administrative Responsibilities ......... ... ...... ........ ..... .... ... ..... ................. ... .......... ......... ... ...... ..... ......... .. .... ..... ... ............... .. .... 15-17 Advisory Committees (Non-Athletic) ........... ........ ..... .... . ... ....... ..... ......... .... ... ... ....... ............. ......... ..... .................... .. ... ............ 11 All-Star Events..... .... .............. ... ... ..... ... ... .... ...... .. .... .. ... ................................. . ........ ...... . ..... .. .. .. .. ... ............ ... 28 Amendments (Also Referred to as Proposals) ... ...... ......... ...... .... ....... ................. ......... .... ... ... ........ .. .. .. ........... .......... .... ... ... 12-13 Appeals ....... ..... ....... .. ........................ ... ..... ....... .... .... ....... .... .... .... ... .... .. ... .... ... .... ... ... ....... ...... ..... ... .... .... .... .. .... ... ... ... .... .... .. 19-21 Approval of Events (See Sanction of Events) .... ... ... .... ....... .......... .. ........... .. ..... ... ... ........... ......... .. ... .. .. ...... .. ... ....... .. .... .. ... . 24-27 Arkansas Officials Association .... ........ ...... ................................. .. ........ ............................. ...... ....................... ..... ..... ... .. .. ..... ... 54 Authority of AAA and the Board of Directors ... ... ...... .. .. ... ...... ..... ............ .. .. .... ... .. .. ..... ... ..... .... .... .. .. .. ...... .... ... ... .. .. .. ................... 9 Authority of School Administrators.. .... ... .... .. .. .. .. ......... ..... ... .. .. . . .. . .. ... .. . . . .. . ... .. . .. . .. . ... ... .. . . ... ..... .. ... .. ......... . 8 Awards ...... ...... ... ... .. ..... ...... ......... .. ......... ....................... ...... ..... .... ............... .... .... ........... .... .... .... .. .... ....... ............................ 26, 33 Ballots ............. .. ........ .................... ..... .. ... .. ... ..... .. .. ...... .. ......... ...... ... ... ........ ..... ...... ...... .... ... ...... ...... ....... .. ..... ..... .. .. .. ...... .. ... 12 Baseball .. .... ... ..... ... .. . .. ................. . ....... ... ... .... ............................................................. 23, 24 ,39 ,40 ,49, 50,55 Basketball .................... ..... .. .... ...... .... .... ... ....... .............. .... ...................... .. ... ...................... ..... ..... ..... ........... .. 23 ,39 ,43-47 ,55 Benefit Games ...... .................. .... ....... .. ...... .. ...... ... ... .............. ..... .... .... ....... ... .. .. .. .... ....... ... .. ... ..... .... .. ... .... .... ....... ................... .. 13 Board of Directors ... .. ... .. ... ... .................. ..... ...................................... ................... ............................ ....... ... ... ... .. ............. .4, 5, 8 Board of Directors Code of Ethics ..... .. ....... .. ...... .......... ........................................... ... .. .. .. ........ .. .. .. ........ ...... .... ... ... .. .. ........... .... 6 Boarding School ... . .. . . ... ... .. . .... ..... ... . . . . ... . . .... ... ...... ... . ... . ... .... ...... ... .. . . . . . ... . .. . . .. ...... .. ... ... .. .. . . .. .. ... . .. ... . .. . .. . . .. . .. . ..... ... . . .. .... 30 Bona Fide Student ............ ........... .................. .. ...... .. .. .... .. .... ... .. .. ..... .. ...... ..... ..... .. ...... .... .. .. .... ... ..... ................... 31 , 32, 36, 37 Brackets . .. ... ... ...... .... ..... .. .. ...... .. ....... .. .. . . ... .. . . ... . . . .. . ....... .. .... ... . . ... ..... .. .. ... . . . ..... .. ..... ..... .. .. .. .. . .... .. ... . ... .. . . . .. ... ... . .. . . . ..... 45 Broadcasts, Radio, and Television .. . ........ .... .. .... .. .. .. . .... ... ... ... .. ... . .. ... . .. . ......... . ... .... .. .. .. . ... . . ... .. ... . ... ...... .. ..... ... .. . . . . . . . . . .. .... 28 Bylaws .......... .......... ....... ...... ..... ..... ........... ..... ....... ... .... ........ .... .............. ................... .. ... .. .... ... .... .. .. ... ... .. ...... .. ... ..... ..... 14-57 Calendar of Events ... ... . . ... . . ............ .. .. ..... .. .. .. .. . .. . ...... . . . . . . . ... .... . .. . . . . .... . . .. ... ..... ... .. .. . ....... ........ .. ... ...... ... 25, 56 Camps, Summer Athletic... ...... . ........ .......... ...... .. ..... ..... .... .. ... . . ........ .. . . .... .... .. . . . . . .. ... ... .. . .. . ... .... ... . ..... .... ........ ........... 27, 28 Cancellations .................................... ........... .. ..... ... .. .. .. ... ........ .. ...... ... ...... ...... ........ .... .. .. .... .. ...... ... ........... ........ .. ................. .... 18 Catastrophe Insurance Fund .................... ....................... .. ...... .. .. . ......... .. ....... ...... ... ...... .......... ..... ........................................... 14 Championships... . ... .. .. . . .. ....... .... . ...... ... ... ... ....................................... .. ........................................... ........ .......... ............ 22-24 Cheerleading/Drill Teams/Spirit Groups ..... ..................... .. .............. ..................... ... ........ .... ...... ... .. ..... .... ..... .... ... ... .. .. ..... .. ..... 37 Classification of Schools . ..... ..... ..................... ....... ......... ...... .. ................... ................... .... .. ....... .. .... .. .............. ... .... 13, 21, 22 Classification of Students .. ... .. .............. ... .. .. ...... ............................. ........ .......... . .. ......... ... ... ..... .... .......... ............... 24 Coaches (Also See All-Star) .... .. .. .... ... .. .... ...... ..... ... ..... .................... ... ........ .......... .... .... ...... .. .. .. . ..... ....... .... 16, 28 Coed Teams . .... ..... .. . ... . .. .. .... .. . . .. ... . .. ... . ..... ... . .. ... .... ... . . . .. . .. .. .. ... . . . .. .... .. ... . . .. ... .... . . ... ... . ... 38 Conferences ...... .. .. ....... ... ... ..... ... .. ........ ......... .. .... .......... ......... ..21 , 22, 40, 43 Constitution . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 7 -14 Contracts ................. ... ..... ... .... .... ........ ....... .. .... .. .... ... .... .. .... ... .......... .... .... .... ....... .. .... .. ...... .. .... ..... ..... .. .... .......... ... ...... .... 17, 18 Cross Country. ...... .... ...... .................. ..... ........... ......... .... .... . ............ ..... . ........ ...... .. ........ .. ..... ....... .... .. ... .... .. ......... .48, 55 Decathlon ... ......... .... .. .. .... .. ... . ....... ........ .. ..... ... ...... ................. ... ...... ........................ .... ...... ..... ....... ... ..48 Declaration for Sports .. . ... . .. .. . .. ..... ... . . . .... .. ... .... ...... .. . .. . .. .... .. . .......... .. .. .. . . . ... ........ ... . ... .. . .... ... .. .... ... . ......... 17 Definitions . . . . .. . . .. .. . . . ..... .. ..... ...... ........ .. .. . . ... .... ... ......... ..... ... . ..... .. . . . . . .... .... ... .. . ... ....... .. .... ...... .. . . . .......... 57 Dropout Rule. . . .. ...... .. .. .. ... .... ..... ........ ...... ... ... ... ................. .. ................. .... ....................... ... ..... ......... . ..... 32 Eligibility List .. . .... . ... ... .. ... .. .. . . .. . .. .... ... .. . . ........ . ........ .. .. . ... ... ... .. ... ... . .. . . . . ..... ... ... . ...... .... .. . ... .. ... .... ... .. . ........ .. ... . .. . ....... 17 Eligibility Rules for Students (Athletic) . . . . .... ... ........ ........... .. .. ....................................... .. ........................... ........ ............ 29-37 Rule 1 Residence . .. .. .. . .. ... ............ ... .. .. .. ...... .. ... ..... .................................. ......................... ...................... 29 Rule 2. Transfer Between Schools ..... ................ ...... .... . ............... ...... .... .... .... ..... .. ..... .. .. ... .... .... ...... ... ..... .... .. 29, 30 Rule 3. Recruitment ..... ........ ................. ... ..... .. .. ... ... ........... .. .................. ........ ......... ........ ... ... ..... .......... .. . . ..... 31 Rule 4. Bona Fide Students .... ... . ......................................... .... ....... ..... ........ .... .... ...... ... .... ... ............. 31 , 32 Rule 5. Dropouts. . .. ..... .. ... .. . .. .. .... .. ... ... ............... .. . .. ... ....... ....... . ............ .. .... .. ... .... ...... .... .. 31, 32 Rule 6. Semesters .......... ....... ..... ... ...... ......... ........ .. ....... ........... ... ......... ... ...... .... .... .......... .. ... .... ....... ... .. ... .... ..... .. ...... 32 Rule 7. Age ....... ................ ........................ ...... ........................... ...................... .. : ......................... ......... ... .. ............ 32 Rule 8. Amateur ... .. ........ .... ...... .. ... . ... .. ........ ... .. . ... .. . ..... ... . ............. ..... . . . . ... ...... .. ....... .... .. ... ... .. ..... ... ... ... ... ... . .. 33 Rule 9. Tryouts ....... ....... ..... . ..... .. ... ..... .. ....... ........... ... ..... .... ... ........... ..... .. .... . ..... .... ..... ......... ... ...... ... .... ... . ... .. 33 Rule 10. Scholarship ............ .. . ..... ....... .... ..... ... .. ... ...... .. ..... ... ... ......... ....... ........ ... ...... ....... .. ... .. .... ... .. .... ........ .. 33, 34 Rule 11 . Ineligible in Another State ...................................... ........................ ....... .......................... ........................... 34 Rule 12. Participation on Non-School Teams ...... .... .... .. . ........ ... ..... ....... .. ...... .... ..... ...... .... ............. .. ...... .. .... .. 34, 35 Rule 13 Participation in Individual Non-School Activities ............................. .................... .. ..... .. ..... .. .. .. ................. 35 Rule 14. Physical Examination ............. ......... ..... ... .... ..... ......... .... ..... .... .............. .... ... .... ......... .... ...... ... ............. 35 Rule 15 Hardship Exceptions .. ...... .... ..................................................... ........ ............. ......... ..................... .... ... 35, 36 Eligibility Rules for Students (Non-Athlelics) .......... ... ....................... ..... ............................ ............................ ... ......... ........ .... .. 36 Rule 1. Bona Fide Student... .................. .. .. ........... ............. . .. . ... .. . . .. ... . .. .. . ... .... .. . ... .... ..... .. . ..... .......... .. 36 Rule 2. Scholarship ........ ........ ....... .. .. ... ... ..... .. .......... ..... ...... ....... ... ..... .. .... .... ...... .. ... .... ..... .... .......... .. .... ... ... .. .......... .. 36 Rule 3. Semesters ... ..... ....... .. .. .... .. ..... ........ .................... ..... ........ ............. ... .. ...... .. ... ... ...... ... .. .. ..... ... ... ... ... .. .. .. ........ 36 Rule 4. Age . . . .. . . ..................... ................. ..... ... ....... ..... .. .. ...... .... ... .. ..... ........ .. ..... ...... ........... ................. .. .... ........... 36 Rule 5. Vocational Education Youth Organizations ....... .. .......... ... ........ ........... ... .... ... ....... .. ... ... .. ... .......................... 36 Rule 6. Hardship Cases ........ .... ... ...... ... .... ...... .... .. ...... ...... ...... ............. ....... ... ..... ... .............. .... .. ....... .. .. .... .... .. ........ 36 Exceptions to the Rules.. .... .. . ... . . . . . ... .. .. ....... ..... .... ... .. . .. . . .. ...... ... ... . ... . ...... . ....... .... ... ................ ........ .... ........ .... .... .... .. ... .. ... 36 Fees......... ........................... ... ...................... ... .. ... .... .. .... ...... ..... ..... .. ..... ............................... .... .. .... .... ... . ..... 14 Film1ngNideotaping . . . .. . .... ... ........ .. . .. . . . .. .. .. ... . ....... ... .... .. .. ... . . . . .. ... .. . ... . . . .. ..... .. ....... .. ... . . . ...... .... .. .. . ..... 28 Page 2 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook Five-Quarter Rule (Basketball) Football Foreign Exchange Students .. Forfeits ... Golf... Governing Body Gymnastics ..... Hardships . Hearings .. Heptathlon Home School Jurisdiction of AAA Limitations & Restrictions Loss of Class Time Number of EventsfTournaments Married Students Meetings ... Membership Requirements Minimum Participations for State Championships NASSP . Nonpublic Schools Non-School Participation Officers . AAA . Activity Districts .. Conference . Officials (Also see Contracts) Out of State Travel Penalties ... Physicals Playoffs .. Practice .... Protests .. Purpose of AAA . Recruitment . Registered Officials ......... . .. . Registration of Athletes & Non-Athletes (see El1g1bil1ty Lists) .. Round Robins .... . ...... ....... . Rules Books . Rules Meetings Sanction of Events Scouting . Seeding Seasons (Beginning and End) Soccer Softball Special Olympics . Sportsmanship . Sunday Interscholastic Contest . Sw1mm1ng and Diving .. Teams (Definition). Teams, Multiple Jr High Tennis . Tie Breakers Tournaments Track and Field .. Transfers Travel Restrictions Use of Registered Officials Varsity/Non Varsity . Violations . Volleyball Voting .43 .... 22-24, 39-43, 55, 56 30 41 ... 25, 48, 55, 56 ................. 8 .. ...... .. ... 50, 51 , 55, 56 . , ........................... 35, 36 .. ............................. 19, 20,21 .48, 55 .. 31 ..... 38 . 39, 43, 44, 55 .................... .. ...... 25- 27 ..... .... ................ 39-55 ... ... ................ ...... 36 . .. ......... ... ...... ....... .. .... , ..... .. ............. , ............ 8 .................................................. 7, 8 ........................ .. .................... 39 .. ........ .... .......... .. .... 27 ..... 7, 16, 30, 31 ........ 34, 35 .. .............. .. ...... .4, 5, 9, 10 .. ...................... 4, 5, 9, 10 .. .... 10 22 18,39, 54 .. 27 .. .. 19, 20 .... 35 41 , 42 40, 41 18 ... 7 .17, 31 39, 54 17 22 37, 40 40 25-27 28 22, 23, 44 , 45 39 .23, 39, 53, 55 . 23, 51-53, 55 7, 38 15, 16 28 39, 49, 55, 56 38 38 39,49 55 56 22. 24 42, 46. 50-54 44-46 39, 47, 48 55 29 30 25, 26 39 38 19 24 39 50, 51 55 7, 8, 12 13 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 3 Arkansas Activities Association Board of Directors Officers Consecutive Term Term Class. Dist. Expires Number President ........... ............. Bill Barnes, Principal, Mills Univ. Studies ..... ................ ... AAAAA ................. At-Large ... ...... ...... 2002 ........ At-Large 1st Vice President ............ Calvin Estes, Asst. Superintendent, Searcy ............... ......... AAAA .... ..... .... ... ... ....... . 2 .. ............. 2002 ................. .3 2nd Vice President ........ ... Ed Sellers, Principal, Vilonia ................. .. ...... .................. AAAA ............ .. ....... ...... 5 ............... 2002 .............. .. .. 3 Secretary ........................ John Selph, Superintendent, West Fork .............................. AAA .......... .. .......... ..... 1 ............... 2003 .................. 3 Treasurer ................. ........ Bobby Harper, Superintendent, Hamburg ...... .... .. .. ........... AAAA ........................... 8 .. ............. 2003 .................. 2 Other Executive Committee Members Richard Blevins ................ Superintendent, Augusta ........................... ... ............. ..... .... AA ........ ..... ............ .. 2 .. .... ... ...... 2003 ............ .. .... 3 Doug Graham .................. Principal, Nashville ........... ............................................. AAA ......... .............. .. .. 7 ............... 2003 ......... ......... 1 Carl Hughes ..................... Superintendent, Cutter Morning Star .................................... AA ... ..... ................... 5 ............. .. 2001 ............ ...... l Tom Kimbrell .. ................. Superintendent, Paragould ............................................. AAAA ........................... 3 ..... .......... 2001 ...... .... ........ 1 Raymond Massey .............. Superintendent, Spring Hill.. ........................................ .. .. .... A ..... ...................... 7 ............... 2002 ...... ... ......... 1 Larry McKinney ................ Superintendent, Bergman ....... ...... .............. ........ ..... ... .. ...... AA ........................... 1 .......... ..... 2001 .... .. .. ..... ... .. 1 Dr. Mike McSpadden .... ...... Asst. Superintendent, Alma ....... .. ............ .. .. .. ................. AAAA .. ......................... 4 ............... 2001 ...... ... .. ....... 1 Dennis Meins ............. ...... Superintendent, Clarendon ........... ...... .. ...... .. .. .................... AA .... ........... ... ... ...... 6 ...... ......... 2002 .... .. ... .... ... .. 0 Harvie Nichols .... ............. Superintendent, Lavaca ...................... ............................. AAA ........ ................... 4 ............... 2002 .................. 2 Danny Sample ................. Superintendent, Harrisburg ..... .. ... ... .. ... ...... ..... .................. AAA ............ .... .. .. ... .... 3 .. ... .......... 2003 .... ......... ..... 1 Johnny Tyler ........ ..... ...... Principal, Conway ................... .. .............................. ..... AAAAA ........... ....... ...... ... 5 .... ... ........ 2001 .... ......... ... .. 0 Ted Waller ....................... Superintendent, Genoa Central. ......................... ......... ...... ... AA ........................... 7 ............... 2003 .. .. .............. 0 AT-LARGE: Loutelious Holmes .. .. ........ Principal, West Memphis ..... ......................................... AAAAA ....... .. ...... ..... ....... ................ 2003 ........ At-Large Charlotte Wright .............. Superintendent, Weiner ....................................................... A ......... .. .. ............. ..... .......... .. 2001 ........ At-Large STATE OFFICE Arkansas Activities Association / 3920 Richards Road / North Little Rock, AR 72117 Office: (501) 955-2 500 Fax: (501) 955-2 600 Monday through Thursday . . 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday . .. 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visit our web site at www.ahsaa.org Arkansas Activities Assodation Staff Administrative Staff Jim my Coats .... ....................... ...... ... .. .... .. ........... .. ................. ... ...... ................... ............................... Executive Di rector Kathy Snell Tadlock ....... .. ......... .................. ... .............. .... .................... ................ ...... ... ......... Assistant Executive Director Don Brodell .... ............ ...... ... ......... ...... .. ..... .. ..... ..... .. .. .... .. ........ .. .... ..... ........ .. ..... ...... ..... .... ... Assistant Executive Director Lance W. Taylor .................................................................................................................... Assistant Executive Director Wadie Moore ................................ .. ............................ ........................ .. .................. .. ................. Administrative Assistant Belle Huie ...... .... ......... ... .. ....................................... .. ... .. ..................... .... ............... ..... .. ..... ...... Administrative Assistant Support Staff Shirley Gateley ...................... .... ......................... ...... ... ... .. ................. .... .... ................. Secretary to Executive Director/Board of Directors Deborah Pinkerton .................. ....... .. ... ..... ......... ......................................... ........... .... .............. Secretary to Wadie Moore/Media Secretary Amy Church ...................................... .................................................................................... Secretary to Don Brodell/Official's Records Holly Francis ....................................................................................................... Secretary to Kathy Tadlock/AHSAAA Secretary Tammy Brock ........... .. ..... .... .. .. .......................... .................................. ....... .. ...... ... Secretary to Lance W Taylor/AHSCA Secretary Angi Walker ................................................................................................................................................. Receptionist Amber Balboa .......... ............................................. ....... ...... .... ..................... ......................... Secretary to Belle Huie/Accounting Records Page 4 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook BOARD OF DIRECTORS Richard Blevins, Supt Augusta Or. Mike McSpadden. Asst Supt Alma THE ARKANSAS ACTIVITlES ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF Doug Graham, Prin Nashville Dennis Heins, Supt Clarendon Bill Barnes Prin Hills Univ. Studies President loutelious Holmes, Prin West Memphis Harvie Nichols, Supt Lavaca Calvin Estes, Asst Supt, Searcy 1st Vice President Cart Hughes, Supt Cutter Morning Star Danny Sample, Supt Harrisbu,g Ed Sellers, Prin Vilonia Znd Vice President Tom Kimbrell, Supt Paragould i - Johnny Tyler, Prin Conway John Selph, Supt West Fork Seaetory Raymond Massey, Supt Spring Hill I Ted Waller, Supt Genoa Central Bobby Harper, Supt, Hamburg r,eosurer Larry McKinney, Supt Bergman Charlotte Wright, Supt Weiner The members of the Go,cming Bod: and staff of the association desire to promote educational and cultural values among its -191 member school s. These schools are junior and senior high. both public and pri, ate. A po iti, e auitude and appreciation for higher standards or srortsmanship and effective citizenship among all participants is a goal. Encouraging activity programs that "ill pro, ide additional or portunities for all students to participate and compete in a, arict: of sports and acti, ities is a mission . Since 1912 \\hen the AAA "as organi7cd as an athletic association. and since 1969 \\hen the scope "as broadened to include all acti-..i ties. the association has e,presscd its commitment 10 promoting and encouraging other school acti, ities beneficial to the denlopment or students in addition to athletics. The AAA no\\ conducts 67 state championships in L\\ent) sports as \\Cl! as pro, iding cooperati, e asse. tancl! ,,ith the state c,ents for numerous student acti, it) organi7ations. Due 10 inno,ati,c rlanning and concern b) the Board or Directors. the 1\AA has been able 10 return o,er S2.0 m,llion to the schools since 1985 throu gh football and basketball reimbursements. I he AAA administers the eligibilit: records for appro,imatel: 70.000 studenLs annual!:. helps organi7e and tram o,er 2.000 game olli cials and sen es as the administrati, e o11ice for theArJ.ansas Officials Association. A rkansas High School Coaches Association and the Arkansos High School Athletic Administrators Association . In addition. the associations special sen ,ces includes coordination and administration or a nationa l!: -based coaches education program. the annual coaching clinic and All-Star games. the Srortsmanship A\\ ard selection process. the Interscholastic Stor program and the State I arm :\A,\ Scholar-Athlete Scholarships. rlie ,\,\A i, dedicated 10 rromoting school acti, ities as a , aluablc part or a student s total educational rrogram. Administrative Staff Jimmy Coats Executive Directo, Kathy S. Tadlock Asst Executive 011ector Don Brodell Asst Executive Director Lance W Taylor Asst Executive Oirecto, Wad1e Moore Adminimatl've Asst Belle Huie Administ1a1ive A~st Supporting Good Sportmanship for Tomorrow's Leaders. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 5 Board of Directors Code of Ethics BOARD OF DIRECTORS CODE OF ETHICS "I hereby affirm that I, as a member of the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Activities Association, agree to uphold the rules and regulations of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Arkansas Activities Association. "I also state that I believe that this organization should serve the interests of the students of the state as a whole and these interests should have precedence over the interest of students in a particular school or district, and, if the school of which I am an employee is involved in a dispute or an infraction of the rules and regulations of the Arkansas Activities Association, I will refrain from participation in the deliberations of the Board of Directors relative to the evaluation and actions pertaining to the accusation or dispute. "Furthermore, I realize that my authority as a Board of Directors member is in effect only at those times the board if actually in session, and to divulge information pertaining to the actions of the board or its individual members is unethical, therefore, I will refrain from giving such informations, or giving interpretations of rules, regulations, and precedents, and will refer all such questions to the Executive Director of the Arkansas Activities Association for proper answers." Page 6 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook CONSTITUTION ARTICLE I - Name The name of this organization shall be the Arkansas Activities Association. ARTICLE II - Purpose Sectfon 1. Mission Statement: The mission of the association is to approve, promote, develop and direct all interscholastic activities among its member schools, that will contribute to, or be a part of, a well-rounded and meaningful educational experience at all grade levels. The association shall strive to develop a unified and coordinated activities plan, but preserve the identity of each specific activity. Section 2. More specifically the main purposes of the association are: A. To ensure that interscholastic activities shall remain an integral part of the educational program which will provide opportunities for youth to acquire worthwhile knowledge, skills, and proper emotional patterns. B. To promote the educational values inherent in interscholastic activities which contribute to the accepted aims of education. C. To avoid interference with the educational program of the school and to prevent expolitation of youth by speci'al interest groups. D. To foster a cooperative spirit of good sportsmanship on the part of the school representatives, school patrons, and students. E. To develop standards of officiating and adjudicating to ensure greater statewide consistency and quality. ARTICLE III - Membership Section 1. Any junior, middle, or senior high school accredited by the Arkansas Department of Education or the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association may become a member of the association upon approval of the Board of Directors when the chief administrative officer of the school agrees in the name of the school board to abide by the rules of the association as set forth in its constitution and bylaws and so interpreted by the AAA Governing Body, Board of Directors, and the Executive Director. Name - Purpose - Membership AAA rules shall govern interscholastic activities for grades seven through twelve. Section 2. Membership Representative. The superintendent shall be the authorized representative of the member school. The superintendent may designate an assistant/deputy superintendent or the principal/assistant principal of the member school as the school's voting representative. Section 3. Interscholastic Participation A. Member schools are not permitted to participate with: 1. Arkansas schools which are not members of the AAA
2. Schools outside of Arkansas which are not members of a state association affiliated with the National Federation
3. Schools which are not approved by National Federation state associations
4. Schools which are under suspension or expulsion from the AAA or other approved associations. B. Member schools may not participate in athletic competition (including scrimmage) with teams of any nonschool groups, organizations, etc., except for charitable purposes, when such events are under school sponsorship. C. The Board of Directors may make exceptions to the AAA participation requirements for schools whose entire enrollments are composed of handicapped students and for students involved in contests sponsored by the state chapter of the Arkansas Special Olympics. Section 4. Fiscal Year - Voting Eligibility. The fiscal year of the association shall end on June 30 of each year. Annual membership fees are due by October 1. No school shall be eligible to vote in the annual meeting unless a membership application has been approved. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 7 Constitution Meetings - Governing Body - Board of Directors ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS Section 1. Annual A. The annual meeting of the association, for the authorized representatives of all member schools, shall be held at a time and place to be designated by the Board of Directors. One hundred members shall constitute a quorum for the regular meeting. B. The authorized representative shall represent only one school at any one meeting. Section 2. Special. Special meetings of the Governing Body may be called by the president when deemed necessary. One hundred members shall constitute a quorum for a special meeting. ARTICLE V - GOVERNING BODY Sectionl, Composition. The sovereign body of the association shall be known as the Governing Body and shall be composed of one voting representative from each member school. The superintendent, assistant/ deputy superintendent, principal, or assistant principal shall represent the member school as the voting representative. Section 2, Authority. The Governing Body shall have full legislative authority on all matters pertaining to those activities herein or hereafter mentioned and shall adopt a constitution and bylaws to govern its procedures. Section 3, Notification of Meetings. Notice of each meeting of the Governing Body shall be sent to each member at least fifteen days before the time of the meeting. Section 4. Voting. All motions and voting shall be limited to authorized voting representatives. Directors of various activities shall be invited to attend and may be called upon for information or advice. Section 5. Parliamentary Procedure. Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern all parliamentary matters of the Arkansas Activities Association. Page 8 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook ARTICLE VI - BOARD OF DIRECTORS Section 1. Regular Membership. A. The number of AAA Board of Directors members elected by each district shall be based upon the number of school memberships in an activity district as compared to the total school memberships of the entire association. The total number of board members elected shall not exceed 16. Each activity district shall elect at least one member. The board members shall assume office July 1 following election. In the event a district qualifies for additional board members, they shall be elected from schools of different classification. The number of additional board members a district shall elect will be determined by dividing the number of district memberships by the number of state memberships, multiplying the result by 16, then subtracting one. 8. Minor fractions shall not qualify a district for additional board members. Major fractions shall qualify districts for additional board members except when the total exceeds 16, in which event the smallest major fraction( s) shall be disallowed to the extent necessary to reduce such additional members to a total of 16. C. The number of board members elected by activity districts shall be computed each nine years. Section 2, Meetings. The Board of Directors shall meet at least once each quarter with the organizational meeting being the last meeting held before July 1 each year. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. Section 3. Election. A. Board of Directors members shall be elected at a regularly scheduled meeting in their respective activity districts by the authorized representatives of member schools. Said election shall take place prior to May 1 of the year in which the member's term will expire. B. A member of the Board of Directors shall be eligible to be elected for not more than three consecutive terms of three years each and must be an authorized voting representative. C. Candidates for a position as a member of the AAA Board of Directors must notify the AAA office and/or Activity District President at least two weeks prior to the Activity District meeting where their election will be held, of their intention to seek election. Section 4. Vacancy. When a vacancy occurs on the AAA Board of Directors the Activity District Executive Committee shall fill the vacancy until the next regular spring meeting of that district. Constitution Authority Appeals Officers Section 5. At-Large Members A. There shall be three at-large members. B. At-large members shall represent the female gender and ethnic minorities. C. Each member shall serve a three-year term. D. Two full time administrators should be nominated by each activity district, preferably one female and one ethnic minority. E. The at-large members shall then be appointed by the AAA Board of Directors from the activity district nominations considering the need for geographical representation, classification, ethnic and gender representation. F. Vacancies Same As E Above. Section 6. Authority. A. The Governing Body when in session, shall be the sovereign body of this association. At all other times the Board of Directors shall act on behalf of the Governing Body provided the Board of Directors not change, omit, or nullify by manner of administration any rules or policies regularly approved by the Governing Body except in extraordinary situations. B. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to set policies, to plan and carry out all activities of the Arkansas Activities Association, to have all accounts audited, and to serve as a working board where other provisions are not made. It shall at all times govern the association in accordance with rules adopted by the Governing Body. C. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to amend any rules declared invalid by a court and to amend any rules invalidated by laws which may be adopted by the state and/or federal government, subject to the approval of the Governing Body at its next annual meeting. Section 7. Appeals of Board of Directors Dedsions A. The Governing Body when in session shall have the right to review the decisions of the Board of Directors and may alter or set aside such decisions if, in the judgment of the Governing Body, such decisions are in violation of the constitution or bylaws of the association. B. When an appeal is made to the Governing Body over a ruling of the Board of Directors of the AAA, a statement of the case giving the reason for the action of the Board of Directors must be sent to the members of the Governing Body along with the appeal seeking to overrule the action taken by the Board of Directors of the AAA. ARTICLE VII - OFFICERS Section 1. Officers Defined. The officers of this association shall be a president, first vice president, second vice president, secretary, treasurer, and parliamentarian. Section 2. Election A. All officers except the parliamentarian shall be elected by the Board of Directors from its membership each year at its organizational meeting as stated in Article VI, Section 3. New officers shall assume their duties on being elected. B. The parliamentarian shall be appointed by the president. The parliamentarian may be a member of the Board of Directors or may be selected from outside its membership. C. A majority of votes cast with a quorum of the Board of Directors present shall be necessary for the election of any officer. Section 3. Voting. All members of the Board of Directors, including officers, shall be eligible to vote on all matters considered by the Board of Directors. Section 4. President. A. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Governing Body and the Board of Directors. The president shall call special meetings of the Governing Body or Board of Directors when deemed necessary, when requested to do so by a majority of either and shall appoint all committees not otherwise provided for. B. In case of a dispute between schools that cannot be settled by a conference between the adminstrative officials of the schools, or procedures otherwise specified in the constitution and bylaws, the proper method of procedure shall be to set forth clearly all facts to the president who shall in turn make the decision. C. The president shall have the authority to take whatever action deemed necessary in settling disputes or any other matter not specifically provided for in the handbook. Section 5. Vice Presidents. The first vice president, in the absence of the president, and the second vice president, in the absence of both the president and first vice president, shall perform duties of the president. Section 6. Secretary. The secretary shall be responsible for the recording of minutes of all meetings and other official acts of the Governing Body and the Board of Directors. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 9 Constitution - Officers - Activity District Organization Minutes taken by a staff member shall be approved by the secretary before they are submitted to the Governing Body or the Board of Directors or entered in official records of the association. Section 7. Treasurer. The Treasurer or a person designated by the Board of Directors shall countersign all checks drawn on any account of the association. The treasurer shall report at each annual meeting of the Governing Body and at such other times as requested by the Board of Directors, the financial condition of the association. Section 8. Parliamentarian. The parliamentarian shall advise and assist the president in conducting all meetings. Unless specific exceptions are provided in the constitution and bylaws, Robert's Rules or Order, Revised, shall be the accepted authority in all questions of parliamentary procedure. Section 9. The Executive Director A. The Board of Directors of the Arkansas Activities Association shall select and employ an Executive Director to give full time to the affairs of the assocation as an annual salary to be paid monthly. The Board of Directors shall not contract with the Executive Director for a term of longer than three years. Other personnel necessary to carry out the functions of this association shall be employed by the Board of Directors upon the recommendation of the Executive Director. 8. The Executive Director shall manage all the affairs of the association delegated by the Board of Directors. Among the duties which are delegated are the following: The Executive Director shall: (1) Interpret the rules and regulations of the association when asked to do so by the superintendent or prinicipal of any member school. (2) Be custodian of all association properties not otherwise provided for. (3) Enforce the rules of the association and shall make any investigation necessary. (4) Have custody of the official minutes and records of the Governing Body, the Board of Directors, and other committee meetings and shall make proper reports at respective meetings. All written committee reports received shall be a matter of record. (5) Be the executive officer of all school interscholastic activities. Page 10 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook (6) Be bonded and shall be the custodian of all funds due the association. (7) Make such expenditures as are necessary and keep an itemized record of all receipts and expenditures which shall be audited annually. ARITCLE VIII - ACITVITY DISTRICT ORGANIZATION Section 1. Membership. Member schools shall be assigned geographically to Activity Districts for administrative purposes. The superintendent or his/her authorized representative (see page 7, Article III, Section 2) shall be the voting representative at Activity District meetings. Voting representatives must be present, authorized in writing and may represent only one school. NOTE: Voting representatives are listed in the AAA Directory and need no additional authorization. Section 2. Officers and Terms. Each Activity District shall elect a president, vice president, secretary, and a member(s) of the Board of Directors. These officers shall be elected for a term of one year, except the member(s) of the AAA Board of Directors who shall take office on July 1, following the election. Election of officers shall be held at a regular meeting of the district. Section 3. Duties of Officers. The officers of the district shall constitute the district executive committee. The function and duties of this committee shall be to conduct the business of the district in regards to interscholastic events of the Arkansas Activities Association as authorized by the regulations of the Governing Body. It shall be responsible at all times to the AAA Board of Directors. This committee shall not have the power to nullify or modify any rules of the constitution and bylaws of the Arkansas Activities Association or to change any decisions of the AAA. Section 4. Meetings. Regular meetings shall be held by the district membership. These meetings shall be scheduled in the spring with the time and place to be determined by the district executive committee. Section 5. Activity Districts. The state shall be divided into eight geographical activity districts by county groupings as follows. District 1 - Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Newton, Searcy, Washington. Constitution - Activity District Organization - Advisory Committees District 2 - Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp, Stone, White, Woodruff. District 3 - Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Greene, Mississippi, Poinsett. District 4 - Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Montgomery, Pope, Scott, Sebastian, Yell. District 5 - Conway, Faulkner, Garland, Grant, Hot Spring, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski, Saline, Van Buren. District 6 - Arkansas, Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, St. Francis. District 7 - Calhoun, Clark, Columbia, Dallas, Hempstead, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Polk, Sevier, Union. District 8 - Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew, Jefferson, Lincoln. ARTICLE IX - ADVISORY COMMITTEES Section 1. Purpose A. There shall be an advisory committee for areas of non-athletic student activity approved by the AAA. The purpose of such advisory committees shall be to plan and direct the acitivities of the students it serves and to advise with the AAA Board of Directors and the Executive Director of the Arkansas Activities Association in re~ard to scheduling and regulating such activities. B. Each student organization of non-athletics shall be assigned to one of the following areas committees- (1) Fine Arts and Performance. {2) Vocational. (3) Honorary and Service. ( 4) Curriculum Oriented. Section 2. Committee Members A. Each advisory committee shall consist of one member from each individual student organization or activity approved by the AAA, one principal, one superintendent and one member from the Arkansas Department of Education. B. The member from each student organization or activity shall be the president, executive secretary, or a sponsor of that activity and the selection or appointment and term of office shall be determined by the student organization or activity. C. The principal and superintendent shall be appointed by the president of the AAA and shall serve a three-year term. The Arkansas Department of Education member shall be appointed by the State Director of Education and shall serve until replaced by the director. Section 3. Duties and Functions. Each advisory committee shall have the following duties and functions. A. To make plans in cooperation with the AAA Executive Director for the holding of all contests, festivals, meetings and other activities that come under its sponsorship. B. To recommend rules and regulations for the governing of all contests, festivals, and other activities that come under its jurisdiction. All matters of a technical nature or matters unique to an activity shall be considered by the advisory committee for that activity before recommendations are submitted to the Board of Directors. Changes recommended are also subject to the provisions of Bylaws, Art. II, Sec. 1, Rule 2. Visit the AAA web site at www.ahsaa.org Building Citizenship Through Activities Participation 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 11 Constitution Amendments Special Ballots ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS Section 1, Origin. Proposed amendments to the constitution or to the bylaws, commonly referred to as proposals, shall originate in one of three ways. A. Originated by one or more member schools or a conference/ district at an Activity District meeting. The proposal may be approved or amended and approved by a majority of those eligible to vote at the meeting. NOTE: All proposals for amendments to the constitution or bylaws submitted at the activity district meetings must first be presented in writing to the AAA office or the district president at least 24 hours prior to the meeting, and in proper form. Such proposals, if approved by a majority vote at an activity district meeting, shall be placed on the governing body agenda for a vote by member schools. B. Orginated by the AAA-approved state organization of a student activity or other suborganization. The state organization's secretary shall certify the proposal to the Executive Director of the AAA, stating date passed by the organization. NOTE: AAA Board of Directors shall have the authority to approve a proposal submitted in this manner. C. Originated by the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Activities Association. Section 2. Constitution Amendments A. A proposal to amend the constitution shall be sent to the Executive Director no fewer than thirty days before the next regular meeting. At least fifteen days prior to the meeting a copy of the proposal shall be mailed to each member of the Governing Body and this proposal shall be presented to the Governing Body for discussion and consideration at the next regular meeting. B. To be adopted a proposal shall receive a two-thirds majority of those voting. Section 3, Bylaw Amendments. A proposal which is approved shall meet the same requirements as a proposal to amend the constitution except that is shall be adopted by a majority of those voting. Section A.. Effective Date. A proposal which is adopted shall be effective immediately unless the proposal contains a clause specifying an exact date or time to become effective. Page 12 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook Section 5. Voting by Mail. The Board of Directors may, if in their opinion the interest of the association would be best served by a mail vote, delay a proposal(s) for a vote by mail. Section 6. Time Requirements. The Governing Body shall be informed when and how voting will occur when proposals are mailed to the Governing Body. Mail votes authorized by the Board of Directors shall be presented to the membership no later than forty-five (45) days following the regular meeting. Ballots shall be mailed to the superintendent or to the designated voting representative. Ten (10) days shall be allowed from the date of mailing for members of the Governing Body to mark their ballot and post them for return to the AAA office. Section 7. Provision for Spedal Ballots. When a proposal is presented to the Executive Director in the three quarters of the year following a regular meeting, the board may authorize a mail vote at the next regular meeting of the board, or delay the proposal for consideration at the next regular meeting of the Governing Body. In the event the board authorizes an early mail vote on such a proposal, the board shall extend the deadline for returning such a ballot to twenty (20) days from the date of mailing. Section 8. Editing. The Board of Directors shall review all proposals to amend the constitution or bylaws and shall combine germane proposals into one proposal, and shall submit only one proposal when identical proposals are submitted. However, in no case shall subject matter be deleted as a result of combining, selecting or editing of proposals. Section 9. Ballot Requirements A. Any proposal for change submitted to member schools for a vote by mail shall be accompanied by the following information. (1) Identity of the sponsor of the proposal. (2) A statement of purpose for the proposal. (3) A recommendation by the Board of Directors concerning the effect of the proposal on the association, its districts, and its student organizations or activities. B. The same information shall be sent to members of the advisory committee for each student organization or activity. Only schools participating in a given activity or a specific classification may vote on the involved issue(s), unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors. Constitution Amending Proposals - Classification - Building Fund Section 10. Tellers. The president shall appoint a teller committee to count the votes and certify the results. The Board of Directors may adopt additional regulations which are necessary to implement this section. Section 11, Reconsideration for Tabled Proposals. Items that have been tabled in previous meeting of the Governing Body can not be called up for reconsideration unless the Board of Directors has been notified in writing in time to place the item on the agenda and the proposal mailed to each member of the Governing Body. Section 12. Amending Proposals. The Governing Body may consider amendments to proposals previously mailed to member schools as part of the Governing Body meeting agenda under either of the following conditions: A. If the amendment to a proposal is submitted to the Executive Director at least fifteen days before the meeting of the Governing Body, the Board of Directors shall study the amendment and furnish the Governing Body with a written interpretation of its effect on the original proposal and on the association's student organizations, conferences and member schools. The Governing Body may then consider amendments to the proposal and, after their consideration, may consider the original proposal following the parliamentary procedure outlined in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised. An amendment to a proposal may be approved by a simple majority of those voting. B. 1f an amendment to a proposal is submitted fewer than fifteen days before the meeting of the Governing Body, it can be considered at that meeting only by a two-thirds majority vote of the Governing Body members present. Such amendment to a proposal must be submitted to the Executive Director in writing with sufficient copies for all voting representatives, and must be approved by the parliamentarian as being in proper form. A member school may initiate this action. C. Amendments to proposals shall be voted on at the Governing Body meeting. Proposals that may be authorized for mail vote in the three quarters of a year after the Governing Body meeting shall not be amendable until the next regular meeting. ARITCLE XI PROCEDURE FOR CHANGING ATHLETIC SEASONS Proposed changes in athletic seasons (beginning and end) shall conform to the requirements for amending the constitution as outlined in Article X of the constitution. Two-thirds of votes cast shall be required for approval. ARTICLE XII - PROCEDURE FOR CHANGING THE CLASSIFICATION AND CONFERENCE OF SCHOOLS Section 1. Classification. Proposed changes in student enrollment for the classification of schools shall conform to the procedures and requirements for amending the constitution as outlined in Article X, and shall require two-thirds of the votes cast to be adopted, except that, in the event a classification's membership becomes less than four schools, the Board of Directors is authorized to assign such school(s) to the classification whose enrollment level is nearest the enrollments of the school(s) being assigned. Section 2. Conferences A. Any district, conference, etc., may petition the Board of Directors for a revision of the member schools in one or more conferences with a definite plan for such revision. The Board of Directors shall consider such plan and, if approved, submit the plan to all schools of the state in the classification concerned for approval, either by mail vote or a meeting called by the AAA president for this purpose. If such a plan is approved by twothirds of the schools in the classification, the new conferencing plan shall be considered adopted. B. The Board of Directors shall review the membership of conferences when reclassifying schools each uneven year and is authorized to submit plans for revisions to improve the travel required for participation in athletic conference events for the majority of member schools being reassigned. ARTICLE XIII - BUILDING FUND The Arkansas Activities Association Board of Directors is authorized to establish and administer a building fund. Building fund money shall be maintained in a separate account. Expenditures from this fund shall be limited to building maintenance and equipment. The Arkansas Activities Association Board of Directors is authorized to transfer 1% of the gross receipts from all revenue sources to the building fund. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 13 Constitution Catastrophe Insurance Bylaws Fees ARTICLE XIV - CATASTROPHE INSURANCE FUND The AAA Board of Directors is authorized to establish and administer a Catastrophe Insurance Fund. Member schools may participate in one interscholastic contest (benefit game) more than provided by limitations of the bylaws in sports for every varsity team, provided the school agrees to give the proceeds of permitted games to the AAA Catastrophe Insurance Fund. The AAA Board of Directors is authorized to purchase Catastrophe Insurance for senior high member schools using the funds available in the Catastrophe Insurance Fund. If sufficient funds are not available to pay 100% of the costs, schools may be billed on a pro-rata share for the balance. BYLAWS ARITCLE I - MEMBERSHIP FEES Each school shall be assessed fees as determined by their basketball classification status and as outlined below- CLASSIFICATION SENIOR HS *JR HS AAAAA $1250 $300 AAAA 1050 250 AAA 700 200 AA 500 150 A 350 100 *Junior high fees shall be paid by all junior high schools or middle schools containing at least two grades of grades 7, 8, or 9. No membership fee shall be paid by a feeder school having only one grade of grades seven through nine. Such school may enjoy the benefits of membership but may not have voting privileges. NOTE: Schools with enrollments all of one gender shall pay one-half the membership fee of this classification plus $100 for additional administrative costs. $50 per senior high school shall be applied to state basketball tournament reimbursements. The AAA shall pay to the final eight teams in each classification reimbursement for participation in the quarterfinals through the finals of state basketball tournaments. The amount of reimbursement shall be $50 multiplied by the number of high school memberships and shall be prorated to schools on the basis of one way mileage from the school to the tournament site for each game played. Arkansas Activities Association Handbook for 2000-2001 The AAA has printed a limited number of AAA Handbooks. Two are being mailed to each member school. Additional copies will be available on the AAA website (www.ahsaa.org) to be downloaded and printed. Remember: www.ahsaa.org Page 14 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook Responsibilities of Administration - Sportsmanship ARITCLE II ADMINISTRATION OF INTERSCHOLASITC EVENTS SECllON 1 - SUPERINTENDENT ANO/OR PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBIUITES ANO AUTHORITY B1l1LJ.. General Responsibility. The Principal and/or Superintendent of each school, in all matters pertaining to the activity relations of their school, are responsible for enforcing the rules of this association. They may delegate some of these powers, but such delegation shall not relieve them of responsibility for any infraction by their school. &!.k..2.,_ Authority and Additional Responsibilities A. To have general local control over all interscholastic activities and contests in which the school participates. B. To be responsible for the conduct of all students representing the school as participants or spectators at any interscholastic activity, and to exclude any contestant who, because of bad habits or improper conduct, will not represent the school in a becoming manner. Any contestant who has suffered serious illness or injury should be excluded until that contestant is pronouced physically fit by the school physician or the attending physician. C. To approve all activities in which the school participates. D. To be responsible for the treatment of all visitors and officials attending activities conducted by the school. Penalties may be imposed upon a member school whose principal or superintendent fails to provide reasonable protection for officials and visitors at home contests. Although the administrator of a host school is responsible for the treatment of visitors and officials as specified above, the principal, superintendent, or school representative of a visiting school shall have the responsibility of helping the authorities of a host school in the control of the fans, students and players from the visiting school and shall make a reasonable effort to assist in controlling fans, students, and players as soon as potential crowd control problems become evident. If a game or contest is held at a neutral place, the principal or superintendent of the participating schools shall be held jointly responsible for this protection. In such a case, penalties may be imposed upon either or both of the schools. E. To see that all contracts for athletic contests in which the school participates are in writing and signed by the superintendent, principal or athletic director. F. To authorize a full time faculty member or Certified Registered Volunteer of the school to be the school representative of the organizations representing the school unless the administrator serves as the school representative. However, for activities, other than team sports, involving fewer than six students, a responsible adult may be authorized in writing as the school representative. Such individual shall not represent more than one member school. Such authorization shall not relieve the school and the superintendent or principal of responsibility to the association. NOTE: A full time faculty member, certified or non-certified, who is employed by the school for a minimum of three periods a day shall be assigned the responsibility for any spirit group of the school (cheerleaders, dance/drill team, porn pon squad, etc.). This person shall have participated in a program of education which teaches rules governing spirit activities and have received instruction aimed at safety knowledge and awareness. Such training shall have occurred within each two-year period, except that becoming certified in a recognized safety certification program may meet that safety requirement for a period of up to four years. G. To accompany all groups to all events except as indicated in F. above. H. To be responsible for certifying, in writing, the eligibility of all contestants in accordance with the bylaws of the association. I. To have such other powers concerning interscholastic contests and activities in the school as are in keeping with the growth and needs of the school and which are consistent with the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Arkansas Activities Association. B.uk....J... Sportsmanship. Responsibility to the AAA to assure good sportsmanship is as follows: A. The superintendent and principal shall be responsible for providing leadership to assure implementation of good sportsmanship policies in each school. B. School policies shall contain provisions for soliciting the support of fans in maintaining good sportsmanship. Furthermore, each school shall be prepared to expel and/or prosecute any person who commits a misdemeanor or criminal act, under the statutes of Arkansas governing an individual's conduct in public or when such action at an activity or contest constitutes unsportsmanlike conduct. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 15 Coaches Duties C. Disqualifications. 1. Coaches, faculty representatives and other school representatives shall teach and exemplify good sportsmanship and are specifically prohibited from attempting to gain advantage by intimidation of officials or the opposing team. Removing a team from the playing floor, field, etc. which causes the game to be ended for any reason other than an emergency is prohibited. 2. Any school representative or athlete ejected from an event for unsportsmanlike conduct shall automatically be suspended from the next comparable event. If a school representative, athlete or participant is ejected twice during the same sport season or activity, that individual shall automatically be suspended from the next two comparable events. If a school representative, athlete or particpant is ejected three times during the same sport season or activity, the school administration shall be placed on probation unless the school representative or athlete is suspended for the remainder of the same sport season or activity, in which case the penalty may be reduced to warning. NOTE: The ejected athlete becomes ineligible for the next comparable event. D. Interscholastic participants shall be required by coaches, faculty representatives and other school representatives to exhibit good sportsmanship. E. Schools hosting events shall require officials such as scorers, judges, announcers, etc. to exhibit fairness by accomplishing their responsibilities in a competent manner without exhibiting emotion or becoming argumentative and observing recommendations of the AAA and AOA. F. Cheerleaders, pep groups, dance/drill teams, bands and other uniformed groups representing the school shall be required to exemplify and promote good sportsmanship. G. Any school representative who publicly criticizes an event official or event official who makes public comments criticizing the performance of a school representative shall subject themselves and/or school to a penalty issued by the Arkansas Activities Association that could include warning or probation. Public comments would include quotes published in the press or taped or live comments from radio, television or other media source. Page 16 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook SECTION 2 - COACHES B.l1k..1.,_ Qualifications. All coaches shall be certified teachers as required by the Arkansas Department of Education or Certified Registered Volunteers as authorized by Act 1012 of the 1997 Arkansas General Assembly. All coaches shall be certified teachers. Football, basketball and track coaches are required by the Arkansas Department of Education to have a coaching endorsement. Coaches of other team sports (baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball) who do not have the ADE coaching endorsement must be certified through the National Federation Coaches Education Program. NFHS Coaches Education certification is recommended for coaches of individual sports. B.Yk....l.. Employment. Coaches shall be regularly employed and paid by the local board of education for professional duties. Assignments of professional duty shall be for a minimum of three regular class periods or equivalent time each day. NOTE: Assignment to a professional education duty other than a classroom teaching assignment all or part of the required three periods is permissible, but such assignment does not excuse a coach from the certification required as a teacher. 8.JJ.1tl Duties. The coach's duties as an employee shall require certification that will qualify them to be paid legally from a public school teachers salary fund. NOTE: A coach may receive money for directing recreational activities outside his regular coaching duties during off-hours, including summer months, from an outside agency. NOTE: Payment from federal program funds is permissible if the contract of the coach is eligible to be paid from teacher salary funds. However, the AAA does not approve a vocational permit as a certification for coaching even though such an- individual can be contracted and paid from salary funds. Rule 4, Nonpublic School Coaches. Nonpublic school coaches will meet the above requirement if the same assignment of duties in a comparable public school would meet the requirement. B.uk..5..,_ Volunteer Coaches/Student Teachers. An individual failing to meet the above requirements is ineligible to assume coaching duties during interscholastic events. A student teacher may assist with the coaching duties, but in no instance may he assume the responsibilities of head coach or be paid for service. Declaration for Sports - Eligibility Lists - Contracts SEffiON 3 - SCHOOL PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS Bmtl Declaration for Sports A. Deadlines. Member schools shall declare, each year, the sports and designated activities in which they plan to participate interscholastically for a championship. Declarations for fall/winter sports are due by June 1. Declarations for spring sports are due by December 1. Declarations for sports may be amended by deletions or additions without penalty on or before Friday of Week #13 for fall and winter sports or Week #22 for spring sports. Following these deadlines and until the Friday of Week #16 for fall and winter sports or week #30 for spring sports a school may amend its original declaration (to delete or add a sport) upon payment of a $25 late fee, subject to the following exceptions. B. Sports qualifying or entering directly to the state event (cross country and swimming) shall be required to declare no later than the deadline for entries. A $25 penalty shall be assessed for declaring after week #13 for fall and winter sports and after week #22 for spring sports. Any school failing to declare track, baseball, softball or soccer by week #22 shall not be permitted to participate in district, region or state events in that sport. C. Failure to make a declaration or amendment to a declaration by the time specified in paragraphs A and B above shall cause a school to forfeit the right of participation for its students in the conference, district, or state events involved. D. Fall and winter sports are: Football, Girls Volleyball, and Cross Country, Swimming & Diving and Basketball. Spring Sports are: Girls Gymnastics, Tennis, Golf, Track, Baseball, Girls Slow Pitch Softball, Girls Fast Pitch Softball and Soccer. E. Failure to Participate. A school failing to participate in a sport (no shows) after declaring for the sport shall forfeit the right for its students to participate in other conference, district, or state events until a $25.00 penalty fee has been paid to the AAA office. The Executive Director has the authority to suspend the fee if the school's failure to appear for the event was unavoidable. F. Football and Basketball. Schools starting or dropping football and basketball programs, junior or senior high, shall notify the Arkansas Activities Association and schools of their conferences within a reasonable time (approximately ten days) after such decisions are made. &ikL EUgibility Lists A. Student Registration - Athletics. A member school must register its athletes on an eligibility list with the Arkansas Activities Association before the student may enter interscholastic competition. Such registration of athletes indicates they meet all AAA eligibility rules. Non-Athletics. The school administrator shall sign a statement to be attached to any entry form or list of participating students, indicating these students meet all AAA non-athletic eligibility rules. B. Exchange of Lists - Athletics. On the same date the lists are mailed to the AAA, the school should submit to all opponents with whom the school has written contracts, its eligibility lists for those sports in which the student will participate. Schools must exchange eligibility lists for students who will participate in events scheduled later, or for events scheduled without written contracts, before the schools engage in competition. RMk...1._ Recruitment of an athlete by anyone is expressly prohibited by the Arkansas Activities Association. Any school representative found guilty by the AAA Board of Directors of knowingly using or permitting to be used in an interscholastic event any student so recruited by anyone, whether that person is connected with the said member school or not, may cause the school to be suspended for up to one full year (365 days) or to be expelled. B.u.kA.,_ Contracts Between Schools A. Scheduled contests among members of the association shall be covered by contracts drawn up on regular AAA contract forms. Contracts may be cancelled only upon mutual agreement, in writing, between the two schools involved. NOTE: An exception to this requirement may be made by the Executive Director when it is determined that a schedule change is necessary for a school to be in compliance with a change of rules and regulations adopted by the Governing Body. Contractual agreements exceeding one year shall be limited to and shall coincide with reclassification cycles. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 17 Contracts - Protests B. A school cancelling a game or contest without mutual consent shall forfeit the game, pay the stipulated forfeiture fee of the contract, and reimburse the other involved school for all reasonable financial obligations incurred in their preparation for the scheduled contest. Also, the school cancelling a contract without mutual agreement may not schedule another contest during the week prescribed in the contract that was cancelled. Furthermore, all forfeitures and reimbursements shall be made within thirty days {30) following the designated contract date cancelled. Failure to make such payment may cause the school to be penalized by suspension. B.Y.k..5.,_ Contract with Offidals A. Contracts between schools and officials shall be made on AAA approved contract forms. Contracts will not be cancelled except upon mutual agreement, in writing, between the schools and officials involved. NOTE: An exception to this requirement can be made by the Executive Di rector when 1t is determined that a schedule change is necessary for a school to be in compliance with change of rules and regulations adopted by the Governing Body. B. Schools or officials breaking the contract without mutual consent shall pay to the offended party the stipulated sum stated in the contract. C. All game officials for regular season events, in those sports for which the Board of Directors specifies that registered officials are required, shall be selected by mutual agreement of the competing schools. If the official( s) approved notifies the host school that the contract cannot be fulfilled fewer that forty-eight hours before the scheduled event is to begin, the host school shall not be required to get approval of the visiting school for a replacement official of an equal or higher classification, except in the event the host school's conference establishes a list of approved officials, the host school may employ a replacement from that list regardless of the official's classification. 8.Yk.....,_ Enforcement of Contracts A. Oral Contracts. The association will not enforce oral contracts or contracts not drawn up on AAA contract forms. B. Breach of Contract. A breach of contract may be declared if a coach orders the team to cease play before an interscholastic event is completed. NOTE: The participation of an ineligible athlete may be considered a breach of contract. Page 18 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook C. If a coach unknowingly violates a contract by playing an ineligible player, the game must be forfeited to the opposing team, except that, in the cases of transfer students, where legitimate errors or omissions in the official school transcript as received are proved, such player must be withdrawn from participation upon discovery of the error without penalty to the school. D. Cancellations. Cancellation of games due to epidemics, accidents, or other hazards ordinarily judged to be of natural causes, may also be authorized by the Executive Director. E. Two-Year Contracts. Football contracts and other two-year contracts shall be drawn up with the date to be played based upon the number of week rather than upon the month and day of the month and shall coincide with classification cycles. NOTE: This regulation is designed to eliminate misunderstandings which sometimes arise when contracts are drawn up on a home-and-home basis and the second game is to be played on the corresponding week number. (Exception: out-of-state games.) B.Yk.L Protests on Games and Offidals A. Basis for Protest. No protest concerning scheduled games will be considered unless the protest is based upon a violation of contract, shown by the contract made and signed upon AAA contract forms. 1. A protest must be made in writing to the Executive Director, who must investigate and render a decision. 2. Games may be played under protest, provided the protest be made in writing, one copy being given to the coach of the protested team and a copy mailed to the AAA office. Verbal notification to the opposing coach and game officials must also be made. 3. If a game is protested, and the protest is allowed, the innocent team wins by forfeit. NOTE: Officials' Judgement Calls. The association has no authority to reverse a judgement decision made by an official. SECTION 4 - VIOLATIONS, APPEALS, AND PENALTIES. B.Y.k..L. Reporting Violations. Any authorized representative of a member school or involved game official may file a complaint against any school or school representative for a violation of the rules and regulations of this assocation. Such complaint shall be filed with the Executive Director of the Arkansas Activities Association in writing within 5 working days after the discovery of the violation. Upon receipt of a complaint, the Executive Director shall make an investigation of the charges contained in the complaint within a reasonble time. Rule 2. Notification and Investigation A. After investigating the complaint, the Executive Director shall notify the school's authorized representative of the alleged charges of violations of the rules and regulations in writing or by telephone in such language that the charged party (school or representative) shall have disclosure of the alleged acts of misconduct or impropriety constituting the alleged violation of the rules and regulations of the association. It shall not be necessary or required that the Executive Director disclose the name(s) of the person(s) making the complaint. B. When a written notice is given by the Executive Director, it shall be served by certified mail and shall be mailed to the school address of the charged party(ies). Such notice shall contain the time and place set for a hearing of the charges. C. The Executive Director shall hear the evidence presented at the hearing and at the conclusion issue a written finding and recommended order. D. Any oral or documentary evidence, not privileged, may be received if it is of a type commonly relied upon by reasonably prudent persons in the conduct of their affairs. E. The findings and recommended order of the Executive Director shall be served upon the charged party(ies) by certified mail in the same manner required for notice of a hearing. Unless a written objection and request for appeal is received by the Executive Director within 10 working days of the mailing of said recommended order, the recommended order shall be final. If time is of the essence, a written objection and request for appeal may be required in fewer than the allotted 10 working days. F. If a school accepts a suggested penalty after receiving the notice of alleged charges of violations, no further hearing shall be necessary. Violations - Appeals Ruk-1.._ Procedure for Appeals. Any authorized representative of a member school or student (parent) may appeal a decision, opinion or recommended order given by the Executive Director, either oral or written, and such appeal shall be made in writing by certified mail. An appeal on behalf of a student by the parents shall be filed through the school's authorized representative. After receiving the written appeal, the Executive Director shall: A. Notify the president of the AAA of said appeal. B. And, 1. If time is of the essence, the president shall within a reasonable time, appoint a hearing subcommittee of the Board of Directors of not fewer than (5) members which shall convene for the purpose of conducting a hearing of the appeal with reasonable notice to the party(ies) involved. 2. If time is not of the essence, the appeal shall be heard by the Board of Directors at a regular meeting. The procedure for notice of such hearing shall be the same as for a subcommittee hearing. C. Notice of the time and place of such hearing shall be served upon the appealing party(ies) by certified mail. An administrator of the involved school should be present at the hearing. The appealing parties may be represented by legal counsel provided the AAA Executive Director is notified at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled hearing. D. Within ten (10) working days after the conclusion of any hearing, the Executive Director shall notify all parties of the commitee's or hearing officer's decision. E. Then, 1. In the event the appealing parties are dissatisfied with the decision of the hearing subcommittee, an appeal to an independent hearing officer may be had by serving written notice of appeal upon the Executive Director. 2. The Executive Director shall contact a hearing officer and set a date, time and place for the hearing. Notice of the time and place shall follow the procedures established for the first appeal. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 19 Procedure for Appeals Penalties 3. After the hearing, the hearing officer shall render an expedious written opinion as to whether the Executive Director, hearing subcommittee or the Board of Directors followed the rules of the association and the law in making a determination about the alleged violation or other basis for appeal. 4. a. In the event the appealing parties are dissatisfied with the decision of the subcommittee and hearing officer, an appeal to the Board of Directors may be had by serving a written notice of appeal upon the Executive Director. Notice of the time and place of such a hearing shall follow the procedures established for the earlier appeals. b. In the event a majority of the original hearing subcommittee is dissatisfied with the opinion of the hearing officer, and if the Board of Directors has not previously heard the matter, the subcommittee may request a hearing before the Board of Directors to review the opinion of the hearing officer. A 75% majority agreement of the Board of Directors present at the hearing is required to reject an opinion of the hearing officer. Notice of the time and place of such a hearing shall follow the procedures established for the earlier appeals. F. Upon receipt of the notice of appeal to the Board of Directors by the appealing parties, or by request from the subcommittee, the Executive Director shall set the appeal for hearing, de nova, at its next meeting. The rules as herein above set out for a hearing before the Executive Director shall apply to hearings before the Board of Directors. G. The procedure for notifications of the appealing party(ies) shall be the same as for the previous appeal. H. The filing of a written objection and appeal from the decision of the Executive Director of an appeal from the decision of the hearing subcommittee or the opinion of the hearing officer shall not stay the order of the Executive Director. Such order may be stayed by the Board of Directors if, in the exercise of its judgement, the interest of justice will be served thereby. A hearing subcommittee may stay the order of the Executive Director when acting instead of the Board of Directors and such action shall be considered at the next meeting of the Board of Directors. Page 20 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook I. If the appeal to the Board of Directors as a whole requires a special called meeting, the appealing party(ies) shall be required to make such arrangements as are satisfactory to the Executive Director to secure the payment of the costs of the appeal including travel expenses of the Board of Directors and the cost of taking and transcribing a record thereof to be paid by the appealing party(ies) in the event the appeal to the Board of Directors is not successful. ~ Penalties. Except for fines authorized in other sections of the bylaws, a violation of any rule or regulation, mandatory or prohibitory, contained in either the bylaws or the constitution of the Arkansas Activities Association, or any amendment enacted, by any member school or a representative of such school shall subject the school or the representative, through action against the school, to one of the following penalties, depending upon the severity of the violation: Warning, Probation, Suspension, or Expulsion. Any further violations during a penalty period shall subject the school or individual to a more severe penalty. If a violation occurs during a non-participating time period other penalties may be imposed. A. Warning. A school may be forced to forfeit all games played or awards received during the period of violation. The school may compete for a championship, rating, or award during this period. (See note on Bylaws Article II, Section 3, Rule 6 - Enforcement of Contracts) B. Probation. 1. A school shall forfeit all games played or awards received during the period of violation. The school may not compete for a championship, rating, or award in the sport or activity involved during the time period it is placed or continues on probation. Such penalty may extend up to a year (365 days) from the date of violation but the school may participate in regular season events. 2. As an alternative, the school may reduce the penalty of probation to a warning by suspending a school employee or student causing the violation for a length of time designated by the AAA and for duties or privileges of attendance, supervision, coaching, practicing or playing in the activity or sport involved. However, suspension of such individuals shall not exceed the time prescribed for the probation or warning period. C. Suspension. A school shall forfeit all games played or awards received during the period of violation. The school may not participate in a regular season schedule nor participate in any invitational, district, or state events during the suspension period. D. Expulsion. A school shall forfeit all games played or awards received during the period of violation. The school or individual may not participate in any interscholastic activities after it has been expelled. NOTE: The Governing Body shall have exclusive power to expel a school from the association by a two-thirds vote. NOTE: See Eligibility Rule 4 B and Rule 6 B under contracts for additional penalties. E. In the event a penalty specified in paragraphs A-D above requires a forfeiture, the offended participant or team shall receive the same forfeit as defined by the approved rule book for the forfeit of events or games due to violations of rules in the sport involved. F. If a violation requiring a penalty of forfeiture is discovered after an event has occurred, any award received by the offender shall be awarded to the next finisher in individual sports or to the last team offended in team sports. G. If a student is ineligible according to AAA rules but is permitted to participate in interscholastic competition contrary to such AAA rules but in accordance with the terms of a court restraining order of injunction against that student's school and/or the AAA, and that injunction is subsequently voluntarily vacated, stayed, reversed or finally determined by the courts that injunctive relief is not or was not justified or expires without further judicial determination, those penalties stipulated in Rule 4 A, B, C, D, E, or F may be imposed. SECTION 5 - CLASSIFICATION OF SCHOOLS B.!!.k-1..,_ Senior High Classification Cycle. The classification cycle shall occur in each two-year period in which schools are assigned to a conference. The cycle begins with an even school year (2000-2002, etc.). The classification of schools for sports in the senior high division shall be based upon the October 1 enrollment report to the ADE in grades 10-12. The enrollment from public schools shall be taken from the school's report filed with the ADE and shall be a three-year average of the October 1 enrollment. The nonpublic school enrollment figures multiplied by 1.35 shall be taken from a school's report to ANSAA at the end of the fiscally uneven year. Penalties - Classification of Schools A. Class AAAAA - The largest 32 schools. A statewide organization, not assigned to an activity district, but supervised directly by the AAA Board of Directors. Schools shall be assigned to the activity district compatible with each school's geographic location. B. Class AAAA - The second largest 32 schools. A statewide organization, not assigned to an activity district, but supervised directly by the AAA Board of Directors. Schools shall be assigned to the activity district compatible with each school's geographic location. C. Class AAA - The next largest 64 schools. D. Class AA - Basketball - The next 96 largest schools
Football - The remainder of football schools. E. Class A - Basketball - The remainder of football schools having an enrollment within Class A range shall be added to basketball conferences. F. Each conference in classes AAA, AA, and A is assigned to the activity district compatible with each school's geographic location. NOTE: Non-football schools larger than Class AA and A shall be assigned to a conference in the class indicated by their ADM. 8JJk..2..,. Junior High. Junior High schools shall be classified the same as their parent school except that schools not located within the principal population area (wing schools) may classify according to ADM of grades 7-9 instead of 10-12. B.uk..J.._ The ADM of schools with students all of one gender shall be doubled for classification purposes. BJ!1tl Schools whose enrollment is made up entirely of students selected on the basis of academic excellence shall participate with schools of the largest state classification in academic contests. SECTION 6 - ATHLETIC CONFERENCES Rule 1. Schools are assigned georgraphically to conferences by the AAA Board of Directors for each two-year cycle. Schools may be in a conference other than indicated by their location of their county in an activity district. A. In the event a conference has fewer than four schools declaring and participating in any sport, the Board of Directors of the AAA shall assign such schools to adjacent conferences for participation in meets, tournaments, playoffs, etc. The Board of Directors may 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 21 Conferences Conference Authority - Round Robin assign schools from adjacent conferences to such a conference, if approved by the school(s) being reassigned. Such assignments will be for one sport only and the term shall coincide with the two-year classification cycle. In making these assignments, the committee shall attempt to keep the size of the conferences equalized and at the same time avoid excessive travel. NOTE: When such assignments are made, the schools participating shall be responsible for determining fees necessary for conducting the meet, purchasing awards, etc., and fees as agreed upon by the majority shall be paid to the di rector of the event before a school is eligible to compete in the activity. B. Classification groups, when approved by the AAA Board of Directors, may organize on a statewide basis for selected athletic activities and such groups shall not be assigned to activity districts for administrative purposes in these sports, but shall be responsible directly to the AAA Board of Directors. C. A member school shall be permitted to change from one conference to another if it does not exceed the limitation on numbers, upon consent of each of the conferences involved by a two-thirds majority vote. This shall apply to all sports in which the school participates that are under the jurisdiction of the conference. D. A member school may petition the AAA Board of Directors for assignment to a classification higher than the one indicated by its average daily membership report. Upon approval of this request the Board of Directors will assign such a school to a conference in the new class. E. Any school choosing to participate independently from their conference assignment in any sport shall be required to participate independently in ALL sports offered by their school. B.Y.k..l.. Conference Authority A. Conferences shall organize, elect officers and adopt rules and regulation to conduct conference interscholastic events as provided by the AAA Handbook. Such rules and regulations may be more restrictive, but not less restrictive than and not in conflict with, the rules and regulations of the AAA constitution and bylaws. B. Each conference shall be responsible for furnishing awards. C. Each conference shall make regular financial reports, at least annually, to its member schools. D. Conferences shall have the responsibility of working with schools to see that schedules are arranged prior to June 1 in football and October 1 in basketball so that each new school may have the opportunity of playing Page 22 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook the required number games. The conferences shall have the responsibility to set the date of the first game to be counted for the championship. B.uk...1,_ Determining Round-Robin Champions A. Conferences may use round robin scheduling for determining conference champions, certifying teams to state events or seeding of tournaments on a percent basis of games won and lost if two-thirds of the conference schools approve. B. Any school failing to schedule a conference opponent or refusing to play a conference opponent without just cause shall forfeit the contest and shall not be eligible to compete for a championship in that sport. If one or more schools involved is agreeable to scheduling, such school(s) may select from their schedule a non-conference game with an equal or higher class for a substitute game. The AAA director may approve a substitute game with a school of equal or higher classification, prior to the beginning of the season, for a school that establishes just cause for failure to schedule. C. In the event a game that is a part of the conference round robin schedule to be used for certification of teams or seeding of a tournament is unavoidably postponed and cannot be rescheduled before the date the schedule is to be completed, the placement of the teams who failed to play the required game(s) in the final order of standings shall be accomplished by two computations. First, the teams shall be placed in the order on the basis of round robin games actually played. Then each team shall be charged a loss of each game not played and the standings order adjusted accordingly. In the event the latter adjustment causes the team(s) involved to tie with another team(s) in the order, the procedure for breaking ties shall be applied to choose the team to receive the highest placement. D. Conferences may also use round robins to certify the winner to a state event and
in basketball, may require a tournament for certification of the other team(s). E. In the event a school chooses not to participate in the basketball round robin schedule such school shall be permitted to participate in the basketball tournament and shall be inserted into the seeding order determined by the round robin by a vote of schools participating in the round robin. Bl!.1tl Conference Ties in Football A. If two teams tie, and one of the teams has defeated the other in a regular schedule conference game, the winner shall be declared the conference playoff representative. Three or more tied teams shall first be considered in sets of two-way ties. B. If two teams tie and the tied teams split or have not played each other in a conference game(no round robin) the team with the greater sum of winning margin, using the following point system, shall be the playoff representative. C. If more than two teams remain tied after applying (1) above, the following point system shall be utilized to eliminate all but two teams. Tabulate the sum of the winning margins of each team's conference games as indicated in the following: 1. If the margin of victory is more than 13 points only 13 points shall count. 2. Losses shall be tallied as O (zero) points. 3. Forfeited games. Offended teams shall receive 13 points when tabulating the sum of the winning margins for breaking conference ties. D. After tabulating the sum of the winning margins, all teams except the two with the greater sum shall be eliminated and the selection process shall begin again with paragraph(A). E. If teams remain tied after the above procedures are applied, the playoff representative shall be determined by a coin toss. The coin toss, supervised by the Executive Director, shall be used to eliminate all but two teams and then begin again with paragraph (A). F. In the event the conference is eligible for more than one playoff representative each subsequent playoff representative shall be chosen by reapplying the procedures above. G. All conferences will use the AAA adopted procedures for breaking ties that occur in the order of standings when round robin schedules are completed. R.u.k.2,_ Basketball Tie Breaker Rule (Classes A-AA-AAA-AAAA-AAAAA) If two teams are tied from regular season conference play, tie breaker procedures will be: 1. Head to head in regular season conference play 2. If the two teams have a split margin of victory between the two teams, with a maximum of 10 points per game 3. If the two teams are still tied, all winning conference game points, with a maximum of 10 points per game 4. If the two teams are still tied, a coin flip by the Arkansas Activities Association's Executive Director will decide seeding. Conference Ties If three teams are in a three-way tie from regular season conference play, tie breaker procedures will be: 1. Head to head competition. If one team has been defeated by one of the other teams twice, they would be eliminated. The two remaining teams would go to step two listed above for two teams that are tied. If step two does not break the tie, step three would follow, then step four. If three teams are tied and each team has split ( or a perfect triangle), tie breaker procedures will be: 1. Margin of victory in all conference games, with a maximum of 10 points per game, would be used. Example: A=50, B=49
C=38 If you have one spot in the bracket team A would go If two spots were on the bracket teams A and B would go If three spots were on the bracket teams A, B and C would go If four~ teams are tied the margin of victory in all conference games would be used, with a maximum of 10 points per game. The two teams with the highest amount of points would be decided by head to head competition. If these teams had split victories, the team with the highest points would receive the spot for the first team (if both tied with the same amount of points, a coin toss would be used to decide the first team). This procedure would continue until all spots were filled. Example: Teams A, B, C, D, E are all tied from regular season conference play. A margin of victory in conference play was: A=68, 8=60, C=58, D=50, E=40 A and B would go head to head. If they split A would receive the spot in the bracket. If more than one spot was available B and C would go head to head. If they had split B would receive the spot on the bracket. This would continue until all spots on the bracket were completed. &!k.....i._ Conference Championships in Baseball, Softball and Soccer Determining Conference Champions/Playoff Representatives 1. Head to head competition is always the first consideration. In case of ties the following procedure shall be followed: A. If two teams tie, head to head in conference competition is always the first consideration. If one team has defeated the other team (once or twice) that team shall be the representative. B. If two teams tie and each team has beaten the other in conference play the two teams' margin of victory against each other will decide the conference representative. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 23 Conference Championships - Classification of Students C. If the two teams are still tied, the sum of the winning margins of each team's conference games with a five run limit shall be used. (In forfeited games the offended team shall receive five runs.) D. If the two teams are still tied, a one game playoff at a site agreed upon by both teams will be played. The winner will be declared the playoff representative. E. If two or more teams tie, head to head competition will first be used (if one team has defeated one or more of the teams twice in conference play this will eliminate these teams, unless two positions are available). The two or three remaining teams would go to head to head competition and the margin of victory against each other. If this did not decide a playoff representative, a coin toss by the Executive Director of the Arkansas Activities Association will be used. 1. If two positions are available and one position is decided from the above mentioned methods, the two remaining teams will be: a. Decided by a margin of victory against each other. If the two teams are still tied: b. A margin of victory not to exceed a five (5) run difference for baseball and softball and a one (1) goal difference for soccer against all conference opponents will be used. If a winner is not determined, a coin toss by the Executive Director of the Arkansas Activities Association will determine the playoff representative. &!k..L. Conference Championships in Volleyball If a tie results it shall be broken by the first of the following procedures which is successful in doing so: 1. Head-to-head competition between the tied schools
2. Game record in head-to-head competition
3. Actual point spread of head-to-head games
4. A playoff match between schools involved in the tie. If there is a three-way tie, the schools shall draw for the numbers 1, 2 and 3 which shall identify each school to begin the playoff with 1 playing 2 and 3 playing the winner. The winner of the final match will be the first conference seed with the opponent being the second seeded team and the loser of the first playoff match being the third seed. This procedure shall be applied in the same manner if four teams are tied. After drawing numbers, 1 would play 4 and 2 would play 3, after which winners would play one another for the first seeded position. The loser of Page 24 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook this match will be the second seeded team. If more than two teams are to advance to the state tournament, further elimination play would be conducted for third and fourth seeds. BfilU Football Conference Schedules A. Any school contending for a conference championship must have its schedule in the office of the conference president and the AAA no later than August 20. Games scheduled after that date shall not count in conference standings. B. Schools moving into a new classification must be given the provilege of contending for the championship the first year of each classification cycle. SECTION 7 - CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS 8J!k..L. Ninth grade students may participate in all high school activities regardless of their grade placement or where they are housed, provided they are in the same attendance zone and the principals of both involved schools agree, except Class AAAAA ninth grade students who are eligible for junior high athletics may not participate in a sport on a senior high team if the junior high has a team participating in that sport, except in the sports of gymnastics and cross country. &!.1f:...L A ninth grade student may be promoted to the senior team in any sport and then moved back to the junior high team in a different sport. However, once engaging in interscholastic competition in senior high the student is ineligible for junior high competition in that sport. B.!lk...Ji A student ineligible for junior high athletics due only to the age rule or the semester rule may be allowed to participate on the senior high team. Seventh or eighth grade students may not participate on a senior high team except when they are in violation of the semester or age rule. SECTION 8 - EVENTS RMkJ..,. All organized interscholastic student activities shall have its rules and regulations approved by the AAA Board of Directors. B.u.k.1..,. All changes in rules and regulations, relative to the participation of students of member schools in interscholastic activities on the district, conference, region, and state level shall be referred to the superintendent, principal, or the authorized representative (with written authorization) for approval. Any change affecting fees or dates shall be voted on by mail. Events - Sanction (Approval) of Events Such ballots shall be mailed to the superintendent or 45 principal and shall be provided with a signature space 46 for the sponsor, coach, advisor, director, etc., as well as 46 Girls Golf Tournaments *Meet of Champs Overall Girls Golf the administrator. .B.u1tl The Board of Directors has authority to revoke approval of any activity at any time it does not conform to the criteria upon which approval was based for an educational program or if irregularities occur. The Board of Directors may reconsider approval of any activity at any time and it shall do so upon receipt of a written request by a school superintendent or principal. ~ A permanent calendar of events sponsored by the AAA shall be established by numbering the weeks of the calendar
the week containing Thanksgiving Day shall be week #21 with preceding and succeeding weeks numbered consecutively. NOTE: The AAA calendar will always contain 52 numbered weeks. A seven-year calendar will be published each year in the AAA Directory. &!k..5..._ Scheduling Events A. Athletic events sponsored by the AAA are scheduled as follows: CALENDAR OF ATHLETIC EVENTS Week# Event 6 Football practice begins on Monday (no pads) 6 Thursday-Football practice in full equipment 9 First football game
first volleyball match 16 **First basketball game for non-football schools 16 Conference and District Volleyball Tournaments 17 *State Volleyball Tournaments 18 * State Cross Country Meet 18 Football Season ends 19 22/23 33 34 34 35 36 41 43 44 44 44 44 45 45 ***Begin football playoffs Football finals Conference Basketball Tournaments *State Swimming/Diving Meet Regional Basketball Tournaments State Basketball Tournaments State Basketball Finals *State Gymnastics Meet State Tennis and Boys Golf Tournaments State Soccer Tournament Overall Boys Golf *State Track Meet Prelims-AA-AAAAA Overall Tennis *State Track Meet A
*State Track Finals AA-AAAAA *State Baseball and Softball Tournaments 47 *Decathlon and Heptathlon *Traditional date - Board of Directors has authority to assign date. **Football schools may begin basketball the week following last regularly scheduled game, but no earlier than week #17. ***All football playoffs shall be scheduled on Fridays except by mutual agreement of participating schools or assignment by AAA. ~ Sanction (Approval) of Events A. The AAA has jurisdiction over the following events that QQ..D..Q.t.require AAA sanction forms to be submitted: 1. Regularly scheduled events between two schools beginning after 3:30 p.m. on school days or anytime on Saturday including out-of-state athletic trips of less than 300 miles one way. 2. Invitational events sponsored by member schools and involving only member schools that occur after 3:30 on school days or anytime on holidays or weekends. Invitational tournaments shall meet the criteria in Rule 7 A. 3. Sub-District, district, and state (official) events regularly scheduled on a numbered week of the AAA calendar by the constitution and bylaws or rules of statewide affiliated student organizations or activities that begin after 3:30 p.m. on school days or anytime on holidays or weekends. 4. State or Federal constitutional events or any special event sponsored by a state for federal constitutional officer. (A special event is one that does not occur annually.) 5. Events on the National Association of Secondary School Principals list. B. The AAA has jurisdication over the following events that DO REQUIRE AAA SANCTION FORMS to be submitted and approved prior to participation. 1. Events that are not sponsored by member schools or that involve out-of-state schools. 2. Events which are postponed due to weather conditions or unavoidable circumstances that previously required sanctions or would cause a loss of class time. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 25 Sanction (Approval) of Events 3. When isolated schools, as designated by the AAA Board of Directors, participate out-of-state prior to 3:30 p.m. on a school day to use less class time for such participation. 4. Official events involving a loss of class ti me. 5. One national non-competitive non-athletic interscholastic event per year for a senior high school-sponsored group or individual. Events must meet NASSP guidelines for national participation. 6. Competition that is scheduled to begin prior to 3:30 p.m. on a school day in the academic areas of mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, or foreign language if students compete in two or more of these academic areas. A student who participates in such competition shall be currently enrolled in courses of the academic area(s) involved and be selected for participation on the basis of outstanding achievement. The actual time that a student shall be permitted to engage in such competition shall not exceed one school day or 5 1/2 hours per school year. C. The AAA has jurisdiction over events that occur during the summer or extended holiday period that are sanctioned. D. That AAA has no jurisdiction over the following events. 1. Events that are not sanctioned and occur during the summer or extended holiday period for individuals or groups that are school-sponsored that do not adversely affect the eligibility of involved students. 2. Field trips that do not adversely affect the eligibility of involved students. 3. Events in which students who are not school-sponsored participate. E. There shall be no activities on the state level (state championship or statewide invitational) for junior high students except programs listed on the NASSP Advisory List of National Contests and Activities that permit junior high participation. (See Rule 9.) Any district or regional junior high activity that is not an official event of an affiliated organization must be limited to participation of junior high schools assigned to the activity district in which the event is scheduled except when AAA sanction is requested and approved by the established procedures. Page 26 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook NOTE: One or more of the following circumstances shall be required before exceptions to the 3:30 rule may be granted and then only for official district, region or state events. 1. Facilities - If it is not possible to secure the needed facilities on a non-school day. 2. Scheduling of Events - If the essential activities involved in the event require more than one day's duration. 3. Number of participants - If there are more participants scheduled to compete than can be accommodated in one day. 4. Staffing - If a sufficient quantity of qualified officials, judges, etc. can not be secured for the event on a non-school day. 5. Financial - If the cost of officials, guest conductors, judges, etc. would be prohibitive to involve only nonschool days. B.Yk.L. Criteria for Sanction (Approval). The following criteria, ranked in order of importance, shall be considered for approving events. A. All invitational events must be scheduled to begin after 3:30 p.m., with no part scheduled to begin after 9:00 p.m. if held on week days, or any time on holidays or Saturdays. Invitational tournaments shall be scheduled to be concluded in one week. Early rounds of such tournaments in athletics may begin on a Saturday if the finals are scheduled to be on or before the following Saturday. Basketball schools may schedule only one regular event by a team the week that the team is in a tournament except when the tournament is of one day's duration and played on Saturday. B. The purpose of an event shall not be in conflict with the purposes of the AAA and any social activities should conform with the student personnel policies of a majority of the participating schools. C. Worthwhile educational benefits resulting from the activity must be realized by students who are to participate. D. Awards shall be appropriate in number, kind and value (Athletics: see Art. III, Sec. 1, Rule 8). In nonathletics, equipment awards relating to the student's skills are acceptable. Scholarships are always recommended and cash awards are discouraged. Sanction (Approval) of Events - NASSP List - Summer Camp E. Entry fees shall be proportionate to the total cost of conducting the event without a profit being realized at the expense of the student or school. F. Events will not be approved which are commercial in nature requiring special tour packages and/or theme park admittance fees. G. Junior high invitational events which occur on Saturday or a school holiday and which involve junior highs located outside the activity district in which the event is held, may be sanctioned if not issuing a statewide invitation. Rule 8. Application for Sanction ( Approval) A. An application for approval of a contest, festival, meeting or other activity must be made in writing to the Executive Director at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the event. An exception to this rule may be made if it can be determined that all involved administrators had knowledge 30 days prior to the event and that all necessary preparation had been made prior to the request. NOTE: Events approved after July 1 will not appear on the annual calendar but will be published in the AAA Bulletin. B. An application for approval may be submitted by an authorized faculty representative of an affiliated student organization or a sponsor of an event. C. The application shall include the following: 1. Name of school or organization wishing to sponsor the event. 2. Name of the faculty representative or event manager or di rector. 3. Title or name of the interscholastic event. 4. Awards to be offered and their value. 5. Entry fees, if any. 6. Time schedule and date of event. 7. Schools to be invited. 8. Agenda, program and general rules of the event. B11k...9..,_ NASSP Advisory List of Contests and Activities. Any event or activity included in the NASSP Advisory List of National Contests and Activities shall be automatically approved by the AAA Executive Director. Those events for which the NASSP has taken no action or has not included in the list may be approved if the host state's authorized association approves the event. If there is no organization in the host state authorized by the schools to have jurisdiction over an activity, the Executive Director may approve the event if it meets AAA criteria for approval. Rule 10. Out-Of-State Events A. Out-of-state events shall be approved on the same basis as in-state events. 1. Participation in school-sponsored interscholastic activities shall be restricted to the states contiguous to Arkansas. 2. School groups may not spend more than one school night out-of-state. (Monday - Thursday.) 3. Athletic events exceeding 600 miles round trip require National Federation approval. 4. An AAA member school may not participate with an out-of-state school that is not in good standing with their state association and the member school is responsible for ascertaining the status of such school. B. Exceptions to the above sections: 1. All events on the NASSP approved list. 2. The AAA Executive Director may make an exception to A. 1 and 2 above based on the educational merits of the activity. Rule 11. Summer Athletic Camp Guidelines. Student participation in athletic camps is permitted as long as: 1. No school time is lost. 2. There is no competition between the camps either during or after the camp. 3. The student does not violate the amateur rule as to receiving pay for coaching. 4. Helmets, shoulder pads and upper body padding (arms, forearm, rib, etc.) may be worn in football camps. No padding is to be worn below the waist. Use of sleds or tackling machines is also prohibited. 5. The football camps are held during the period following the end of school year through week #5. 6. The school is responsible for informing its students of the summer camp regulations and monitoring the activities of the camp. 7. A violation of these regulations may subject the school to a penalty for the sport involved throughout the following season and may cause a student to be ineligible for up to one year. 2000-2001 AAA Handbook - Page 27 Summer Camp All-Stars Sunday Contests Scouting Broadcast Rights Camp is defined as a site where three or more students or school teams meet for the purpose of receiving instruction in basic skills in a sport. Football camps may be held only between the final day of the spring term (May-June) and the beginning of fall football practice (Week #6). NOTE: A violation of the Summer Camp Rule or the AllStar Rule may cause the student to lose eligibility for up to one year. Rule 12, All-Star Contests A. AHSCA All-Star Game. The Arkansas Activities Association sanctions an All-Star Football game and All-Star Boys' and Girls' Basketball Games and a Girls Volleyball Game. The AHSCA Executive Committee is authorized to plan the details and mechanics for the All-Star Games and the coaching clinic subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of the AAA. B. Coach and Administrator Participation. No athletic director, coach, teacher, or administrator of an Arkansas Activities Association member school, nor athletic official who is registered with the Arkansas Officials Association, shall at any time assist with the coaching, management, direction, election of players, promotion, or officiating of any All-Star or similar contest in football or basketball in which one or more of the competing teams is composed of a player, who, during the previous school year, was a member of a member high school football, basketball, or volleyball team with the exception of the All-Star games sponsored by the Arkansas High School Coaches Association. C. Student All-Star Participation 1. A student who is a member of a school team may not become a member of an all-star football, basketball or volleyball team, in season, without losing his eligibility in that sport for up to one year {365 days) from the date of such participation with the all-star team. 2. Following completion of high school eligibility in a sport and prior to graduation from high school, a student may not participate in an all-star contest that is not specifically approved by the AAA or participate in more than two such all-star football, basketball or volleyball contests. NOTE: Violation of any of the above regulations may cause a student to be ineligible for the AAA-sanctioned AHSCA All-Star Game(s). Page 28 - 2000-2001 AAA Handbook Rule 13. Sunday Interscholastic Contests. There shall be no interscholastic athletic contests on Sunday. Rule 14, Approved Scouting and Filming or Videotaping A. When hosting regularly scheduled competitive events, member schools shall grant admission to at least two scouting representatives from other member schools who are scheduled to compete with either of the participating schools at a later date. No filming or videotaping by a third party member school shall be allowed unless permission is granted by both competing schools. B. Filming/Videotaping: Each school when engaging in regular events shall have the right to make films or videotapes for educational or historical purposes and such films or tapes may be shared with other member schools for scouting purposes. The host school may also permit the use of non-commercial cameras and video reco1ders to record events for families and friends of participants. Rule 15. Broadcast and Television Rights A. For regularly scheduled local interscholastic events the host school only shall have the right to grant permissions for public broadcast by radio or television. B. Conference, Region, or State Events: The AAA shall have the rights and authority for controlling the scouting, filming, videotaping or broadcasting, either by radio or television, at all elimination events leading to a state championship endorsed or sponsored by the association, except those games approved by the AAA bylaws to be played as regularly scheduled events. ARnCLE Ill - EUGIBIUTY INTRODUCTION Participation in competitive interscholastic activities as a part of a school's educational program is a privilege and not a right. The eligibility rules of this association are designed to promote the educational values derived from participation in interscholastic activities, prevent exploitation of youth by special interest groups and to ensure that interscholastic activities shall remain an integral part of the educational program. Students wishing to participate in interscholastic activities shall have the opportunity to become eligible for these activities when they meet ill eligibility rules. They will remain eligible for the opportunity to participate provided they .d.2....n.Qt: (1) exceed any limitations, (2) fail to meet any minimums, or (3) violate any other rules of the association. They may, however, regain their opportunity to participate at a later date by correcting any deficiencies which caused the ineligibility. NOTE: Students who exceed the junior high age rule or junior high semester rule limitations shall have the opportunity to be eligible for senior high activities. NOTE: Students who exceed the senior high age rule or the senior high semester rule limitations shall have no further opportunity to be eligible. Eligibility rules apply to students in grades 7-12 inclusive
specific rules for junior high schools apply to students in grades 7-9 inclusive
specific rules for senior high schools apply to students in grades 9-12 inclusive. In the rules that follow, the singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular as the context requires or permits. Where appropriate, personal pronouns refer to either gender. Rule 1. RESIDENCE: 1. A student's eligibility for interscholastic athletics shall be in the public school district of the parent's residence. Refer to other residence and transfer rules for limitations and situations. The AAA recognizes only one residence for eligibility. A change in residence consists of a complete and bona fide move from one domicile to another. 2. A student may meet the residence requirement at another AAA member school after attending said member school for one calendar year (365 days from initial Eligibility Residence Transfers enrollment). 3. A student shall also meet the residence requirement if the student receives a legal transfer from one public school to another (release and acceptance respectively by the boards of both schools). Transfers must take place prior to Labor Day. 4. Member schools accredited by the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association shall be required to have student eligibility boundaries which will be limited to the county in which the school resides and/or a 25-mile radius of the school. Students who live outside the boundaries may participate in all AAA sanctioned athletic events as long as they have been enrolled in the nonpublic school before Labor Day of the 10th grade year. Those enrolling after Labor Day of their 10th grade year may not participate in interscholastic athletics for 365 days from the first day of their enrollment. LEGAL ATTENDANCE: A student's eligibility for interscholastic athletics with respect to the residence rule may be in the public school that the student is legally attending at the beginning of the fall semester, provided attendance is not for athletic purposes. Refer to other residence and transfer rules for additional limitations and situations. NON-SCHOOL COACH: A student transferring, moving or, for any reason, attending a new school where the student's non-school coach is the school coach, or is anyone assisting in any capacity with the coaching or training of the school team, is presumed to be attending for athletic purposes, if the student participated in athletics the previous year. TRANSFERS: 1. Students changing schools under the Freedom of Choice law, transferring other than legal transfers (both boards agreeing) or any circumstances other than residence rules 1 through 3 above is assumed to have changed schools for athletic purposes if the student participated in athletics the previous year. 2. A student changing schools, for any reason, who has been a member of an a
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