IHSA COVID-19 UPDATE
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is supportive of the stance taken by the Illinois State Superintendent of Schools that no IHSA member school should organize their teams for any spring sport practices or games while Illinois high schools are closed through April 30.
Following the best practices provided by the state health department, the IHSA office will remain closed through April 30. Staff administrators will be working from home during normal hours. Please read our FAQ list related to spring sports and COVID-19 below. If your question is not answered there, you can view our list of staff administrators and their responsibilities and email the appropriate staff member with your question.
During this time of mandated closure, the IHSA does not believe it is necessary or prudent for any number of students to gather for workouts, regardless of how those students gather or whether any IHSA rule is broken by said gathering. That includes informal/player-led practices or any type of instructional session. National, state, and local governmental leaders are clear: To help our country slow the spread of this pandemic, the best thing society can do is limit its interaction with one another, so, despite how difficult this may be, the IHSA strongly recommends students, parents, and non-school coaches/trainers follow this advice. Doing so could ultimately end up salvaging the spring sports season. The IHSA has already announced several upcoming State Tournament cancellations.
FAQ
SPRING RESUMPTION DATE
Q: Are schools ok to resume practice/games on May 1?
A: May 1 remains the target date, however, there are state governmental, educational and health bodies that will need to approve this action as we get closer to it. It is too early to say definitively that IHSA activities will resume on May 1. Coaches will ultimately need to work in conjunction with their local school administration, as some school districts may choose to be more restrictive in their decisions to return teams to practice or games.
SPRING TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Q: Will spring sport state tournaments be conducted on their normal dates after a shortened season, or rescheduled later in June or July?
A: At this time, we are monitoring the updates from state educators and health professionals on the best practices related to COVID-19. If the April 30 deadline appears to be on-schedule in the coming days and weeks, we will communicate an appropriate plan on spring sports to our member schools. It is important to remember this is an unprecedented situation and will remain fluid. It is possible, for example, that schools may reopen at some point, but that other gatherings (like sports) may remain limited.
SPRING SPORT NON-SCHOOL PARTICIPATION
Q: Can a student-athlete who is competing in a spring sport (baseball, softball, track, etc.) for their high school practice or play that sport with their non-school team, of the same sport, (i.e. travel or club team) while school is closed?
A: No. IHSA by-laws do not allow a student-athlete who is in-season to participate on a club or travel team, of the same sport, and then return to play for their high school team. If a student-athlete in this situation chooses to participate with their non-school team during the school closure, they would not be able to return to their high school team if/when the high school season resumes.
FALL/WINTER SPORT NON-SCHOOL PARTICIPATION
Q: Can a student-athlete who is competing in a spring sport (baseball, softball, track, etc.) for their high school practice or play a fall or winter sport (i.e. basketball or girls volleyball) with their non-school team (i.e. travel or club team) while school is closed?
A: Yes. IHSA by-laws allow a student-athlete to participate on a non-school team if that sport is not currently in-season at the high school level.
INDIVIDUAL LESSONS #1
Q: Can a spring sport student-athlete take personal lessons while school is closed? Can the personal lessons be taught by their high school coach?
A: Personal lessons are permitted throughout the school year and during the summer. The high school coach may provide personal lessons only if this is part of his/her livelihood and provided to students other than just those attending the high school where he/she coaches.
INDIVIDUAL LESSONS #2
Q: Can personal lessons be taught by their non-school team coach, and can they occur at the non-school team facility?
A: Yes. As long as the personal lessons are not part of a non-school team practice or competition. Additionally, neither the high school coach nor the school can require or arrange for their student- athletes to receive personal lessons from a non-school coach. Any such lessons should be limited to two players from one high school at a single lesson.
EXTENDING ELIGIBILITY
Q: If the spring sports are unable to be conducted this year, or if a student has to repeat a grade for any reason, including related to the COVID-19 school closing, will student-athletes receive an additional year of eligibility?
A: No. Students have eight semesters of eligibility that begin when they enter ninth grade.
NON-SCHOOL COMPETITION
Q: During the mandated school closure timeframe, can a student-athlete compete in a non-school event that uses the skill of the sport of an IHSA sport that is currently in season?
A: The student-athlete’s athletic director or official representative of their school can complete the Non-School Competition Request Form through their IHSA Schools Center account, and the IHSA will either grant or deny permission. In order for permission to be granted, the IHSA request form must be submitted by the athletic director or official representative at least 10 days prior to the event, the event must be sanctioned by an IHSA approved national governing body or its Illinois affiliate or junior affiliate (i.e. USATF), and the student-athlete may only have received IHSA approval for less than three other non-school events for this sports season.