Quote:

If I am not mistaken, as long as he stays under the 8 player limit he is fine. Someone please correct me if this is not accurate. Will?
What he was doing tonight was certainly coaching.



I'd rather speak in terms of "what" is permissible under SCHSL rules rather than in terms of what any individual is doing...

According to the SCHSL, "Coaching outside teams during a closed season is permissible provided the 75%
rule is not violated." (For soccer, the 75% rule means no more than 8 members of the HS team, to include any who were rostered and dressed out for a game the previous HS season, can participate on a team coached by any coach involved with the HS team.) The League rules also use the language "on an outside team clearly sponsored by an outside agency."

The section I quoted earlier also clearly states "including volunteer coaches," so the question of whether someone is paid by the school or not is irrelevant...if the individual coaches the high school team in any capacity it is all the same.

Now, if the coach involved with the high school team is NOT associated with an outside team sponsored by an outside agency on which the players are rostered, but rather is simply conducting training sessions with members of the high school team during closed season, that is another matter...

"OUT-OF-SEASON
Strength and conditioning programs will not be affected by the limitation on practice seasons.
Conditioning programs are not to include agility drills that enhance specific skills for a given sport, nor
may equipment for any sport be used. Agility drills appropriate for all sports will be acceptable.
Practice and weight training must be open to all students. These sessions cannot be mandatory for any
student.
Any student participating in an illegal practice will be declared ineligible for that sport season. Any
school allowing an illegal practice will be subject to League discipline, which may include the placing of
the sport on probation...

Organized practice is defined as the gathering of a coach(es) and more than two studentathletes (per sport program) for the purpose of teaching sport specific skills (including video,
chalk-talk sessions, etc). It also includes the use of school facilities by more than two
student-athletes (per sport program).
Violation(s) of the practice rules orchestrated/initiated by school personnel will subject the
school to sanction(s) by the League. Violation(s) of the practice rules orchestrated/initiated by
the student athletes will subject the school to a “warning” for first offense and more severe
sanctions for repeated offense(s) within one calendar year."


So, to sum up:

IF any coach (including volunteer coaches) is involved with an outside TEAM clearly sponsored by an outside agency, and

IF that outside team involves 8 or fewer players from the high school team the coach is associated with, OR,

IF a coach representing an outside agency trains an unlimited number of members of a HS team but is NOT involved in coaching that HS team in any capacity during the HS season,

THEN it is legal according to the SCHSL stated rules.

On the other hand,

IF a coach is conducting soccer training sessions using soccer equipment during closed season with a group of players (not as members of an outside team sponsored by an outside agency), OR,

IF a coach is coaching an outside team clearly sponsored by an outside agency and that team includes more than 8 of a high school team's players, AND,

IF that same coach is actively involved in coaching those players during the high school season, through employment or volunteer action,

THEN it would be considered illegal practice according to SCHSL rules, which, if I understand the spirit of the rules correctly, were created to prevent any unfair advantage created by allowing the same coach to work with and train an unregulated number of team members during both closed and open seasons.

Clear as mud?

That's about the limit of my expertise on the letter of the law...any further clarification on its language, intent, or spirit would have to come from the League.

Last edited by Coach Chass; 05/17/11 05:07 AM.
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