As the fall season begins with practice, we would like to remind you of several items.

Transfer students - always consider all transfer students ineligible until they have been cleared for transfer, code of conduct, and academic eligibility.

Open enrolled and/or tuition paying students entering 9th and/or 10th grade at the beginning of the school year and who are within the first four consecutive semesters of high school will be afforded unrestricted eligibility provided all other rules governing student eligibility are met. RE II, 3-A-2

A student who transfers from any school into a member school after the fourth consecutive semester following entry into grade 9 shall be ineligible for competition (at any level, but may practice) for one calendar year unless the transfer is made necessary by a total change in residence by parent(s). RE II, 3-A-1

Your returning students – check their academic eligibility before competing and have your coaches meet with you again before the first contest to be sure an athlete did not join the team after the initial academic review.  Also, check for any athlete ejections resulting in a suspension or code of conduct suspensions during the spring season which may carry over to the fall season.  Be sure to follow your code of conduct as it is written.  WIAA Fall Academic Guidelines:  http://www.wiaawi.org/Portals/0/PDF/Eligibility/academicineligibility.pdf

Foreign Exchange students - Be sure to communicate with your guidance counselor and principal to see if you have any foreign exchange students who wish to participate in athletics.  Download the form from the web site:  http://www.wiaawi.org/Portals/0/PDF/Eligibility/foreigneligibilityform.pdf, complete it (be sure to sign), and fax it to our office for review.

Required Documentation Before Practice or Competition
Section 1 – Required Documentation
A. A student may not practice for or participate in interscholastic athletics until the school has written evidence on file in its office attesting to:
1) Parental permission each school year including an acknowledgement of receiving the school athletic code (usually on physical, alternate card, or code of conduct),
2) Acknowledgement of receiving the WIAA Rules of Eligibility, http://www.wiaawi.org/Portals/0/PDF/Eligibility/eligibilityinfoform.pdf
3) Athletic Emergency Form,
4) Current physical fitness to participate in sports, http://www.wiaawi.org/Health.aspx
5) Code of Conduct.

In addition, state law requires concussion information sheets to be distributed and acknowledged for coaches, parents, and athletes before practice begins for each sport season. http://www.wiaawi.org/Health/Concussions.aspx

Health and Safety – Have your coaches review the material on the WIAA Health Page.  Given the hot, dry summer and the fact that fall practices begin shortly, the timeliness of the NFHS heat course release could not be better.  Information is also provided on concussion, female triad, lightning, and much more.  

Performance Enhancing Substances – PES is not limited to just steroids.  Coaches, parents, administrators and licensed athletic trainers should send a strong message that discourages the use of supplements for performance enhancement. If it's too good to be true, it probably is. There's no short-cut to excellent performance; it takes hard work.  http://www.wiaawi.org/Health/PerformanceEnhancingSubstances.aspx

WIAA Deadlines – Keep in mind that we have deadlines as the fall and school year progress.  Check the WIAA Website regularly for new items listed on the sport pages under Dates and Schedules.

Other Items:
Become thoroughly familiar with your school's policies on hazing. If you're an administrator, check out your state DPI guidelines.  WIAA Season Regulations and State Law (9175.22) prohibits use of cell phones (and other image-recording devices) in locker rooms except in emergency situations.

Now would be a great time to refresh your memory on the Non-school Participation During the School Year rule as you get ready for the school year.  Once the season of practice and competition begins, athletes may not compete in nonschool competitions of the same sport, i.e. Fun runs, triathlons, golf tournaments, Punt Pass & Kick, etc.

A reminder that the membership prohibits participating in events purporting to be national championships.  

Good luck and have a great school year.

(This message was emailed to all schools from the WIAA office.  If the athletic director did not receive the email, please check with the school's IT person to determine why it was not received or filtered.)