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Athletic Eligibility
 
Participating in Xenia High School’s interscholastic athletics program will provide some of your most memorable and enjoyable moments ever. Please remember that participating in high school athletics is a privilege, not a right. 

Xenia High School, as a member of The Ohio High School Athletic Association, has agreed to uphold the standards of the association.  Meeting these standards allow you the opportunity to compete in high school athletics.

The eligibility requirements listed on this page are only a summary of some of the regulations affecting student eligibility. A detailed requirements listing is published in the OHSAA Handbook, which can be found in the offices of the athletic director and is posted on the OHSAA web site (www.ohsaa.org).

The school district also has the authority to establish additional academic standards and codes of student or athletic conduct and those include a Role Model Code of Conduct and Sportsmanship Policy. Additionally, if an athlete receives an "F" in any class on an interim report card the athlete must attend 3 study tables per week for the remainder of the grading period.  If an athlete does not attend the study tables they will be ineligible for the next week.

Activities that fall under the OHSAA standards and interscholastic extracurricular academic eligibility policy are:

  • All academic competition teams
  • All athletic competition teams
  • Cheerleaders & cheerleading competition squads
  • Drill Team
  • Flag Corps
  • Dance Team
  • Color Guard
  • Winter Guard
  • Drum Lines

Any questions you have concerning the OHSAA standards or your athletic eligibility should be reviewed with your school principal or athletic director. You should also meet with these
administrators EVERY TIME before you change your course schedule or drop a course.
Should you transfer schools, you must follow up with your previous school and your new school to ensure that all proper forms have been submitted to the OHSAA.

The eligibility standards of the OHSAA have been adopted by the member schools and were accepted by your school when it became an OHSAA member. You are urged, as a student-athlete, to study these standards carefully since you are responsible for compliance with these standards. Best wishes as you learn the valuable lessons that come with your participation in interscholastic athletics!
 
OHSAA Standards for Student Athletic Eligibility

SCHOLARSHIP
High school students (grades 9-12) must be currently enrolled in a member school and have received passing grades in a minimum of five (5) one credit courses, or the equivalent, in the immediately preceding grading period. Remember this means to be eligible in the fall you must be passing in the 4th quarter of the preceding year. Physical Education class is not used in the calculation.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students must be currently enrolled in a member school and have received passing grades in 75 percent of subjects in which enrolled.

  • You may not use summer school grades for failing grades received or lack of courses taken in the final grading period.

  • Your semester and yearly grades have no effect on OHSAA eligibility.

  • Those taking postsecondary school courses must comply with OHSAA scholarship regulations.

  • The eligibility or ineligibility of a student continues until the start of the fifth school day of the next grading period, at which time the grades from the immediately preceding grading period become effective. Note: Check with your principal or athletic administrator to determine the exact date that eligibility will be restored.

RESIDENCE AND TRANSFER OF SCHOOLS
You may attend any public or non-public high school in which you are accepted when you enter high school (grade 9) from a 7th-8th grade school. Eligibility at that school is established by:

  1. Participating in a contest (scrimmage, preview or regular season game) prior to the first day of school, or

  2. Attending the first day of school at any high school (or attending the first five days of school for freshmen).

Once you establish eligibility at a high school, a transfer to a different high school will mean you will be ineligible for athletics for one year from the date of enrollment in the new school.

  • There are several exceptions to this regulation. To see if you qualify for an exception, you and your parents should arrange a meeting with your principal or athletic administrator.

  • If your parent or legal guardian lives outside of Ohio, you are ineligible unless one of the exceptions to the regulation is met. These exceptions to the out-of-state residency rules are found in Bylaw 4-6 at www.ohsaa.org. Note: Changing custody to a person in Ohio will not provide eligibility to a student whose parents live in another state.

  • If additional questions concerning these regulations remain, school principals or athletic administrators should contact the OHSAA.

SEMESTERS OF ENROLLMENT
After establishing ninth-grade eligibility, you are permitted eight (8) semesters of athletic eligibility.

  • The semesters are taken in order of attendance once ninth grade eligibility has been established.

  • Semesters are counted toward eligibility whether you participate in interscholastic athletics or not.

  • Those with a disability may qualify for an exception to this regulation and should arrange a meeting with the principal or athletic administrator to review the exception.

AGE LIMITATIONS
High school students (grades 9-12) who turn 19 years of age prior to August 1, are ineligible for interscholastic athletics.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students who turn 15 years of age prior to August 1, are ineligible for 7th-8th grade athletics but are eligible to participate in high school athletics.

  • Those with a disability may qualify for an exception to this regulation and should arrange a meeting with the principal or athletic administrator to review the exception.

AWARDS
You may receive awards as a result of athletic participation in interscholastic athletics from any source. However, the value cannot be more than $200 per award.
 

AMATEUR STATUS
You will lose your amateur status and forfeit your eligibility if you:

  • Compete for money or other monetary compensation.

  • Capitalize on your athletic fame by receiving money, merchandise or services.

  • Receive expenses or compensation from a sponsor unless that sponsor is a recognized amateur governing body or organization, recognized by a member school, or is your parent or guardian.

  • Sign a contract or make a commitment to play professional athletics.

  • Receive services, merchandise or any form of financial
    assistance from a professional sports organization. Compete with a professional athletics team even if no pay is received.

  • Enter into an agreement with a sports or marketing agent.

FALSE INFORMATION
If you compete under a name other than your own or provide a false address, you immediately become ineligible.
 

OPEN GYMS/FACILITIES
School officials may designate open gyms or facilities and the sports to be played. You may participate in open gyms or facilities provided:

  • No one is limited from participating.

  • No one is required to attend.

  • No school officials invite selected students or determine the teams.

  • No school officials transport students to either school or non-school facilities.

  • No timing or written scoring is kept.

  • No coaching or instruction is provided.

Violating these rules may result in your being declared ineligible for a maximum of one (1) year.
 

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS
You may attend camps, clinics and workshops that involve team play any time between June 1 and July 31.

  • Team play means there is more than one player opposing one player.

  • There is no limit on the number of students from the same school team that may participate on the same non-school team from June 1 to July 31.

You may receive instruction from a coach from your school team only:

  1. During the season of the sport, or

  2. For 10 days (seven days in the sport of football) only from June 1 to July 31.

Note: Interscholastic coaches in the individual sports of bowling, golf, gymnastics, swimming & diving and tennis may coach athletes from the school where employed outside the interscholastic season of the sport.

You may receive individual skill instruction from a non-school coach at any time during the year in individual or group lessons. Members of a school football team may play in non-contact football contests and attend non-contact team football camps at any time between June 1 and July 31.

Remember, however, that the seven-day football regulation for instruction from school coaches is in effect. Note: It is a violation if a coach suggests your participation in an instructional program is mandatory.

PARTICIPATION ON NON-SCHOOL TEAMS
You may not try out, practice or participate in a contest with a non-school team while a member of a school team in the same sport.

  • In the individual sports of bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and wrestling, however, you may practice and try out for a non-school team but may not compete in a contest.

Those in the team sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, ice hockey, soccer, softball and volleyball may try out, practice and compete on non-school teams before and after the school season provided:

  1. The number of students from the same school on the roster of the non-school team is limited to five (5) students in the sports of soccer and field hockey; four (4) students in the sports of baseball and softball; three (3) students in the sports of volleyball and ice hockey, and two (2) students in the sport of basketball. School football team members are prohibited from competing on non-school teams except from June 1 to July 31. Note: Seniors are exempt from these limitations after the conclusion of their sport season. In addition, there is no limit on the number of students from the same school team that may participate on the same non-school team from June 1 to July 31.

  2. You have no contact with school coaches while on a non-school team other than the 10 days (seven days in football) permitted between June 1 and July 31.

• Violating these rules during the school season may result in your being declared ineligible for the remainder of the school season.

• Violating these rules outside the school season may result in your being declared ineligible for the next season.

• Violating these rules by a senior may result in that student being declared ineligible for the remainder of the school year.
 

RECRUITING
You will be declared ineligible if you are recruited by a person or group of persons to change schools. Any attempt by you to recruit a prospective student-athlete for athletic purposes is also prohibited. A violation may also affect the eligibility of the school team.
 

USE OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO &
ILLEGAL DRUGS
You are prohibited from using any form of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs at the playing site of an interscholastic contest. The penalty is disqualification from that contest, and you will likely face additional school and/or legal penalties.
 

STEROIDS OR OTHER PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING
DRUGS
If you use anabolic steroids or other performance- enhancing drugs, you are ineligible for interscholastic competition until medical evidence indicates that your system is free of these items.
 

PRE-PARTICIPATION EVALUATION AND
CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE
Each year you must submit a physical examination form signed by a medical examiner before you begin practice for a school sport. In addition, your parents/guardian and you must sign the OHSAA Authorization and Consent Forms.

  • Procedures will be reviewed by school officials.

  • Physical examinations are valid for one year from the date of the exam except for those that take place from May 1-June 1. Those exams are valid for one year plus through the end of the next school year.

DISQUALIFICATION POLICIES
You are expected to accept seriously the responsibility and privilege of representing your school and community while participating in interscholastic athletics. As a student-athlete, you are expected to:

  • Treat opponents, coaches and officials with respect.

  • Display no behavior that could incite fans or other participants in the contest or which is intended to embarrass, ridicule or demean others under any circumstances including on the basis of race, religion, gender or national origin.

  • Remember that winning isn’t everything. Having fun,
    improving your skills, making friends and doing your best are also important.

The OHSAA has established a policy for students ejected or disqualified for unsporting behavior or flagrant fouls. If you are ejected or disqualified, you:

  • Will be ineligible for all contests for the remainder of that
    day.

  • Will be ineligible for all contests at all levels in that sport
    until two regular season/tournament contests are played at the same level as the ejection (one contest in football).

If you are ejected or disqualified a second time in a season, you are subject to additional, stiffer penalties, including suspension from play for the remainder of the season in that sport.

The complete OHSAA ejection/disqualification policy for
unsporting behavior can be found in the OHSAA Handbook and is posted on the OHSAA web site (www.ohsaa.org).
 

ELIGIBILITY SUMMARY
Before you play, you must be eligible. Please review the following list with your parents. If you cannot answer yes to any of these items it is likely you are NOT eligible. For questions, see your principal or athletic administrator.

  1. I am officially enrolled in an OHSAA member high school.

  2. I am enrolled in at least five one credit courses or the equivalent, each of which counts toward graduation.

  3. I received passing grades in at least five one credit courses or the equivalent, each of which counts toward graduation, during my last grading period.

  4. I have at least one parent living in Ohio.

  5. I have not changed schools without a corresponding move by my parents or legal guardian or by qualifying for one of the exceptions to the OHSAA transfer regulation.

  6. If I have changed schools (transferred), I have followed up with my previous school and my new school to ensure that all proper forms have been submitted to the OHSAA.

  7. I have not been enrolled in high school for more than eight semesters.

  8. I did not turn 19 before August 1.

  9. I have not received an award, equipment or prize valued at greater than $200 per item.

  10. I am competing under my true name and have provided my school with my correct home address.

  11. I have not competed in a mandatory open gym/facility, conditioning or instructional program.

  12. I have not been coached or been provided instruction by a school coach in a team sport or cross country, track & field and wrestling other than during my sport season or for no more than 10 days (seven in football) between June 1 and July 31 (applies to team sports only).

  13. I am not competing on a non-school team during my school team’s season.

  14. I have not been recruited to attend this school.

  15. I am not using anabolic steroids or other performance enhancing drugs.

  16. I have had a physical examination within the past year and it is on file at my school.

  17. My parents and I have signed the OHSAA Authorization Form and the OHSAA Eligibility and Authorization Statement and they are on file at my school.