2008 SPRING REGULAR SEASON

1. Timekeepers for all games WILL BE ADULTS.
2. Crowd control is the responsibility of the host school. Incidental to this is the firm enforcement of the ban on alcohol at interscholastic events.
3. Each school should have a plan to secure medical assistance should the need arise at all games.
4. An administrator or his/her designated assistant should be present at all home games and should introduce themselves to the game officials prior to the game.
5. There shall be no student practices in any sport ten calendar days prior to the official start of that season.

LAST GAME TO COUNT
1. The open date on the day prior to pairings is for processing applications. Any contests played on this date will not count toward tournament consideration.

FORFEITED GAMES

A game shall be FORFEITED to the offended team by the official when a team:

(1) Is 15 minutes late in appearing or in beginning play after the official calls "play" at scheduled game time. This may be set aside if the official considers the delay unavoidable; or
(2) Refuses to continue play after the game has started; or
(3) Refusal of players to obey the decision of the official; or
(4) Delays more than a reasonable amount of time in resuming play; or in obeying the official's order to remove a player for violation of rules; or
(5) Persists in tactics designed to delay or shorten game; or
(6) Willfully and persistently violates any rules after being warned by the official; or
(7) Cannot provide sufficient players to finish game; or
(8) On its home field, fails to comply with the official's order to put it in condition for play.

All forfeited contests shall be reported, by letter, to the Associate Executive Director, by the principal of the winning school with an explanation for the reason(s) why the school received a win based upon the forfeiture.

The rescheduling of games will be conducted between schools. If an agreement to reschedule a game cannot be met, the Associate Executive Director, along with the Activities Standards Committee shall render a decision regarding the dispute.

OFFICIALS FEES

The Activities Standards Committee approved the following fee schedule

These fee schedules must be adhered by all assigners working for any VPA member school.
Tournament finals fees shall include a $5.00 premium.

Note: Fee Increase for 2008-2009
Varsity $65
Sub-Varsity $40

VPA REGULATIONS AND BY LAWS [REGULAR AND TOURNAMENT SEASON]

* For the 2007-2008 season, COLORED mouth guards will be mandatory for participation in soccer, field hockey, basketball, football, wrestling, lacrosse, and ice hockey.

EJECTION OF PLAYER[S] AND COACH[ES]

A player or coach who is ejected from a game for the following infractions which are behavioral in nature shall be suspended from playing or coaching the next two contests : [ one contest for football, skiing, and gymnastics]

a. Unsportsmanlike conduct
b. Malicious contact, includes fighting
c. Taunting

The player[s] or coach[es] may not participate at any other school level in the sport they were ejected from during the suspension.

All other non-behavioral ejections shall carry the penalty assessed by the rules which govern that sport.

If a players is ejected from a sub-varsity game, it is the responsibility of the home AD to report this ejection to the VPA within 24 hours.

EJECTION OF PLAYER[S] AND COACH[ES]

If a varsity high school team receives more than two ejections or disqualifications (of athletes or coaches) during the course of a sports season, the coach, Athletic Director and/or Principal of the school must meet with the Activities Standards Committee before the school will be admitted to or allowed to continue in the VPA post-season tournament. This meeting will occur in all situations regardless of a team's standing in the regular season or tournament. The intent of this meeting is to discuss the situations that occurred and the steps being taken to address the situation. Failure to meet with this committee would result in the school/team being ineligible to participate in the VPA Tournament.
Note – this recommendation was approved by ASC on 5/4/04 and will be in effect for the 2006-2007 school year.

A full explanation of these rules is found in Article IV, Section I,General Rules [M] of the VPA Bylaws and Policies.

Reporting of Game Disqualifications

The following process shall be used in reporting a game disqualification(s) by game officials:
* The official shall notify a player(s) or coach(es) that he/she has been disqualified from
the contest.
* The official shall notify the commissioner/assigner that a player(s) or coach(es) was disqualified from a contest for behavioral reasons.

* The commissioner/assigner shall notify the principal or athletic director and the VPA Office within a twenty four (24) hour period as to the length of the disqualification of that player(s) or coach(es).

* In the case of out-of-state and/or sub-varsity competition a school is obligated to report as provided in reporting of game disqualifications.

VPA Member School Game Disqualification Reporting Process

The member school shall be responsible for confirming the game disqualification with the VPA within forty eight (48) hours with either a verbal or written report (either method being acceptable)

COACH REPLACEMENT DURING A CONTEST

1. Prior to the start of any athletic contest the head coach must identify the adult who is designated to replace him/her in the event he/she is unable to to complete the contest, i, e., illness, ejection, etc.

2. When a coach is unable to continue, his/her team shall forfeit the contest if a replacement was not named prior to the start of the contest.

DAY OF REST FOR ATHLETES
Each student athlete must be provided one day of rest per calendar week.

P. Assault Upon Coaches By Coaches.

A coach who intentionally strikes, shoves, kicks, or makes other aggressive physical contact with another coach before, during, or after an interscholastic contest, shall be disqualified immediately and his/her coach’s eligibility may be suspended for up to one full calendar year. A coach who is disqualified under this provision shall not coach in any contest, pending a hearing before the Activities Standards Committee. The Activities Standards Committee shall determine the length of the suspension, giving due consideration to all relevant factors, including the seriousness of the offense. At the end of any suspension the coach may request the reinstatement of his/her eligibility. At this time, the Activities Standards Committee will place the request on their next meeting agenda, at which meeting the coach and principal are required to attend. The Activities Standards Committee will make the determination whether or not to reinstate the coach’s eligibility.

ASSAULT UPON OFFICIALS BY COACHES

A coach who intentionally strikes, shoves, kicks, or makes other aggressive physical contact with an official before, during, or after an interscholastic contest, shall be disqualified immediately and his/her coach’s eligibility may be suspended for up to one full calendar year. A coach who is disqualified under this provision shall not coach in any contest, pending a hearing before the Activities Standards Committee. The Activities Standards Committee shall determine the length of the suspension, giving due consideration to all relevant factors, including the seriousness of the offense. At the end of any suspension the coach may request the reinstatement of his/her eligibility. At this time, the Activities Standards Committee will place the request on their next meeting agenda, at which meeting the coach and principal are required to attend. The Activities Standards Committee will make the determination whether or not to reinstate the coach’s eligibility.

ASSAULT UPON OFFICIALS BY STUDENTS

Any member of the team who intentionally strikes, shoves, kicks, or makes other aggressive physical contact with an official before, during, or after an interscholastic contest, shall be disqualified immediately and may be ineligible to participate in all sports for up to one full calendar year. A student who is disqualified under this provision shall not play in any contest, pending a hearing before the Activities Standards Committee. The Activities Standards Committee shall determine the length of the suspension, giving due consideration to all relevant factors, including the seriousness of the offense.
NOTE: Member of the team includes player, manager, score keepers, timers, and statisticians.

RAFFLES

50-50 raffles will be permitted for any tournament activity hosted at a school site. (ASC May, 2001).

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, DRUGS OR TOBACCO PRODUCTS ARE NOT ALLOWED AT ANY VPA SPONSORED ACTIVITY.

DISCLAIMER

Every attempt will be made to develop tournament dates and sites well in advance, but with the understanding due to circumstances beyond the control of the Vermont Principals' Association, such tournament dates and sites may be subject to change and/or tournament games may be in conflict if a school has more than one team participating in post-season play.
Application for admission to a tournament is made with the understanding that if selected for a tournament, the team will participate in said tournament under the conditions as stated above.
The National Federation of State High School Associations and the Vermont Principals' Association promulgate voluntary rules of competition for athletic and non athletic activities. These rules are drafted by committees consisting of school administrators, coaches and officials. The National Federation directs each of its rules committees to adopt rules that promote and preserve the sound tradition of its sport. There is an inherent risk of major or minor injury from participation in interscholastic athletics. Therefore, the National Federation and the Vermont Principals' Association makes no representation concerning the degree of safety or suitability of the rules for any particular contest, participant or facility. All parties conducting and participating in events within these rules must assess safety issues with respect to each contest, athletic, and facility and conduct their programs accordingly.