Athletics

It has come to the attention of the GHSA that some schools are unaware of the need to formulate a policy regulating practice schedules in times of high heat and/or humidity. At the meeting of the GHSA Executive Committee held on August 28, 2006, By-law 2.67 was voted into existence. This by-law mandates the establishment of a policy that would modify athletic practice schedules in times of high heat and humidity, and this policy is to be in effect beginning August 1, 2007.

This piece of legislation was publicized in the following ways: a) included in the minutes of the August 28th meeting b) placed in its appropriate place in the GHSA Constitution and By-laws on the GHSA website, c) featured in the monthly newsletter of the GHSA on two occasions d) mentioned at meetings of the Georgia Athletic Directors’ Association and the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals e) mentioned at all spring 2007 and fall 2007 rules clinics for coaches and officials

The by-law reads as follows: “By March 1, 2007, each member school shall develop a written policy for conducting athletic practices in all sports during times of extremely high heat and/or humidity that will be signed by the head coach and distributed to all players each year. The policy shall include, but is not limited to: a) the time of day the practices are scheduled at various heat index levels b) the ratio of workout time to time allotted for rest and hydration at various heat index levels c) the heat index level that will result in outdoor practices to be terminated Additionally, a scientifically-approved instrument that measures the heat index must be utilized at each practice to insure that the written policy is being followed properly.”

A copy of the policy shall be maintained at each school, and shall be available to the GHSA upon request.

This policy applies only to outdoor practice sessions. Games/Competitions are not elements of the policy. The nature of softball, cross country, and football contests allows for breaks in the competition; therefore the policy will not apply to any regular season or post season games.

Last year, at the request of a group of GHSA coaches, the GHSA Executive Committee approved implementing a “dead week” beginning in the summer of 2007. Each year the “dead week” will run from the Sunday through the Saturday in which the Fourth of July falls.

During the “dead week” no school teams may conduct conditioning drills, practices, or be involved in competitions on or off the school’s campus. This means that weight training, running drills, passing league games in football, school-based summer league games in baseball, team camps in a variety of sports may not occur during this week. Violations of this rule will be handled similarly to out-of-season practices.

Non-school programs organized by such groups as AAU, JO, ASA, etc., are not covered by this rule.