This is a rule in Kansas too. Our coaches tell us the first day of practice and everyone knows about it.
People at my school got really upset when they couldn’t participate in the 9/11 stair climb because it classifies as a race even though it is still a fundraiser. Rules are rules.
Why does this rule exist?
Wisconsin has this rule as well. Although, to my knowledge, Georgia did not when I ran (or I broke it, if they did!).
I believe the rationale is this:
1. The State HS Sports Association wants kids to focus on their school teams (yes, to the exclusion of club teams).
2. The State HS Sports Association also wants kids to not overdo it, and get burnt out, by doing all the things.
To be fair, I think in many states adding in additional races during an XC or Track season may genuinely be too much. I mean, my kids run every week, if not twice a week, in races during the season.
Still, it can be frustrating, because it ALSO encompasses (at least in WI) the permitted training period. In some cases this excludes quality races during the pre-race training period.
Even so, WI at least permits 2 non-school competitions per season, and permits out of season racing. The 2 in-season, non-school competitions have to be signed off on by the school BEFOREHAND, and sometimes coaches and ADs can be jerks about it from what I hear. I suspect other states may have some of these exceptions. (Plus, there is an exception for national-team related races or tournaments.)
I raged against this for a bit regarding my kids with running, but all-in-all I think my kids wouldn't want to do more for the most part. So it's not a huge deal—just a nuisance for some specific events.
For other sports—like Soccer or Tennis or Basketball or Swimming—I can see how this is a bigger issue. And, to be fair, I think some of those sports here in WI pale in comparison to the competition levels I saw back in Georgia (which, last time I was aware, did NOT have these kinds of rules). That's because if you're really elite, you're probably on an elite club team or you have your own elite coach.
Then again, the club running scene for track and XC at the youth level is anemic here in WI, whereas in Georgia it was red hot when I lived there. So, these rules may also have knock-on effects of suppressing youth sports development by elbowing out club opportunities.
I saw the article and immediately knew what happened, and I feel for the kid. It is a bit asinine, even if I can see the logic somewhat.
Even so, I do feel like some of these state associations get way too damn paternalistic. That was always the BS reason behind the no-jewelry and no-watches rules of old (thankfully finally done away with), and the reason there are no face-painting rules in many state associations (because that face paint gives you that competitive advantage!).
It seems like there are many, many nonsense rules that are more about controlling kids than anything else.
(Also, pretty sure it was Illinois who DQed an XC runner at states after he won, or podiumed, or something for yelling in joy "F**K YEAH!" at the end of it. Guess it could be worse, like when a NJ, I think, wrestling official forced a black or multiracial wrestler destroying a field because he had dreds to either cut his hair or get DQed.)
samcallan wrote:Didn't one of the Torres' who eventually went to Colorado get nailed for violating this rule? It would have been late 90s/early 2000s.
If my memory is right, Jorge got dinged for a similar rule about working out with their club track team. They gave most the credit to their club coach and get miffed at it. He decided to quit track midway their senior year over it. But I don't think it was actually about doing a non-HS race.
This rule exists across all sports in IHSA and the policy is applied uniformly across all of those sports, 'in that given sport or in any competition that involves the skill of the sport in question'. This rule is communicated to all teams by their coaches, and is readily documented, and there are mechanisms for exemptions... if you ask first rather than violate the rule and then beg for forgiveness.
Folks are focusing only on this special needs child and his charity 5K. This rule also applies to an extremely affluent soccer squad that could enter into travel soccer tournaments in other states to get more experience against high level competition.
The rationale for the rule includes: 1. Fair Competition: By restricting outside competition, it helps ensure that all athletes on the team have equal opportunities to develop their skills and compete for playing time.
2. Injury Prevention: Excessive competition can increase the risk of injuries, which could negatively impact the athlete's performance and participation in school sports. Many kids don't know when they're overdoing it. Over-training is already enough of a problem, this opens up over-competing.
3. Focus on Academics: High school athletics are meant to complement the educational experience. Limiting outside commitments can help athletes prioritize their studies and maintain a healthy balance between academics and sports.
4. Team Unity: Participating in school-sanctioned events promotes team cohesion and a sense of belonging.
School coaches provide guidance, training, and support to athletes. Limiting outside competition helps ensure that athletes are receiving proper instruction and supervision.
In the specific case of running, pure-track runs are considered separate than XC, and as such one could run the other flavor of event 'in season'. This opens up road events during the track season for example. I'm not sure I agree, given the 'skill' in question has about 99% overlap, but this does provide additional flexibility.
So can a soccer player not play on a club team as well?
What about a basketball player playing in a pickup game? Where dothey draw the line?
This rule exists across all sports in IHSA and the policy is applied uniformly across all of those sports, 'in that given sport or in any competition that involves the skill of the sport in question'. This rule is communicated to all teams by their coaches, and is readily documented, and there are mechanisms for exemptions... if you ask first rather than violate the rule and then beg for forgiveness.
Folks are focusing only on this special needs child and his charity 5K. This rule also applies to an extremely affluent soccer squad that could enter into travel soccer tournaments in other states to get more experience against high level competition.
The rationale for the rule includes: 1. Fair Competition: By restricting outside competition, it helps ensure that all athletes on the team have equal opportunities to develop their skills and compete for playing time.
2. Injury Prevention: Excessive competition can increase the risk of injuries, which could negatively impact the athlete's performance and participation in school sports. Many kids don't know when they're overdoing it. Over-training is already enough of a problem, this opens up over-competing.
3. Focus on Academics: High school athletics are meant to complement the educational experience. Limiting outside commitments can help athletes prioritize their studies and maintain a healthy balance between academics and sports.
4. Team Unity: Participating in school-sanctioned events promotes team cohesion and a sense of belonging.
School coaches provide guidance, training, and support to athletes. Limiting outside competition helps ensure that athletes are receiving proper instruction and supervision.
In the specific case of running, pure-track runs are considered separate than XC, and as such one could run the other flavor of event 'in season'. This opens up road events during the track season for example. I'm not sure I agree, given the 'skill' in question has about 99% overlap, but this does provide additional flexibility.
So can a soccer player not play on a club team as well?
What about a basketball player playing in a pickup game? Where dothey draw the line?
The line is organized competition. Pickup games are not an organized competition. Leagues, tournaments, etc would not be allowed. In running, going for a run with a sunday running group is not a competition. That would be OK. Running a weekend road race is a competition and would not be allowed.
Most states would not allow same sport / same season. So you could not play in a basketball tournament during basketball season or a soccer tournament during soccer season. But you are welcome to do it for the rest of the year.
HS soccer is generally parasitic of select. the team selection is generally grab all the select kids and favor the ones with reputations. the coaches are often second rate or novices to the sport who can't teach anything to select kids. the practices tend to be a lot of scrimmage and shooting drills and running. there is next to no skill work and you don't tend to get any better during the season. some kids play just HS ball but are exceptional and usually not the better players, as they lack strategic understanding, game fitness, good coaching. hence some select teams ban HS play. you can get recruited just off select play -- that's where most of my contacts came to watch me play. which i encouraged. better soccer with a better team that made me look better.
TF/XC is usually the opposite. most kids their primary introduction to the sport is their school's junior high or HS team. decent chunk of the coaches do have a clue. school is where most kids are learning the tools of the trade. a few kids do club or the postseason events, but it's inconsistent, and you can be quite good and D1 recruited without doing the extra meets. and some of these big invitationals, they are building off of, or deciding who participates, based on HS times and finishes.
so to me the polarities are reversed. this is not europe for running. most of the tracks are at schools. most of the training is through schools. and outside of the elite events, most of the times we wave around are school times. nobody i knew was running road races during the season. most kids would be protecting school eligibility at all costs.
and policies surrounding the sport would probably be protecting the golden goose. eg if you want to advance to state, do at least some HS meets. not sure why XC/TF would be protecting the elite meets that IMO are parasitic off the schools. what is usually done instead -- is you can do that when the season is over. call it a second postseason.
i think it's they own the machine that produces the athletes and don't want to share. and i think they don't want to get into all the monitoring and eligibility difficulties that you wander into if students can go race elite event x during season. did he get paid? did he race for 2 teams in a season? did he get travel covered? etc.
the kids' parents want the state to parse. i don't think the state wants to have to break down every time a kid does this for every little factoid, and weigh out its unfairness. i think they want a simple rule that may be harshly but consistently enforced.
i think only so many of these kids running elite events are coached outside of school, and i think most doing fun runs aren't. i don't think that's the issue.
It's disheartening to hear about the situation with the high school runner from Illinois. While rules are in place to ensure fair competition, this case highlights the need for flexibility, especially when it comes to exceptional circumstances like supporting a loved one in need. The fact that the runner is autistic and uses running as an outlet adds another layer of complexity; it’s crucial to consider how such a ban could affect his mental and emotional well-being.