ARTICLE 19

FOOTBALL

1900. AGE REQUIREMENT

A student under 15 years of age may not participate in an interscholastic contest or scrimmage against the varsity team of another school unless the following criteria have been met for a student aged 14 years or older. Fourteen (14) year old student athletes may be allowed to compete at the varsity level by the principal provided the following conditions have been met:

A. Participant must be at least 14 years of age;

B.  A letter of file from a licensed medical doctor that the student is able to compete at the varsity level.

C. Signed consent form from the parents allowing participation at the varsity level.

D. A statement from the coach that the student athlete has the physical and mental maturity to compete at the varsity level.

E. A statement of compliance by the principal must be forwarded to the respective section office verifying that all required documentation has been completed and is on file in the appropriate school office.

(Revised May 2004 Federated Council).

1901. NUMBER OF PRACTICE DAYS; NO SUNDAY PRACTICE

There shall be no football games until the squad has had 14 days of practice before the first game. Each individual student on the team must have had at least 10 days of practice before being allowed to compete in a game. (The opening date of football practice may be determined by each section). No Sunday practice is permitted.

1902. SCRIMMAGE LIMITATIONS

No individual student shall participate in an interscholastic scrimmage before his/her tenth day of practice for that particular school. Scrimmage is defined as practice where the teams alternate in carrying the ball, downs are not counted, no score is kept, and the coaches are on the field directing play.

1903. PHYSICAL CONDITIONING PRACTICE

A high school shall not conduct a physical conditioning practice session during the summer prior to the opening date of authorized football practice, unless so authorized by the appropriate CIF Section.

1904. SPRING FOOTBALL PRACTICE/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Eighth and ninth grade students from an elementary or junior high school may not take part in the spring football practice at the high school (see Bylaw 303 for multi-campus exception). A high school coach may not conduct a football practice session at a separate junior high school.

1905. NUMBER OF GAMES LIMITATION

A high school football team of whatsoever classification or name shall not play more than two games in any eight-day period. A continued game under National Federation football rules shall not be considered in this limitation.

1906. TIE-BREAKER SYSTEM

A.            Each Section is authorized to establish a tie-breaker system for regular season football games and Section playoff football games.

B.            The 10-yard tie breaking procedure as specified in the National Federation Football Rules Book will be utilized to determine a champion in the CIF State Football Championship Bowl Games.

1907. OFFICIAL NATIONAL FEDERATION AUTHENTICATION MARK

Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, only balls with the National Federation authentication mark shall be used in the sports of baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, volleyball and water polo (Approved February 1999 Federated Council, revised to include lacrosse November 2000 Federated Council).

1908.       STATE CHAMPIONSHIP ADOPTED

The CIF State Football Championship Bowl Games will begin December 2006. (Approved Federated Council May 2005)