AAC Handbook

Section IV - General Information

Discipline

The concept of the MAIS is that member schools will make every effort to conduct all of their athletic contests on the basis of good sportsmanship, fair play, and ethical conduct. It is the duty of every school board member, administrator, faculty member and coach to uphold and promote this concept.

The administrator, or his/her designated representative at each athletic contest, is responsible for the conduct and control of players, students and fans of their school. The administrator of the host school has the overall responsibility for crowd control and behavior (availability of police, general rules and arrangements, etc.); however, this, in no way, relieves the representative of each school of the responsibility for the direct control of their players, students and fans.

All unsportsmanlike incidents must be reported to the MAIS Office within a 72-hour period by all parties involved (both schools and officials). The minimum penalty for failing to report unsportsmanlike incidents is $100. This penalty may be modified by the Affairs Committee should circumstances warrant.

Regardless of the best intentions and plans, it is understood that, at times, there may be a breakdown in discipline and an incident may occur. In this event, the following rules and procedures apply: All major incidents on the field of play and those involving officials must be reported to the Commission for action. This report is to be made online through the MAIS website using the incident report form.

The Director of Athletic Events and/or the Affairs Committee Chairman, will make, or cause to be made, any investigations deemed necessary.
1. Penalties: Penalties will include, but will not be limited to, warnings, probation, probation with additional penalty, and suspension depending on the circumstances involved in the case. All of these infractions carry a fine payable to the MAIS within 30 days of notification. Failure to pay shall result in suspension. The various levels of discipline include, but are not limited to, the following:
  1. Warning: A letter to a school or individual calling attention to a violation of the rules or minor misconduct and requesting that it not recur. In addition, a fine in the amount of $100.00 will be administered.
  2. Probation: This puts the school on notice that a second offense during the period of probation could result in suspension and/or additional action. Probation will carry a minimum fine of $300.00 and may result in a school not being eligible for the championship, or could result in suspension from all activities and/or activities programs.
  3. Suspension: A school will not be allowed to participate in the MAIS athletic and/or activities programs for a specified period of time. Suspension will carry a minimum of $500.00 fine payable upon resumption of participation. During the period of suspension, athletes from said school would be ineligible at any other MAIS member school unless they made a bona fide move. In the event that a school on suspension withdraws from the MAIS, athletes from the suspended school would immediately become eligible to transfer to a MAIS school. Said transfers would be treated as non-member school transfers.
2. Appeal Hearings
  
  The AAC will not be bound by common law, or statutory rules of evidence, or by technical or formal rules of procedure. The president of the AAC, or his/her designee, will preside at appeals hearings. The Director of Athletic Events has the authority to appoint any MAIS office personnel (or any other individuals deemed necessary should special circumstances arise) to assist with any committee meeting.
  1. A written request from the headmaster for an appeal shall be presented for placement on the agenda no later than 48 hours preceding the regular AAC meeting. Email requests are excepted.
  2. The written request should include the sanction(s) that are being appealed, and the relief requested.
  3. There shall be a thirty (30) minute time limit for the appeal.
  4. There shall be no financial obligation for any appeal conducted during a regular scheduled meeting. The expenses of any special called meeting shall be the responsibility of the school(s) making the appeal. The party making the appeal will pay the expense fee to the MAIS Office prior to the meeting being held. It is noted that any special called meeting of the AAC must be called by the president of the AAC with the approval of the majority of the AAC. Only administrators, athletic directors, board members and/or coaches are allowed to participate in appeal hearings. Parents of children involved in an issue will not be allowed to come before the committee. They can, however, submit in writing any information that they would like for the committee to consider.
C. Presentation of Awards

The presentation of class awards in football, overall awards for basketball, overall awards for swimming, overall awards for soccer, overall awards for volleyball, and class awards for track will be the responsibility of the Director of Athletic Events, or his/her appointee. All other presentations shall be managed by the tournament/meet directors.

D. Athletic Passes
1. Credit-Card Type Passes
  
  The head of school of each school will be issued a special "credit card" type pass that will serve as an all access pass. This pass will allow the head of school, plus one, to gain access to ANY MAIS athletic event. Each school will also receive an all-access pass to be used by a designated game administrator for those games when the head of school is unable to travel with a team.
2. Regular Athletic Passes
  
  At the beginning of each alignment cycle, each school will be given a specified number of passes according to its athletic classification ("All Other Sports" alignment).
  
       Class 1A schools will receive 13 passes
  
       Class 2A & 3A schools will receive 19 passes
  
       Class 4A schools will receive 25 passes
  
  The regular athletic passes shall have a unique number on them. These passes can be given to any ADULT that the administration sees fit.
  
  Regular athletic passes are intended to be used by the school for two years, as no new passes will be sent out during the second year of the alignment cycle.
  
  No additional regular athletic passes may be purchased.
3. Sign-In Sheets
  
  Each school will have access to the regular pass identification numbers issued to a member school. This access will come via the MAIS website. The info posted will be in a format that can be used as a "sign in" sheet. MAIS regular athletic passes (the numbered passes) must be honored by member schools at all regular season events and district tournaments.
  
  They will NOT be honored for any events held after the regular season, district basketball, district fast-pitch and/or district baseball tournaments have concluded. Events where they are NOT to be honored would include:
  1. any regional / class / overall tournaments, meets or matches
  2. any playoff games, meets or matches leading to a championship
  3. any all-star or futures games
4. MAISCA Membership Cards
  
  The membership card of the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools Coaches' Association (MAISCA) will be treated the same as the administrator / game administrator cards. This "credit card" type pass entitles MAISCA members, plus one, to gain access to ANY MAIS athletic event. The cost of MAISCA membership cards will be $60 each and should be purchased by the school for their coaches during the summer preceding the upcoming school year. The order form for purchasing MAISCA membership cards is found in the Members section of the MAIS website.

Section V - Eligibility Rules

Member schools should make available a copy of MAIS eligibility rules to any transfer student upon his or her entering school. The following eligibility rules apply only to students who participate in activities on an inter-school competitive basis.

The purpose of all of the following rules is to promote and encourage well-regulated, ethical, and sportsmanlike conduct in inter-school competition. It is realized that it is impossible to cover every possible contingency; therefore, the Academy Activities Commission Affairs Committee and/or the Eligibility Committee is empowered to review and consider any act or practice by a member school or one of its families in this regard, even though this act or practice is not specifically covered in these regulations.

In order to be eligible to participate in all inter-school activities regulated in this handbook, a student is subject to the eligibility requirements that follow, along with any other regulations that have been communicated to member schools through electronic means, unless an exemption has been granted by the Eligibility Committee or the Director of Athletic Events.

Definition Of Terms
1. Bona Fide Move
  
  Eligibility to participate in MAIS athletic competition is a privilege granted to certain qualified students. To protect the integrity of interscholastic athletics, MAIS prohibits for a period of twelve (12) months all students in grades 9-12 who transfer from one member school to another member school from participating in any interscholastic athletic competition.
  
  An exception may be granted if all the following conditions are true:
  1. All principal members of the family (see definition below) have moved to a new place of residence that is closer driving distance wise to the new member school than to the previous member school.
    
    For purposes of verification, the shortest available driving route from the new residence to the old school and from the new residence to the new school will be used.
    
    Principal Members of the Family - The principal members of the family referred to in Section IV-A-1-a include the parents (or guardians), the student seeking eligibility, and all other minor children in the custody of the parents (or guardians) that have not graduated from high school (or the equivalent).
  2. All household furniture and personal effects must be removed from the previous residence.
  3. The previous residence must be closed, rented, or disposed of, and not used by any members of the family. Family usage will be determined by the Eligibility Committee and/or the Director, and would include members of the family other than those defined as principal members in Section IV-A-1-a. A few examples of additional included family members are a child in college, a married child, a brother / sister, a grandparent, etc. ANY continued usage of the residence or any adjoining property by any members of the family must be approved by the Director of Athletic Events or the Eligibility Committee before the usage occurs.
  Any family making a bona fide move must meet the conditions stated above for a period of one year (12 months). If during this 12-month period, the family fails to meet one of the above criteria, the bona fide move status will be lost, and the student(s) enrolled and participating in athletics will become ineligible for one (1) year from the date of non-compliance. However, if the student(s) did not participate in athletics at the new school, the period of ineligibility would be twelve (12) months from the date of the student's enrollment at the new school.
  
  The Director of Athletic Events or the Eligibility Committee may consider a hardship application from the school to which a student who is ineligible for interscholastic athletic competition and does not qualify for the standard exception. The Committee's willingness to consider a hardship application is not a guarantee that eligibility will be granted. The Committee may consider evidence presented by the school as to why the student's failure to prove he or she falls under the exception policy should, nevertheless, be granted an exemption. In weighing its decision, the Committee may also consider evidence contrary to the school's evidence. In no wise is the Committee bound by the Rules of Civil Procedure or evidentiary rules in state prosecutions during its deliberations.
2. Correspondence and Online Courses
  
  Correspondence and/or online courses taken to meet eligibility requirements must be taken through an accredited institution, and must be acceptable toward graduation in the member school.
3. District
  
  Each class shall be divided into districts consisting of schools in the same class. Exception: The AAC has the authority to combine schools of different classes into a district and/or division for a sport when, in their opinion, there are not enough teams in that sport to justify competing for a championship otherwise.
4. Financial Consideration
  
  A financial consideration is any contribution, donation, or assistance (monetary or job) given to a student to increase his personal income or to defray his educational expenses, by a school, or school official, or school related organization. Any student-athlete who is receiving financial consideration from a school must be so noted on the athletic eligibility form.
5. Guardian
  
  The adult person or persons who have the responsibility of caring for a minor. In reference to athletic eligibility, this term denotes legal responsibility in practically all instances. If either parent is still living, he/she will be considered as having responsibility for his/her child. Only as the result of a judge ordered decree will a guardian be allowed to be used to establish eligibility if either of the child's parents is still living. Any exceptions must be approved by the Director of Athletic Events or the Eligibility Committee.
6. Hardship Case
  
  Any case where extenuating circumstances concerning the eligibility of a student warrants a review by the AAC or the Eligibility Committee.
7. Major Sports
  
  Football, basketball, fast-pitch softball, and baseball are recognized as the major sports.
8. Junior High Athletics
  
  Any contest that is restricted to players in the 9th grade and below. The use of sixth-graders is allowed in archery, basketball, cross-country, fast-pitch softball, golf, swimming, soccer, tennis, track, and volleyball. No student below the sixth grade may participate at the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.
  
  Sixth graders are allowed to participate in 6th-7th grade football games. They cannot, however, compete in a football game which includes players above the 7th grade level. The same is true for baseball. Sixth graders are NOT allowed to compete in a baseball game that involves students above the 7th grade. Sixth graders can play soccer, but cannot compete against any soccer player above the 9th grade.
  
  Seventh graders are not allowed to compete in a football game which includes players above the 9th grade level.
9. Major Subject
  
  A major subject is one that meets at least five class periods per week (or the equivalent of minimum accrediting standards), is tested by a teacher, and carries at least one full unit of credit for the session, or at least 1/2 unit credit for the semester. Physical education, debating, oratory, newspaper staff, yearbook staff, driver education, 4-H Club, and other such activities shall NOT be considered as major subjects. Any questions as to whether a course qualifies as a major subject should be directed to the Director of Athletic Events.
10. Residence
  
  For the purposes of addressing eligibility issues, the term residence refers to the permanent housing occupied by an athlete's parent or parents.
11. Varsity Athletics
  
  Any contest in which a 10th, 11th, or 12th grade student is eligible to participate shall be termed varsity athletics.
12. Gender
  
  For the purposes of interpreting AAC rules, an athlete's gender is determined by the primary sex characteristics observed at birth.
13. Special Promotion
  
  The practice of advancing a student below the ninth (9th) grade to the next grade even though he/she may not have passed all of their courses the previous school year is referred to as "special promotion." It can also be referred to as "social promotion."
14. Staff
  
  As it relates to member school employees, the term staff refers to the individuals who have assigned responsibilities in one of the following areas: administration, faculty, coaching staff. For the purposes of establishing eligibility, this does not include non-professional positions such as secretaries, bookkeepers, custodians, bus drivers, public relations, food service personnel, etc.
15. Instructional Day
  
  The instructional day is a term used to refer to the time frame that a school provides classroom instruction (example: 7 period day). As it relates to newly hired staff members of a school and establishing eligibility for their children without making a bona fide move, the phrase 'majority of the instructional day' refers, for example, to a staff member having assigned duties for a minimum of 4 periods of a 6 period day, a minimum of 4 periods of a 7 period day, or a minimum of 5 periods of an 8 period day. After-school athletic practices are not considered part of the instructional day, and overseeing these practices does not satisfy the aforementioned duty requirement.
16. Head of School
  
  The person that has been hired by the board of directors at a MAIS member school to oversee the day-to-day operations of the school. This is the person that the MAIS Office will routinely communicate with concerning MAIS policies and procedures.
Must Be A Bona-Fide Student (see definition in Section IV)

A student shall be enrolled in school and taking at least four (4) major academic subjects, and a member in good standing according to the school's and/or conference's regulations. If a participant represents a school in an inter-school competitive event before the start of that school's opening session, he or she must enroll in that member school at the opening of that school's session in the same year. If a participant who has represented a school in a competitive event before the opening of that school's session fails to enroll in that school at the start of that school's session, MAIS transfer rules will apply to said participant, and the school will be subject to disciplinary action by the Affairs Committee. It is noted that should a rising 9-12th grader who has not established a home member school participate in an athletic contest before the school year has begun, doing so establishes the student's home school just as if the student attended the first day of class.

Should a student-athlete be a new transfer student from a member school, a copy of the cumulative record / insert / transcript must be complete and on file. If the former school is withholding any part of the cumulative folder for reasons of indebtedness incurred at the previous school, said student shall be ineligible until his/her financial obligation is met at the former school. The administrator of the receiving school should verify with the previous administrator that the family has satisfied all of their financial obligations.

No student may practice at any member school unless he/she has registered at said school. Registering for school is deemed to include those requirements any new student must complete to secure a place in that school. These activities generally include such things as meeting with the school administrator, paying a registration fee, signing an educational contract, etc.

Date Of Birth

A student athlete shall not have reached his/her 19th birthday before August 1 in the school year in which he/she wishes to participate. For the 2025-26 school year, this means anyone born before August 1, 2006, would be ineligible.

Student Must Be A Non-Graduate

A student athlete shall not be a graduate of a high school (foreign or domestic).

Four Consecutive Years of Participation

Upon entering the 9th grade, a student will have four (4) consecutive years of eligibility in inter-school contests. Whether the student chooses to play or not play during this time frame is not relevant, and does not alter this 4-year window.

First and Second Semester Eligibility

1. First Semester Eligibility

To be academically eligible for the first semester of a school year, a student must have accumulated four (4) major units (credits) the previous academic year. The previous academic year is interpreted to be a complete year or any part of a school year in which a student is enrolled at either a member school, non-member school or home school.

2. Students Eligible At Beginning of School Year

Any student athlete academically eligible at the beginning of a new school year, shall be academically eligible for the entire school year.

3. Gaining Second Semester Eligibility

A student-athlete who is academically ineligible the first semester can become academically eligible the second semester if he/she passes four (4) major subjects during the first semester of that same academic year.

Summer School / Correspondence Courses / Online Courses

Courses taken in summer school shall be considered as an extension of a school year, and credits earned this way may be used in determining scholastic eligibility of students.

Accredited correspondence and/or online courses started in the spring or summer may be accepted for establishing athletic eligibility for the first semester of the next school year. Eligibility would begin upon written verification from the accredited institution that the course(s) needed had been successfully completed, and credit awarded. The last date that a correspondence and/or online course could be started, and still be used for first semester eligibility, is the day before the first day of school for a new school year.

Financial Consideration

No student may be eligible to participate in inter-school athletics if he has been shown financial consideration by a school, or any of its associated organizations, on the basis of his value to the activity program of the school. A student shown financial consideration of any kind shall be so noted on the eligibility lists that are submitted to the Director of Athletic Events. If the ownership of stock is a requirement for entrance to a school, the gift of such stock to a student who enters into school on someone else's share of stock is considered to be receiving financial aid, and must be so noted.

An acceptable school supported financial aid plan should:
1. Be in writing and on file in the school office
2. Be approved by the school board
3. Be controlled and supervised by the school board
4. Contain details of the qualifying criteria for aid
5. Include all students in the grade structure of the school
6. Demonstrate through documentation, the application and approval process
7. Comply with MAIS athletic eligibility reporting, i.e., mark "yes" on online Eligibility Form for students receiving financial aid
8. Show evidence of including non-athletes
Signs of Misguided and Faulty Financial Aid
1. A pattern of transfers into an athletic program receiving financial aid, especially at the senior high level
2. Shear numbers of athletes receiving financial aid
3. Involvement of Boosters' Clubs with financial aid
4. Discovery of transfers receiving aid, but not listed on the MAIS Eligibility Report
5. Aid to athletes coming from one source, or benefactor, over an extended period of time
6. No evidence of inclusion of non-athletes
7. Consistent reports from other member schools that a problem exists with the competitions financial aid as it relates to recruiting.

Physical Examinations

Before participating in athletics, a student must present a physician's certification stating that he or she is physically fit for competition. A statement is included on the Athletic Compliance Form that is submitted to the MAIS Office certifying that physical examination certificates are on file with the school. This statement must be signed by the school administrator.

Player Ejections

Schools will be responsible for disciplining an athlete after his/her first ejection. Any player that is ejected for the second time during a school year will not be allowed to participate in athletics for two (2) weeks.

Example: An athlete receiving his second ejection on a Monday, would not be allowed to play until the Tuesday two weeks later.

Any player ejected for the third time during a school year will be banned from participating in athletics for the remainder of that school year.

It is the responsibility of both schools involved in a contest, and that of the officials, to report player ejections via the incident report form on the MAIS website.

It is noted that the Affairs Committee has the authority to administer additional sanctions to any player at any time regardless of the number of ejections if the committee determines that the nature of the conduct of the athlete has reached a level that the committee feels must be addressed.

Amateur Standing

A student must be an amateur in order to represent his school in athletic competition. For a student-athlete to lose his amateur standing, he must commit one of the following acts:
1. Enter competition for a money guarantee.
2. Enter competition for a share of gate receipts.
3. Accept a purse of money.
4. Accept payment of excessive expense allowances. It shall be permissible for an eligible athlete to accept only actual and necessary expenses on athletic trips.
5. Sign a contract to play professional athletics for a money consideration or play on a professional team and receive any form of financial assistance from a professional sports program.
6. Compete under a false name.
A student may:
1. Participate as an amateur on any team providing he / she does not receive any pay for participation.
2. Accept meals, travel or lodging expenses.
3. Give swimming and lifesaving instruction and receive pay for the service.
4. Officiate or serve as an instructor in recreational sports and/or a team camp, and receive reasonable financial remuneration for these services.
5. Serve as a lifeguard at swimming pools and receive reasonable pay.
6. Accept the usual athletic jackets, letters, medals, ribbons and trophies from the school and the AAC as well as trophies given by outside parties with the approval of the school.

Residence and Transfer
1. Students Who Have Completed A Season - A student shall not have completed a season in any sport, and then transfer to a member school and represent that school in the same sport during the same school year.
2. Expelled Students - If a student is expelled from a member school, or non-member school, he/she will not be eligible to participate at another member school for a period of one year. Students are considered to be expelled if:
  1. documentation of such is provided on any record or document associated with the student (permanent record, insert sheet, disciplinary report, communications from an administrator, etc.)
  2. the student cannot return to his/her previous school due to the student's behavioral actions
  3. the student commits an act that initiates a disciplinary hearing where formal expulsion could occur, and the student withdraws without attending the hearing
  A case may be appealed to the Eligibility Committee by a member school providing the school feels it warrants further consideration as a result of unusual circumstances.
3. Transfers From Non-Member Schools
  1. Student-Athletes Must Be Enrolled - A student transferring from a non-member school to a member school will be eligible when he/she enrolls provided all other eligibility requirements are met.
  2. One School Year "Sit Out" Period - A student who transfers from a member school to a non-member school, and then to another member school, will not be eligible to participate in inter-school activities until one year has lapsed from the time he/she left the first member school.
  3. One Week "Sit Out" Period - There is a one (1) calendar week waiting period before any transfer can participate in inter-school competition. This waiting period only applies to students who transfer in after the first day of school. The waiting period begins on the first day that the transfer student attends a class at his/her new school.
    
    Example 1: A student transfers to School A (registers and attends classes) on Tuesday of the second week of October. Said student meets all eligibility requirements. The student will be eligible to compete in inter-school activities on the following Tuesday. It is permissible, however, for the transfer student to practice with the team during the one-week waiting period.
    
    Example 2: A student transfers to School A (registers and attends classes) on Monday of the second week of December. Said student meets all eligibility requirements. The student will be eligible to compete in inter-school activities on the following Monday. The transfer student would NOT be eligible to play in a basketball game on the Saturday following his/her first day of school.
    
    Example 3: A student transfers to School A (registers) during the first Monday of the Christmas break. Said student meets all eligibility requirements. The student will be eligible on the following Monday. In this scenario, the fact that the student has not attended any classes would not prohibit the athlete from playing after the one-week waiting period. Should the athlete play, however, and fail to attend class when the second semester begins, all games the transfer student participated in would be forfeited, and the Affairs Committee will determine if further sanctions are warranted.
4. Transfers From MAIS Member Schools
  1. One School-Year "Sit Out" Period - Any student-athlete who transfers from one member school to another member school shall be ineligible to participate for a period of one (1) year.
    
    Note: A student-athlete will be eligible the following year using the same month and same day of withdrawal from the previous member school. Example: John Smith withdraws from School A (previous member school) on October 3, 2025. He will next be eligible at School B (new member school) on October 3, 2026
    
    The Director of Athletic Events and/or Eligibility Committee must approve any hardship case.
  2. Eligibility Rulings - The Director of Athletic Events has full authority to rule on eligibility cases. Any needed investigations will be conducted by the Director of Athletic Events, the AAC, or their designee.
  3. Change of Residence - When a student's parents' legal residence is changed due to a bona fide move (see definition of "Bona Fide Move" in Section IV-A-1 of this handbook), and is verified by the head of school of the new school or his/her designee, the student may choose to attend that member school which is closer to his new residence, or he/she may continue to attend the school that the student has been attending prior to the change of residence. If the student continues to attend the school he/she has been attending, the student shall be eligible for the remainder of that school year. Then the student will make a final choice. If the student changes residence during the summer months when school is not in regular session, his/her choice is final. It is noted that if the result of a move puts the family closer to the school that the child is currently attending than it does to another member school, he/she must return to the current school to maintain athletic eligibility. When a change of residence results in making a student eligible, the parents/guardians must occupy the residence (or another residence that is closer driving distance wise to the new school than the previous school) for one year following the move in order to maintain "bona fide move" status . When there is any possibility of doubt about a move being bona fide, the head of school shall present the facts in writing to the Director of Athletic Events. The Director of Athletic Events will review the facts submitted, and may conduct an investigation if necessary.
  4. No Change of Residence - A student who transfers from one member school to another member school, and whose parents' residence has not changed, shall not be eligible for competition until the corresponding date one year later. Exception: The maximum time of ineligibility after one (1) change back to school A is one (1) year.
    
    Example: Student 1 leaves School A in December to go to School B - no change of residence involved. Ruling: Student 1 is ineligible for one year from the corresponding date (December); however, after two months (February) Student 1 desires to transfer back to School A - no change of residence. Ruling: Ineligible until corresponding transfer date to School B (December), as the maximum time of ineligibility after (1) change back to School A is one (1) year.
  5. Dropping Football, Basketball, Fast-Pitch or Baseball - A student transferring from one member school to another member school for the purpose of participating in a major sport that has been discontinued at his/her former school, shall be eligible to participate in all sports provided the student transfers in accordance with the required timeline. Only those players who are going out for the major sport at the time it is dropped will be allowed to transfer to another member school without having to sit out a year from the date of transfer. The school dropping the major sport shall provide the Director of Athletic Events a list of said players. The AAC has defined football, basketball, fast-pitch and baseball to be the four major sports. All financial obligations to the previous school must be satisfied.
  6. Children of Staff Members - Children of school staff members, who have assigned responsibilities at the school for the majority of the instructional day, and are under contract to the school, are eligible for athletic participation at the school where said parent teaches even though there is no change in residence. The same is true for the administrator. This excludes all non-professional positions such as secretaries, bookkeepers, custodians, bus drivers, public relations, food service personnel, etc. A student may continue to attend the school he or she has been attending prior to the parent changing positions, if such a change is during the regular school year. Said child or children would be eligible immediately (no one-week sitout) if the move is made at the same time the parent moves. If the child continues to attend the former school, said student shall be eligible for the remainder of that school year. Then the student will make his or her final choice.
  7. Establishing Eligibility At A Member School - The first member school that a student attends after reaching the 9th grade will be considered the student's home school, regardless of the distance that the school may be from the student's residence. It is noted that if a student participates in an athletic contest prior to the first day of school as a 9th-12th grader, this act also establishes the student's home school.
  8. Transfer From School That Loses MAIS Accreditation - Any student attending a member school that loses MAIS accreditation shall be allowed to transfer to another MAIS member school, and become eligible for participation in inter-school activities.
  9. Transfer Occurring During School Year - During the same school year, if a student athlete transfers from one member school to another member school with a legal change of residence, said student will not be eligible at his/her new school in the sport in which he/she was, or had been, participating at the former school.
    
    Exception: Should a student make a bona fide move of 60 miles or more, said student would be allowed to participate, assuming the student meets all other eligibility requirements.
  10. One-Week Waiting Period - There is a one (1) week waiting period before any transfer can participate in inter-school competition. This is interpreted to mean seven (7) calendar days, and applies to students who transfer after the first day of school. A student is considered to have transferred when he/she has registered and attended class.
    
    Example 1: A student transfers to School A on Tuesday of the second week of October. Said student meets all eligibility requirements. The student will be eligible to compete in inter-school activities on the following Tuesday. It is permissible, however, for the transfer student to practice with the team during the one-week waiting period.
    
    Example 2: A student transfers to School A on Monday of the second week of December. Said student meets all eligibility requirements. The student will be eligible to compete in inter-school activities on the following Monday. The transfer student would NOT be eligible to play in a basketball game on the Saturday following his/her first day of school.
    
    Example 3: A student transfers to School A during the first Monday of the Christmas break. Said student meets all eligibility requirements. The student will be eligible on the following Monday. In this scenario, the fact that the student had not attended any classes would not prohibit the athlete from playing after the one-week waiting period. Should the athlete play, however, and fail to attend class when the second semester begins, all games the transfer student participated in would be forfeited.
  11. All financial obligations to a previous member school must be satisfied before eligibility status will be granted at a new member school. The previous member school has the responsibility of notifying the new member school of such obligations when they send the student's records to the new school.
  12. Driver's Education / Summer School- A student's participation in a driver's education class or a summer school class at another member school than the student has been attending, does not establish or alter a student's eligibility status in any way. Example 1: If a student at School A wants to take a driver's education course at Member School B during the summer after completing the 9th grade, this would be allowed without penalty. The student's home school would still be School A when he/she started the 10th grade in the fall. Example 2: If a student at School A wants to take a driver's education course at Member School B during the summer after completing the 8th grade, this would be allowed without penalty. The student's home school will be the member school he/she attends when starting the 9th grade in the fall.

Illegal Recruiting of Student-Athletes, Member to Member Schools
1. Definition - Illegal athletic recruiting is defined as the use of influence and/or first contact by any MAIS member school constituent in a successful attempt to encourage, induce, pressure, urge, or entice a prospective student to transfer to a member school for the purpose of participating in any MAIS sanctioned sport. A successful attempt to illegally recruit is validated by enrollment.
2. Suspicion of Recruiting
  
  Out of professional courtesy, if there is a suspicion of recruiting by another member school, before validation of enrollment, the proper action to take is for the Head of School to directly contact the Head of the accused school to make them aware of the suspicion of recruiting.
3. Formal Reporting Process
  
  Before an official complaint is made to the MAIS office, the Head of School filing a complaint must contact, in writing, the Head of School from the accused school with a desire to resolve the issue. The Head of School at the accused school has 7 calendar days to respond. All correspondence must be copied to the MAIS office. If no response from the accused Head of School is received, the MAIS office will automatically open an investigation. An official complaint must then be sent to the MAIS office with the collected information to be presented to the Affairs Committee.
4. The MAIS office will allow the school accused of a violation to respond to the complaint before the Affairs Committee will hear the complaint.
  
  Any documentation requested by the MAIS office or the AAC pertinent to the complaint must be provided in a timely manner.
  
  Only information heard by the Affairs Committee pertaining to the initial complaint and the initial response will be heard in any subsequent appeals unless the MAIS Office or AAC request additional information from both parties. The official complaint must be submitted to the MAIS no later than 30 days after the validated enrollment date at the new school.
5. Sanctions
  
  A MAIS school found to be in violation of illegal athletic recruiting will be assessed penalties by the AAC Affairs Committee. The Affairs Committee has authority to levy sanctions as deemed appropriate using the levels as a framework.
  
  Level 1 - $1,000 - 5,000 fine/ 12 month recruiting violation watch I $500-$1000 fine of coach(s)/individuals involved/ Player ineligible for 1 year
  
  Level 2 - $5,000 - 7,500 fine/ 24 month recruiting violation watch I 1 year postseason ban for sport involved / 6-12 month suspension of coach(s)/individuals involved/ Player ineligible for 1 year.
  
  Level 3 - $7,500 - $10,000 fine/ 36 month recruiting violation watch I 1 year postseason ban in fall sports/ permanent ban of coaching MAIS sports for coach(s)/individuals involved/ Player ineligible for 1 year.
6. Recruiting Violation Watch is defined as a time period in which the MAIS has the authority to require documentation related to schools under sanction for illegal recruiting violations. If a violation occurs while under 'Violation Watch' the school is subject to further sanctions. The following documents should be accessible for review by the MAIS office :
  1. Student's birth certificate
  2. Copy of Student's current class schedule
  3. Copy of student's report card(s)
  4. Scorebook(s)
  5. Proof of Address
  6. Other records/information necessary to determine student's eligibility status

Last Date Transfers Can Join A Team

Athletes who transfer to a member school after the dates listed below, will not be allowed to compete in the indicated sport during the same school year. This is true regardless of whether the transfer is coming from a member school, a non-member school or a home school.

Exception: Should a student make a bona fide move of 60 miles or more driving distance wise after the dates indicated below, said student would be allowed to participate, assuming the student meets all other eligibility requirements. For purposes of verification, the shortest available driving route from the new residence to the previous residence will be used.

Sport Last Date of Transfer

Fast-Pitch 3 Wks After Last Friday In July
August 15, 2025

Girls' Soccer 3 Wks After Last Friday In July
August 15, 2025

Volleyball 3 Wks After Last Friday In July
August 15, 2025

Swimming 3 Wks After Last Friday In July
August 15, 2025

Football 3 Wks After Week #1 Game
September 19, 2025

Cheer / Dance 3 Wks After Week #1 Game
September 19, 2025

Cross Country 3 Wks After Last Friday In July
August 15, 2025

Basketball 3 Wks After Last Regular FB Game
November 21, 2025

Boys' Soccer 3 Wks After Last Regular FB Game
November 21, 2025

Baseball 3 Wks After 1st Playing Date
February 23, 2026

Track 3 Wks After 1st Meet Date
February 23, 2026

Tennis 3 Wks After 1st Playing Date
February 23, 2026

Golf 3 Wks After 1st Playing Date
February 23, 2026

Archery 3 Wks After 1st Playing Date
February 23, 2026

It is noted that a student is considered to have "transferred" when he / she has registered AND attended class.

Guardianship and/or Legal Custody
1. Legal Custody - If the parents are living and a legal guardian or legal custodian is appointed by the court, the student-athlete must live with the legal guardian or legal custodian twelve (12) months before he or she can become eligible if the student is transferring from a member school. Hardship cases will be heard by the Eligibility Committee.
2. Special Circumstances - In situations involving the loss of one or both parents by a student-athlete that result in a change of guardianship, a change of legal custody, or an adoption, such cases may be considered under the hardship rule by the Director of Athletic Events and/or the Eligibility Committee.
3. Joint Custody - In the case of joint custody, the student athlete will establish eligibility and be eligible with the parent that has primary custody (begins with the 9th grade year). Any changes of custody that are ordered by the courts will be honored.
4. Parent A to B Rule - Once a student athlete establishes eligibility, said student is allowed to move from Parent A to Parent B and be eligible at another member school. Neither the location of parent B's house, nor the member school Parent B wants to send his/her child to, will be factors in declaring eligibility in this situation. If at any point, the student chooses to move back to Parent A, the student will be eligible to participate in athletics at the previous school. The student would not, however, be allowed to move again without sitting out a year from the date of the last move. It is noted that students who are seeking eligibility under the parent A to B rule are allowed to go back and visit Parent A, but they are expected to live with Parent B at least 5 out of 7 days each week until 12 months have passed.
All financial obligations to the previous member school must be satisfied before eligibility status will be granted at the new member school. The previous member school has the responsibility of notifying the new member school of such obligations when they send the student's records to the new school.

Reporting Eligible Athletes

All eligibility lists will be submitted on-line through the MAIS website.

A $200.00 fine will be assessed to any member school whose eligibility lists are not submitted to the MAIS office prior to the prescribed time.

The deadline for submitting eligibility data is the Thursday before the first varsity football game.

Athletic Participation of Foreign Students
1. Foreign Students
  
  Any student that is not a citizen of the United States and whose parent(s) do not live in the United States is considered a foreign student, and as such, is ineligible to participate in sports unless one of the items in Section V-Q-2 is satisfied.
2. Becoming Eligible
  
  In order to be eligible to participate in MAIS athletic contests, a foreign student must be:
  1. a student that has entered this country through a foreign exchange program which has been approved by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). Approved programs can be found at the following website: www.csiet.org. A student approved through one of the CSIET programs will be allowed eligibility for one-year. Should the year of eligibility be used at a non-MAIS school, said student would be ineligible at a MAIS member school.
  2. a student who has come to this country with a F1 visa, and who is enrolled at a member school holding I-20 status with the federal government. Foreign students becoming eligible with a F1 visa through a school holding I-20 status will be eligible for as many years as they meet all other MAIS eligibility requirements.
3. Team Participation
  
  Member schools may have as many eligible foreign students participate in athletics as they want, with the following restriction: No school may have more than one (1) foreign student dress out for any given athletic contest.
4. Student Shall Not Be A Graduate
  
  A foreign student shall not be a graduate of a high school (foreign or domestic).

Use Of Ineligible Participants (Players and/or Coaches)

A player that participates in an athletic contest in violation of any of the rules found in the AAC Handbook is considered an ineligible player. Any member school that is found to be using an ineligible player in inter-school competition shall have all games won while the ineligible player was participating, forfeited to their opponents. The minimum sanctions for using an ineligible player are the member school shall be placed on probation for a period of 6 months, and the school will be fined $300. The school shall also be subject to any further disciplinary action deemed necessary by the Affairs Committee and/or the Eligibility Committee.
If a coach that has been ejected from an athletic contest does not leave the visual confines of the field / court, but continues to be in a position where he can coach his team, the game will be forfeited and the coach will receive additional sanctions from the Affairs Committee. The same is true for a coach that participates in a game that when he/she was required to sit out due to a previous ejection or sanction levied by the Affairs Committee.

Interpretation of Eligibility Rules
1. Any interpretation of the eligibility rules is subject to the Director of Athletic Events of the MAIS in coordination with the proper committee chairman, or by the AAC.
2. All requests for an appeal or ruling on eligibility must be submitted to the Director of Athletic Events by the administrator (regular mail, fax, or preferably email). Requests should be received a minimum of 48 hours before the case is to be heard.
3. All requests for interpretation of rules shall be submitted in writing, and signed by the administrator of the requesting school. All replies shall likewise be in writing. It is noted that email from the administrator making an official request will suffice.

Hardship

The Director of Athletic Events, AAC or the Eligibility Committee will hear hardship cases. The following criteria will NOT be considered as grounds for an appeal on a hardship case:
1. The eight-semester rule
2. Age
3. Distance and transportation
4. Curriculum
5. Financial Situation
The above criterion does not include hardships of an extreme or unusual nature.
Junior High Division
1. Eligibility - Age
  
  In order to participate in junior high athletics, a student shall not have reached their 16th birthday before August 1* of the school year in which they wish to participate. In 7th and 8th grade competition only, no participant shall have reached their 15th birthday before August 1** of the school year in which they wish to participate.
  
  * For the 2025-26 school year, this means anyone born before August 1, 2009, would be ineligible.
  
  **For the 2025-26 school year, this means anyone born before August 1, 2010, would be ineligible.
2. Eligibility - Participation
  1. Students Entering Seventh Grade - Students entering the 7th grade shall have three (3) consecutive years of eligibility in junior high. Whether a student chooses to play or not play during this time frame is not relevant, and does not alter this 3-year window.
    
    Any student who repeated the 7th or 8th grade would not be eligible as a 9th grader on the junior high level - only the varsity level (assuming all other requirements are met).
  2. Jr. High Status / Up-and-Down Rule - A student who plays a varsity sport before reaching the 9th grade does not lose any of his/her varsity eligibility. Upon entering the 9th grade, the athlete will still have four (4) consecutive years in which they are eligible to play sports assuming they meet all of the eligibility requirements.
    
    In an attempt to help schools that have insufficient varsity numbers in football, basketball and track, the AAC has adopted the following up-and-down rules. It is noted that no such rules exist for fast-pitch, cross-country, swimming, soccer, baseball, tennis, golf, archery or cheer-dance, as the AAC has not sanctioned a jr. high championship at the district level for these sports. Eligible athletes in the aforementioned sports where no jr. high championship has been sanctioned by the AAC, can legally play in A-games or B-games.
    
    Football Up-and-Down Rule: Eighth and ninth grade football players (but not seventh graders) can be used on both the junior high football team and varsity football team in the same week without penalty, as long as the players do not exceed the six (6) quarter per week rule. A district that wants to enforce a limit other than the 6 quarter per week rule, and that is less than 6 quarters per week, is allowed to do so for district games only. Playing any part of a quarter counts as a quarter.
    
    The minimum sanction for violating the football up-and-down rule, is as follows: The member school shall be fined $300.00 and placed on probation for a period of six (6) months. In addition, any games won while using an ineligible player will be forfeited. Additional sanctions will be considered depending on the circumstances of the case.
    
    Basketball Up-and-Down Rule: Seventh, eighth and ninth grade basketball players can be used on both the junior high basketball team and varsity basketball team in the same day without penalty, as long as the players do not violate the six (6) quarter per day rule. A district that wants to enforce a limit other than the 6 quarter per day rule, and that is less than 6 quarters per day, is allowed to do so for district games only. Playing any part of a quarter counts as a quarter. Sixth graders are not allowed to play varsity basketball.
    
    The minimum sanction for violating the basketball up-and-down rule is as follows: The member school shall be fined $300.00 and placed on probation for a period of six (6) months. In addition, any games won while using an ineligible player will be forfeited. Additional sanctions will be considered depending on the circumstances of the case.
    
    Track Up-and-Down Rule: During the regular season, jr. high athletes may be used in jr. high competition and also varsity competition in the same meet on the same day. Any points earned by the jr. high athlete in this circumstance would count toward both team totals for the meet.
    
    All such participation by a jr. high athlete in the above case would count against the athlete's participation limit for the meet. Example: An 8th grader could run the jr. high 100 dash, the varsity 200 dash, the varsity long jump, the jr. high 400 relay, the varsity 800 relay and the jr. high 1600 relay. This would be legal because the athlete has adhered to the 6 total events per meet rule, with no more than 3 being individual events.
    
    The minimum sanction for violating the track up-and-down rule is as follows: The member school shall be fined $300.00 and placed on probation for a period of six (6) months. In addition, any athlete that participates illegally will be disqualified from all of the events in which he/she participated. The loss of said athlete's points due to this disqualification could cause a new team champion to be awarded. Additional sanctions will be considered depending on the circumstances of the case.
  3. Sixth Grade Participation In Varsity Sports - A sixth (6th) grader who is a student of a MAIS member secondary school, may participate on a varsity level in golf, track, cross-country, tennis, volleyball, archery, softball and cheer/dance.
  4. Sixth Grade Participation In Junior High Sports - A sixth (6th) grader may participate on a junior high level in archery, basketball, track, cross-country, golf, softball, volleyball, tennis and cheer/dance. Sixth graders can play football and baseball, but cannot compete against any player above the 7th grade. Sixth graders can also play soccer, but cannot compete against any player above the 8th grade.
  5. Students Below The Sixth Grade - No student below the sixth grade may participate at either the jr. high or varsity level in any sport.
  6. Seventh Grade Participation In Football - Seventh graders are not allowed to play in any football game in which a player above the 9th grade level is participating.
3. Junior High Academic Eligibility
  1. First Semester
    
    Seventh (7th) must graders pass four (4) major subjects the previous school year. (see "Special Promotion" exception below)
    
    Eighth (8th) graders must pass four (4) major subjects the previous school year. (see "Special Promotion" exception below)
    
    Ninth (9th) graders must pass four (4) major subjects the previous school year. (see "Special Promotion" exception below)
  2. Students Eligible At Beginning of School Year - Any student athlete academically eligible at the beginning of a school year, shall be academically eligible for the entire school year.
  3. Special Promotion - Special promotions are permissible if school policy provides same, and if the student meets all other eligibility requirements. Students who are eligible for special promotion, but are being held back at the request of the parents or guardians, will be treated as if they were in fact specially promoted.
  4. Second Semester - A student-athlete who was academically ineligible the first semester, could become academically eligible the second semester, if he or she is passing four (4) major subjects during the first semester of the same academic year.
    
    If a school is not on a semester basis, the student must be passing four (4) major subjects when the school breaks for Christmas Holidays.
4. Residence
  
  When a 7th or 8th grader transfers from one member school to another member school, said student will not be eligible at his/her new school in any sport in which he/she had been participating at the former school during that same school year. He/she will, however, be eligible in all other sports assuming that all other eligibility requirements are met.
  
  Exception: In lengthy moves of 60 or more miles (measured from previous house to new house), the student would be allowed to play a sport in which he/she had been participating. For purposes of verification, the shortest available driving distance from the new residence to the previous residence will be used.
  
  Example 1: During football season, a 7th (or 8th) grade student leaves School A and enrolls in School B (no change of residence). The student has been playing football at School A. Said student would be ineligible to participate in football at School B. He would, however, be eligible to play basketball at School B after sitting out the required one week, assuming all other eligibility rules are met.
  
  Example 2: During football season, a 7th (or 8th) grade student leaves School A and moves 65 miles to his new residence. He then enrolls in School B. The student had been playing football at School A. After sitting out the required one week, and assuming all other eligibility rules are met, said student would be eligible to participate in football at School B since the move was 60+ miles in length.
5. Ninth Grade Transfers
  
  Ninth grade transfers who are participating at one member school, must meet the rules involving change of residence if they transfer to another member school.

Transfers From New Member Schools

For athletic eligibility purposes, a new member school shall fall under the student transfer restrictions and protections afforded member schools as of the date that they are approved by the Executive Committee for acceptance into our association.

Section VI - Rules Governing Athletic Contests

A. General Rules

Sports Sanctioned By MAIS

The MAIS will sanction twenty-one (21) different sports during the school year. The sports sanctioned for boys are archery, football, basketball, baseball, track, golf, soccer, cross-country, tennis and swimming. The sports sanctioned for girls are archery, volleyball, fast-pitch softball, basketball, cross-country, track, soccer, tennis, golf, cheer/dance, and swimming.

National Federation Rules

National Federation Rules will used where applicable. There are a few exceptions. These exceptions and/or clarifications are so noted in the sections below describing the rules that govern each individual sport. The Director of Athletic Events may also notify members of additional modifications through postings on the Post Office page or through other electronic media.

Required Number Of Officials To Play A Contest

To start the game there should be at least four (4) uniformed certified officials to officiate a varsity football game, two (2) officiating a basketball game, two (2) officiating a soccer match, and two (2) umpires to call a baseball or softball game. All officials must be registered with the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools Athletic Officials Association unless otherwise permitted by the AAC or the Director of Athletic Events. After a game has started, should the number of officials fall below the aforementioned numbers, both schools must agree to finish the contest with the reduced number of officials or the game will be postponed.

Playing Non-MAIS Schools

No athletic contest shall be held with any school not belonging to the MAIS unless permission has been granted from the Director of Athletic Events. Schools must request permission to participate against a non-member school by sending an email to cchance@msais.org or ddrake@msais.org.

Penalty For Removing A Team From Play

Any school that removes a team from the playing floor, or field, in protest of an official's decision, or for any other reason, shall be subject to automatic probation, and any other penalty deemed necessary by the AAC. The removal of a team in protest is considered to be a gross act of unsportsmanlike conduct. If an emergency arises which makes it advisable to discontinue a contest, it should be done by mutual consent of the teams involved through the head official.

Ejection Procedure

Removal of individuals from the premises (game site) as a result of behavior:
1. Coach: The referee shall suspend the contest until the coach has left the premises and coaching duties are assumed by another school representative. Failure of the coach to leave the premises and be replaced by another school representative in a reasonable period of time shall cause that team to forfeit the game.
2. Player: The referee shall suspend the contest until the player has left the playing field/court. An ejected player should remain on the bench after ejection unless further unsportsmanlike conduct warrants removal. Should the referee feel that the player is interfering with proper game administration, the referee shall suspend the game and instruct the coach that the player must leave the premises under the supervision of a coach or other school representative. Failure of a player to leave the premises under supervision in a reasonable period of time shall cause that team to forfeit the game. It is noted that this section does not refer to the player ejections that result from receiving two technical fouls in basketball, receiving a red card in soccer, etc. It refers to those times when bench personnel act in a way that disrupts the game.
3. Spectator: The lead official shall suspend the contest until the home game administrator removes the spectator from the premises. The failure of a spectator to leave in a reasonable period of time shall cause that team to forfeit the game. Game administrators and officials should be cognizant of the problem in games that are held at neutral sites and situations where the offending spectator may not be associated with the crowd in which he/she is sitting.
The National Federation recommends these procedures by combining a little law with a little common sense, as well as experience in rules writing, for use by State Associations in dealing with the removal of individuals from the game site. Should fans become abusive at an athletic contest, the following procedure should be followed:
1. The official should notify the host school administrator to warn the fan, that if the abusive behavior continues, he/she will be ejected from the contest. It is strongly recommended that if the fan is from the visiting team, the host administrator communicate this through the visiting headmaster (or his/her representative). It is noted that a warning to any fan by an official serves as a warning in general to all fans.
2. Following the warning, if the abuse continues, the official should notify the host school administrator to eject the fan. The host school administrator is responsible for removing the fan, not the official.
  
  If an unsportsmanlike incident occurs at a sporting event, and the game administrator is directed by an official to inform a fan(s) that their behavior must cease, verbal abuse from the offending party may occur. In such a case, should the incident be reported to the Affairs Committee, the fan(s) will be subject to a minimum $250 fine, and the school will be placed on probation for a period of one year. This will be the case regardless of whether or not the fan is ejected.
  
  Also, it is noted that there are some types of behavior (using profanity, throwing objects, making threats or extreme cases of disrespect towards the officials and/or game administration) that will not be tolerated, and will result in immediate removal without a warning.
MAIS officials should NEVER become engaged in any type of confrontation with fans.

Coaching Ejections

The ejection of a coach from a game for unsportsmanlike conduct will automatically result in the following minimum disciplinary action:
1. Coach will be placed on probation for at least one (1) year.
2. Coach will be fined a minimum of $250.00; maximum of $1000.00.
3. Coach will be suspended for the next game; he/she will not be allowed to attend. For further clarification, the Affairs Committee has interpreted this to mean the next regularly scheduled game at the time of the ejection. For example, if an additional non-district game is scheduled, said game cannot be used to satisfy the 'sit out' portion of this sanction. In addition, a suspended coach is not to have ANY kind of communication (cell phone, text message, etc.) with those involved in the game.
4. Case will be reviewed by the AAC, with possibility of coach being excluded from coaching the all-star or futures game.
5. School will be placed on probation for at least one (1) year.
6. School will be fined a minimum fine of $300.00.
Fan Ejections

Any fan ejection from a game for unsportsmanlike conduct will automatically result in the following minimum disciplinary action:
1. Fan will be fined a minimum of $250.00 and will not be allowed to attend any further MAIS athletic events for the next seven days beginning with the day after the ejection occurred. It is noted that after the sit-out period is over, and upon payment of the fine and receipt of a letter of apology to the appropriate party, the attendance ban could be lifted. This would be dependent on the severity of the fan's actions. Example: A fan is ejected on Monday, October 1. The sit-out period would be Tuesday, October 2 through Monday, October 8. The first possible contest that the fan could attend would be on Tuesday, October 9.
2. School will be placed on probation for at least one (1) year.
3. School will be fined a minimum fine of $300.00.
4. It is noted that once the Affairs Committee has made a judgement that a fan ejection is valid, and sanctions have been levied, the only appeal that a school can make to the full body of the AAC concerning it's fine is about the validity of the ejection. Schools cannot appeal to have their portion of the sanctions for a valid ejection removed or reduced. An appeal can, however, be made to reduce the sanctions on a fan.
Player Ejections

Rule As It Pertains To Players
1. First Ejection - Schools will be responsible for disciplining an athlete after his/her first ejection.
2. Second Ejection - Any player that is ejected from an athletic contest for the second time in a school year will not be allowed to participate in athletics for two (2) weeks. It is noted, for example, that this is interpreted to mean that an athlete receiving his/her second ejection on a Monday, would be eligible to play on the Tuesday two weeks later.
3. Third Ejection - Any player ejected from an athletic contest for the third time in a school year will be banned from participating in athletics for the remainder of the school year.
Should the Affairs Committee determine that a player has committed an act of gross misconduct, suspension for an indefinite period of time could result, regardless of the number of ejections. In addition, the Affairs Committee and/or the Director has the authority to prohibit participation of a student-athlete in any of our all-star or futures games as a result of unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of the athlete.

Rule As It Pertains To Schools
1. Fines - The fine for schools receiving their first, second, third, fourth and fifth ejections during a school year will be as follows: $0, $100, $300, $500 and $1000 respectively. It is noted that fines of $100 and $300 carry a sanction of 'warning' and 'probation' respectively.
  
  No school shall be fined more than $1000 for any one incident involving multiple player ejections. It is also noted that more than one incident can occur during the course of an athletic contest.
2. Third Player Ejection (or more) - Schools that have a third player ejected could be required to appear before the Affairs Committee. The right to participate in post-season play and/or the right to host home games could be taken away should three or more player ejections occur.
Local Officials' Association

It is mandatory that each member school be serviced by the football, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball and baseball officials' associations formed in their area.
1. An assessment fee shall be paid to the Secretary of the local Officials' Association for assigning varsity games.
2. Attendance at MAIS rules clinics is mandatory for the varsity and jr. high head coach during years in which they are held. In years when the information is disseminated online, participation is also required for the varsity and jr. high head coach. This participation could include but is not limited to watching appropriate videos, taking rules test, etc. Failure to appropriately comply in either case shall result in a $100.00 penalty assessment against the school.
Proper And Improper Cheers

No cheers or yells shall include profanity. Any member school guilty of this violation shall automatically be placed on probation for one (1) year. In addition, administrators shall remind their cheerleaders and pep squads that they should cheer for their teams, and not against the other teams. Derogatory remarks and unsportsmanlike language should be discouraged, and in no way condoned.

Participation Rule For Girls & Boys

Girls shall be permitted to participate in any sport unless a comparable sport is offered to girls during that particular school year. When a school has a boys' and girls' team in a particular sport, or a COMPARABLE sport (ex. - baseball and softball), participation by girls is limited to the girls' team only.

At no time will boys (see definition) be allowed to participate in the following sports: girls' cross country, girls' swimming, girls' cheerleading or dance competition, girls' fast-pitch softball, girls' archery, girls' soccer, girls' volleyball, girls' basketball, girls' tennis, girls' golf or girls' track & field.

Employment Status Of A Coach

During a regular season game or any playoff series, coaches in all sports must be on the faculty or be an employee of the member school that they serve. Exception: It is permissible for a coach to have a letter of understanding regarding employment with said member school.

Protests

The MAIS does not recognize protests in any sport. Once an athletic contest has officially ended, the results are final.

Improper Filming Of A Contest

No individual and/or member school shall be allowed to film or tape games in which they are not directly participating. The Affairs Committee will investigate any violation of this rule.

Sub-Standard Facilities

Any school reported to have sub-standard facilities will be investigated by at least two (2) AAC members, or two (2) members of the MAIS Office staff, who will recommend whatever actions necessary. Schools found to have sub-standard facilities may not be allowed to host playoffs.

Participation Status

A student-athlete is considered to have participated in a sport any time he/she has played in a jamboree, a pre-season game or tournament, or a regular season game or tournament for the school. This status will be used when determining if an athlete has played the same sport in the same school year at two different schools.

Early Dismissal Policy

Students are allowed only one (1) early dismissal from an academic class per week per sport.

No Play Dates

The AAC has removed all no-play dates from the calendar. Schools are, however, asked to be sensitive to the academic events that are posted on the MAIS calendar.

Pre-Game Meeting With Officials

The game administrator for any sport requiring officials is required to meet with the officials and coaches at a pregame meeting. This will give the officials an opportunity to meet the game administrator, and find out where he/she will be located for the upcoming game(s). In any instance where there are multiple sets of officials used, multiple meetings would be required (Ex: 2 officials calling 7th-8th grade basketball games; 2 different officials calling jr. high basketball games; 2 different officials calling varsity basketball games).

Junior High Team Participation Rule

Any school that fields a jr. high team in an assigned conference, must compete for the jr. high championship in that conference, or forfeit the privilege to compete for the championship in that varsity sport. The Director of Athletic Events may grant exceptions should special circumstances exist. It is noted that the AAC has determined that for 8-man jr. high football, there will be no assigned conferences. All 8-man schools that field a jr. high team will work with other schools who also play 8-man to establish a schedule.

P.A. Announcer Policy

The announcer on a public address system has a primary responsibility to inform fans and supporters of the host and visiting schools regarding the starting line-ups, participants involved in plays that are occurring on the field, and in general, to be as IMPARTIAL as possible. It is extremely important that a PA announcer's remarks be conducive to good sportsmanship and in the best interest of the interscholastic athletic program within the MAIS. Schools are responsible for the actions of their public address announcers.

Case Book / Rules Book Distribution

Member schools are required to have at least one (1) copy of a rules book and case book for each sport offered at their school.

Print Media, Photographers, Radio Announcers - Ethics Policy
1. Concerning Game Officials - There shall be no negative remarks made toward or about game officials.
2. Showing Partiality - No partiality shall be shown by any on-field media personnel during the game(s) they are working.
3. Professionalism - True professionalism shall be exhibited at all times.
4. Radio / Video Announcers - Any "on air" blatant criticism of the game officials or the officiating of the game will not be tolerated.
5. Violations - Any violation of the above shall result in said person(s) having their media credentials confiscated and said person(s) shall not be allowed to work the remainder of the games from the field area or press area. Additional sanctions may be levied by the Affairs Committee.

Student-Athlete / Law Enforcement Policy

The MAIS strongly recommends that any student participating in extracurricular activities, who has been indicted for a felony, not be allowed to participate during the time of indictment and/or conviction.

Steroids And Other Performance Enhancing Supplements

The MAIS strongly discourages the use of performance-enhancing supplements to include (but not be limited to) steroids. Any violations may result in disciplinary action.

Tobacco And Tobacco Related Products Prohibited

Any coach or player who uses tobacco, or tobacco related products, within the confines of the playing area shall be immediately ejected from the contest. Failure to comply with this ejection shall result in the contest being forfeited.

School Officials And Negative Comments To Media

There will be a minimum fine of $100 levied against any coach, or school official, who makes negative remarks to any media about officiating, the opposing school, or its student athletes. Additional sanctions may be considered by the Affairs Committee.

All-Star Player Requirement

In order for a player to be eligible for all-star competition, he/she must be enrolled in their MAIS member school no later than the first playing date for the respective sport. It is noted that this is interpreted to mean the first game played by the individual school involved.

Failure Of All-Star Player To Participate

Coaches should make sure that any player that they nominate for an all-star team will be able to participate. This includes being able to report at the proper time, and staying with the team until the conclusion of the all-star game. Schools will be responsible for paying the entire all-star and/or Futures fee for players that make the team, regardless of whether or not they attend.

All-Star Coaching Requirement

Coaches are not eligible to coach in an all-star or Futures game unless they are members of the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools Coaches' Association.

Post-Game Interaction With Officials

No coach, player or fan should interact (verbally or physically) with officials after an athletic contest. Any violations of this rule will be handled by the AAC Affairs Committee.

Security Plan / Host School Responsibilities

Every member school that participates in activities and athletics is required to properly fill out and keep a security plan on file in the administrator's office. This plan must be completed by the Thursday before the 1st varsity football game.

Failure to comply will result in a fine of $100, and any other sanctions deemed appropriate by the Affairs Committee.

Security For Athletic Events - The following people should be included in a member schools safety and security plan: administrators, coaches, cheerleader sponsors, band directors, security personnel, game announcers and any other personnel that will be directly involved with the event. The security plan will be for all sports, realizing that the major sports will require more supervision. Plans must be signed by the Headmaster and the Athletic Director.

Copies of the security plan should be given to all personnel involved in any way with the conduct of the game.

The plan should include security precautions:
1. before the contest
2. during the contest and
3. after the contest.
Responsibilities of Host School Before the game:
1. Discuss with the student body in an assembly the need for showing good sportsmanship to visitors. It is suggested that all schools have a sportsmanship campaign at the beginning of each school year and promote sportsmanship throughout the year.
2. Provide necessary game information to visiting schools; include directions to the game site and parking, location of ticket booths, seating arrangements, ticket prices, and game time.
3. Arrange for adequate police supervision and keep them visible inside, as well as outside the stadium. Indicate on a chart where they will be located before, during and after the game. Make sure that you have proper security in areas that you know could be trouble spots. You will need to make specific charts for football and basketball.
4. Courtesy and protection of game officials - Arrange for someone to meet the officials. Provide escort on and off the field. Ensure that officials are treated well after the game and escorted to their car. The host school should provide a private area for the officials to dress, conference, etc. Any other amenities such as food, drink, etc. are not mandatory, but would certainly be appreciated by the officiating crew.
5. Have the game announcer read the statements on sportsmanship, alcohol and drug use, as well as throwing objects and unruly behavior. Any of these violations will lead to expulsion from the game. (This should also be read during the game.)
6. When possible, designate special seating for students, bands, adults and visitors. Student bodies should be kept separated at all times.
7. Provide supervised parking. Use of service clubs or youth organizations are suggested. This will free your law enforcement officials to be in other possible trouble spots.
8. Identify all supervising or "on duty" faculty members or personnel (examples - special T-shirts, arm bands, caps, etc.).
9. The game administrator for any sport requiring officials is required to meet with the officials and coaches at a pregame meeting. This will give the officials an opportunity to meet the game administrator, and find out where he/she will be located for the upcoming game(s). In any instance where there are multiple sets of officials used, multiple meetings would be required (Ex: 2 officials calling 7th-8th grade games; 2 different officials calling jr. high games; 2 different officials calling varsity games).
During the Game:
1. Station personnel in key areas. They will remain at their station throughout the contest until the areas have cleared.
2. Bands need to provide an interesting half-time program. (For those schools that do not have bands, an interesting half-time program should be planned. Work with PTA groups and get others involved with ideas.)
3. A doctor should be in attendance at all athletic contests when possible. (We know that it is difficult for some of our schools to obtain the services of a doctor for all athletic contests, but feel that, if possible, we need one in attendance at football games.)
4. P.A. announcer should give instructions concerning concession stands, restrooms, and any information that will assist the visiting fans. He/she should show no partiality when announcing the athletic contest.
After the Game:

Post-game planning is probably the most important of the three stages in crowd control. Most incidents and encounters occur after the game when the fans are leaving the playing area, and students are leaving in cars and buses. Each school should:
1. Develop a procedural plan for the exit of teams, officials, and spectators. You will need to keep personnel on duty in the trouble spots until the area clears. Usual Problem - Security is usually released near end of game to direct traffic. It is suggested that security be kept in problem areas.
2. Direct the route for movement of all visiting school buses and all home team buses. (Include band, pep buses, spectator buses, etc.) Whenever possible provide an escort for these buses for several blocks as they leave the site. Communicate with police or security.
3. Use the PA. system to:
  1. Caution spectators about not walking on the floor or field*
  2. Give directions for leaving the area
  3. Encourage fans to drive safely
  * The AAC continues to be concerned about incidents involving spectators that occur on the field/floor following a game. Please emphasize this point before, during and after the game.
4. To facilitate orderly movement of traffic, provide direction supervision (local police may assist) for cars exiting the parking area. You may want to use faculty members or a service club in order that you can better utilize police or security.
Responsibilities of Visiting School

The visiting school game administrator (headmaster or his/her representative) should alert the host school's game administrator when he/she arrives at an athletic contest. In addition, the home school administrator and visiting school administrator should communicate with each other as to their approximate location during the athletic contest. Note to Game Administrators: Simply telling the gatekeeper that you have arrived is not sufficient notification if you are acting as the visiting game administrator.

When possible, the host school game administrator should make an effort to find the visiting school game administrator anytime a problem occurs with a visiting school patron, coach or player.

The AAC recommends that the visiting game administrator communicate with individuals from their school any time an incident occurs (warning from official, fan ejections, etc.). It is, however, the ultimate responsibility of the host school administrator to make sure that an official's instructions are carried out.

It is the hope of the Academy Activities Commission, that the game administrators of both schools will be pro-active in their efforts to control their fans, coaches and players. Many of the unsportsmanlike incidents that occur each year could easily be avoided if a game administrator would take steps to address a fan or coach who is obviously frustrated.

Game administrators should meet the following criteria:
1. Be the headmaster (or his/her designee)
2. Be non-bench personnel. Game administrators should locate themselves in a position where they can see as much of their crowd, the bench and the playing area as possible.
3. Be a person who is willing to head off problems by making an effort to identify individuals who are becoming increasingly irritated, and warn such individuals of the possible negative consequences of their actions.
4. Be willing to stay after a contest has ended to help ensure that no problems arise between fans and/or players.
5. Have an understanding that the game officials are the authority on the field / court, and as such, are to be treated in a professional manner at all times.
Sportsmanship Creed To Be Read Before Each Contest

The AAC has mandated that the following Sportsmanship Creed be read before every athletic contest.

"The MAIS recognizes that the spirit of the game of ___________ lives in skilled offense, effective defense, and a well-planned strategy. The spirit of this game cannot be maintained unless sportsmanship, ethics and integrity are our number one priority. Good sportsmanship will be expected from all groups associated with MAIS activities."

Reporting Unsportsmanlike Incidents

When an incident occurs at an athletic contest, both schools and the head official must file a report with the MAIS office within 72 hours. Schools involved in an incident will be notified a minimum of 72 hours prior to an Affairs Committee meeting. The schools involved may, or may not, be requested to attend this meeting.

Once a decision is made, any schools affected will be notified within 72 hours of the committee's decision. Should any party involved in the decision wish to appeal, the appeal will be heard at the next assigned, or special called, meeting of the AAC.

Last Game Of The Season For Any Sport

The last game of the season for any sport shall be the final game of the playoffs. No further inter-school competition can be played in that sport until the next school year unless approved by the Director of Athletic Events.

Penalty For Canceling An Athletic Contest

Any member school that cancels an athletic contest in any sport other than football (see special forfeiture fees for football below) after the beginning of the season for that sport shall be fined $1000. If the host school cancels, the fine shall be awarded to the visiting school. If the visiting school cancels, the fine shall be awarded to the host school. Any disputes concerning the application this rule will be settled by the Affairs Committee.

Special Forfeiture Fees For Football
1. The forfeiture fee in varsity football for an away game is $7,500.00. The forfeiture fee for a varsity home game is $5,000.00.
2. The forfeiture fee in jr. high football for both a home game and an away game is $2,500.
No fine will be levied in cases where there is mutual agreement between the headmasters of each school involved. In such cases, an email must be sent to the MAIS office by both headmasters verifying consent. Said email should contain the name of the sport, along with the date and location of the contest in question.

Should the headmaster of a school fail to obtain mutual consent for a cancellation that he/she feels is justified, said headmaster may appeal the fine to the Affairs Committee.

Latest Possible Starting Time For MAIS Athletic Events

No MAIS athletic event shall start after 11:00 p.m.

Mandatory Week of Inactivity

The Academy Activities Commission has mandated that each school set aside one week each summer during which no athletic workouts can occur. This period of inactivity can be any time from the last day of the previous school year, to the beginning of the next school year. This period of athletic inactivity can be the same for both female and male athletes, or these two groups can have different weeks of inactivity.

All-Sports Award

Each year, the MAIS shall present an all-sports award to the school that receives the most all-sports points. All-sports points will be awarded to any school that finishes fourth or better in Class competition. The table below will be used for assigning points:

All-Sports Award Values
Sport	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
Archery	6	4	2	1
Baseball	10	7	5	5
Basketball	10	7	5	5
Boys' Golf	6	4	2	1
Cheer / Dance	6	4	2	1
Cross Country	6	4	2	1
Fast-Pitch	10	7	5	3
Football	10	7	5	5
Soccer (Div 1 & 2)	10	7	5	5
Soccer (Div 3)	6	4	2	2
Swimming	6	4	2	1
Tennis	6	4	2	1
Track	10	7	5	3
Volleyball	6	4	2	2

Concussion Issues

Athletes - A completed MAIS concussion form is required to be kept on file by the school for every athlete participating in sports.

Coaches - All coaches (full-time and part-time) are required to successfully complete the free NFHS concussion education course* each year after May 15th and before overseeing any school athletic outings. Such outings would include weight training, practices, scrimmages, games and/or any other activities normally associated with the role of a coach. A copy of the certificate of completion must be kept on file in the school's office.

Officials - All individuals officiating any sport offered by the MAIS must successfully complete the NFHS concussion education course* each year after May 15th and before officiating an athletic outing for any member school. An athletic outing would include games played at team camp, summer league games, a scrimmage, jamboree, and regular season and/or tournament games. A copy of the certificate of completion must be kept on file with the assigning secretary.

*Any equivalent substitute course must be approved by the Director of Athletic Events.

MAISCA Coaches' Clinic

The offerings made available by the MAISCA for various sports will be posted on the MAIS Post Office page.

MAIS Supports Reverence For The American Flag, The National Anthem & Those Who Have Served Our Country

The MAIS stands for the unwavering support of the United States of America, its citizens, and in particular, all of the men and women who have dedicated their lives to service to our country. Accordingly, and in keeping with AAC policies concerning good sportsmanship, all persons attending any sporting event, and in particular all officials, coaches, and student-athletes (including players, cheerleaders, drill team, band members, and any bench personnel) within the arena of play, should stand respectfully during the playing of our country’s national anthem.

B. Football

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

All football play is governed by National Federation of High Schools Football Rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. The following exceptions and/or points of emphasis have been made by the AAC:
1. Numbering Requirement On Obvious Punting Situations - In 11-man football, an exception to the National Federation rules regarding numbering is as follows: Only on obvious punting situations, try for extra point, and field goal attempts, it shall not be mandatory or required that the five (5) men on the line be numbered 50-79. On pass situations that may result from any of the aforementioned kicking situations, eligible receivers shall be determined and recognized by virtue of their being lined up offensively in an eligible receivers position. (Position, not number they wear, determines their eligibility as a receiver). On all other downs during the series, offensive players shall be numbered in accordance with the rules.
2. Proper Field Markings - A fifteen (15) yard penalty will be assessed against the home team at the beginning of the game if the field is not marked properly, including five-yard markers from G to G. If lines are erased or altered by inclement weather immediately preceding the game, this will be taken into consideration.
3. Football Specifications - National Federation Football Rules govern the use of all footballs in MAIS competition.
4. Recommended Number Of Officials - If possible, there should be at least four (4) certified officials to officiate a varsity football game. There should be a minimum of three (3) registered officials to work Junior High (grades 7-9) and B-team games. All officials must be registered with the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools Athletic Officials Association. It is noted that the Director of Athletic Events can approve exceptions should unusual circumstances arise.
5. Overtime Procedure - The NFHS suggested overtime procedure shall be used for ALL MAIS vs. MAIS games in which the score is tied at the end of regulation play. No extra point attempt will be tried if the outcome of the game has been decided. Results of MAIS vs. Non-MAIS games will not be entered into the varsity power point program unless a winner is determined.
6. Mercy Rule For Football (both 8-man & 11-man) - When the difference in the score of a football game reaches 35 points or more after the second half begins, the clock will run continuously with the exception of time-outs (called either by officials or coaches) and the time between quarters. Once the mercy rule goes into effect, it will stay in effect even if the point differential falls below 35 points.
7. Length of Playing Time For Junior High - Junior high football quarters shall be eight (8) minutes in length when only 7th and 8th graders are participating. All athletic divisions in junior high have the option to play eight (8) or ten (10) minute quarters in football when 9th graders are playing. In district play in junior high, both the length of the quarters (8 min or 10 min) and the use of a tiebreaker is to be determined by the district.
  
  The above length of playing time shall be adhered to unless the schools involved agree to play a lesser number of minutes, or unless other modifications have been approved by the Director of Athletic Events.
8. Forfeiture Score - According to the National Federation of High Schools Rules Book, if a team forfeits a game to Team A, the official score shall be recorded as a 1-0 victory for Team A. Because the awarding of this score could possibly negatively skew the tiebreakers used by the MAIS, the official score of a forfeited game will be 18-0 instead of 1-0. The significance of using 18 is that this is the cap that is placed on the number of points that can be used when breaking power point ties.
  
  Individual districts can establish their own forfeiture score for use with their tiebreaker. In a such a case, the score used in the varsity powerpoint program would still be 18 points, even though the district may have chosen another number for use with its in-district tiebreaker.
9. 8-Man Football Rule Modifications - The following modifications to NFHS rules will be made for MAIS 8-man football.
  1. 8-Man football is normally played on a shorter and narrower field than 11-man football. The field is 80 yards long and 40 yards wide. The hash marks are 10 yards in from each sideline. Any school, however, that wishes to use a field marked off for 11-man football, will be allowed to do so. It is noted that the MAIS 8-man championship game will be played on an 11-man field. Fields of any other dimensions must be approved by the Director of Athletic Events.
  2. If a 80 yard by 40 yard field is used:
    - Kickoffs are spotted at the 30-yard line. If a kick goes into the end zone, it is brought out to the 15-yard line for play.
    - After a safety, the ball is spotted at the 15-yard line for the free kick.
  3. The offensive team is required to have at least five players on the line of scrimmage. Any player who is on the end of the line of scrimmage is an eligible receiver, regardless of the number he is wearing. All 3 backs are also eligible receivers.
  4. Any player may wear any number, regardless of the position he plays. There is no numbering requirement as exists in 11-man football. No duplicate numbers, however, may be worn.
  5. The distance that an onside kick must travel before being legally touched by the kicking team is increased from the normal ten (10) yards to fifteen (15) yards. In addition, the receiving team must set up behind a line that is at least 15 yards from the ball at the kickoff.
  6. The length of the quarters in an 8-man game shall be 10 minutes.
  7. NFHS rules used for 11-man football will apply unless modified by the above or the Director of Athletic Events.
10. Using Local Officials' Association - It is mandatory that each member school be serviced by the football officials' association to which they have been assigned by the Director of Athletic Events.
  1. An assigning fee (see officials' fees below) shall be paid to the Secretary of the local Officials' Association for assigning varsity games.
  2. An assigning fee (see officials' fees below) shall be paid to the Secretary of the local Officials' Association for assigning jr. high games. This fee is negotiable.
  3. All schools are required to send a copy of their home varsity and jr. high schedules to their assigning secretary by July 30. Schedules should include starting times.
Playing Dates

The AAC will set the starting date and the playoff dates for the football season. A varsity team may play as many games as they wish during the time between the starting date and the last playoff date, provided they play only one regularly scheduled varsity game per week (*see exception below).

The first football game playing date will be set each year by the AAC. The first regular season playing date (week 1) for 2025 is Friday, August 29 (or the day before). Schools participating in any other pre-season game(s) approved by the Director of Athletic Events, are allowed to play on Friday, August 15 (or the day before).

*It is noted that the Director of Athletic Events has the authority to authorize a make-up game for either a jr. high game or a varsity game during the same week that another regularly scheduled game is being played. In such cases, the jr. high players that would have been available for the game that was canceled or suspended, would still be available for the make-up game. The quarters played by a jr. high player in such a make-up game would not count toward their week's total of 6 quarters. All makeup games should be played on Monday if possible.

Change of Program Status

Schools dropping their football program should notify the Director of Athletic Events no later than five (5) days after the first official day of practice. Since football has been defined as a major sport, dropping a program would mean that those athletes that tried to help make the team would be allowed to transfer to another member school without making a bona fide move. Schools dropping a program should email the Director of Athletic Events a list of said players immediately after determining the program will be canceled.

Should a school in the 11-man football alignment not be able to field an 11-man team, and have to drop down to 8-man football, this would not be considered dropping a program. When this situation occurs in the middle of an alignment cycle, possible solutions would include:
1. Playing their 11-man scheduled opponents in an 8-man game so neither team will have an open date.
2. Dropping 11-man games from the schedule as soon as possible, giving opponents the option of finding another team that will play them an 11-man game.
Schools that drop down from 11-man to 8-man after the final copy of the football schedules have been published cannot be guaranteed of having a schedule. MAIS 8-man game availability will be dependent upon the number of 8-man teams that have open dates and their willingness to add an additional game.

Dropping Down After The First Year Of An Alignment Cycle

Any 11-man school that drops down to 8-man after the first year of an alignment cycle will not be allowed to compete for the championship.
Enrollment Number Limit For Participation In 8-Man Playoffs

Eight-man schools that have an alignment number (male students in grades 8-11) of more than 50 will not be allowed to participate for an 8-man championship.
Regular Team Practice Start Date / Regulations

The first day of team practice for the 2025 football season will be Monday, August 4, 2025.

During the first three (3) days of team practice, players are allowed to wear both helmets and shoulder pads. Contact drills are not allowed during these 3 days. Beginning with the 4th day of practice, schools may utilize contact drills and/or scrimmage. Inter-school practices (teams practicing together) can begin on the 4th day.

Pre-Season Scrimmages and Jamborees
1. MAIS schools may participate in two (2) pre-season jamborees. No jamboree shall be played earlier than the Thursday two weeks prior to the Friday before the first regular season playing date (week 1).
2. Controlled scrimmages may be held following the first three days of practice. These scrimmages allow member schools to practice together, thereby benefiting the school and their football program. The coaches of both teams must be on the field with their respective teams.
3. Member schools must request permission to host a jamboree from the MAIS Office through the MAIS website. Failure to get a football jamboree sanctioned shall result in the host school being assessed a fine in the amount of $300.00 in addition to the percentage of the gate amount due the MAIS. Additional sanctions may be levied by the Affairs Committee.
4. Ten percent (10%) of the gate receipts of a jamboree are payable to the MAIS. This applies to both junior high and varsity jamborees.

Summer Work-outs

Any football practice that occurs during the time frame between the end of the previous school year and the beginning of sanctioned team practice (August 4, 2025) is referred to as a summer workout. Coaches are allowed to work on the field during summer workouts on anything that does not involve contact. Teams can run plays as a unit. Helmets may be worn. Coaches are allowed to do sled work. Shoulder pads, however, may NOT be worn until the first day of team practice (August 4, 2025).

Spring Practice

Competition between member schools in spring football games, spring jamborees, or spring scrimmages will not be considered as regular competition in that sport, and eligibility requirements will be waived. However, all students that participate in the aforementioned activities must either be a current student at the school, or a student who has registered for the upcoming school year at the school. The process of registration would include providing any paperwork and fees to the school that other non-athletes have to provide when registering.

The following rules apply to spring football:
1. Spring football practice shall consist of twenty (20) practice days within a 30-day consecutive calendar period any time during time frame beginning with the first day of the second semester and ending with the last day of May. A spring practice session is interpreted to mean practice under the supervision of any authorized school personnel.
2. The Director of Athletic Events may grant permission to member schools on an individual basis to postpone spring training for reasons such as sickness, weather, etc., and go beyond the 30-day period, but for a total of no more than 20 practice days.
3. Each school shall email the Director of Athletic Events with their beginning and ending spring practice dates. This will be done at least one week prior to the starting date of the practice.
4. No football player from a member school shall be permitted to engage in any football practice at any school other than one in which he is currently attending, or in which he has registered for the upcoming school year.

Game Admission Policy

Other than qualified pass holders, the only individuals who will be admitted to football games free will be the team, the coaches, the managers, the bus driver, the cheerleaders, the drill team, the dance team and the band. A pep squad will NOT be admitted free.

2025-26 Football Admission Prices
Event	Adult	Student
*Jr. High Games	$10	$10
*Varsity Regular Season Games	$10	$10
**Playoff Games Leading To Class Champ	$10	$10
***Championship Games	$10	$10
***All-Star Game	$10	$10
*Prices do not apply to box or reserve seats on the HOME side. MAIS numbered passes / MAISCA membership cards / Headmaster passes / Game Administrator passes and Lifetime passes will be accepted.
**Season ticket and/or reserved seating does not apply in any playoff series. MAIS numbered passes will NOT be honored for any playoff games in any sport. MAISCA membership cards / Headmaster passes / Game Administrator passes and Lifetime passes will be honored at all playoff games.
***MAIS numbered passes will NOT be honored for any all-star games in any sport. MAISCA membership cards / Headmaster passes / Game Administrator passes and Lifetime passes will be honored at all playoff games.

District Championships

Each district will establish its own tiebreaker and method of determining its champion. Should a district fail to establish its own tiebreaker, the MAIS football tiebreaker will be used.

MAIS Football Tiebreaker

The following tiebreaker will be used for districts that do not have their own:
1. Head-to-head competition
2. Record against other teams in the district from best to worst* **
3. Point differential*** among the teams involved in the tie
4. Point differential* *** among the other teams in the district from best to worst
5. Coin Flip
The AAC has determined that the process of implementing this tiebreaker is continuous. Once the teams that are tied start with step 'i', the steps will be followed in succession until all the teams involved have been awarded a place.

*This is interpreted to be a comparison of the teams tied with the highest ranked team that is not involved in the tie. If that comparison does not break the tie, a comparison is made with the next highest team not involved in the tie, and so on.

**If a tie exists between three or more teams, and one of the teams is separated out by using step 'ii', the team that is separated out will not be used in the step 'ii' comparisons. Only the schools not involved in the tie going into step 'ii' will be used for step 'ii' comparisons.

***There is a cap of 18 points per game placed on the point differential.

Game Limitations

A junior high football team shall be permitted to play a maximum of eight (8) football games. Any exceptions must be approved by the Director of Athletic Events.

A varsity football team shall be permitted to play the number of games approved by the Director of Athletic Events.

No athletic contest shall be held with any school not belonging to the MAIS unless permission has been granted from the Director of Athletic Events. Schools must request permission to participate against a non-member school by sending an email to the Director at cchance@msais.org or ddrake@msais.org.

Football Playoff Structure
1. Class 1A Playoffs (8-Man Football) - In Class 1A, the top 12 teams from Division I and the top 12 teams from Division II will advance to their respective football playoffs. All teams will be placed in their bracket based on their power point ranking.
2. Class 2A Playoffs (11-Man Football) - In Class 2A, all teams will be ranked based on their power point ranking at the end of the season. The top 12 teams will advance to the football playoffs. Teams 1-4 will compete for the Division I Championship, and teams 5-12 will compete for the Division II Championship.
3. Class 3A Playoffs (11-Man Football) - In Class 3A, all teams will be ranked based on their power point ranking at the end of the season. The top 12 teams will advance to the football playoffs. Teams 1-4 will compete for the Division I Championship, and teams 5-12 will compete for the Division II Championship.
4. Class 4A Playoffs (11-Man Football) - In Class 4A, all teams will be ranked based on their power point ranking at the end of the season. The top 16 teams will advance to the football playoffs. Teams 1-4 will compete for the Division I Championship. Teams 5-10 will compete for the Division II Championship. Teams 11-16 will compete for the Division III Championship.

Power Point Average

The power point rating, or average, is defined to be the average of the total power points earned. The formula for calculating this average is:

                                          Total Power Points Earned
Power Point Average =    --------------------------------------
                                      Number of MAIS Games Played

The reason that the rating is an average is because every team does not play the same number of ballgames. Some teams will play eleven games, while others will play ten or less. If the total number of power points was used to determine who advanced to the playoffs, some schools would have an unfair advantage. By using an average, every school has the mathematical potential of earning the same rating as any other school.

Schools that have Open Dates or that choose to play non-MAIS games are not penalized for doing so. Their total number of power points earned is simply divided by a smaller number when calculating their average.

In games where power points are awarded, teams will receive power points for every win, and every loss.

Power points shall be awarded as follows:

Power Point Allocation
Athletic Class	Pts. On Front End	Pts. For Win	Opponent's Success
Class 1A (Div II)	0	16	*1 point for every win or Open Date that opponent has
Class 1A (Div I)	0	16	*1 point for every win or Open Date that opponent has
Class 2A	8	16	*3 points for every win or Open Date that opponent has
Class 3A	11	16	*3 points for every win or Open Date that opponent has
Remaining 16 4A Schools	17	16	*3 points for every win or Open Date that opponent has
4 Largest 4A Schools	32	16	*3 points for every win or Open Date that opponent has

* This includes ANY win that your opponent has, MAIS wins and non-MAIS wins

Power Point Data Entry Rules - The following rules shall be used when entering data into the power point program:

The results of all games approved by the Director of Athletic Events and on the varsity schedule will be recorded unless special circumstances arise (see below).

Should Team A lose a game from its schedule before the season starts due to a program shutting down, a program dropping down to 8-man football, or any other situation approved by the Director of Athletic Events, the game Team A lost from its schedule will not be used in power point calculations. Replacement games approved by the Director of Athletic Events would be used.

Once the season begins, any game that is forfeited to Team A will be recorded in the powerpoint program as an 18-0 victory for Team A. It is noted that in this situation, Team B will not receive any power points from the wins accumulated by Team A. They would, however, still receive the pre-season points for scheduling Team A.

Any games that have been entered into the powerpoint program for Team A will be removed if Team A is unable to finish the season. This determination will be made by the Director of Athletic Events in conjunction with the administration of Team A.

The results of any game not on the final draft of the football schedule will not affect power point ratings unless said game is approved by the Director of Athletic Events.

Competition between 11-man schools and 8-man schools will not result in any power points being earned. Any such games will be treated as an "Open Date" for both teams when entering data into the power point program.

All MAIS vs. MAIS football games, regardless of class, will be played until a winner is determined. Should the score be tied at the end of regulation play, the NFHS suggested overtime procedure will be used. The power point rating set forth by the AAC is based on awarding points for wins and losses, not ties. It is noted that should circumstances arise (inclement weather, loss of lights, any other situation approved by MAIS Office) that prevent a ballgame from being completed on the scheduled date, the game will be finished at a later date (preferably the following Monday). However, should the two schools mutually agree to end the game with a winner (one team forfeits), or to remove the game from the schedule, this will be allowed.

If a game is played with a non-MAIS member, and the game ends in a tie, and the opposing team chooses not to break the tie, the game will be entered as an "Open Date" when entering data into the power point program.

The AAC has endeavored to cover every possible situation that could arise in determining how power points are to be assigned. However, the Director of Athletic Events has the authority to make any decisions concerning the entering of power point data should a situation arise that is not covered by the above rules, or in situations where there may be conflicting guidance due to an unexpected situation.

Should there be two or more teams that have the same power point rating, the following tiebreaker sequence will be used to break the tie:

Head to head competition

Record vs. common opponents

Point differential* vs. common opponents

Point differential* vs. all MAIS opponents

Coin toss

*There is a cap of 18 points per game placed on the point differential.

The AAC has determined that the process of implementing this tiebreaker is continuous. Once the teams that are tied start with step 'a', the steps will be followed in succession until all the teams involved have been awarded a place.

The power point average will be calculated to three decimal places.

The following example will hopefully help coaches in understanding how the tiebreaker is applied when the point differential has to be applied:

Team A defeats Team B by a score of 18 to 6 Team B defeats Team C by a score of 28 to 8 Team C defeats Team A by a score of 30 to 22

To determine a team's differential, the total number of points scored against a team would be subtracted from the total number of points that team scored.

Using the example above, From Team A's two games, Team A receives the following values: +12 (18-6) and -8 (30-22). Therefore, Team A's overall differential value is +4 (12+ -8).

From Team B's two games, Team B receives the following values: +18 (28- 8=20, but cap is 18) and -12 (18-6). Therefore, Team B's overall differential value is +6 (18 + -12).

From Team C's two games, Team C receives the following values: +8 (30- 22=8) and -18 (28-8=20, but cap is 18). Therefore, Team C's overall differential value is -10 (8 + -18).

Therefore, Team B would finish 1st, Team A would finish 2nd, and Team C would finish 3rd.

Football Playoffs / Class Championships

For 2026 - The championship game for Class 1A-Division I will be held at JA on Wednesday, November 19. The Class 3A-Division II game and the Class 3A-Division I game will be held at JA on Thursday, November 20. The Class 1A-Division II game, the Class 2A-Division I game, and the Class 4A-Division II game with be held on Friday, November 21. The Class 2A-Division II game, the Class 4A-Division II game, and the Class 4A Division I game will be held at MC on Saturday, November 22.
The Director of Athletic Events will be responsible for overseeing the administration of all class championship games.

In all games leading up to the championship game, the following will apply:
1. The home team of each particular playoff game is responsible for the site of the game.
2. Each team will furnish their own game balls.
3. Assignment of officials for playoff games will be made by the Director of Athletic Events or his/her designee.
4. In playoff games leading to the championship, both schools involved shall have the right to broadcast the game. The AAC will determine the radio / streaming / broadcast fees for the playoffs.
5. Football playoff games may be postponed by mutual consent of both teams involved. The Director of Athletic Events shall oversee the rescheduling of postponed playoff games.
6. Determining HOME Team During The Football Playoffs - The highest seeded team will be the HOME team in the playoffs.
7. In the championship game, both schools involved shall have the right to broadcast the game over radio. The MAIS will be the sole provider of any video broadcast of championship games (TV, streaming). Any exceptions must be approved by the Director of Athletic Events.
8. In all games leading to the championship, the starting time of the game shall be 7:00 p.m. The Director of Athletic Events must approve any exceptions.

Athletic Contests
1. The forfeiture fee for a varsity away game is $7,500.00. The forfeiture fee for a varsity home game is $5,000.00. The forfeiture fee for a jr. high away game is $2,500. The forfeiture fee for a jr. high home game is $2,500. Games canceled by mutual consent will not be sent to the Affairs Committee. In case of mutual consent cancellations, the headmaster of both schools will notify the Director via email.
2. The starting time for football games should be the responsibility of the HOST SCHOOL. After setting the starting time, a change can be made if it is agreed to by both schools. Schools are encouraged to work together in cases where long trips are involved.
3. In the case where the home team wishes to postpone a football game, they are responsible for the visiting team's actual expenses provided they have failed to notify them in sufficient time due to:
  1. Weather
  2. Any other reason that has the mutual consent of schools involved. In the case of a postponement, the date to replay the game shall be made by mutual consent. If member schools cannot agree, the Director of Athletic Events shall set the date that the game will be played.
4. Jr. high teams may play a maximum of 8 football games. Any exceptions must be approved by the Director of Athletic Events.
5. Chain Crew Responsibilities - The chain crew for a football game will meet with the head linesman twenty (20) minutes before game time. The chain crew will wear vests of contrasting color. The home team shall have the option as to chain crews in football games being placed on the home side of the field. The Director of Athletic Events has the authority to instruct the officials assigned to playoff games to place the chain crew on the side of the field deemed necessary to avoid possible problems.
6. A fence, or some restraining barricade, shall be provided on both sides of all football fields. Violations of this rule shall be handled by the Affairs Committee.
7. No athletic contest will be played on a field that is marked with LIME (calcium oxide, or calcium hydroxide) or any other skin-irritating material. The use of pulverized limestone (often called marble dust) is permissible. Violations of this rule will be handled by the Affairs Committee.
8. Bowl Games - Member schools must receive written permission from the MAIS Office to host, or play in, a bowl game or other special game that is not a part of the MAIS regular season. This request should be made by email to the Director of Athletic Events. After deducting fees for officials and $100.00 for expenses incidental to the game, the MAIS will receive ten percent (10%) of the gross gate receipts for all special games, and games played between a member and a non-member school, that are not on the regular schedule and are played at the site of a member school.

Participation

Assuming that a student-athlete has met all other eligibility requirements, the following participation rules apply:
1. Sixth Grade Participation - Sixth graders are allowed to participate in 6th-7th grade football games. They cannot, however, compete against any football player above the 7th grade level. It is noted that the AAC does not regulate pee-wee sports (6th grade and below).
2. Seventh Grade Participation - Seventh graders are not allowed to participate in a football game where players above the 9th grade level are used.
3. "Up and Down" Rule - Eighth and ninth grade football players can be used on both the junior high football team and the varsity football team in the same week without penalty, as long as the players do not exceed the six (6) quarter per week rule. Playing any part of a quarter counts as a quarter. Overtime is an extension of the fourth quarter. For the purposes of the up and down rule, a week is defined as beginning on Sunday and going through the following Saturday.
4. Girls are permitted to play football.

All-Star Games / Player Selection Process

The MAIS shall sanction three Football All-Star Games. The first game will be an 8-man game and include players from Class 1A; the second game will include players from Classes 2A and 3A; the third game will include players from Class 4A.

The 1A game shall consist of fifty-two (52) players. After the 52 players have been selected from the districts in the classes represented, a draft will be held for each game and the all-star coaches will choose 26 players each.

The 2A-3A game and the 4A game shall each consist of seventy-two (72) players. After the 72 players have been selected from the districts in the classes represented, a draft will be held for each game and the all-star coaches will choose 36 players each.

Step 1: Each selection committee will begin the selection process by choosing the two best punters and two best kickers. These players will be placed on separate teams in the drafting process, guaranteeing a punter and kicker on each all-star team. It is noted that should the best punters and kickers also be position players, it is acceptable to place them on the team in these reserved positions if they are deemed to be the best at these positions. Should any questions arise regarding the selection of these positions, the AAC Football Committee will have the authority to make adjustments if needed.

Step 2: Each district will automatically be given their first back/receiver and the first lineman ranked in their district. No district will be allowed multiple back/receivers or multiple lineman based on the fact that there was a tie for the top ranking at the district level. Every district should resolve any such issues before coming to the selection meeting.

Step 3: In this round, 7 back/receivers and 7 linemen for the Class 1A game, 17 back/receivers and 17 lineman for the Class 2A-3A game, and 18 back/receivers and 18 lineman for the Class 4A game, will be chosen at-large. No school is allowed more than 5 players total from steps 2 and 3, unless said school was the district champion. District champions can have as many as 6 players total from steps 2 and 3. Step 4: In this round, 12 at-large selections will be made (any position). At the completion of this step, no school may have more than 6 players on the team coming from steps 2, 3 & 4 combined, with the exception of the district champions. District champions can have as many as 7 players total coming from steps 2, 3 & 4.

Step 5: The remaining spots are to be filled at-large, and should be used to make sure that there is workable balance between lineman and backs. No school may have more than 9 players on the team (all steps included). The Director of Athletic Events is authorized to make any adjustments to the team roster should special circumstances arise.

At the conclusion of all-star selection, each game should select 8 alternates (4 backs & 4 linemen) ranked in order of selection. These alternates will be added in the event of a player being unable to participate should they get injured after the selection process.
Football Brackets, Forms, Schedules

The following brackets and forms can be found on the MAIS website:
1. Football Playoff Brackets
2. Jamboree Disbursement Form
3. Bowl Game Disbursement Form
4. Master Football Schedule

Officials' Fees

See Officials' Pay Calculator In
Members Only Section Of Website
Playoff Games Assignments

The Director of Athletic Events, or his/her designee, is responsible for the assignment of officials for all playoff games, and for calculating the fees that they will be paid.

Fees for playoff games will be increased above the regular season pay scale by $5 per official for the first two weeks of the playoffs.

They are increased by $10 above the regular season pay scale per official for the third week of the playoffs.

They are increased by $15 above the regular season pay scale per official for the championship game.

One mileage fee is paid to the driver of each crew. Should officials use more than one vehicle, the mileage fee is split between the multiple drivers. The mileage rate will be determined by the Director of Athletic Events. The Director is authorized to make adjustments to the above pay scale should special circumstances arise.

All-MAIS Team

An All-MAIS Selection Committee will be appointed by the Director of Athletic Events for each class. Each committee will select the players that comprise the All-MAIS team for their class.

D. Baseball

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

All baseball play is governed by National Federation of High Schools Baseball Rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. The following exceptions and/or points of emphasis have been made by the AAC:
1. Suspended Games At District Level - Each district is responsible for determining its own procedure for dealing with games that are suspended. If a district does not adopt a game ending procedure, NFHS rules will apply.
2. Suspended Playoff Games - Playoff games that are terminated as a result of darkness, weather, artificial light failure, etc. shall be considered a "suspended game." The suspended game shall be continued from the point of suspension at a later time. The line-up and batting order of each team shall be exactly the same as the line-up and batting order at the moment of suspension subject to the rules governing the game. Any pitchers that had remaining pitches in a suspended game will be allowed to use them when the game is resumed regardless of the days of rest in between. It is also noted that if the days between a suspended game and when it is resumed allows a pitcher to get in the required days of rest, the pitcher will have access to the 120 pitches allowed by rule for a day.
3. Ten Run Rule - In playoff games, the ten-run rule does not apply UNLESS mutually agreed to by both coaches before the game.
4. Courtesy Runner Rule - The team at bat may use a courtesy runner for the pitcher and/or the catcher at any time. Neither the pitcher nor the catcher will be required to leave the game under such circumstances. The same courtesy runner may be used for both the pitcher and the catcher, but not in the same inning.
5. Electronic Communication Between Coach & Catcher - It is permissible for the coaching staff to communicate to the catcher using an electronic device.
6. Length of Game - Seven (7) innings shall constitute a game, but when the score is tied at the end of the 7th inning, additional innings shall be played to break the tie. Note: By mutual agreement, coaches may choose to play two (2) five inning games when playing a double header.
7. Forfeiture Score / Per Game Run Cap - According to the National Federation of High Schools Rules Book, if a team forfeits a game to Team A, the official score shall be recorded as a 7-0 victory for Team A. Because the awarding of this score could possibly negatively skew the tiebreakers used by MAIS member schools, the official score of a forfeited game will be 10-0 instead of 7-0. In addition, there is a 9 run per game cap on any game played against a MAIS opponent or non-MAIS opponent as it pertains to determining run differential and/or fewest runs allowed when using the MAIS tiebreaker.
First / Last Playing Dates
1. Schools are not allowed to have any inter-school competition before the Monday of the week of the regional basketball tournaments. Beginning with the Monday of the week of the regional basketball tournaments, schools are allowed to begin competing against member and/or non-member schools. Schools are allowed to play in one(1) pre-season tournament that will not count toward their limit of 28 games. Once regular season play has started, all games played will be counted toward the limit of 28 games unless they are played over Spring Break.
2. The end of the baseball season for each class shall be the last day of the class championships.
Sixth Grade Participation

Sixth graders are NOT allowed to play baseball with any student above the 7th grade.

No student below the sixth (6th) grade may participate on the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.

The AAC does not regulate pee-wee sports (6th grade and below).

Scheduling Limitations
1. Schools are not allowed to have any inter-school competition before the Monday of the week of the regional basketball tournaments. Beginning with the Monday of the week of the regional basketball tournaments, schools are allowed to begin competing against member and/or non-member schools. Schools are allowed to play 28 regular season games. Schools are also allowed to play one(1) pre-season tournament before regular season games start. Pre-season tournament games would not count toward the 28 game limit. Once regular season play has started, all games played will be counted toward the limit of 28 games unless they are played over Spring Break or during the Easter Holidays.
2. Regular Season Tournaments - Regular season tournaments will count as 2 games. Should a tournament be single-elimination, and a team lose its first game, the tournament would only count as 1 game.
Determining District Champions / Playoff Teams
1. Championship Determination Process - Each district will determine its own champion in baseball. The AAC representative for the district is responsible for calling a meeting to determine this process. Each district will determine the teams that qualify to advance to the playoffs. Districts are not required to have a district tournament, but can use round-robin play or some other method to determine seeding. All districts should have a plan to deal with the situation in which all district games are unable to be played. The first week of baseball playoffs will not be delayed for a district that fails to complete all of its district games and/or district tournament games. The Director has the authority to make exceptions.
2. District Tournaments - Should a district choose to have a tournament, the schools participating will determine the seeding of teams and the site for their tournament.
3. Tournament Umpires - Umpires for sub-district and district tournaments are to be selected by the participating schools.
4. Tiebreaker - If a district does not have a tiebreaker, the MAIS baseball tiebreaker will be used.
Tiebreaker For Districts That Do Not Have One
1. If a two team tie exists, the following tiebreaker is to be used:
  1. Record in head to head competition between the teams tied*
  2. Run differential between the two teams in head to head competition*
  3. Record of teams tied versus the highest seeded team not involved in the tie and proceeding through the lowest seeded team not involved in the tie* **
  4. Fewest runs allowed in all district games*
  5. Coin flip
2. If three or more teams are tied, the following tiebreaker is to be used:
  1. Record in head to head competition between the teams tied*
  2. Run differential between the teams in head to head Competition*
  3. Record of teams tied versus the highest seeded team not involved in the tie and proceeding through the lowest seeded team not involved in the tie* **
  4. Fewest runs allowed in all district games*
  5. Coin flip
*This comparison only includes district games, not additional possible match-ups in tournaments. There is a 9 run per game cap on any game played against a MAIS opponent or non-MAIS opponent as it pertains to determining run differential and/or fewest runs allowed when using the MAIS tiebreaker.

**This is interpreted to be a comparison of the teams tied with the highest ranked team that is not involved in the tie. If that comparison does not break the tie, a comparison is made with the next highest team not involved in the tie, and so on.

The AAC has determined that the process of implementing the baseball tiebreaker is continuous. Once the teams that are tied start with step 'i', the steps will be followed in succession until all the teams involved have been awarded a place.

The MAIS tiebreaker does NOT supersede any tiebreaker that an individual district may have established. It is to be used in those cases in which a district may not have an agreed upon tiebreaker.

Admission Prices - Varsity Baseball

2025-26 Baseball Admission Prices
Event	Adults	Students
*Jr. High Regular Season Games	$10	$10
*Varsity Regular Season Games	$10	$10
*Varsity District Tournament	$10	$10
**Playoff Games Leading To Championship Series	$10	$10
**Class Championship Series	$10	$10
***All-Star Game	$10	$10
*Prices do not apply to box or reserve seats on the HOME side. MAIS numbered passes, MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be accepted.
**Season ticket and/or reserved seating does not apply in any playoff series. MAIS numbered passes will NOT be honored for any playoff games in any sport. MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be honored at all playoff games.
***MAIS numbered passes will NOT be honored for any all-star games in any sport. MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be honored at all playoff games.

Post-Season Play
1. Class 4A Playoffs - In the North, District 1-#1 will play District 2-#2, and District 2-#1 will play District 1-#2. The winners of each 3 game series will advance to the Division I Championship. The losers will advance to the Division II Championship.
  
  In the South, District 3-#1 will play District 4-#2, and District 4-#1 will play District 3-#2. The winners of each 3 game series will advance to the Division I Championship. The losers will advance to the Division II Championship.
2. Class 3A Playoffs - Within Class 3A there will be 2 championships using the following guidelines:
  
  Division I Championship - 8 team playoff between the #1 and #2 seeds from each district.
  
  Division II Championship - 8 team playoff between the #3 and #4 seeds from each district.
3. Class 2A Playoffs - Within Class 2A there will be 2 championships using the following guidelines:
  
  Division I Championship - 10 team playoff between the #1 and #2 seeds from each district.
  
  Division II Championship - 10 team playoff between the #3 and #4 seeds from each district.
4. Class 1A Playoffs - The top 4 teams from each district will advance to their respective regional tournament series. Districts 1 & 2 will be in the North. Districts 3, 4 & 5 will be in the South. The North champion will play the South champion in a best of 3 series for the Class 1A Championship.
5. Playoff Format - Each series leading to the semi-final series will be a best two out of three format. Game 1 will be at the lower seed. Games 2 and 3 (if needed) will be at the higher seed, and played as a doubleheader. Note: By mutual consent, schools may deviate from this format with approval of the Director of Athletic Events. For the semi-finals and the championship series, the 1-1-1 format will be used. The first game will be played at the higher seed. The second game will be played at the lower seed. The third game (if needed) will be played at the higher seed.
6. Default Days Used For Playoff Games - Tuesday and Friday are the default days of the week set by the AAC to be used for playoff games for all games leading to the semi-finals. Exception: Should a series leading to the semi-finals be played the week of the Class Track Meet, Monday and Thursday will be used as the default playing dates. For the semi-finals and championship series, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are the default days. Should the semi-finals or finals be the same week of the Class Track Meet, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday will be used. By mutual agreement, schools may deviate from the above schedule. Schools are encouraged to work together as the end of the year has a number of school events that may cause conflicts (ex: graduation, athletic banquet, awards day).
7. Playoff Disbursement - The MAIS shall receive ten percent (10%) of the gate receipts, after game officials have been paid, from all games leading to the class championship series. The MAIS shall receive twenty-percent (20%) of the gate receipts, after game officials have been paid, from the class championship series.
All-Star Game

The MAIS has sanctioned two baseball all-star games, one for Classes 1A-2A and one for Classes 3A-4A.

Class 1A-2A Game - Each team will consist of eighteen (18) players. The following guidelines will apply:
1. Class 1A-2A has no selection requirements other than no school may have more than three (3) players on the team. The all-star selection committee will select the first twelve (12) players. The final six (6) players will be chosen by the Baseball Committee.
2. After the All-Star Selection Committee chooses all-stars from their respective districts, the all-star coaches will come in and draft the final teams from the combined list of players.
Class 3A-4A Game - Each team will consist of eighteen (18) players. The following guidelines will apply:
1. Class 3A-4A has no selection requirements other than no school may have more than three (3) players on the team.
2. After the All-Star Selection Committee chooses all-stars from their respective districts, the all-star coaches will come in and draft the final teams from the combined list of players.
It is the member school's responsibility to ensure that each player nominated will participate if selected.
All-Star Game Format / All-Star Coaches

Both all-star games will be a nine (9) inning regulation games under regulation baseball rules with reference to substitution, pitching, etc.

Any coach serving on an all-star selection committee, must be the head coach, and on the faculty of a MAIS member school. Also, any coach serving as a head coach must be a full-time employee of the school. If not, said coach may still serve as an assistant coach. It is left to the discretion of the AAC Affairs Committee, that any coach placed on "warning" and/or "probation" may be ineligible to coach an all-star team during the period of disciplinary action.

Coaches are not eligible to coach in the all-star game unless they are members of the Mid-South Association of Independent Schools Coaches' Association.

All MAIS Team

An All-MAIS Selection Committee will be appointed by the Director of Athletic Events for each class. Each committee will select the players that comprise the All-MAIS Team for their class.

Officials' Fees

See Officials' Pay Calculator In
Members Only Section Of Website
Pre-Game Administrator's Meeting

The game administrator is required to meet with the umpires and coaches at a pre-game meeting. This will give the umpires an opportunity to meet the game administrator, and find out where he/she will be located for the upcoming game(s). In any instance where there are multiple sets of umpires used, multiple meetings would be required (Ex: 2 officials calling B-team games; 2 different officials calling varsity games).

Pitch-Count Rule

In accordance with a directive from the National Federation of High Schools, the AAC passed the following pitch count rule that must used by MAIS member schools to determine the number of days a pitcher must sit out after pitching in a game. The schedule below applies to any inter-school baseball competition. If a pitcher should make multiple appearances in one day (Ex: B-Team Game & A-Team Game), the total number of pitches pitched in all games would be entered.

MAIS Pitch-Count Rule
1-35 pitches	No sit-out required
36-60 Pitches	Must sit-out 1 day
61-85 Pitches	Must sit-out 2 days
86-110 Pitches	Must sit-out 3 days*
111-120 Pitches	Must sit-out 4 days**

*If a pitcher reaches the 110 pitch count limit during the middle of an at-bat, he will be allowed to finish facing that batter before being removed from the game. If he is removed at the end of that at-bat, his sit-out period will be 3 days.

**If a pitcher reaches 120 pitches in the middle of an at-bat, he will be allowed to finish facing that batter before being removed from the game. In this case his sit out period will be 4 days unless that at-bat involved the same batter he was pitching to when he threw his 110th pitch, in which case the sit-out period will be 3 days.

Coaches are required to report the pitch count for each pitcher used in inter-school competition (member or non-member) with the MAIS Pitch Count app within 12 hours of the completion of the game. The app is located at:

pc.msais.org

This link can be used on a smart phone, iPad, laptop or desktop computer.

Coaches who are monitoring their opponent's pitch count are encouraged to communicate with each other at the end of each inning in an effort to make sure that everyone is on the same page.

It is noted that in the event that Team A believes that a Team B pitcher has thrown the maximum number of pitches allowed under the rule, Team A's coach should inform Team B's coach of the count he has before Team B's pitcher throws any further pitches. If there is a discrepancy in the count between the two coaches, the game is to be played to its conclusion, and the potential violation should be reported via email to ddrake@msais.org after the game.

The same would be true regarding a pitcher for Team A that Team B believes has not sat out the required number of days. Before the pitcher throws his first pitch, Team B’s head coach should notify Team A’s head coach of what he believes to be a potential violation. Team A’s coach does not have to agree and can put the pitcher in the game anyway. The Affairs Committee will settle the issue at a later time.

The Affairs Committee does not want any “gotcha” moments where a team attempts to win a game by forfeit.

Coaches are reminded that the umpires are not involved with adjudicating the pitch count rule in any way. Should there be a complaint formally filed, the Affairs Committee will make the final decision based on the evidence they have. All coaches are encouraged to have a non-stop video of their ballgames if possible.

E. Track

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

All track and field meets will be governed by National Federation of High Schools Track & Field Rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. The following exceptions and/or points of emphasis have been made by the AAC:

False Starts - In each race, should there be a false start by any of the participants, the false start will be charged to the entire field, and no runners will be disqualified. Should any further false starts occur, the offending party (or parties) shall be disqualified.

Post-Season Series To Determine Class Championship - The MAIS uses a 3 meet series to determine the class championship. The first meet in the series is the varsity district track meet. In classes 1A-3A the top 4 finishers from the district meet in each event advance to the next meet, which is the regional track meet. The top 4 finishers from each regional meet in each event advance to their respective class meet.

In Class 4A, each district shall determine a district champion. All of the members of the district champions will advance to the Class 4A-Division I Track Meet. It is noted that only those athletes that recorded a valid distance, height, or time in an event will get to advance to the Division I Meet.

The remaining teams in the districts will advance to their respective regional track meet. It is noted that only those athletes that recorded a valid distance, height, or time in an event will get to advance to the regional meet. The top 4 finishers from the regional meets will advance to the Class 4A-Division II Track Meet.

MAIS Field Event Trial Policy - In all meets leading to the class championships (District, North/South State), participants in the long jump, triple jump, shot put and discus throw will be given a minimum of three (3) preliminary trials. After that, the top six (6) competitors shall be given three (3) additional trials, and will be called by the field event judge based on their best preliminary trial performance, from worst to best. It is noted that at the discretion of the meet director, and should time allow, additional trials can be given in the first round. If the meet director determines that there is enough time to give everyone 6 trials, he/she will also specify at what point during the trials, if any, a re-seeding will occur.

In class meets, each contestant will be given six (6) trials. Athletes will NOT be re-seeded at the class meet.

Participation Rule - In any given meet, no individual, boy or girl, may participate in more than six (6) events, of which no more than three (3) can be individual events. It is noted that this deviates from National Federation rules. Also, it is noted that there is no limitation on the number of relays an athlete participates in as long as he/she does not exceed six (6) total events. Finally, it is noted that if an athlete violates the participation rule, the team will lose all places and points in the events in which the athlete participated.

Up-and-Down Rule For Track - Prior to the jr. high district meet, jr. high athletes may be used in jr. high competition and also varsity competition in the same meet, without the jr. high athlete losing his/her jr. high eligibility. Any points earned by the jr. high athlete in this circumstance would count toward the team totals for the meet. It is noted that jr. high athletes are allowed to compete in the same event in both jr. high and varsity in the same meet as long as they do not violate the participation rule.

All such participation by a jr. high athlete in the above case would count against the athlete's participation limit for the meet. Example: An 8th grader could compete in the jr. high 100 dash, the jr. high long jump, the varsity long jump, the jr. high 400 relay, the varsity 800 relay and the jr. high 1600 relay. This would be legal because the athlete has adhered to the 6 total events per meet rule, with no more than 3 being individual events.

Sixth Graders - Sixth graders are allowed to participate in track at both the junior high and varsity level.

No student below the sixth (6th) grade may participate on the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.

Junior High-Only Schools - Schools that are jr. high only ARE allowed to enter the varsity district track meet in their district.

Illegal Headgear - The wearing of baseball caps, hats, visors, skull caps, bandanas or any type of headgear that could come dislodged during competition, is prohibited. The penalty for the first offense is a warning. A repeated violation results in disqualification from the meet. This language does not prohibit competitors from wearing hood attachments, as long as the attachment is a part of a legal track top or undergarment.

District Responsibilities - Each district is responsible for choosing the site and date of its district track meets. Members are also responsible for making sure that the appropriate meet officials (meet director, referee, appeal's committee, event judges, etc.) are chosen to run off their jr. high and varsity meets. Each meet director should contact Linda Parker at Tally Student Services no later than January 10th to let her know the number of trophies and number of ribbons the district will need.

The varsity meet should be held no later than the Saturday preceding the regional meet. Each district shall establish its own policies and procedures related to submitting contestant names to the district meet director, and when scratches may or may not be made for the district meet. At the varsity district meet, district members should ensure that all meet results are submitted via Hy-Tek's Meet Manager software, that all of the required starting heights for high jump and pole vault are used, that each school uses the appropriate weighted shot and discus in the throwing events, that each pole vaulter presents the proper paperwork to the field judge before vaulting, that each school has listed all of their relay team members, including all of their alternates (can have maximum of 8 names listed) in the Meet Manager, and that all athlete names are spelled correctly. It is noted that NFHS rules require that the four names of the athletes that actually run a relay at the district meet must be listed. Coaches do not have to list 4 additional alternates, but can do so up until the results of the district meet have been certified.

Unattached Competitors At Qualifying Track Meets - Unattached competitors are not to be allowed to run in any qualifying races at a district meet. If a district wants to have a race or races set aside for unattached competitors, they may still do so, but the AAC has determined that the risk of unattached competitors interfering with legitimate competitors in a race, outweighs any positives for allowing them to run in a race in which athletes are competing for the district championship, and the right to advance to the next level.

Track Meet Order of Events

Track Meet Order of Running Events

3200 Meter Run (G & B)*

300 Meter Hurdles (G &B)

800 Meter Relay (G & B)

3200 Meter Relay (G & B)

400 Meter Relay (G & B)

100 M Hurdles (G)

110 M Hurdles (B)

100 M Dash (G & B)

1600 M Run (G & B)

400 Meter Dash (G & B)

800 M Run (G & B)

200 M Dash (G & B)

3200 M Run (G & B)*

1600 M Relay (G & B)

It is noted that the jr. high girls do not run the 3200 meter run. Also, The 400 and 800 meter relays are to be run in lanes.

Overall Track Meet
Year	3200m Runs on day of field events	3200m Runs on Saturday
2024	Classes 3A, 4A, 5A & 6A (G & B)	Class 2A (G & B)
2025	Classes 2A, 4A, 5A & 6A (G & B)	Class 3A (G & B)
2026	Classes 1A, 2A, 4A-Div II, 4A-Div I (G & B)	Class 3A (G & B)
2027	Classes 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A-Div I (G & B)	4A-Div II (G & B)
2028	Classes 1A, 2A 3A, 4A-Div II (G & B)	4A-Div I (G & B)

North / South State Track Meets - The following schedule will be used for determining which 3200m runs will be run on the day of field events, and which ones will be run on Saturday. It is noted that in years where there is no 3200m run on Saturday, a mandatory 30-minute resting period will follow the 200m dash.

North / South State Track Meets
Year	3200m Runs on day of field events	3200m Runs on Saturday
2024	Classes 3A, 4A, 5A (G & B)	Class 2A (G & B)
2025	Classes 2A, 4A, 5A (G & B)	Class 3A (G & B)
2026	Classes 1A, 2A, 4A-Div II (G & B)	Class 3A (G & B)
2027	Classes 1A, 2A, 3A (G & B)	4A-Div II (G & B)
2028	Classes 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A-Div II (G & B)	Mandatory 30-minute resting period

District Track Meets - Districts that run off their entire track meet in one day should run the 3200 m run at some point before the 300 hurdles in any year that the race is going to be run on the same day as the field events at the regional meet and the Overall Track Meet. It is also noted that in years where there are no 3200m runs after the 200m dash at the district meet, a mandatory 30-minute resting period must be observed before the start of the 1600m relay. Districts can choose to run off their district meet over the course of two days (one day for field events, one day for running events). In this case the 3200 m runs can be run the same day as field events in the years that this will also take place at the regional meet and the Overall Track Meet.

Scoring - The points awarded in track for team events and for individual events shall be the same. For district meets and regional meets (North/South), the individual and team events shall use the following scoring system:

Scoring - All Meets Except Class Meet
1st Place	6 Points
2nd Place	4 Points
3rd Place	3 Points
4th Place	2 Points
5th Place	1 Points

For the class championships, the individual and team events shall use the following scoring system:

Scoring - Class Meet
1st Place	10 Points
2nd Place	8 Points
3rd Place	6 Points
4th Place	5 Points
5th Place	4 Points
6th Place	3 Points
7th Place	2 Points
8th Place	1 Points

Clarification on Coaching Athletes During Competition - It is NOT illegal for coaches to coach their athletes unless they are doing so from an area that has been restricted by meet management, and they are unauthorized to be in that area.

Hurdles Heights - The following hurdle heights will be used for MAIS competition:

Hurdle Heights
JVG / JVB / Varsity Girls' 300 Meter Low Hurdle Height	30''
Varsity Boys' 300 Meter Intermediate Hurdle Height	36''
JVG / Varsity Girls' 100 Meter Low Hurdle Height	33''
JVB 110 Low Hurdle Height	33''
Varsity Boys' 110 Meter High Hurdle Height	39''

Starting Heights for High Jump and Pole Vault - Beginning at the district level, the following starting heights and increments MUST be used for varsity:

District / Regional / Class Starting Heights For Varsity Meets
Girls' High Jump	4' 0"	Raise in 2" Intervals
Boys' High Jump	5' 4"	Raise in 2" Intervals
Girls' Pole Vault	7' 0"	Raise in 6" Intervals
Boys' Pole Vault	8' 0"	Raise in 6" Intervals
It is noted that the AAC has determined that any points or places that are awarded to competitors in violation of the required starting heights will be voided.

Jr. high starting heights and incremental raises will be set by each district, and should be recorded in the district's constitution. Starting heights for invitational track meets will be set by the host school.

Pole Vault Verification Form - Every school that participates in the pole vault shall be required to fill out, and keep on file in the school's office, a copy of the MAIS Pole Vault Verification Form for each of its vaulters. This form is to be signed by the school administrator and/or athletic director, the head track coach and/or pole vault coach, at least one parent or guardian, and the athlete. The form certifies that the vaulter is in compliance with the National Federation of High School rules concerning legal equipment. A copy of the form must be presented to the field judge by either the headmaster, athletic director, head track coach or pole vault coach, at each meet before the competitor will be allowed to warm-up or compete. The MAIS Pole Vault Verification Form is posted on the MAIS website.

Meet Officials

When possible, the following meet officials should be in place for each track meet. Due to lack of personnel, some of the responsibilities described below may have to be combined and/or shared.

Meet Director - The meet director(s) shall serve as the official representative of host meet management. He/she shall supervise the conduct of the meet and perform such duties to guarantee the competition will run smoothly. When there is no games committee, the Meet Director shall have general supervision of the meet and perform those duties assigned to the games committee.

The Meet Director and/or his/her designee shall be responsible for handling unsportsmanlike conduct by a spectator(s) and other matters outside the competition rules.

Referee - Each meet leading up to, and including, the Overall Track Meet, shall have a referee. Some of the duties of the referee are:

The referee is directly in charge of activities during the meet. He/she shall answer questions that are not specifically placed under the jurisdiction of other officials.

The referee has the sole authority to determine if a race shall be rerun, and if so, who is eligible to participate in the rerun and when it should be scheduled.

When a competitor is disqualified, the referee should notify, or cause to be notified, the competitor or the competitor's coach of the disqualification.

The referee has the sole authority for ruling on infractions or irregularities not covered within the rules. The referee may seek the advice of other meet officials before making a ruling.

The referee is authorized to disqualify a competitor who commits an infraction personally observed by the referee.

Appeals Committee - For each regional meet (North State, South State) and the Overall Track Meet, a Board of Appeals shall be appointed by the Director of Athletic Events. Meets held at the district level must also have a Board of Appeals, with said members being determined by the district.

The Board of Appeals will make the final decision on appealable items and/or serve to advise the Meet Director, or Referee, if he/she wishes to consult it.

Starter - The starter shall have full responsibility for the competitors on the starting line and during the start. The starter and assistant starter(s) shall decide, without protest, whether a start is fair and legal or which competitor(s) shall be charged with a false start.

Clerk of the Course - The clerk of the course shall be responsible for recording the name and number (when applicable) of each competitor that reports for an event, and shall assign each runner to the proper heat and starting position, as approved by the games committee or meet director. In addition, the clerk is responsible for issuing and keeping record of competitor jewelry warnings.

Meet Announcer - The announcer shall be responsible for giving proper announcements to assist competitors in reporting to the clerk of the course or the field event judges on time. It is noted that it is the responsibility of each coach to make sure that his/her athletes report to the clerk and/or field judge at the proper time, and should an athlete be involved in two events at the same time, that both parties are notified. Running events should always take precedence over field events should there be a conflict. High jump and pole vault should always take precedence over long jump, triple jump, shot and discus because NFHS rules do not allow the bar to be lowered during the competition unless there is a tie for first.

In addition to making general announcements to track meet attendees, the announcer shall record the time that he/she announces the official results of an event. This recorded time is to be used by the referee in case a coach files a protest concerning the misapplication of a rule.

Field Event Judge / Appeal Process - A field event judge shall be responsible for the judging and measuring of each legal trial of a competitor in all field events. The event judge is responsible for recording the result of each competitor's trial, indicating the place winners in an event, and recording and reporting to the referee any warnings and/or disqualifications he/she issues. The field event judge's decisions are final and without appeal except for possible action taken by the referee or Board of Appeals. If a coach believes that a judge has misapplied a rule in making the determination concerning a foul, he/she should immediately, and respectfully, approach the judge and ask that there be a conference with the referee.

Umpire - The umpire(s) should be equipped with yellow and white colored flags when possible. When an infraction or irregularity is detected during a race, the umpire shall immediately signal by waving a yellow flag overhead. When the race is completed, the umpire shall report the infraction to the head umpire (or referee). The referee shall make the final decision.

Unless the referee determines that an umpire has misapplied a rule, judgment decisions made by an umpire are not appealable. When no infraction occurs, the umpire shall signal by waving the white flag.

Verbal Actions of Trainers and Managers - Competitors cannot be disqualified due to the verbal actions of a school's manager or trainer. This does not exempt individuals and/or teams from being disqualified if there is non-competitor "interference" in a race or field event.

Filling Vacancies - Rule 2.1.3 of the NFHS Track and Field Rules Book states:

"When an apparent place winner is disqualified in an event, lower place winners in that event shall be advanced to fill vacant places, unless the disqualification occurs after the event results have become official."

The MAIS has an exception to Rule 2.1.3 that takes into account situations in that an athlete competes in an event for which he/she was not eligible at the time. This exception does NOT, however, affect any situation where an athlete was eligible at the time he/she competed in an event, and was later disqualified after the results of that event were announced. (See examples below)

The MAIS exception reads as follows:

"Any time vacancies occur in the District, Regional or Class Meet series due to the discovery of a participation violation in which an athlete competes when he/she is not eligible, the vacancies shall be filled. If the error is discovered before the Notice of Certification that the meet results are final has been posted, the appropriate corresponding points will also be awarded to the team score of any athletes being moved up."

Such violations would include:

Violating the MAIS participation policy (a maximum of 6 total events, of which no more than 3 could be individual events)

Participating in an event while being ineligible according to MAIS Eligibility rules

Participating in an event after being disqualified from the meet

Any other scenario in which an athlete participated in an event illegally

If this occurs at either the District or Regional level, any competitors that are moved into advancing positions will be allowed to compete at the next level.

Scenario: Competitor A competes in the following events: Long Jump (9:00 a.m.), Triple Jump (10:00 a.m.), High Jump (11:00 a.m.), 100 Meter Dash (3:00 p.m.), 200 Meter Dash (5:30 p.m.). After the results of the aforementioned events have been announced, and before the Notification of Certification that the meet results are final has been posted, it is discovered that Competitor A violated the participation rule.

Ruling: First of all, as a result of violating the MAIS participation rule, Competitor A is disqualified from ALL of the events in which he participated, and any points he earned are subtracted from his team's total score. If warranted, a new team champion is named. This type correction can be made at any time. As far as filling vacancies, because Competitor A was a legal competitor at the time he competed in the Long Jump, Triple Jump and High Jump, no vacancies will be filled due to Competitor A's later disqualification from the meet. However, because Competitor A illegally participated in the 100 Meter Dash and the 200 Meter Dash, vacancies due to his disqualification will be filled, and point totals will be adjusted accordingly.

Comment: The point totals for the competitors that are moved up can only be adjusted if this error is discovered BEFORE the posting of the Notice of Certification that meet results are final. If this violation is reported after the certification notice has been posted, but before the next track meet, the vacancies left in the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash will still be filled, but no points will be added to the teams of the athletes that are moved up.

Scenario #2: Competitor A competes in the Shot Put at 9:00 a.m. Due to his unsportsmanlike conduct, he is disqualified from further participation in the meet. At 11:00 a.m., he enters the Discus competition, competes, and earns a place. After the Notification of Certification that the meet results are final has been posted, this situation is discovered.

Ruling: First of all, the athlete is disqualified from all of the events in which he participated. He will not advance to the next level in any event. Any points that he earned are subtracted from his teams' total score, and if warranted, a new team champion is named.

As far as filling vacancies, since Competitor A was a legal competitor at the time he competed in the Shot Put, no vacancies will be filled due to Competitor A's later disqualification from the meet. However, because Competitor A illegally participated in the Discus Throw, vacancies due to his illegal participation will be filled, and any athletes moving into the top four places will advance to the next meet. Since this was not discovered until after the meet results were certified, no points will be added to the team score of the athletes moving up in place.

Starting Procedure - There are two possible starting procedures for the races listed below:

      800 meter run

      1600 meter run

      3200 meter run

      3200 meter relay

Option 1: The aforementioned races can be started and run in lanes for the first curve, assuming that each contestant has a lane to himself / herself.

Option 2: A waterfall start can be used. This option is often used in meets where there are more runners than lanes.

The starter is allowed to use his discretion on the type of start to use in the aforementioned races.

Re-Running A Race

By NFHS rule, the referee has the sole authority to determine if a race is rerun, and if so, who is eligible to participate in the rerun, and when it should be scheduled. It is noted that a competitor who has not been disqualified from a race can choose to keep his/her time when the referee determines that a race is to be rerun.

Girls' Field Events

Girls' Field Events
Shot 4Kg (8 lbs. 13 oz.)	Discus 2 lbs. 3.274 oz.
High Jump	Long Jump
Pole Vault	Triple Jump

Boys' Field Events

Boys' Field Events
Jr. High Shot 4Kg (8 lbs. 13 oz.)	Jr. High Discus 2 lbs. 3.274 oz.
Varsity Shot 12 lbs.	Varsity Discus 3 lbs. 9 oz.
High Jump	Long Jump
Pole Vault	Triple Jump

Notification of Certification That Meet Results Are Final

Schools will be given a minimum of 48 hours after the results of a meet are posted on the MAIS Post Office Page, to correct clerical and/or team scoring errors. After that time, the MAIS Office will post a notice of certification that meet results are final. No clerical or team scoring errors can be corrected after the certification notice has been posted.

It is noted that, as with all other sports sanctioned by the MAIS, corrections due to the use of an ineligible or disqualified competitor, can be corrected at any time. Cases of this nature will be handled by the Director of Athletic Events, in conjunction with the Affairs Committee.

Corrections to the list of possible participants in any relay that is advancing from the district meet to the regional meet, can be made IF the Director of Athletic Events is notified within 48 hours of the District results being posted.

The four athletes that participated in the relay at the district meet MUST be listed. Failure to list the four athletes that ran at the district level will result in the relay being disqualified.

Entries In District Meet

Each team has the privilege of entering two (2) participants in each individual event at the District Track Meet.

District Track Meets - Athletes Advancing

In Classes 1A, 2A and 3A, four (4) participants shall advance from the district meet to the North / South Track Meets.

Any time there is a tie for one of the top four positions in a lane race that would necessitate more than four competitors advancing, the MAIS Office, in conjunction with the meet director of the next meet, shall determine how to best deal with the additional competitor(s).

Competitors advancing due to similar ties in a field event or distance race will simply be placed in their event with the other competitors that have advanced.

In Class 4A, all of the members of the district championship team who recorded a legal height, distance, or time in an event, shall advance to the Class 4A-Division I Track Meet in that event. All of the members of the remaining teams who recorded a legal height, distance, or time in an event, shall advance to their respective Class 4A-Division II Regional Track Meet in that event.

Regional Track Meets

Field events for the North / South Track Meets shall be run on the Wednesday prior to the running events. The field event schedule will be left to the discretion of the meet director. All running events will be run on Saturday, using heats as needed. The Director can modify the aforementioned dates should weather or other special circumstances arise. Exception: Some 3200m runs will be run on Wednesday. See aforementioned schedule.

The regional meets will include the following schools:

Meet	Districts Included
North 1A	Districts 1 & 2
North 2A	Districts 1 & 2
North 3A	Districts 1 & 2
North 4A	Districts 1 & 2
South 1A	Districts 3, 4 & 5
South 2A	Districts 3, 4 & 5
South 3A	Districts 3 & 4
South 4A	Districts 3 & 4

Class Track Meet

Qualifiers for Class 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A-Division II Meet: The top four (4) participants and/or relay teams from each class at the North Meet and the South Meet will advance to the Class Meet.

Sites / Dates For 2024 & 2025 Post-Season Track Meets

The sites for the North, South and Overall Track Meet are as follows:

Post-District Track Sites
Meet	2026 Sites	2027 Sites
North 1A, 3A Field Events*	Lee Academy (MS) April 22, 2026	Washington School April 21, 2027
North 1A, 3A Running Events*	Lee Academy (MS) April 25, 2026	Washington School April 24, 2027
North 2A, 4A Field Events*	Bayou Academy April 22, 2026	Bayou Academy April 21, 2027
North 2A, 4A Running Events*	Bayou Academy April 25, 2026	Bayou Academy April 24, 2027
South 2A, 3A Field Events*	Canton Academy April 22, 2026	Canton Academy April 21, 2027
South 2A, 3A Running Events*	Canton Academy April 25, 2026	Canton Academy April 24, 2027
South 1A, 4A Field Events*	Silliman Institute April 22, 2026	Silliman Institute April 21, 2027
South 1A, 4A Running Events*	Silliman Institute April 25, 2026	Silliman Institute April 24, 2027
Class 2A & 3A Field Events*	Canton May 1, 2026	Canton Apr 30, 2027
Class 1A, 4A-Div I, 4A-Div II Field Events*	Jackson Academy May 1, 2026	Jackson Academy Apr 30, 2027
All Classes Running Event Finals*	Jackson Prep May 2, 2026	Jackson Prep May 1, 2027

*Only one girls' 3200m run and one boys' 3200m run will be run on the day of the running event finals. All of the other 3200m runs will be held the day that respective class runs off its field events (see Section E-1-k).

The North 1A-2A-3A-4A Track Meet field events will be held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The North 1A-2A-3A-4A Meet running event finals will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

The South 1A-2A-3A-4A Track Meet field events will be held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The South 1A-2A-3A-4A Meet running events will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

The Class 2A and Class 3A field events, along with the 3200m runs for Class 2A, will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026, at Canton Academy. The finals for the remaining running events for Class 2A and Class 3A will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at Jackson Prep.

The field event finals for Classes 1A, 4A-Division II, & 4A-Division I, along with the 3200m runs for Classes 1A & 4A, will be held at Jackson Academy on Friday, May 1, 2026. The running event finals for the remaining running events for all classes will be held at Jackson Prep on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

Lane Requirement For Hosting Post-Season Track Meet

Any school hosting the North, South, or Overall Track Meet must have an eight (8) lane track.
Withdrawal From Meets

After entering a team in a track meet, member schools must notify the Meet Director if they decide not to participate. Failure to notify the Meet Director of their withdrawal shall result in a $50.00 penalty assessment against the school.

Financial Disbursement

The disbursement of gate receipts for track meets leading to, and including, the class championships will be set by the AAC.

Admission Prices

F. Softball

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

All softball games will be governed by National Federation of High Schools Softball Rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. The following exceptions and/or points of emphasis have been made by the AAC:
1. Intentional Walk Rule - A request made to the umpire by the defensive coach or catcher, for the purpose of awarding the batter first base without any pitches being thrown, shall be granted in fast-pitch softball.
2. Sixth Grade Participation - A sixth (6th) grader, who is a student of a MAIS member high school, may participate on the jr. high and varsity level in softball.
3. No student below the sixth grade may participate at the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.
4. Courtesy Runner Rule - The team at bat may use a courtesy runner for the pitcher and/or the catcher at any time. Neither the pitcher nor the catcher will be required to leave the game under such circumstances. The same courtesy runner may be used for both the pitcher and the catcher, but not in the same inning.
5. Electronic Communication Between Coach & Catcher - It is permissible for the coaching staff to communicate to the catcher using an electronic device.
6. Number of Innings Constituting A Game - Unless there is a mutual agreement by both head coaches to do otherwise, seven (7) innings shall constitute a game, but when the score is tied at the end of the 7th inning, additional innings shall be played to break the tie. If extra innings are needed to determine the winner of any MAIS softball game, each team will start the extra inning(s) with the player who completed the last official at bat, as a base runner on second base. Each subsequent inning will start the same way until a winner has been determined.
7. Fast-Pitch Tournament Regulations
8. Time-Limit For Regular Season & Post-Season Games There is no time limit on fast-pitch softball games. Exception: During the regular season, two schools can mutually agree to use a time limit. In addition, schools hosting an invitational tournament are allowed to set time limitations.
9. Forfeiture Score / Per Game Run Cap - According to the National Federation of High Schools Rules Book, if a team forfeits a game to Team A, the official score shall be recorded as a 7-0 victory for Team A. Because the awarding of this score could possibly negatively skew the tiebreakers used by MAIS member schools, the official score of a forfeited game will be 10-0 instead of 7-0. In addition, there is a 9 run per game cap on any game played against a MAIS opponent or non-MAIS opponent as it pertains to determining run differential and/or fewest runs allowed when using the MAIS tiebreaker.
First / Last Playing Date

The first playing date for official inter-school competition for fast-pitch softball shall be the last Friday in July. The last playing date for any class for official inter-school competition for fast-pitch softball shall be the date of the championship game for that class.

Scheduling Regulations

The maximum number of softball games allowed in the regular season is twenty-eight (28). Regular season tournaments will count as 2 games. Should a tournament be a single-elimination tournament, and a team lose its first game, the tournament would only count as 1 game. B-team games do not count against the 28-game limit. No more than four (4) days may be used to play in a week. If a fourth date is used, it must be a non-school day (before 1st day of school, Saturday, holiday).

District Constitution

Each district will determine its own method of determining the teams that will advance to the playoffs. In addition, each district shall be responsible for establishing its own tiebreakers AND game-ending procedures for suspended games. Should a district not have its own tiebreaker, the MAIS tiebreaker used for baseball shall serve as the tiebreaker. Should a district not have a policy to deal with suspended games, NFHS rules will apply.

Class 1A Playoff Structure

The top four (4) teams in each Class 1A district will advance to the playoffs. The top four (4) teams from districts 1A-1 and 1A-2 will advance to the North 1A Tournament.

The top four (4) teams from districts 1A-3 and 1A-4 will advance to the South 1A Tournament.

Tournament 2025 Sites 2026 Sites

North
1A Calhoun
Academy Tunica
Academy

South
1A Claiborne
Academy Briarfield
Academy

Class
1A Magee
Sportsplex Magee
Sportsplex

The top four (4) teams from the North and South 1A Tournaments will advance to the Class 1A Tournament.

All post-district tournaments will be two-day tournaments, and will be held on Saturday / Monday.

Class 2A Playoff Structure

The top four (4) teams in each Class 2A district will advance to the playoffs. The top four (4) teams from districts 2A-1, 2A-2 and 2A-3 will advance to the North 2A Tournament.

The top four (4) teams from districts 2A-4 and 2A-5 will advance to the South 2A Tournament. The top 2 teams from each regional tournament will advance to the Class 2A-Division I Tournament. The 3rd and 4th place team from each regional will advance to the Class 2A-Division II Tournament.

Tournament 2025 Sites 2026 Sites

North
2A Canton
Academy Canton
Academy

South
2A Prairie View
Academy Laurel
Christian

Class
2A Magee
Sportsplex Magee
Sportsplex

All post-district tournaments will be two-day tournaments, and will be held on Saturday / Monday.

Class 3A Playoff Structure

The top four (4) teams in each Class 3A district will advance to the playoffs. The top four (4) teams from districts 3A-1 and 3A-2 will advance to the North 3A Tournament.

The top four (4) teams from districts 3A-3 and 3A-4 will advance to the South 3A Tournament. The top 2 teams from each regional tournament will advance to the Class 3A-Division I Tournament. The 3rd and 4th place team from each regional will advance to the Class 3A-Division II Tournament.

Tournament 2025 Sites 2026 Sites

North
3A Bayou
Academy Magnolia
Hts.

South
3A Columbia
Academy St.
Aloysius

Class
3A Magee
Sportsplex Magee
Sportsplex

All post-district tournaments will be two-day tournaments, and will be held on Saturday / Monday.

Class 4A Playoff Structure

Four (4) teams in each Class 4A district will advance to the playoffs. It is noted that the #4 & #5 team will play a play-in game to narrow the field to 8 teams, unless the district chooses to use round-robin play or district tournament play to make this determination. Teams from districts 4A-1 and 4A-2 will advance to the North 4A Tournament.

Teams from districts 4A-3 and 4A-4 will advance to the South 4A Tournament. The top 2 teams from each regional tournament will advance to the Class 4A-Division I Tournament. The 3rd and 4th place team from each regional will advance to the Class 4A-Division II Tournament. The 5th and 6th place team from each regional will advance to the Class 4A-Division III Tournament.

Tournament 2025 Sites 2026 Sites

North
4A Bayou
Academy Magnolia
Heights

South
4A Brookhaven
Academy Brookhaven
Academy

Class
4A Magee
Sportsplex Magee
Sportsplex

All post-district tournaments will be two-day tournaments, and will be held on Saturday / Monday.

Championship Series - All Classes

The top two(2) teams coming out of each class / division tournament held at Magee Sportsplex will play a best-of-three game series. The 1-1-1 format will be used. The first game of the series will be held at the site of the higher seed (team coming out of the winner's bracket). The 2nd game will be held at the site of the lower seed (team coming out of the loser's bracket). The third game, if needed, will be played at the site of the higher seed. The default playing days are the Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday following class tournament play. Schools can modify both the playing days and format by mutual consent. Should this happen, both schools should notify the Director in writing by email.

Playoff Disbursement

The following disbursements shall be made from all regional tournaments:

Gross Receipts (includes gate, entry fees, streaming fees)
Basic Expenses (cost of umpires, cost of trophies)
Balance (line 1 - line 2)
20% of balance on line 3, plus cost of trophies, sent to MAIS
80% of balance on line 3 goes to host school

Fast-Pitch All-Star Games

The AAC has sanctioned a Class 1A-2A Fast-Pitch All-Star Game (7 innings) and a Class 3A-4A Fast-Pitch All-Star Game (7 innings).

Class 1A-2A Game - The team will consist of eighteen (18) players. The following guidelines will apply:

Class 1A-2A has no selection requirements other than no school may have more than three (3) players on the team. The all-star selection committee will select the first twelve (12) players. The final six (6) players will be chosen by the Softball Committee.

After the all-stars have been selected, the all-star coaches will come in and draft the final teams from the combined list of players.

Class 3A-4A Game - The team will consist of eighteen (18) players. The following guidelines will apply:

Class 3A-4A has no selection requirements other than no school may have more than three (3) players on the team. The all-star selection committee will select the first twelve (12) players. The final six (6) players will be chosen by the Softball Committee.

After the all-stars have been selected, the all-star coaches will come in and draft the final teams from the combined list of players.

Only coaches who are members of the MAISCA will be eligible to coach in the all-star game. Each district shall nominate and submit the name of a coach (or coaches) from their district that would be willing to serve as an all-star coach. The Director shall oversee the selection process.

Fast-Pitch Admission Fees

2025-26 Fast-Pitch Admission Prices
Event	Adults	Students
*Varsity Regular Season Games	$10	$10
*Varsity District Tournament	$10	$10
**Regional Tournaments	$10	$10
***Class Tournaments	$10	$10
***All-Star Game	$10	$10
*Prices do not apply to box or reserve seats on the HOME side. MAIS numbered passes, MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be accepted.
**Season ticket and/or reserved seating does not apply in any playoff series. MAIS numbered passes will NOT be honored for any playoff games (games above the district level) in any sport. MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be honored at all playoff games.
***MAIS numbered passes will NOT be honored for any all-star games in any sport. MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be honored at all playoff games.

Officials' Fees

See Officials' Pay Calculator In
Members Only Section Of Website

Slow-Pitch Softball

The AAC has determined that there are not enough teams participating in slow-pitch softball to justify having a sanctioned tournament. Schools wanting to play slow-pitch may participate in an end of the year invitational tournament. The same admission prices and officials' fees used for fast-pitch would apply.

Pre-Game Administrator Meeting

The game administrator is required to meet with the umpires and coaches at a pregame meeting. This will give the umpires an opportunity to meet the game administrator, and find out where he/she will be located for the upcoming game(s). In any instance where there are multiple sets of umpires used, multiple meetings would be required (Ex: 2 officials calling B-team games; 2 different officials calling A-team games).

All-MAIS Team

An All-MAIS Selection Committee will be appointed by the Director of Athletic Events for each class. Each committee will select the players that comprise the All-MAIS Team for their class.

G. Cross Country

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

All cross country competition will be governed by National Federation of High Schools Track and Field Rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. The following exceptions and/or points of emphasis have been made by the AAC:
1. Length of Course
  
  GIRLS - 3.1 miles (5000 m)
  
  BOYS - 3.1 miles (5000 m)
2. Team Participation
  
  Each team is allowed seven (7) runners, and only five (5) will count as scorers. The remaining two (2) are 'pushers'.
  
  At the MAIS Overall Meet, all runners from a team can be entered. The seven official participates do NOT have to be designated as the software used at the meet will register the first seven finishers from a school, and ignore the rest as far as team scoring is concerned.
3. Sixth Grade Participation
  
  A sixth (6th) grader, who is a student of a MAIS member jr. high or secondary school, may participate on the jr. high and varsity level in cross country.
  
  No student below the sixth (6th) grade may participate at either the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.
4. Meet Locations - Meets should be run on golf courses, parks, or suitable varied terrain. In case of flat layouts, bales of hay or suitable 'soft' barriers may be used.
Overall Meet Competition

There will be a girls' race and a boys' race for each class at the MAIS Overall Cross Country Meet. In addition, there will be one open 2 mile race for girl runners in grades 6 through 9. There will also be one open 2 mile race for boy runners in grades 6 through 9. Runners that compete in the open 2 mile race will NOT be allowed to run in the 5K race for their class.

H. Soccer

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

All soccer competition will be governed by National Federation of High Schools Soccer Rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. The following exceptions and/or points of emphasis have been made by the AAC:
1. Restraining Barrier Required - Schools should have proper restraining barriers on each side of their soccer fields. The barriers should be a minimum of 15 feet from the sideline.
2. Sixth Graders - Sixth graders are allowed to participate in soccer games in which no player above the 9th grade is participating.
3. Mercy Rule - When the goal differential reaches a spread of eight (8), the game would be over at the 60 minute mark (20 minutes into the second half). It is noted that this would have no effect on JV games - they would play the full 60 minutes unless both coaches agree that the game should be ended within the second half once the differential reaches 8.
4. Player Ejection Policy For Receiving 2 Yellow Cards - Should a situation occur when a soccer player is ejected for two yellow cards:
  - For administrative purposes only, said player will be given consideration (as it relates to the MAIS Player Ejection Rule) that the ejection may be appealed should the ejection be for ROUGH PLAY ONLY (instead of unsportsmanlike conduct).
  - If either yellow card is found to be for any unsportsmanlike conduct, the ejection will go on the player's record and count against the player and school.
  - Under no circumstances will a substitute be allowed for any player who is ejected for any reason. Two yellow cards will be treated the same as a red card. No substitutions.
  - Remember, unsportsmanlike conduct could include (but not be limited to) using profanity, using tobacco products, calling attention to his or her self, etc. Also, it is MAIS policy that any intentional contact with an official will result in the student-athlete being suspended for the remainder of the school year.
Scheduling Limitations

The following limitations apply to both girls' and boys' soccer:
1. Schools may play on 22 dates
2. Tournaments count as one date
Playoff Procedure, Sites and Dates

Playoff Structure - Within Class 4A there will be 3 division championships using the following guidelines: All teams from each Class 4A district will advance to a regional tournament. North (Districts 1 & 2) / South (Districts 3 & 4). It is noted that the #4 team will play the #5 team in a play-in game to narrow the field to 8 teams.

The top 2 teams coming out of the regional tournaments will advance to the Division I Tournament. The #3 & #4 finishers coming out of the regional tournaments will advance to the Division II Tournament. The #5 & #6 finishers coming out of the regional tournaments will advance to the Division III Tournament.

Division IV - All of the teams in classes 1A-3A that play soccer will be combined to form Division IV. The Director of Athletic Events will divide schools into districts. The top two (2) teams from each district will advance to the Division IV playoffs.

Playoff brackets are posted on the MAIS website.

Admission Prices

2025-26 Soccer Admission Prices
Event	Adults	Students
*Jr. High Regular Season Games	$10	$10
*Varsity Regular Season Games	$10	$10
**Playoff Games Leading To Championship	$10	$10
***Class Championship	$10	$10
***Futures / All-Star Game	$10	$10
*Prices do not apply to box or reserve seats on the HOME side. MAIS numbered passes, MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be accepted.
**Season ticket and/or reserved seating does not apply in any playoff series. MAIS numbered passes will NOT be honored for any playoff games in any sport. MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be honored at all playoff games.
***MAIS numbered passes will NOT be honored for any all-star games in any sport. MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be honored at all playoff and Futures / All-Star games.

Officials' Fees

See Officials' Pay Calculator In
Members Only Section Of Website
Pre-Game Administrator Meeting

The game administrator is required to meet with the referees and coaches at a pregame meeting. This will give the referees an opportunity to meet the game administrator, and find out where he/she will be located for the upcoming game(s). In any instance where there are multiple sets of umpires used, multiple meetings would be required (Ex: 2 officials calling B-team games; 2 different officials calling A-team games).

Tiebreaker
1. Win/Loss record in member conference
2. Head to head competition if teams split
3. Head to head goal differential (maximum of 5 per game)
4. Head to head goals allowed (maximum of 5 per game)
5. Conference goal differential (maximum of 5 per game)
6. Play-In Game(s)
The AAC has determined that the process of implementing this tiebreaker is continuous. Once the teams that are tied start with step 'a', the steps will be followed in succession until all the teams involved have been awarded a place.

I. Tennis

Dates

Regular Season - Schools may play a total of 10 playing dates. On 3 of the 10 dates, multiple matches can be played. Two individuals will advance from each district, and from tournament to tournament.

North and South Tennis Tournaments will be held as needed on the dates, and at the sites, set by the Director of Athletics. Each district is responsible for determining the top seeds that will advance to the regional tournament.

Sixth Grade Participation

A sixth (6th) grader, who is a student of a MAIS member jr. high or secondary school, may participate on the jr. high and varsity level in tennis.

No student below the sixth (6th) grade may participate on the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.

Play
1. District Tournaments - District tournaments are optional. If, however, the region cannot agree to everyone qualifying and playing in the regional tournament, district tournaments MUST be played. District tournaments, if played, must be completed by Wednesday prior to the North/South Tournaments. This is also the deadline for sending in info to the North/South tournament director. If a district tournament is played, the top two (2) players will advance to the North/South Tournament. A girl's and boy's team championship trophy will be given. Any individual plaques must be ordered and paid for by the district.
2. North / South Tournaments - Specific information about the location and schedule for the North / South Tournaments will be posted by the Director of Athletics once it becomes available.
3. Class Tournaments - Winners and runners-up will advance from the North / South Tournaments to the MAIS Class Tournaments in #1 and #2 boys' and girls' singles and doubles and mixed doubles.
General Information
1. Entry fee: there will be a $20.00 entry fee per player to cover the cost of the tennis balls and the court fee. This should be paid to the tournament director upon arrival. This fee is for each separate tournament.
2. Coaches' Meeting - Class Tournaments: There will be a coaches' meeting at the site of your respective class tournament.
3. Coaching - The school's designated coach (maximum of 2 per school) may speak to their own player within the allotted time limit (90 seconds) of a changeover. Girls' and boys' teams do not get 2 coaches per team!!! If a match is being played on an outside court, the coaching must be done from the baseline fence. Players still may not leave the playing area. Each school will be responsible for the conduct and proper implementation of this rule.
4. Awards - Each Class Tournament will give girls' and boys' team trophies (champion & 2nd). Individual winners will be awarded a plaque. The overall tournament will give a girls' and boys' team trophy (champion & runner-up). Individual winners will receive a plaque (singles #1 and #2, doubles #1 and #2, and mixed doubles).
5. Tennis balls: Wilson heavy duty championship balls will be used.
6. Courts: Hard surface (laykold) courts will be used at all tournament sites.
Rules of Play

Use of Best Player - The rule that used to require a minimum of three (3) regular season matches at a position is no longer in effect. However, coaches are still required to follow the rule regarding the use of their best player(s) at #1 and the next best at #2. This should be followed strictly.

Any coach found to be in blatant violation of the rules shall be subject to immediate suspension. In addition, disregard for this and other rules could affect the participation of a school's team in the playoffs.

Scoring

Regular season tennis will use 2 full sets of ad scoring, along with a match- breaker (tiebreaker played to 10) in lieu of a 3rd set. Players will continue to swap ends after every 6 points played in the tiebreaker.

Once we reach the North / South and Class Tournament semi-finals, we will play 3 full sets (if necessary) of regular ad scoring.

Tennis rules
1. Play
  
  i. Competition of the best-of-nine matches to consist of:
  
          #1 girls singles
  
          #1 boys singles #2 girls singles
  
          #2 boys singles #1 girls doubles
  
          #1 boys doubles #2 girls doubles
  
          #2 boys doubles
  
          Mixed doubles
  
  ii. Players may compete in one and only one event.
  - in single seed doubles (girls and boys) there will be two divisions (excluding mixed doubles).
  - the #1 singles will be the best entry in singles and the #2 will be the second best entry.
  - the #1 doubles team will be the best doubles team and the #2 doubles team will be the second best doubles team.
Coach's Responsibility - The coach is responsible to see that that entries are determined by playoff between players. Any attempt of a player to lose in order to win a lower bracket should be recognized and not permitted by the coach in order to promote fair and better competition.

Penalty For Not Fielding Full Team - Teams not able to field full teams must default that/those events. This means that teams are required to default a #2 position if they are lacking enough entries for all events. Example: Defaulting the #1 singles to allow someone to play #2 singles is not allowed.

Play Is Continuous - A player cannot leave the court. If a match breaker is required after splitting sets, players are allowed the same two-minute break that is permitted between the first and second set. Exception: A player may leave to get a coach or tournament director in the case of unfair play such as bad line calls, score keeping, foot faults, etc.

Specific Rules
1. The United States Tennis Association point penalty system shall be in effect for unsportsmanlike behavior, tardiness to a match, crowd/parent/teammate control (including coaching)
2. A teammate/parent may not coach a player while he/she is involved in a match unless that player is in the ten-minute rest between split sets. This 10-minute break will only be allowed in the north/south semi-finals and finals, and in the state semi-finals and finals. Otherwise, the normal 2- minute break time will be in effect.
3. Coaches of each district will have a meeting prior to the tournament for the purpose of making the draw for the event. Bring match score-sheets to the meeting.
4. Generally an injury time out is three minutes.

The Code

The guidelines listed below are rules and court etiquette for all non-officiated matches:
1. When in doubt as to whether a ball is out or good, the call is always made in favor of your opponent. You should not play a let. Any ball, which cannot be called out with surety, is good.
2. Other line call procedures
3. Unless ground rules are established before play started, if you catch a ball in the air that would otherwise be out, the point is scored for your opponent.
4. Returning a serve that is obviously a fault in order to catch your opponent napping is cheating. However, if receiver returns a service he honestly believes is good (possibly trying to give server the benefit of any doubt) server is not entitled to refuse to play the point on the ground he (the server) thought the ball was out.
5. Foot fault. If your opponent is a chronic foot faulter, you should: first, politely advise them of this and ask that problem be corrected; second, request that someone serve as foot fault judge.
6. Minimize talking while the ball is in play. Once either you or your partner has hit the ball, say nothing until an opponent has hit it.
7. Movement. A player, other than the server, may feint with his body or move where he wishes even during the service toss, but he may not wave his arms or racquet or talk to create a distraction.
8. When play is in progress, do not go behind another court to retrieve balls. When returning a ball to another court, hit it so that it goes directly to the server, preferably on the first bounce.
9. You must play with equipment you have court-side (continuous play rule).
10. On calls involving a ball touching a player, a player touching the net, a player touching his opponent's court or hitting an opponent's return before it has passed the net, a carry, or a double-bounce - the prerogative of decision rests with the player involved.
11. In tournaments, the pre-match warm-up should not last over *ten minutes. Service practice must be completed by all players before the match begins and is not to be taken just before a player serves for the first time (continuous play rule). A player should not practice service returns while another player is practicing his serve. (*USTA rule calls for a 5-minute warm-up).
12. Receiver should not attempt to return a service during the game, unless he and his partner are ready. If the receiver attempts to return service, he is presumed to be ready and cannot subsequently claim he was not ready.
13. Server should announce game score of the set prior to serving the first point. He should then announce the point score prior to serving each subsequent point during the game.
14. If there is a disagreement over the score and all efforts to resolve the disagreement have failed, there are two methods for settling the dispute. One is to go back to score on which there is agreement, then resumes play from that point. The other alternative is to spin a racquet. The score becomes whatever the winner of the spin said was the score.
15. If opponent repeatedly violates the rules, request an umpire.

Guidelines For Setting Up Tournaments
1. Districts will be seeded on basis of regular season records against their district schools for that event. Other consideration in the case of ties would be the performance against common opponents or strong teams.
2. North/south state and class tournaments are matched winner vs. Runner-up.
3. The winner and runner-up of district tournaments advance to class north/south tournaments. The winner and runner-up of the north/south advance to the class tournament.
Team Scoring - One point for each match won (1/2 point for boys and 1/2 point for girls in mixed doubles).
Tiebreaker in class tournaments:
1. Championships won (first tiebreaker)
2. Number of finals participated in (second tiebreaker)

J. Golf

Dates / Sites / Structure / Requirements

Class 4A Playoffs - Each district will determine a team golf champion for the district. All of the golfers from said champion from each district will compete for the Division I Championship.

All of the golfers from the 4 remaining schools in each district will advance to their respective regional tournament to determine which individuals will advance to the Division II Championship.

Class 3A Playoffs - There will be one open golf match for Class 3A schools. The Director of Athletic Events will determine if there are enough participants to require qualifying regional matches.

Class 2A Playoffs - There will be one open golf match for Class 2A schools. The Director of Athletic Events will determine if there are enough participants to require qualifying regional matches.

Class 1A Playoffs - There will be one open golf match for Class 1A schools. The Director of Athletic Events will determine if there are enough participants to require qualifying regional matches.

The North / South and Class Tournaments will be held on a date set by the Academy Activities Commission (see MAIS calendar).
1. Sites: Upon invitation or availability, the AAC will make selection of golf course for play. (North/South, Class)
2. Entry Fee: To be set by the AAC or the Director of Athletic Events. This should be paid when the participation form is returned to the Director of the Tournament.
3. Qualifying Requirements
  
  Schools entering post-season play (their respective N/S Tournament) must meet the following requirements:
  1. Minimum Team Qualifying Score (team - 350; individual - 85)
  2. Play In Minimum of 3 Qualifying Matches - Each team/individual must compete in at least 3 stroke-play matches to qualify for the North/South Tournament. Two of the matches can be 9-hole matches with the qualifying score being an 18-hole match.
Tournament Rules
1. Etiquette - Proper golf etiquette is expected.
2. Attire - Proper golf attire is required.
3. Tobacco Products - Use of tobacco products is prohibited.
4. Putting Out - All putts must be putted out. Failure to putt out any hole will result in that player being disqualified.
5. Rules of Play - USGA and course rules will apply. The pace of play should be emphasized to all participants.
6. Coaching - Only one (1) designated person may coach the team. No greens coaching.
7. Schools Must Supply Markers - Each school must supply at least one marker for a tournament.
8. Reporting Promptly - Teams must report at least fifteen (15) minutes before first scheduled tee time. Teams that are late in reporting will not be allowed to participate.
9. Range Finders - Range finders are permitted; considered part of equipment and cannot be loaned out to anyone (either your team or another team).
10. Female Players - Girls players will play as closely as possible to 90% of the boys' yardage*. We hope to play the boys' course at approximately 6600 yards and the girls' course approximately 5900 yards.
  
  * This is in reference to tournaments that girls and boys participate together.
11. Pull Carts - Pull carts will be allowed in any regular-season or post-season tournaments.
Scoring
1. Team Scoring - The team with the lowest total score (four low scores) will be the champion. Teams may have a maximum of six (6) players.
2. Individual Scoring - The individual player with the lowest total will be low medalist.
Qualifying For Class Tournaments
1. Teams (all classes): the four (4) teams with the lowest total scores from both the North and South Tournaments will advance to their respective Class Tournament.
2. Individuals (all classes): the four (4) low medalists from each of the North and South Tournaments will advance to their respective class tournament (this group would not include the medalists advancing with the teams that qualify). Please note that individual advancers must shoot an 85 or lower.
Awards (North / South Tournaments)
1. First & second place trophy to the top two teams.
2. Plaques will be awarded to the four (4) individuals with the lowest score regardless of whether they are part of a team or are simply participating as individual players.
Awards (Class Tournaments)
1. Trophies & medallions to champion and runner-up.
2. Plaques to the 6 individual low medalists (best six individuals in the tournament).
Marshals / Scorers For Tournaments
1. Beginning with the North/South Tournaments, all host schools will be responsible for organizing scorers/marshals for every group. Each school must provide at least one (1) marker.
2. Marshals/scorers are responsible for verifying scores and helping with rules interpretations.
Designated Area For Turning In Scorecards

All tournament sites will have a designated area for players to turn in scorecards. USGA rules will apply to procedure of turning in cards, which includes the proper signatures. Any player who either fails to turn in their card or who turns a card in that is not properly signed will be disqualified.
Sixth Grade Participation

A sixth (6th) grader, who is a student of a MAIS member jr. high school or secondary school, may participate on the jr. high and varsity level in golf. No student below the sixth (6th) grade may participate on the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.
Girls' District Tournaments

Districts will be allowed to have girls' division tournaments. They can be held separate from the boys' tournament, or in conjunction with the boys' tournament.
Limitation On Number Of Matches

There is no restriction on scheduling golf matches other than the 'early dismissal' rule that reads: 'Students are allowed only one (1) early dismissal per week per sport. An early dismissal would include academic classes only.'

K. Swimming

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

All swimming competition will be governed by National Federation of High Schools Swimming Rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. The following exceptions and/or points of emphasis have been made by the AAC:
1. Sixth Grade Participation - A sixth (6th) grader, who is a student of a MAIS member jr. high school or secondary school, may participate on the jr. high and varsity level in swimming. Schools that are jr. high only, may not enter participants in the secondary portion of the Overall Swim Meet. No student below the sixth (6th) grade may participate on the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.
2. Eligible Participants - Eligible athletes in grades one (6) through twelve (12) are allowed to participate in inter-school competition in swimming. Although the MAIS does not sanction elementary and/or pee wee sports, an open elementary competition meet will be held the same day that the MAIS Overall Secondary Meet is held. Eligibility rules do not apply to students entering the elementary portion of the Overall Meet.
Sites and Dates

The sites and dates of the MAIS Overall Swim Meet will be set by the Director of Athletic Events.
NFHS Events / All-Sports Points

NFHS events will be used for the varsity portion of the MAIS Swim Meet.

L. Volleyball

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

All volleyball competition will be governed by National Federation of High Schools Volleyball Rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. The following exception and/or point of emphasis has been made by the AAC:

Sixth Grade Participation - A sixth (6th) grader, who is a student of a MAIS member jr. high school or secondary school, may participate on the jr. high and varsity level in volleyball. Schools that are jr. high only, may not enter participants at the varsity level.

No student below the sixth (6th) grade may participate on the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.

First / Last Playing Dates

The first possible playing date for inter-school competition in girls' volleyball shall be the last Friday in July. The last possible playing date is the date of the end-of-season tournament.

Scheduling Regulations

Schools may schedule a maximum of 3 dates per week, but the third date must be Friday or Saturday.

Post-Season Tournament

There will be an 'open' tournament held at the end of the season for volleyball schools in Division I, Division II, and Division III. Division I will consist of the #1 team from each of the Class 4A districts. Division II will consist of the remaining teams in each of the Class 4A districts. Division III will consist of all of the schools playing volleyball in Class 1A, 2A, and 3A.

Admission Prices

2025-26 Volleyball Admission Prices
Event	Adults	Students
*Regular Season Games	$10	$10
**Class Championship	$10	$10
**Futures / All-Star Game	$10	$10
*Prices do not apply to box or reserve seats on the HOME side. MAIS numbered passes, MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be accepted.
**MAIS numbered passes will NOT be honored for any Futures / all-star games in any sport. MAISCA membership cards, Headmaster passes, Game Administrator passes, and Lifetime passes will be honored at Futures / All-Star games.

Officials' Fees

See Officials' Pay Calculator In
Members Only Section Of Website

M. Archery

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

The MAIS Archery Competition will be governed by National Federation of High Schools rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. Additional modifications may be made by means of electronic communication through the Post Office page or by email. The following exceptions and/or points of emphasis have been made by the AAC:
1. Sixth Grade Participation - A sixth (6th) grader, who is a student of a MAIS member jr. high school or secondary school, may participate on the jr. high and varsity level in cheerleading. Schools that are jr. high only are allowed to compete at the varsity level. No student below the sixth (6th) grade may participate on the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.
2. Competition Rule Updates - Competition rule updates will be posted on the MAIS website each year prior to competition.
Eligibility Requirements For Competition Only

Any student participating in the MAIS Archery Competition must meet the all of the eligibility requirements set forth in this handbook.

N. Cheer / Dance Competition

NFHS Rules Compliance / Exceptions / MAIS Points of Emphasis

The MAIS Cheerleader and Dance Team Competition will be governed by National Federation of High Schools rules unless modified by the AAC or by the Director of Athletic Events. Additional modifications may be made by means of electronic communication through the Post Office page or by email. The following exceptions and/or points of emphasis have been made by the AAC:
1. Sixth Grade Participation - A sixth (6th) grader, who is a student of a MAIS member jr. high school or secondary school, may participate on the jr. high and varsity level in cheerleading. Schools that are jr. high only are allowed to compete at the varsity level. No student below the sixth (6th) grade may participate on the jr. high or varsity level in athletics.
2. Competition Rule Updates - Competition rule updates will be posted on the MAIS website each year prior to competition.
Annual Spirit Conference

Attendance at MAIS Annual Spirit Conference is mandatory for the varsity and jr. high head sponsors during years in which they are held. In years when the information is disseminated online, participation is also required. This participation could include, but is not limited to, watching appropriate videos, taking rules test, etc. Failure to appropriately comply in either case could result in a $100.00 penalty assessment against the school.
Eligibility Requirements For Competition Only

Any cheerleaders participating in the MAIS Cheerleader and/or Dance Competition must meet the all of the eligibility requirements set forth in this handbook. These requirements will NOT, however, be imposed on cheerleaders cheering for their school at an athletic contest such as a football game, basketball game, etc.

All-Sports Points

Every school in every class has the opportunity to enter a maximum of 4 events (2 in cheer category, 2 in dance category).

Class 1A-3A - The top four finishers in Classes 1A-3A will receive 6 points for 1st, 4 points for 2nd, 2 points for 3rd, and 1 point for 4th in each category, regardless of how they finished overall when compared to the other classes. The points earned from each category by a school will be totaled. The school with the highest total will be 1st and receive 6 all-sports points, the school with the second highest total will be 2nd and will receive 4 all-sports points, the school with the third highest total will be 3rd and will receive 2 all-sports points, and the school with the fourth highest total will be 4th and will receive 1 all-sports point.

Class 4A - The top four finishers in Class 4A will receive 6 points for 1st, 4 points for 2nd, 2 points for 3rd, and 1 point for 4th in each category, regardless of how they finished overall when compared to the other classes. The points earned from each category by a school will be totaled. The school with the highest total will be 1st and will receive 10 all-sports points, the school with the second highest total will be 2nd and will receive 8 all-sports points, the school with the third highest total will be 3rd and will receive 6 all-sports points, and the school with the fourth highest total will be 4th and will receive 5 all-sports points.