The following rules are established by the MIAA, which governs all high school interscholastic athletic competition.

ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY

A student must secure during the last marking period preceding the contest a passing grade in the equivalent of four major subjects. To satisfy this requirement, a student must have passed sufficient courses for that marking period which carry credits totaling the equivalent of four one year major English courses. A student cannot at any time represent a school unless that student is taking courses which would provide credit equivalent to four one- year major English courses. To be eligible for the first quarter of the school year, a student must have passed for the previous academic year the equivalent of four one- year major English courses. The academic eligibility of all students shall be considered as official and determining only the date when the report cards for that ranking period have been issued to the parents of all students within a

particular class. Incomplete grades may not be counted toward eligibility. (Second quarter marks and not semester grades determine third quarter eligibility.)

PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS

All students must pass a physical examination before participation in any sport. A copy of the most up to date physical must be uploaded to family ID. An expired physical renders an athlete ineligible as of the date it expires. Students upload a current physical to the family ID website.

https://students.arbitersports.com/burlington-high-school-athletics/fall-2025-3

RULE 45 – BONA FIDE TEAM MEMBERS and UNDERSTANDING:

Loyalty to the High School Team: Bona Fide Team Members A. Any student who violates this standard twice becomes ineligible for the MIAA tournament(s) for that season. B. The regular season portion of the penalty for a violation toward the end of a season will carry over to the very next high school season in which the student is a legitimate participant. For example, a soccer player who violates the rule by missing the last high school match would serve the required suspension (25% of season) at the start of basketball season, if that student is a legitimate basketball participant. C. Optional Practice” called by a coach CANNOT be used to circumvent this rule. D. A waiver of the bona fide team rule excusing the student from the school activity that day and allowing the student to participate in a non-school event is possible under the guidelines set forth below. Waivers will be considered by MIAA on an individual basis, and on the merits of each case. The above points should be addressed in the waiver request, which must be forwarded to the MIAA prior to the non-school event. Before a waiver request (See White Book for forms) is submitted the following considerations must be present: 1. The request for a waiver must have the written support of the school principal, the athletic director and the high school coach. Among other factors that also will be considered: a. The amount of time being missed from school. b. The number of school team activities being missed. c. Schools may limit the number of times that a student could qualify for a waiver. E. MIAA Bona Fide waivers are only allowed during the pre-season or regular season. The MIAA will not accept any Bona Fide Team Member Waivers (for missing any practice or game) during MIAA postseason play. Student-athletes ``quitting” CANNOT be used to circumvent this rule.

MIAA RULE 62.1 ON CHEMICAL HEALTH

A student shall not, regardless of the quantity, use, consume, possess, buy/sell or give away any beverage containing alcohol; any tobacco product; marijuana; steroids; or any controlled substance. This policy includes products such as "NA or near beer". It is not a violation for a student to be in possession of a legally defined drug specifically prescribed for the student's own use by his/her doctor. The Chemical Health Rule has been extended to be inclusive of the period from: the first allowable day of fall practice, through the end of the academic year or final athletic competition of the year, whichever is later.(Broadening this window from "in season" to the entire academic year reflects that chemical health of our students isn't simply a seasonal concern.) This rule represents only a minimum standard upon which schools may develop more stringent requirements. This MIAA statewide minimum standard is not intended to render "guilty by association", e.g. many student athletes might be present at a party where only a few violate this standard. If a student in violation of this rule is unable to participate in interscholastic sports due to injury, academics, or otherwise, the penalty will not take effect until that student is able to participate again. Minimum Penalties: First Violation: When the Principal confirms, following an opportunity for the student to be heard, that a violation occurred, the student shall lose eligibility for the next consecutive interscholastic contest totaling 25% of all interscholastic contests in that sport. For the student, these penalties will be determined by the season the violation occurs. No exception is permitted for a student who becomes a participant in a treatment program. It is recommended that the student be allowed to remain at practice for the purpose of rehabilitation. All decimal part of an event will be truncated i.e. All fractional parts of an event will be dropped when calculating the 25% of the season. Second and subsequent violations: When the Principal confirms, following an opportunity for the student to be heard, that a violation occurred, the student shall lose eligibility for the next consecutive interscholastic contest totaling 60% of all interscholastic contests in that sport. For the student, these penalties will be determined by the season the violation occurs. All decimal parts of an event will be truncated i.e. All fractional parts of an event will be dropped when calculating the 60% of the season. If the second or subsequent violations the student of his/her own volition becomes a participant in an approved chemical dependency program or treatment program, the student may be certified for reinstatement in MIAA activities after a minimum of 40% of events. The director or a counselor of a chemical dependency treatment center must issue such certification. All decimal part of an event will be truncated i.e. All fractional parts of an event will be dropped when calculating the 40% of the season. Penalties shall be cumulative each academic year. If the penalty period is not completed during the season of violation, the penalty shall carry over to the student's next season of actual participation, which may affect the eligibility status of the student during the next academic year

Athletics