The TSSAA Legislative Council met in Murfreesboro on Tuesday, April 9 and approved numerous changes to the TSSAA Bylaws.
Proposed language regarding language to establish thresholds for sanctioning emerging sports was approved. The Legislative Council can sanction an “emerging sport” once 15% of the TSSAA membership are either currently participating in the sport or committed to participation once sanctioned.
A sanctioned emerging sport will be treated the same as all other TSSAA sanctioned sports, except that at state championship will not be offered. Instead, TSSAA will work to classify participating schools into districts, regions, and/or sections for a postseason invitational. All emerging sports, regardless of initial participation numbers, must go through a one-year trial period before a state championship will be added.
After approving the new language regarding emerging sports, Girls’ Flag Football was approved as a sanctioned emerging sport for 2024-25.
The Council voted to change the Sports Calendar to allow eight days of offseason practice during a 15-day period in the sports of Girls Volleyball and Girls Soccer (after Christmas break and prior to the end of the school year), and Girls and Boys Basketball (prior ot the end of the school year). Eight days of preseason practice during a 15-day period during the school year and prior to Christmas break was approved for the sports of baseball, softball, and soccer.
The Council approved to increase each Non-faculty Coach Registration fee by $25. Current fees are $50 per high school coach and $25 per middle school coach. They also voted to increase the fine for a coach ejection to $500 for first offense and $1000 for second offense.
A change regarding ejections in soccer was approved so that players who are disqualified from the contest for receiving his/her second yellow card will now result in a one-game suspension.
A proposal to allow boys and girls basketball to play in three tournaments during the regular season was approved.
A full summary of the meeting can be found by clicking on the link below.
