Going (football) camping? The PIAA says be careful

Colin Dunlap | Tuesday, June 9, 11:13 a.m.

POSITION OF PIAA REGARDING CONTACT FOOTBALL CAMPS

It has been reported to the PIAA Office that certain contact football camps have been advising potential campers that PIAA cannot enforce its By-Laws barring participation in contact football camps, clinics, drills, Practices, Inter-School Practices, Scrimmages, Contests, or similar contact activities outside the PIAA-defined football season if the student athlete attends a camp outside of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  This statement is incorrect.  Students participating in such contact activities will lose athletic eligibility in the sport of football for a period of one year from the date of such participation.

ARTICLE XVI, SEASON AND OUT-OF-SEASON RULES AND REGULATIONS, Section 2, Rules and Regulations, subsection C, Football, of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. ("PIAA") By-Laws, provides in relevant part as follows:

Article XVI

Season and out-of-season

Rules and Regulations

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Section 2.  Rules and Regulations.

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C.  Football.

      The following sport-specific rules modify the provisions otherwise set forth in this ARTICLE.  To the extent any other provision in this ARTICLE is inconsistent with this Section, this Section controls.

            1.   A student who participates in organized contact football camps, clinics, drills, Practices, Inter-School Practices, Scrimmages, Contests, or similar contact activities outside the PIAA-defined football season shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic football for a period of one year from the date of such participation.

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The loss of eligibility of a student-athlete that participates in organized contact football camps, clinics, drills, Practices, Inter-School Practices, Scrimmages, Contests, or similar contact activities outside the PIAA-defined football season applies equally to any student that will be entering grades 7 to 12, inclusive, and who desires to participate in interscholastic football at a PIAA member school.  The loss of eligibility is not restricted to participation in contact camps located within the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Just as students who receive financial compensation for playing in a sports Contest in another state still violate the rules relating to amateur status, students do not escape the "no contact" restriction by doing so in another state if they desire to participate on a football Team of a PIAA member school.