MNSHSL Rules

The Ultimate Frisbee Club’s interscholastic activities are governed by the Minnesota State High School Ultimate League and its official sanctioning organization: USA Ultimate. Both organizations are oriented toward inclusion and apply only limited restrictions to participation. The MNHSUL and the UPA require paid membership, liability waivers and medical authorization forms. In addition, the MNHSUL requires each high school program to have an accredited coach from the UPA’s Coaching Corps. Accreditation includes passing official UPA training programs and vetting through background checks. Southwest’s accredited coach is currently Chris Van Holmes.

Although the Ultimate Frisbee Club engages in athletic activities, it is not governed by the MNSHSL. However, many of the rules and regulations for the MNSHSL apply to the Ultimate Frisbee Club at Southwest High School.

Below are excerpts from the MNSHSL 2007-2008 ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY BROCHURE that apply directly to participants in the Ultimate Frisbee Club.

INFORMED CONSENT: By its nature, participation in interscholastic athletics includes risk of injury and the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B, herpes and others. Although serious injuries are not common and the risk of HIV transmission is almost nonexistent in supervised school athletic programs, it is impossible to eliminate all risk. Participants have the responsibility to help reduce that risk. Participants must obey all safety rules, report all physical and hygiene problems to their coaches, follow a proper conditioning program, and inspect their own equipment daily.

GENERAL RULES

1. *ACADEMIC — (Credit Requirement) To be eligible, a student must be making satisfactory progress toward the school’s requirement for graduation

2. *AGE — A student representing a member school in League activities shall be under 20 years of age at the start of the season. If, however, a student has started a season, the student will be permitted to complete that season after reaching the student’s 20th birthday. Adapted athletes are eligible to participate until their 22nd birthday provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.

Student Code of Responsibilities

As a student participating in my school’s interscholastic activities, I understand and accept the following responsibilities:

1. I will respect the rights and beliefs of others and will treat others with courtesy and consideration.

2. I will be fully responsible for my own actions and the consequences of my actions

3. I will respect the property of others.

4. I will respect and obey the rules of my school and the laws of my community, state and country.

5. I will show respect to those who are responsible for enforcing the the rules of my school and the laws of my community, state and country.

A student ejected from a contest shall be ineligible for the next regularly scheduled game or meet at that level of competition and all other games or meets in the interim at any level of competition, for the first ejection. All subsequent ejections shall result in ineligibility for four (4) regularly scheduled games or meets.

12. *GRADUATE — A student shall not be a graduate of a high school or any secondary school. This includes foreign exchange students and international students.

18. JUNIOR HIGH PARTICIPATION — Participation in high school interscholastic programs is limited to students in grades 7-12 inclusive. Students in grade 7, 8 and 9 may participate if enrolled in the regular continuation school for the educational unit and if all other eligibility requirements of the League have been met.

20. *MOOD-ALTERING CHEMICALSA. Bylaw Twelve (12) months of the year, a student shall not at any time, regardless of the quantity: (1) use or consume, have in possession a beverage containing alcohol; (2) use or consume, have in possession tobacco; or, (3) use or consume, have in possession, buy, sell, or give away any other controlled substance or drug paraphernalia.

21. *SEXUAL/RACIAL/RELIGIOUS HARASSMENT/VIOLENCE and HAZING

A. Reference Bylaw 209.00:

A student shall not engage in the sexual, racial, religious harassment, violence or hazing during the school year or any portion of an activity season that occurs prior to the start of the school year or after the close of the school year.

B. Reporting Procedures:

Any person who believes he or she has been the victim of sexual, racial, religious harassment, violence or hazing or any person with knowledge or belief of conduct, which may constitute hazing, shall report the alleged acts immediately to an appropriate school district official designated by this policy.
The building principal is the person responsible for receiving reports of sexual, racial, religious harassment, violence or hazing at the building level. Any person may report hazing directly to a school district human rights officer or to the superintendent.
Teachers, administrators, officials, volunteers, and employees of the school district shall be particularly alert to possible situations, circumstances or events which might include sexual, racial, religious harassment, violence or hazing. Any such person who receives a report of, observes, or had other knowledge or belief of conduct, which may constitute sexual, racial, religious harassment, violence or hazing, shall inform the building principal immediately.
Submission of a good faith complaint or report of sexual, racial, religious harassment, violence or hazing will not affect the complainant or reporter’s future employment, grades or work assignments.

C. Reprisal

The school district will discipline or take appropriate action against any student, teacher, administrator, volunteer, coach, official contractor or employee of the school district who retaliates against any person who makes a good faith report of alleged sexual, racial, religious harassment, violence or hazing or against any person who testifies, assists, or participates in an investigation, or against any person who testifies, assists or participates in a proceeding or hearing relating to such sexual, racial, religious harassment, violence or hazing. Retaliation includes, but is not limited to, any form of intimidation, reprisal or harassment.

STUDENT CODE OF RESPONSIBILITIES

As a student participating in my school’s interscholastic activities, I understand and accept the following responsibilities:

-- I will respect the rights and beliefs of others and will treat others with courtesy and consideration.

-- I will be fully responsible for my own actions and the consequences of my actions.

-- I will respect the property of others.

-- I will respect and obey the rules of my school and the laws of my community, state and country.

-- I will show respect to those who are responsible for enforcing the rules of my school and the laws of my community, state and country.

A student whose character or conduct violates the Student Code of Responsibilities or is suspended or expelled is not in good standing and is ineligible for a period of time as determined by the principal.