2025-2026-NCHSAA_Handbook

of a licensed athletic trainer or medical doctor, principal, athletic director,

and parent/legal custodian.

(1)

If a designated student-athlete or student-athletes participated in

the junior varsity contest, medical information shall include evidence

that player(s) is (are) adequately hydrated and void of injury

that would render player(s) unfit to play.

(2)

The form must be filed at the school and with the conference presi-

dent on the day of the scheduled game.

(v)

Following the game, a status report on the designated student-athletes must be com­

pleted which shall include the names of all junior varsity football student-athletes

designated and dressed as emergency players and report the number of quarter(s) in

which each student-athlete actually played.

(A)

Any portion of a quarter equals a quarter played.

(B)

If a student-athlete dresses out but does not play, record as “0” quarters played

(C)

The form must be signed by coach, athletic director and principal

and submitted online to the NCHSAA by the first school day after the

varsity contest.

(vi)

Anytime a JV student-athlete must be used as a starter on the varsity team, that player

is not eligible to be used as an eight-quarter player in the following week.

(vii)

Failure to submit follow-up form to NCHSAA may result in a penalty.

(viii)

If your school’s JV Football game is:

(A)

Canceled - you may not use the eight-quarter rule for Friday’s varsity football

game. If a JV student-athlete participates in the varsity game, it will count to­

wards the maximum allowed 10 games per for an individual; therefore, no

eight-quarter paperwork would need to be filed.

(B)

Postponed - you may use the eight-quarter rule for the Friday varsity football

game. Submit eight-quarter paperwork as usual.

(ix)

No student-athlete may dress to participate in more than two football contests in a

calendar week (Monday - Saturday)

(3)

Upon submission of sufficient documentation, and approved by the NCHSAA, teams may re­

gain an eight-quarter position due to season-ending injury, catastrophic event, or transfer.

4.5.2

Skill Development Guidelines

(a)

Sports Season Note - [See Rule 2.2.14 and 2.2.15] for details on sports season concept. Football hel­

mets and shoulder pads are permitted during skill development.

NOTE: During the entire time period between the end of football season and up through the first five

days of practice for the next season, absolutely no live action contact or thudding is allowed.

A limited amount of time is provide for "bump" workouts as detailed in 4.5.3(b)(4).

(b)

During the spring skill development period for football, between April 15th and the last ten (10) stu­

dent days of second semester, "Bump" may be used for a maximum of 60 minutes total (Limitations

of up to 15 minutes per day).

NOTE: Outside the period outlined in 4.5.2(b), absolutely no “body-to-body contact", live action,

wrapping, or thudding is allowed [See Rule 4.5.3(b)(4)].

(c)

A licensed athletic trainer or first responder must be physically present if any protective equipment

(helmets or shoulder pads) is worn by student-athletes participating in football skill development

during the school year.

(d)

A licensed athletic trainer or first responder must physically attend all summer football 7-on-7 events

and must be physically present at all times in any competition area in which contests are being held.

NOTE: If a single field is divided for the purposes of holding multiple contests/scrimmages simulta­

neously, each of the divided sections must have a licensed athletic trainer or first responder

responsible for that section of contest area.

(e)

The only equipment which may be worn outside of the sport season are helmets and shoulder pads.

No football pants/girdles/pads may be worn during skill development or summer workout sessions.

4.5.3

Practice and Conditioning

(a)

State Medical Requirements - The member school's licensed athletic trainer or first responder must

physically attend all football practices and both home and away games, unless excused by the super­

intendent in writing due to an emergency.

(b)

Definitions

(1)

Practice - That period of time a student-athlete engages in a coach-supervised, school-ap­

proved, sport or conditioning-related physical activity; each practice should last no more than

3 hours. Warm-up, stretching, conditioning/weight room activities are included as part of

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