NEXT AVAILABLE DATE

  

In all sports, a postponed VARSITY contest must be played on the next available date.  The next available date is defined as the next available weekday (M-F) on which a contest has not previously been scheduled by either team.  Saturdays and Sundays may be used by mutual agreement.  (5/22/90) 
Exceptions:  see baseball and softball (approved 5/18/04)

 

IN ORDER TO COMPLETE A LEAGUE SEASON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MAY MANDATE ANY DAY EXCEPT SUNDAY AS THE NEXT AVAILABLE DATE DURING THE LATTER PART OF A SEASON.  HOWEVER, THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF LEAGUE GAMES PER WEEK (AS LISTED IN THE SPORT SPECIFIC EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY) MAY NOT BE EXCEEDED.

 

Non-league contests will be vacated at the direction of the Executive Director in cooperation with the sport chairman if it becomes necessary to complete a league season.

 

PENALTY:  FAILURE OF A SCHOOL TO COMPLY WITH THE NEXT AVAILABLE DATE POLICY WILL RESULT IN FORFEITURE.  IF BOTH OPPOSING SCHOOLS WILL NOT COMPLY, BOTH SCHOOLS WILL BE ASSESSED A LOSS.

 

For contests in Section-wide sports:

 

A DATE WHICH IS VACATED AND/OR IDENTIFIED  FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACCOMMODATING A SCHOOL'S PROM OR AN ENTIRE GRADE LEVEL TRIP  PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE FOR SCHEDULE CHANGES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED A NEXT AVAILABLE PLAYING DATE.

No teams are exempt from this policy during the spring recess. (App. 5/12/15)
NOTE:  SCHOOLS MAY NOT MUTUALLY AGREE TO BE LESS RESTRICTIVE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS POLICY.

 

When extraordinary circumstances (hurricanes, snowstorms, power outages, etc.) preclude a team from practicing on four or more consecutive days, the Executive Director may waive the next available date rule to allow for one day of practice.      (5/14/96)

 

Contest Sites - The Executive Director, in consultation with the Sports Chair, is allowed to direct schools to switch sites and/or find neutral sites in league or division varsity games during the last week of the regular season. (10/10/07)

 

Following are the sport specific exceptions:

 

Baseball

1.  Teams are not mandated to play more than four league games in a calendar week except to satisfy playoff deadlines.

2.  League games take precedence over non-league games after the second week of the league schedule.
3.  Saturday is a next available date with the exception of Holy Saturday.  If SAT's or PSAT's are scheduled on a Saturday, game time may be moved to 2PM.  (Approved by Athletic Council 5/18/04)

 

Basketball, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, and Soccer

Teams are not mandated to play:

  1.    League contests on more than two consecutive days.

  2.    More than three league games per week (running Monday - Saturday).

  3.    More than four league games during the last week of the season.  These may not be played on more than two consecutive days.
 

Cheerleading
 Recognizing the massive commitment and preparation in hosting a cheerleading competition, the next available date for a Varsity competition will be on Sunday (the day after the scheduled event). If a team cannot attend a Section scheduled contest (only because superintendent does not let bus out, weather) they will not be charged with a forfeit and their average score will be based on the contests attended. 

 

Football

  1.    If there is a Section-wide bye week on the following Saturday, a rescheduled game may be played at any time during the bye week.

  2.    A Thursday or Friday game must be played no later than the following Monday.

 

Gymnastics

Teams are not mandated to play:

  1.    League contests on more than two consecutive days.

  2.    More than three league games per week (running Monday - Saturday).

  

Softball
 Saturday is a next available date with the exception of Holy Saturday.  If SAT's or PSAT's are scheduled on a Saturday, game time may be moved to 2PM.  (Approved by Athletic Council 5/18/04)

Teams are not mandated to play:

  1.    More than four league games per week.

  2.    League contests on more than three consecutive days.

Exceptions to this may be made during the last week of the season to satisfy playoff deadlines.
  

Swimming - Teams are not mandated to swim:

 1.    League contests on consecutive days except when necessary to complete the season.

 2.    More than three league contests per week except when necessary to complete the season.

  

Tennis

Teams are not mandated to play more than four league games in a calendar week (Monday - Saturday) except to satisfy playoff deadlines.

Tennis is not exempt from playing over spring recess. (App 5/12/15)

  

Wrestling

The next available dates for wrestling are:

From Tuesday matches - no later than Thursday.

From Wednesday matches - no later than Friday.

From Thursday matches - no later than Tuesday.

From Friday matches - no later than Tuesday.

Monday is not to be used as the next available date for wrestling.

 

Teams are not mandated to wrestle:

1.       League contests on more than two consecutive days.

2.       More than three league meets per week (running Monday-Saturday).

In order to complete the season, more than three league meets may be conducted during the last week of the season.  These may not be conducted on more than two consecutive days.

 

Regular scheduled multi-team non-league events involving more than three varsity teams will be considered as league contests in the implementation of this policy.

  

Track and Cross Country

Friday is not to be considered as a next available date.

 

Teams are not mandated to compete:

  1.    On consecutive days except when necessary to complete the season.

  2.    More than three times per week (Monday - Saturday).

 

Rev. 5/15