G.     ELIGIBILITY LISTS:  An eligibility list for each Interscholastic sport shall be on file in the office of the principal of each school.  A copy of each eligibility list will be available to each member school upon request.

   H.  AGE LIMIT:  MIDDLE SCHOOL - Middle School is defined as a school with at least seventh and eighth graders with eighth grade being the highest grade level. An 8th grade student shall not have reached his/her fifteenth birthday prior to June l of the previous school year.  A seventh grade student shall not have reached his/her fourteenth birthday prior to June l of the previous school year.  Over-age students in any class may play up with the proper class age group.  Appeals for seventh and eighth grade students must be made to the Y.V.I.A.A. Eligibility Committee, and its decisions will be upheld by the League.  Individual school administrators are responsible for notifying the league president of the committee's decision.

     I.     PLAYING UP / PLAYING DOWN:  Athletes shall be placed on teams at grade level.  Any exception to this rule must be approved by the league.  The league president will poll member schools and a simple majority will rule.  Any individual student or group of students can play up or down only with prior league approval.  However, single game exceptions can be made with prior approval of opposing athletic directors.

     J.  FOUR-SEASON YEAR:  The interscholastic athletic calendar will be divided into four seasons.  A sport turnout must not start until the first date of a middle school sport season.  Dates will be adjusted annually.

   K.     SCHEDULES:  All league schedules shall be approved prior to the season by the member schools and shall be for two (2) years unless otherwise specified.  Review of schedules will be done yearly.

    L.     CHANGE OF SCHEDULE TIMES OR DATES:  All schools will notify the sport chairman of the number of teams they will have in a sport no later than the fifth practice day in order to be included in the league schedule.  Following the adoption of the league schedule, the schedule may only be changed by mutual agreement of the schools involved.

   M.  GAME TIMES / LENGTHS:  Game times and lengths of games (i.e. minutes per half, innings, etc.) may be adjusted by mutual agreement of coaches and/or athletic directors only when necessary to accommodate such issues as darkness, facility availability or competition.

   N.  CLASS DISMISSAL POLICY:  It is the policy of the M.V.M.L.A.A. for league contests in all sports that all schools will adhere to the policy of minimal release for student athletes and coaches from class prior to the regular school dismissal time in order to travel for games.

         The only exceptions to the early dismissal time policy are for:

1.      Transportation emergencies or shortages as ordered by the Director of Transportation of each district and communicated to the principal and athletic director of the school involved.

2.      In scheduled games requiring extended travel, schools are urged to dismiss as late as possible and still be able to meet scheduled starting times.

   O.  WARM UP TIME:  Host schools must realize that in order for interscholastic athletics to be conducted with maximum safety, athletes must be allowed adequate warm-up. Therefore, the visiting team will be allowed 15 minutes for warm-up after the arrival of their transportation.  If they dress at the game site, an additional l0 minutes must be allowed.  Thus, the maximum time allowed after arrival of a team without incurring penalties for delay of game is 25 minutes.  Coaches are urged to take only enough time to insure adequate warm-up and use less than the allowed 25 minutes if possible.

    P.      FORFEITURE:  Once league schedules are approved by the league, member schools should make every effort to meet schedule commitments.  If a school elects to forfeit a regularly scheduled league game on any level without the mutual consent of the opponent the forfeiting school is liable for sanction by the league, and any game costs. In a disputed forfeiture case the offended school shall request the president of the league to call a special league meeting pertaining to the case.  If the league rules by a simple majority that the game was forfeited without justification, the offending school is sanctioned, and responsible for payment of officials or any other game costs.

   Q.      POSTPONED OR CANCELLED GAMES:  In the event that weather conditions or facility conditions are such that a contest(s) cannot be played, either team is responsible for notifying the other team(s) at a reasonable time prior to the time the visiting team(s) would be departing, preferably by noon the day of the contest.  If a school cannot field a team for the second or "B" game, they must give the opposing school 24 hours advance notice.

    R.      VACATION PRACTICE:  It is the recommendation of the M.V.M.L.A.A.L. that practice will not be held for any sport on any non-school days. However, each district has the right to determine practice days and times to meet their athlete's and program needs as long as WIAA Regulations are followed.  These include:

Labor Day

Thanksgiving

President's Day

Christmas/New Years Day

Veteran's Day

Martin Luther King Day

Spring Vacation

Saturdays

    S.     PROTESTS:  When disputes arise between schools, the parties involved should make every effort to resolve the problem.  If the problem cannot be solved, the school desiring to protest must follow the W.I.A.A. procedure for protest.  This protest must be in writing and postmarked within the next two (2) school days.  The league president may handle the decision in one of three ways:  (1)  Appoint a committee of three principals to arbitrate the matter and render a decision on behalf of the league; (2)  Bring the matter before the next scheduled league meeting for a decision; or (3)  Call a special league meeting to resolve the matter.  The decision of any one of these three methods will be final, and a written report will be sent to the principals of the school(s) involved.

    T.  ALL MUST PLAY RULE:  The M.V.M.L.A.A.L. endorses the "ALL MUST PLAY RULE" concept for all teams.  Coaches should refer to the specific sports regulation for detail.

   U.     CHANGE OF GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS:  Changes in guidelines and regulations of this handbook are made only by a 2/3 vote of the membership of the league.  Such recommendations submitted to the chairperson should be scheduled far enough in advance of upcoming league meetings to allow any possible change of regulations for a sport to be announced prior to the beginning date for that season.  Changes that occur later than the first day of a season will not take effect until the next scheduled year.

   V.     SPORTS COMMISSIONER:  The commissioner for each sport will be assigned each fall and will be responsible for reviewing their sport on an annual basis.  Prior to each sport season school athletic directors are responsible for reviewing their guidelines with their coaches

  W.     OFFICIALS:  It will be the policy of the M.V.M.L.A.A.L. to keep in step with W.I.A.A.  standards for officials' fees.  Change in basic officials' fees by the W.I.A.A. will warrant the M.V.M.L.A.A.L. to grant the officials the same raise as recommended by the W.I.A.A.

   X.     CHEERLEADERS:   No league schools are permitted cheerleaders, but mascots are allowed.

   Y.  TICKET PRICES:  It is the policy of the M.V.M.L.A.A.L. that no admission shall be charged for regularly scheduled games.  Jamboree attendance fees may be charged by host schools not to exceed $1.50 for adults and $.50 for students. League schools may require school age fans/spectators to be accompanied by a parent or present a valid A.S.B. Card.

    Z.     LEAGUE STANDINGS:  In the M.V.M.L.A.A.L., there are no league standings, no league champions declared or publicized, and no trophies awarded.

AA.  GAME ORDER:  Where games are scheduled at multiple locations (i.e. gyms or fields), the 7^th grade teams will be at one location and the 8^th grade teams will be at the other. When doubleheaders are necessary, the lower classification will be played first (i.e. 7^th before 8^th or “B” before “A”).

BB.     GYMNASIUM SIGNS AND BANNERS:  The only "spirit" sign allowed in the gym is the school banner.

CC.     INFORMING OFFICIALS:  The site manager is responsible for informing the game officials of the league rules.

You are here: YVSRA Home-Schedules-Schools-MVL

Next Page: CBL

Sub pages: Schedule