Much was accomplished last week with football players being able to get instruction on football skills during the school months and not just during June 1 thru July 31. Hopefully, Ohio high school football players trying improve in the off season will now be able to do that, without fear of losing eligibility.
As many people know we had a QB/REC Camp scheduled for late in December, only to be told to the OHSFCA Directors by the OHSAA assistant commissioner for football that it was a violation. Only to be told to me personally the same thing - It would be a violation.
Over the years, I have always been told that QBs throwing to receivers at my combines was okay as long as it was just one on one, but definitely no 7on7, or even two on two. I was fine with that. No problem. That was part of my thinking as to why I thought everything was good for the Camp.
Also, I was aware of OHSAA Regulation 8.3 which reads: Individual skill instruction may be received in any sport by a squad member at any time in individual lessons from non-school coaches provided that these individual skill instructions do not violate the Board of Education, school administrators' or coaches' policies. The rest of Regulation 8.3 concerns the coach, but that has been modified and does not concern my situation. This was my other reason for organizing the event.
But the assistant commissioner told me that Regulation 7.8 was in effect. No mention was made of Regulation 8.3. I was only told to refer to Regulation 7.8.
Regulation 7.8 states After a student becomes a member of an inter-scholastic football squad, that student may not participate in non-scholastic football, including contest, tryouts and any type of training or practices during the school year. From June 1 through July 31, members of an interscholastic football squad may participate in non-contact football contests, tryouts or any type of training and practices and attend non contact team football camps or instructional camps.
A point of interest here is what word do you see in Regulation 7.8 that you do not see in Regulation 8.3. Of course, "football." .
The Regulation to refer to is now 8.3. Ohio high school football players can continue to get outside instruction and can attend camps and combines. My concern is that the assistant commissioner with emphasis on football, will not get this new information emailed to the high school athletic directors in a timely manner. By the emails and calls that I have received, there was much concern throughout the state.
I really want to thank an athletic director of a large private school in Cleveland for his call to the OHSAA, because he wanted to be sure of the ruling that I was given. I, also want to thank a person from a university in Ohio for calling a member of the OHSAA about the ruling. You can be sure that John McCallister was not going to win any disagreement with OHSAA. Shoot, I can not even get on the sidelines of the OHSAA football playoffs, because I consider myself a "scout," and there is a definite rule that scouts cannot be on the sidelines. I am the only scout in Ohio.
The bottom line is that I want kids, regardless of the sport, to be able to be as good as they can be. I do not care if it is swimming, golf, track, gymnastics, or any sport. I do not care if it is a boys' sport or a girls' sport. I do not care about the comment that only a small percentage go onto to college sport. Kids need a chance to be as good as they can be.
For football, do you realize that with the Regulation 7.8, football players could not receive any football training from December until June 1? Do you know, until a recent rule change that a football high school football player could not (legally) work football related instruction drills with his high school coach from December until June 1?
The Regulation to follow now is 8.3. That is the best news!!!.
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