Open Gyms - What's allowed ? What breaks the rules???

[pfloyd]

... it's the time of the school year when "Open Gyms" are in full swing in area schools ... just curious as to what takes place during the "open gyms" around Southern/Southeastern Ohio - pickup games ? , skills development ? . organized skills development ? shoot-arounds ? ... what's legal under the OHSAA rules ? what isn't ? what can coaches do during open gyms ? what are they NOT allowed to do under OHSAA rules ? ...

[trojandave]

pfloyd: I'm not quite sure about the do's and don't of open gyms, but I don't think there's any "coaching" allowed........the word "coaching" seems to have a murky definition........

I believe it is okay for kids from other schools to participate in another school's open gyms...........

But I am far from an expert on the OHSAA guidelines regarding the regulation of open gyms.........

[qualified101]

this directly from the ohsaa website.

http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/rglts/GenSportsReg08-09.pdf


6. Open Gymnasium or Facilities
Member Schools
6.1) Regulations
6.1.1) A school may open its athletic facilities for unstructured free play provided the
activity is supervised by a school employee who may remove participants or spectators
for disciplinary reasons.
6.1.2) The school may designate the sport or sports that will be played during the free play
period, but may not limit participation to a select group of students from within the
school. Participation may be limited to students enrolled in the school.
6.1.3) There may be no designation of who will play on which team or who will play
whom. Only the students participating may be involved in selecting or substituting
players.
SPORTS REGULATIONS
GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2008-09
6.1.4) The regulation timing of games is not permitted.
6.1.5) Written scorekeeping is not permitted.
6.1.6) No individual invitations, written or oral, are permitted.
6.1.7) A coach, paid or unpaid, violates the provision of these regulations when the coach
requires, suggests or in any way implies that a student’s chance to be selected for an
interscholastic squad is contingent upon participation at an open gymnasium or
facilities program.
6.1. Mandatory attendance at open gymnasiums or facilities is not permitted.
6.1.9) Transporting athletes to a school or non-school open gym is a violation for any
member of the coaching staff, paid or unpaid.
6.1.10) It is not a violation for the coach or supervisor to participate in unstructured free
play in the open gym or facilities.
6.1.11) Member schools may restrict individuals from observing the open gym activity.
6.2) Penalty for Violation
6.2.1) A squad member who violates the open gymnasium or facilities regulations may be
penalized not to exceed one year of ineligibility for interscholastic athletics.
6.2.2) A coach who violates any of the open gymnasium or facilities regulations may be
prohibited from involvement for one year in any open gymnasium or facilities programs
in or out of school.
6.2.3) A school which permits use of athletics facilities in violation of the open gymnasium
or facilities regulations is subject to penalty as specified in Bylaw 12.
Non-School
6.3) Regulations for school squad members (Bylaw 10-1-1)
6.3.1) A school squad member may participate in unstructured free play at non-school athletic
facilities without jeopardizing athletic eligibility providing there are no violations
of the following regulations.
6.3.2) There may be no designation of who will play on which team or who will play
whom. Only the students participating may be involved in selecting or substituting
players.
6.3.3) The regulation timing of games is not permitted.
6.3.4) Written scorekeeping is not permitted.
6.3.5) No individual invitations, written or oral, are permitted.
6.3.6) A coach, paid or volunteer, violates the provision of these regulations when the
coach requires, suggests or in any way implies that a student’s chance to be selected
for an interscholastic squad is contingent upon participation at an open gymnasium
or facilities program.
6.3.7) Mandatory attendance at non-school facilities is not permitted.
6.3. Transporting athletes to a school or non-school open gym is a violation for any member
of the coaching staff, paid or unpaid.
SPORTS REGULATIONS
2008-09 GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS
SPORTS REGULATIONS
GENERAL SPORTS REGULATIONS 2008-09
6.4) Penalty for Violation
6.4.1) A squad member who participates at a facility where there is one or more violations
of the open gymnasium or facilities regulations may be penalized not to exceed one
year of ineligibility for interscholastic athletics.
6.4.2) A school coach who is responsible for causing a violation of any of the open gymnasium
or facilities regulations by a squad member may be prohibited from involvement
in any open gymnasium or facilities program in or out of school for one year.

[qualified101]

i personally find bylaw 6.1.7 very interesting.

[pfloyd]

... all of this info deals with "pickup games" in open gyms (no keeping score, no assigning players to play with specific players etc) ... I take it there should be no drills being run, or skills development organized by any paid or unpaid personnel ? ... it is interesting that the players involved with doing something "not allowed" in an open gym loses 1 year of eligibility while a coach loses 1 year of "open gym" privileges ...

... thanks q101 and trojandave for your insights/info ...

[pfloyd]

... question - why would a coach put the eligibility of any player boy or girl in jeopardy by having unpaid "coaches" or unpaid anyone doing "skills" development ? imo it tells a lot about where the coach places the players' future as a student athlete - low on the list - more in important is how the coach is perceived when his team is on the floor - players coming second, apparently expendable - as a phone call to the OHSAA could initiate an investigation and subsequent rulings against players (1 year loss of eligibility for each player taking part or even in the open gym, while the coach gets one year suspension from "open gym") ...

[hardhitter ll]

No one ever enforces these rules that I have heard of. So I say why have the rules. If open gym rules were actually abided by, there would be no real reason for open gym would there? Other than to provide all kids a chance to play in pickup games of basketball, or whatever sport. So really the only reason I can see for such an activity is if it is raining outside making out door surfaces unusable. But we all know that coaches keep track of who is there and who isn't, and they tell "invite" certain players that they need to be there. So the OHSAA either needs to enforce the rules, do away with the rules, or ban open gym alltogether.

[klaw10]

... question - why would a coach put the eligibility of any player boy or girl in jeopardy by having unpaid "coaches" or unpaid anyone doing "skills" development ? imo it tells a lot about where the coach places the players' future as a student athlete - low on the list - more in important is how the coach is perceived when his team is on the floor - players coming second, apparently expendable - as a phone call to the OHSAA could initiate an investigation and subsequent rulings against players (1 year loss of eligibility for each player taking part or even in the open gym, while the coach gets one year suspension from "open gym") ...

Why don't you actually be man for a change and address your concerns directly with the coaches? Much easier to be all knowing and stir the pot behind your keyboard though....get a life!!!! If you actually had the best interest of the players in mind this is exactly what you would do...address is with the coaches. But what you choose to do...make it a public issue on a messge board shows a lot about the type of perosn you are.

[etta09]

... question - why would a coach put the eligibility of any player boy or girl in jeopardy by having unpaid "coaches" or unpaid anyone doing "skills" development ? imo it tells a lot about where the coach places the players' future as a student athlete - low on the list - more in important is how the coach is perceived when his team is on the floor - players coming second, apparently expendable - as a phone call to the OHSAA could initiate an investigation and subsequent rulings against players (1 year loss of eligibility for each player taking part or even in the open gym, while the coach gets one year suspension from "open gym") ...

Why don't you actually be man for a change and address your concerns directly with the coaches? Much easier to be all knowing and stir the pot behind your keyboard though....get a life!!!! If you actually had the best interest of the players in mind this is exactly what you would do...address is with the coaches. But what you choose to do...make it a public issue on a messge board shows a lot about the type of perosn you are.

sounds like somebody is a little defensive on the subject?

[Out of Bounds]

Is their a hidden message here somewhere?? Or a personal axe to grind. Not for sure what the calling out going on here is....but sounds like someone not knowing the rules is just addressing some gray area in the rules.

[trojandave]

I know Portsmouth's not breaking any rules........we don't even have open gyms going right now.......we're still waiting.......and waiting.......and waiting.......on naming our next basketball coach.........

[Competitor]

Most people on here are trying to go after coach so and so and now it's getting to open gyms. You know what your record is after "open gym season" is?!?!?!?!?! ZERO wins and ZERO losses. The ONLY people you hurt by limiting open gyms are the players!!!