December 11, 2025 at 9:00 AM - DECEMBER LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  Regional Meetings in West, Middle, and East TN were held on November 10, 12, and 13.  There were 6 proposals for changes to the TSSAA Bylaws on the agenda for consideration. Attached are all of the full proposals as well as a summary from the meetings.

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  The staff would like to update the Legislative Council on discussions with members of the state legislature regarding a provision for a one-time transfer between school years and its potential impact on any decisions regarding transfer exceptions under consideration.

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  This proposal would remove the requirement for classified employees to take the NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching and NFHS Sport First Aid Courses.

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  This proposal would adjust the practice calendar for high school basketball programs to ensure they have at least three weeks of practice before Hall of Champions contests.

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  This proposal would allow students to transfer schools without loss of varsity eligibility after failing to make the team at the school in which they are attending and tried out for.

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  This proposal would increase the number of students who can receive individual instruction from their coaches in a given day. The proposal would keep the current numbers assigned to each sport, but would allow a coach to have multiple sessions in a day as long as the sessions were occurring at different times. The proposal would also allow multiple coaches to work with different groups of students on the same day, as long as the sessions take place in separate locations or in multiple sessions that take place at different times.

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  This proposal would allow students who are academically ineligible in the first semester to participate in athletics once final grades have been posted or when school resumes on or after January 1st, whichever occurs first, provided they have passed five classes/three blocks or the equivalent during the first semester.

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  This proposal would allow coaches to coach their own children during times when the TSSAA Sports Calendar does not permit them to coach students from their own school, provided no other students from the coach's school are involved in the activity. 

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  The staff would like to discuss some issues that arise from the terminology and application of the Scrimmage Rule and Jamborees as they currently appear in the TSSAA Bylaws  

Current Language:

Scrimmage Rule - After the TSSAA first official day of practice in all sports, a school cannot practice with or scrimmage another school until both schools have practiced a minimum of three days. No tournament format of any type may be used. Scrimmages should look more like practice than games. Once a school has played their first game, there can be no more scrimmages. (Applies to High School & Middle School Division) In the high school division a school may have a maximum of four scrimmages or two scrimmage dates or one scrimmage date and two scrimmages (A scrimmage date is defined as more than two schools scrimmaging on the same day).

Jamborees - A member school may participate in one jamboree per sport provided
(a) the jamboree is held before any of the participating schools play their first game;

(b) the jamboree is sponsored by the participating schools and all proceeds go to the participating schools;

(c) the jamboree is conducted in accordance with the following regulations:
A. No team or participant shall play more than the equivalent of half of a game or contest.
B. Registered TSSAA officials must be used.
C. Schools must hold membership in TSSAA or membership in a Tennessee conference in order to be eligible to participate in a jamboree. (Out-of-state schools must obtain approval from their state association before participating.)
D. In the high school division, football schools may participate in a jamboree as early as Thursday of the week preceding the opening of football season.
E. In the high school division, basketball schools may participate in a jamboree one week preceding the opening of basketball season.

Participation in such a jamboree shall not count as a regular-season contest or pre-season scrimmage provided the jamboree meets the above regulations.

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  The staff would like to discuss adding a transfer provision to allow students who transfer due to a school closing to be eligible immediately. 

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  Proposed change to allow DI schools to host DII schools in approved cooperative programs

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  The proposed changes update language that is no longer applicable to the way financial aid reports are evaluated and adds a fine for schools that are not in compliance with the reporting requirements.

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  The proposed addition is in bold below:

Section 10. It is required that no student be permitted to participate in practice sessions or in athletic contests until there is on file with the principal a preparticipation medical evaluation form signed by a doctor of medicine, osteopathic physician, physician assistant, or certified nurse practitioner stating that the student has passed a physical examination, not prior to April 15, and that in their opinion the student is physically fit to participate in interscholastic athletics. In lieu of the form, the principal may accept a signed statement from the health care provider certifying that the student has passed a physical examination that encompasses all elements on the preparticipation medical evaluation form and attesting that in their opinion the student is physically fit to participate in interscholastic athletics. 

No student shall be required to submit to a physical exam if his/her parent(s) or legal guardian shall file with the principal a signed, written statement (affirmed under the penalties of perjury) declining such physical examination on grounds of sincerely held beliefs or practices. 
 
It is required that no student be permitted to participate in practice sessions or in athletic contests until there is on file a parental consent certificate signed by a parent or legal guardian stating that the student has the consent of his/her parent(s) or legal guardian to participate and for TSSAA, its physicians, athletic trainers, and/or EMT to render aid, treatment, medical, or surgical care deemed reasonably necessary to the health and well being of the student during or resulting from participation in athletics.  

Description (Appears on Agenda Report):  The attached proposal was submitted by Lipscomb Academy.