Page 29 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Constitution

Number of Allowable Contests

519. NUMBER OF ALLOWABLE CONTESTS
 A. Each Section and/or league which establishes a maximum and/or minimum number of allowable  contests for member schools shall establish the same number of allowable contests for all teams in identical sports, and in baseball and softball.
 B. When practical and sufficient interest exists, the number of events offered in a contest in identical sports for boys and girls shall be equal except where rules are written by a recognized rules writing body that provides for a different number of events.
519.1  Sports which traditionally have two events per week (basketball, baseball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, water polo, track, cross country, swimming and badminton) are limited to 27 contacts per season. There is no limit on number of tournaments allowed per season. Football is allowed 10 contests. Wrestlers are allowed 40 matches per season (See Bylaw 3101).
    a. In order to offer interscholastic competition to newly built schools and to honor previous commitments in scheduling, leagues may exceed the 27 contact limitation by two (2) contacts at the freshman and frosh-soph levels only. This contact waiver is in effect only until the new school enrolls juniors. At that time, the school is expected to field varsity teams.

***Note:  Penalties for schools going over the 27 game limit have been defined.  For each game over the limit, the school will have its league win total decreased by one and league losses increased by one.  Also, the team will not be allowed to host any Section playoff games that season.  And, the team will have its contest limit for the following year reduced by the number of games over the limit.

519.2  SCRIMMAGES
    A maximum of two (2) scrimmages per team are permissible prior to the first game (league or non-league) of the season. Said scrimmages shall not count in the team’s contact total. Scrimmages held after a team’s first game shall count as contacts.
    NOTE: A scrimmage is defined as supervised competition between two or more teams where:
    a. No officials are paid.
    b. No admission is charged; closed scrimmages are permissible (Donations are acceptable).
    c. No score/results are released to the media.
    d. No awards are presented.
  519.3  DEFINITION OF A CONTEST
    The definition of a contest is defined in the appropriate National Federation Rules Book.
  519.4  SPORTS INCORPORATING POOL PLAY
    a. For the purpose of this bylaw, pool play is defined as a shortened game as determined by NFHS and Sac-Joaquin Section rules.
    b. Volleyball and water polo are the only sports allowed to use pool play during tournament competition.
    c. Any one-day tournament shall count as two (2) contacts.
    d. Any additional 1/2 day (scheduled six hours maximum) will count as an additional contact.
     EXAMPLE: A tournament involving pool play that lasts Friday night and all day Saturday would count as three (3) contacts. A tournament involving pool play that lasts two full days would count as four (4) contacts.
 
 519.5  TOURNAMENTS INVOLVING INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION
    The following individual sports must utilize the following tournament guidelines in determining the structure of the tournament.
    a. Golf – Each day of a tournament will be counted as two (2) contacts.
    b. Tennis – Each day of a tournament will be counted as two (2) contacts.     
    c. Wrestling – A tournament can be a maximum of two (2) days in length and each individual may wrestle a maximum of five (5) matches per day.  This is in accordance with the National Federation rules.

3101. 40-MATCH RULE
 A wrestler will be allowed a maximum of 40 matches during the wrestling season prior to the first qualifying tournament for the CIF State Wrestling Championships (in most situations, this would be the league wrestling tournament). Forfeits do not count toward the 40-match maximum. Matches wrestled in any tournaments or competitions held prior to the first qualifying tournament will count toward the 40-match maximum.
 EXCEPTION: Any matches wrestled in a CIF Section team dual championship tournament will not count as part of the 40-match maximum.

For more information go to the Sac-Joaquin Section Constitution.

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