COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted unanimously Thursday to expand the summer coaching period to include 13 days of coaching instead of 10, and to open the summer period on May 15 instead of June 1.
In addition, fall sports may begin practice on Monday, July 31, instead of the previously established date of August 1.
The changes were proposed by OHSAA staff in consultation with various coaches associations.
The summer period changes are effective immediately and apply to the team sports of football, soccer, girls and boys volleyball, field hockey, ice hockey, basketball, girls and boys lacrosse, softball and baseball.
Previously, team camps and 7-on-7 football competition were only permitted between June 1 and July 31.
“Obviously many of our schools are still competing in spring sports tournaments in late May, but by opening up the summer period May 15, schools now have the opportunity to get started sooner if they would like to do that,” said Doug Ute, OHSAA Executive Director.
“This allows schools to spread out their coaching days in the summer a little more. We know that many of our schools want to have a team camp or do 7-on-7 football prior to June 1, so this allows that to happen.”
Of note, there are no coaching restrictions in place for the individual sports of golf, tennis, cross country, swimming and diving, gymnastics, bowling, wrestling and track and field.
Continuing with a football regulation that was new last year, football teams are permitted to conduct their five days of acclimatization between July 17 and July 30.
New this year, girls and boys soccer teams also have an additional five days of non-mandatory practice between July 17 and 30.