Frequently Asked Questions

RI Interscholastic League
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
(Brief answers to frequently asked questions; Use Article/Section Link to present complete rule for review)

What are the minimum academic eligibility requirements for a student-athlete?

Article 3, Section 3 - The student-athlete should have secured for the period from the beginning of a quarter or trimester up to the end of the regular marking period, which shall not exceed a maximum of twelve (12) weeks, a passing grade in sixty (60%) percent of his/her program (credits). However, this is a minimum standard; some schools may have other higher standard(s).
May home schooled students participate in a sport in the community where they reside?

Article 3, Section 1. I - Yes, provided he/she meets the RIIL requirements listed in Article 3, Section 1.I
What is the length of eligibility for a student-athlete?

Article 3, Section 4 C - Once a student enters the 9th grade, the student has eight (8) consecutive semesters and automatically becomes ineligible four (4) years from the date of entry into the ninth (9th) grade. A student cannot compete if they have graduated from high school.
What is the maximum age for a student-athlete to be eligible to play in RIIL sports?

Article 3, Section 4 A. - An athlete will be ineligible for athletic competition if his/her nineteenth (19th) birthday occurs prior to September 1st.
May a student compete as an individual for their school if the school does not have a team?

Article 3, Section 7 - Yes, individual competition is limited to Cross Country, Golf, Gymnastics, Swim, Wrestling and Track (Indoor and Outdoor)
What is recruiting for athletic purposes?

Article 3, Section 10 - Recruitment for athletic purposes is a gross violation of the by-laws of the RIIL. Refer to this section for all of the general principals and penalties for recruiting.

To maintain the educational standards and dignity of our academic and athletic program, all members of the RIIL must refrain from any practices such as recruitment, enticements, and inducements or other pressure which would encourage students substantially for athletic purposes to leave, enter, or not to enter schools within their normal district, as defined by the RI Department of Education, or schools in which they have enrolled or have indicated in writing the intent to enroll.

All regulations regarding recruiting for athletic purposes are listed in Article 3, Section 10 A-E.
If a student moves (change of address), is the student eligible to compete for their new school?

Article 3, Section 5 B - Yes, if there is a corresponding move into a new district by their parent/guardian and all other eligibility requirements are met. Refer to this section for a list of other reasons for immediate eligibility.
If a student changes schools without a change of address, is the student eligible to play sports?

Article 3, Section 5 - Yes and No.
No, if a student transfers from one secondary school to another without a corresponding change of address. The student is ineligible for fifty (50%) percent of the total league schedule in each sport they participated in at the varsity level during the previous school year.

Yes, if the student did not play in any varsity game in that sport or wants to play a different sport.
Can a student-athlete participate for another school's team if their school does not offer that sport?

Article 3, Section I K - Under certain terms and conditions, two or three schools may form a cooperative team
Article 3, Section I L - Under certain terms and conditions, a student may be allowed to join another school's team

    a. Under certain terms and conditions (Article 3, Section 1 K) schools may apply for the establishment of a cooperative team.
        The purpose of a cooperative team is to allow student-athletes the opportunity to compete in sanctioned athletic teams they
        would otherwise not be able to compete on. Schools may apply for the establishment of a cooperative team.

    b. Under certain terms and conditions (Article 3, Section 1 L) alternative schools may seek a waiver from the
         Principals' Committee on Athletics requesting eligibility for the students to participate in athletics at his/her feeder school in the
         community in which he/she resides. Alternative schools whose enrollment exceed 400 and have a 12th grade class will be obligated
         to offer their own athletic program(s).
When is a scrimmage considered to be a practice or an interscholastic league contest/game?

Article 7, Section 2 lists the conditions of a game and a scrimmage.

A game (Article 7, Section 2) is any competition between 2 or more schools, i.e. RIIL or non-RIIL games exclusive of scrimmages, which meet any of the following conditions:
                           * teams wearing game uniforms
                           * paid officials
                           * admission charge; and/or results of the contest appear in any newspaper
                           * a scrimmage shall be defined as a controlled practice supervised by coaches which does not meet any requirement for
                              a game
How many games are allowed in all RIIL sponsored sports?

Article 7, Section 3 lists all of the RIIL sports by season and the maximum number of contest/games allowed
What are the guidelines for intramural, weight training and open gym?

Article 7, Section 6 E lists the criteria schools must follow to provide all students with intramural, weight training and open gym opportunities.
May a student-athlete compete on an outside team during the school year? During the summer? (yes)

Article 7, Section 6 - Non-school competition and loyalty to school team lists all of the conditions that must be met by the student-athletes

During the school academic year the student-athlete may participate on a non-school sponsored team/competition as outlined in Article 7, Section 6, provided prospective members of a high school club, freshman, junior varsity or varsity team do not comprise in excess of fifty (50%) percent of the active members on the non-school team or athletes on the high school varsity eligibility list are not comprised of members of the non-school team in excess of fifty (50%) percent of the membership of the non-school team.

During the summer: Students participating in summer programs may continue to play until the official day the eligibility listing for fall sports is due in the RIIL Office, which is one week before the first varsity game. (Article 7, Section 6, F&G)
What is the Fifty (50%) percent Rule?

Article 7, Section 6 - During the academic school year, the student-athlete may not participate on a team that comprises in excess of fifty (50%) percent of the active members on the non-school team or athletes on the high school varsity eligibility list.
May a student-athlete receive private instruction from his/her high school coach outside the sport season?

Article 7, Section 6 D - The high school coach may not coach prospective member(s) of a high school club, freshman, junior varsity team during the off season of hi/her sport.
Can a coach coach his/her high school team or give private instruction during the summer?

Article 7, Section 6 F - Summer programs involving the fifty (50%) percent rule and high school coaches coaching their own students can begin on June 15th of any given school year.
May RIIL member school facilities and/or equipment be used during the summer?

Article 6, Section 13 (yes, under the conditions listed)
Can a girl play on a boys' team?

Yes. Girls can play on boys' teams even if the sport is offered to both boys and girls. However, a girl may not compete on both boys' and girls' teams in the same sport even if they are offered in different sport seasons.
Can a boy play on a girls' team?

No, Title IX does not permit boys to play on girls' teams in Rhode Island
What is the penalty for a school/coach not attending a Mandatory Sport Interpretation Meeting?

Article 6, Section 12 - There is a fifty ($50.00) dollar fine for each school/coach missing an interpretation meeting.
What is the penalty for an ejection for a game?

Article 6, Section 6 - A player that is ejected from a game shall be ineligible to participate in the next league game, to include all games in between. In addition an Unsportsmanlike Conduct Questionnaire must be filled out and submitted to the Principal and Athletic Director with a copy sent to the RIIL.

A coach that is ejected shall leave the vicinity, be ineligible to coach the next two (2) League contests of that sport and pay a $50.00 fine to the RIIL An Unsportsmanlike Conduct Questionnaire shall be submitted to the League Office.

Once a coach/player is ejected no appeals will be honored.

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