March 30, 2016 Matt Fetsch, Executive Director NDHSAA PO Box 817 Valley City, ND 58072 To Matt Fetsch, The NDHSAA Constitution and Bylaws are extremely important in creating a consistent guidelines for athletes, coaches and schools who are associated with the array of interscholastic activities sponsored by the NDHSAA. The language within the Constitution and Bylaws aids in shaping acceptable and non-acceptable standards for these individuals, and they also support one of the core components of the NDHSAA’s mission statement which is to elevate sportsmanship and citizenship. North High School is requesting a Board Review of the regulation that prevents a father/mother from coaching their son/daughter during an out-of-season competition. Head coaches across North Dakota, spend countless number of hours coaching athletes at the sacrifice of their own families. During the season, they miss their own children’s games, concerts, family suppers and other bonding opportunities. This request is to allow coaches to recapture some of those missed opportunities by allowing a high school coach, who is also a parent, to coach their son or daughter during the off season. We have a suggested modification of the board regulation on out-of-season coaching. The suggested change is highlighted.

4. A student participating in an activity "out of season" may not receive coaching or training from a salaried or non-salaried member of his/her high school's coaching staff in that sport except under the following provisions:

a. During June and July, coaches of team sports (basketball, football,

hockey, soccer and volleyball) from a NDHSAA member school's coaching staff in that sport (Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball, Boys’ and Girls’ Hockey and Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer are each interpreted as one sport) may instruct students in a summer contest or camp who have participated in a contest as members of their school team in that sport.

b. Coaches of individual sports (cross country, golf, gymnastics, swimming &diving, tennis, track & field, and wrestling) from a NDHSAA member school's coaching staff may coach students in that sport “out of season" provided that it is not under the supervision and operation of the member school. NOTE: Any non-salaried student teachers who were coaching while undergoing their supervised teaching experience are exempt.

c. Baseball and softball are granted an exemption to the out-of-season coaching rule beginning with the 2012 season. This exemption is from the beginning of the season until Sept. 1 of that year.

d. Boys’ and girls’ soccer are granted an exception to the out-of-season coaching rule beginning with the 2012-13 season. This exemption is from the end of the girls’ state tournament until August 1 of that year.

e. At any time during the off-season, coaches of team sports who are also parents may instruct/coach their own children who have participated in a contest as members of their school team in that sport and/or are in 7-8 programs that feed into 9-12 program.

As was stated above, high school coaches put in many hours and sacrifice much while serving their roles as high school coaches. For those fathers/mothers who wish to spend offseason time with their sons/daughters by being involved in the sport they love we feel that they should have the same opportunity as any other parent would have to do so. Furthermore, because the modification only includes the child(ren) of the coach we do not believe that this would lead to unfair circumstances of a coach working with a majority of their entire team, or even select team members under this proposed language. We thank you for your time and your consideration of this proposal. Sincerely

Andy Dahlen FNH Principal