A
MEMBER OF THE
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS
ARTICLE
1
NAME
AND PURPOSE
10.
This organization shall be known as the California Interscholastic
Federation.
11.
PURPOSE
The purposes of this organization are:
A.
To serve as an organization through which member high schools may
mutually adopt rules and regulations relating to interscholastic athletics
(grades 9 through 12), and establish agreed upon minimum standards for certain
aspects of the interscholastic athletic program; to guide schools and school
districts in the discharge of their responsibilities for, among other
considerations, the health, safety, general welfare and educational
opportunities of the students taking part in interscholastic athletics.
B.
The CIF is limited to facilitating the establishment of these regulations
and minimum standards and to the application of appropriate sanctions when
failure to meet these standards, rules and regulations comes to the attention of
the CIF.
C.
To cultivate cordial and friendly relations among schools through good
standards of sportsmanship.
D.
To promote the acceptance of the CIF Operating Principles and Code of
Ethics of the California Interscholastic Federation.
(Approved November 1999 Federated Council)
NOTE:
The CIF Operating Principles are defined as the 16 Principles of the Pursuing
Victory with Honorsm program adopted by the
Federated Council in November of 1999 (See Article 1-12).
E.
This organization does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit to the
members hereof and it is organized for non-profit purposes.
F.
To promote equal opportunity for all the youth in
G.
Member schools are responsible for monitoring and assuring compliance
with these standards, rules and regulations except as set forth above, as well
as responsibility for any matters of school administration or pupil supervision.
Membership of schools in the California Interscholastic Federation is contingent
upon compliance with the rules and regulations of the organization’s
constitution and bylaws.
(Approved May 2001 Federated Council)
12.
CIF OPERATING PRINCIPLES/PURSUING VICTORY WITH HONORsm
A.
The CIF Operating Principles are the 16 Principles of the Pursuing
Victory with Honorsm program as follows:
(1)
The essential elements of character building and ethics in CIF sports are
embodied in the concept of sportsmanship and six core principles:
trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and good
citizenship. The highest potential of sports is achieved when competition
reflects these “six pillars of character.”
(2)
It’s the duty of school boards, superintendents, school administrators,
parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver and school sports leadership - including
coaches, athletic administrators, program directors and game officials - to
promote sportsmanship and foster good character by teaching, enforcing,
advocating and modeling these “six pillars of character.”
(3)
To promote sportsmanship and foster the development of good character,
school sports programs must be conducted in a manner that enhances the academic,
emotional, social, physical and ethical development of student-athletes and
teaches them positive life skills that will help them become personally
successful and socially responsible.
(4)
Participation in school sports programs is a privilege, not a right. To
earn that privilege, student-athletes must abide by the rules and they must
conduct themselves, on and off the field, as positive role models who exemplify
good character.
(5)
School boards, superintendents, school administrators, parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver
and school sports leadership shall establish standards for participation by
adopting and enforcing codes of conduct for coaches, athletes, parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver
and spectators.
(6)
All participants in high school sports must consistently demonstrate and
demand scrupulous integrity and observe and enforce the spirit as well as the
letter of the rules.
(7)
The importance of character, ethics and sportsmanship should be
emphasized in all communications directed to student-athletes and their parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver.
(8)
School boards, superintendents, school administrators, parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver
and school sports leadership must ensure that the first priority of their
student-athletes is a serious commitment to getting an education and developing
the academic skills and character to succeed.
(9)
School boards, superintendents, principals, school administrators and
everyone involved at any level of governance in the CIF must maintain ultimate
responsibility for the quality and integrity of CIF programs. Such individuals
must assure that education and character development responsibilities are not
compromised to achieve sports performance goals and that the academic, social,
emotional, physical and ethical well-being of student-athletes is always placed
above desires and pressures to win.
(10)
All employees of member schools must be directly involved and committed
to the academic success of student-athletes and the character-building goals of
the school.
(11)
Everyone involved in competition including parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver,
spectators, associated study body leaders, and all auxiliary groups have a duty
to honor the traditions of the sport and to treat other participants with
respect. Coaches have a special responsibility to model respectful behavior and
the duty to demand that their student-athletes refrain from disrespectful
conduct including verbal abuse of opponents and officials, profane or
belligerent trash-talking, taunting and inappropriate celebrations.
(12)
School boards, superintendents and school administrators of CIF-member
schools must ensure that coaches, whether paid or voluntary, are competent to
coach. Training or experience may determine minimal competence. These
competencies include basic knowledge of:
a.
The character building aspects of sports, including techniques and methods of
teaching and reinforcing the core values comprising sportsmanship and good
character;
b.
The physical capabilities and limitations of the age group coached as well as
first aid; AND
c.
Coaching principles and the rules and strategies of the sport.
(13)
Because of the powerful potential of sports as a vehicle for positive
personal growth, a broad spectrum of school sports experiences should be made
available to all of our diverse communities.
(14)
To safeguard the health of athletes and the integrity of the sport,
school sports programs must actively prohibit the use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs
and performance-enhancing substances, as well as demand compliance with all laws
and regulations, including those related to gambling and the use of drugs.
(15)
Schools that offer athletic programs must safeguard the integrity of
their programs. Commercial relationships should be continually monitored to
ensure against inappropriate exploitation of the school’s name or reputation.
There should be no undue influence of commercial interests. In addition, sports
programs must be prudent, avoiding undue dependency on particular companies or
sponsors.
(16)
The profession of coaching is a profession of teaching. Along with the
mental and physical dimensions of their sport, coaches, through word and
example, must also strive to build the character of their athletes by teaching
them to be trustworthy, respectful, responsible, fair, caring and good citizens.
(Approved February 2002 Federated Council)
13.
PROPERTY
The property of this organization is
irrevocably dedicated to charitable and educational purposes, meeting the
requirements for exemption provided by Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation
Code. No part of the net income or assets of this organization shall ever inure
to the benefit of any director, officer or member thereof nor to the benefit of
any private persons. Upon the dissolution or winding up of the organization,
which is dedicated to charitable and educational purposes meeting the
requirements for exemption provided by Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation
Code, its assets remaining after payment, or provision for payment, of all debts
and liabilities of this organization, shall be distributed to a non-profit fund,
foundation or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for
educational purposes and which has established its tax exempt status under
Section 501.C.(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
If this organization holds any assets in trust, such assets must be disposed of in such manner as may be directed by decree of the Superior Court of the county in which the organization has its principal office, upon petition therefore by the Attorney General or any other person concerned in the liquidation, in a proceeding to which the Attorney General is a party.
14.
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
It is the policy of the CIF not to
discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin or sexual
orientation in its athletic programs and related activities, in the employment
of personnel, or in the selection of delegates to the Federated Council,
committee members, officers or other such positions.