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The following are questions and additional information to clarify the levels and forms used in the sanctioning process:
If I am a member school of the MPSSAA, who can I compete against?
Member schools may only compete against other member schools of the MPSSAA, Maryland non-public schools verified to be in compliance with the Standards of Competition (link for list of schools can be found on sanctioning front page in the right hand column), or schools that are members or approved by their state's high school athletic association.
What are the "Standards Of Competition"?
The Maryland State Superintendent of Schools seeks to maintain the integrity of Maryland Public Schools athletic programs when MPSSAA member public schools practice or play against nonmember high school teams. Accordingly, the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools has established Standards of Competition to achieve the following purposes: ensure athlete safety, minimize risks, deter exploitation of students, ensure that competing school teams are appropriately supervised by a responsible entity, maintain athletics as an integral part of the total educational program, promote competitive fairness, foster student leadership, encourage academic progress and minimize administrative burdens on MPSSAA member schools.
I am a non-member school of the MPSSAA located in the state of Maryland, how do I become approved to compete with member schools?
The "Standards of Competition" (found in the "Info Center" on the right hand side of this page) has set standards that institutions must adhere to. To verify compliance with the Standards of Competition, the administrative head of the school, responsible for the daily administration, must sign and submit this verification application for annual approval. This verification shall be submitted to the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools prior to the first practice or athletic competition against an MPSSAA member high school team.
What is the "45-day Rule" and how can it affect my event from being sanctioned?
The 45-day Rule requires that all sanction requests must be received by the MPSSAA office 45 days before the event. The only exception to this is a sanction request for the NFHS which must be completed online and submitted 90 days prior to the event. This is necessary because of the different channels sanctions travel through (other state associations) and gives the MPSSAA office, host school and invited schools ample time to work out any issues regarding the sanction application. The most common reasons for sanction problems involves the wrong form, missing pertinent information, or missing appropriate signatures. The 45-day Rule allows for these and other issues to be resolved in a timely manner in order for the event to take place. The 45-day Rule is not designed to hinder member schools from athletic competition but to assure the event follows all state bylaws and gets sanctioned by all necessary state associations and, if applicable, the National Federation office.
- The "45-day Rule" does not apply to events outside Maryland.
- The "45-day Rule" does not apply to non-member sanction requests.
- The "45-day Rule" has only impacted a few tournaments thus far.
How do I know what form to use?
One of the most common problems in the sanctioning process is the use of the wrong form. The following is a set of sanctioning guidelines to check for the correct form to use. If you are still unsure, contact the MPSSAA office and we will help direct you to the proper form to fill out.
1. MPSSAA Intrastate Sanction Form (online process) - - Complete this online form a minimum of 45 days prior for any intercounty contest where all participating teams are from Maryland with:
(a.) more than three teams involved and the event is sponsored by a non-member educational institution; or
(b.) more than four teams involved; or
(c.) more than four counties represented by the participating teams.
2. MPSSAA Bordering State Sanction Form - - Complete this form and submit to MPSSAA a minimum of 45 days prior for those events that involve participating teams from states that are immediately adjacent to the Maryland border (District of Columbia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) which is sponsored by a member high school or approved non-member high school (those who have signed and submitted the Standards of Competition for the current school year). Please note that the MPSSAA will communicate with the other State Associations regarding the sanction request and the status of the invited schools.
3. MPSSAA Interstate Sanction Form - - Complete this form and submit to the MPSSAA a minimum of 45 days prior for those events that involve participating teams from states that are NOT adjacent to the Maryland border with:
(a.) high school sponsorship of the event; and
(b.) representation by four states or less; and
(c.) a total of eight or fewer schools involved.
Please note that the MPSSAA will communicate with the other State Associations regarding the sanction request and the status of the invited schools.
4. NFHS Application for Sanction of International and Interstate Events - - As of 8/1/09 event sponsors must go online to www.nfhs.org to complete this application 60 days prior for:
(a.) any interstate event involving two or more schools which is co-sponsored by or titled in the name of an organization outside of the high school community; or
(b.) non-bordering state events where five or more states are involved; or
(c.) non-bordering state events where more than eight schools are involved; or
(d.) any event involving two or more schools that involves a team from a foreign country other than Canada or Mexico.
After completing the online application, an email will be sent to the involved state associations requesting approval. Once the host state association approves an event, an email will be generated and automatically sent to the event sponsor requiring that the payment of the application fee be made to the NFHS office 60 days or more prior to the scheduled event. The application fee for high school sponsored events (this includes Booster Clubs) is $100 and the fee for non-high school sponsored events is $200. The only methods of payment accepted are: VISA, Mastercard, American Express, or electronic check.
Late submission of the application and/or the list of actual entries for an event will incur the following penalties to be paid in addition to the application fee:
~ application filed late, between 15-59 days prior to event - - add $100 penalty fee for high school sponsored events or non-high school sponsored events.
~ application filed late, less than 15 days prior to event - - add $200 penalty fee for high school sponsored events or add a $300 penalty fee for non-high school sponsored events.
~ list of actual entries in event NOT submitted 20 days prior - - add $100 penalty fee for high school sponsored events or non-high school sponsored events.
What can I do to assure I have done everything correctly?
The Sanctioning Guidelines and Checklist are first steps in assisting our athletic directors and coaches with the sanctioning process. Having proactive communication with the MPSSAA office is key. Double check your sanction form with the Sanction checklist and submit the information to the appropriate office as directed.
Sanction Checklist
- Will a sanction request for MPSSAA arrive 45 days before the event and for NFHS, 60 days before the event?
- Is the correct form being used?
- Is all pertinent information given?
- Does the form have the proper signatures?
- Does the form have a list of invited schools attached?
- Has an electronic payment been submitted to NFHS as a followup to completing the NFHS Application for Sanction of International and Interstate Events online process?
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