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OHSAA Membership

OHSAA Membership

Membership in the OHSAA is voluntary and shall be renewed annually for each school year from August 1 to July 31.  All OHSAA member schools must abide by all OHSAA rules and regulations as required by the OHSAA Constitution and Bylaws.
 
Schools seeking OHSAA membership must meet the requirements listed below, attend a prospective member meeting, submit a formal application for membership, and complete one school year of prospective membership probation during which the school shall demonstrate that it meets all OHSAA membership requirements.

OHSAA Initial Membership Requirements

  1. Schools seeking membership in the OHSAA must be chartered by the Ohio Department of Education or operate in accordance with the Ohio Department of Education Minimum Standards Chapter 3301-35-08 Non-Chartered Non-Tax Supported School.
  2.  Schools seeking membership in the OHSAA must sponsor a minimum of one OHSAA recognized sports per sport season, but six total during the school year. Additionally, schools must compete in a minimum of 50% of the maximum allowable regular season contests in each sport in the year immediately prior to the date of application.  See each specific sport regulation in the OHSAA Handbook for a definition of the maximum number of contests per sport.
OHSAA Recognized Sports
Fall Sports
Winter Sports
Spring Sports
Cross Country – Boys
Basketball – Boys
Baseball – Boys
Cross Country – Girls
Basketball – Girls
Lacrosse – Boys
Field Hockey – Girls
Bowling – Boys
Lacrosse – Girls
Football – Boys (11-player)
Bowling – Girls
Softball – Girls (Fast Pitch)
Golf – Boys
Gymnastics – Girls
Tennis – Boys
Golf – Girls
Ice Hockey – Boys
Track and Field – Boys
Soccer – Boys
Swimming and Diving – Boys
Track and Field – Girls
Soccer – Girls
Swimming and Diving – Girls
Volleyball – Boys
Tennis – Girls
Wrestling – Boys
 
Volleyball – Girls
Wrestling – Girls
 
  1. Schools seeking membership in the OHSAA must follow all OHSAA rules and regulations required by the OHSAA Constitution and Bylaws, the Ohio Department of Education and Ohio law.
  2. Every coach (paid or unpaid), of an OHSAA recognized sport, shall:
    • Have a current and valid Pupil Activity Coaching Permit issued by the Ohio Department of Education.
    • Complete the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Fundamentals of Coaching course.
    • Have a current and valid certificate of CPR training.
    • Have a current and valid certificate of concussion training from either the NFHS or Center for Disease Control (CDC).
    • Have a current and valid certificate of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (Lindsay’s Law) training issued by the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Education.
  3. All student-athletes participating in an OHSAA recognized sport must meet all eligibility requirements according to OHSAA Bylaws. (See the OHSAA Handbook)
  4. Schools seeking membership in the OHSAA shall not allow students that do not attend their school to participate in an OHSAA recognized sport unless the student meets one of the exceptions to the enrollment and attendance bylaw, or is permitted a participation opportunity in accordance with state law.
  5. Schools seeking membership in the OHSAA shall not allow students in grades 6 or below to practice or participate in OHSAA recognized sports with students in grades 7-12.
  6. Schools seeking membership in the OHSAA shall not allow 7th and 8th grade students to participate in OHSAA recognized sports with students in grades 9-12.
  7. Schools seeking membership in the OHSAA shall employ OHSAA licensed contest officials and abide by all rules and regulations as outlined in Bylaw 8 (See the OHSAA Handbook).
  8. Schools seeking membership in the OHSAA shall follow all OHSAA Sports Regulation (See OHSAA Handbook)

OHSAA Prospective Membership Meeting

Schools seeking membership in the OHSAA must attend a Prospective Member meeting.  These meetings are designed to inform potential member schools about the OHSAA rules and regulations, and provide information about the OHSAA membership process including application materials and probationary year requirements.
 
A list of future OHSAA Prospective Membership meeting(s) is listed below.  Schools wanting to attend a meeting should contact OHSAA Membership Services at 614-267-2502 as reservations are required. Contact Membership Services (membershipservices@ohsaa.org) with your name, email address, school affiliation, and position at the school to register for a meeting.
  • Winter 2024-25 - Virtual, Time - TBD
  • Spring 2025 - Virtual, Time - TBD