Each year a seven-day OSAA Moratorium Week shall be in effect during which there shall be no contact between administrators/coaches/directors/advisors and students involved in any OSAA-sanctioned sport or activity, including cheer, dance/drill, speech, solo music, choir, band/orchestra. In addition, there shall be no high school athletic facility usage by athletic staff and students/teams, including dance/drill and cheer, during the OSAA Moratorium Week. Use of non-athletic facilities by athletic staff is allowed.
FAQ
Q. During the Moratorium Week, will coaches be allowed any contact with their athletes?
A. No.
Q. During the Moratorium Week, will schools be allowed to have open facilities? Oregon School Activities Association 2022-2023 Handbook Executive Board Policies – 89 –
A. Schools may only host an activity that includes high school students involved in athletics and activities if they have appealed for and been granted permission from the Executive Director prior to the Moratorium Week. Permission shall not be granted for team camps.
Q. During the Moratorium Week, will coaches/activity leaders be allowed to have any contact with their students?
A. No. The only contact they may have with an individual or team during Moratorium Week is via email, phone, etc. but conversations may not refer to actions required for that week (i.e., student’s workouts, practice plans, meetings, etc.).
Q. During the Moratorium Week, may students attend camps, clinics, etc.?
A. Yes, so long as no high school administrators/coaches/directors/advisors are present, and participation is not organized or paid for by the school.
Q. Are there any exceptions to this policy?
A. Yes. There will be an appeals process in place for teams, coached by a high school coach, that have been playing together all summer and have qualified for a post-season event that is taking place during all or part of the Moratorium Week. Approval must be granted by the Executive Director prior to the Moratorium Week.
Q. What is the penalty for a Moratorium Week violation?
A. The violation penalty will be similar to that assessed for a “Rule of Two” violation. The standard penalty is a $500 fine and game suspension for the offending coach.
Q. May coaches work with non-high school students during the Moratorium Week?
A. Yes, but not at a high school venue.
Q. May coaches encourage their athletes to work out at another facility during the Moratorium Week?
A. No. The intent of the policy is that coaches and students take a week off.
Q. May a school schedule their athletic physical night, or a similar event, during the Moratorium Week?
A. No, the school may schedule nothing that is related to OSAA activities.
Q. May coaches/student make contact through phone, email, etc., during Moratorium Week?
A. Yes, but with restrictions. For example, the coach may not ask the student, “What is your workout today?”
Q. May a high school coach work with another high school’s students during the Moratorium Week?
A. No. Contact is not allowed by high school coaches with any high school students during the Moratorium Week.
Q. May a coach work in any capacity (coaching or not coaching) at a camp during the Moratorium Week?
A. Yes, but only if there are no high school students at the camp and not at a high school venue.
Q. May an outside entity hold an event during Moratorium Week (e.g., youth soccer camp, little league baseball tournament) that utilizes high school athletic facilities?
A. Yes, provided that no high school students and no members of the high school athletic staff are involved in any capacity (scheduling, supervising, instructing, etc.) with the event.
Q. May athletic staff members work in school offices or classrooms during the Moratorium Week, even if they may have contact with students?
A. Yes, provided that the contact with students is limited to non-athletic pursuits such as schedule changes, registration, etc.
Q. At what point does the OSAA consider a person to be a school’s coach?
A. Once a person and a school have verbally agreed that the person will perform coaching duties for the school, they are considered to be that schools’ coach by the OSAA. At that time, all OSAA policies are in effect for that coach until such time that the coach resigns or is notified by the school that they are no longer a coach for that school.
Q. May a returning coach work with students outside their designated sports season since the coach working under a one-year contract and has not signed a contract for the coming year?
A. No. Once a person becomes a school’s coach, the OSAA considers that person to be a coach for the school until such time that the coach resigns or is notified by the school that they are no longer a coach for that school. Coaches who resign and are then brought back in a coaching capacity by the same school in an attempt to circumvent OSAA policy are subject to penalties as outlined in Rule 5, “Violations of Regulations – Penalties.” Oregon School Activities Association 2022-2023 H