Good news from the PIAA on the eve of the state Track & Field Championships. The PIAA has \"modernized the rules\" are the words used by Executive Director Bradley Cashman, talking about a amendment to the \"All-Star Rule\" voted and passed at a Thursday PIAA Board of Directors meeting.
The rule is at the center of the recent series of letters sent to athletes and high schools in the state following participation by underclassmen in the March Nike Indoor Nationals and National Scholastic Indoor Championships.
What the amendment essentially does is to permit any PA athlete to participate in a meet that does not advertise itself as an all-star meet, and that has a uniform standard for participation. What has been eliminated is the penalty for participating in a \"national championship\" While Cashman would like to the National Scholastic Indoor Championship meet change their name, he says the name is no longer a barrier for participation. And neither are their \"Entry Standards\" or the Nike meet\'s \"Entry Guidelines.\"
What remains in place are the \"out of season\" rule which prohibits a school from registering or competing under their school name, or wearing a school uniform or symbol.
As for the students and schools who are being reviewed for apparent violation of the two rules at the two indoor meets, that is still under review by the PIAA. Sanctions for violations of the \"All-Star rule\" would be loss of eligibility for the athlete, while violations of the \"Out of Season rule\" would bring sanction against the school, most likely in for form of improved internal educational processes.