The Fastpitch Chronicle

Coaches, Athletic Directors, players and parents must be aware of that fact that non school competition rules change in 2016 and allow a player to participate in no more than two non-school competitions in the same sport she is currently playing during the high school season.

There is a difference between regular season and WIAA Tournament season. 

During the regular season a softball player, with the school's permission, may play for her travel team or any other fastpitch team in up to a pair of games (2) without those two games being counted toward her maximum of 26 regular season games.

"With School Approval" normally means communicating with the school athletic director.

Once the WIAA Tournament season has started a school can not give permission for non school participation. 

Here is the wording from the WIAA website

NONSCHOOL PARTICIPATION - OUT OF SEASON
The WIAA membership has placed several rules in the Rules of Eligibility which affect the non-school participation of WIAA member athletes during the school year. The first, during the season of the sport:  It is the philosophy of this Association that a student owes loyalty and allegiance to the school and team of which he/she is a member during the season of a given sport. A student becomes ineligible in a sport for the remainder of the season for competing in a nonschool game, meet, or contest in the same sport during the season of practice and competition established by the school.  (ROE, page 37, Art VI, Sect 1, Par A)

A second rule, addresses assembly during the school year is the preseason assembly rule:  It is the philosophy of this Association that athletes should not be unreasonably restricted. Subsequently, students may voluntarily assemble at any time without school and/or school coach involvement. (ROE, page 37, Art VI, Sect 1, Par A)    

The third part of the rule is the All-Star competition rule: A student becomes ineligible in a sport for a maximum of one year from date of last offense for participating in an all-star game or similar activity. (ROE, Page 38, Art VI, Sect 3, Par B)

NONSCHOOL PARTICIPATION - INSEASON 

The rule allows any individual student-athlete, with school approval, to participate in up to two non-school contests during the regular season in the same sport. The non-school opportunities will not count against the individual maximum in that sport.

The exceptional athlete provision recognizes only invitations to international competitions sanctioned by each sport’s identified National Governing Body (NGB) and Olympic Development Programs (ODP) in representing the USA as eligible for an exceptional athlete waiver. This waiver will allow non-school competition  for a qualifying exceptional athlete during the regular season and during the WIAA Tournament Series.

During the season, athletes may participate in a skills contest with approval of the school. Specific skill contests (punt, pass, and kick, shooting contests e.g., free throws, 3 point, drive, chip and putt) isolate separate skills outside of the traditional competition setting.  The skill contest may not include physical contact or extreme fatigue as the actual sport competition.  Fun runs are not considered skills contests.  There can be no school coach involvement.  All other eligibility rules including amateur status apply.      

Additionally, a student who was a member of a school team during the previous year may not delay reporting for the school team beyond the school's official opening day of practice in order to continue non-school training or competition. (RE – Art. VI)