Member MPSSAA schools shall conduct all interscholastic athletic contests and practice sessions in accordance with the following:

1. A. The sports seasons shall be defined as follows:

   1. (1) “Fall” means the 6th Wednesday following the first Sunday of July, until the final date of the local, conference, district, regional, or State tournament.
   2. (2) “Winter” means November 15th until the final date of the local, conference, district, regional, or State tournament.
   3. (3) “Spring” means March 1st until the final date of the local, conference, district, regional, or State tournament.
   4. (4) When November 15th or March 1st falls on Sunday, practice will start the preceding Saturday.
   5. (5) Sanctioned Events. Local school systems may approve the participation of member schools to practice and compete in sanctioned National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) and MPSSAA events outside the defined sport season.
   6. (6) Required Practice. A member MPSSAA school may not participate in a regularly scheduled game until at least 20 calendar days have elapsed after and including the first day of practice. Golf is the only exception to this regulation.

2. B. Maximum Number of Contests Permitted During a Sports Season.

   1. (1) All school athletic schedules shall be established according to the following instructions:

      1. (a) Badminton:

         1. (i) 15 regular season games;
         2. (ii) Not more than two matches per week; and
         3. (iii) Three matches in one week may be scheduled twice during the season.

      2. (b) Baseball:

         1. (i) 18 regular season games or 20 with designated optional tournament;
         2. (ii) Not more than three games per week;
         3. (iii) A team may elect to play in one designated optional two or three-game tournament;
         4. (iv) If a team elects to play in a designated optional three-game tournament, only 17 regular season games may be scheduled; and
         5. (v) If a team elects to play in the designated optional two or three-game tournament, a fourth game may be played during that week.

      3. (c) Basketball:

         1. (i) 20 regular season games or 22 with designated optional tournament;
         2. (ii) Not more than two games per week;
         3. (iii) Three games in one week may be scheduled twice during the season;
         4. (iv) A team may elect to play in one designated optional two or three-game tournament; and
         5. (v) If a team elects to play in a designated optional three-game tournament, only 19 regular season games may be scheduled.

      4. (d) Cross Country:

         1. (i) 10 regular season meets;
         2. (ii) Not more than two meets per week; and
         3. (iii) Three meets in one week may be scheduled once during the season.

      5. (e) Field Hockey:

         1. (i) 12 regular season games or 14 with designated optional tournament;
         2. (ii) Not more than two games per week;
         3. (iii) Three games in one week may be scheduled twice during the season;
         4. (iv) A team may elect to play in one designated optional two or three-game tournament; and
         5. (v) If a team elects to play in a designated optional three-game tournament, only 11 regular season games may be scheduled.

      6. (f) Football:

         1. (i) 10 regular season games; and
         2. (ii) Not more than one game per week.

      7. (g) Golf:

         1. (i) 12 regular season matches; and
         2. (ii) Not more than three matches per week.

      8. (h) Gymnastics:

         1. (i) 8 regular season meets;
         2. (ii) Not more than two meets per week; and
         3. (iii) Meets may not be held on consecutive days.

      9. (i) Indoor Track:

         1. (i) 10 regular season meets;
         2. (ii) Not more than two meets per week; and
         3. (iii) Three meets in one week may be scheduled once during the season.

      10. (j) Lacrosse:

          1. (i) 12 regular season games or 14 with designated optional tournament;
          2. (ii) Not more than two games per week;
          3. (iii) Three games in one week may be scheduled twice during the season; and
          4. (iv) A team may elect to play in one designated optional two-game tournament.

      11. (k) Outdoor Track:

          1. (i) 10 regular season meets;
          2. (ii) Not more than two meets per week; and
          3. (iii) Three meets in one week may be scheduled once during the season.

      12. (l) Soccer:

          1. (i) 12 regular season games or 14 with designated optional tournament;
          2. (ii) Not more than two games per week;
          3. (iii) Three games in one week may be scheduled twice during the season;
          4. (iv) A team may elect to play in one designated optional two or three-game tournament; and
          5. (v) If a team elects to play in a designated optional three-game tournament, only 11 regular season games may be scheduled.

      13. (m) Softball:

          1. (i) 18 regular season games or 20 with designated optional tournament;
          2. (ii) Not more than three games per week;
          3. (iii) A team may elect to play in one designated optional two or three-game tournament;
          4. (iv) If a team elects to play in a designated optional three-game tournament, only 17 regular season games may be scheduled; and
          5. (v) If a team elects to play in the designated optional two or three-game tournament, a fourth game may be played during that week.

      14. (n) Swimming:

          1. (i) 12 regular season meets;
          2. (ii) Not more than two meets per week; and
          3. (iii) Three meets in 1 week may be scheduled once during the season.

      15. (o) Tennis:

          1. (i) 18 regular season matches; and
          2. (ii) Not more than three matches per week.

      16. (p) Volleyball:

          1. (i) 15 regular season matches or 14 with designated optional tournament;
          2. (ii) Not more than two matches per week;
          3. (iii) Three matches in one week may be scheduled twice during the season;
          4. (iv) A team may elect to play tri-matches provided the total number of opponents does not exceed 15 during the season; and
          5. (v) Teams may play 14 matches plus one designated optional multi-team tournament.

      17. (q) Wrestling:

          1. (i) 14 regular season contests including dual meets and a maximum of three tournaments and three tri-meets;
          2. (ii) Not more than two contests per week including a maximum of one tournament;
          3. (iii) Multi-team events may be used to make up postponed contests between teams originally scheduled;
          4. (iv) Three contests may be scheduled one time during the season on a nontournament week;
          5. (v) A city/county/conference tournament required to qualify for the state tournament will not be counted as one of the three allowed tournaments; and
          6. (vi) Wrestling tournaments and meets are defined by Regulation .04D(3) and (4) of this chapter.
   2. (2) Conference/League Championships. One additional contest beyond the maximum allowable number may be played to determine a conference/league championship. The results of that contest may not count towards MPSSAA standings.
   3. (3) Postponed Games. Postponed contests may be rescheduled during the season, provided the number of games does not exceed the maximum number permitted in a week plus one additional contest.

Authority: Education Article, §§2-205 and 2-303(k), Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: October 1, 1975 (2:22 Md. R. 1373)

Regulations .01, .04, .07A, .09A, and .12 amended effective August 4, 1976 (3:16 Md. R. 853)

Regulations .02A, F, .03B, .04, and .07C amended effective August 31, 1977 (4:18 Md. R. 1399)

Regulations .02F, J; .03B; .04B; .05; and .07C amended effective September 19, 1980 (7:19 Md. R. 1808)

Regulation .03B amended effective February 27, 1984 (11:4 Md. R. 317); August 27, 1984 (11:17 Md. R. 1493)

Regulations .03B, .04B, .06D, .07C amended effective August 10, 1979 (6:16 Md. R. 1332)

Regulations .03B and .04B amended, .05 repealed, and new .05 adopted effective October 24, 1983 (10:21 Md. R. 1903)

Regulations .03B, .05, and .09A, E, G, H amended effective August 11, 1978 (5:16 Md. R. 1260)

Regulations .03B and .11A amended effective August 2, 1982 (9:15 Md. R. 1517)

Regulations .04B, .07C, and .11 amended effective August 31, 1981 (8:17 Md. R. 1420)

Regulations .06E, .09I, and .10E adopted effective August 10, 1979 (6:16 Md. R. 1332)

Regulation .12 repealed effective August 10, 1979 (6:16 Md. R. 1332)

Chapter revised effective August 15, 1988 (15:16 Md. R. 1916)

Regulation .02 amended as an emergency provision effective August 14, 1989 (16:17 Md. R. 1882); adopted permanently effective December 25, 1989 (16:25 Md. R. 2713); August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .02D amended effective September 12, 1994 (21:18 Md. R. 1511)

Regulation .02G amended effective August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608)

Regulation .02I amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .03 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345); August 22, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 790)

Regulation .03A amended effective April 21, 2008 (35:8 Md. R. 807)

Regulation .03B amended effective October 6, 1997 (24:20 Md. R. 1405); September 1, 2003 (30:17 Md. R. 1204); January 7, 2016 (42:26 Md. R. 1596); December 27, 2021 (48:26 Md. R. 1112)

Regulation .04 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .04A-1 adopted effective April 19, 2010 (37:8 Md. R. 618)

Regulation .04B amended effective December 24, 1990 (17:25 Md. R. 2908); August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608); November 29, 2010 (37:24 Md. R. 1659)

Regulation .04C amended effective December 27, 2021 (48:26 Md. R. 1112); August 22, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 790)

Regulation .04D amended effective January 6, 2005 (31:26 Md. R. 1864); July 3, 2006 (33:13 Md. R. 1064)

Regulation .04E amended effective October 6, 1997 (24:20 Md. R. 1405); August 22, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 790)

Regulation .04G amended effective August 22, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 790)

Regulation .04J adopted effective July 3, 2006 (33:13 Md. R. 1064)

Regulation .05 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .05B amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .05C amended effective August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608); July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .06 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .06A amended effective August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608)

Regulation .06A, B amended effective August 27, 2018 (45:17 Md. R. 804)

Regulation .06B amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .06B, E amended effective December 24, 1990 (17:25 Md. R. 2908)

Regulation .07A, C amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .07C amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .07E adopted effective August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608)

Regulation .09 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .09B, C, G amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .09E, H amended effective December 19, 2005 (32:25 Md. R. 1943)

Regulation .11A amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .11A, C amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)