To: NJSIAA Executive Committee

From: Colleen Maguire, Chief Operating Officer

Date: April 14, 2021
RE: NJSIAA Calendar Committee Proposal – Consistency, Equity, and Flexibility

Background
Since last year, the NJSIAA Calendar Committee has been meeting on a regular basis to review the
current NJSIAA calendar for all seasons and all sports. The committee solicited feedback from many
stakeholders – student-athletes, athletic administrators, school administrators, NJSIAA staff and NJSIAA
sports committees.

The Committee’s primary goals were to:

 Bring consistency to all seasons.
 Provide equity for all sports and all student-athletes.
 Allow scheduling flexibility for NJSIAA member schools.

By achieving these three goals, the Committee believes there will be many benefits to NJSIAA member
schools and their student-athletes. Such benefits include, but are not limited to, the following:
 Minimal overlap that will allow for a break in between seasons.
 Increased ability for multi-sport participation throughout the entire school year, for both student-
athletes and coaches.
 Comparable season lengths for every sport, and every gender.
 Comparable, and reasonable, competition limits for every sport, and every gender.
 Simplified and consistent sports-specific dates for each season, both for the regular season and
post-season.
 Maximum flexibility for schools to manage their sports seasons in an efficient manner.

Most importantly, the Committee feels that this proposal resets the priorities of extracurricular athletics.
Extracurricular athletics are an extension of the school day and the goal is to engage as many student-
athletes across as many sports as possible. Extracurricular athletics help improve our student-athletes
physical health, social and emotional well-being, and mental health. Extracurricular athletics connect
school communities, provide student-athletes with a sense of belonging and school pride, and build long-
term relationships. The main aim of extracurricular athletics is not to provide college scholarship
opportunities or to promote elite or national status – it is to provide life lessons that extend well beyond
the classroom for all student-athletes.

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Overall Guidelines
The following guidelines have been identified by the Committee to ensure the primary goals are met:
 Approximately 18-day preseason for strenuous sports.
 Regular season range of 49 – 53 days.
 Consistent, and reasonable, maximum number of games across all sports, where applicable.
 Schedule breaks in between seasons.
 Elimination of early start waivers and other exceptions.

Calendar Proposal by Season

Below is a summary of dates by season for each of the next two scheduling cycles, or four years. The
Calendar Committee will meet as needed to publish two scheduling cycles well in advance – at least two
years prior to the start of a new scheduling cycle. Future dates will follow the same guidelines and logic
as described in this proposal.

Fall Sports:
2022 – 2023 2023 – 2024 2024 – 2025 2025 - 2026
Labor Day – Monday Sept. 5th Sept. 4th Sept. 2nd Sept. 1st

Practice start – Football – Wednesday Aug. 10th Aug. 9th Aug. 14th Aug. 13th
Practice start – G Tennis – Wednesday Aug. 17th Aug. 16th Aug. 14th Aug. 13th
Practice start – all other sports – Monday Aug. 22nd Aug. 21st Aug. 26th Aug. 25th

Regular start – Football – Friday Sept. 2nd Sept. 1st Sept. 7th Sept. 5th
Regular start – G Tennis – Tuesday Sept. 6th Sept. 5th Sept. 3rd Sept. 2nd
Regular start – all other sports – Thursday Sept. 8th Sept. 7th Sept. 12th Sept. 11th

Regular season end – Wednesday Oct. 26th Oct. 25th Oct. 30th Oct. 29th

Post-season start – Friday Oct. 28th Oct. 27th Nov. 1st Oct. 31st
Post-season end – Sunday Nov. 13th Nov. 12th Nov. 17th Nov. 16th

The Football season dates provided above are the suggested dates that will be determined separately and
will be voted on at the Annual Meeting on June 7, 2021.

The Girls Tennis season and post-season dates may be subject to change due to special circumstances
surrounding availability of tennis courts for state tournaments and daylight savings time.

For all other sports, this calendar provides a consistent 49-day regular season. All Group Finals should be
played on or before the second Sunday prior to Thanksgiving to ensure most student-athletes have a
necessary break before the start of the winter sports season. Sports committees will determine the
viability of continuing any post-season beyond a Group Final (i.e. Tournament of Champions); however,
they will not be allowed to reduce the regular season to accommodate post-season play beyond the Group
Final, and will not be permitted to schedule such events beyond one week from the end dates listed.

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Winter Sports:
2022 – 2023 2023 – 2024 2024 – 2025 2025 - 2026
Thanksgiving Day – Thursday Nov. 24th Nov. 23rd Nov. 28th Nov. 27th

Practice start – Monday Nov. 28th Nov. 27th Dec. 2nd Dec. 1st

Regular start – Bowling – Monday Dec. 5th Dec. 4th Dec. 9th Dec. 8th
Regular start – all other sports – Thursday Dec. 15th Dec. 14th Dec. 19th Dec. 18th

Regular season end – Monday Feb. 6th Feb. 5th Feb. 10th Feb. 9th

Post-season start – Wednesday Feb. 8th Feb. 7th Feb. 12th Feb. 10th
Post-season end – Sunday Feb. 26th Feb. 25th Mar. 2nd Mar. 1st

There will be an optional 3-day tryout period available for all sports on the Monday, Tuesday, and
Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving Day. This tryout period will not count towards the six days of practice
and one day of rest requirement.

This calendar provides a consistent 53-day regular season for all winter sports. Because many winter
sports have both a team and an individual element, the Committee recognizes the post-season schedule
for some sports may have to differ from the dates provided.

All Group Finals should be played on or before the post-season end dates listed to ensure most student-
athletes have a necessary break before the start of the spring sports season. Individual-based post-season
events may need to be scheduled beyond the dates listed but may not extend beyond one week from the
end dates listed.

Sports committees will determine the viability of team-based post-season competition beyond a Group
Final (i.e. Tournament of Champions); however, they will not be permitted to reduce the regular season to
accommodate post-season play beyond the Group Final and will not be permitted to schedule such events
beyond one week from the end dates listed.

Spring Sports:
2022 – 2023 2023 – 2024 2024 – 2025 2025 - 2026

Early start – Pitchers & Catchers – Monday Mar. 13th Mar. 11th Mar. 10th Mar. 9th
Practice start – B Tennis – Monday Mar. 13th Mar. 11th Mar. 10th Mar. 9th
Practice start – all other sports – Thursday Mar. 16th Mar. 14th Mar. 13th Mar. 12th

Regular start – Golf – Thursday Mar. 23rd Mar. 21st Mar. 20th Mar. 19th
Regular start – all other sports – Monday Apr. 3rd Apr. 1st Mar. 31st Mar. 30th

Regular season end – Wednesday May 24th May 22nd May 21st May 20th

Post-season start – Thursday May 25th May 23rd May 22nd May 21st
Memorial Day – Monday May 29th May 27th May 26th May 25th

Post-season end – Sunday Jun. 11th Jun. 9th Jun. 8th Jun. 7th

The Golf season and post-season dates may be subject to change due to special circumstances
surrounding availability of golf courses prior to Memorial Day weekend.
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The Boys Tennis season and post-season dates may be subject to change due to special circumstances
surrounding the availability of tennis courts for state tournaments.

This calendar provides a consistent 52-day regular season for all spring sports.

All Group Finals should be played on or before the post-season end dates listed to ensure most student-
athletes have completed their season. Sports committees will determine the viability of team-based post-
season competition beyond a Group Final (i.e. Tournament of Champions); however, they will not be
permitted to reduce the regular season to accommodate post-season play beyond the Group Final and will
not be permitted to schedule such events beyond one week from the end dates listed.

Maximum Number of Games

To accommodate the new regular season guidelines, the maximum number of games for some sports have
been reduced depending on a corresponding reduction in the sport’s current regular season length.

For consistency, the proposed maximum number of games are the same for those sports that are of the
same physical nature and/or have similar physical requirements. In order to provide equity across all
sports and all schools, a maximum number of games will be established for those sports that have not had
such limitations.

The maximum number of games does not include participation in one county or league/conference-based
tournament, and the NJSIAA state tournament. A county or league/conference-based tournament is
defined as a single elimination tournament not to exceed 32 teams, limited to a maximum of five games.
Teams may still participate in both a county and a league/ conference tournament, but one of these
tournaments will count toward the maximum number of games.

Lastly, as the maximum number of games is used to calculate a transfer sit period, the Committee is
striving to ensure that the maximum number of games for every sport is reasonable based on the length of
the regular season, the physical nature of the sport and data supporting the current number of games being
played during the regular season.

The below table summarizes the new maximum number of games by sport:

Sport No. of Games

Baseball 24
Basketball 22
Cross Country 14
Fencing 16
Field Hockey 18
Football 10
Gymnastics 14
Ice Hockey 20
Lacrosse 18
Soccer 18
Softball 24
Swimming 16
Tennis 24
Track & Field – Spring 14
Track & Field – Winter 14
Volleyball 24

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Bowling and golf, our non-strenuous sports, will not have maximum number of games per season.

To allow leagues, conferences, and schools maximum flexibility to schedule based on their needs and
circumstances, there will be no weekly maximum number of games for any sport. However, those sports
that currently prohibit competition on three consecutive days will continue to prohibit such activity. The
maximum number of games does not include participation in individual-based competition for sports such
as cross country, swimming, tennis, etc. Individual-based competition is determined by whether a team
score is calculated. For instance, if a team score is calculated at an individual-based event, regardless of
the number of participants from the team, then this competition will count towards the maximum number
of games. If a team score is not calculated, then the event will not count towards the maximum number
of games.

The sports that currently prohibit competition on three consecutive days are: Basketball, Cross Country,
Field Hockey, Gymnastics, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, and Swimming.

Lastly, in order to maximize competition opportunities, schools will be permitted to schedule regular
season events during the NJSIAA post-season in every sport but may not exceed the total maximum
number of games listed above. The only exception to this rule will be for wrestling, team wrestling
matches will continue to be prohibited once the NJSIAA District Tournament starts. NJSIAA post-season
tournament competition will take priority over regular season games in every sport when assigning
officials. No competition will be permitted beyond the last scheduled post-season championship event in
each sport, the last post-season championship event represents the end of that sport’s regular season.

NJSIAA Calendar Committee Members

Bill Librera, Principal, Watchung Hills HS
Paul Popadiuk, Principal, Montgomery HS
Kurt Karcich, Principal, Point Pleasant Borough HS
Darren Groh, Principal, Chatham HS
Drew Seibel, Principal, Moorestown HS
RJ Kiem, Principal, Paramus HS