The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s Representative Assembly announced seven amendments last week, receiving 60% approval from voting members.

Six of the amendments will go into effect at the start of next school year. The last one, Amendment No. 9, will go into effect after the 2021 spring season, according to a statement released by the WIAA. Three proposed amendments failed to pass.

One unanimously-passed amendment updates language in the WIAA’s handbook on appeals of eligibility regarding gender equity. Language was changed to clarify that any student granted eligibility to compete in the sports consistent with their gender can do so for the duration of the student’s participation and will not have to reapply each season.

Should a student be declared ineligible to participate on the basis of gender identity by a school district, the superintendent or their designee will contact the student and the WIAA office who will then work with the school and student in preparation and completion of any necessary appeal process.

The WIAA’s Eligibility Committee will be comprised of a minimum of three of the following: a physician with experience in gender identity health care, a psychiatrist, psychologist or licensed mental health professional, a school administrator from a non-appealing school, a WIAA staff member and/or an advocate familiar with gender identity and expression issues.

Another new amendment states a high school student will not be varsity-eligible until after one calendar year if they transfer to a school after participating on a non-school team if one or more of the high school coaches were involved. The student will also not be eligible if the athlete received instruction or training from a person affiliated with the school the student transfers to.

Amendment No. 5 allows, with league approval, 1A high schools to include eighth-graders in their high school programs. A failed amendment prohibited 1B and 2B high schools from using eighth-graders from non-WIAA member schools.

In regard to the rule on schools not being allowed to offer special treatment or privilege to student athletes on a regular basis, “regular” was defined as being no more than once a week in ML/HS Amendment No. 6.

Under Amendment No. 7, coaches are now required to complete a minimum of one hour of training in diversity, equity, inclusion and student mental health.

Amendment No. 10 states that a two-day wrestling tournament with brackets larger than 16 individuals will count as one of the team’s 16 allowed team dates. Amendment No. 9, which goes into effect after this spring season, will eliminate the restriction of 20 days allowed for coaching for summer football and set the limit instead to a maximum of 10 practices.

Failed proposed amendments included adding flag football, 7-on-7 football and sand volleyball to sports considered distinct from interscholastic sports and an amendment regarding the number of games allowed for a high school basketball season.

In addition to the seven amendments, Scott Chamberlain, David Blakney and Miles Caples were all reelected to their positions on the WIAA Executive Board.