(updated 12/07)  

The schools which comprise this League share many common beliefs and concerns included in Friends' Testimony. Among them are the value of athletic competition and the need to keep such competition in the proper perspective. The operation of the Friends Schools League will be greatly facilitated by this vast body of common beliefs and experiences. The League will be guided in all its undertakings by the fundamental principles upon which the schools are founded. The integrity and intrinsic value of each individual shall be of primary concern.

In keeping with Friends' policies, all League decisions will be based on the consensus of the athletic directors, subject to the approval of the school heads.

Section 1.	The management of the League shall be entrusted to a Clerk, a Recording
	Clerk and a Treasurer who shall comprise an executive committee.
Section 2.	The Clerk shall preside at all meetings of the League and executive
	committee, shall call all special meetings, as provided in the by-laws, shall
	appoint all committees, and shall present the philosophy of the League to
	coaches at all preseason meetings.
Section 3.	a) The Recording Clerk shall discharge the functions of the Clerk during the
	latter's absence.
	b) The Recording Clerk shall attend all meetings of the League, keep
	minutes of the proceedings in a book provided for that purpose, send copies
	of the minutes to all the athletic directors and heads of school, prepare and
	distribute an agenda one week prior to each meeting, conduct the
	correspondence of the League, send whatever notices and communications
	may be required by order of the League, and notify the schools of the times
	and places of meetings.
Section 4.	a) The Treasurer shall receive all dues and assessments of the League,
	make all necessary expenditures, and report at each meeting the receipts,
	the expenditures and the balance on hand.
	b) The Treasurer shall order and purchase as needed, certificates,
	medals and plaques for the League.

Section 1.	All League meetings shall be attended by the athletic directors or their duly
	appointed representatives from each school. There shall be five regularly
	scheduled meetings during each school year. The first of these meetings
	shall be held on a date before the start of league play in September, to be
	determined the previous spring. Subsequent meetings shall be held during
	the first week following the fall and winter seasons, some time in April, and
	on an appropriate day following the spring season. One of these meetings,
	to be set in May of the previous year, will include Heads of Schools. The location
	of the meetings shall rotate alphabetically from year to year among the schools.
	Additional meetings may be scheduled as needed by consensus.
Section 2.	A calendar, to include date, time and location of regular meetings, playoff
	and championship contests and any other League events shall be agreed
	upon at, or before the spring meeting for the subsequent year.

This Constitution and its by-laws may be amended by a consensus of the athletic directors present at any regularly scheduled or called meeting. Such amendments must be submitted to the League Clerk and Recording Clerk, in writing, at least two weeks prior to the meeting. The Recording Clerk will disseminate such proposals to all athletic directors

This Constitution and its by-laws shall be subject to review by a committee appointed by the Clerk every fifth year. Any recommended revisions shall be ratified in accordance with Article VI.

Special meetings of the League shall be called by the Clerk at the written request of two (2) schools.

At any meeting of the League six (6) schools shall constitute a quorum.

Section 1.	The Clerk shall serve for one (1) year and shall serve as Recording Clerk for
	the year prior to assuming the duties of Clerk.
Section 2.	The Recording Clerk shall serve for one (1) year and shall assume the
	duties of Clerk upon completion of serving as Recording Clerk.
Section 3.	The offices of Clerk and Recording Clerk shall rotate among all the athletic
	directors alphabetically by school. First year athletic directors working alone at
	a school shall be skipped over in the rotation for two years. Schools with a first year
	athletic director working with a veteran partner may choose the same option.
Section 4.	The office of Treasurer shall be filled by a volunteer who shall remain in
	office until he/she requests a replacement.

Section 1.	The League dues for each school shall be determined at the spring meeting
	for the subsequent year.
Section 2.	Bills for said dues shall be sent by the Treasurer on or before September
	15, and must be paid by October 1.
Section 3.	Additional assessments may be made at the discretion of the Clerk and
	Treasurer and will be divided equally among the member schools.

Section 1.	Any student who has reached his/her 19th birthday on or before September
	1st of any given year is ineligible for competition in any League varsity
	contest.
Section 2.	Any post-graduate of any secondary school is ineligible for competition in
	any League varsity contest.
Section 3.	No student enrolled below the ninth grade shall compete in any League
	varsity contest.
Section 4.	a) To be eligible to play in League contests in the fall season, a student must
	be enrolled in school by October 1.
	b) To be eligible to play in League contests in the winter and spring
	seasons, a student must be enrolled in school before the first League
	contest of that season for that sport.
Section 5.	Member schools may petition the League for exceptions to the above
	eligibility regulations under unusual circumstances. The procedure is as
	follows: A letter will be written by the AD of the school asking for the
	exception and sent to the appropriate sport commissioner(s) and all the
	AD's of the League. The commissioner(s) will then poll the AD's by
	telephone or e-mail. Consensus must be reached.
Section 6.	A student may participate in only one League varsity sport per season.
Section 7.	a) An athlete not on his/her school team for a particular sport may not
	participate in the championship for that sport.
	b) An athlete whose school does not sponsor a team in cross-country,
	swimming, golf or track & field may participate in the championship for that
	sport providing she/he meets all Friends Schools League eligibility
	requirements and the following guidelines:
	1) The athlete's school must be represented at the pre-season   coaches' meeting.   2) The athlete may place in the meet, but will not displace other   athletes scoring for their teams.   3) The athlete may win a medal, but will not by his/her performance   prevent other athletes from winning medals. If necessary, duplicate   medals will be awarded.   4) The athlete must be supervised at the meet by an approved   representative of the school.   5) The athlete must compete against at least half of the participating   schools during the regular season.   6) The athlete will not be eligible for all-league recognition.

Section 1.	League champions will be recognized if a minimum of 4 schools participate
	in a sport at the varsity level determined at the athletic directors' meeting at
	the start of the season. League varsity sports are as follows:
	Boys' Soccer   Girls' Soccer   Boys' Cross Country   Girls' Cross Country   Field Hockey   Girls' Tennis   Wrestling   Boys' Basketball   Girls' Basketball   Girls' Swimming   Boys' Swimming   Baseball   Girls' Lacrosse   Boys' Lacrosse   Softball   Boys' Tennis   Boys' Track & Field   Girls' Track & Field   Golf
Section 2.	The Friends Schools League adopts the rules of the National Federation of
	State High School Associations, except in the following sports:         Girls' Lacrosse (USLA)     Boys' and Girls' Tennis (USTA)     Golf (USGA)
Section 3.	These rules may be altered by consensus of the athletic directors at the
	spring meeting, with the exception of rules changes for spring sports which
	will be considered at the September meeting. An updated list of all such
	changes shall be prepared and distributed by commissioners at the
	beginning of each season.
Section 4.	No coach, faculty or staff member, or student of any school in the League
	shall act as regularly scheduled umpire or referee in any varsity contest,
	with the exception of track & field, cross-country, tennis and golf in which
	his/her school is represented.
Section 5.	a) Officials shall be provided and paid for by the home team.
	b) Two officials shall be used at all games in each of the following League
	varsity sports:
	soccer (3-official system may be used)     field hockey     basketball     lacrosse (3-official system may be used)     baseball     softball
	c) One official shall be used in varsity wrestling matches and at least one
	official in varsity track meets and cross country meets..
Section 6.	Normal scheduling procedure shall be by corresponding dates and/or
	league master schedule.

Section 1.	a) The contests of this League shall be:
	(1) a single round of boys' soccer games plus playoffs     (2) a single round of girls' soccer games plus playoffs     (3) a single round of field hockey games plus playoffs     (4) a single round of boys' basketball games plus playoffs     (5) a single round of girls' basketball games plus playoffs     (6) a single round of girls' lacrosse games plus playoffs     (7) a single round of boys' lacrosse games plus playoffs     (8) divisional play in baseball with a double round of games within     the division and a single round outside of the division, plus playoffs     (9) divisional play in softball with a double round of games within     the division and a single round outside of the division, plus playoffs     (10) a single round of boys' tennis matches plus playoffs     (11) a single round of girls' tennis matches plus playoffs     (12) a single round of wrestling matches plus playoffs     (including a consolation match)     (13) a double round of golf matches     (14) a single round of girls' swimming meets     (15) a single round of boys' swimming meets     (16) a single round of boys' cross-country meets     (17) a single round of girls' cross-country meets     (18) a single round of boys' track & field meets     (19) a single round of girls' track & field meets
	b) In addition, League championships will be held in the following sports:
	(1) cross country (boys and girls)     (2) tennis (boys and girls; individual champions only,     (3) track and field (boys and girls)