High school sports: UHSAA nixes charging for open gym

SANDY — The practice of charging students for open gym in basketball, wrestling or softball and baseball will end immediately, according to the Utah High School Activities Association's Executive Committee.

"When you get to three weeks out (from the start of the season), then it has to be open," said UHSAA chairman Craig Hammer. "If you're charging, it's not open to everyone."

The executive committee recommended changing the wording of the rule that deals with open gym to expressly prohibit charging any kind of participation fee. The issue came to the attention of UHSAA staff a couple of weeks ago when a coach called asking if it was permissible.

Staff discovered that about a half dozen schools have been charging for open gym through county recreation programs. Student athletes would sign up through the county recreation centers for open gym programs at local high schools. The coaches were then paid by county recreation for overseeing the open gym program.

The UHSAA's executive committee almost unanimously felt charging students for open gym was a violation of the rules in a couple of different ways.

First, UHSAA rules forbid coaches from holding camps or clinics in the three weeks prior to the start of the season. With the high school coach supervising the open gym, on the payroll of county recreation, it fit the criteria of a camp or clinic.

In fact, to sign up for the program, students had to go to Web sites that list the programs under "camps and clinics."

Second, if students have to pay for open gym, then it really isn't "open" to everyone. Especially since some students would qualify for fee waivers if the program was operated through the school, but do not qualify for such waivers through county recreation programs.

Many of the executive committee members are or have been coaches.

"I'd use open gym to get an idea of what I'd have when I had tryouts," said George Bruce. "Open gym is part of team selection. It's part of my responsibility as the coach. I would never dream of charging."

West Jordan principal Paul Argyle questioned asking coaches to supervise three additional weeks of after school practices without compensating them, and said having adult supervision is a safety issue for schools.

While everyone agreed coaches should be compensated for their time, nearly all of the committee members felt that compensation should come through the school, as part of a contract, rather than from students or a county rec program.