Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) has announced that the 2023 annual summer dead period will take place July 1 through July 9 with activities resuming on July 10.
The dead period will occur during the week in July that includes the 4th of July each year. The dead period will be nine (9) days in length and begin the weekend preceding or including the 4th of July and the weekend following the 4th of July.
Secondary-level students enrolled or pre-enrolled at a member school may not use any member school’s athletic facilities during the dead period in connection with any athletic activity governed by the OSSAA. Member school coaches, assistant coaches and sponsors may not have any contact with secondary-level enrolled or pre-enrolled students in that member school in any athletic activity governed by the OSSAA for the purpose of coaching, training, or instructing.
Summertime policies, including beginning and end of season restrictions, can be found in OSSAA Board Policy XI in the Administrator’s Handbook.
Violations of the summertime dead period policy will result in the coach or sponsor being suspended from the first half of the regular season in that athletic activity. School personnel not designated as a coach or sponsor in violation of the summertime dead period policy will result in the head coach being suspended from the first half of the regular season in that activity.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. How do I know when the dead period begins and ends each year? The dead period will be nine (9) days in length and begin the weekend preceding or including the 4th of July and the weekend following the 4th of July.
2. Does the Summertime Dead Period Policy cover non-athletic activities? No, the Summertime Dead Period Policy only applies to athletic activities that are governed by the OSSAA.
3. Can a coach and a player have any contact during the Summertime Dead Period? No, contact between coaches, assistant coaches and sponsors with enrolled or pre-enrolled students for the purpose of coaching, teaching, training, or instructing is prohibited.
4. Can a student participate without the member school coach at member school facilities in an athletic activity during the Summertime Dead Period? No, school athletic facilities may not be used by enrolled or pre-enrolled students during the dead period in connection with any athletic activity governed by the OSSAA.
5. Can a member school coach use member school facilities to train, coach or instruct secondary-level students during the Dead Period?
No, the policy prohibits the use of member school facilities during the Dead Period for the purpose of coaching, teaching, training, or instructing. Field maintenance is not prohibited by the policy.
6. Does the Summertime Dead Period Policy prohibit participation in a National level tournament during the dead period?
No, the coach and any enrolled or pre-enrolled students who have qualified earlier in the summer for a national level tournament may participate in that tournament.
ACTIVITIES GOVERENED BY THE OSSAA: • BASEBALL • BASKETBALL • FOOTBALL • WRESTLING • CHEERLEADING • SOCCER • VOLLEYBALL • SOFTBALL (FAST-PITCH AND SLOW-PITCH) • SWIMMING • TRACK AND FIELD • CROSS COUNTRY • TENNIS • GOLF
Download PDF here: http://www.ossaa.net/docs/2018-19/HomeColumn1/MF_2018-19_DeadPeriodFAQs.pdf?fbclid=IwAR30YP4XNOhfyqByfyjDlQ44hjH6ssn3Bi7T6ltm5X_D2DZQKLHnLrIVKew