Western Carolina University

Section 1. Eligibility

Eligibility rules for Intramural sports are designed to provide an opportunity for everyone to participate in a safe, balanced, and fair competition. The rules listed below cannot provide for all possibilities; therefore, the Intramural staff reserves the right to rule on the eligibility status of participants not covered specifically by the following rules.

All WCU current students, faculty, and staff are eligible and encouraged to participate in Intramural Sports with the following exceptions:

1. Undergraduate students must carry a minimum of six semester hours
2. Graduate students must carry a minimum of two semester hours
3. Those involved in their internship or student teaching will be eligible to participate.
4. Coaches may not participate in the sports they coach unless they are a full-time student
5. Contract works for the university are ineligible
6. Southwestern Community College Students are ineligible.
7. Faculty/staff, who are non-members of the Campus Recreation Center, must sign a waiver form in order to participate.
8. Student and Faulty/staff spouses, life and domestic partners must first get a Cat Card (means for identification), then pay $10 per semester to Campus Recreation and Wellness in order to participate.

Section 2. ID Policy

1. All participants must present their current WCU ID (CatCard) prior to participation in any intramural sports activity. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this rule!
2. NO I.D = No Play!

Section 3. Restricted Player Categories

A restricted player is defined as an otherwise eligible participant with certain playing restrictions as a result of having benefited from advanced training and coaching opportunities in the same or related Intramural sport.

1. Varsity Athletes

1. A varsity athlete is defined either as a currently listed member of a university varsity team or as a former member of a university varsity team who was on the roster
2. Former WCU athletes and students who have competed on the college (2- or 4-year institution) varsity level with other institutions are ineligible to participate in their corresponding sport
3. Students who are Trying Out or who are Working Out with a team are ineligible for participation in that sport until they voluntarily withdraw or are cut from the team prior to the first scheduled varsity match.
4. Varsity athletes are eligible for all other Intramural sports outside of their competing sport.
5. Any candidate for a varsity, freshman, or reserve squad who is practicing formally with the team is ineligible to participate in the corresponding sport. Any candidate who remains on the team past the first game is not eligible for that year. This includes red shirts and transfers.
6. See Section 4.A. for limitations and restriction time periods

2. Professional

1. A professional is classified as someone who receives payment for his or her performance, including appearance money, or who is recognized by that sports governing body as a playing professional. It is the responsibility of the individual athlete to inform the Intramural Sports Office of his or her standing.

3. Club Sports

1. A club sport athlete is classified as any individual who has paid dues to a club sports, participated in club competition or are listed on the official club roster.
2. Club Sport members may compete in corresponding intramural activities only at the highest level of competition available.
3. Recognized club sports shall not participate as a team in Intramural Sports activities corresponding to the sport played by the club.

Section 4. Limitations for Restricted Players

1. Restricted players are restricted in their sport and corresponding sports as follows:

1. Football: 7 on 7 and 4 on 4 flag football
2. Basketball: 5 on 5 and 3 on 3 basketball
3. Baseball/Softball: slow pitch softball
4. Volleyball: volleyball and sand volleyball
5. Soccer: soccer and indoor soccer
6. Softball: slow-pitch softball
7. Swimming: Swim meet
8. Ultimate Frisbee: Ultimate Frisbee
9. Tennis: Tennis Singles and Doubles
10. Disc Golf: Disc Golf Single and Doubles
11. Climbing: Indoor Climbing Competition
12. Running Events: Cross country and Track Meets
13. Golf: Golf league or tournaments

2. Restricted players are ineligible to compete in their sport or corresponding sport for the following time periods:

1. Professional athlete: five years from the time he/she last played as a professional.
2. Varsity letter winners: one calendar year from the conclusion of the semester they last completed.
3. Collegiate postseason honorees: one calendar year from the conclusion of the semester they last completed.
4. Scholarship athletes: the academic year they received the scholarship.
5. Competitive club sport member: no period on ineligibility, but are restricted one full semester from their last time on the roster.
6. Varsity squad members: the academic year they are a squad member.
7. Once a player becomes eligible to play in the intramural program, he/she is restricted to play in the highest competitive league for the time periods listed below. No team shall have more than two restricted players on its roster. ABSOLUTELY NO RESTRICTED PLAYERS MAY BE ADDED DURING THE PLAYOFFS.

1. Professional athletes: 10 years
2. Varsity letter winners: 5 years
3. Collegiate postseason honorees: 5 years
4. Scholarship athletes: 2 years
5. Club Sport competitive members: current school year
6. Squad members: 1 year

3. Number of restricted players allowed on a team

1. Club players

1. 1-4 players required= 1 club member allowed on corresponding intramural roster
2. 5-8 players required = 2 club members allowed on corresponding intramural roster
3. 9 + players required = 3 club members allowed on corresponding intramural roster
4. Games played with more than the allotted number of club sport members will be forfeited.
5. See Section 4A for forfeit policy concerning eligibility

2. Current Varsity players in non-corresponding sports

1. 1-5 players required= 2 varsity players
2. 5-11 players required = 4 varsity players
3. Games played with more than the allotted number of club sport members will be forfeited.
4. See Section 4A for forfeit policy concerning eligibility

3. Former varsity athletes (includes other schools)

1. No limitation on #s

Section 5. Rosters

1. Team/Individual/Dual Rosters

1. Rosters can be made up of various individuals across campus.
2. Roster size varies by sports, event or tournament. See the specific sport for roster size.

2. Playing for Multiple teams

1. A player is allowed to participate on one Co-Rec team and one Men's or Women's team (a men includes Fraternity league). Women may not participate in any Men's league unless no women's division is offered. (Approval from the Assistant Director must be given first) Fraternity and Sorority teams are restricted to individuals that our affiliates of the Greek organization (i.e. non-Fraternity members will not be permitted to play in a Fraternity league)

3. Adding/Deleting Players

1. Additions to rosters may only be made during the regular season. Managers may add players through IMLeagues. By adding to the roster, participants acknowledge that they are eligible to play for that team and assume all responsibility for any actions taken by the Intramural Sports staff if you are found to be ineligible.
2. Once an individual has checked in for a team with the Intramural Sports Supervisor, he/she may not play for another team in that league for the remainder of the season
3. Teams may not delete players from their teams. Once a player has played and signed on to a team, they are locked to that team for the entire season.

4. Ineligible Player

1. An ineligible participant is one who does not meet all eligibility requirements, uses an assumed name, has been suspended from intramural participation, or violates any of the following restrictions.
2. A player shall not be allowed to play on two organized teams in the same division or league. Example: A player cannot play on two men's, two women's, or two co-recreational teams.
3. Teams may not play an ineligible person even by mutual agreement.
4. Teams with an ineligible player will forfeit each game played with the ineligible player. It is the team manager's responsibility to make sure his/her team members do not play on another team.
5. If an ineligible player is found in the playoffs, the team will be eliminated from the tournament and either the last team playing against the disqualified team will advance or the playoff opponent will advance by forfeit.

5. Assumed Name

1. Anyone found playing under an assumed name or using another student's I.D. or student number shall become ineligible for at least one game or can be suspended from all intramural sports for the remainder of the semester on the first offense. A second offense will result in suspension from participating in all sports for one year from the time of the infraction.
2. Any manager found using a player under an assumed name or using another student's I.D. or student number shall become ineligible for at least one game or can be suspended from all intramural sports for the remainder of the semester on the first offense. A second offense will result in suspension from participating for one year from the time of the infraction.
3. Any person found using an assumed name or using another student's I.D. or student number can be turned in for sanctioning with Student Community Ethics or, if not affiliated with the University, can be turned in to University Police for theft. The Assistant Director of Intramurals, Student Community Ethics, and/or Campus Police will handle all situations regarding CatCard fraud or identity theft.

6. Fraternity and Sorority

1. Sorority and fraternity participants must be active members in good standing or new members whom are going through the Chapters New Member Program of the recognized WCU chapter of the Greek-letter organization. All social Greek-letter organization participants must be on the Chapters updated roster in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

7. Playoff Rosters

1. Rosters are locked for playoffs. In order for a player to be eligible for playoffs, they must be listed on the roster by the end of the regular season and have played in at least one regular season game.
2. Players not previously listed on a team

Section 6. Free Agents

Any student wanting to play on a team sport, but unable to form a team on their own can register as a free agent. You can sign up for a sport as a Free Agent at imleagues.com

Free agents may join teams by varying methods:

1. Team Managers can go through the free agent lists on imleagues.com and pick players to be on their team.
2. Free agents may be placed on teams in need of players by the Assistant Director for Intramural Sports
3. Using imleagues.com, free agents can add themselves as free agents and contact team Managers to attempt to find a team to play on.
4. A group of free agents may all be placed on a team together.