Section IV

Eligibility

Team Managers are advised to check each team member's eligibility status prior to the start of each season. Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit all games in which the ineligible player participated.

A. Who is Eligible to Participate?

• Fort Lewis College Students

The Intramural Sports Program is open to all students, faculty, and staff holding a valid Fort Lewis College Picture Identification.

Note: Faculty and staff must purchase a Student Life Center Membership or pay for a day pass on the night your team competes to the Student Life Center to gain eligibility for indoor Intramural programs.

• Student Life Center Members

Individuals with a valid Student Life Center Identification.

Penalty: Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit all games in which the ineligible player participated. Forfeiture of a game precludes a team from entering or advancing through the playoffs.

B. Identification Checks

Eligibility is the responsibility of the Team Manager and each participant. Only valid Fort Lewis College Picture Identification and Student Life Center Member Identification with a valid picture identification will be accepted before each contest in order to participate.

Picture identification checks occur before every Intramural Sports contest. Failure to provide an acceptable form of identification will result in not being allowed to participate in Intramural Sports on that day. Absolutely no exceptions will be made.

C. Team Rosters / Release Agreement

The Team Roster / Release Agreement is the official roster for every Intramural Sports team. Team Managers may complete the Team Roster / Release Agreement at any point prior to their team’s first game or on-site at their first game. Team members must present the Official the proper form of identification to be added to the roster.

The Team Manager is responsible for making sure all members of his team understand and have signed the Team Roster / Release Agreement fully and accurately. The information on this form must be completely legibly in order to participate. Failure to satisfactorily complete the Team Roster / Release Agreement will preclude an individual from participating.

New team members must be added prior to their first post-season game. After each team's last regular-season game, no new team members may be added. The completed Team Roster / Release Agreement is used to determine player eligibility.

D. Special Eligibility Requirements

1. Divisions
The Divisions commonly offered by the Intramural Sports Program are:

• Men's
• Women's
• Co-Ed

An individual may participate in one division per sport. Exception, an individual may play in one men or women’s team and one co-ed team. If there is a schedule overlap the individual must select which game to participate in. If a Women's Division is offered, women must participate in that Division and are not eligible to participate in a Men's Division. 

Penalty: Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit all games in which the ineligible player participated. Forfeiture of a game precludes a team from entering or advancing though the playoffs.

Exception: Participants of the opposite gender may participate on a Men's or Women's Division team if a Division does not exist for their own gender.

2. Levels of Participation

Intramural Sports provides competitive, recreational, and open levels of participation. The levels of play vary with each sport. All leagues play four regular-season games and can qualify for playoffs. In our Basketball leagues divisions are split into 'Gold' and 'Silver' Level and, 'Bronze'. The 'Gold' division should be considered the competitive league.  The 'Bronze' division should be considered the recreational division.  The 'Silver' division falls in-between the 'Gold' and 'Bronze' divisions.

The Levels commonly offered by the Intramural Sports Program are:

• Competitive

This is the most competitive level of play. Teams are comprised of highly skilled, competitive individuals often with significant playing experience.

• Recreational

Teams participate at this level strictly for recreation. Player ability is not as important as the emphasis on having fun and socializing. Recreational leagues are excellent for social clubs or individuals learning a new sport.

• Open

This league combines both the competitive and recreational teams.  This division is offered typically when there are not enough teams to divide the teams into a competitive and recreational division.

Team Manager's are responsible for ensuring their team members follow all eligibility requirements. Team Manager's are also advised to seek clarification on Special Eligibility Requirements, if necessary.

3. Sports

There are no restrictions on the number of sports in which an individual may participate. Check the Intramural Sports web site for specific information regarding the sports offered.

E. Multiple Team Participation

Intramural Sports participants are eligible to play in any number of sports, but may play on only one team per sport. Participants discovered to have played for multiple teams within the same sport shall be suspended for a minimum period of two games from the team which they appeared second. This suspension will carry through to all teams and sports that the participant is on. In addition, both teams that the participant played on can have all games in which the ineligible participant played forfeited. Frequent offenders of this policy may face longer suspensions.

F. Highly Competitive Athletes

1. Active Intercollegiate Athletes and Red-shirts

Active intercollegiate athletes and red-shirts are not eligible to participate in a sport or related sport* in which they intend to compete in at the varsity level for at least one academic semester (not including summer semester) after having last been active.

*Note: The Intramural Sports Program shall reserve the right to establish definitions for relations between intercollegiate sports and sports offered for intramural participation. The following intercollegiate sports have been deemed related to intramural sports:

Any one of the following criteria determines active intercollegiate status:

• Member of a varsity intercollegiate team
• Suited up for an intercollegiate contest
• Participated in an intercollegiate contest
• Practiced with an intercollegiate team after the last cut
• Red-shirted for an intercollegiate team

If an active intercollegiate athlete or red-shirt's season of competition is in the Fall semester, they are not eligible for Intramural Sports participation in their same sport or a related sport (see previous diagram) until the following Fall semester. If the season of competition is the Spring semester, they are ineligible for Intramural Sports participation in their same sport until the following Spring semester. Team Manager's are advised to seek clarification of this policy when they wish to have an intercollegiate athlete or red-shirt participate on their team.

2. Former Intercollegiate Athletes and Red-shirts

Former intercollegiate athletes and red-shirts who have exhausted all NCAA eligibility are eligible to participate in their same sport in the semester following their final season of NCAA eligibility. Former intercollegiate athletes and red-shirts from Fort Lewis College and/or other four-year institutions must participate (in their sport) at the highest level of competition offered. 

For eligibility purposes, a participant is considered a former intercollegiate athlete or red-shirt for a period of five years if he has met one of the requirements of active intercollegiate status above.

A maximum of two individuals holding former intercollegiate or red-shirt status may participate on any given team in the sport in which they competed in at the intercollegiate level.

3. Club Sport Members

Members of Fort Lewis College Club Sport teams may participate in the sport in which they compete but must participate (in their sport) at the highest level offered. A maximum of two individuals holding current Fort Lewis College Club Sport status may participate on any given team in the sport in which they competed in at the sport club level.

4. Important Note on Highly Competitive Athletes

In divisions where multiple levels of competition are offered, former intercollegiate athletes, red-shirts, and Fort Lewis College Club Sport members must play at the highest level offered. A maximum of two individuals holding former intercollegiate, red-shirt, and Fort Lewis College Club Sport status may participate on any given team in the sport in which they competed in on the intercollegiate or club sport level.

These special eligibility considerations regarding the number of former intercollegiate and current Fort Lewis College Club Sport athletes per team applies to sports with teams consisting of five players or more. Otherwise, the number of eligible players per team with special eligibility status is one (e.g., 3-on-3 Basketball or Doubles Volleyball).

Failure to abide by this policy will result in forfeiture of all games in which the illegal intercollegiate or Fort Lewis College Club Sport athletes participated.

Penalty: Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit all games in which the ineligible player participated. Forfeiture of a game precludes a team from entering or advancing though the playoffs.