NORTHERN PLAINS MIDDLE LEVEL ASSOCIATION BYLAWS

Revision date: May 2025

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE ASSOCIATION

To promote controlled situations that will help Middle School Level students learn the value of competition, self-discipline, and pride in accomplishment

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THESE RULES AND BYLAWS

To provide for consistency by all member schools in the conduct or promotion of controlled activities.  Northern Plains Middle Level Association reserves the right to reprimand schools for by-law violations on a case-by-case basis as deemed appropriate by the league via a simple majority vote. 

NORTHERN PLAINS MIDDLE LEVEL ASSOCIATION BYLAW REVISIONS

Changes to the NPMLA Constitution will occur exclusively at the December and May regularly scheduled meetings. (revised May, 2022)

PHILOSOPHY

The Middle Level program of activities shall seek to provide competitive and/or non-competitive activities of a kind that will best promote good sportsmanship, character, physical development, coordination, and a wholesome interest in activities for all students.

Middle Level Schools should effectively accommodate both the interests and abilities of students for maximum participation in a meaningful educational experience.  The physical and mental maturity of all participating students should govern the scope of each activity.

OFFICERS

The offices of President and Secretary may be reviewed and possibly rotated through the league on a bi-annual basis.  If rotation occurs, the Secretary for any given year will become the President for the following year.  The office of Treasurer may be appointed at the May league meeting.  In addition, there may be a “right of refusal” for current officers that may not be able to continue with the current office for the next year. (Amended May, 2017)

MEMBER SCHOOLS

There is a maximum number of 11 schools that will be members of the NPMLA. Those schools consist of: Eaton, Estes Park, Fort Lupton, Highland, Milliken, Platte Valley, Turner, University, Valley, and Weld Central, Frontier Academy, Liberty Common (Turner removed May, 2017) (added May, 2023)

NEW MEMBERS (Added May 2018)

In order for the NPMLA to take new member schools, the following must occur prior 

     to the next school year’s scheduling meeting in the spring of the prior school year.

1. A letter of application must be submitted to the league and presented in person by the school’s athletic director or administrator.

2. The school must agree to abide by any and all league by-laws. 

3. The athletic director/school representative must agree to attend all league meetings.

(new members cont.)

4. The school must participate in the majority of the league recognized activities.

5. The school must be willing to meet all requirements of the league and its schedules.

6. If granted membership, the first year is considered a trial period and membership can 

be denied with league vote at the end of the first year.

Other areas for consideration for membership that must be considered are: location, 

      willingness to travel, facilities, school size/ competition level, length of the season, 

      similar philosophy, and relationship with the league and its members.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP (Added me May 2018)

Non-Member schools may join the league in one or more sports with approval from 

     the league (new member procedures) on a year to year basis and will pay $100 per sport dues.  Representatives from the associate member school must meet the new member requirements 1, 2 and 5 and will also meet new member item 3 when deemed appropriate.   

LEAGUE DUES

$350.00 PER SCHOOL PAYABLE BY FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.

Non-member schools participating in league activities will pay $50 per sport dues. (Amended, May 2018)

SPONSORED ACTIVITIES

     The NPMLA sponsors the following sports and activities:  Football, Volleyball, Boys’   

     and Girls’ Cross Country, Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball, Wrestling, Boys’ and Girls’ 

     Soccer, Track & Field, Spelling Bee and Brain Bowl. (Amended May 2018)

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

The NPMLA shall sponsor activities that are recognized by CHSAA and is approved   

      by a majority of members of the NPMLA. A minimum of 5 full member schools must participate in an activity before requesting league recognition.(Amended May 2018)

ARTICLE I: ELIGIBILITY OF PLAYERS

A. To represent a school in any interscholastic athletic competition a pupil must be eligible under the following rules.

1.  ENROLLMENT

a. Students must comply with participation eligibility as per home school district guidelines.

2.  MEDICAL

a. Students must comply with medical recommendations as stated in the guidelines of the Colorado High School Athletic Association (CHSAA).

(eligibility cont.)

3.  PARTICIPATION

a. Grade division:  seventh grade students will participate in seventh grade contests only.  Eighth grade students will participate in eighth grade contests only.  

Special requests must be brought before the league.

4.  15th BIRTHDAY

a. Students whose 15th birthday falls on or after August 1 (preceding the school year) will be eligible for eighth grade competition ONLY for the duration of that school year and ineligible the following year. (Exceptions may be brought to the League).

5.  14th BIRTHDAY

a. Students whose 14th birthday falls on or after August 1 (preceding the school year) will be eligible to compete in seventh grade contests during that year.

6.  OTHER PARTICIPATION

a. A member of a Northern Plains seventh or eighth grade team may not participate in any other organized athletic team of that sport during that season, or in outside competition unless otherwise determined by the home school.

7.  SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY

a. The principal shall have the authority to declare a student ineligible for participating in association activities based on poor citizenship.  It shall be the responsibility of each school to determine whether grade eligibility rules are appropriate.

8.  MINIMUM PRACTICES

a. The NPMLA will follow CHSAA practice guidelines (Amended September 2014)

9.  ELIGIBILITY LISTS

a. Member schools need not provide eligibility list

Article II PROVISIONS GOVERNING CONTESTS

A. Member schools are to determine that their school complies with the following provisions:

1.  OFFICIALS

a. It is recommended that game officials be members of a recognized official association.  Officials used in tournaments should be registered officials from the local official’s association.  

b. Officials’ fees: (revised May, 2024)

    Football 

One game $50/official

Two games $100/official

(officials fees cont.)

Basketball 

One game $45

Two games $90

Volleyball 

One match - 2 officials $45 

Two matches - 2 officials $90 

Two matches - 1 official $105

Tournaments $45/game or match for both B and A tournaments. (Amended May 2018) 

Wrestling: 

Match $90 (Dual)

$135 (Triangular)

Tournaments $200.00 (Amended May 2021)

Mileage will be paid per CHSAA guidelines.

2.  League Assignors

a. Selection, evaluation, and salary

At the NPMLA meeting following the completion of each season, each league athletic director or school representative will complete the NPMLA league assignor evaluation form for each individual sport.  Results will be compiled and forwarded to the assignors for feedback.  Final league vote will be required for assignor continuation for the following academic year.(Amended May, 2017)

b. Responsibilities

1. Assigns and coordinates registered officials for all league and non-league contests and tournaments. Sports will include football, volleyball, boys’ and girls’ basketball, and wrestling.

2. Encouraged to attend league meeting prior to the start of each athletic season.

  3. All officials’ assignments must be distributed to schools in writing at least one week prior to the beginning of that season.

4. Establish a procedure to be followed for officials not honoring their obligations.                    

5. Geographic consideration should be given for assignment.

6. Provide school designee the opportunity to discuss the official’s throughout the athletic season.

3. CHSAA RULES

a. Member schools will use the same rules for contest as those used by the CHSAA except for the specific changes indicated in these guidelines, or by a majority vote of member schools present at the league meetings.

4.  COACH EJECTIONS

a. Per CHSAA regulations, a coach ejected from a contest for committing an unsportsmanlike act shall be suspended from coaching for the next regularly scheduled match or contest.  He/she may not coach in any other contest at any level during this time.

b. Per CHSAA regulations, a coach ejected from a second contest during the same season shall be suspended from coaching for the next two regularly scheduled contests.  The coach will also be required to complete the NFHS coaching class (NFHSlearn.com) at the coach’s expense. (Added May, 2016)

5.   PLAYER EJECTIONS

a. If a player is ejected from a contest for committing an unsportsmanlike act shall be suspended from playing in the next regularly scheduled match or contest.  He/she may not participate in any other contest at any level during this time.

b. If a player is ejected from a second contest during the same season shall be suspended from playing for the next two regularly scheduled contests. (Added May, 2020)

6.  Beginning Practice

a. The league will set the starting date for all sports each year.

7.  Schedules

a. Member schools shall agree upon schedules for the next year’s contest no later than the last meeting in May.

8.  Game Limit

a. Any player may participate in any regular season A or B team game as long as it does not violate the number of games allowed for that sport.

b. If a school has low participation numbers, the expectation is that they will field an A team first before playing a B team. 

9. Tournament and Trophies

a. Tournaments will consist of championship and consolation brackets for both seventh and eighth grades in all appropriate sports.  Awards will be given to first place winners. (Amended September, 2015)  The league will pay for the brackets for the league wrestling tournament.

b. Both A & B team tournament rosters must be submitted to the host schools for each tournament the Friday before the B tournament in volleyball, boys’ basketball and girls’ basketball.

c. A school’s  athletic director can request to not participate in the A tournament and play only the B tournament if participation numbers are too low to field an A and a B team, and if the team can prove that the B tournament competition is more appropriate.  Factors that could be considered are:  W/L records for both A and B games, and input from the school’s athletic director.  Request will be granted/denied with a vote from the league. (Amended May, 2015)

d. B-Tournament Consideration

  1. Each team plays 2 games each.

  2. Teams not meeting in the regular season would be paired in tournament play.

  3. No team would play back-to back games.

  4. No team would have the first and last game.

  5. Pool winners will be given awards.  Additional trophies will be awarded in case of ties. (Amended September, 2015)

6.  Teams may enter multiple B teams at a cost of $50 per additional team payable to the host school.

(tournament consid. cont.)

e. Seeding

      a. Each athletic director or school representative will update scores/records in the NPMLA google documents within 24 hours of the completion of the home game for the following sports:  Volleyball, football, boys and girls basketball and soccer. (Amended May 2018)

b.  Member schools will validate seeding in championship tournaments prior to those contests.

c. Breaking Two-Way Ties:

1.  Head to head record

2.  If still tied, the league record (not point differential) for each team will be compared against the first place team in the final league standings, then the second etc. until the tie is broken.

      3.  If still tied, a coin flip will determine the higher seed.

     d. Breaking Three-way ties:

1.  Head to head record of all teams involved will be compared.  If 

this produces a two-way tie, use method C-1.

2.  If still a three-way tie, use method in C-2.

3.  If still a three-way tie, use point differential of the tied teams to determine playoff spots. (Added December, 2023)

4.  If still tied, a coin flip will determine odd team (given highest seed).  Two remaining teams use method C.

10. Press Coverage

a. Press coverage for athletic contests will not be encouraged 

(except for team photographs).

11. Admissions Fee

a. With the exception of tournaments, no admission fees will be charged.

b. Admission price for one-day tournaments:

Adults - $5.00 Students - $4.00

Pre-K children will not be charged admission

Admission price for multi-day tournaments (A court sports)

Per Person charge - $3.00 (Amended May 2014)(revised December, 2023)

c. Admission prices will be revised annually.

d. No passes will be accepted

12. Division Alignment

1. For all court sports, wrestling and track, the league organized in one division (Amended May 2013).

2. Divisions for football will be established by size of annual school enrollment.

ARTICLE V FOOTBALL POLICIES

A.  Maximum Participation

1. Participating seventh and eighth grade students will be allowed to play in a maximum of seven (7) games.

B.  Length of Quarter

1. The length of a quarter shall not exceed eight minutes for eighth 

grade contests, and seven minutes for seventh grade contests.

8th grade - 8 minute quarters

7th grade -- 7 minute quarters

2. Five (5) minute halves; 5 minutes between games; & 3 minute 

warm-ups.

3. For all regular season and “bowl/championship games” In a tie game, each team will receive one possession from the opponent's 10 yard line.  A coin flip will determine first possession.  Each team has one complete series to kick a field goal or score a touchdown followed by a two point conversion attempt. This tie-breaker rule will continue until there is a winner.  If the game remains tied following each team’s single possession, the game will end in a tie. (Amended December, 2024)

4.  There is a 30 point mercy rule.  Once a team achieves a 30 point lead at any time during the game, the clock will run continuously for the remainder of the game, only stopping for injuries and time outs.  Once a point spread is achieved that causes a running clock situation, the clock will continue to run for the remainder of the game even if the lead falls below 30 points. (Amended September 2014)

C.  Timing

1. All games shall be timed according to the CHSAA rules. Exception:  on a change of possession, the clock will start when the ball is set, not when the ball is snapped. (Approved September 2012) 

2.  All representatives agree that schools will carry over any timeouts that they have left at the end of regulation play.  In addition to carry over, each team will receive one additional full timeout for overtime (Amended May 2018) .  

D.  Awards

1. Awards will be given to first place winners in each division.