The Married High School Athlete in South Dakota:his Status and Information for Formulating a Fair Policy

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of the married athlete as it pertains to his participation in interscholastic athletics on the secondary level in South Dakota and to offer meaningful information for formulating a fair policy concerning the married student-athlete. The survey method utilizing the questionnaire was employed in determining status. Ninety-nine percent of the administrators of secondary schools in South Dakota returned a questionnaire supplying information concerning the status of the married athlete in their respective schools. Results of the survey indicated that forty-three percent of the secondary schools in South Dakota have a policy that prohibits the married athlete from participation in interscholastic athletics. Seventeen percent of the secondary schools in South Dakota have a policy that permits the married athlete to participate and forty percent of the schools have no policy concerning the married athlete. Administrators in secondary schools in South Dakota (51 percent) prefer to administer school systems that prohibit the married athlete from participation in interscholastic athletics. However, thirty-six percent of the administrators prefer to administer school systems that permit the married athlete to participate in interscholastic athletics. The administrators (50 percent) prefer that the local schoolboard be the policy-making body concerning the married athlete\u27s participation in interscholastic athletics and forty percent would prefer that the State High School Activities Association formulate such a policy