Gearing up for the back-to-school rush of meetings, deadlines, and scheduling, it's easy to forget the importance of educating your coaches on governing body rules. Here are a few stories to help remind your staff why knowing all policies is critical.

In March, before the tip-off a state semifinal boys' basketball game, North Lawndale College Prep in Chicago was assessed a technical foul because the stripes on the sides of its uniforms broke an NFHS rule. The opponent, Centennial High School in Champaign, sank one of the two technical free throws and went on to win the game by a point.

At Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) High School, Head Baseball Coach Jason Estabrook's team dropped from a 20-17 record to 0-37 after the Alabama High School Athletic Association determined that players had violated the state's dual-participation rule, which prohibits players from being evaluated in a sport during the school season. Estabrook took three of his senior players to an evaluation at Belhaven College, an NAIA school where he used to coach.

In Montana, a pregame dunk by a Harlem High School boys' player shattered the backboard and crushed the team's best chance of advancing from the double-elimination regional tournament to the state championships. The Montana High School Association forbids dunking during warm-ups, and if a pregame dunk breaks the backboard, the offending school automatically forfeits the game. Harlem decided not to renew then-Head Coach Harlan Mount's contract.

This June, Olivet High School was forced to withdraw from the Michigan High School Athletic Association Softball Tournament after the school's athletic director found the team had exceeded the state's regular season competition maximum. Combining the number of dates and games played, softball teams cannot go over 56 during the regular season. After the mistake was discovered, the team forfeited its Division 3 State Quarterfinal Game.