State Championship Information for Media

Media wishing to attend championship events must follow the following guidelines and rules. If you have any questions, you may reach out to CHSAA’s communications department by emailing amcclure@chsaa.org or zsegars@chsaa.org.

ALL SPORTS:

Credentials:

CHSAA press credentials may be obtained through the CHSAA by CLICKING HERE. Credentials are strictly limited to working members of the media. All credential submitted to the CHSAA office after September 30 cannot be guaranteed to be delivered in a timely manner. No passes will be issued within 72 hours of a CHSAA event.
 
More information about CHSAA’s media credentialing policies can be found here.
                                                                     
CREDENTIAL RESTRICTIONS:

1. Credentials will be issued to working members of the media only.
2. Unauthorized use of the media credential for that person and the media outlet will result in the revocation of credential and non-issuances of future Credentials.
3. Each outlet is required to provide the name of one or two contact persons (Media Outlet Liaison) who have the authority to request credentials. No credentials can be issued without the appropriate form and signatures from one of those Outlet Liaisons.
4. Credentials issued during the school year must be requested 14 days in advance of the date they are needed.
5. All Credentials must have the bearer’s photo on them (JPEG photos are required and should be properly identified when sent to the CHSAA Office).
6. The person whose photo is on the Credential is the ONLY person who may use that credential.
7. No credentials will be issued within 72 hours of the event – PLAN AHEAD.
8. There is no charge for the first credential; lost Credentials will be reissued after the receipt of a $50 reprocessing fee.
9. No credentials will be issued to school photographers, coaches, parents of athletes at any time.
10. If you use freelance photographers or stringers, their credentials must be requested from your outlet and your outlet will be identified on that credential.                                                                                         

PROVISIONAL PRESS CREDENTIALS:
Each outlet may request the issuance of a “Provisional Credential” in addition to the credentials it requests. The Provisional Credential can be used by the outlet to credential a media person in an emergency. The person to whom the Provisional Credential is issued MUST have some form of picture identification/outlet identification. The proper use of the Provisional Credential – as well as the annual Credential- is the responsibility of the media outlet. Unauthorized use of the Credential will result in the revocation of current credentials and the non-issuance of future Credentials. Multiple Provisional Credentials will be issued at the discretion of the CHSAA and limited by outlet size and audience. Lost or misplaced “Provisional Credentials” will not be re-issued. Therefore the use of the Provisional Credential remains the responsibility of the media outlet.

ON-SITE PROVISIONAL PRESS CREDENTIALS:
Select CHSAA events will have provisional passes that may be used for that specific event. These passes are first come first serve. They also can only be acquired with proof of a photo ID, and a byline or audio/video clip that was published by a pre-approved outlet within the past month. On-site provisional press credentials must be returned to the CHSAA Media Liaison on site that day. Failure to do so will result in a $75.00 fine and future credential privileges revoked. 

General Photographers’ Rules:                 

***GAME AND TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS RETAIN FINAL DETERMINATION OF PHOTOGRAPHER PLACEMENT AT ALL EVENTS. CHSAA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE ITS PHOTOGRAPHERS’ POLICIES TO ACCOMMODATE VENUE SIZE AND CONFIGURATION.*** 

1. Remember: You are shooting high school athletes who do not move as quickly as adults. Also, they do not have the experience with photographers that college or professional athletes do.                                                                  
2. Game and school officials have the final word on photographer placement.
3. All photographers must be credentialed by the CHSAA.
4. No parent of an athlete will be credentialed.
5. High school student photographers must have the CHSAA issued media pass. No school specific passes will be accepted. 

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WINTER

BASKETBALL:

Please Note:

1. Parking is no longer free at state championship venues, as there will be no special media parking.
2. Cash will also not be accepted by the host venues, so make sure you bring other payment methods.

ICE HOCKEY:

Restrictions:

• Media is not permitted to enter or take photos from the team bench or the penalty box. Doing so can result in immediate revocation of your press credential.

Media Check-in:

• For postseason games at the South Suburban Sports Complex, media will have to do a secondary ‘media-only’ check-in. This will be located down the steps to the main entrance to the ice rink.

SKIING:

Please Note:

1. For the alpine competition, event organizers are hoping to do individual awards at the bottom of lift No. 3 at the end of each day’s events.

GIRLS SWIMMING:

Photographers’ Restrictions:

1. Be mindful of your surroundings. The pool deck is crowded, so please make sure you are not disrupting the work of the CHSAA staff, CHSAA officials, or the coaches and student-athletes.
2. Officials require clear sightlines as part of state swimming, so only take photos in the designated photography areas.

WRESTLING:

Photographers’ Restrictions:

1. Be mindful of your surroundings. The floor is crowded, so please make sure you are not disrupting the work of the CHSAA staff, CHSAA officials, or the coaches and student-athletes.
2. Stay out of the mat area. Per NFHS Rule 2-1-5, the mat area includes the wrestling mat and a space around it of at least 10 feet surrounding the mat as well a the team benches and the scorer’s table.

For more media information about CHSAA’s Wrestling State Championship Tournaments, please refer to our State Wrestling Media Information page.

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FALL

CROSS COUNTRY:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

Photographers’ Restrictions:

1. An additional media credential will need to be obtained at the media check-in.
2. Photos may be taken at any point during the race. However, when shooting the start, the photographers must give the field a minimum of 50 yards to give time to shoot the start and move to the side. 
3. Additionally, photographers may shoot the finish from either side, but may NOT be in the finish chute with the runners. 

FIELD HOCKEY:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

Photographers’ Restrictions:

1. Photographers may shoot from any point on the sidelines with the exception of the team boxes (approximately 40-yard line to 40-yard line). 
2. Photographers must remain 2 yards off the sideline to accommodate the game.

FOOTBALL:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the host school (not CHSAA) to arrange for press seating and broadcast facilities for all games other than the 4A and 5A championship games. For press seating and broadcast facilities for the 4A/5A championship games, contact the CHSAA office. 

Photographers’ Restrictions:

1. Photographers may shoot from any point on the sidelines with the exception of the team boxes (approximately 40-yard line to 40-yard line).
2. Photographers must remain 2 yards off the sideline to accommodate the game.
3. No media other than one’s own team media is permitted within 5 yards of the team box. 

GOLF:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

Photographers’ Restrictions:                                              

1. Photographers should observe the etiquette of golf and observe quiet during all shots. 
2. Shooting photos from the side is allowed and photographers may shoot putting as long as they remain off the green. 
3. Be sensitive to the sounds and distraction motor drives on cameras can create and do not use if they distract the golfer. 

IWanaMaker:

If media members want access to results on IWanaMaker, they need to contact our golf sports coordinator, Monica Tillman, to be added. They can contact Monica at mtillman@chsaa.org.

GYMNASTICS:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

Photographers’ Restrictions:                                                          

1. Always give the competitors a minimum of 10 feet from each apparatus and mat.
2. Judges’ sight lines may not be broached.
3. No flash photography is permitted. 

SOCCER:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

Photographers’ Restrictions:

1. Photographers may shoot from any point on the sidelines with the exception of the team boxes (approximately 40 yard line to 40 yard line).
2. Photographers must remain 2 yards off the sideline to accommodate the game.

SOFTBALL:

Media

Media check-in will be found at Complex B at the Aurora Sports Park

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

Photographers’ Restrictions:                                                          

1. In accordance with National Federation Rules, photographers may shoot on the field ONLY from designated areas. These areas must be marked as dead ball areas on the field. 
   1. If no designation has been made, photographers will not be allowed on the field. 

SPIRIT:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

Photographers’ Restrictions:                                  

1. Photographers must remain 10 feet off the competitor’s mat and may not shoot between the mat and judges, reserving uncluttered sight lines.
2. Photographer boxes may be required at some sites. 

TENNIS:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

Photographers’ Restrictions:                                              

1. Photographers may shoot on the court at either side of the net. They may not move from that position until the players change sides. 
2. Shooting areas also include the corners of the court. 

UNIFIED BOWLING:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

VOLLEYBALL:

Credentials & Telephone Hook-Ups:

Contact the Director of Communications or Assistant Director of Communications at the CHSAA for broadcast facility information and other pertinent information.

Photographers’ Restrictions:                                  

1. Photographers may shoot on the court, but must allow a 10-foot cushion off the playing court.
2. Photographers must remain behind officials if shooting at the net.