Athletics Media Relations

Yuma Union High School District recognizes and values the importance of extracurricular activities. Our students have opportunities to get involved in numerous areas of interest that include sports, band, choir, spirit squad, and other activities that keep them active and participating. YUHSD schools are members of the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) and offer nearly 22 AIA sanctioned activities and athletic programs over the course of three athletic seasons (Fall, Winter, and Spring). 

The district also recognizes the relationship between athletics and community building, including media coverage of our schools and student-athletes. Per YUHSD Board Policy JJB, the district  guidelines below help ensure the best possible media coverage of YUHSD’s athletic programs, and meet the needs of local, state and national media requests.

Media Identification

As a support for the safety and security of YUHSD student-athletes and coaches as well as provide the best possible access for reporters, YUHSD requests that ALL media representatives apply to the Arizona Interscholastic Association for credentials. Any outlet is permitted to apply. The AIA requires that an editor or manager of the outlet be the one to make the request. The request is vetted based on the information provided. If approved, media members/outlets are permitted to access all YUHSD/AIA events, including postseason competitions. Please visit the AIA Credential Registration site for the application. 

All media representatives accessing YUHSD events are expected to display their AIA credential at all times.

Interview Requests

Media wanting to interview YUHSD student-athletes, coaches or staff must contact the respective school’s athletic director, who will arrange the interview in coordination with the Chief Communications Officer. Media should submit their request via email or phone call.

• The best time to conduct interviews with student-athletes is after practice sessions, which vary by team, as do rules for interviewing at each team's practice – please check with the school’s athletic office for more information about a specific sport.
• The Athletic Director or coach will assist you in interviews after the practice's completion. Team meetings before, during or after practice are private and not accessible to the media.
• Interviews that cannot be conducted at that time will be arranged around the student-athlete or coach's schedule. Media should NEVER attempt to call student-athletes or attempt to reach them via social media or other forms of electronic media.
• It is requested that media give the athletic office enough advanced warning when they want to: (a) arrange an interview or (b) attend a practice. Last minute interview requests cannot be guaranteed to be honored.
• Post-game interviews and media access following contests are also handled by the home athletic director who will help facilitate interview requests for all YUHSD schools involved. Per AIA media policy 1.5.1, locker rooms following contests are closed to the media. Additionally, dugouts for baseball and softball are off limits, per AIA media policy 1.5.1, to all "non school personnel."
• The athletic department and communications office will respect the requests of the media and it is expected that the media respect the policies set forth by the school district.

Access to Competition Area

Media representatives are not permitted in the competition area (i.e., within the field of play, on the playing court, etc.) at any time during a YUHSD event until the competition has concluded and a winner has been determined.

Media is permitted to cover events from designated areas within the school facility (i.e., the press box, scorer’s booth, etc.). Media in need of sideline access is requested to stay within the designated media boundaries for each sport/competition shown below. This includes remaining outside of the team box (25-yard-line) during football games. If walking to one side of the field to the other, media is expected to walk behind the team area. For softball, media is not permitted to take photos or conduct game coverage inside the fence line, per AIA guidelines. For baseball, coverage and photography inside the fence line must remain in a designated media area outside of the the left field and right field foul lines. 

Access to Officials

Per AIA policy 1.6.1, Media representatives are not permitted to contact contest officials at any time during a YUHSD event. This includes locker room/dressing areas, within the area of competition, or in any area in which the official must pass. Access to contest officials is only granted after approval by the AIA and may not take place during an event.