Principals voted at the Louisiana Athletic Association Annual Convention Friday to effect various changes in the landscape of high school sports in the State.

One of the major changes is eligibility of athletes based on grades. A student athlete will now be required to pass six classes during a semester with a 'C' average. In Vermilion Parish that would require an athlete to pass six of seven classes with at least a 'C' average. The number for that average in Vermilion Parish will likely be set somewhere between 1.5 and 1.75. Erath High principal Francis Touchet said that number will be discussed and an official proposal will be brought to and voted on by the Vermilion Parish School Board.

Student athletes will be assessed at the end of the first semester in December. At that point, the athlete will be required to have passed the six classes. The requirements will be the same in May, with the 'C' average being taken into consideration at that point.

Other changes include home school students not being able to compete in LHSAA athletics, spring football practice being cut to 10 days with no spring game and sports seasons being cut short so as to not have different sports overlapping.

The new rules will go into effect at the beginning of the 2010/11 school year.