According to the CIAC bylaws, a student-athlete can receive individual lessons (“individual lessons in the skills of his or her sport”) during the season — if those lessons are not provided by their high-school team coach.
So, semi private and group training with a non-school-affiliated trainer (e.g., a third-party skills coach) is permitted under the rules.
Where the confusion often comes from:
- Once a student begins playing on their school team (after the first contest), they cannot practice or compete with an outside team in the same sport.
- That rule also covers “non-school athletic activities,” including outside teams, showcases, tournaments.
- Because of this, many parents, coaches, and athletes conflate “outside team play or club participation” with “private training,” which leads to confusion or over-generalization that all outside activity is prohibited.