The moratorium on practices dates is established by KSHSAA. It is almost always (always?) a five day period and includes all school activities over those dates. Practices are not declared to be non-mandatory by KSHSAA. That would be school policy. I think that most coaches understand that kids might have some difficulty over the Holidays. It would make it very difficult to punish a kid for missing a practice if he was to be with a non custodial parent over a specific part of Christmas break, for example. Without a doubt, some coaches understand that better than others.