IHSA

IHSA Announcements

March 22, 2003

Class AA Baseball State Final to Crestwood

PEORIA - The 2003 Class AA Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Final Baseball Tournament will be played June 13-14 at Hawkinson Ford Field in Crestwood. The IHSA Board of Directors approved the one-year move from Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva on Saturday (March 22) at its regular March meeting.

Hawkinson Ford Field is the home of the Cook County Cheetahs who play in the Pioneer League. The tournament is being moved to Crestwood because of a scheduling conflict with Elfstrom Stadium, the Midwest League home of the Kane County Cougars. Elfstrom Stadium has been the site of the Class AA state tournament since 1993. It is scheduled to host the event through the 2005 state final.

Four quarterfinal round games will be played Friday, June 13 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Semifinals are scheduled for Saturday beginning at 9:00 a.m. The third place game starts at 3:00 p.m. and the championship game is set for 7:00 p.m.

Other Action

Cheerleading Interpretations: The Board approved a series of interpretations for the new Competitive Cheerleading sport season by-law (5.660 inclusive). The new by-law sets a sport season and a contest limitation for competitive cheerleading squads. The season limitation is that no school belonging to IHSA shall allow its Competitive Cheerleading squad to participate in interscholastic contests earlier than Wednesday of Week 18 or later than Saturday of Week 39 in the Standardized Calendar. The contest limit is that no Competitive Cheerleading team representing a member school shall, in any one season, participate in more than five (5) meets exclusive of the IHSA state series. Currently, IHSA does not conduct a state series in the sport. Following are the interpretations approved by the IHSA Board of Directors on March 22:

1Q. What constitutes a "competitive cheerleading" meet?
A. A competitive cheerleading meet is: (a) a standalone competition, and is not a support or ancillary activity to another event such as a boys basketball tournament, and (b) judged according to rules for competition endorsed by a governing body.

2Q. Does a cheerleading competition held in conjunction with a basketball tournament, in which cheerleaders are judged on the basis of their sideline performance, fall under the category of competitive cheerleading?
A. No. This is not considered "competitive cheerleading".

3Q. When may a school hold tryouts and practice for its cheerleading squad?
A. At any time during the school year or the summer. Tryouts may be held in the spring for the following school year, and these tryouts may include incoming freshmen from feeder schools.

4Q. May a school (a) use the same students on its sideline cheerleading squad and its competitive cheerleading squad; (b) use a completely different set of students on its sideline cheerleading squad and its competitive cheerleading squad; or (c) use some of the same students on its sideline cheerleading squad and its competitive cheerleading squad.
A. Yes in all cases.

5Q. May a student compete in competitive cheerleading for a school he or she does not attend?
A. No. The only exception is that public schools may form cooperative competitive cheerleading teams as outlined in IHSA By-law 2.030.

6Q. Does the 500-mile travel limitation apply to competitive cheerleading?
A. No. This restriction (and the rest of the Sanction Policy) applies only to sports and activities in which the IHSA conducts a state series.

7Q. Does the rule requiring that no more than one day of school be missed while attending a competition apply to competitive cheerleading?
A. No. This restriction (and the rest of the Sanction Policy) applies only to sports and activities in which the IHSA conducts a state series.

8Q. What eligibility rules apply to competitive cheerleaders?
A. The sport eligibility by-laws (Section 3.000).

9Q. What eligibility rules apply to sideline cheerleaders?
A. The activity eligibility by-laws (Section 4.000), but only if the team engages in sideline competitions.

10Q. During the school term, may a member of the competitive cheer squad attend a competitive cheer camp?
A. Yes, provided that no more than 2 persons from the school attend the same camp.

11Q. After a school participates in its first competitive cheerleading meet of the season, may a member of the competitive squad practice or compete with an independent team (for example, an All-Star squad)?
A. No, not until after the last competitive cheerleading meet.

12Q. If tryouts are held in the spring or in the summer before classes have begun, will a student who takes part in tryouts be ineligible for competitive cheerleading with respect to transfer if he or she enrolls in a new school? What if he or she is an incoming ninth-grader?
A. No in both cases. (By-law 3.042)

13Q. If tryouts are held after classes have begun, will a student who takes part in tryouts be ineligible for competitive cheerleading with respect to transfer if he or she enrolls in a new school during the school term?
A. Yes. (By-law 3.042)

14Q. Must competitive cheer coaches meet the requirements of IHSA By-law 2.070 (Qualifications of Coaches)?
A. Yes.

In addition to the interpretations, the Board still must determine: a) What is competitive cheerleading, and what are the skills of the sport? b) During the competitive cheerleading season, may a member of the competitive cheer squad attend tumbling classes?

Board Meeting Dates: The meeting in December of 2003 will be Monday, Dec. 8. Previously, the Board approved Dec. 1. The change is being made to accommodate the Principals Rules Meeting/Town Meeting format scheduling.

Sportsmanship Strategic Planning: The Board received the report of the Sportsmanship Strategic Planning committee, and approved the following:

1. Develop a system for expanding Sportsmanship opportunities and programs at the conference and individual school levels as a grass roots effort to improve sportsmanship and spirit among member schools. The committee also recommended to discontinue the annual Sportsmanship Summits held in the fall of each year and direct those resources to the new effort.

2. Develop a grant process for schools or conferences trying to promote sportsmanship. The Sportsmanship Advisory Committee will develop the specific criteria and details for application.

3. Develop a structure or outline for sportsmanship and spirit development for schools to use at preseason coach, athlete and parent meetings.

4. Develop a plan to recognize teams for good sportsmanship during the regular season and post season play. (Based on this recommendation, the current practice of sportsmanship committees awarding sportsmanship banners at the state finals has been suspended until after the Sportsmanship Advisory Committee meets this spring.).

5. Develop a plan with officials associations to recognize outstanding sportsmanship during the regular season.

6. Develop a plan using the Sport A Winning Attitude (SAWA) reports more effectively to recognize schools.

7. Develop a plan to use the Citizenship Through Sports course more effectively for schools and coaches.

Eligibility Rulings

1. Heard a report that two basketball players at Quincy (Sr.) participated in competition involving the skill of the sport of basketball during the school season, causing them to be ruled ineligible for the remainder of their season. These violations occurred while Quincy (Sr.) is on probation through the end of the 2003-04 school term.

Discussion Items

At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain agenda items the Board discusses, but upon which it takes no action. Following is a report of those on the February 2003, agenda:

Strategic Planning: The Board heard a report of the first meeting of the action team formed to review structure, governance and operational procedures of the Association.

No Child Left Behind Act: The Board discussed ideas for interpretations of IHSA transfer and residence by-laws that may be affected by the legislation.