IHSA

IHSA Announcements

Feburary 14, 2005

Board Schedules Action on Public-Private Task Force Recommendations

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors acted on a series of recommendations from the Public-Private Task Force at its meeting today. The Board heard from the chairpersons of each sub-committee of the Task Force, each of whom reviewed their sub-committee's recommendations that came from the Task Force's last meeting on January 18, 2005. Presenting to the board were Sara Keene, Principal of Columbia High School, Cindy Helmers, Principal of Bloomington High School, Tim Feigh, Athletic Director at Darien (Hinsdale South) High School, and Dennis Litteken, principal of Breese (Mater Dei) High School.

After hearing from the sub-committees of the Task Force, the Board directed the IHSA staff to review all available data and information, including the work of the Task Force and the recently completed survey, and prepare final recommendations for the Board to act upon at its March 19, 2005, meeting. Action is anticipated with regard to residence and transfer rules, classification, multipliers, and educational programs related to the recruiting rule.

"The IHSA staff is committed to developing recommendations that will be reflective of the concerns of the Association's members. Much work has already been completed regarding the issues before us. The Task Force should be commended for its efforts in addressing the relationship between public and private schools in our association," said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. "While there is still some work ahead of us, we remain committed to the idea that we are strongest as one group, and that the values associated with interscholastic participation are a great building block for a young person's growth and development."

Other Action

1. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director not to assess membership dues for the 2005-06 school year.

2. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to modify its meeting schedule for the 2005-06 school year. IHSA By-law 1.370 requires the board of directors to meet 10 times each school year, and today's action changed the date of the December 2005 and January 2006 meetings, both of which conflicted with NFHS meetings.

3. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to modify its Investment Policy to allow up to 25% of IHSA reserves to be invested in equities.

4. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to enter into a corporate sponsorship agreement with Mikasa for boys and girls water polo.

5. The Board acted on the following advisory committee recommendations:

a. Boys/Girls Cross Country

i. Approved a recommendation to require all participating coaches to attend a coaches meeting prior to Saturday's race. Coaches will have the option of attending a meeting on Friday afternoon or just prior to the state final race on Saturday.

ii. Approved a recommendation requiring schools who plan on entering the state series to complete their on-line List of Participants by a prescribed deadline in order to be allowed to compete.

iii. Approved a recommendation affirming that the use of video replay or television monitoring equipment other than the official equipment approved by the IHSA shall not be used to make decisions related to the meet.

iv. Approved a recommendation to establish 12:00 p.m. as the start time of the Class A awards ceremony at the state finals and 2:45 p.m. for Class AA.

v. Approved a recommendation to establish an admission fee for spectators attending the Cross Country State Final. The fees will be $10 per car, $15 per van (extended 15 passenger type), and $25 per bus.

vi. Approved a recommendation to prohibit individuals from bring any kind of pet to the state finals, with the exception of service or seeing-eye dogs.

vii. Approved a recommendation requiring that all participants will be issued a numbered bib to be worn on both the front and back of the runner's jersey.

viii. Approved a recommendation to allow room in the required Winners Report for the listing of the placement of all teams in the order of finish.

b. Boys Football

No approved recommendations

c. Boys/Girls Golf

i. Approved a recommendation to revise the regional playing dates for the 2005-06 season. The dates, which will be determined by each regional manager, will either be October 3, 2005, or October 6, 2005. The make-up days for any regional postponed due to weather will be October 6-7, 2005.

ii. Approved a recommendation to clarify what information is to be used by schools in reporting their player's averages on the List of Participants Form.

iii. Approved a recommendation to clarify the language of and penalty for players or coaches who violate the state series Dress Code.

iv. Approved a recommendation to add a "pace of play" rule to the Boys' and Girls' Golf Terms and Conditions.

v. Approved a recommendation to revise the state final golf cart policy to indicate that carts will be available to coaches on a limited basis at each state finals site.

d. Boys/Girls Tennis

i. Approved a recommendation to allow regular scoring in quarterfinal and semi-final round matches at both the sectional and state final level.

ii. Approved a recommendation to set up the draw for sectional tournaments so that the #1 seed would play the #4 seed, the #2 seed would play the #3 seed, the #3 seed would play the #6 seed, and the #4 seed would play the #5 seed.

e. Boys/Girls Volleyball

i. Approved a recommendation establishing that the starting time for the girls' Class AA regional final match may be played between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., as determined by the host school.

ii. Approved a recommendation to play the girls' super-sectional game on Monday of week 19 in the IHSA Standardized Calendar.

iii. Approved a recommendation to play the boys' volleyball sectional semifinals on Friday of week 47 and Tuesday of week 48 in the IHSA Standardized Calendar.

iv. Approved a recommendation to extend the use of the NFHS libero experiment into state series play.

Eligibility Rulings

No appeals regarding eligibility rulings were considered by the board.

Discussion Items

At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain agenda items that the Board discusses, but upon which it takes no action. Following is a report of those on the February 14, 2005, agenda:

Wheelchair Basketball: The Board heard a report from IHSA Assistant Executive Director Dave Gannaway concerning plans for this year's wheelchair basketball event in Peoria. This year's event will be held on the weekend of March 11-12 2005, during the boys' basketball Class A State Finals. Five teams from across the state are scheduled to compete in this year's event.

Suspension of School: The Board heard a follow up report from a Prinicpal's Rules Meeting which was held at the IHSA Office on January 13, 2005. Assistant Executive Director Ron McGraw conducted the meeting for schools that had not previously attended such a meeting earlier this year, thereby suspending those schools from participation in IHSA State Series competitions. By attending the meeting on January 13, those schools had their "suspended" status removed. Skokie (Yeshiva) is now the only school suspended for non-compliance with this meeting requirement.

CSIET: The Board heard a report from Mr. John Hishmeh, Executive Director of the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET), concerning changes made by CSIET in their evaluation process of foreign exchange programs

Competitive Cheerleading: The Board heard a report from Assistant Executive Director Susan Knoblauch concerning the work of the Competitive Cheerleading Advisory Committee. The committee has met numerous times this school year and is preparing Terms and Conditions for state series competition, as well as identifying divisions of competition for the 2005-06 school year.

State Final Merchandise: The Board discussed options regarding IHSA state final merchandise for the 2005-06 school year. The Board's current contract with Triad Graphics will expire with the end of the current school year.

Other Items

1. The Board learned that Ms. Connie Link, speech coach at Heyworth High School, has been selected by the NFHS Speech Advisory Committee to receive the NFHS Speech, Debate, and Theatre Association Award for the State of Illinois.

2. The Board also learned that the following coaches have received NFHS Coaches Association State and Sectional Awards:

State Awards

Girls Tennis – Brian Brooks, Aurora (West)

Boys Bowling – Mary Jo Stegeman, Wilmette (Loyola Academy)

Boys Swimming and Diving – Mike Adams, Naperville (Central)

Girls Bowling – Norman Whitenhill, Chicago (Morgan Park)

Boys Volleyball – William Schreier, Wheaton (W. Warrenville South)

Girls Volleyball – Kristy Pierce, Lanark (Eastland)

Girls Gymnastics – Judith Harwood, Lincolnshire (Stevenson)

Boys Football – Jim Unruh, Carthage

Girls Badminton – Anthony Calderone, Downers Grove (North)

Boys Soccer – Jim Corsi, Waterloo (Gibault)

Boys Wrestling – Keith Healy, New Lenox (Providence)

Boys Track and Field – Gary Haupert, South Holland (Thornwood)

Sectional Awards

Boys Cross Country – Brett Charlton, Eureka

Girls Soccer – Jim Burnside, Winnetka (New Trier)

Boys Water Polo – Dave Perry, Oak Park (Fenwick)

Boys Golf – Dick Lounsberry, Havana