IHSA

IHSA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - 2005-06

Boys/Girls Basketball Advisory Committee

April 27, 2006

The IHSA Basketball Advisory Committee met at the IHSA Office, Bloomington, Illinois, on Thursday, April 27, 2006, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Committee members present were: Tom White, Chicago (DeLaSalle); Brad Hatfill, Lewiston; Anthony Smith, Bolingbrook; Bob Morris, Normal (University); Tom Moyer, Official, Freeport; Carol Plodzien, Palatine (Fremd); Kevin Root, Hoopeston (H. Area); Jim Tracy, Burbank (Reavis), representing the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association; John Elder, representing the Illinois Coaches Association; and IHSA Assistant Executive Directors Kurt Gibson and Beth Sauser were also in attendance. Not in attendance were Patti Lunn, Spring Valley (Hall) and Kathy Lanter, Okawville.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS RECOMMENDATIONS

Item V-C-3 – Tournament Assignments and Seeding Meetings

Recommendation: It is the responsibility of each competing school entered in the state series to complete an IHSA Season Summary/Roster Form prior to its seed meeting. The school must fax their form to their Seed Meeting Host no later than 10:00 a.m. on the Monday prior to the seed meeting. Non-compliance may result in IHSA review and possible sanctions imposed upon the school. Please see the _(insert gender)__ Basketball Seeding Meeting Procedure for more information.

Rationale: The committee would like participating schools to submit a tournament roster at the seeding meeting so that schools could better prepare and scout post-season opponents. Having a roster submitted at the seeding meeting would assist with this.

ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The committee recommended drafting a rules proposal to be sent to the NFHS concerning the coaches box. The committee’s proposal will recommend lengthening the box to 28’, extending from the 28’ mark back to the baseline. IHSA staff will draft the proposal prior to sending it to the NFHS for their review.

ITEMS OF GENERAL DISCUSSION

1. The committee reviewed changes to basketball playing rules for the 2006-07 season. Concussions, uniforms, time-outs, intentional fouls and rule enforcement/proper signal use will be Points of Emphasis next year in addition to the rules changes, and schools, coaches, and officials should be prepared for significant discussion on these topics next year.

2. The committee reviewed the coaches roundtable meetings held again this year at both the boys’ and girls’ state finals. Consensus was that the meetings are a good idea and should be continued. However, IHSA staff should look at developing some kind of reporting mechanism to allow all coaches an idea of how the discussion at these meetings went. The concern of the committee and IHSA staff is that the coaches attending the meetings are not reporting back to their colleagues.

3. The committee discussed appropriate coaching behavior and the coaches box. Consensus was that continued emphasis on the behavior displayed by coaches must be addressed, whether those behaviors are occurring inside the coaches box or not. The committee would rather that behavior was the emphasis instead of whether or not a coach is in his/her box. The committee believes that too much attention was given to keeping coaches in the box this year at the expense of addressing negative behaviors.

4. The committee reviewed the 4 class system scheduled to begin in 2007-08. The committee expressed their general opposition to the change, indicating their belief that the present 2 class system is adequate. The committee was directed back to their administration for any input they wish to still have on the issue.

5. The committee discussed new by-law and policy changes for the 2006-07 school year and their potential impact on basketball programs. Specifically, the committee reviewed the extension of the summer contact period, scheduled to begin this summer, and the new Travel Policy, which will allow schools to travel without restriction to participate in contests, provided that no more than one day of school is missed for the event.

6. In sharing their concerns over the impact of AAU programs are having on high school student-athletes, the committee expressed their desire to have IHSA staff have dialogue with other state associations and the NFHS to see if such a coalition could work with the NCAA to adjust its recruiting calendar to bring high school coaches back into the recruiting process. The current recruiting calendar gives AAU coaches more influence than high school coaches in the process.

7. The committee discussed the on-going ad-hoc committees formed by the IHSA to look at seeding and grouping state tournaments, on-line seeding, and pass lists. The committee offered its insight on all 3 topics. IHSA staff will see that the views of the committee are shared with the appropriate ad-hoc groups.

8. The committee continued to share their concerns over ticket surpluses member schools are being left with given the IHSA’s current ticket selling policy. The committee would like to see the IHSA create a situation where schools could purchase state tournament tickets on a daily basis, instead of for an entire weekend. IHSA staff will review the current plan to see if any accommodations can be made.

9. The committee discussed both the Mercy Rule and the use of a shot clock. No action was taken on either item. The current Mercy Rule will be used again in 2006-07. Additionally, the committee was informed that there are no provisions for any use of a shot clock, even experimentally, at all in high school basketball in Illinois.