IHSA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - 2005-06

Boys/Girls Swimming/Diving Advisory Committee

April 3, 2006

The IHSA Swimming/Diving Advisory Committee met at the IHSA Office, Bloomington, Illinois on Monday, April 3, 2006, beginning at 10:00 a.m.  Committee Members present were: Jennifer Hamilton, Associate Principal, Normal (Community); Joe Plack, Official, Deerfield; David Ribbens, Athletic Director, Chicago (University); Don Waybright, Coach, Champaign (Centennial); Kim Weiersheuser, Coach, Aurora (Waubonsie Valley); Brian Rogers, Coach, Springfield (Southeast); Andy Weinberg, Coach, Pekin; Others in attendance, Ron McGraw, IHSA Asst. Executive Director; Chuck Fargo, Coach, Evanston (Twp.); Chris Livatino, Athletic Director, Evanston (Twp.); Jim Bloch, Athletic Director, Winnetka (New Trier); Dan Vosnos, Assistant Athletic Director, Evanston (Twp.).

TERMS AND CONDITIONS RECOMMENDATIONS:
1.         Item VI-C and D. Tournament Structure and Time Schedules

Recommendation: Begin the swimming preliminaries on Friday at 3:30 p.m. instead of 4:00 p.m. (Other time changes as a result of this change 1:45 p.m. pool doors open to swimmers and coaches, 2:00 p.m. pool will be open for warm-ups). 
Rationale:  Meet management at both State Final sites are confident that this change is possible and will obviously complete Friday’s preliminary sooner.  This is good for everyone involved.

Item 1 Approved

2.         Item VII. Advancement of Winners
Recommendation: On a 1-year trial basis, allow the next fastest (non-qualifying) sectional times to fill any open lanes in the State Finals in individual events. Identical times necessitating additional heats would not be considered, and those individuals causing additional heats would not advance.  At large swimmers would be notified the Sunday after the Sectionals (as is current practice with at-large divers).
Rationale:  This allows those competitors close to the qualifying time, to have the opportunity to advance.  This does not make the State Final meet any more difficult to manage, as it is only filling open lanes of heats already established.  It is also likely that the individuals advancing are already listed as an alternate on a relay event, thereby not increasing the number of bodies on the deck and the number of qualifier tickets needed.

Item 2 Died for Lack of Motion

3.         Item VII- C and D. Advancement of Winners
Recommendation: The following qualifying standards should be adjusted:

Rationale:  Qualifying Standards are reviewed and adjusted annually by the Swimming/Diving Advisory Committee.  Adjustments are made to attempt to select a qualifying standard that would help keep the number of heats in the State Finals to 5 or 6.  Past times, average times, the number of extra qualifiers last year, and the number of returning swimmers from that group are used to make this adjustment.

Item 3 Approved

4.         Item VIII-F-Note 1. Tournament Rules
Recommendation: Change this language to reflect that the only coaches allowed to vote for the diving coaches that will participate as members of the diving panel (3) at Sectional competition will be those diving coaches that actually have divers competing.
Rationale: Selecting the three (3) most qualified individuals to serve as diving officials from the list of volunteers is more likely to occur by a vote than from a random drawing It seems inappropriate for coaches who do not have competitors in the event to have the ability to influence the diving panel judges.

Item 4 Approved

5.         Item VIII-N.    Tournament Rules
Recommendation:  Scoring the State Meet – The State Meet should be scored to 16 places instead of the current 12 places.  Points would be awarded according to the NFHS system.
Rationale:  It would increase competition and place value on those that just miss qualifying for the finals.  In addition, the diving is ideally suited for scoring 16 places and in past years we seem to have relays not qualify for Finals, yet make All-American standards.

Item 5 Died for Lack of Motion

6.         Item XI.  Officials
Recommendation: Change the pay scale for swimming and diving officials in the State Series. The Diving Referee should be paid the same as the Meet Referee at the State Final and Sectional Meets.
Rationale: The Diving Referee position is more difficult and demanding than the starter position and requires a great deal more preparation.  Currently the starter at sectional is paid the same as the diving referee, and at the State Finals the starter is paid more than the diving referee.

Item 6 Tabled

ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATION:
Collect data from all sectional hosts from this past year. This will provide the committee with 3 years of data to use in averaging times over a three year period.  The Advisory Committee will use the information as an additional tool to be used when evaluating the qualifying standards in the future.

ITEMS OF GENERAL DISCUSSION:
The committee reviewed and discussed all items referred to us through sectional reports and additional letters sent to Ron McGraw.  Many items were discussed and considered during the meeting.  Only those items that received a motion and a second from our group were put to a vote. 

1. Eliminate the seeding meeting.

1. Fill empty lanes with next fastest Sectional times.

1. (At large) Qualifying – allowing qualifying at regular season meets if electronic timing is used.

1. Diving and swimming practice availability at sectional sites the day prior to sectional competition.

1. Exception to rule “mixing of teams” for Springfield teams (3-5 H.S. teams in same pool with 1 club team).

1. Communicate with coaches via home address not school address.

1. Uploadable State wide result forum; web based and accessible by media sources

1. Merging boys and girls seasons

1. Sanctioning college distance meets

1. Allowing a swimmer to qualify for the state meet with a lead off time from a relay.

1. Allowing for 1st and 2nd place sectional finishers to automatically qualify for state.

1. Expanding the state meet finals to either an 8 lane pool to allow for 16 return swims or allow a bonus heat in the 6 lane pool to allow for 18 return swims.

1. Is there a way to get a receipt from the IHSA acknowledging that entries have been received once submitted via the website?

14.   Change the current process of selecting the three (3) coaches that will serve on the diving panel at the Sectional level to be a vote of the coaches at the Seed meeting who have competitors in the diving event.
                 
       It seems inappropriate for coaches who do not have competitors in the event to have the ability to influence the diving judges panel.

15.   Change the structure of both Girl’s and Boy’s swimming and diving from a single class to two classes.  Divide the schools, based on size as well as public versus private, into Class A and AA.

       Swimming is becoming more and more competitive and it is increasingly difficult for small and even mid-sized schools to compete with the larger schools.  Increasing to two classes would allow more swimmers to compete at a Championship level.

       The swimming and diving state meet is one of the most difficult tickets to come by since the meet is always sold out.  Increasing to two classes would also allow more people to see the state meet. The meet could also then be held at locations other than the current ones since the meet would potentially involve fewer teams.

16.   For a one-year trial, permit next fastest (non-qualifying) Sectional times in an event to fill in any open lane(s) at the State Finals.  Identical times necessitating additional heats would not be considered, and those individuals causing additional heats would not advance.  At-large swimmers would be notified the Sunday after Sectionals (as is current practice with at-large divers).

       This allows those competitors close to the qualifying time, to have an opportunity to advance.  Does not make the State Final meet any more difficult to manage, as it is only filling the open lanes of heats already established.  It is also likely that the individuals advancing are already listed as an alternate on a relay event, thereby not increasing the number of bodies on deck and the number of qualifier tickets needed.

17.   We should go back to allowing four (4) designated alternates to the two freestyle relays in order to give teams more alternatives in determining the competitors that could be used in case of illness, injury or competition strategy.  We could still control the number of competitors on the pool deck be having the actual competitors who could dress being designated on Friday of the State Finals and allow only 2 alternates per freestyle relay to be on deck.

18.   We need to consider the pay scale for officials at the Sectional and State Final.  I believe the Diving Referee position is more difficult and demanding than the Starter position and certainly requires a great deal of preparation.  I would suggest the pay scale for the Diving Referee be at the same level as the Meet Referee.

19.   We should consider scoring 16 places at the State Meet.  It would increase competition and place value on those that just miss qualifying for the finals.  In addition, the diving is ideally suited for scoring 16 places and in past years we seem to have relays not qualify for Finals, yet make All-American standards.

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