IHSA

IHSA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - 2006-07

Boys/girls cross country Advisory Committee

January 4, 2007

The IHSA Cross Country Advisory Committee met at the IHSA Office, Bloomington, Illinois on Thursday, January 4, 2007, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Committee Members present were: Larry Bassett, Elmhurst (York); John Szabo, Bloomington High School; Chris Perry, Peoria High School; Mike Garcia, Springfield (Lanphier); Tom Miller, Granite City High School. Others in attendance, Ron McGraw, IHSA Asst. Executive Director; Cheryl Mitchell, IHSA Administrative Assistant; Geza Ehrentreu; Coordinator of Officials; Owen Fuller, Coordinator of Officials-Elect; Zac Meyers, Peoria High School; Dennis Bowman, Peoria High School; Bob Geiger (ITCCCA); Jerry Parsons (ICA), Glenn Cothern (ITCCOA) and John Polka, Oak Park (Fenwick).

TERMS AND CONDITIONS RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Item V-C. Class AAA Series (Addition to the Current Terms and Conditions)
A total of twenty (20) regional meets will be created with four regional meets assigned to a correlated Sectional.
There will be five (5) correlated Sectionals.
Classes A & AA are designed to have 16 Regionals and 4 sectionals.

Rationale:
The original proposal provided that all classes were set up the same. The Advisory Committee believes that the new class system should reflect the old system relative to the number of sectionals. The old 2 class system provided the larger schools with an additional sectional meet (and 4 additional regionals) due to the large number of schools that competed with full teams. It was thought that the same philosophy should be present in the 3 class system. There will be more schools in class AAA and most of them will compete as a full team. Many times the smaller schools do not compete as a team, but rather as individuals. Obviously this improves the odds that those smaller number of schools competing for team honors will be successful. The motion was approved unanimously.

Rejected

2. VI.-D: Tournament Structure and Time Schedules – State Meet
9:00 a.m. - Class A Girls Race
10:00 a.m. – Class A Boys Race
11:00 a.m. – Class A Awards Ceremony
11:00 a.m. – Class AA Girls Race
12:00 p.m. – Class AA Boys Race
1:00 p.m. – Class AA Awards Ceremony
1:00 p.m. – Class AAA Girls Race
2:00 p.m. – Class AAA Boys Race
3:00 p.m. – Class AAA Awards Ceremony

Rationale:
This time schedule reflects a realistic schedule by which to conduct a 3 class system. After discussing options, this schedule emerged as the schedule of choice of the committee. This time schedule was approved unanimously.

Approved

3. Item VIII-A. Substitutions
There will be no changes to the lineup after the chips are issued at the starting line.

Rationale:
Any decision relative to who will actually compete from any team should be made prior to bringing the team to the starting line. Changes after the chips are issued are unnecessary and potentially disruptive to the race and the scoring process. The motion was approved unanimously.

Approved

4.             Item VIII-E-3   Uniforms
Add: These guidelines also apply to undergarments. Sleeve length and printing on undergarments do not need to be identical (similar in color).

                Rationale: This would be a clarification to the uniform rule helping officials, coaches and athletes to understand this portion of the uniform rule. The motion was approved unanimously.

Approved

5.             Item VIII-O. Posting of State Final Results
Eliminate the 30-minute time period for misapplication of a rule.

                Rationale:
The National Federation of State High School Associations Cross Country Rules Book does not require the 30 minute appeal period. While it has been a part of the past terms and conditions in Illinois, it has never been used to as a means of allowing coaches to challenge the finish of the races (as this would not be a misapplication of a rule). In fact, the rule has rarely if ever been used. This is largely due to the very small number of rules that could actually be misapplied by an official and subsequently appealed by a coach.

It must be understood that the current method used to determine the final results of each race at the State Finals includes both the computer read out generated by the chips (tags), and a video review. The two systems are used in conjunction to determine the correct order of finish in each race. The results are not allowed to be posted (and consequently deemed official) until the video review accounting for each individual that entered the race has been completed.

The rule allowing a coach a 48 hour period to identify and correct a clerical or team scoring error will remain a part of the terms and conditions.

This change in the teams and conditions does not weaken the coach’s position relative to challenging the order of finish because there has never been an option for coaches to do so.

Approved

ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Positioning Video Camera at Regionals and Sectionals
Clarification and information will be added to the Managers Instructions in the Cross Country Manual. There will not be specific instructions as to where to locate the camera because the area around finish lines is different around the State.

2. Finish Line
Clarification and information regarding the visibility for competitors of the Finish Line will be added to the Managers instructions in the Cross Country Manual. Essentially managers will be reminded to do whatever is necessary to make certain that competitors can easily identify the finish line.

3. Starting Box Sizes
Clarification and information regarding the size of the Starting Boxes will be added to the document in the Cross Country Manual which pertains to the preparation of the Cross Country Course. It was recommended that the starting boxes be 4’-6’ depending on the host site. Some sites had smaller boxes making it difficult for athletes. The consensus was there should be a minimum-maximum established. The box width at the State Finals is 6’.

4. Online List of Participant Data
It was suggested that IHSA supply the Regional and Sectional managers with a .csv file instead of the plain text file currently issued from the IHSA Office to managers to input into their computer operating systems to run their meets. IHSA Computer Operations manager has approved and will move forward with the request.

5. Parking at State Final Meet
IHSA will clearly indicate on the State Final Parking pass which lot is acceptable for parking by competing teams/individuals. There was confusion last year at the State Final course where School team/individual cars could park vs. mini busses, vans and regular size busses. There is a designated area for regular size school busses due to their inability to navigate in small lots, etc.

ITEMS OF GENERAL DISCUSSION:
The committee reviewed and discussed all comments and suggestions sent to Ron McGraw. Many ideas were discussed and considered during the 3 hour meeting. All items that received a motion and a second from our group were put to a vote. This year, all votes were unanimous.

Uniform review
Line up changes at starting line
30-minute appeal period
Positioning of video camera at finish line (regional/sectional)
Finish in the neck versus the mouth of the chute (regional/sectional)
Online entry process
Chip timing process
State Final parking