IHSA

IHSA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - 2006-07

Boys football Advisory Committee

December 15 , 2006

The IHSA Boys Football Advisory Committee met at the IHSA Office, Bloomington, Illinois on Wednesday, December 6, 2006, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Committee members present were: David Inserra, Park Ridge (Maine South); Kelly Kane, Streator (Twp.); Al Martin, DuQuoin; Tim Racki, LaGrange Park (Nazareth Academy); Gary Tipsord, LeRoy; Jim Unruh, Carthage; James Voyles, Tuscola; and Wesley Yates, Chicago (Julian). Also in attendance were John Elder, Executive Secretary of the Illinois Coaches Association; Tom Gillhouse and Steve Winiecki, Deerfield; IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman and IHSA Assistant Executive Director Dave Gannaway.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Item I.-C. – Classification: Football Enrollment:

Recommendation: Drop the football enrollment calculation and use only the actual enrollment or the multiplied enrollment for non-boundaried schools to determine classification of all qualifying schools.

Rationale: The Football Enrollment was originally implemented to have schools play at the level they participate at during the season, with an emphasis placed towards the small enrollment non-boundaried schools that were playing larger schools during the regular season and then competing in smaller classes for the playoffs. Since the multiplier has been instituted on all non-boundaried schools the Football Advisory Committee felt there was no need for the Football Enrollment Figure. Since the major sports are going to four classes beginning in the 2007-08 school year and all schools will be placed in the four-class system by school enrollment or multiplier enrollment, football should follow the same system or have the four-class system use some type of classification that would classify schools in the four class system by the size of schools that they compete against during the regular season. Since the multiplier has been implemented, the multiplier should be the tool that is used to “level the playing field” for all schools in all sports.
Football is the only sport that you have to qualify to get into the state tournament and schools get penalized for playing schools that are larger than you. Other sports may play larger schools then drop back to participate in a lower class during the state series.

Tabled

2. Item V. A. Tournament Assignments and Pairings, Sites, Rankings, Pairings:

Recommendation: Add 6): “All football fields that host a playoff game must meet the NFHS football requirement that states: NO barrier within five (5) yards of the endline or sideline”.

Rationale: This is a safety issue and the IHSA needs to mandate that all schools hosting playoff games meet the five (5) yard barrier requirement. This is a NFHS Football Rule that needs to be enforced and schools need to know if they do not meet the safety requirement they will not be able to host.

Approved

3. Item VIII. B. – Tournament Rules: Team Sideline Passes:

Recommendation:       Change the sideline passes to the following:
1A, 2A, 3A, 4A             16 Sideline Passes
                                    (This includes pass for one filmer.)
5A, 6A, 7A, 8A             25 Sideline Passes
                                    (This includes pass for one filmer.)
Schools will also get:
1 Superintendent Pass
1 Principal Pass
1 Athletic Director Pass
1 Athletic Trainer Pass

No other passes will be issued for the state final games.

Rationale: This falls in line with the number of staff/coaches needed as the size of the squads increase with classification.

The IHSA will not issue any other passes for the State Final Football Playoffs. Schools must get the personnel they need on the field within those pass limitations.

Approved

ITEMS OF GENERAL DISCUSSION:

1. A presentation was given by Deerfield High School to drop the Football Enrollment and
use only the school’s actual enrollment or its multiplier enrollment if a school is a non-boundaried school. Discussion occurred by the Committee and enrollment statistics were distributed and reviewed during the discussion.

2. Discussion occurred on a proposal submitted by Central Suburban League to modify the day and
time of playoff games to allow the home team to determine game day and game time. Discussion occurred but no action was taken.

3. The Committee discussed the Football Points of Emphasis for 2007-08. Areas of concern were
chop block in the open field, chop block on the linebacker and kickers requesting a different ball to kick during a series. The Committee did have a concern with the “Bunch Onside Kick”. This is becoming a safety issue for the receiving team.

4. The Committee recommended that the IHSA Board of Directors review Policy 13 that mandates
three (3) days of practice with helmets only prior to the first day of full pads. The Committee would like to have this modified to two (2) days of helmets only, one day of helmets and shoulder pads only prior to the first day of full pads. The Committee feels this is a better acclimation progression for the student when on the third day shoulder pads go on prior to the fourth day with full equipment. This would be a logical sequence before full pads, as most coaches now go three days helmets only, fourth day full pads.