IHSA

IHSA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - 2007-08

Competitive Cheer Advisory Committee

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

The IHSA Competitive Cheerleading Advisory Committee met at the IHSA office in Bloomington, Illinois, on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008. Committee members present were: Division 1 -Nicole Broadhurst, Coach, Chicago (Marist); Division 1 - Denise Murphy-Stroud, Administrator, Chicago Public Schools; Division 2 - Jeffrey Siegal, Coed Coach, Elk Grove Village (E.G.); Division 2 - John Martin, Athletic Director, Lincolnshire (Stevenson). Division 3 - Mike Bruce, Coach, Orland Park (Sandburg); Division 3 - Christopher Borzym, Coach, Riverside (R.-Brookfield); Division 4 - Todd France, Principal, Rockford (East); Division 5- Rita Grunloh, Coach, Lexington; Division 6 - Wendy Suey, Coach, Pana; Division 7 - Lisa Turner, Coach, Mt. Vernon (H.S.). Camille Munson from Division 3 was the representing official. IHSA Assistant Executive Director Susie Knoblauch conducted the meeting.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Item VIII-A-2a.- Tournament Rules – Competition Guidelines

Recommendation: It is recommended that the competitive cheering surface for the state series shall be a matted area of 54 feet wide x 42 feet deep (9 strips).

Rationale: The extra 2 strips will provide added safety for teams. For squads with 20 participants (large and coed divisions) space and safety is an issue. It would not be a requirement for schools to purchase the added strips, however the 2 added strips being present at sectional and state level would allow for an added safety area. Local invitational competitions may still utilize the 42 x 42 floor. Currently once the boundary lines are set up on the 42 x 42 mat the area of actual performing space becomes 40 x 40 which is a tight space for the large and coed divisions with 20 participants.

rejected

2. Item I-C.- School Classification

Recommendation: It is recommended that a maximum of up to four (4) alternates may be used for all four divisions.

Rationale: Currently the alternates are proportional to the number of students allowed on the competition floor per division. This recommendation would allow one full stunt group to be utilized as the “bench”. This could further enhance safety because coaches could prepare stunt groups rather than individual skilled participants.

approved

3. Item VI- G.- Tournament Structure and Time Schedule – Competition Disruption

Recommendation: At the sectionals and state prelims the IHSA Official reserves the right to stop a routine due to an obvious injury. In the event that an injury causes the team’s routine to be interrupted during a performance, the team will have 30 minutes to regroup before performing their routine again from the beginning. Judging will resume from the point at which the injury/interruption occurred as determined by the Head Official. The routine must be performed full-out from the beginning of the routine. All point deductions accumulated to the point of injury will carry over. If a team prefers not to re-work the routine, then at the coaches’ discretion they may take the score they have received up to that point. If a skill has not been performed a “0” will be given in that category. If multiple injuries occur, the same process will be in effect. In the event that an injury causes the team’s routine to be interrupted during the final round of competition, the team will not have the opportunity to perform their routine again.

Rationale: This proposal better spells out the step by step process to follow in the event that an injury would occur during competition. If a coach sees the injury first they must contact the official to stop the routine. No one will be allowed on the competition mat until the official signals for the athletic trainer and then the athletic trainer can proceed to treat the injury.

approved

ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Knoblauch reviewed the IHSA website and explained the various services provided through the website – It was recommended to present some of this information during the IHSA spirit rules meeting and coaches conferences.

2. The committee discussed manuals and rulebooks online. The NFHS Spirit Rules Book can be purchased on line. Case study scenarios will be developed by the IHSA and placed on the schools center as needed.

3. The committee discussed the NFHS’s position on the use of spring floors. Practicing on a spring floor vs. performing on a spring floor was discussed.

4. The advisory committee reviewed a By-Law proposal that will be submitted in October regarding an increase in the number of competitions allowed. Currently IHSA member school teams may compete in 5 competitions outside of the IHSA state series. Some schools combine conference meets with invitational meets on one day to be counted as one date of competition. Concerns were expressed regarding lack of competitions available in certain areas of the state and concerns with cost. It was suggested for more conference and county cheerleading competitions try to be offered by districts to allow for more affordable opportunities for competition.

5. Concern was expressed regarding why the IHSA Cheer State series is conducted mid- season. Some discussions lead to considering the date of the state final to week 32-35. Others liked the cheer state final being completed prior to sideline cheer for the post season.

6. IHSA officials’ administrator Dave Gannaway reviewed the electronic scoring program used at this year’s state final. Officials were only allowed to see their score and the head officials were the only ones seeing the entire panels score confirming the range in accordance to the IHSA rubric. The committee recommended that comments be added to the preliminary round. The IHSA will investigate the feasibility of using the program at sectional level competition for next year.

7. The IHSA will offer an Officials Clinic July 18 and 19th 2008 in Peoria. Information can be accessed on the IHSA officials’ website.

8. The committee recommended that continued efforts need to be made on recruiting and retaining qualified officials. A national wide search was recommended.

9. The state final cheer venue was reviewed. There was concern that the Pepsi Ice Center/warm-up area was still too cold. Susie will work with US Cellular Officials regarding the temperature. Susie will look into putting the basketball floor down on the arena competition floor. The Pro deck still continues to shift. The IHSA will investigate securing an off site for a general team warm up and scheduling when teams are allowed in the secure competition warm up. There were schedule and space issues with the open use of the Pepsi Ice Center general warm up area that needs to be addressed.

10. It was recommended to have 2 sets of tumbling mats and 2 sets of full mats with 10 minutes on each mat for warm ups. The warm up schedule and layout will be reviewed by the IHSA.

11. The IHSA will continue to fine tune venue issues such as water/Gatorade availability, the temperature in the staging area, and security.

12. The coaches meeting at the state final will cover how teams are to get to the floor level at the venue for awards. Teams still feel that the flow of the competition needs to be fine tuned.

13. It was recommended to have a private staging room and cool down room that doesn’t rush teams at the state tournament. The IHSA will investigate these areas with the venue review meeting.

14. It was discussed if Thursday night walk-troughs would be a possibility. The venue is not available to the IHSA until late Thursday night so there would be logistical concerns regarding earlier team walk troughs.

15. Schools will still enter by November 1st and roster their team by Jan. The online list of participant process was discussed. It was recommended to discuss the IHSA list of participants’ process at the rules meetings

16. There was discussion regarding the interpretation of the IHSA competitive and sideline cheer bylaws. More effort will be made at the rule interp meeting to communicate these rules. Coaches are encouraged to review all IHSA rules with their school athletic directors.

17. Summer contact time was discussed. There are no contact limitations for sideline cheer.

18. Discussion of the percentage of stunt group was presented. There was concern that the risk is not greater than the reward on the IHSA rubric. This will continued to be reviewed.

19. Sideline cheer rules were reviewed. All indoor IHSA state series play limits 12 cheerleaders on the sideline and the floor to cheer for post season. Teams still need to adhere to the 3 ft. safety zone and not taking the floor for 30 second time outs.

20. More detail is needed regarding the state final pass gate. There were questions regarding when and where to send the pass gate information. This will be spelled out in the coaches’ manual. The IHSA will continue to review and update the manual for coaches.

21. It was recommended to post scores after routines at the state final on the ticker electronic board for prelims only next year.

22. It was recommended to eliminate volume on the score sheet and refer to it as projection – vocal projection, energy, enunciation, etc…

23. Concern was discussed over the lack of sportsmanship in the cheer wording. This should be an official’s call and can be addressed on the score sheet.

24. It was recommended to better define the rubric range to 6.0 to 7.0 rather than 6-7 which could be interpreted as a 6.0-7.9 range.

25. The officials meeting Thursday night of the state final will continue as a review and overview of the tournament specifics and rules. The officials training at state final this year served well in preparing for the new electronic scoring process.

26. Point deductions and legalities were discussed and compared to diving judges and gymnastic judges

27. Ranking and Rating officials will continue. The IHSA will also lead the way with continued rubric training and IHSA website training

28. The committee discussed an accelerated licensing program for IHSA officials along with a reciprocal licensing process. The ethics of IHSA officials was discussed.

29. It was recommended to have a place for CPS sports coordinator on the IHSA state final pass gate

30. There was concern expressed regarding the IHSA rubric and elite teams.

31. The IHSA will continue to work with the process for new teams to enter the IHSA state series and continue to work in partnership with the CPS to education coaches and teams of cheer opportunities available.

32. Safety issues with cheerleading were discussed. There was a recommendation to develop curriculum for a Level 2 officials clinics and a deduction clinic.

33. The IHSA will use a professional cheerleading production company to set the competition floor lights. Coaches are concerned about the lighting and safety.
Susie will secure a professional company that consistently sets up for cheer competitions will have a better understanding of where the lights should be positioned.

34. The committee discussed the one day event. In light of the state wide snowstorm tournament procedures such as the cancelation of the prelims has to be left up to the IHSA administrative staff to make reasonable cancelations and tournament adjustments.

35. The committee discussed the coed division. Susie reported that 58 schools entered the coed division. The definition of coed – 1 male on the competition floor will remain in place. The rubric defined single base and double base stunts so 1 male could still be a viable contended in the coed field.

36. The IHSA will investigate groups to run the Mascot Challenge and the Captains Workshop at the state final. Susie also presented the possibility of a Coaches Roundtable Saturday of the IHSA State Final.

37. Continued efforts need to be made to work with/train the officials. It is crucial that all IHSA officials work as a team.

38. Moving the Tech table to the front near the other panels really helped the communication. Using Officials Coordinator as a go-between for the panel and tech worked well this year everyone knew if something was being handled by the panel or by the techs.

39. Concern was presented that the average cheer teams doesn’t feel they stand any chance in competition. Susie explained that IHSA competition is not about winning trophies but about enriching the educational experience. The IHSA does not recognized groups with numerous awards but rather recognized the top 5 sectionals and the top 3 teams in the state in each division. So much more can be gained through the experience. There are schools in other IHSA sports and activities that at time may feel similar frustration; however it is the coach’s responsibility to assist athletes in seeing the big picture and gains in competition.

40. There was concern expressed that there are still IHSA officials that are officiating the state final that are involved with competing teams. Officials need to disclose all conflicts of interest.

41. A long term contract will be reviewed with the state final venue US Cellular Coliseum.