The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met at its regularly scheduled meeting at the IHSA office in Bloomington on Wednesday, October 15, 2014, where the Board extended an invitation to the Illinois General Assembly’s Elementary & Secondary Education Committee to meet with the Board in December.

“This is a chance to build a bridge between the Board and the committee,” said IHSA Board member and Andrew High School Principal Bob Nolting. “My first year on the IHSA Board of Directors opened my eyes to the size and scope of the IHSA, and all the positive things the organization does. I think the education committee members, and any other legislators interested in learning more, would benefit from meeting with us.”

The Elementary & Secondary Education Committee has held two hearings regarding the IHSA, including one in Springfield on May 20 and a second at South Shore International High School in Chicago on October 3. The IHSA did not attend the second hearing after being informed that it could not call witnesses.

“We want to have an open dialogue about the IHSA with the education committee,” said IHSA Board President and Wauconda High School Principal Dan Klett. “Many of the IHSA school administrators and coaches are disenchanted with what has occurred in the hearing process so far. A third hearing would likely create another hostile environment. We believe a meeting like this will be more conducive to progressive communication. We sincerely hope the education committee members will accept our invitation so they can get answers to any of the questions that they may have.”

The IHSA Board of Directors have asked IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman to pass along an official invitation to the Elementary & Secondary Education Committee. The Board identified several dates in December to initially attempt to meet on. The Board has recommended meeting at a mutually agreed location in Bloomington.

“The IHSA has a great story to tell and we are glad to tell it,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “I said at the first hearing that both sides could have saved time and resources with a phone call to setup a meeting initially. It is time to bring that to fruition, but obviously, that has to be a two-way street.”


ACTION ITEMS
1. The Board conducted its annual election of officers, with the following results:
   President: Dan Klett, Wauconda High School
   Vice-President: Dr. Chuck Nagel, East Peoria High School
   Secretary: Kent Jones, Breese Central High School

2. The Board approved a recommendation to appoint the following individuals to fill the vacancies on the Legislative Commission:
   District 1: Marcey Sorensen, Chicago (Clemente)
   District 3: Reginald Evans, Chicago (Harlan)
   District 5: Tim Carlson, Sycamore (H.S.)

3. The Board approved a recommendation to adopt KAP7 International, Inc. as the official ball of the IHSA State Series for Girls and Boys Water Polo. The IHSA will begin using the KAP 105 model ball for the Boys Water Polo State Series and the KAP 104 model ball for the Girls Water Polo State Series this spring. KAP7 International, Inc. will serve as the official IHSA Water Polo ball through the 2019 state tournament.

Todd Snider, KAP7 International, Inc.
“KAP7 is proud to partner with IHSA as the official water polo ball of Illinois. We are committed to the growth and continued excellence of our sport. Exposing as many athletes as possible to the great sport of water polo only increases the level of play across the country. At KAP7, we take pride in supporting water polo at all levels with best-in-class products that help athletes excel!”


ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
Minutes from all Advisory Committees can be viewed by clicking here.

1. The Board approved the consent items from the Advisory Committees in the following sports & activities: Girls Badminton, Baseball, Softball, Track & Field, Water Polo, Bass Fishing, Athletic Administrators, Athletes with Disabilities and News Media.

Consent items are recommendations that received approval from the sport/activity advisory committee, the Athletic Administrators Advisory Committee and the IHSA staff. Consent items can be viewed by clicking here.

Some consent items of note include:

Track & Field
1. State final qualifying standards for the 2015 school year.

Water Polo
1. Seeding meetings will be pushed back one week.

Athletes With Disabilities – Bowling
1. Sectional and State Final play will be increased from one two-game block to two two-game blocks.


APPEALS & ELIGIBILITY RULINGS
1. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Chicago (Brother Rice). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.043.3.

2. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Elmhurst (IC Catholic). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.043.3.

3. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Chicago (St. Rita). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.043.3.

4. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Cahokia (H.S.). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.061.


DISCUSSION ITEMS
At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain items the Board discusses, but upon which no action is taken. The following is a report of those items from the October 15, 2014, agenda:

1. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the October NFHS Board of Directors meeting that was held in Indianapolis on October 12-13.

2. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the October NFHS Section IV Meeting that was held in Wisconsin on September 18-19.

3. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the by-law proposals that have been submitted for the upcoming legislative process.

4. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the New Administrators Workshop that was held at the IHSA office on October 1.

5. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the upcoming IADA Division Meetings. The IHSA will have a staff member at each meeting, which are scheduled on the following dates/locations:
Division 1 – Oct. 16 - 10:00 a.m. - De La Salle High School
Division 7 – Oct. 20 - 9:00 a.m. - Governors Run Golf Course, Carlyle
Division 6 – Oct. 21 - 1:00 p.m. - Pekin High School
Division 3 – Oct. 23 - 1:00 p.m. - Lisle High School
Division 4 – Oct. 28 - 9:00 a.m. - Sterling High School
Division 5 – Oct. 29 - 9:00 a.m. - BSN Sports, Rantoul
Division 2 – Oct. 30 - 9:00 a.m. - Forest View Educational Center

6. The Board heard an update from Assistant Executive Director Beth Sauser on the number of yellow cards accumulated by boys’ soccer teams this fall.