October 30, 2003
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Proposal
No. 1
2003-04
Amend
Article 1.470 of the Constitution
Submitted
by Catherine Finch, Principal, Stockton, on
behalf of the IHSA Board of Directors
Article
1.470 currently reads:
In
case a vacancy occurs on the Board of Directors,
the remaining members shall fill the vacancy by
the appointment of a principal of a member school
from the Division in which the vacancy occurs.
The member appointed shall serve until the
annual election of the Association as provided in
Sections 1.310 through 1.370 of this Constitution.
Revise
Article 1.470 to read:
In
case a vacancy occurs on the Board of Directors,
the remaining members shall fill the vacancy by
the appointment of a principal of a member school
from the Division in which the vacancy occurs.
In
the case of an at-large member vacancy, a racial
minority, underrepresented gender or private
school principal will be appointed to fill the
vacancy.
The
member appointed shall serve until the annual
election of the Association as provided in
Sections 1.310 through 1.370 of this Constitution.
Rationale
The
present by-law does not address a vacancy created
for one of the at-large members.
This will give the authority to the Board
to make an appointment.
Proposal No. 2
2003-04
Amend
Article 1.920 of the Constitution
Submitted
by Catherine Finch, Principal, Stockton, on
behalf of the IHSA Board of Directors
Article
1.920 currently reads:
All
proposals pertaining to the Constitution and
By-laws and all other matters requiring an
approving vote of the member schools that have
been recommended for final action by the
Legislative Commission shall be mailed not more
than ten (10) days after the second meeting of the
Legislative Commission.
Ballots for use in voting on such proposals
shall be mailed to all member schools not more
than twenty (20) days after the second meeting of
the Legislative Commission.
All votes must be returned to the office of
the Association within thirty (30) days after the
second meeting of the Legislative Commission.
A majority of the votes cast shall be
required for the passage of any proposal.
The
Board of Directors shall appoint a committee of
tellers consisting of three high school
principals, not members of either the Board of
Directors or the Legislative Commission, to count
the ballots.
These ballots must be counted and the
results announced to the membership by mail within
thirty (30) days after the conclusion of the
balloting.
All
proposals pertaining to the Constitution and
By-laws and all other matters requiring an
approving vote of the member schools that have
been recommended for final action by the
Legislative Commission shall be electronically mailed not more than ten (10) days after
the second meeting of the Legislative Commission. Ballots for use in voting on such proposals shall be electronically
mailed to all member schools not
more than twenty (20) days after the second
meeting of the Legislative Commission.
All voting
must be completed
online within thirty (30) days
after the second meeting of the Legislative
Commission. A
majority of the electronic
votes cast shall be required for
the passage of any proposal.
The
Board of Directors shall appoint a
teller, a
high school principal who
is not a
member of either the Board of
Directors or the Legislative Commission, to verify
the vote count.
These electronic ballots must be counted and the
results announced to the membership by electronic mail within thirty (30) days after
the conclusion of the balloting.
Rationale of
Submitter
This
proposal would allow the amendment voting to be
conducted via electronic forms.
There would be fewer spoiled ballots from
ballots being returned in the wrong envelopes.
The electronic balloting process would be
easily accessible to the appropriate people who
are authorized to vote using their passwords and
would be set up so only one vote for each school
would be allowed for the appropriate nominations
and elections.
In addition, this would bring the amendment
process in line with the other election processes
already approved by the membership.
Proposal No. 3
2003-04
Add By-law
2.160
Submitted
by Don Dillon, Principal, Marengo High School
Add
By-law 2.160 to read:
2.160
No athletic team from a member school may
participate in an athletic contest on Memorial
Day.
Rationale
1.
To secure and preserve the time for the
families within our own communities the
opportunity to commemorate those lives lost during
war.
2.
The scheduling of the IHSA activities on
Memorial Day deprives those athletes primarily the
opportunity to be with immediate family, relatives
and loved ones to remember lost loved ones of
recent years or days.
3.
To support the celebration and family
outings without additional intrusion via scheduled
activities brought on by state organizations and
federal governments (municipalities).
4.
To not deny those families with children in
school who have advanced to tournament play the
full observance of Memorial Day.
5.
To allow all students within a school
community to take part in the community events as
spectators and participants within the community
celebration.
6.
Regional sites tend to be less then one
hour travel time thereby making it expedient to
play after school hours.
7.
Over the past several years, the
relationship between the values and traditions
that we legislate to preserve within our own
communitities has become increasingly unclear.
That sports and commercialization has taken
over the tradition of honoring those who have
sacrificed their lives so that we can have 364
other days to continue on with the freedom to
participate in a multitude of scheduled
activities.
Proposal No. 4
2003-04
Amend
By-laws 3.011 and 4.011
Submitted
by Larry Maynard, Official Representative,
Champaign (Judah Christian)
By-law
3.011 currently reads:
3.011
A student must attend a member school and
may only represent in interscholastic competition
the member school the student attends. For purposes of this by-law, the term “attend” shall mean
that the student is enrolled at the member school,
and is taking at, or under arrangements approved
by the member school, a minimum of twenty (20)
credit hours of work for which credit toward high
school graduation will be granted by the member
school upon the student's completing and passing
the courses.
The school which enrolls the student shall
be exclusively responsible to verify the
student's compliance with all of the eligibility
requirements of all IHSA by-laws.
The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to waive the
requirement of this by-law for the Illinois
schools for the deaf or blind.
In unit systems having a 6-3-3 or 6-4-2
type of organization, ninth grade students may
participate on senior high school athletic teams
at the member high school in the district
designated by the Board of Education, provided:
(a)
such participation is approved by the
district's superintendent of schools;
(b)
the senior high school principal shall
certify that the ninth grade students:
(1) are eligible under the
requirements of these By-laws,
(2)
are students at a junior high school
located in the district which supports the senior
high school, and
(3) are not members of a grade or
junior high school team in the same sport; and,
(c)
the senior high school principal assumes
full responsibility for the conduct of these
students during all athletic contests in which
they represent the senior high school.
By-law
4.011 currently reads:
4.011
A student must attend a member school and
may only represent in interscholastic competition
the member school the student attends.
For purposes of this by-law, the term
“attend” shall mean that the student is
enrolled at the member school and is taking at, or
under arrangements approved by, the member school,
a minimum of twenty (20) credit hours of work for
which credit toward high school graduation will be
granted by the member school upon the student's
completing and passing the courses.
The school which enrolls the student shall
be exclusively responsible to verify the
student's compliance with all of the eligibility
requirements of the by-laws.
The
Board of Directors shall have discretion to waive
this requirement of this by-law for the Illinois
schools for the deaf or blind. In unit systems
having a 6-3-3 or 6-4-2 type of organization,
ninth grade students may participate on senior
high school teams at the member high school in the
district designated by the Board of Education,
provided:
(a)
such participation is approved by the
district's superintendent of schools;
(b) the senior high school principal shall certify that the
ninth grade students:
(1) are eligible under the
requirements of these By-laws;
(2)
are students at a junior high school
located in the district which supports the senior
high school; and
(3) are not members of a grade or
junior high school team in the same activity; and
(c)
the senior high school principal assumes
full responsibility for the conduct of these
students during all contests in which they
represent the senior high school.
Revise
By-law 3.011 to read:
3.011
A
student must attend a member school and may only
represent in interscholastic competition the
member school the student attends.
If a student attends a private high school which does
not offer boys football as an interscholastic
activity that is offered by the public high school
in the school district in which the student
resides, then the private school student shall be
permitted to represent the public high school in
his or her home district in that activity
provided:
a)
The private school student meets the
residency requirements of 3.031, and
b)
The private school is an associate or full
member of the IHSA, and
c)
The private high school (9-12) student
enrollment is less than 175 students, and
d)
The private school is limited to no more
than five (5) students participating in boys
football at any one particular public high school,
and
e)
The private school student meets all
eligibility requirements of both the IHSA and the
public school, and
f)
Both schools involved are in compliance
with By-law 3.070 concerning
recruitment of student athletes, and
g)
The public school is willing to permit
private school students to participate on the same
basis as any public school student.
For
purposes of this by-law, the term “attend”
shall mean that the student is enrolled at the
member school, and is taking at, or under
arrangements approved by the member school, a
minimum of twenty (20) credit hours of work for
which credit toward high school graduation will be
granted by the member school upon the student's
completing and passing the courses. The school
which enrolls the student shall be exclusively
responsible to verify the student's compliance
with all of the eligibility requirements of all
IHSA by-laws.
The
Board of Directors shall have the discretion to
waive the requirement of this by-law for the
Illinois schools for the deaf or blind.
In unit systems having a 6-3-3 or 6-4-2
type of organization, ninth grade students may
participate on senior high school athletic teams
at the member high school in the district
designated by the Board of Education, provided:
(a)
such participation is approved by the
district's superintendent of schools;
(b)
the senior high school principal shall
certify that the ninth grade students:
(1) are
eligible under the requirements of these By-laws,
(2) are
students at a junior high school located in the
district which supports the senior high school,
and
(3) are
not members of a grade or junior high school team
in the same sport; and,
(c) the senior high school
principal assumes full responsibility for the
conduct of these students during all athletic
contests in which they represent the senior high
school.
Revise
By-law 4.011 to read:
A
student must attend a member school and may only
represent in interscholastic competition the
member school the student attends.
If a
student attends a private high school which does
not offer boys football as an interscholastic
activity that is offered by the public high school
in the school district in which the student
resides, then the private school student shall be
permitted to represent the public high school in
his or her home district in that activity
provided:
a)
The private school student meets the
residency requirements of 3.031, and
b)
The private school is an associate or full
member of the IHSA, and
c)
The private high school (9-12) student
enrollment is less than 175 students, and
d)
The private school is limited to no more
than five (5) students participating in boys
football at any one particular public high school,
and
e)
The private school student meets all
eligibility requirements of both the IHSA and the
public school, and
f)
Both schools involved are in compliance
with By-law 3.070 concerning
recruitment of student athletes, and
g)
The public school is willing to permit
private school students to participate
on the same basis as any public school
student.
For
purposes of this by-law, the term “attend”
shall mean that the student is enrolled at the
member school, and is taking at, or under
arrangements approved by the member school, a
minimum of twenty (20) credit hours of work for
which credit toward high school graduation will be
granted by the member school upon the student's
completing and passing the courses.
The school which enrolls the student shall
be exclusively responsible to verify the
student's compliance with all of the eligibility
requirements of all IHSA by-laws.
The
Board of Directors shall have the discretion to
waive the requirement of this by-law for the
Illinois schools for the deaf or blind.
In unit systems having a 6-3-3 or 6-4-2
type of organization, ninth grade students may
participate on senior high school athletic teams
at the member high school in the district
designated by the Board of Education, provided:
(a)
such participation is approved by the
district's superintendent of schools;
(b)
the senior high school principal shall
certify that the ninth grade students:
(1) are
eligible under the requirements of these By-laws,
(2) are
students at a junior high school located in the
district which supports the senior high school,
and
(3) are
not members of a grade or junior high school team
in the same sport; and
(c)
the senior high school principal assumes
full responsibility for the conduct of these
students during all athletic contests in which
they represent the senior high school.
This
amendment permits students enrolled in small,
private schools to participate in boys football
activities in their home public school district, but
only when the private school does not offer boys
football as an interscholastic activity and has a
student enrollment of less than 175 students.
Since
IHSA rules do not allow private schools to
establish cooperative boys football teams, it is
extremely difficult for smaller, private schools
to provide an equal opportunity for their students
to participate in boys football. Ultimately, this
amendment provides that equal opportunity for
students enrolled in a smaller-size, private
school to participate in boys football.
This
amendment does not force any public or private
school to change current policy and doesn't
give
any school an undue advantage since the private
school is limited to five (5) students allowed to
participate in boys football at any public school.
Lastly,
this amendment is consistent with the IHSA Beliefs
and Mission statement which provides for equitable
participation in interscholastic athletics and
states that each student is important, that each
member school is equal, and that fairness must
always be safeguarded.
Proposal No. 5
2003-04
Amend By-law
3.043.1 of the Constitution
Submitted
by Rev. Thomas R. von Behren, Principal,
Arlington Heights (St. Viator)
By-law
3.043.1 currently reads:
3.043.1
The
students transfers attendance in conjunction with
a change in residence by both the student and his
or her parents, custodial parent, surviving parent
(in the case of a student with one deceased
parent), or guardian from one public high school
district to a different public high school
district; or
Revise
By-law 3.043.1 to read:
3.043.1
The
students transfers attendance in conjunction with
a change in residence by both the student and his
or her parents, custodial parent, surviving parent
(in the case of a student with one deceased
parent), or guardian from one public high school attendance
area district to a different
public high school attendance area district; or
Rationale
In
a large school district, families may move, choose
to attend a private school and be penalized for
not moving far enough.
Proposal No. 6
2003-04
Add By-law
3.043.3 of the Constitution
Submitted
by Joe Schmidt, Principal, Chicago (St. Patrick)
By-law
3.043.3 currently reads:
3.043.3
The student changes attendance from a
private school or a public school with no
boundaries to a public high school located in the
school district in which the student resides full
time with his or her parents, custodial parent,
surviving parent, or guardian; the student is
enrolling for the first time in a public member
high school with boundaries; and the principals of
both of the high schools involved accept the
transfer, concurring that there is no evidence of
a) any violation or avoidance of, or noncompliance
with, any by-law, b) any recruiting in connection
with the transfer; or
Revise
By-law 3.043.3 to read:
3.043.3
The student changes attendance from a
private school or a public one
IHSA member school with no
boundaries to a public high school
to another member school in the
school district in which which is located within a 30 mile radius of his or her
residence; the student resides full
time with his or her parents, custodial parent,
surviving parent, or guardian; the student is changing
high school attendance for the first time; enrolling
for the first time in a public member high school
with boundaries; and the principals of both of
the high schools involved accept the transfer,
concurring that there is no evidence of a) any
violation or avoidance of, or noncompliance with,
any by-law, b) any recruiting in connection with
the transfer; or c) athletics is not a motivating factor for the
transfer.
Rationale
There
are numerous situations where the student may
transfer from one member school to another member
school that are not related to interscholastic
competition; situations; where a student just
needs a fresh start or social problems exist and a
change in schools is needed.
This revision establishes a more equitable
by-law and adds a provision to the transfer rules
requiring principals to consider whether athletics
is a motivating factor in the transfer.
This provision strengthens the by-law and
provides additional safeguards with regard to
athletically motivated transfers.
In addition, the suggested modification is
consistent with the membership's belief that a
transfer from one member school to another should
not be related to athletic participation.
Proposal No. 7
2003-04
Amend By-law
3.047 of the Constitution
Submitted
by Catherine Finch, Principal, Stockton, on
behalf of the IHSA Board of Directors
By-law
3.047 currently reads:
3.047
The member school to which a student
transfers shall enforce any period of
ineligibility imposed upon the student prior to
the transfer by the school from which the student
is transferring, even if the student is otherwise
eligible under these by-laws.
The period of ineligibility at the school
to which the student transfers shall be the
remaining duration of the period of ineligibility
imposed, but not longer than 365 days after the
date of the transfer, whichever is less.
Revise
By-law 3.047 to read:
3.047
The member school to which a student
transfers shall enforce any period of
ineligibility imposed or that would have been imposed upon
the student prior to the transfer by the
school from which the student is transferring,
even if the student is otherwise eligible under
these by-laws. The period of ineligibility at the school to which the
student transfers shall be the remaining duration
of the period of ineligibility imposed or that would have been imposed had the student not
transferred, but not longer than 365 days after the date of the transfer, whichever
is less.
Rationale
The
proposed modifications will strengthen the by-law
and prohibit a student who is facing sanctions at
a high school from transferring schools to avoid a
period of ineligibility.
Proposal
No. 8
2003-04
Amend By-law
3.106
Submitted
by Robert Meader, Principal, Lockport (Twp.)
By-law
3.106 currently reads:
3.106
To be eligible for a school team in a given
sport, students must cease non-school practice and
competition in that sport no later than the date
on which the school team engages in its first
interscholastic contest in that sport.
Amend
By-law 3.106 to read:
3.106
To be eligible for a school team in a given
sport, students must cease non-school practice and
competition in that sport no later than five days after the
date on which the school team engages in its first
practice
or tryout interscholastic
contest in that sport.
Rationale
The
current by-law permits students to continue
participating on non-school teams until the school
actually competes in an interscholastic contest. Depending on the activity and the school's schedule, it may
be several weeks after practice has started before
the school participates in an interscholastic
contest. During
this time period, students will be required to
practice for their high school team, and they may
also be required to practice and participate in
contests for the non-school team.
As a result, the time students devote to
athletics may increase substantially and conflicts
may develop between the school team and the
non-school team regarding practice schedules,
coaching strategies and philosophies. Finally, an athlete may be chosen for the high school team
and practice with the non-school team and then
quit the high school team to continue with the
non-school team, thus depriving other students
from being on the team and hurting the team and
school.
Proposal No. 9
2003-04
Amend By-law
3.121
Submitted
by Catherine Finch, Principal, Stockton, on
behalf of the IHSA Board of Directors
By-law
3.121 currently reads:
3.121 No student at a member school shall participate on
an all-star team in basketball, football, soccer
or volleyball during the student's high school
career; except that after completing their
interscholastic athletic eligibility in any one of
these sports, a student may participate in one (1)
all-star contest in that sport, provided the
school season for that sport has been completed,
and the contest is approved by the Board of
Directors.
Amend
By-law 3.121 to read:
3.121
No student at a member school shall
participate on an all-star team in basketball,
football, soccer or volleyball during the
student's high school career until
completing their interscholastic athletic
eligibility in that particular sport.
A student may participate in no more than
three (3) all-star contests in a sport.
Rationale
There
are many more all-star participation opportunities
now then there were just a few years ago.
There are numerous all-star events being
sponsored on a local level rather than a statewide
basis. More
students are being afforded the opportunity to
compete in all-star events, and as a result, more
students are forced to decide between
participating in more than one all-star event or
participating in a spring sport.
This amendment proposal strikes a more
realistic balance between participating in
all-star games and continued IHSA eligibility.
Proposal No. 10
2003-04
Add By-law
3.132
Submitted
by Catherine Finch, Principal, Stockton, on
behalf of the IHSA Board of Directors
Add
By-law 3.132 to read:
Only
bona fide students of a school may participate in
a practice session for any interscholastic team
sponsored by a member school.
Rationale
This
by-law amendment clearly states that only students
of the school may participate in a school's
practice sessions.
IHSA By-laws address this issue only
through Board of Directors interpretation at this
point. This By-law would clearly articulate the position that
schools may only use their own students in the
conduct of practice sessions.
In addition, the By-law would help schools
address liability issues that may arise when
individuals who are not students at the school
participate in practices.
Proposal No. 11
2003-04
Revise
By-laws 5.071 and 5.201
Submitted
by Carole Manning, Principal, Chicago (St.
Ignatius)
By-law
5.071 currently reads:
a. No school belonging
to this Association shall organize its Boys Fall
Golf teams, practice or participate in
interscholastic contests earlier than Monday of
Week 7 or later than Saturday of Week 15 in the
IHSA Standardized Calendar.
b. A member school may
conduct its first interscholastic contest in Boys
Fall Golf no earlier than Friday of Week 7 in the
IHSA Standardized Calendar.
By-law
5.201 currently reads:
a. No school belonging
to this Association shall organize its Girls Fall
Golf teams, practice or participate in
interscholastic contests earlier than Monday of
Week 7 or later than Saturday of Week 15 in the
IHSA Standardized Calendar.
b. A member school may
conduct its first interscholastic contest in Girls
Fall Golf no earlier than Friday of Week 7 in the
IHSA Standardized Calendar.
Amend
By-law 5.071 to read:
a. No school belonging
to this Association shall organize its Boys Fall
Golf teams, practice or participate in
interscholastic contests earlier than Monday of
Week 6
or later than Saturday of Week 14
in the IHSA Standardized Calendar.
b. A member school may
conduct its first interscholastic contest in Boys
Fall Golf no earlier than Friday of Week 6
in the IHSA Standardized Calendar.
Amend
By-law 5.201 to read:
a. No school belonging
to this Association shall organize its Girls Fall
Golf teams, practice or participate in
interscholastic contests earlier than Monday of
Week 6
or later than Saturday of Week 14
in the IHSA Standardized Calendar.
b. A member school may
conduct its first interscholastic contest in Girls
Fall Golf no earlier than Friday of Week 6
in the IHSA Standardized Calendar.
Rationale
Currently,
the sectional golf championships are held the
second Tuesday of October and the state
championships are conducted the following weekend. This has conflicted with the PSAT as well as other
standardized testing that is held the second
Tuesday of October throughout the state.
The makeup exam for the PSAT is held on the
same weekend that the state championships in golf
are conducted.
Changing the start of the season would
allow the sectional championships and state
championships to be held a week earlier and avoid
test conflicts such as the PSAT.
Student athletes should not have to make a
choice between golf and the test.
In addition to avoiding a conflict with the
PSAT, it is likely the weather would be better if
the championships were held a week earlier.
Proposal No. 12
2003-04
Delete
By-laws 5.041(c) and 5.181(c)
Submitted
by Dr. Dawn Snyder, Rock Island (H.S.)
By-law
5.041 currently reads:
a.
No school belonging to this Association
shall organize its Boys Basketball teams, practice
or participate in interscholastic contests earlier
than Monday of Week 19 or later than Saturday of
Week 37 in the IHSA Standardized Calendar.
b.
A member school may conduct its first
interscholastic contest in Boys Basketball no
earlier than Monday of Week 21 in the IHSA
Standardized Calendar.
c.
A member school shall not permit any team
to participate in an interscholastic Boys
Basketball contest prior to the date of its first
varsity team game.
By-law
5.181 currently reads:
a.
No school belonging to this Association
shall organize its Girls Basketball teams,
practice or participate in interscholastic
contests earlier than Monday of Week 18 or later
than Saturday of Week 37 in the IHSA Standardized
Calendar.
b.
A member school may conduct its first
interscholastic contest in Girls Basketball no
earlier than Monday of Week 20 in the IHSA
Standardized Calendar.
c.
A member school shall not permit any team
to participate in an interscholastic Girls
Basketball contest prior to the date of its first
varsity team game.
a.
No school belonging to this Association
shall organize its Boys Basketball teams, practice
or participate in interscholastic contests earlier
than Monday of Week 19 or later than Saturday of
Week 37 in the IHSA Standardized Calendar.
b.
A member school may conduct its first
interscholastic contest in Boys Basketball no
earlier than Monday of Week 21 in the IHSA
Standardized Calendar.
a.
No school belonging to this Association
shall organize its Girls Basketball teams,
practice or participate in interscholastic
contests earlier than Monday of Week 18 or later
than Saturday of Week 37 in the IHSA Standardized
Calendar.
b.
A member school may conduct its first
interscholastic contest in Girls Basketball no
earlier than Monday of Week 20 in the IHSA
Standardized Calendar.
Would provide an opportunity for non-varsity teams to participate in tournaments prior to the varsity team's first competition. No other sport mandates that varsity teams must begin participation prior to the non-varsity teams being allowed to participate.
Proposal No. 13
2003-04
Amend By-law
5.341
Submitted
by David L. Claypool, Park Ridge (Maine South)
By-law
5.341 currently reads:
a.
No school belonging to this Association
shall organize its Scholastic Bowl teams, practice
or participate in interscholastic contests earlier
than Monday of Week 8 or later than Sunday of Week
38.
Revise
By-law 5.341 to read:
a.
No school belonging to this Association
shall organize its Scholastic Bowl teams, practice
or participate in interscholastic contests earlier
than Monday of Week 8 or later than Sunday of Week
38.
b. Each school belonging
to this Association shall be limited to practicing
and participating in no more than one (1)
scholastic bowl tournament beginning the Sunday of
Week No. 38 and ending the Monday of Week No. 8.
Rationale
Would
allow a team to participate in either the Masonic
or a national tournament after the end of the
season. (1)
While limitations on extracurricular activities
are fundamentally important in educational
settings, several sports have exceptions to
participation outside of the standard calendar
(football punt-pass-catch competitions, summer
leagues for basketball and baseball, national
summer competitions in wrestling).
The limitation on academic competition, by
comparison, is absolute.
(2) Illinois is the only state that places
such a limitation on academic activity.
(3) Other non-athletic activities (music,
chess, etc.) have no such limitations placed on
them. (4)
This proposal maintains a reasonable limit on
participation by preventing unlimited competition
over the summer.
Of course, school administrators would
still have final approval on the participation of
their school.
Such an administrator could simply prevent
his/her school from competing, if he/she feels it
is in the students' and/or school's best
interest. (5)
Summer competition is a large part of the national
scholastic bowl experience.
Competition in these events allows students
with similar academic interests to meet students
from across the country and to compare
experiences.
It also serves as a wonderful motivation
for students to improve academically, especially
for intelligent students who might otherwise lack
motivation.
Proposal
No. 14
2003-04
Add By-law
5.753
Submitted
by John Martin, Official Representative,
Lincolnshire (Stevenson)
Add
By-law 5.753 to read:
No
individual shall be permitted to participate on a
member school's Competitive Cheerleading team
unless he/she is a rostered participant on the
member school's winter (basketball) sideline
cheerleading team.
Rationale
of Submitter
In
2002-03, the IHSA member schools adopted By-law
5.750 for Competitive Cheerleading.
The By-law was the result of a cooperative
effort of the IHSA staff and the Board of the
Illinois Cheerleading Coaches Association (ICCA);
however, the final proposal omitted an ICCA rule
which is integral to State competition, requiring
competitors to be actual cheerleaders and members
of cheerleading teams, not competitive gymnasts or
members of an all-star squad, and allowed for an
interpretation (#272 Q. What eligibility rules
apply to sideline cheerleaders?
A. The activity eligibility by-laws
(Section 4.000), but only if the team engages in
interscholastic competition) that effectively
negates years of progress that ICCA has made to
elevate the level and status of cheerleading.
The
current by-law allows a school to enter anyone as
a member of its competitive cheerleading squad.
As the interpretations clearly state, it
also raises competitive cheerleading to the level
of a sport, while putting sideline cheerleading in
the category of an activity.
The ICCA has made its first priority the
promotion of school spirit and cheering from
teams; competition becomes a reward for the
successful completion of this goal. Current By-law 5.750 reverses this; competition becomes the
ultimate goal, with actual cheerleading as a
lesser, unimportant activity.
The impact on school spirit programs could
be devastating.
At
the IHSA Spirit Rules Interpretation meetings this
Fall, the materials handed out to coaches included
a letter from the IHSA entitled,
“Congratulations on Being Selected as a
Cheerleader.”
That handout includes the following
statement: “A
cheerleader's job is to improve student morale,
to boost team spirit and to help your school
achieve the most worthwhile objectives in its
interscholastic program…As a cheerleader, you
have accepted a spirit leadership responsibility
for all the sports your school offers…”
The ICCA believes this to be true at games and
at competitions, and that cheerleading
competitions should be fair and equal contests
among schools and their cheerleaders.
Individual participants must be actual
cheerleaders on a cheerleading team which would
have roster limitations in a set of Terms and
Conditions like other sports.