IHSAA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Indianapolis, Ind.
Thursday, January 21, 2010

PRESENT
Chairperson Paul Neidig, Steve Cox, Phil DeLong, Nathan Dean, Jim Diagostino, Robert Faulkens, Phil Ford, Tim Grove, Ken Howell, Jed Jerrels, Pam Noble, Geoff Penrod, Janis Qualizza, Joe Santa, Debb Stevens, Mike Whitten, Executive Committee Member elect Monica Maxwell, Commissioner Blake Ress, Assistant Commissioners Bobby Cox, Sandy Searcy, Theresia Wynns, Communications Director Chris Kaufman, Sports Information Director Jason Wille, Intern David Rusk and Attorney Bob Baker.

MINUTES
The minutes of the December 17, 2009 meeting were recommended for approval.  A motion for approval was made by Tim Grove; seconded by Jed Jerrels; motion passed 16-0.

2009-10 BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS
In Assistant Commissioner Gardner’s absence, Commissioner Ress presented a list of 484 basketball officials who have applied to work the 2009-10 Boys Basketball Tournament Series.  The basketball tournament series will require 384 officials to conduct the sectional.       

2009-10 WRESTLING TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS
Assistant Commissioner Cox presented a list of wrestling officials who have applied to work the 2009-10 Wrestling Tournament Series.  Mr. Cox indicated that 128 officials are needed at the sectional level. 

2009-10 SWIMMING & DIVING TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS
Assistant Commissioner Searcy provided a list of possible starters who have applied for the 2009-10 Swimming & Diving Tournament Series.  The swimming and diving tournament series require 40 officials at the sectional level for each gender.    

2009-10 GYMNASTICS TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS
Assistant Commissioner Searcy presented a list of 2009-10 licensed gymnastics judges.  The tournament series calls for 64 officials to conduct the eight sectionals.  IHSAA records show that 154 judges are currently licensed. 

TRANSFERS
In Assistant Commissioner Gardner’s absence, Commissioner Ress reported on transfers that have been ruled upon during the 2009-10 school year.  This report included the following actions as of December 31, 2009:

Full Eligibility 2,452
Limited Eligibility 244
Ineligible 12
Total 2,708

 

SPORTSMANSHIP
Assistant Commissioner Wynns reported on the unsporting behavior reports received by the Association as of January 19, 2010.  The total number of unsporting behavior reports received at this time is 421.  The Association will recognize ­­­­­member schools that are recipients of the 2008-09 IHSAA Sportsmanship Award.  Banner presentations will be made to schools winning the award for the first time.  A list of member schools receiving the award will be announced at a later date. 

FINANCIAL REPORTS
Assistant Commissioner Cox submitted the football financial report for 2009-10.  Attendance at the sectional decreased due to inclement weather.  However, attendance at the regional and semi-state levels was markedly increased.  The Football State Championship attendance was the third highest in the history of the tournament.  As a result, the football state tournament series net proved to be the highest in the tournament’s history.  Commissioner Ress presented the Fall Financial Report.  Attendance figures were 1.4% lower than the previous year.  The overall decrease in attendance reflected a 5.6% decrease in net profit over last year’s figures.

LITIGATION REPORT
Attorney Robert Baker updated the Executive Committee on the current status of pending litigation against the Association.

REPORT ON NATIONAL FEDERATION’S WINTER MEETING
Commissioner Ress reported on the National Federation’s Winter Meeting.  Among the topics discussed were: (a) report on concussions, (b) NFHS National Championships, and (c) Officials education as it relates to ArbiterSports.

OFFICIALS EDUCATION, NFHS AND ARBITER SPORTS
Commissioner Ress reported on the National Federation’s plans to incorporate Arbiter as a part of the official’s education program.  This relationship would necessitate a $5.00 increase in the fees per official that the NFHS charges state associations whose officials are a part of the NFOA.  The IHSAA has not yet decided whether to continue paying NFOA membership fees.  

DISTRICT I AND III MEDIA AWARDS
Sport Information Director Wille reported on the District I and III IHSAA Media Awards.

District I
A mainstay behind the microphone in Kosciusko County for nearly two decades, Roger Grossman has been selected as this year’s winner of the IHSAA Distinguished Media Service Award in District I.  Grossman currently serves as Program Director for ESPN 1480 in Warsaw, and serves as News Director and Production Manager for all three radio stations in the Lake City Radio stable (107.3 WRSW and Willie 103.5).  Grossman is in his 19th season broadcasting high school sports at WRSW. He started as a color commentator for Warsaw Tiger Football in 1991 and then began to assist Indiana Basketball and Indiana Broadcast Hall-of-Fame member Rita Price with area basketball broadcasts.  The 41-year-old Grossman became the Voice of Warsaw Tiger Sports in 2002 and leads the broadcast for football, boys’ basketball and girls’ basketball. Additionally, WRSW has originated a radio broadcast from the IHSAA Girls Basketball State Finals every year since the tournament’s inception in 1976 and has covered local high school sports since the station first signed on in 1948. 
District III
A legendary voice in Gibson County sports, Richard Lankford of Princeton’s WRAY Radio, will be honored Friday night as this year’s recipient of the IHSAA Distinguished Media Service Award for District III.  Lankford is the retired owner of WRAY Radio and has spent his entire 57-year broadcasting career with the station calling high school basketball, football and baseball games. He began describing the action to listeners in 1953, broadcast his first high school state finals at the legendary 1954 finals at Hinkle Fieldhouse, and estimates he’s broadcast over 4,000 games covering Princeton High School, Gibson County teams and southern Indiana sports in general.  He has been decorated numerous times over the years not only for his work over the airwaves, but in service to his country and within various community organizations. 

PENALTIES ASSESSED
Greencastle High School – (Boys’ swimmer participated in a meet without ten separate days of practice.)  Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 50-1.
1.     The Greencastle High School boys’ swimming and diving program is issued a warning.
2.     Coach Luke Beasley is reprimanded for allowing this violation to occur. 
3.     In accordance with Rule 3-9, the schools against which this ineligible athlete competed shall be notified of this rule violation, and the meet scores shall be recalculated after forfeiting the final placing and points earned by the ineligible competitor.

Griffith High School – (Two boys’ swimmers participated in 2 meets without completed physical form being turned in.)  Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 3-10.
1.     The Griffith High School boys’ swimming and diving program is issued a warning. 
2.     Coach Sam Fies is reprimanded for allowing this violation to occur.  This is a health and safety issue and it is absolutely imperative that “Consent & Release Certificates” be on file for all student athletes prior to their participation in a practice.
3.     In accordance with Rule 3-9, the meet scores shall be recalculated after forfeiting the finishing places of the ineligible swimmers and all schools against whom these ineligible athletes participated shall be notified of this violation and the recalculated meet scores.

Highland High School – Rule 15-1.1c (Wrestler participated in two non-school sponsored events without waiver.)  Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 3-10.
1.     The Highland High School wrestling program is issued a warning. 
2.     As a result of this rule violation, the IHSAA understands that the student athlete who participated in these non-school tournaments was suspended from participating in the Lake County Wrestling Tournament on January 11.

Irvington Preparatory Academy – (Boys’ basketball player with no remaining eligibility participated in two varsity games.)  Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 12-2.
1.     The Irvington Preparatory Academy boys’ basketball program is issued a warning.  
2.     The student athlete involved in this violation shall be suspended and declared ineligible for further competition.
3.     In accordance with Rule 3-9, Irvington Preparatory Academy shall notify the schools against which this ineligible student athlete competed of this violation and if Irvington Preparatory Academy was victorious the game shall be forfeited.

Madison High School – (Freshman boys’ basketball coach conducted a team practice on a Sunday.)  Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 9-13.
1.     The Madison Consolidated High School boys’ basketball program is issued a warning.  
2.     Freshman Coach John Hahn is severely reprimanded for causing this violation to occur.  The IHSAA accepts and supports as an appropriate penalty, the suspension of Coach Hahn for the December 21st game versus Jennings County High School.
3.     Due to the suspension of the coach involved in this violation, the student athletes will not be penalized.

Perry Central High School – (Girls’ basketball player participated in 5 junior varsity games without transfer being approved.)  Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 19-3.
1.     The Perry Central High School girls’ basketball program is issued a warning. 
2.     It is absolutely mandatory that the “IHSAA Athletic Transfer Report” be submitted and acted upon by the Association prior to a student athlete being allowed to participate in a contest at their new school.
3.     In accordance with Rule 3-9, the schools against which this ineligible student athlete participated shall be notified of this violation and the games shall be forfeited if Perry Central was victorious.

Southport High School – (Boys’ basketball player participated in two junior varsity and one varsity game without transfer being approved.)  Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 19-3.
1.     The Southport High School basketball program is issued a warning
2.     It is absolutely mandatory that the “IHSAA Athletic Transfer Report” be submitted and acted upon by the Association prior to a student athlete being allowed to participate in a contest at their new school.
3.     In accordance with Rule 3-9 of the IHSAA By-Laws, the schools against whom this ineligible student athlete participated must be notified of this rules violation and the games shall be forfeited if Southport High School was victorious.

Waldron High School – (Boys’ basketball coach gave cash gift awards to varsity and Junior varsity players.Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 5-2.
1.     The Waldron High School boys’ basketball program is issued a warning. 
2.     Coach Joe Nidey is severely reprimanded for causing this violation.
3.     The IHSAA accepts and supports the suspension of Coach Joe Nidey as an appropriate response to this violation.  Due to the suspension of Coach Nidey, the players involved may be reinstated as soon as they return the money they received.

Warsaw High School – (Alumnus practiced with the wrestling team on one occasion.)  Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 15-1.1d.
1.     The Warsaw High School wrestling program is issued a warning.  
2.     Coach Justin Smith is reprimanded for allowing this violation to occur. 

Yorktown High School – (Wrestler participated in six junior varsity matches without transfer being approved.)  Commissioner Ress reported the following action as a result of a violation of Rule 19-3.
1.     The Yorktown High School wrestling program is issued a warning. 
2.     It is absolutely mandatory that the “IHSAA Athletic Transfer Report” be submitted and acted upon by the Association prior to a student athlete being allowed to participate in a contest at their new school.
3.     The student athlete involved in this violation shall be suspended and declared ineligible for further competition until his transfer is approved by the IHSAA.
4.     In accordance with Rule 3-9 of the IHSAA By-Laws, the schools which this ineligible athlete competed against shall be notified of this violation.  Additionally, the meet scores shall be recalculated after forfeiting the ineligible athlete’s matches.

ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
1.     Distribution of 2008-09 Sportsmanship Banners – Theresia Wynns
2.     Indiana Legislature and House Bill #1168 – Blake Ress
3.     Television Contract Negotiations for 2010-11 and beyond – Blake Ress and Chris Kaufman
4.     Proposed Dates for Spring Area Principal Meetings – Blake Ress
5.     For the Good of the Order

A motion to adjourn the January meeting of the IHSAA Executive Committee was made by Joe Santa; seconded by Jim Diagostino; motion passed 16-0.  The next meeting of the Executive Committee will be at IHSAA headquarters at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, February 19, 2010.