The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met for their regularly scheduled meeting at the IHSA office in Bloomington on Monday, September 16, 2013, where the Board heard an update on the upcoming IHSA Student Leadership Conference.
The IHSA Student Leadership Conference will be held on Monday, September 30, 2013 at the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria. Schools can register students to attend by accessing the registration form online in the IHSA Schools Center. There is no fee to attend the conference.
“We are closing in on our registration cap of 650 attendees,” said IHSA Assistant Executive Director Beth Sauser. “We encourage interested students to talk with an administrator at their school to sign up immediately. This conference is open to all students, regardless of year in school or if they participate in IHSA sports or activities. We do hope schools will identify leaders who are freshmen, sophomores or juniors in their buildings who can use this experience to impact their school and classmates over the next few years.”
The conference will center around three key themes: Leadership, Sportsmanship and Communication. Attendees will attend breakout sessions on each theme throughout the day with members of the IHSA Student Advisory Committee (SAC) and other students leading the sessions.
“We received great feedback from our conference two years ago to help tailor this year’s program,” said Sauser. “One of the overwhelming responses was that having students serve as moderators allowed the attendees to open up and communicate more freely. Another was that the kids loved Harvey Alston.”
Alston, the nationally renowned motivational speaker, will kick off the conference as the keynote speaker and also close out the afternoon. Alston served in the same role at the IHSA’s 2011 Leadership Conference.
“This conference is geared for students, but it will also have something to offer the adults in attendance,” said Sauser. “Attendance by the students would not be possible without the dedication of the adults who are willing to chaperon and provide transportation. We wanted to offer them a professional development opportunity as well.”
Three sessions will be available for adult attendees, including a session with Alston and a sportsmanship roundtable led by the IHSA Sportsmanship Advisory Committee. Finally, the adult attendees will have a chance to brainstorm and share ideas in small groups with other individuals in attendance who share the same responsibilities at their schools.
The 2013 Leadership Conference will be the third conducted by the IHSA. The first was held at Central Catholic High School in Bloomington in 2009 and the Peoria Civic Center hosted the second conference in 2011.
ACTION ITEMS
1. The Board approved a recommendation that the IHSA Class 2A & Class 3A Boys Soccer State Finals be held at Hoffman Estates High School on November 8-9, 2013. The change from the scheduled host, Lincoln-Way North High School, was necessitated by a potential schedule conflict.
IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman:
“We appreciate Hoffman Estates willingness to host this event and have no doubt they will put on a first-class event. Hoffman Estates currently hosts our Boys Volleyball State Finals, as well as a number of other State Series events, and are well-versed in hosting prestigious events. Lincoln-Way North has been an excellent host and we appreciate the time and resources that the high school and district have put into this undertaking over the past two years.”
2. The Board approved a recommendation that the IHSA Boys Gymnastics State Finals be held at Hinsdale Central High School on May 16-17, 2014.
IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman:
“Hinsdale Central will do a tremendous job as the Boys Gymnastics State Final host and we look forward to ushering in a new era for the state tourney. Lincoln-Way East did a wonderful job hosting this state final event the past five years and truly set a high standard for the future. They have proven to be a school and district that pull out all the stops to give student-athletes a memorable experience.”
3. The Board approved a recommendation to approve an interpretation of IHSA By-law 3.043.3 b “Extenuating Circumstances Documented by the Sending School.” The new interpretation will read:
“
Q: Is removal from a school for disciplinary reasons an extenuating circumstance per IHSA By-law 3.043.3 b?
A: No.”
ELIGIBILITY RULINGS
1. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Normal (University). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA by-law 3.040.
2. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Burbank (St. Laurence). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA by-law 3.041.
3. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Palatine (H.S.). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA by-law 3.031.1.
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 September 16, 2013, agenda:
1. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the proposals that have been submitted thus far by member schools for the upcoming legislative process. The deadline for schools to submit proposals is October 15.
2. The Board heard a report from Assistant Executive Director Matt Troha on the promotional materials being distributed to member schools for October’s NFHS National High School Activities Month.
3. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the schools who currently are participating up a class due to waiver requests. All school’s requesting waivers must do so for a two-year period.
School, Sport, Current Class, Waiver Period
Chicago (St. Rita), Boys Basketball, 4A, 2013-14 & 2014-15
Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South), Girls Volleyball, 4A, 2013-14 & 2014-15
Lisle (Benet Academy), Competitive Cheerleading, Large, 2012-13 & 2013-14
4. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director regarding the IHSA’s involvement in the upcoming Illinois Principals Association Conference, which will be held in Peoria from October 20-22.
5. The Board heard a report from Associate Executive Director Kurt Gibson and Assistant Executive Director Craig Anderson on a committee that has been formed based on a Board recommendation from the June 2013 meeting. The committee will review the classification process and explore the idea of a tradition factor being used to help determine postseason classifications.
The committee met on September 10 for an introductory meeting and will meet throughout the school year. The committee consists of Brian Brooks, Principal, St. Joseph-Ogden; Jim Dunnan, Principal, Washington; Pat Elder, Athletic Director/Football Coach, Richmond-Burton; Jeff Faulkenberg, Athletic Director, Triad; Mark Grounds, Football coach, Jacksonville; Mark Kuehl, Principal, Lena-Winslow; Becky Moran, Athletic Director, Zion-Benton; Randy Moss, Athletic Director, Monticello; Mike Pappocia, Athletic Director/Football Coach, Newman Central Catholic; Jim Prunty, Athletic Director, St. Ignatius; Jim Quaid, Principal, Gordon Tech; Eric Regez, Baseball Coach, Herscher; David Ribbens, Athletic Director, Chicago University; Ken Turner, Football Coach, Althoff Catholic; Lisa Wunar, Athletic Director, Hillcrest.
6. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director that the IHSA will host its annual New Principals Workshop on October 9.
7. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director that the IHSA will host the NHFS Section 4 (MI, IN, IA, WI) meeting in Chicago on September 19 and 20.
8. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the upcoming IHSA Board of Directors elections. Nominations closed on October 15 and voting for the open Board seats in Division 1 and 3, as well as for the underrepresented minority seat, run from September 20 to October 1.
9. The Board heard a report from Assistant Executive Director Craig Anderson on the IHSA’s Football Best Practices, an educational webpage being developed by the IHSA that highlights optimal safety standards for football players and coaches.