The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met at its regularly scheduled meeting at the IHSA office in Bloomington on Monday, August 25, 2014, where the Board voted to set deadlines for coaches and administrators to complete the IHSA concussion education course, which became mandatory as a part of a new state law earlier this month.
“The new state law requires all coaches and administrators to complete this course,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “However, without a deadline in place, a fall sport coach could realistically wait and complete it in the winter or the spring. Our Board thought it made sense to prevent that scenario from occurring.”
In addition, the Board added restrictions that would prevent a coach from coaching until they have completed the course.
The deadline for completing the course will be the first allowable practice date for each sport season. Because of the timing of the law, an extension until September 15 has been granted for fall coaches in 2014.
“Over 10,000 coaches and administrators have completed the course already,” said Hickman. “That includes about 90 percent of the football coaches in the state and 80 percent of all fall sport coaches. We appreciate our member schools complying with this law in a timely manner, just as we commend the medical professionals who helped prepare the education and test.”
ACTION ITEMS
1. The Board approved a recommendation to add language to the Boys Volleyball Terms & Conditions regarding State Series contests scheduled for Memorial Day. The Terms & Conditions now read (new language in italics):
“Regional preliminary matches shall begin on Monday, May 25, 2015. Regional semifinals shall be held on Tuesday, May26, 2015. The regional finals shall be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2015.
In years when the regional preliminary matches fall on Memorial Day Monday, hosts have the option to play their preliminary matches on Saturday prior to Memorial Day Monday and continue with semifinal matches on Tuesday as originally scheduled.”
2. The Board approved a recommendation to form a partnership with MaxPreps (
www.MaxPreps.com). MaxPreps and the IHSA’s will partner in the collection of IHSA football schedules and scores during the regular-season and playoffs.
IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman:
“We look forward to utilizing MaxPreps’ technological expertise, along with the relationships they already have with many of our schools, to help increase the accuracy and speed in which we collect football scores. This remains a vital process in football, which is the lone IHSA sport that requires postseason qualification. One of the requests that we often receive is tracking regular-season scores, schedules, rosters and stats for other sports as well. We hope our partnership encourages other sports to take advantage of MaxPreps’ free services to help promote their programs and the accomplishments of their student-athletes.”
3. The Board approved the IHSA’s Personnel Policies for the 2014-15 school year.
APPEALS & ELIGIBILITY RULINGS
1. The Board granted a waiver of IHSA By-law 3.021 and 3.022 for Weekly and Semester Eligibility (Article 1.420) for Berwyn-Cicero (Morton) and Chicago Heights (Bloom Twp.) The waiver allows a student to be eligible with only 20 credit hours (four classes) per semester and on a weekly basis because of the school’s class schedules.
2. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on four students from Rockford (Boylan). The students were ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.043.3.
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 August 25, 2014, agenda:
1. The Board heard a report from Assistant Executive Director Craig Anderson on the 2014 IHSA Officials Conference. The Conference was held in East Peoria on July 18-19.
2. The Board heard a report from Assistant Executive Director Matt Troha on the 2014-15 IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award winners. The second class of honorees will be announced next week.
3. The Board heard a report from Coordinator of Special Programs Kayode Adegoke on the 2014 IHSA All-School Mailing.