January 4, 2007
All six proposals on the ballot in the annual Illinois High School Association (IHSA) member school referendum were approved in voting by the membership. The online ballots were tabulated and certified in the IHSA Office Thursday (Jan. 4).
By a vote of 428-9, the membership approved a proposal to add bylaws 2.170, 2.171, and 2.172 prohibiting coaches, administrators, school employees, and booster club members from selling, distributing, or promoting the use of anabolic steroids or performance-enhancing dietary supplements to students.
The membership approved two amendments to the amateurism bylaws. By a vote of 368-66, schools changed by-law 3.081 to allow a student to accept a ring or other memento worth up to $200 for winning an IHSA state championship or participating on an IHSA state championship team. Contributions from businesses, booster clubs, and other organizations toward the purchase of championship rings or mementos must be made to the school. A change to bylaw 3.082, approved by a 414-18 margin, raises the limit of the value of an award that a student may accept for participation in an athletic contest, or for athletic honors or recognition, from $20 to $75.
Schools voted 388-44 to alter bylaw 3.101 concerning participation on independent teams. The change gives the Executive Director the ability to grant exceptions for participation in non-school events run not only by a sport's National Governing Body, but also its official Illinois affiliate.
Finally, member schools approved changes to the seasons of four different sports. By a vote of 341-85, bylaws 5.142 and 5.262 were amended to increase the number of dates on which a boys or girls tennis team or individual may compete from 18 to 20. This proposal takes effect on February 4, 2007 and so will be in place for the upcoming boys tennis season. And by a vote of 330-95, bylaws 5.111 and 5.321 were amended to provide for earlier starts for soccer practice and the soccer season for both boys and girls. The first date of boys soccer practice will move up five days to Wednesday of Week 6 on the standardized calendar, while the first contest date will move up four days to Monday of Week 8. The first practice for girls will move up seven days to Monday of Week 35, and the first contest will move up seven days to Monday of Week 37.
The complete listing of all 16 original proposals can be found by clicking here. Except for the tennis proposal, all bylaw amendments take effect July 1, 2007.
A total of 438 of 764 member schools (57.3%) participated in the amendment vote.