The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors approved the Terms & Conditions for Boys & Girls Bowling and Boys Swimming as a part of the IHSA Programs for Athletes with Disabilities at its regularly scheduled meeting at the IHSA office in Bloomington on Monday, December 10, 2012.

The IHSA Programs for Athletes with Disabilities are currently in their inaugural school year and include Boys & Girls Cross Country, Boys & Girls Bowling, Boys & Girls Swimming and Boys & Girls Track & Field.

“We are pleased to be able to offer these additional opportunities, while also helping create awareness,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “After a terrific start to the IHSA Programs for Athletes with Disabilities at girls swimming this fall, we look forward to a similar result in boys swimming, as well as expanding into bowling.”

The Cross Country events did not have any entries this year, so the program officially debuted at the Girls Swimming Sectionals and State Finals in November, where seven competitors from seven different schools participated in four events.

The IHSA Programs for Athletes with Disabilities are designed to mirror the Association’s other programs in terms of entry, advancement and awards.


APPEALS & ELIGIBILITY RULINGS
1. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Ottawa (Marquette). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.040.

2. The Board modified the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Arlington Heights (St. Viator). The student was initially ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.040. The student is now immediately eligible to participate.

3. The Board overturned the Executive Director’s ruling on four students from Mooseheart. The students were ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-laws 3.040. Click here for more on Board Ruling


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 December 10, 2012, agenda:

1. The Executive Director provided a report to the Board on the 2012 Town Hall Meeting Attendance and key discussion items from the various meetings.

2. The Executive Director provided a report to the Board on the action taken by the Legislative Commission at its second meeting on December 3. The Commissioner voted to move 11 of the 24 proposals forward to the all-school ballot. Each member school can cast its vote online between December 6 and January 7. Click here for a list of the 11 proposals that were moved forward to the all-school ballot

3. The Board heard a presentation from Antioch High School Athletic Director Steve Schoenfelder and Lake Villa (Lakes) Athletic Director Troy Parola on a proposal regarding Guidelines for Seeding Bracketed Team Sports.

4. The Board heard a presentation from Palos Heights (Chicago Christian) Athletic Director Eric Brauer on a proposal to increase tennis from one class to two classes.