The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors voted to extend a pair of state final contracts at the University of Illinois’ facilities in Champaign-Urbana at the Board’s regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 14.

The IHSA Football State Finals and IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals will remain at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium and Assembly Hall, respectively, through the 2014-15 school term.

The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Champaign County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Champaign County Sports Commission all worked in concert on the contract extensions and will all continue to have a role in the planning and implementation of both state finals.

“We have enjoyed a long and productive relationship with the University of Illinois and the Champaign-Urbana community,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “The University of Illinois, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Sports Commission have the staff, resources and expertise to continue to host our events in a first-class fashion just as they have done in the past, which made this decision a very easy one for our Board. We look forward to crowning our football and individual wrestling state champions in Champaign for the next five years and beyond.”

The IHSA Individual Wrestling State Finals have been housed at Assembly Hall since it opened in 1967, making it the longest active hosting streak for an IHSA sport or activity. Memorial Stadium first hosted the IHSA Football State Finals in 1999, when an NCAA playoff game conflict at Illinois State University forced a change in venue. The University of Illinois has hosted the championship football games every season since, as Memorial Stadium won the hosting bid later that school year.

Action Items

• The Board approved a recommendation to provide a delay in implementing a new NFHS Soccer Uniform Rule, which reads: “home team shall wear white or light jerseys and socks, and the visiting team shall wear dark jerseys and socks.” This rule will be effective nationally in the fall of 2012, but the IHSA will not enforce it until the fall of 2015 in order to give member schools ample time for their uniform ordering cycle.
• The Board ruled on a Breach of Contract between Member Schools per By-laws 6.040 and 6.041. Noble Street Charter will pay of penalty of bus fees, plus a $100 dollar fine to Wheaton (St. Francis) for its breach of contract from a girls soccer regional match at Ridgewood High School this season.

Approved Advisory Committee Recommendations

The Board approved the recommendations from the following Advisory Committee.

Boys & Girls Basketball

• Elimination of the Slam Dunk Competition from the boys basketball state series due to low participation numbers.

Competitive Cheerleading

• Beginning with the 2010-11 school, teams wishing to compete in the Coed Division must have at least two male students competing on their squad to be eligible.

Boys & Girls Gymnastics

• The All-Around competition at the Boys Gymnastics State Finals will be conducted on the same night as the team competition (Friday).

Boys & Girls Soccer

• In regular-season contests, if overtime or penalty kick procedures have not been agreed upon prior to the match, the contest will be ruled a tie at the conclusion of the contest if the score is tied.

Boys & Girls Swimming

• The following Sectional Qualifying Standards were adopted for advancement to the State Finals for the Boys & Girls Swimming State Finals during the 2010-11 school term:

* Indicates the use of last year's qualifying standard.

Wrestling

• Previously at the individual state finals, if two individuals who had previously wrestled in the tournament met in a walk-over match, the previous winner advanced automatically. The matches will now be wrestled regardless of the previous outcome.

News Media

• An IHSA Press Box Priority List has been developed for member schools hosting State Series contests, including football playoff contests, to help determine press box seating when applicable.

IHSA Press Box Priority List

1. Official Timer
2. Scoreboard Operator
3. Public Address Announcer
4. Public Address Spotter
5. Official Scorer (if applicable)
6. Coaches
7. Home Radio (priority given to season-long coverage or # of games covered, 2 individuals per station unless space allows for more)
8. Visitor radio (priority given to season-long coverage or # of games covered) 2 individuals per station unless space allows for more)
9. Other radio (2 individuals per station unless space allows for more)
10. Print Media
11. VIPs, fans, boosters, parents, etc.

• The IHSA will begin conducting official press conferences with the losing team following the championship games at the IHSA Boys and Girls Basketball State Finals. Following the press conference, an IHSA official will make any coaches or players from the winning team available for interviews if they are no longer on the floor.

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 June 13, 2010, agenda:

1. The Executive Director provided the Board with an update on the NFHS Summer Meeting, which will be held in San Diego, California from July 6-10, 2010.
2. The Executive Director provided the Board with an update on tournament expenses and revenue for the 2009-10 school term.
3. Associate Executive Director Kurt Gibson provided the Board with an update on the implementation of the IHSA Performance Enhancing Drug Testing Program for the 2010-11 school term.
4. Associate Executive Director Kurt Gibson provided the Board with an update on the NFHS new concussion education initiatives.