The IHSA Board of Directors met for their March meeting via a video conference call on Thursday, March 19, 2020. The meeting was originally scheduled for Saturday, March 21 in conjunction with the IHSA Boys Basketball State Finals in Peoria but was rescheduled after the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic concerns. During the video conference call, the IHSA Board passed one action item and heard three appeals.

ACTION
1. The Board approved a recommendation from the Sports Medicine Advisory to amend the Football Player Limitation Policy. The changes allow for players to participate in two games in a day or in two games on consecutive days, but still caps their overall participation between the two contests. See updated policy by clicking here.
IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson:
“I continue to appreciate the working relationship between our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and our football coaches in the state. They have been able to work together on several tweaks to this policy that maximize player safety, while also optimally allowing our coaches to prep their players for competition. These slight changes approved by the Board today continue to positively build on that partnership.”  

2. The Board voted on the State Series dates for Baseball and Softball, but there was no majority support to change the dates. As a result, there will be no change to the Baseball and Softball State Series dates in 2021. In January, the IHSA member schools voted to begin and end the baseball and softball season limitations one week later beginning in 2021. In response, the Board was asked to consider whether the State Series dates would also move a week later or remain the same.  


APPEALS & HEARINGS
1. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Chicago (University). The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.040 and its sub-sections.

2. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Hoffman Estates (H.S.).  The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.040 and its sub-sections.

3. The Board modified the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Rock Island (H.S.). The student was initially ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-laws 3.030 and 3.040 but is now eligible immediately.


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 March 21, 2020, agenda:

1. The Board discussed the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on IHSA sports and activities, and how that could potentially impact spring state tournaments.

2. The Board heard an update from the Classification Task Force, and discussed the future of the Success Formula, as well as if petitioning to play up in classification should continue to be an option.