IHSA Announcements

August 9, 2001

IHSA Team Academic Award

The Illinois High School Association is proud to introduce the IHSA Team Academic Achievement Award. This program, initially introduced by Riverside-Brookfield High School, is designed to reward teamwork not only in competition, but in the classroom as well. This award will recognize those teams that maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher throughout their respective season. Included with this letter is the Team Award, a 13" high x 10½" wide walnut finished plaque, along with 15 individual plates with adhesive backing to be placed on the plaque. The plaque comes with words of inspiration printed in the columns where the team plates will go. We encourage you to hang the plaque in your school trophy case or high traffic area immediately and not wait until after the first season. Those words were intentionally placed there to make the plaque more attractive and as motivation to team members.

How will the program work?

When one of your qualifying teams achieves a 3.0 grade point average for their entire season, a representative at your school will simply have the sport and year engraved on the plate and attached to the plaque. A seasonal report will be submitted to the IHSA informing the IHSA on the number of teams recognized during each season.

Who may participate?

IHSA Member School's whose varsity teams/groups achieve a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher (Non-Weighted) collectively.

Teams that cooperatively sponsor an activity must include GPA's of each participating school's varsity team members.

This is a Varsity Team Award; the team/group grade averages must include EVERY member of the official varsity team. If the varsity team includes students in grades nine through twelve, their grades must be included in the team average. Team Managers are NOT to be included. For those sports/activities without a varsity designation, the team entered for the IHSA State Series qualifies.

What are the Guidelines for Selection?

The grade point average for all varsity teams must be computed on a Non-Weighted 4.0 system (A= 4, B =3, C=2, D=1).

The grade point average of sports such as Baseball, Basketball, Football, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball, must include EVERY member of the team that enters the first level of state qualifying competition.

While every member of the official varsity team must be included, there are also a minimum number of students that must be on the team to qualify for this award. In the sports/activities where individual and team honors are available the board of directors has determined that the following minimum number of students must be included to be eligible for this award.

Chess = 6
Cross Country = 7
Debate = 5
Golf = 6
Girls Gymnastics = 10
Boys Gymnastics = 15
Scholastic Bowl = 10
Speech Individual Events = 7
Swimming & Diving = 9
Tennis = 6
Track & Field = 14

How will the reporting work?

Forms will be online at the IHSA website www.ihsa.org and available for submission after each of the three Sports/Activities Seasons (fall, winter, spring). The roster, including all varsity team members will be submitted with each individual members' GPA and the team total GPA. The Principal from each school will need to verify that the information submitted is accurate.

Eligible teams/groups will submit application for recognition to the IHSA according to the following schedule:

First and Second Quarter Grades:	All Fall Sports/Activities Submit By January 15^th
Second and Third Quarter Grades:	All Winter Sports/Activities Submit By April 15
Third and Fourth Quarter Grades:	All Spring Sports/Activities Submit By June 30

NOTE: Sports/Activities that overlap two quarters need to include the grade point average for both of those quarters.

Example: Volleyball season ends on November 15, the second grading period began on November 1. Because the season was ongoing into the start of the second grading period the team must maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the second grading period as well to qualify for this award.

Schools that have block scheduling or semester only grades, or anything that does not coincide with the designated dates, will simply submit their grades after the grading period in which the sports/activities where active.

Awards:

The IHSA will provide the first plaque and plates to each member school, once the first plaque is full the member school will be responsible for ordering and purchasing additional plaques and plates through the IHSA Awards provider.

Recognition:

The IHSA will maintain records of the schools and teams honored. Such information will be included on the IHSA web page, in subsequent State Tournament programs, and in respective tournament announcements and publications.

If you have questions or need further information, please contact Anthony Holman, Assistant Executive Director at 309-663-6377.