June 16, 2003
Assistant Executive Director James P. Flynn informed the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors at its regular meeting Monday (June 16) that he would retire effective July 1, 2004. By that time, he will have served the Association for 31 years.
Flynn joined the IHSA administrative staff Sept. 1, 1973. Only recently retired colleague Dave Fry (35 years) worked longer as a member of the IHSA administrative staff. During his career in the IHSA Office, the Galesburg native has worn many hats. When the IHSA brought Flynn to its staff, he was the first state association administrator responsible primarily for sports information, public relations and marketing. Flynn developed information systems and marketing strategies that are now commonplace in state association offices across America.
"For three decades Jim has provided a tremendous service to IHSA member schools," said Executive Director Marty Hickman. "While many state associations have followed the IHSA's lead and employed media directors, few have had the good fortune to secure the long-term services of a dedicated and innovative person like Jim Flynn. In our business, Jim is a true pioneer and has earned the respect of people across Illinois and the country."
The Board authorized the Executive Director to begin the process to fill a position on the IHSA administrative staff. Information about the job description and the process may be obtained by contacting the Executive Director, IHSA Office, 2715 McGraw Dr., Bloomington, IL 61702-2715.
Just about everyone connected with Illinois high school sports knows Jim, and he's been a fixture for so long that it's hard to imagine IHSA without him. Around the office, where Jim is affectionately known as one of the world's fastest, and loudest, two-finger typists, his enthusiasm and dedication will be very hard to replace.
Flynn currently is in charge of boys/girls cross country, track and field, and is a rules interpreter in the sport. In addition, he oversees numerous special events, including the popular March Madness Experience, the boys/girls Basketball Happening (three-point shooting and slam dunk) contests, and the Spring Spectacular held in conjunction with the state track and field meets. Other responsibilities include awards, sanctions, media relations, marketing and sponsorships. Flynn also has been administrator for boys baseball and girls softball, and has over the years been assistant administrator in football, boys and girls basketball, wrestling and girls volleyball.
In his early years in the IHSA Office, Flynn was responsible for printing, publications, programs and merchandise. He was the editor for Jim Enright's book "March Madness: The Story of High School Basketball in Illinois" published in 1977. Flynn wrote the script and helped edit "March Madness: The Official Video History of the IHSA Basketball Tournament" in 1989. He organized and administered the IHSA Sports Report Radio Network that ran 44 weeks during the school year on an average of 90 radio stations from the fall of 1980 through June of 2001. He launched and administered the IHSA Pack The Place program. He developed the concept of the March Madness Experience and has been responsible for its operation since its inception in 1996. In 1996, Jim was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Add A. Tude, the IHSA sportsmanship mascot, and the nation's first of its kind, was created by Flynn and members of the Katherine Beich Candy Company staff in the summer of 1997. Even the state cross country meet has taken on some extra flair, with parachutists landing in the middle of the course to start the opening ceremonies and the "Fence of Fame" that is the backdrop for the starting line.
Jim graduated from Griffin High School, Springfield, in 1962, and earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Illinois in 1966. While attending the University of Illinois, he served as a student assistant in the Athletic Publicity Office and covered Fighting Illini athletics as a special correspondent for many midwestern newspapers.
Flynn was assistant sports editor and assistant managing editor at the Daily Dispatch, Moline, for three years before becoming a sports writer and columnist for the State Journal-Register, Springfield, in 1969. From 1970 until joining the IHSA staff, he was assistant director of sports information at the University of Illinois, where he was responsible for editing the Fighting Illini football and basketball programs, and helped to handle publicity, public relations and promotion for the school's athletic teams, and related organizations.
Flynn served on the initial Records Committee of the National Federation of State High School Association. His term expired in 1982. He was a member of the National Federation Telecommunications Committee and served as its chairman. He is a recipient of the National Federation Citation (1978), awarded to individuals who have provided leadership on a national level. Flynn co-authored the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Game Plan for Sports Marketing and Promotion published in 1991. He has been a presenter at numerous National Federation Summer Conference and NIAAA Annual Conference workshops and panels.
Girls State Golf Tournament Site Set
Stone Creek Golf Course in Makanda will be the site for the 2003 Girls State Final Golf Tournament Friday-Saturday October 17-18. It also will be the site of the 2004 and 2005 state finals. Host schools for the event will be Carbondale High School and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Vicky King, athletic director at Carbondale, and Diane Daugherty, head women's coach at SIU-C, will share management duties for the event.
Stone Creek is a public, 18-hole golf course with four sets of tees and watered fairways. Yardage ranges from 5,402 to 6,875. The facility has two driving ranges located by a new clubhouse facility.
The girls state series began in 1975 and had been played at courses in Bloomington-Normal every year since.
Other Action
The Board also took the following action Monday:
Classification Policy - The Board approved a change in the Classification Policy that will require each member school to submit a copy of its ISBE September 30 Fall Housing Report to the IHSA Office by Oct. 30 each year. This will allow the IHSA Office opportunity to determine classification of schools for the ensuing school term in the fall, rather than late in the spring as has been the case in recent years. The enrollment figures submitted by each member school in the fall will be confirmed from the ISBE reports that are produced in late spring.
Board Position - The Board appointed Catherine Finch, formerly at Winnebago and now principal at Stockton, to the At Large position on the Board she formerly held. Finch was principal at Winnebago and was elected in 2001 to the seat for the under-represented gender. She resigned from the Board of Directors April 29. Since then she has become principal at Stockton, which is in the same Board of Directors geographic division as Winnebago, thus allowing her to be appointed to the position she left.
Grouping and Seeding Policy - The Board approved a change that provides for designation of sub-sectionals within a sectional complex when excess travel is a factor even if there are less than 24 schools assigned to the sectional.
State Series Breach of Contract - The Board approved a penalty fee policy for schools that were in breach of contract in the IHSA State Series during the 2002-03 (current) school year. Schools that entered a respective state series, that did not show at any level to participate, will be charged the officials fees and the host school allowance provided for in the Terms and Conditions. The Board expanded this policy beginning next school year to include a fine of $100 in addition to paying for official's fees and the hosting allowance stipulated in the Terms and Conditions for the respective sport.
Legislative Commission Vacancy - The Board appointed Melver Scott, principal of Chicago (Crane), to serve on the Legislative Commission replacing Donald Pittman, who no longer is principal at Chicago (Marshall).
Advisory Committee Recommendations
The Board acted on recommendations from 12 Advisory Committees at its regular meeting Monday.
"Our advisory committees meet on an annual basis, usually soon after the completion of the state series in that sport or activity," said IHSA Executive Director Dr. Martin L. Hickman. "Each advisory committee assesses the terms and conditions for its state tournament series, and all other facets of the sport or activity which may apply to the site of its state final event, and which may apply during the regular season."
Following is a recap of Board action regarding each of the committee reports and Terms and Conditions recommendations:
Boys/Girls Basketball
1. Approved a recommendation that the Class A Girls and Class A Boys series use the sectional complex seeding and grouping guidelines beginning with the 2003-04 (next) school term.
2. Approved a recommendation that the hosting allowance in the girls series be raised to the same amounts provided to regional and sectional hosts in the boys series. Beginning next school term (2003-04), regional hosts will receive $690 per day and sectional hosts will receive $770 per day.
3. Approved a change in the girls series that makes the Monday three weeks in advance of the start of the regionals as the day used for seeding the teams in the girls state series beginning with the 2004-05 school term. The effective date of the change will allow schools to adjust their schedules to avoid conflicts on the date of the seeding meeting.
4. Approved a recommendation to allow schools hosting basketball tournaments prior to Jan. 1, 2004, to use a continuous clock in the fourth quarter in which there is a 30-point differential. Schools hosting tournaments experimenting with this "mercy rule" in basketball will implement the procedure in the following manner: The clock shall continue running once it starts, even if the point differential falls below 30 points. Once running, the clock will only stop on a team timeout, in the event of an injury, for the administration of a technical foul, or on an official's timeout. The Board later approved a recommendation from the Athletic Administrator's Advisory Committee to extend the cutoff date to Feb. 1, 2004.
Boys/Girls Bowling
1. Did not approve a recommendation to structure the girls series into 16 regionals feeding four sectionals, with the top four teams advancing from the regionals to the sectionals and the top six teams from the sectionals advancing to the state final. The recommendation also would advance the top five individuals not on qualifying teams to the correlated sectionals and the top 10 from each sectional to the state final.
2. Approved a recommendation for boys/girls sectionals that the lanes be oiled for the first round of the day and at no other time. At the state final, the lanes will be oiled for Round 1 on Friday and Round 3 on Saturday, but at no other time.
3. Approved a sectional tiebreaker procedure for boys/girls for the last individual qualifying at large qualifying spot. The bowler with the highest six-game total shall advance. If there is still a tie, then the bowler with the highest game of the six shall advance, and so forth down to the highest one game.
4. Approved a recommendation in boys/girls individual advancement to provide that the top three bowlers not members of a qualifying team in each sectional advance to the state final, and four at-large bowlers also will advance. The at-large qualifiers will be determined by advancing the four bowlers who are the fewest number of pins behind the last qualifying spot for their sectional.
5. Approved a boys/girls recommendation deleting the prohibition against removing the bowling balls from the state final facility.
6. Approved a procedure for assigning teams and individuals to lanes at the boys/girls state final events. Teams will be assigned according to a seeding formula. Individuals will be assigned by draw.
7. Approved a formula for boys/girls state final lane usage that accommodates a recommendation not to use fresh lanes.
Boys/Girls Gymnastics
1. Approved a procedure for providing passes to personnel from the participating schools at the girls state final.
2. Approved a recommendation in the girls series that the spring floor be used at all levels of the state series.
3. Approved a recommendation in the boys/girls series that gives preference to a school hosting the regional or sectional that can provide both a vaulting horse and a vaulting table for competition. The vaulting horse and vaulting table will be provided at the state final.
4. Approved a recommendation to award five individual medals to "Ranked Qualifiers" in each individual event in the girls series.
Boys/Girls Swimming and Diving
1. Approved a recommendation in the boys/girls series to blind draw three coaches to serve as the diving panel for the sectional. Only coaches interested in serving on the panel will be included in the blind draw.
2. Approved a recommendation in the boys/girls series to give host schools flexibility in determining when they open the doors for participants and spectators prior to the start of the meet.
3. Approved a recommendation in the boys/girls series regarding the time schedule for the state final. The pool doors will be opened for coaches and participants at 2:15 p.m. and the pool will be open for warm-ups at 2:30 p.m.
4. Did not approve a recommendation in the boys/girls series regarding attendance by officials at a certified clinic. Approved a recommendation from the Athletic Administrators Advisory Committee that the section in the Terms and Conditions that refers to officials training be dropped since the requirements contained in the section have already been incorporated into procedures of the IHSA Officials Department.
5. Approved the following new qualifying times in the boys series: 100 Backstroke to :56.09; 200 Medley Relay to 1:41.59 and 100 Freestyle to :49.09.
6. Approved the following new qualifying times in the girls series: 50 Freestyle to :25.09; 200 Medley Relay to 1:53.09; 200 Freestyle Relay to 1:40.49; 400 Freestyle Relay to 3:42.99; 100 Butterfly to 1:00.59; 100 Freestyle to :54.29; 500 Freestyle to 5:15.99; 100 Backstroke to :101.29; 100 Breaststroke to 1:09.19.
7. Did not approve a recommendation in the boys/girls series that the number of alternates in each relay be limited to two for a total of six per relay. Approved a recommendation from the Athletic Administrators Advisory Committee that modifies the advisory committee recommendation as follows: For the 2003-04 school term, the number of alternates be limited to two for a total of six participants on each relay except the Medley Relay where a total of four alternates will be allowed for a total of eight participants.
8. Did not approve a recommendation beginning in 2004-05 boys/girls series that at-large qualifiers fill out the lanes in the first heat in each event at the state final.
9. Approved a recommendation to increase ticket prices at the boys/girls state final meet to $10 per session.
Boys Wrestling
1. Approved a recommendation in the individual series to open the mats for practice Thursday at 3:00 p.m. Approved recommendations to conduct the skin checks at the individual state final on Thursday from 3:00-7:00 p.m. and on Friday from 6:00-6:45 a.m.
2. Did not approve a recommendation for the dual team series that would create a sectional complex and seeding procedure. The recommendation would have assigned schools to the individual series regionals based on dual team seeds in a sectional complex. The teams would be assigned to the four correlated regionals based on seed and the dual team sectional pairings would match the regional winners based on where the top four seeded teams were placed.
3. Approved a recommendation to provide for a two-pound weight allowance on January 15 to all wrestlers that have made their actual qualifying weight class one time. If a wrestler has not made the actual qualifying weight class, the wrestler must make scratch weight one time prior to gaining the growth allowance.
4. Approved a recommendation setting up an appeal process for each individual wrestler body fat testing.
5. Did not approve a recommendation in the individual series that in each weight class in the sectional there be a wrestle-back to third place. The impact of the recommendation would be to add 56 matches to the current sectional structure.
Chess
1. Approved a series of recommendations that more clearly define the unacceptable practice of stacking, and the penalty system to be used if it occurs. Stacking is the practice of arranging a line-up that results in an advantage over opponents by placing a person of low playing strength on a high value board to enable the remaining team members to play against opponents of a lower playing strength than they would have otherwise. Stacking is unsportsmanlike conduct and the penalty is team disqualification.
2. Approved a recommendation that stipulates a digital clock set on time delay is the preferred clock. A digital clock not set on time delay shall be considered an analog clock for purposes of the rules.
3. Approved a recommendation to present medallions to the top ten finishers on Board No. 1 at the state final.
4. Approved a recommendation that each team is to provide a stand and team placard in good taste and of an appropriate size to be placed on the table to identify the teams playing in each match.
5. Approved a recommendation that once the official score sheet is signed, the individual match scores are official. It is the responsibility of each coach to ensure that the results are reported quickly and correctly. If a team does not follow the specified procedure for submitting score sheets, it may be penalized by losing tiebreak points.
6. Approved an additional number of recommendations that are housecleaning in nature.
Equity
1. Received the report from the March 27 meeting of the committee.
Music: Solo and Ensemble
1. Approved a recommendation that solo and ensemble entries and fees must be mailed to the contest manager not later than Jan. 20, 2004.
2. Approved a recommendation that solo and ensemble entries cannot be altered two weeks prior to the contest.
3. Approved a recommendation that solo and ensemble events shall consist of a minimum of 64 published measures or a performance time of at least 90 seconds.
4. Approved a recommendation that solo and ensemble adjudicators shall lower the score if entries exceed the time limit up to one minute or entries not satisfying the minimum time and/or measure requirements.
5. Did not approve a recommendation to increase the fees paid to solo and ensemble judges as follows: base fee of $150 for 5 hours of actual judging; $30 per hour for each hour of judging beyond the five; and a per diem of $30 for expenses.
6. Approved a recommendation that will allow students to be entered in solo and ensemble on the recommendation of the music director. This opens the door to students at a school who are not in the music curriculum.
Music: Organization
1. Approved a recommendation in organization that limits student participation in no more than one band and one orchestra on the same instrument, and that students may perform in any vocal event of which they are actively enrolled.
2. Did not approve a recommendation to increase the fees paid to organization judges as follows: base fee of $150 for 5 hours of actual judging; $30 per hour for each hour of judging beyond the five; and a per diem of $30 for expenses.
3. Approved a recommendation that will allow students to be entered in organization on the recommendation of the music director. This opens the door to students at a school who are not in the music curriculum.
4. Approved a housecleaning recommendation in organization clarifying that if a school enters two organizations in any event only the highest rated performance is eligible to be counted toward Sweepstakes points.
5. Approved a recommendation in organization that sets minimum and maximum numbers of students. The minimum is 3 and the maximum is 11.
6. Approved a recommendation in organization that host schools are expected to offer their services and facility on Friday and Saturday.
Scholastic Bowl
1. Approved a series of housecleaning recommendations regarding winning percentages and sectional manager seed meeting procedures.
2. Approved a recommendation that would number the regionals according to the highest seeded team.
3. Approved a recommendation establishing proper layout of facilities for the moderator and competing teams.
4. Approved a recommendation that clarifies situations that call for forfeits, including timing, loss of school supervision, not starting with five players and pool play forfeiture resulting in any ensuing competition and voiding of points earned by the school in pool play.
5. Approved a recommendation that allows a team that has started a match with the five players to end the match with fewer than five because of extenuating circumstances.
6. Approved a recommendation to have thirty (30) questions per round in the sectionals and at the State Final.
7. Approved a recommendation that there will be two toss-ups and two bonus replacement questions from each category for each level of competition.
8. Approved a recommendation that the State Final starting time be moved forward to 9:30 a.m.
9. Approved a recommendation to delete the specification of World, American and British as sub-sections of the Literature category.
10. Approved a recommendation to pay all moderators a fee of $15 per match worked at the regionals and sectionals; to pay the scorekeepers and timers $10 per match at all levels; and to reimburse state final moderators for their travel according to the standard IHSA policy for mileage reimbursement.
Speech: Debate
1. Approved a recommendation for Congressional that changes the number of qualifiers from the semifinals. The high point speaker and all speakers with judge nominations will advance. Four semifinal chambers will be established.
2. Approved a recommendation for Congressional that sets the criteria for advancement from the semifinal chambers to the finals (Super Congress) as follows: Four participants from each chamber will advance and they will be the high point speaker, greatest number nominations, and two members voted by the chamber.
3. Approved a recommendation to award medallions in Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Congressional Debate to the top ten ranking speakers after the preliminary round. In Policy and Lincoln-Douglas, all other contestants who qualify for the octa-final, quarterfinal, semifinal or final rounds will earn medallions. In Congressional, all qualifiers for the Super Congress will receive medallions.
4. Approved a recommendation in Policy Debate and Lincoln-Douglas Debate that stipulates the use of electronic retrieval devices will not be permitted.
5. Approved recommendations in Policy Debate and Lincoln-Douglas Debate that establish a structure for the competition based on the number of teams entered in the tournament.
6. Approved a recommendation in Policy Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate and Congressional Debate that establishes a flat fee of $150 for judging at the state final.
Speech: Drama/Group Interpretation
1. Approved a recommendation to increase the event fee to $50 for Drama and $50 for Group Interpretation at the sectional and state final contests.
Speech: Individual Events
1. Approved a recommendation establishing a procedure regarding the use of the Internet as a source of printed published material.
2. Approved a recommendation requiring that proof of publication, original source, copy of copyright page or Internet validity must be presented at the Regional meeting for all interpretative events. Without proof the contestant will not be allowed to compete.
3. Approved a recommendation to increase event fees to $10 per event at the regionals, sectionals and state final.
4. Did not approve a recommendation to eliminate school identification of the contestants in each event.
Sports Medicine
1. Approved a recommendation to develop a pilot program to track football playoff injuries beginning with the 2003-04 school term. The program will expand the current reporting system to include age of injured athletes, area of injury on the athlete and playing surface on which the injury occurred.
2. Approved a recommendation that will allow member schools competing in the team sport state finals to have an additional pass for a Certified Trainer, providing the principal of the participating school requests the pass. The team sports are: boys/girls basketball, boys/girls volleyball, boys/girls soccer, boys/girls water polo, boys/girls gymnastics, boys/girls bowling, boys baseball, girls softball, boys football, and dual team wrestling.
Athletic Administrators
1. Accepted the report of the May 14 meeting, and reacted to recommendations made by the committee within the discussion of the sport/activity specific recommendations. Dates for the meetings next (2003-04) school term will be Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2003; Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2004; and Wednesday, May 12, 2004.
Eligibility Rulings
1. Modified its previous ruling regarding three Lovejoy High School students. All three students will be ineligible in basketball until Dec. 15, 2003. The first semester of the 2003-04 school term will be the first of eight semesters of eligibility for all three students (By-law 3.051), and the 2003-04 basketball season will be the first of four school years of competition in basketball (By-law 3.053). It was reported to the Board at its April 29, 2003, meeting that students attending Lovejoy have participated on the school's basketball team while in eighth grade.
Discussion Items
At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain agenda items the Board discusses, but upon which it takes no action. Following is a report of those on the June 2003, agenda:
Strategic Planning - The Board heard a report of progress being made by the action team formed to review IHSA Governance and Structure.
July Board Meeting - The Board received the agenda for its annual three-day summer meeting, scheduled this year for July 13-15. Historically, the Board uses the extended meeting to discuss at length Association current issues, policies and procedures.
NFHS Summer Meeting - The Board head a report of plans for the National Federation of State High School Associations annual Summer Meeting, which this year will be held in Chicago June 27-July 2. The IHSA and the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) are co-hosts for the event.
Basketball Officials - The Board heard a request from the DuPage Valley Conference to reconsider the use of three officials in the IHSA boys and girls state tournament series in basketball. The Board referred the request to the Basketball Advisory Committee.
Four-Class Basketball - The Board heard a report that representatives from Burlington (Central) High School presented a proposal to expand the current two-class state series in boys and girls basketball to a four-class series. It was reported to the Board that the Basketball Advisory Committee felt the present structure was still appropriate and took no action on the school's proposal.
2003-04 Budget - The Board received a draft of the proposed 2003-04 budget for its review. The final budget will be presented to the Board at its July meeting.
2003 Officials Conference - The Board heard a report that the fourth annual IHSA Officials Conference, "Let's Gather The Stripes", will be July 11-12 in the Greater Peoria Area. Barry Mano, publisher of Referee Magazine, will be the keynote speaker during Friday's opening session at 7:15 p.m. America's greatest female athlete, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, will be the speaker at Saturday's Reception and Awards Program at 5:15 p.m.
Music Organization Contest Date - The Board discussed a change in the dates for the 2004 Music Organization Contest from April 23-24 to April 2-3, and will take action on a request to move the date at its July meeting.