IHSA Announcements

August 20, 2008

Matt Troha to Join IHSA Administrative Staff August 25

Matt Troha, a 2000 graduate of Joliet Catholic Academy (JCA) in Joliet, Illinois, has been named an Assistant Executive Director for the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Troha is the 30th member to serve on the IHSA administrative staff after being officially appointed during an Association board meeting on August 20, 2008.

Troha’s duties for the IHSA will center around media relations, with further responsibilities to be assigned by IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman.   

Hickman commented on Troha’s appointment, “We are thrilled that Matt will be joining our staff.  He has shown a tremendous amount of leadership in a very short period of time.  Through the interview process, Matt demonstrated that he understood the important role that interscholastic programs play in the overall development of high school students.  Without a doubt, he has taken the positive things he learned from his interscholastic experiences in high school and used them to enhance his personal and professional life.”

Troha was a member of the 1999 IHSA Class 4A State Football Championship team during his senior year at JCA, where he played under head coach Dan Sharp. The Hilltoppers completed a perfect campaign that season.

Troha has spent the past three years at the Midwest Conference after becoming the NCAA Division III league’s first full-time Sports Information Director in 2005. His duties at the Ripon, Wisconsin, based conference included coordinating all media relations efforts, producing league press releases and serving as an NCAA liaison for statistical issues. He was also directly involved in a number of conference initiatives that included sportsmanship programs, internet webcasting and a forthcoming publication of the league’s history.

“I was afforded a multitude of wonderful opportunities during my time at the Midwest Conference and had the privilege to work alongside a number of talented people. I believe those experiences have helped prepare me for my new role with the IHSA and I will work very hard to reward the confidence that Mr. Hickman and his staff have placed in me,” said Troha.

Troha attended Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, following high school, where he received a degree in Communications with a focus in Media Communications and Journalism in 2004. In addition to completing an internship in the Monmouth College Sports Information Office, he doubled as the Sports Editor for the Monmouth College newspaper The Courier and covered high school athletics for the Monmouth Daily Review Atlas.

In 2004, Troha became the Media Relations Assistant for the Mid-Continent Conference (currently the Summit League), an NCAA Division I athletic conference located in Elmhurst, Illinois. During his year at the Mid-Con he also covered prep sports as a stringer for the Chicago Tribune.

“I have always had a passion for Illinois high school athletics dating back to my playing days and have been lucky enough to cover a number of different sports and activities for a wide range of schools and classes,” added Troha. “I look forward to working with our constituents throughout the state to provide the best possible coverage for the participants, coaches, alumni, fans and parents involved in the IHSA’s 36 sports and activities.”

Troha earned his Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership & Quality from Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin in 2008 and served on the media relations staff for the NCAA Division III World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin from 2006-2008.

Troha and his wife Tasha will reside in Bloomington-Normal.

Other Action

  1. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to select Bloomington as the host for Dual Team Wrestling for the three year period from the 2008-09 school term through the 2010-11 school term.  The finals will be held at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
  2. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to qualify eight teams per class to the Dual Team Wrestling State Finals.  Additionally, as a result of this recommendation, only one round of competition at all of the sectionals in each class will occur on the Tuesday preceding the state finals.
  3. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to update the association’s Severe Weather Policy to include guidelines for tournament officials/managers to utilize in determining whether and/or when to suspend contests due to weather.  The revised policy is available on the IHSA Web site.
  4. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to revise the host allowances for member schools hosting state series contests in boys’ and girls’ basketball.  Restructuring the allowances will provide schools more flexibility in setting up their playing schedules and encourage fewer nights of play at a host site during the state series.
  5. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to eliminate the merchandise fee member schools have received for hosting the following IHSA State Finals:  boys’/girls’ gymnastics, boys’/girls’ cross country, boys’ volleyball, boys’ bowling, girls’ golf, boys’/girls’ tennis, girls’ badminton, and boys’/girls/ water polo. 
  6. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to redistrict the five member schools in Knox County.  The redistricting will allow for all Board and Legislative Districts to be balanced and evenly represented within association matters.  The affected schools become part of Board Division 6 and Legislative District 16.
  7. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to adjust the time schedule in boys’ and girls’ soccer at the state finals to allow for the awards for the Third Place Game to be presented to participants following the contest rather than during halftime of the Championship Game.
  8. The Board approved a recommendation from IHSA Treasurer Greg Bradley and the Executive Director to approve the operating budget for the 2008-09 school term.
  9. The Board approved a recommendation from the Executive Director to allow IHSA Administrative Staff to develop and implement on-line rules meetings during the remainder of the 2008-09 school term in those sports that have minimal rules changes.

Eligibility Rulings

  1. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Champaign (St. Thomas More).   The student is a sophomore transfer from Champaign (Central), where he participated in football during the 2007-08 school term.  The student was originally ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.043.

Appeals

  1. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling that the enrollment figure for Hampshire High School for the 2008-09 school term will be 892.  This enrollment number reported by the school is larger than the original number determined by the IHSA and accounts for the redistricting plan by Hampshire High School’s district.  As a result, Hampshire High School will be in Class AA for two-class tournaments, Class 2A for three-class tournaments, and Class 3A for four-class tournaments.

Discussion Items

At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain agenda items that the Board discusses, but upon which it takes no action.  Following is a report of those on the August 20, 2008, agenda:

  1. The Board heard a report from Assistant Executive Director Dave Gannaway on the 9th Annual Officials Conference held this summer in Peoria.
  2. The Board heard a report from Assistant Executive Director Kurt Gibson on this year’s All-School Mailing, which was sent out from the IHSA on August 1st, 2008.
  3. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director regarding the suspension of Chicago (Waldorf) and Villa Park (Islamic) High Schools.  Both schools failed to provide their required Financial Aid information by the May 1, 2008, deadline.
  4. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director regarding Moline (Quad Cities Christian) High School, which did not provide the required information established by the Board of Directors to be listed as an Approved School for the 2008-09 school term.
  5. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director announcing that Naperville (North) Athletic Director Doug Smith has been selected as one of eight athletic administrators from around the nation to receive a NFHS Citation.
  6. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director regarding the upcoming Section IV meeting.  The IHSA will host this year’s meeting, which is slated for September 25 and 26.
  7. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director announcing the following individuals have been appointed to serve on rules committees for the NFHS:
    1. IHSA Assistant Executive Director Ron McGraw on the Swimming and Diving Rules Committee
    2. Hinsdale Central A.D. Paul Moretta on the Boys’ Lacrosse Rules Committee