IHSA Announcements

August 10, 2009

Softball Pitching Distance To Move To 43 Feet In 2009-10

The Illinois High School Association Board of Directors approved a recommendation to move the pitching distance in the sport of softball to 43 feet effective with the upcoming 2009-10 softball season. The pitching distance was 40 feet in 2008-09.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), whose rules the IHSA follows for all sports including softball, voted to increase the pitching distance effective with the 2010-11 season. Each state was given the option to move its pitching distance to 43 feet for the upcoming 2009-10 season or wait until it became mandatory in 2010-11. The rule revision was made by the NFHS Softball Rules Committee at its annual meeting in Indianapolis on June 8-10.

“I believe this is the best move for the student-athletes and high school softball in Illinois,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “This change came as no surprise, as the NFHS has talked about it for nearly a decade and we knew it was only a matter of time. It will increase offense and get the defense more involved in the game, but more importantly it has the potential to improve safety for the pitchers. When you consider the safety factor, there really wasn’t a logical reason to wait a year to move the pitching distance.” 

OTHER ACTION ITEMS                                                                              

  1. The Board approved a recommendation to award “major state final officials” with an IHSA Flipping Coin, State Final Pin and State Final Official Patch. The Flipping Coin replaces the paperweight that previously served as a state final official award.
  2. The Board approved a recommendation to begin licensing officials in the sport of lacrosse in anticipation of a future State Series.
  3. The Board approved a recommendation to raise the ticket price for first round football playoff games to $5.00 and eliminate the IHSA’s $1.00 share for second round games.
  4. The Board approved a recommendation to eliminate Illustration 196 from the IHSA Handbook.
  5. The Board did not approve a request from Waukegan High School to allow its boys basketball team an exception to the IHSA Travel Policy.
  6. The Board approved a recommendation to accept a new time schedule for the Individual Events State Tournament:

    Friday

    12:00 – 1:00 pm Registration

    12:45 Radio and Extemp Prep. for Round I, Sec. A

    1:30 Round I, Sec. A

    2:15 Radio and Extemp Prep. for Round I, Sec. B

    3:00 Round I. Sec. B

    3:45 Radio and Extemp Prep. for Round I, Sec. C

    4:30 Round I, Sec. C

    Saturday

    7:45 Radio and Extemp Prep. for Round II, Sec. A

    8:30 Round II, Section A

    9:00 Radio and Extemp Prep. for Round II, Sec. B

    9:45 Round II, Section B

    10:15 Radio and Extemp Prep. for Round II, Sec. C

    11:00 Round II, Sec. C

    1:30 FINALS: Dramatic Duet Acting, Humorous Interpretation, Impromptu Speaking, Oratorical Declamation, Prose Reading, Original Comedy, Oratory.

    2:15 Radio and Extemp Prep. for Finals

    3:00 FINALS: Dramatic Interpretation, Extemporaneous Speaking, Humorous Duet Acting, Radio Speaking, Special Occasion Speaking, Poetry Reading, Informative Speaking

    5:00 AWARDS ASSEMBLY.

ELIGIBILITY RULINGS

No eligibility rulings.

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 August 10, 2009, agenda:

  1. The Board heard a presentation from Lacrosse in Illinois in regard to the growing number of lacrosse programs in the state and receiving official recognition from the IHSA with a State Series in both sports. Boys and Girls Lacrosse are both still below the required 10 percent threshold in the IHSA’s Emerging Sports policy.
  2. The Board heard a report from Dave Gannaway on the 10th annual IHSA Officials Conference.
  3. The Board heard a report from Assistant Executive Director Kurt Gibson on the 2009-10 All-School Mailing.
  4. The Board heard a report on three schools who failed to submit their required Financial Aid information. Bridgeview (Aqsa), Chicago (Josephinum) and Lombard (College Prep) are all currently suspended for failing to submit this information. Galena (Tri-State) will not be listed as an Approved School this year after failing to submit required registration information.
  5. The Board heard a report from Assistant Executive Director Ron McGraw on the status of NFHS meetings about high-tech swimsuit regulations.
  6. The Board and the Executive Director reviewed the procedures for granting exemptions for By-law 3.101 in instances where non-competitive events may allow for it.
  7. The Board heard a report from the Executive Director on the 2009-10 IHSA budget.