IHSA Announcements

February 17, 1997

Board Launches Revamping of IHSA Officials Department

BLOOMINGTON — The process to revamp the operation of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Officials Department was launched by the Board of Directors at its regular meeting in the IHSA Office Monday (Feb. 17).

Acting on recommendations of the Officials Advisory Committtee, which is also serving as one of the action teams in the IHSA Strategic Planning program authorized by the Board in July of 1996, the Board Monday approved a new level, Inactive Status, and reviewed a series of changes to be set into motion over the upcoming months ahead.

The new inactive license goes into effect with the upcoming annual registration of officials, which is scheduled to get under way in April. A currently licensed official may apply for the inactive license at a reduced fee. The new status will allow people to take leave from officiating for a year at a time, but still maintain their rating as a registered, recognized or certified official in the sport(s) in which they are licensed. Inactive officials will be ineligible to work regular season or state series contests. To maintain an inactive license, an official must either complete the current rules examination or attend a current rules meeting in each sport(s) where licensed. Those Certified Officials on inactive status may evaluate other officials for promotional purposes and complete the rating forms for other officials. Once an official declares inactive status, the official may not change that status (become active) until the next licensing cycle.

"For years our officials have suggested this type of option, and it makes sense," said IHSA Executive Director Dave Fry. "For example, a mother or father whose children are now in high school can take inactive status, watch their children compete for their school for one to four years, and return to active officiating at the same rating level they left when they return after the children graduate. Previously, the official lost credit for years of service and sometimes their rating level. This is one of several progressive changes I anticipate will be implemented in the coming months."

Curretly there are 9,626 different people licensed with the IHSA Officials Department. New Assistant Executive Director Mary Struckhoff, herself a major college women's basketball official, is now in charge of the IHSA Officials Department.

"The work that has already been done as part of our Strategic Planning in this area has been significant," Fry observed. "Mary and the advisory committee have generated some major new thinking. As concepts are finalized, I'm sure the Board of Directors will move quickly to react to them. There is no exact timetable, but the goal is to implement as appropriate.

Among other areas for change addressed by the Officials Advisory Committee are:
  1. Revision of the rating system used by the IHSA Office in the assignment of officals to state series contests.
  2. Annual rules examination for the coaches in their sport(s).
  3. Restructuring of state series officials fees.
  4. Officials required attendance at training clinics certified by the IHSA.
  5. New procedures for promotion of officials from registered and recognized levels.
  6. New procedures for officials to maintain certified status.
  7. Refocused involvement of local officials associations.
  8. Expanded requirements for officials to maintain active status.
In order to help offset some of the upcoming changes and services, the Board also approved Monday an increase in officials fees for the 1997-98 licensing cycle. To become licensed for the first time as an official, the active license fee will be $35.00. Officials re-licensing will pay $30.00 for the first sport and $15.00 for each additional sport. The inactive status fee will be $10.00 less than the first sport fee. Late fee is $30.00 in addition to the officials' regular fee(s).

Other Action

The Board took the following action regarding the general business of the Association:

  1. Approved Southern Illinois-Edwardsville as site of the Class A Boys State Final Soccer Tournament. The 1997 tournament will be held there Nov. 7-8.
  2. Authorized the administrative staff to complete terms of an agreement with Honig's Whistle Shop to manufacture and supply officials' uniforms and accessories for officials registered with the IHSA Officials Department. Details of items to be available will be included in the March IHSA News.

Eligibility Rulings

  1. Sustained the Executive Director's ruling that a student be ineligible until March 12, 1997, at Westchester (St. Joseph) for noncompliance with transfer by-law 3.043.

Discussion Items

At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain agenda items which the Board discusses but upon which it takes no action. Following is a report of those on the February, 1997, agenda:

  1. Boys Basketball: The Board heard of progress report of plans being finalized for the 1997 state tournanment games, the March Madness Experience(TM), the National Federation Workshop and the Grade School Field Trip Day to be held at the Peoria Civic Center from Thursday, March 13 through Saturday, March 22. The Board also discussed the current agreement with the City of Peoria for hosting the March Madness(R) tournaments. The Board noted it appreciated the effective action taken by the city to affirm maintenance of hotel rates at or below rack rates for the next several years.

  2. Tournament Television: The Board heard a progress report of plans for the televising of the boys and girls basketball state finals on SportsChannel Chicago. It was reported to the Board that since the start of the school year more than 125,000 households in downstate Illinois have been added to the regular lineup on local cable systems. In addition, progress was being made to create a one-time venue in Southern Illinois for the two boys telecasts.

  3. March Madness® Litigation: The Board heard a progress report regarding settlement of the dispute over the trademark ownership of March Madness® between IHSA and the NCAA. It was reported to the Board that final disposition of the dispute should be reaching a conclusion in the near future.

  4. Budget Plans: It was reported to the Board that the preliminary budget planning for fiscal 1997-98 was under way. The Board received the Financial Report of the 1996 fall sports, which will be mailed to the member schools in the next several days.

  5. New By-Law Interpretations: The Board received draft versions of potential interpretations of the by-law changes regarding residence and transfer and strike participation approved by the membership in the annual referendum process in November. The new by-laws become effective July 1. Adoption of interpretations is expected to be considered at one of the spring regular meetings.

  6. March Board Meeting: The regular March meeting of the Board of Directors has been changed from Monday, March 24, in the IHSA Office, to Saturday, March 22, in Peoria. The meeting is scheduled to being at 7:00 a.m.