In late April, Rashaan Davis was selected as the next assistant commissioner at the Colorado High School Activities Association. He will oversee activities and perform a number of other duties.

To get to know him better, CHSAA Director of Digital Media, Brad Cochi, sat down with Davis to ask a few questions about his excitement for the new role, his background, his vision for the future and more.

Cochi: First of all, congratulations on the new position. Could you please tell us how excited you are to get started and what drew you to becoming the next CHSAA Assistant Commissioner?

Davis: Thank you very much. I am very excited! This is an opportunity that I have been looking forward to for a long time. CHSAA has a great history of creating learning opportunities for students through athletics and activities, and I am excited to now be a part of the team that helps to make that happen. I have been lucky enough to play a small role in each of the CHSAA activities I will oversee. Whether I was advising student leaders, serving as a judge at a speech & debate tournament, or volunteering at a music event, I have had the opportunity to “get behind the curtain” and see exactly how these events are put together.

I love that I am now in a position to work with a network of adults (teachers, coaches, and administrators) who wake up every day looking forward to positively impacting students through their participation in activities. It has been very rewarding to impact students in my own school, but to now be able to impact students across the state? This is beyond words.

In your new role, you will oversee activities, the Hall of Fame, awards/trophies and esports, and will have a wide variety of other duties. What are your thoughts on taking over this grassroots position and how do you see this position growing in the future?

That is a great question. Prior to this even being a position, I had thought about what it would look like to have someone solely in charge of CHSAA-sponsored activities. Those thoughts were always grounded in what CHSAA could do – growing current programs to be as recognized as many of the athletic offerings, the creation of new activities for students who are looking for ways to connect on their campus, and working with other state associations to share best-practices and implementation procedures. Now that this is a reality, I can’t wait to do those things and so many more.

I am also looking forward to the days when we will be adding new activities to what CHSAA already offers. Future activities might include: Robotics, Knowledge Bowl, and middle school leadership conferences, and One-Act Plays. All of my assignments are important, and I look forward to coming in and giving each of them the attention they deserve. The future is bright for activities at CHSAA.

You have a broad background in education. Could you please give us some insight into your background and the experiences that have led you to this point in your life?

In order to answer this question, we have to go back a few years. I grew up in Colorado Springs and attended Sierra High School. Growing up in a military community, that seemed like the logical choice upon graduation, so I joined the Army. My time in the military helped shape me into the school leader I have become. Working with a team, completing the mission, and properly making your bunk each day were skills that have translated well. In college, I was voted student body president at a time when the university was looking to change the school mascot, playing a major role in that process helped me to understand what equity and voice really meant.

Over the years, I have been able to work with students to create programs that help schools in our state to provide the best in extracurricular events for their students. I have built curriculum, managed large budgets for major events and worked with other schools to promote programs. Throughout the years, I’ve continued to share the message of educational equity, voice, and belonging. The end of this school year marks my 25th year in education and in all of those years- having served as a Social Studies teacher, Student Leadership adviser, and Campus Administrator- I have come to know that listening is one of the most important things I can do. And yes, I still make my bed every morning.

What are you looking forward to most about your new job?

As I stated earlier, I am looking forward to bringing new and different activities to CHSAA while building capacity in our existing activities. I am excited to work with school leaders, coaches, advisors from around the state, and the CHSAA advisory committees that work with each activity. I am also looking forward to working with the entire CHSAA office staff. Rhonda has assembled a team that I look forward to learning from and growing with. Fostering relationships, building capacity, listening to the ideas of others, and continuing to produce successful events is what I am really looking forward to.

What advice do you have for the upcoming generation on the importance of education and activities?

Education is the basis for all that we do, and activities can play an important role in helping students frame their view of the world. If we can continue creating opportunities for students to showcase their talent, with the help of caring adults and supportive peers, within the school environment, it can only help them develop skills that the world will ask them to have.

Resurrection Christian’s Isaac Fry has been named the Section 6 recipient of the NFHS Heart of the Arts Award.

The National High School Heart of the Arts Award is now in its seventh year and was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts and represent the core mission of education-based activities.

Here’s more info about Fry:

Isaac Fry has assembled quite the performing arts resume throughout his career at Resurrection Christian School.

He has been the symphonic band percussion section leader all four years; drumline captain for three years; an all-state honoree for concert band, symphonic band and philharmonic orchestra; and a performer in six different honor bands and orchestras.

He has also composed seven original musical works for school ensembles. In speech and debate, Fry was a national qualifier for the international extemporaneous speaking category and an Academic All-American.

He received the Heartwork Service Award in 2019 for helping restart the RCS drumline, and has volunteered 250 hours playing liturgical music at three community churches.

Astonishingly, he has accomplished many of these feats while also making time to assist his mother during the rapid decline of her eyesight.

Results from the 2021 virtual CHSAA state speech and debate festival.

(Bethany Brookens/CHSAANow.com)

The first virtual CHSAA State Championships will be held this Friday and Saturday. The CHSAA State Speech & Debate Festival will be entirely online, and we are excited to offer this opportunity for all of our student.

This event is the state championship event in speech and debate for smaller schools.

The following schools will be battling it out during these championships:

• Alamosa
• Battle Mountain
• Dawson
• Denver Christian
• Eagle Valley
• Faith Christian
• Fowler
• Frederick
• Fort Morgan
• Hayden
• Limon
• Longmont
• Niwot
• Pagosa Springs
• Platte Canyon
• Resurrection Christian
• Silver Creek
• St. Mary’s Academy
• Stargate
• Steamboat Springs
• University

The following are the events the students will be competing in: Interpretation of Drama, Interpretation of Humor, Interpretation of Poetry, Original Oratory, Combined Extemporaneous Speaking, One-on-One Value Debate, Creative Storytelling, Congressional Debate, Public Forum Debate, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Duo Interpretation, Program Oral Interpretation, Informative Speaking, and Impromptu Speaking.

Thank you to all of the coaches and administrators for supporting Speech & Debate this year.  We are especially grateful for the hard work of Tournament Directors, Greg Hanson (Dawson) and Diane Wagener (Battle Mountain). Good luck to all teams and participants this weekend!

The CHSAA Legislative Council met virtually for the first time in its 99-year history on Friday.

They voted on more than 50 items, and made a number of changes to the Association’s bylaws, which impacted things from alignment to the transfer rule. We have rounded up most of those changes here.

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Two classes of hockey

(PaulDiSalvoPhotography.com)

Hockey will split into two classifications, beginning with the 2020-21 season.

The two-class split, which was recommended by the hockey committee during its meeting in February, places 20 teams into Class 5A, and 17 in 4A. The committee used a variety of factors to place teams from bylaw 1500.21, including enrollment, geography, competitive history, competitive balance, participation rate, and the entry or selection process that places an athlete at a program.

The committee recognized the need for two classes because there isn’t much, if any, parity in the sport. Over the past four years, only 14 different schools have advanced to the quarterfinals of the state tournament. Hockey currently has 37 teams.

The alignments for the sport can be found in this story from February.

Hockey will use the CHSAA Seeding Index to seed its two state tournaments: RPI, MaxPreps, and the CHSAANow coaches poll.

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New seeding criteria for 5A basketball

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

An amendment during the meeting changed the seeding criteria that 4A and 5A basketball will use for their state tournaments: The two classes will now use a combination of the RPI standings, MaxPreps rankings and the CHSAANow coaches pool — bringing them in line with what a number of other sports are now using.

1A will also use the same criteria, but will also use the Packard Ratings.

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2A baseball changes postseason

(Lisa Hayes/StillOfTheMomentPhotography.com)

The 2A baseball postseason will now mirror what is done in 3A, 4A and 5A, with a 32-team regional bracket. All teams will qualify for the bracket via the RPI standings, and seeded by RPI. The top eight seeds will host regionals, and seeds Nos. 20-32 can be moved for geographic reasons.

The state tournament also got an overhaul, and will move to an eight-team single-elimination bracket. Previously, 2A had a 16-team bracket.

With this change, 2A schools can now schedule 23 games.

Baseball also created a game minimum to be able to qualify for the postseason: 12 games in 1A, 17 in 2A and 3A, 19 in 4A and 5A.

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New field hockey tournament

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

In an effort to help the growth of the sport, the state field hockey tournament will expand from eight teams to 12.

The top six seeds will receive a bye while the next six will compete in a play-in bracket.

In one of those brackets, No. 9 and No. 12 will play, with the winner playing No. 8. The winner of that game will face No. 1.

In the other bracket, No. 10 and No. 11 will play, with the winner facing No. 7. The winner of that game will face the No. 2 overall seed.

During that same round, the No. 4 and No. 5 seed will play, with No. 3 and No. 6 also playing.

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The transfer rule

A number of proposals involved the transfer rule. Among the changes which passed:

• An adjustment to clarify that a student doesn’t have to transfer from a member school, in or out of state, in order for the rule to apply.
• A proposal better explained the transfer consequence for transferring to another school, and a return to the original school — also known as an A-B-A transfer. Specifically, a student who transfers from School A, transfers to School B and plays at School B, and the returns to School A, will only be eligible for sub-varsity competition at School A in the sports they participated in at School B for 365 days.
• A new bylaw passed allowing for students to participate with “restricted varsity eligibility during the regular season” if their high school does not offer a JV team, or if their school doesn’t allow seniors to play on sub-varsity teams.
• The definition of a hardship was rewritten to read: “‘Hardship’ means a situation, condition or event which must impost a severe non-athletic burden upon the student or his/her family and require a transfer of schools. This does not include the personal or initial choice of enrollment and/or participation.”

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Notables:

• The alignments for sports were finalized with the approval of each sports report. Those new alignments will be posted in the near future.
• The season of sport was changed in boys swimming, allowing for those championships to be moved up a week and have their own spotlight.
• 6-man and 8-man football will use the same four data points of seeding that was used in 1A-5A this season.
• In 5A football, all playoff games will be hosted by the higher seed.
• 1A girls volleyball will move from districts to regionals. The sport will also require that all teams play a minimum of 18 matches against member schools and varsity opponents in order to qualify for the postseason.
• Boys volleyball will have one classification during its inaugural season in spring 2021.
• Girls wrestling will use the same weight classes that were used in the pilot season.
• The 4A and 5A boys lacrosse state tournaments will each grow from 16 to 24 teams starting in spring 2021.
• The new format that will be used for a two-classification setup in girls lacrosse was approved. Find the structure for that format here.
• 2A soccer will increase its state tournament field from 12 teams to 16.
• The regional field in 3A softball will grow to 32 teams, bringing it in line with 4A and 5A.
• The requirements for qualifying for the state skiing championships were made more strict, to make the state field slightly smaller.
• The state spirit championships will move to a three-day format beginning this year. Schools will only be able to participate in one cheer category and one dance category at the state championships. Cheer and dance are now considered separate sports.
• Schools will be eligible to join CHSAA as activity-only schools, and not offer sports.
• The process for classifying programs was clarified with an amendment to bylaw 1510, which deals with the Classification, Appeals and League Organizing Committee (CLOC). Now, the CHSAA staff can offer adjustments “in extraordinary circumstances” that are based upon bylaw 1500.21 (the bylaw allowing for classification based upon factors other than enrollment) in even years. These adjustments will need to be voted on by CLOC. Typically in even years, the classifications are already set and ready to go for the following cycle, so there would be very few adjustments, if any.
• The amateur status bylaw was reworked, and now reads that student-athletes “must maintain his/her amateur status” and notes that they “may not sign a professional athletic contract.” A new note defines a professional as “being paid in any form for playing in an athletic contest, or if you sign a contract or verbally commit with an agent or professional sports organization.” Notably, student-athletes will be allowed to play with or against professionals in certain situations, such as in the Olympics or a World Cup.
• The coach ejection bylaw was updated to give it a more consistent level of suspension across all sports. Now, the first ejection is penalized by a suspension equal to 10% of that sports season, and a second ejection is 20%.
• All-Star games were added to bylaw 2300, allowing for “up to two All-Star Games after the completion of the state championship in that sport.” No all-star games are permitted in football.
• Middle schoolers from “feeder” schools will be permitted to practice with high school teams in volleyball, basketball, soccer and football “when they cannot field enough high school athletes to hold an intra-squad practice in game-type conditions.” There are a number of limitations guiding this new bylaw.
• The number of practices required for students to participate in prior to competition in contact sports was reduced from five to three in all sports but football, which will still require nine.
• Schools can now form a team with only one participant, if they choose to.
• Adding a new sport or activity will now require approval from the Budget Committee in addition to CLOC, Sports Medicine, Equity and the Board of Directors.
• The full membership of the following schools is now official: DSST – Byers, KIPP Northeast, Loveland Classical, Strive Prep – Rise, Strive Prep – Smart, and Thomas MacLaren. KIPP Northeast and Strive Prep – Rise play together are a co-op: Regis Groff.
• Officials’ fees increased with a 2% cost of living adjustment across the board, for all levels.
• The alignment of State Festival and State Tournament will now be permanent in speech.
• Student Leadership’s fall conference will move to a regional model beginning this year.

We are disappointed that this year’s State Speech and Debate Tournament was cancelled. However, we are pleased to present coaching awards to two very deserving Speech and Debate coaches.

We are honored to present the Sharon Wilch Lifetime Achievement Award and the NFHS Section 6 Speech, Debate and Theatre Educator of the Year Award.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

UPDATE: Spring sports are now suspended until April 30

The Colorado High School Activities Association, following the most recent recommendation of state and federal health officials, has announced changes in the spring sports and activities schedules.

On Monday, Gov. Jared Polis announced new restrictions on public gatherings to help slow the advance of the COVID-19 pandemic. Polis ordered the closure of large gathering places across Colorado for 30 days, effective at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

“In light of Governor Jared Polis’ announcement Monday afternoon, we are announcing that the Association will follow the guidelines that went into effect at 8 a.m. Tuesday and will remain in effect for 30 days,” CHSAA Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green said. “This media and school advisory is to keep the membership apprised of the latest decisions from the CHSAA office.”

These updates include:

• The suspension of spring sports and activities is extended through April 18. CHSAA encourages schools to set stricter standards on student gatherings outside of the high school. This suspension means no practices or competition.
• All CHSAA music events have been cancelled for 2020.
• The CHSAA Hall of Fame, scheduled for April 14, has been cancelled.
• The CHSAA Legislative Council meeting, scheduled for April 15, has been postponed pending changes in the public gathering restrictions.
• The State Speech Tournament and Student Leadership’s Advisor U have been postponed until later in the spring pending changes in the public gathering restrictions.
• The CHSAA office will remain closed until March 30, with staff working remotely from home.

The CHSAA will recognize individual participants from the CHSAA state basketball championships with a memento in the coming weeks to recognize their leadership and resolve during that week.

National and state decisions related to the COVID-19 virus are changing daily, even hourly, so new updates will be posted on CHSAANow.com and communicated via email to schools and media.

Final results from the 2020 state speech and debate festival.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://old.chsaanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/chsaafestival20.pdf”]

The state speech festival begins Friday at Northridge High School. The schedule of events is listed below.

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2019-20 Speech Festival Schedule

(Craig Bailey)

Results from the 2018 state speech festival results are below.

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Public Forum Debate

1. Deitsch & Costello, Dawson
2. Amirani & Fassett, Dawson
3. Jorgenson & Smith, Dawson
3. Nelson & Pierangeli, Battle Mountain
5. Stone & Loupe, Eagle Valley
5. Seeman & Plzak, Battle Mountain
5. Mestas & McWaters, Primero
5. Duran & Vigil, Primero

One-on-One Value Debate

1. Riley Dudley, Eagle Valley
2. Sierra Reeves, Aspen
3. Katlyn Lucas, Frederick
3. Richie Reper, Faith Christian
3. Cassidy Crawford, Hayden
5. Garrett Rogers, Faith Christian
5. Clayton Longfellow, Alamosa
7. Mason Houston, Gunnison
7. Joslyn Hays, Gunnison
7. Karavela Zeiter, Gunnison
7. Alex Hays, Gunnison

Original Oratory

1. Hailea Stone, Battle Mountain
2. Elena Ortiz, Battle Mountain
3. Caroline Zirkle, Hayden
4. Lydia Loupe, Eagle Valley
5. Jenny Li, Dawson
6. Megan Lodge, Eagle Valley
7. Johnathan Kattnig, Gunnison
8. Flannery Sloan, Gunnison
9. Clayton Longfellow, Alamosa
10. Citlaly Quiroz, Fort Morgan
11. Bridget Bell, Dawson
12. Allie Pierce, Gunnison
12. Sonia Amin, Dawson
12. Ali Blank, Dawson

Interpretation of Drama

1. Mikayla Martin, Faith Christian
2. Kendal Sego, Battle Mountain
3. Marshal Hollingsworth, Alamosa
4. Hailey Dennis, Alamosa
5. Danielle Daboll, Alamosa
6. Herry Garcia, Eagle Valley
7. Brian Nguyen, Eagle Valley
8. Gigi Bell, Dawson
9. Maurica Runnels, Rye
10. Gus Messner, Gunnison
11. Lisa Mix, Alamosa
12. Maddie Shedd, Battle Mountain

Impromptu Speaking

1. Tyler Beeson, Faith Christian
2. Conner Lewis, Dawson
3. Audrey Plzak, Battle Mountain
4. Matt Slade, Dawson
5. Noah Seeman, Battle Mountain
6. Hunter Daboll, Alamosa
7. Mika Nijhawan, Dawson
7. Jackson Mumper, Alamosa
7. Alex Hays, Gunnison
10. Riley Dudley, Eagle Valley
11. Joe Huntly, Platte Canyon
11. Brielle Kromer, Eagle Valley

Duet Acting Humor

1. Mumper & Daboll, , Alamosa
2. Marshall & March, Gunnison
3. Heineman & Nieland, Platte Canyon
4. Srholez & Kromer, Eagle Valley
5. Cody & Daboll, Alamosa
6. Lancaster & Becerra, Fowler
7. Thompson & Dundes, Limon
8. Wolfe & Clark, Gunnison
9. Hopkins & Anderson, Alamosa
10. Reid & McDougall, Battle Mountain
11. Kraxberger & Vaughn, Genoa-Hugo
12. Fare & Gaede, Limon

Interpretation of Humor

1. Alissa Barry, Eagle Valley
2. Drew Heineman, Platte Canyon
3. Caroline Dewell, Eagle Valley
4. Nicole Miller, Alamosa
5. Ryan March, Gunnison
6. Karavela Zeiter, Gunnison
7. Layla Goldberg, Aspen
8. Jakson McDaniel, Alamosa
9. Jackson Seidler, Platte Canyon
10. Kathy Hopkins, Alamosa
11. Sierra Nieland, Platte Canyon
12. Gage Harper, Eagle Valley

Creative Storytelling

1. Jordan Preston, Gunnison
2. Lily Elliot, Battle Mountain
3. Heidi Sussenbach, Platte Canyon
4. Ryan Boeke, Eagle Valley
5. Etaoin Burton, Gunnison
6. Shay Adamo, Steamboat Springs
7. Herry Garcia, Eagle Valley
8. Charles Leech, Steamboat Springs
8. Chris Carrouth, Hayden
10. Ariana Lipton, Battle Mountain
11. Sean Michaels, Genoa-Hugo
12. Tom Allen, Battle Mountain
12. Jakson McDaniel, Alamosa
12. Daniel Earby, Hayden

Duet Acting Drama

1. Calkum & Wilkins, Limon
2. Sego & Litt, Battle Mountain
3. Lodge & Farmer, Eagle Valley

Contrasting Monologues

1. Mikayla Martin, Faith Christian
2. Marshal Hollingsworth, Alamosa
3. Mollie McCoy, Battle Mountain
4. Emily Huntley, Platte Canyon
5. Sarah Wittemyer, Steamboat Springs
6. Macayla Scheidt, Steamboat Springs
7. Hailey Dennis, Alamosa
8. Maria Meza, Gunnison
9. Sarah Jacobs, Battle Mountain
10. Taylor McDonald, Gunnison
11. Natalie Marner, Eagle Valley
12. Lisa Mix, Alamosa

Interpretation of Poetry

1. Eli Emmitt, Gunnison
2. Jade Crow, Gunnison
3. Brenna Curry, Platte Canyon
4. Morgan Hollingsworth, Alamosa
5. Meghan McGregor, Gunnison
6. Taylor McDonald, Gunnison
7. Saroja Manickam, Eagle Valley
8. Rebekah Montoya, Faith Christian
9. Ashley Wagner, Eagle Valley
10. Jillian Byron, Eagle Valley
11. Caitlyn Lancaster, Fowler
12. Shilo Lottes, Steamboat Springs

Lincoln-Douglas Debate

1. Tom MacPhee, Faith Christian
2. Emily Funk, Faith Christian
3. Khang Pham, Dawson
3. Max Melamed, Dawson
5. Kaitlyn Lucas, Frederick
5. David McKean, Dawson
5. Caleb Dennis, Battle Mountain