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Category: NFHS

  • Free movement approved in girls lacrosse

    Cheyenne Mountain Pine Creek girls lacrosse
    (Chris Fehrm/Chris Fehrm Photography)

    INDIANAPOLIS — Allowing players to freely move around the playing field after a whistle is one of 12 changes to high school girls lacrosse rules approved for the 2020 season.

    All rules changes recommended by the joint National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and US Lacrosse (USL) Girls Lacrosse Rules Committee at its June 17-19 meeting in Indianapolis were subsequently approved by the NFHS and USL Boards of Directors.

    “The committee addressed topics ranging from equipment requirements to the philosophical change to free movement with intention and extraordinary attention to detail,” said Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS director of sports/communications associate and liaison to the Girls Lacrosse Rules Committee. “The commitment of the joint NFHS/USL committee to do what is best for high school girls lacrosse was evident in both the content of their discussion and the outcomes of their hard work.”

    The change to free movement impacts several areas of the NFHS/USL Rules Book. Rules 5-1-2 and 5-1-3 have been adjusted to eliminate the requirement for players to stand in place after an official’s whistle.

    Free movement allows players to freely move around the playing field, instead of being required to hold their positions on stoppages including possession time-outs (Rule 4-3-3), injury time-outs (Rule 4-2-3), major and minor fouls (Rule 5-3-1), when the ball goes out of bounds (Rule 6-3-1) and free position or alternating-possession restarts (Rule 10-1).

    “This will be an exciting rule change for the high school game, one which we believe will enhance the athlete experience on the field and ease the workload on officials to monitor players off the ball,” said Caitlin Kelley, US Lacrosse women’s lacrosse director and the USL liaison to the Girls Lacrosse Rules Committee. “The rules committee prioritizes safety, integrity of the game, pace of place and growth. We want our student-athletes to love the game and attract new players to the sport too.”

    Additionally, in Rule 4-3-3, players may now be substituted for during a possession time-out, except for the player being awarded the ball and the offender.

    Rule 5-4-4 has been amended to allow self-starts on boundary restarts. On boundary restarts, opponents must give the player in possession of the ball at least two meters — an additional meter from the previous requirement (Rule 6-3-1b).

    When a stoppage in play causes the ball to become dead that was in the critical scoring area, Rules 4-3-3, 5-1-3, 5-3-1 and 7-3 PENALTY now indicate play will resume on the closet dot.

    “The impact of free movement on the rules is complex,” Atkinson said. “The committee was diligent in addressing each impacted rule to ensure a comprehensive implementation of the concept into the high school game.”

    Self-starting when self-start is not an option is now considered a major foul in Rule 10-1 under false starts. Additionally, under major fouls, a check to the neck is now included under check to the head with a mandatory card assessed.

    Rule 5-2-2 was amended to allow any number, up to 12 players from each team, on the field prior to the start of each draw. Prior to the change, each team was required to have 12 players on the field unless a team could not do so legally.

    Changes to Rules 2-2-5 and 2-4-3 amend crosse and stick requirements. A crosse now meets specifications if the ball moves freely in the front of the pocket, removing the requirement for the back of the pocket. Additionally, during stick checks, game officials will ensure that the ball rolls out of the back of the pocket when placed in the upper third of the head at its widest point and the stick and head are tilted 90 degrees.

    “The committee felt that it was important to separate the performance requirements of the front and back face of the head during stick checks,” Atkinson said. “This change simply distinguishes the differences in performance and clarifies the stick check process.”

    In a change to Rule 2-7-4, equipment cannot be modified from its original manufactured state and it must be worn in the manner the manufacturer intended.

    Rule 2-7-2 now requires that all eyewear worn on the playing field bear the SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) mark for certification by January 1, 2025. Eyewear must still be SEI certified for the 2020 season; the requirement for a physical mark on the eyewear does not take effect until 2025. All approved eyewear is listed on the SEI website at www.seinet.org.

    “SEI certification and the ASTM standard remain the same and an important part of maintaining safety for our student-athletes,” Kelley said. “The rules committee extended the requirement of the physical markings on the eyewear in order to minimize unnecessary cost to the consumers.”

    A change to Rule 6-3-2 clarifies that a player’s body or crosse that is inbounds and nearest to the ball determines possession of the ball when play resumes.

    In a tweak to Rule 9-1, the description of the minor foul, covering, is now described as covering a ground ball, instead of guarding. Additionally, preventing an opponent from playing the ball by covering the ball with the body now constitutes a minor foul. Previously, using a foot or crosse to guard a ground ball was a minor field foul.

    Rule 2-8-4 now prohibits the use of video replay to review an official’s decision, consistent with other NFHS rules.

    The final rules change adjusts Rule 10-1 regarding the free position after a major foul. The free position will now be taken on the 12-meter fan closest to the spot of the foul.

    A complete listing of the girls lacrosse rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Lacrosse-Girls.”

    According to the 2017-18 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, there are 96,904 girls participating in lacrosse at 2,781 high schools across the country.

  • NFHS adopts new logo as it leads high school sports and activity programs into next 100 years

    INDIANAPOLIS — As the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) heads into the next 100 years of leading high school sports and other activity programs nationwide, it will be doing so with a new logo.

    The new logo was unveiled to the membership earlier this month at the close of the NFHS Centennial Celebration. The NFHS and its 51-member state high school associations celebrated the organization’s accomplishments at the 100th Annual Meeting at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.

    The organization will continue to be branded as the NFHS in the new logo, and the N and F are connected as has been the case since 1979; however, the entire acronym is together on one line as opposed to the previous logo with the NF and HS on separate lines. While red and blue will continue to be the predominant colors, the new logo mixes white with red and blue to suggest a flag waving in the wind. The direction of the flag is pointing upward to symbolize forward-thinking and advancement.

    The new design maintains a resemblance to the shield that has been a part of the NFHS logo since 1997; however, the logo is flared at the top, and the bottom of the logo does not have definitive borders, which suggests the organization has moved past its first 100 years and is expanding its reach as the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts programs in the United States.

    While the organization’s logo from 1952 had four stars to signify the four charter members of the NFHS, the four stripes within the new logo represent the four homes of the organization in the first 100 years. 

    “We wanted to retain NFHS as the central component of the new logo because the organization’s national presence has continued to spiral upward in the 22 years since the NFHS acronym was adopted,” said Dr. Karissa Niehoff, NFHS executive director. “However, as we celebrated our first 100 years, we felt it was important to establish a new look that would signify our ever-increasing role as the national leader in high school sports and performing arts programs.”

    Counting the Centennial logo that was used during the 2018-19 school year, the new logo will be 10th used by the organization since the first one was adopted in the 1930s. The new logo was created by Section 127, an Indianapolis-based design company.

    The NFHS was started in 1920 and had offices in Chicago until 1971, when it moved to Elgin, Illinois. The organization moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1979, and then to Indianapolis in 2000, where it remains today.

    Following is a progression of the NFHS logos:

  • New NFHS officers and board members elected for 2019-20

    INDIANAPOLIS — Mark Beckman, executive director of the Montana High School Association (MHSA), is the new president of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for 2019-20. Beckman, the 60th president of the NFHS, began his one-year term July 3 following the NFHS Summer Meeting in Indianapolis.     

    Kerwin Urhahn, executive director of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA), was elected by the NFHS Board of Directors to the position of president-elect for the upcoming year.

    In addition, the following individuals were approved by the NFHS National Council for four-year terms on the NFHS Board of Directors: Mike Burnham, executive director, Maine Principals’ Association, Section 1; Sally Marquez, executive director, New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA), Section 6; and Dr. Kim Wilbanks, superintendent, Jonesboro (Arkansas) Public Schools, at large, Sections 2 and 6.

    Beckman was named executive director of the MHSA in 2004 after seven years as MHSA assistant director and many years as a high school administrator, instructor, coach and official.

    Beckman’s association with educational administration dates to 1983, when he served as chairman of the Butte (Montana) School Board for 2½ years. He was a basketball official and a member of the Montana Officials Association for several years, and he coached boys and girls basketball at Butte Central High School and Anaconda (Montana) High School. He also coached Babe Ruth and American Legion baseball in Butte and Anaconda.

    Following his coaching and officiating tenures, Beckman was a member of several MHSA standing and ad-hoc committees, and he was athletic director at Butte Central. Prior to joining the MHSA office, Beckman was a teacher and activities director at Anaconda High School.

    Beckman was chair of the Programs Subcommittee for the 2011-2016 Strategic Planning Committee and recently completed terms on the NFHS Network Board of Directors and the NFHS Appeal Board.

    Urhahn joined the MSHSAA as executive director in 2006 after serving as superintendent of schools in Portageville, Missouri.

    Prior to joining the MSHSAA, Urhahn taught all levels of high school mathematics and coached volleyball, basketball, baseball and golf at Bloomfield High School from 1991 to 1997, and he assumed the role of athletic director in 1994. Urhahn was named principal in 1997 and served three years before becoming the superintendent of the Portageville School District in 2000.

    A member of numerous professional organizations, Urhahn is a representative on the Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) State Accountability Committee, and he also serves on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education MSIP Performance Committee. From 1998 to 2001, he served on the MSHSAA Southeast Investigative Committee. Nationally, Urhahn previously chaired the NFHS Technology Committee.

    Urhahn, who served on the MSHSAA Board of Directors prior to joining the staff, earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southeast Missouri State University, an educational specialist designation from St. Louis University and a doctorate from St. Louis University.

    Burnham succeeded Dick Durost as MPA executive director earlier this month after serving as assistant executive director of the governing organization for high school sports in Maine since 2008. During his 11 years as MPA assistant executive director, Burnham worked with committees that governed competition in field hockey, golf, football, cheerleading, indoor track, boys and girls ice hockey, Unified basketball, outdoor track, lacrosse and baseball.

    In addition to his work with the various sports, Burnham has been the liaison to the MPA’s Sports Medicine Committee, Media Advisory Committee, Officials Advisory Committee, Eligibility Committee, Technology Committee and Hall of Excellence Screening Committee.

    Nationally, Burnham is currently a member of the NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Committee and previously served on the NFHS Citizenship and Equity Committee and the NFHS Summer Meeting Advisory Committee.

    Burnham, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Thomas College in Waterville, Maine, and his master’s from the University of Southern Maine, was a teacher, assistant principal/athletic director and principal at Monmouth (Maine) Academy for 22 years before joining the MPA staff in 2008.

    Marquez has served as executive director of the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) since September 2012. She began her career at the NMAA in 2004 as associate director and was promoted to assistant executive director in July 2011.

    Prior to joining the NMAA, Marquez held a variety of positions in the Rio Rancho Public District in New Mexico for six years, including teacher, dean of students, assistant principal and director of personnel. Marquez held a variety of teaching and coaching positions in New Mexico, Texas and Virginia for 14 years before joining the Rio Rancho district.

    A graduate of Albuquerque (New Mexico) Manzano High School, Marquez earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico and her master’s degree from Virginia Tech University.

    Nationally, Marquez is one of only three females who are serving as directors of a state high school association, including Rhonda Blanford-Green of the Colorado High School Activities Association and Que Tucker of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.  

    Wilbanks, who is in her 35th year in secondary education and 13th year as superintendent of the Jonesboro Public Schools (JPS) in Arkansas, has provided the vision and guidance to allow JPS to develop and implement the magnet school concept at the elementary school level. 

    In addition, Wilbanks led the push for Jonesboro High School (JHS) to gain charter school status in 2013-14. As a result, JHS implemented three academic academies focusing on 1) Sciences, Math, Technology; 2) Engineering, Business, Media; and 3) Health and Human Services. She also led the district in implementing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at every JPS campus during the past several years.

    Under Wilbanks’ leadership, the district has completed major construction projects, including the addition of a new Center for the Performing Arts, renovation of the Don Riggs Hurricane gymnasium and improvements to several schools. She also led the passage of a recent millage enabling the district to continue to expand and meet the needs of its students.

    In 2014, Wilbanks was chosen Arkansas Superintendent of the Year by the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators (AAEA). She is a previous president of the AAEA and served on the AAEA State Legislative Committee for four years.

  • New definition for damaged bats highlights softball rules changes in 2020

    State softball generic
    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    INDIANAPOLIS — A new definition for a damaged bat is one of three high school softball rules changes for the 2020 season.

    The three rules changes recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Softball Rules Committee at its June 10-12 meeting in Indianapolis were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

    A damaged bat will now be defined as a bat that was once legal, but is broken, cracked, dented, rattles or has sharp edges that might deface the ball (Rules 1-5-1, 7-4-2, 2-4-3).

    Previously, a damaged bat was considered an illegal bat, with the penalty being an out when the batter entered the batter’s box. Now, damaged bats are simply removed from the game without penalty.

    “This rule defines damaged bats and distinguishes them from non-approved and altered bats,” said Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Softball Rules Committee. “The committee clarified the course of action that should be taken when a damaged bat is discovered in the game.”

    Additionally, in Rule 1-5-1, the USA Softball All Games certification mark is now acceptable on bats. The new mark is in addition to the current ASA 2000 and ASA 2004 certification marks. Bats must bear one of these three marks and must not be listed on USA Softball’s Non-Approved Bats With Certification Marks, a list that is available on www.usasoftball.com.

    “Bats bearing the 2000 and 2004 certification marks are still permissible, provided they meet specifications in Rule 1-5-1 and do not appear on USA Softball’s Non-Approved Bats with Certification Marks list,” Searcy said.

    Another rules change is an adjustment to Rule 6-1-1 regarding fast-pitch pitching regulations. Pitchers must now take a position with the pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate. Previously, pitchers were required to have the pivot foot on or partially on the top surface of the pitcher’s plate.

    “The change allows for different styles of pitching and permits them to place their feet where pitchers feel most comfortable,” Searcy said. “The rule now clarifies that part of the foot must simply be in contact with the pitcher’s plate.”

    The final change is a tweak to Rule 9-1-1 involving the scoring of runs. Under Exception “C,” a run is not scored when the third out is obtained by a preceding runner who is declared out on an appeal play. Previously, the rule only covered runners who were declared out for failing to touch one of the bases.

    “There are two types of appeal plays that can be affected in this exception: failing to touch one of the bases and leaving the base too soon on a fly ball that is caught,” Searcy said. “The previous rule did not include both scenarios. The use of the phrase ‘a runner who is declared out on an appeal play’ addresses both situations.”

    According to the 2017-18 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, there are 367,861 girls participating in fast-pitch softball at 15,544 schools across the country, and 1,589 boys playing the sport in 35 schools.

    A complete listing of the softball rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Softball.”

  • Assisting injured athletes, expansion of exchange zones among rules changes in track and cross country

    Track generic
    (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    INDIANAPOLIS — The expansion of exchange zones in short relay events, which does not require tracks to be repainted/resurfaced, as well as assisting injured athletes, are among the rules changes for high school track and field and cross country.

    Seven rules changes were recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee at its June 10-12 meeting in Indianapolis, and all changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

    The first change amends notes in Rule 4 (Competitors and Competition) and Rule 8 (Cross Country) which reads, “A competitor who provides assistance to an injured or ill competitor should not be disqualified if neither the individual competitor providing the assistance nor his/her team gains an advantage as a result of providing the assistance.”

    “Previous changes to the NFHS rules created the exception that allows a competitor to assist an injured or ill competitor without being disqualified when medical staff is not present,” said Julie Cochran, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Track and Field/Cross Country Rules Committee. “In a clear majority of these types of situations, the action is intended to be an act of good sportsmanship and not an attempt to circumvent the rules or gain an advantage.”

    While the injured or ill competitor is disqualified for receiving help, the competitor helping will not be disqualified, unless that competitor – or his/her team – gains an advantage. In all cases, the final decision rests with the meet referee, who has the sole authority to rule on infractions, irregularities and disqualifications in a meet.

    Changes to Rules 5-3-3 and 5-3-4 expand the exchange zone in relays with legs of 200 meters or less from 20 to 30 meters. All exchange zones for races with legs longer than 200 meters will remain at 20 meters.

    “The acceleration zone is now incorporated into the existing exchange zone, thus a 30-meter exchange zone for relay races with legs of 200 meters or less,” Cochran said. “The rule change does not require that tracks be repainted or resurfaced in order to follow the new NFHS rules. Existing acceleration zone markings, such as triangles, squares or colored tape, placed at that location may be used to denote the beginning of the exchange zones on a track.”

    Rule 6-2-6 has been amended to prohibit athletes from running backwards or in the opposite direction (non-legal direction) during warm-ups on horizontal jumps, pole vault and javelin runways.

    “This change promotes a more organized and efficient warm-up period,” Cochran said. “Competitors should now be more aware of their surroundings.”

    Two changes to Rule 6 provide equivalent metric increments for tiebreaking jump-offs in vertical jumps, as well as clarify distance requirements for long jump and triple jump pits. For long jump and triple jump pits constructed after 2019, the length of the pit shall be at least 23 feet (seven meters).

    In cross country, Rule 8-1-1 has been reorganized to clarify that a cross country course may be marked with any or all methods listed in the rule.

    An additional change to cross country rules adds language to Rule 8-1-3 regarding straightaways at the start of a course. The change provides a recommended minimum distance of 100 meters for beginning straightaways, and states that no narrow section of a course should be longer than 10 feet (three meters) long. Small cones of the appropriate color, at least 12 inches (30 centimeters) high, are also now permitted to be used in lieu of painted lines or survey chalk.

    According to the 2017-18 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, track and field is the most popular sport for girls with 488,592 participants and is No. 2 for boys with 600,097. Cross country ranks sixth for girls with 223,518 participants and sixth for boys with 270,095.

    A complete listing of the track and field and cross country rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Track and Field/Cross Country.”

  • Expanded designated hitter role coming to baseball

    Calhan Rye baseball
    (Lisa Hayes/StillOfTheMomentPhotography.com)

    INDIANAPOLIS — The role of the designated hitter in high school baseball has been expanded to give coaches an additional option for the 2020 season.

    The revision to Rule 3-1-4 was the only change recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee at its June 2-4 meeting in Indianapolis. The change was subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

    “The game is in the best shape it has ever been in the history of high school baseball,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and student services and liaison to the NFHS Baseball Rules Committee. “This has allowed coaches to coach, players to play and umpires to umpire. This change, which was organic and intuitive, expands the role of the designated hitter and meets the desires of the high school baseball community.”

    There are now two scenarios in which a designated hitter may be used.

    The first scenario is the traditional use where the designated hitter may be a 10th starter who hits for any one of the nine starting defensive players. The team begins the game with 10 starters: nine defensive players and nine hitters in the batting order, one of whom is the designated hitter hitting for a defensive player.

    “The traditional designated hitter role remains intact,” Hopkins said. “However, the committee felt it was necessary to make an additional option available to coaches that could be strategic but also maximize participation.”

    The change to Rule 3-1-4 now allows the starting designated hitter to also be a starting defensive player. Utilizing this option, the player has two positions: defensive player and designated hitter. The team would begin the game with nine starters — nine defensive players — one of whom also assumes the role of the designated hitter.

    “With the change adding pitch-count restrictions to high school baseball, this will allow pitchers to remain in the game as a hitter while removing them from pitching,” Hopkins said. “Typically, pitchers are stronger hitters as well. However, the intent of the rule is not for it to become strictly a pitcher-designated hitter role. The rule provides additional avenues for other position players as well. The change allows coaches to strategize how to keep players in the game to contribute offensively while allowing another player a chance to participate on defense.”

    Additionally, a prior rules change involving baseballs and chest and body protectors will take effect on January 1, 2020. As of that date, all baseballs and chest and body protectors used in high school baseball competition shall meet the NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) standard at the time of manufacture.

    According to the 2017-18 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, there are 487,097 boys participating in baseball at 16,196 schools across the country, and 1,762 girls playing the sport in 317 schools.

    All baseball rules information will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Baseball.”

  • Consistency and clarity focus of changes in hockey rules

    Regis Jesuit Dakota Ridge hockey
    (Dustin Price/dustinpricephotography.com)

    INDIANAPOLIS — The nine rules changes approved for the 2019-20 high school ice hockey season focus on consistency and clarity.

    The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Ice Hockey Rules Committee recommended the changes at its April 29-30 meeting in Indianapolis, and all changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

    Three changes in Rule 3 related to equipment expand the maximum length of a player’s stick from 63 to 65 inches and the goalkeeper’s stick from 26 to 28 inches. Additionally, Rule 3-4-5 now emphasizes the requirement that all players, including goalkeepers, must wear helmets and facemasks that meet HECC/ASTM standards at the time of manufacture.

    “From an awareness and educational standpoint, the committee continues to push the importance of wearing proper equipment for the health and safety of our participants,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services and liaison to the Ice Hockey Rules Committee. “The committee has done a great job over the past several years and has put the rules in a good place.”

    Rule 7-10-3 now clarifies that striking an opponent with the stick above the opponent’s shoulders is prohibited, regardless of whether the action was intentional or not. The change also eliminates repetitive language to allow the official to assess the appropriate penalty for an infraction.

    “This creates consistency with other fouls of this nature,” Schuster said. “It gives officials flexibility to call what they see. Officials can call a minor penalty or if flagrant, a major penalty or game disqualification, depending on the severity of the infraction.”

    Changes to Rules 4-7-5 and 9-2-1 make it clear that only goalkeepers can defend a penalty shot and establish that only players in goalkeeper equipment are given goalkeeper privileges, regardless of when they are substituted.

    “The intent of the rules is to have goalkeepers defend the goal cage,” Schuster said. “Goalkeepers have specific equipment for a reason. This change cleans up language that other players should not be defending the goal cage.”

    Two revisions to Rule 9 involve game flow. Prior to a faceoff, officials will now present the puck to the players before dropping the puck, allowing players to better see the puck before it is dropped and increasing the chance of a clean faceoff. The second change moves 9-1-11k to 9-1-9e since there is no offending team in 9-1-11, which covers when a puck deflects off an official and is illegally scored. The faceoff will now take place where the puck was last fairly played.

    “It doesn’t happen often, but the committee did not like seeing the faceoff come outside of the zone in that situation,” Schuster said.

    In Rule 5-3i, referees will now suspend the game – as opposed to terminating the game – if playing conditions become unsatisfactory. Suspending a contest allows it to be resumed, restarted or ended, with the decision resting with the schools, leagues and administration rather than solely with the referee.

    A complete listing of all rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org.

    Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Ice Hockey.”

    More than 35,000 boys participate in ice hockey across the country in 1,610 high schools, and more than 9,500 girls participate in the sport in 622 schools, according to the 2017-18 NFHS Athletics Participation Survey.

  • High school sports and activities play a profound role in developing young men and women

    Dolores Huerta Calhan baseball
    (Lisa Hayes/StillOfTheMomentPhotography.com)

    We communicate on smart phones, drive smart cars, make purchases using smart cards and even drink smart water. But, really, how smart are we?

    Between college admission and internet privacy scandals, sexual misconduct investigations, stolen trade secrets and the growing concern about how we communicate and connect with each other, technology seems to be outpacing our capacity to understand the most responsible way to use it.  

    In other words, how are tomorrow’s leaders being groomed to make decisions that provide the perspective, balance and strength of character that today’s advanced world needs?   

    The answer is by participating in high school sports like the ones offered by the high schools in Colorado. 

    Most researchers agree that leaders are made, not born, through relationships with others. Human interaction and life experiences enable young men and women to develop leadership characteristics such as trust, mutual respect, integrity and accountability. These are the same values that are learned as a result of playing on a high school sports team.

    And while club sports often have only a singular focus (the participant’s athletic abilities), research documents that high school sports programs have an unparalleled positive effect on the physical, academic and emotional growth of teens, including a more mature level of character development.

    In other words, high school sports have a more profound role to play in society today than you may realize.

    The high school sports and activity programs in Colorado — including music, speech, theatre and debate — typically account for only about one to three percent of a school’s overall budget, making them one of the wisest investments your community makes. You can help by attending as many games and events as possible, donating to the booster club and volunteering to work in the concession stand.  

    Most of all, encourage your children to participate in as many sports and activities as they can. Because when they do, they will be joining a new generation of leaders who are both technologically smart and ethically responsible.

    And that’s exactly the kind of leadership our hyper-intelligent world needs.

  • Rules changes approved in spirit

    2018 state spirit finals
    (Marlee Smith/CHSAANow.com)

    INDIANAPOLIS — Rules related to minimizing risk of injury to dance and cheer team members are among 29 rules revisions for the 2019-20 high school spirit season.

    The rules changes were recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Spirit Rules Committee at its March 2-4 meeting and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

    “We’re trying to create a safer environment for activities to occur in cheer and dance and make the rules book as clear as possible,” said James Weaver, director of performing arts and liaison to the NFHS Spirit Rules Committee.

    Rule 3-3-3 was changed to make it consistent with other braced inversion rules. It now allows for the inverted person to be caught by new catchers as long as the new catchers remain close to the original bases, are in place before initiation of the inversion, and do not pose increased safety risk to the top person.

    Rule 3-3-5 was changed to allow a braced front flip to be performed just as it is on the ground while using one bracer behind the top person holding both hands. Both of the top person’s hands/arms must be in continuous contact with a bracer and the bracer must be in a multi-base prep with a spotter. The top person must be to the side or in front of the bracer, and only one bracer is necessary. This allows similar visuals for smaller teams and removes the need for an additional bracer to hold the wrist of the top person.

    Another change related to inversions was made to Rule 3-3-6, which now restricts releasing from an inversion with a stunt that has twists at any level, even in the presence of a spotter. Previously, inversions could release with a stunt at prep level or below.

    “This change affects how someone moves from upside down. This change is significant because of risks [associated with twists],” Weaver said.

    Rule 2-1-5 now states that props made of hard material or sharp edges cannot be released by a top person and must be placed by someone on the ground. This reduces risk of injury from falling props.

    In other changes, Rule 3-5-5 was revised to clarify the intent of the rule and better describe the connection between the bracer and the top person. Rule 4-3-3 was also changed to clarify that as long as someone is gripping, it is not important whether it is the top person or the bracer.

    A complete list of spirit rules changes is located on the spirit page of the NFHS website, www.nfhs.org, under “Activities and Sports.”

    According to the 2017-18 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, competitive spirit is the ninth-most popular sport for girls with 162,669 participants in 6,877 schools around the country.

  • National basketball rules committee to hear a shot clock proposal

    Smoky Hill Mountain Vista boys basketball
    (Marlee Smith/CHSAANow.com)

    Among the 23 proposals the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee will hear this spring is one that would nationalize a 35-second shot clock.

    The proposal is nothing new to the committee — it has been a topic of conversation for decades — but does come at a time with increased scrutiny around the fact that the high school game does not use a shot clock. The NBA and NCAA, of course, do use a shot clock.

    One thing’s for sure: If approved, it would be a major change in high school basketball.

    “Implementing a shot clock fundamentally changes the face of the high school game,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann, who oversees basketball. “Perhaps the best argument for a shot clock is that it brings the four largest areas in organized basketball under a similar rules code: Professional, college, international, and high school.”

    As a state that follows NFHS rules 100 percent, Colorado does not use a shot clock. CHSAA surveyed the state’s basketball coaches three years ago, and opinion was split nearly down the middle.

    This latest proposal could establish a 35-second shot clock across the board, however the rules committee does have the freedom to allow for state adoption should they desire. There has been a trend over the past several years to move away from state association adoptions to try and keep the rules consistent from state-to-state.

    As part of all proposals that will be considered, the NFHS sent out a questionnaire to states to determine what rules needed to be addressed.

    Borgmann sent in Colorado’s response. He responded that Colorado would support a shot clock, so long as the following parameters were met:

    • It is used at all levels, from sub-varsity to varsity. “Why would only use it for varsity when we are developing some players at other levels to become varsity players?” Borgmann said.
    • It is operated by an adult, and they are trained properly. “Our games would now need an additional clock operator who is a big piece of the game,” Borgmann said.
    • It is not a state-association adoption, but is mandated nation-wide. “I think it’s important that it be a national rule for all states, and that gives consistency across the board,” Borgmann said.
    • That it would be phased in, and not started immediately. “If this happens, we’ve got to allow our schools to adapt to the change, and that will require an implementation period of some sort,” Borgmann said.

    The shot clock has long been debated at the high school level, and is a near-annual proposal discussed by the rules committee.

    “This conversation is no different than the initial stages for the implementation of the 3-point shot,” Borgmann said. “That, too, fundamentally changed the way high school basketball was played. Leading up to that change, there were similar discussions at all levels and ultimately the evolution of the sport determined that it was a necessary change.

    “So, when talking about the shot clock, the NFHS rules committee has to wrestle with the major question: Is there a need to change the high school game?” Borgmann continued. “Over the last decade, there have been states or sections of states who have, on their own, determined that the shot clock was needed for the sport and implemented that.”

    Borgmann believes the shot clock may well be on its way in high school.

    “Whether the shot clock is approved or not approved this year, this conversation will continue and ultimately I believe we will have a shot clock in high school basketball at some point,” Borgmann said.

    Colorado submitted five proposals to be heard by the rules committee, including one where goaltending only occurs when a defensive player interferes with a basket, not an offensive player.