CHSAANow

Month: August 2013

  • Fall practice in full swing on Monday

    Yes, boys golfers have been at it for about a week now. Monday, they were joined by the companions competing in every other sport — boys and girls cross country, field hockey, football, gymnastics, boys soccer, softball, boys tennis and volleyball.

    Athletes, teams and schools are taking to Twitter:

    And, coaches, as a reminder: we are looking for voters to take part in weekly rankings.

  • NFHS partners with USA Football to advance player safety

    INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has partnered with USA Football to advance high school football player safety on a national level by endorsing USA Football’s Heads Up FootballSM program.

    The NFHS leads the development of high school interscholastic sports and activities, serving its 50 member state high school athletic associations plus the District of Columbia. USA Football is the sport’s national governing body.

    The NFHS supports player safety-focused training programs for its membership, which includes more than 19,000 high schools. The NFHS encourages high schools to adopt training programs such as Heads Up Football as a means to minimize the inherent risk in the sport. Football, with 1.12 million high school student-athletes, is the No. 1 participatory sport of high school boys by nearly a 2-to-1 margin.

    In partnership with the NFHS and USA Football, 32 high schools spanning eight states – Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Virginia – will pilot Heads Up Football in 2013. All high schools across the U.S. will be eligible to adopt Heads Up Football in 2014.

    Each participating high school program will designate a Player Safety Coach. This individual is trained by USA Football to instruct fellow coaches, parents and players on Heads Up Football’s tackling mechanics that aim to reduce helmet contact, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concussion recognition and response protocols and proper helmet and shoulder pad fitting. Player Safety Coaches see that Heads Up Football’s protocols are put into practice throughout the season. In addition, all participating coaches complete the USA Football-NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching Football certification course.

    “The health and well-being of our student-athletes is our No. 1 priority,” said NFHS Executive Director Bob Gardner.  “Rooted in education, Heads Up Football is advancing sound behaviors and techniques as to the manner in which football is taught and played. USA Football has melded needed insight and techniques from experts in medicine and sport for the benefit of our students.”

    “Heads Up Football is raising standards in how coaches are prepared to teach and how player safety is addressed to coaches, players and parents,” said USA Football Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck. “Nothing comes before the health and safety of our young athletes, and the NFHS shares that commitment with us. Our game is undergoing a significant behavior change for the better through the education and training Heads Up Football delivers.”

    In addition to benefiting approximately 4,000 high school student-athletes in 2013, Heads Up Football has been adopted this season by nearly 2,800 youth football programs representing nearly 600,000 youth players in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., this season.

    Five primary elements of USA Football’s Heads Up Football program for high schools:

    Heads Up Tackling
    • USA Football’s Heads Up Tackling technique, endorsed by medical and football experts, teaches players to keep their heads up and out of the line of contact.
    Coaching certification
    • All coaches will complete the USA Football-NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching Football certification course designed for NFHS membership.
    Concussion recognition and response
    • Coaches learn and are assessed on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concussion recognition and response protocols.
    • Coaches, parents and players are taught concussion-related protocols.
    Player Safety Coach
    • Appointed by each participating Heads Up Football high school program. This individual is trained by USA Football to implement Heads Up Football’s player safety protocols, including coaching certification, and conducts safety clinics for fellow coaches, parents and players.
    Equipment fitting
    • Coaches, parents and players are taught proper helmet and shoulder pad fitting.

    In addition to the NFHS, organizations that support Heads Up Football include the American Football Coaches Association; the Atlantic Coast Conference; the Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences; AAU Football; the Boys and Girls Clubs of America; the National Police Athletic League (P.A.L.); the NFL and NFL Foundation; Pop Warner Little Scholars; and the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.

    USA Football’s Heads Up Tackling technique was developed with contributions of USA Football’s Tackle Advisory Committee, which includes Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald, UCLA head coach Jim Mora, former NFL running back Merril Hoge, Miami Christopher Columbus High School head coach Chris Merritt and sports psychologist Dr. David Yukelson.

  • Arrangements completed to officially start NFHS Network

    INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — In an organizational meeting yesterday, representatives of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and PlayOn! Sports (PlayOn) completed all legal and financial arrangements to officially start the NFHS Network.

    The NFHS Network is a joint venture between the NFHS and PlayOn to expand coverage of high school sports and performing arts through the Internet at www.NFHSnetwork.com.

    During the organizational meeting, a five-person Board of Directors was selected to govern the NFHS Network. Jack Roberts, executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), was selected chair of the NFHS Network Board of Directors. The MHSAA is one of 28 NFHS-member state associations that has joined the NFHS Network.

    Bob Gardner, NFHS executive director, and David Rudolph, chief executive officer of PlayOn, were selected vice-presidents of the NFHS Network Board. The other two members selected for the NFHS Network Board were Mark Beckman, executive director of the Montana High School Association (MHSA), and Mark Buffington of Buckhead Investment Partners in Atlanta, Georgia. The MHSA is another member of the NFHS Network. In addition, Robert Rothberg was named chief executive officer of the NFHS Network.

    Helping to complete the deal between the NFHS and PlayOn were the law firms of Polsinelli PC of Kansas City, Missouri (NFHS), and Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough LLP of Atlanta, Georgia (PlayOn). Polsinelli is one of the 100 largest law firms in the United States and represents a number of collegiate and other amateur sports organizations. Nelson Mullins was established in 1897 and was led by attorney Donna Lewis, who has represented PlayOn since its inception.

    The NFHS Network Board of Directors, which will meet quarterly, will be responsible for establishing the budget, selecting events for the NFHS Network, monitoring the performance of PlayOn and distributing payments to Network members, among many tasks.

    In addition to Michigan and Montana, NFHS member associations in the following states will be a part of the NFHS Network as the 2013-14 season begins: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

    In addition, member associations in a number of other states are close to completing agreements and are expected to join the NFHS Network soon.

     

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  • Gateway football unveils new uniforms

    Gateway’s football team was all over Twitter last night, touting the Olympians’ new uniforms.

    Gateway went 7-3 last season, including a narrow loss to Regis Jesuit in the first round of the 5A playoffs. The team is heading into its first season under new coach Ashour Peera, who was a longtime assistant at a high school in Miami.

    But Peera won’t be the only new thing on the sidelines. Take a look:

    Via @GHSFB on Twitter.

    And each side of the helmet:

    Via @jackengelson on Twitter.
    Via @Prince_EphraimH on Twitter.

    There’s even a reveal video:

  • August board of directors workshop and meeting wraps up

    VAIL — The association’s annual board of directors workshop and August meeting concluded on Saturday, and three new members got their first taste of the action.

    New this year are Rick Macias, the district athletic director for Pueblo City Schools; Rick Mondt, the superintendent at Briggsdale Schools; and Jim Thyfault, the district athletic director of Jefferson County Schools.

    Curt Wilson, currently the representative for District 8, also began his term as board president this weekend. Wilson is the principal at Centauri High School.

    The three new members joined nine returners. While at the meeting, they approved a contract to keep the 4A and 5A football championship games at Mile High through 2016.

    Meet this year’s board of directors:

    Board of Directors

    Curt Wilson, President. Principal at Centauri. Representative to District 8 (term expires in 2015).

    Paul Angelico, Secretary-Treasurer. CHSAA commissioner.

    Dennis Fraser, District 1 representative (term expires 2014). Assistant principal, athletic director at Gunnison.

    Mike Schmidt, District 2 representative (term expires 2016). Principal, Platte Canyon.

    Jerry Martin, District 3 representative (term expires 2015). Athletic director, Longmont Christian.

    Jim Thyfault, District 4 representative (term expires 2017). District athletic director, Jefferson County Schools.

    Karen Higel, District 5 representative (term expires 2014). District athletic director, Denver Public Schools.

    Ed Hartnett, District 6 representative (term expires 2016). District activities/athletic director, Adams 12 Five Star School District.

    Sandi Weece, District 7 representative (term expires 2015). Athletic director, South Park.

    Rick Macias, District 9 representative (term expires 2017). District athletic director, Pueblo City Schools.

    Wendy Dunaway, Colorado Commissioner of Education representative (term expires 2015). School improvement manager.

    Jim Engelker, School Boards representative (term expires 2016). Platte Valley Re-3.

    Jim Lucas, Colorado Association of School Executives representative (term expires 2015). Assistant principal, Pine Creek.

    Rick Mondt, Colorado Association of School Executives representative (term expires 2017). Superintendent, Briggsale, Weld County SD RE-10.

    Angela Giron, Colorado State Legislature Representative (term expires 2014). Senator.

    Advisory members:

    Robert Hammond, Colorado Commissioner of Education
    Tom Sifers, Colorado Association of School Boards
    Bert Borgmann, CHSAA, Assistant Commissioner
    Bethany Brookens, CHSAA, Assistant Commissioner
    Ryan Casey, CHSAA, Director of Web Services
    Bud Ozzello, CHSAA, Assistant Commissioner
    Jenn Roberts-Uhlig, CHSAA, Assistant Commissioner
    Tom Robinson, CHSAA, Assistant Commissioner
    Harry Waterman, CHSAA, Assistant Commissioner
    Alex Halpern, CHSAA Legal Council

  • 2013 girls swimming Coaches Invite information

    Download here: Meet Info

    https://old.chsaanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2013-14-Girls-COInvite-Meet-Info.pdf

  • 4A and 5A football’s championship games to stay at Mile High

    Sports Authority Field at Mile High. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    Sports Authority Field at Mile High. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    VAIL — The championship football games in classes 4A and 5A will remain at Sports Authority Field at Mile High for at least the next four seasons.

    In a deal signed this week, CHSAA and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame extended a relationship which has existed since 2005. The contract includes two options to extend the deal by additional three-year periods.

    “We’re excited to extend our relationship with the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, and be back at Sports Authority Field at Mile High,” said assistant commissioner Harry Waterman, who oversees football.

    The 2013 games were already scheduled to be held at Mile High, so the new deal runs through the 2016 season with options to extend to 2019 and 2022. This year’s 5A and 4A title games are Nov. 30.

    Championship games from 6-man through 3A will all be held at a home site. Class 3A’s move to a home site is new this season. Last year’s championship was held at Legacy Stadium in Aurora.

    The scoreboard during last year's championship game. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    The scoreboard during last year’s championship game. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

  • 2014 music festival schedule

    Download here: Schedule

    https://old.chsaanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2014-Music-Festival-Schedule.pdf

  • 2013 speech and debate conference information

    The 2013 Speech and Debate Coaches’ Conference will be held Sept. 6-7 at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village.

    Each year this workshop is an integral part of our overall State Speech program and it serves as the Rules Clinic for speech coaches.

    The weekend of Sept. 6-7 will feature a Coaches’ Conference, highlighting issues identified by coaches across the state.  This weekend should offer speech coaches the opportunity to share ideas with their colleagues and discuss basic issues important to forensics.

    The Coaches’ weekend will begin Friday, Sept. 6 at Cherry Creek High School with new coaches’ orientation, several committee meetings, and a social.  Saturday, Sept. 7 will include additional workshops.

    In order to encourage your participation, the Double Tree-Denver Tech Center is offering a special hotel room rate of $89.00 per night. Contact the Double Tree-Denver Tech Center and mention CHSAA SPEECH.   This special offer gives you a chance to informally meet with your fellow coaches, outside of the pressures of speech meets and the season.  The Double Tree-Denver Tech Center is where the Friday night social will be held.

    The first part of September should provide a great time for interchanges of ideas among coaches.  Please bring your files, links and electronic material you wish to share with other coaches.  We will post all of them on a web sharing site.  I will forward you a copy of the final schedule as it becomes available in late August.

    If you plan to attend, please register by clicking here: Online Registration Form.

    Please submit payment for the conference at this time as well. Payment should be made to CHSAA and sent to Audra Cathy.

    Note:  Room Reservations need to be made prior to Aug. 30. This must be done now to reserve your room and rate.

    Please fill out the Online Registration Form even if you are not sure of the names of the participants for next year, as we can be flexible on the actual participant’s names if they need to change.

    If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (303) 344-5050.  Hope to see you in September for an exciting, productive weekend.

  • We’re seeking voters for coaches polls

    We will be launching coaches polls this fall as a way of presenting weekly team rankings. However, we need voters. Coaches: that’s where you come in.

    Our rankings will be released each Monday, and available for any media outlet to run in their paper, online, or on their broadcast.

    This fall, we hope to have coaches polls in every sport, in every classification. So we’re looking for coaches from the following sports:

    • Boys cross country
    • Girls cross country
    • Field hockey
    • Football
    • Boys golf
    • Gymnastics
    • Boys soccer
    • Softball
    • Boys tennis
    • Volleyball

    Your athletic director received an email this morning with more information on the voting process. If you are interested, shoot me an email at rcasey@chsaa.org.

    Please note that these polls will have no bearing postseason seeding or bracket placement.