FORT COLLINS — This year’s CHSAA Student Leadership Camp kicked off on the campus of Colorado State University on Monday.

This year marks the 50th anniversary for the camp, which runs through Thursday. Students from around the state attend to learn how to be better leaders in their schools, and exchange ideas.

INDIANAPOLIS — Effective with the 2015 high school track and field season, the prohibition of jewelry will be eliminated. This was one of several rules changes recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field Rules Committee at its June 16-18 meeting in Indianapolis. The committee’s recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Becky Oakes, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Track and Field Rules Committee, said the committee determined that prohibiting jewelry in high school track and field and cross country is not necessary.

“The wearing of jewelry ordinarily presents little risk of injury to either the competitor or opponents,” Oakes said. “Elimination of the rule allows officials to focus on meet administration directly related to actual competition. Coaches continue to have the obligation to see that competitors are properly equipped.”

In other changes, language regarding the time limit to initiate a trial in the throwing and jumping events was revised. Previously, competitors in these events had to initiate a trial and carry it to completion within one minute. Beginning next year, participants must only initiate the trial within the one-minute time limit. Completion of the event will be allowed beyond the prescribed time.

Another change was made in field events involving implements. In events such as the shot put, discus, javelin and pole vault, an additional trial will be allowed when an implement breaks – and thus becomes illegal – during competition due to no fault of the competitor.

The revised note in Rules 6-2-17 and 7-2-17 reads as follows: “If a legal implement breaks during an attempt in accordance with the rules, no penalty shall be counted against the competitor and a replacement trial shall be awarded. If the implement breaks upon completion of the trial, a replacement attempt shall not be awarded and the results of the trial shall be recorded, provided it was made in accordance with the rules.”

In the discus throw, it no longer will be a foul if a competitor is out of control when exiting the back half of the circle. Also, in the discus, shot put and javelin, the requirement for the judge to call “mark” was eliminated.

Another change involves the high jump and pole vault events. A new article in Rule 7-2 will state that “a crossbar displaced by a force disassociated with the competitor after he/she is legally and clearly over the crossbar shall not be a fault and is considered a successful attempt.”

In Rule 8 involving special events, the committee approved the 1,500-meter run as an alternate for the 1,600-meter run in the decathlon and pentathlon. Oakes said when using the IAAF standard scoring, the 1,500-meter run is the standard distance. In addition, the indoor weight throw was approved for the listing of special events.

The final change involves Rule 1-4 on indoor track. Since many indoor meets are held in college facilities, the committee approved the 60-meter high hurdles and dash as alternates for the 55-meter high hurdles and dash. Oakes said this option eliminates special marking of the facilities for the hurdles and dash.

Track and field is the second-most popular sport for boys with 580,672 participants in 16,001 schools and is the No. 1 sport for girls with 472,939 participants in 15,962 schools during the 2012-13 season, according to the NFHS Athletics Participation Survey.

Last year’s event featured 13 volunteer coaches who had either college or NFL experience. (Courtesy of the Ekhoff family)

It’s an event to honor his memory, but the Nate Ekhoff Kicking Camp also aims to help local kickers, punters and long snappers.

The camp honors former Ponderosa kicker Nate Ekhoff, who was diagnosed with leukemia just after his senior season in 2011. He died from complications of the disease less than a year after that.

Last summer, Nate’s family started the Nate Ekhoff Kicking Camp. It featured 13 current and former college/NFL kickers, punters and long snappers as volunteer coaches. Thirty Colorado high school players took part. Ultimately, the camp provided $4,000 in college scholarships to four Colorado athletes who went on to play at the Division II level.

(Courtesy of the Ekhoff family)

“Our family is very excited to help them out a little,” Marshall Ekhoff, Nate’s dad, wrote in an email.

This year’s event is Saturday at Sports Authority Stadium in Parker from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Registration is $125 and includes lunch and a t-shirt.

Coaches include former Northglenn and Colorado State punter/kicker Jimmie Kaylor; former Mullen and CSU long-snapper John Treacy; former Arvada West and CSU punter/kicker (and current A-West baseball coach) Matt McDougal; former Oregon State and NFL punter/kicker Sam Paulescu; former Arapahoe and CSU kicker Jason Smith; and former Nebraska punter/kicker Dan Wingard.

To register, or for more information, email nateekhoffkickingcamp@gmail.com or marshall.ekhoff@countryfinancial.com. Walk up registrations will also be accepted on Saturday.

The camp is organized by National Camp Series.

In addition, there will be a concurrent tailgate party from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the parking lot at Sports Authority Stadium. Admission is free. The tailgate will feature games, music, grilled food and there will also be a silent auction and drawings.

Donations will be accepted, as well, on behalf of the Nate Ekhoff Kicking Scholarship Fund.

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Local short stuff

• John Hickey will be the new football coach at Flager. He has more than 25 years of coaching experience, most of it in DPS. He was Denver South’s interim coach in 2006, and has also headed Stratton. His stops as an assistant include Denver North, Denver East, Denver South and Alameda. His son, Johnny Hickey — who played at Broomfield — will serve as defensive coordinator.
• North Park hired Chad Carlstrom as its football coach.
• Cherry Creek hockey announced it has hired Brent Tollar as an assistant coach. Tollar was Steamboat Springs’ head coach last season as the Sailors went 10-7-1.
• Denver East graduate Chyna Ries will head to the University of Texas instead of USC. “Initially I verbally committed to USC but was unable to get in,” Ries told co.milesplit.com. “Texas was one of my favorites as well but I had some additional work I needed to do to get in there. This was a long process and I want to reinforce to others to take your academics serious day one.” Ries won the long jump, was second in the 200 meters and third in the 100 at the Class 5A state track and field meet this past spring.
• Fossil Ridge boys lacrosse’s Jake Frane committed to Notre Dame. He will be a sophomore this coming season.
• Fairview girls basketball’s Annika Lai committed to Montana State. She’ll be a senior.
• Big news in the administrative realm: Russ McKinstry, the very successful boys basketball coach, has taken over as the athletic director at Monarch. Said McKinstry, to BoCoPreps.com: “There are high standards and expectations, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
• The Colorado Athletic Directors Association has a new twitter account: @CoAD_Assn.
• Doherty boys basketball coach James Lane resigned in late June. He was there for three seasons, and went 16-8 last spring as the Spartans made 5A’s second round.
• Former Air Academy baseball coach Bernie Moncallo is moving to Vista Ridge.
• Silver Creek alum Valarie Allman was named the Pac-12’s track and field freshman of the year after her initial year at Stanford.
• Dakota Ridge teammates Gillian Vance and Sydney Merchant, Regis Jesuit’s Jaclyn Murray, Jefferson Academy’s Jennifer Kupcho and Silver Creek’s Erin Sargent (who plays for Skyline) all qualified for the U.S. Girls Junior Golf Championship, set to be held July 21-26 in Flagstaff, Arizona. Denver East’s Sarah Hunt is an alternate.
• Kyle Freeland, the Thomas Jefferson product who went No. 8 overall to the Rockies in this summer’s MLB Draft, made his pro debut on Wednesday night. He pitched just two innings, but didn’t allow a run and struck out two against three hits. He also topped out at 96 mph. “When I got done with that second (inning), I just felt like I was getting in my groove,” Freeland told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, “but they said, ‘We’re done after two. You threw 17 pitches, your two innings are up, we’ll just prepare for the next start.'”
• In mid-June, Mead’s baseball and softball fields were vandalized by “unidentified youths” who sliced up the Mavs’ windscreen with a knife. The damage was estimated to be roughly $5,000.
• Genoa-Hugo and Karval will co-op once again in 2014-15 in volleyball, football, boys and girls basketball, as well as baseball.
• The Broadmoor hotel is buying the Norris-Penrose Event Center, which is home to the state cross country meet for the next two years.

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National short stuff

• One school district in South Carolina has voted to prohibit parents from coaching their own kids at the varsity and junior varsity levels. According to The Post and Courier, a newspaper which covers the district, that extends to volunteer coaches, as well. There is a waiver, however, which would allow a parent to coach their kid if they are “determined to be vital to the existence of the program.”
• Ohio is revamping its classification system. Some are hailing the change as a solution to competitive balance, though it only affects football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, baseball and softball. Essentially, enrollment numbers are being adjusted based upon if a student’s parents reside in the attendance zone or not, and if the student has been in the same district since seventh grade. Here are more details from theSuburbanite.com.
• There’s an interesting transfer case brewing in Pennsylvania. It revolves around a Philadelphia-area football player.

The Uncommon Coaches Clinic still has openings for its event set for July 17-19 in Castle Rock.

The clinic will have a number of featured speakers, including CHSAA commissioner Paul Angelico, and Jody Redman of the Minnesota State High School League, who is set to be the keynote speaker at CHSAA’s All-School Summit later this month. Other speakers include Phillip Fulmer, former football coach at the University of Tennessee, and Bill Ripken.

Registration is $125 for one person, and $95 for each additional person from the same school. To register, or for more information, visit RachelsChallenge.org/coach.

Find a flyer below.

https://old.chsaanow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Uncommon-Coach-Clinic-Brochure.pdf

Rocky Mountain’s Alex Kinney has committed to the University of Colorado, according to various media reports.

Kinney is a 6-foot-1, 197-pound kicker and punter who will be a senior for the Lobos this season. His commitment was first reported on Twitter by Chris Sailer, who runs kicking national camps as well as a service ranking kickers.

CSK #3 Punter in the nation & #EVENTELITE P/K Alex Kinney has committed to Colorado! #GoBuffs #TeamSailer pic.twitter.com/dtzxmQkUMF

— Chris Sailer Kicking (@Chris_Sailer) July 9, 2014

The Fort Collins Coloradoan and BuffStampede.com have since independently confirmed Kinney’s commitment.

Chris Sailer ranked Kinney as the No. 3 punter and No. 22 kicker in the 2015 class nationally.

Kinney punted 40 times last season, and averaged 35.75 yards per attempt. He was also 11-of-15 on field goals with a long of 51, and made 27-of-28 extra points.

On Saturday, Kinney told BuffStampede.com that he “was pretty excited when Colorado offered, it was shocking. I didn’t really expect it at all. … I had a pretty good camp and they need a punter for next season so it worked out well.”

“I kind of wanted to get out of state but I realize in-state is great,” he added to BuffStampede.com. “Colorado is a great school, Pac-12, you can’t really beat that. They haven’t had a great record in recent seasons but I think they are going in the right direction.”

Kinney follows linemen Tim Lynott (of Regis Jesuit) and Dillon Middlemiss (of Pomona) as in-state kids from the 2015 class headed to CU.

Find a complete list of in-state football commits in our class of 2015 database.

(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

INDIANAPOLIS — Beginning with the 2015 high school baseball season, teams will be allowed to use video monitoring or replay equipment for coaching purposes during games.

This revision to Rule 3-3-1 was one of five changes recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee at its June 8-10 meeting in Indianapolis. The committee’s recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Previously, video equipment was permitted but it could not be used during games for coaching purposes.

“With advancements in technology, it was extremely difficult for officials to determine if teams were using video replay during games,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and educational services and liaison to the Baseball Rules Committee. “The committee determined it was the right time to permit teams to use these technological aids if they so choose.”

In softball, two rules changes were recommended by the NFHS Softball Rules Committee at its June 16-18 meeting in Indianapolis and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Rules 1-6-1 and 1-7-1 were revised to state that the batting helmet and the catcher’s helmet shall have a non-glare surface (not mirror-like).

Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports and officials education and liaison to the Softball Rules Committee, said the committee instituted these changes because helmets that are mirror-like in nature are distracting and could be dangerous for other players.

In other baseball rules changes, the committee expanded the definition of interference in Rule 2-21 to include follow-through interference and backswing interference.

Rule 2-21-4 will state that “follow-through interference is when the ball hits the catcher after the batter has swung at a pitch and hinders action at home plate or the catcher’s attempt to play on a runner,” and Rule 2-21-5 will state that “backswing interference is when a batter contacts the catcher or his equipment prior to the time of the pitch.”

Hopkins said that follow-through interference and backswing interference are separate and distinct acts that previously were not addressed in Rule 2-21. The rule previously covered offensive, umpire and spectator interference.

The rules committee approved a change in Rule 1-5-1 regarding the batting helmet to be consistent with the rule for helmets used by defensive players. As is the case with head protection worn by field players, the batting helmet now must have a non-glare surface (cannot be mirror-like in nature) and meet the NOCSAE standard at the time of manufacture.

The definition of a foul ball in Rule 2-16-1 was expanded to be consistent with language elsewhere in the rules book. Specifically, Rule 2-16-1f will now state that a foul is a batted ball “that hits the batter in the batter’s box.” Article “g” will state that a foul is a batted ball “that hits the ground or home plate and then hits the batter or the bat which is held by the batter while he is in the batter’s box.”

The final change approved by the Baseball Rules Committee involves the following additional language to Courtesy Runner Rule No. 1: “In the event that the offensive team bats around, the pitcher and/or catcher who had a courtesy runner inserted on their behalf may bat in their normal position in the batting order.”

Baseball is the fourth-most popular sport for boys at the high school level with 474,791 participants in 15,632 schools during the 2012-13 season, according to the NFHS Athletics Participation Survey. Fast-pitch softball is the fifth-most popular sport for girls at the high school level with 362,488 participants in 15,067 schools during the 2012-13 season.

Whether you’re recovering from a recent stress fracture, mending a pulled muscle, or hoping to avoid any sports-related injury, the foods you choose are vital to both injury recovery as well as injury prevention.

Rather than wait to improve your “diet” after an injury strikes, strive to choose quality, nutrient-rich foods each and every day.

Keep these nutrients in mind for injury recover and prevention:

Protein: Beyond protein’s well-known role in building and repairing muscles, protein controls many metabolic processes in the body, aids in the repair of body cells and assists with building and maintaining healthy bones — all of which are crucial to injury prevention. Additionally, protein is a key component of the cells within the immune system, making an adequate intake important for preventing illnesses.

Should you find yourself sidelined with an injury, make sure you are getting enough protein for its “healing” qualities. Try choosing protein-rich snacks such as Greek yogurt, cheese and crackers, apples with peanut butter or a handful of nuts and seeds. No need to go overboard with protein supplements — foods provide the protein you need as long as you are choosing nutrient-rich protein sources with snacks and meals.

Carbohydrates: The first source of energy for exercising muscles is carbohydrates. When carbohydrate intake is adequate, the body can use protein for its functional role in building and repairing. With too little carbohydrate in the diet, the body uses protein as fuel, thus, hindering your ability to recover and heal from an injury.

It is recommended that most athletes eat at least 60 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, including grains (breads, tortillas, bagels, rice, noodles, etc.), fruits and vegetables. This recommendation is easily followed when athletes eat the MyPlate way — filling 20 percent of their plate with fruits, 20 percent with vegetables and 20 percent with grains. Enjoying three servings of dairy a day also provides carbohydrate in addition to high-quality protein.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish, walnuts and ground flaxseed, omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce inflammation and speed your bodies recovery efforts — necessary for post-exercise recovery as well as recovery from an injury or illness.

Try topping oatmeal with walnuts, adding ground flaxseed to a smoothie of blended yogurt and fruit, or enjoying some tuna and crackers for a light lunch.

Vitamins, Minerals and Antioxidants: While all vitamins and minerals are important, some have more of a functional role in healing and immune health while some are considered antioxidants for their ability to combat oxidative stress (think “inflammation” in the body).

• Vitamin C is known for tissue repair, wound healing and immune health. Choose citrus fruits and green vegetables, they are good sources of Vitamin C.
• Vitamin A aids in cell growth and development, and overall immune system function. Try sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe and apricots (the orange fruits and vegetables) for a healthy dose of Vitamin A.
• Zinc and other trace minerals are necessary for wound healing and immune function. Meats and seafood, in addition to whole and enriched grain products, will provide these key minerals.
• Calcium and Vitamin D are well known for their role in bone health and repair. Choose three servings of low-fat dairy foods daily; specifically fluid milk for the benefit of calcium AND Vitamin D.
• Antioxidants (such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C and beta carotene) are important for combatting free radicals that can cause damage to the body. Choose nutrient-rich, colorful fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Athletes can train harder and perform better with proper nutrition. Visit WesternDairyAssociation.org to read more about milk as an exercise recovery beverage and learn how to eat for peak athletic performance.  

DENVER — Last week, Mile High Sports announced a new partnership with IKEA; the two companies will host the first-ever Mile High Sports-IKEA Back-to-School Olympiad, benefiting high school athletics and activities programs. The Olympiad will take place on July 23, from 3-7 p.m.

“We’re excited to partner in this capacity with IKEA, a company that clearly wants to support Colorado’s high school student-athletes,” said Doug Ottewill, publisher of Mile High Sports Magazine. “As a company, we’ve always held high school sports in the highest regard, and this is an extension of that philosophy. With IKEA’s help, this event truly benefits local programs.”

The Back-to-School Olympiad will feature 10 teams — five boys’ teams and five girls’ teams — each from a different high school. Each team will compete in eight, skill-based events, with the winning schools (one boys team, and one girls team) each earning $500 toward their athletics or activities program. The remaining schools will receive additional prizes.

“We’re excited to about this opportunity,” said Megan Thompson, the Local Market Specialist for IKEA in Centennial. “We strive to create a better everyday life for many people and high school sports and activities are an incredible tradition we truly value. The Olympiad partnership with Mile High Sports is a great way for us to further integrate our company into this great community.”

Participating schools will be announced within the next week, and results will be reported following the Olympiad. Events will take place at IKEA’s southeast parking lot, and will begin at 3 p.m. Mile High Sports Radio will be conducting an on-location radio remote live from the Olympiad. Coaches, parents, friends and media are encouraged to attend.

Bethany Brookens, an assistant commissioner at CHSAA, speaks about the association’s transgender policy on Wednesday. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

BOSTON — Bethany Brookens, an assistant commissioner at CHSAA, teamed with Vermont’s Bob Johnson to give a presentation on developing a transgender policy during the NFHS’s annual summer meeting on Wednesday.

Brookens has worked on CHSAA’s policy after it was created by former assistant commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green — now the executive director in Nebraska — and Eddie Hartnett, a CHSAA board member and chair of the equity committee.

Along with Johnson — the associate executive director of the Vermont Principals’ Association, which oversees high school athletics in that state — Brookens spoke to a packed room on transgender issues, including simply defining terms such as transgender male and female.

“These definitions are constantly changing, constantly evolving — and so will your policy,” Brookens said.

CHSAA’s bylaw, 300.3, reads:

The Colorado High School Activities Association recognizes the right of transgender student-athletes to participate in interscholastic activities free from unlawful discrimination based on sexual orientation. In order to insure appropriate gender assignment for purposes of athletic eligibility, a transgender student-athlete’s home school will perform a confidential evaluation to determine the gender assignment for the prospective student-athlete. The CHSAA will review athletic eligibility decisions based on gender assignment of transgender student-athletes in accordance with its approved policies and appeals procedures.

In creating Colorado’s policy, “We wanted to not be reactive, but instead proactive,” Brookens said. “We did not have a specific case that came to our office. Rhonda and Eddie both identified this as an emerging issue around the country.”

CHSAA’s transgender policy was approved by the legislative council in April 2010. Brookens, Hartnett and Alex Halpen, CHSAA’s legal counsel, then revised the policy in August 2013. Vermont’s policy was created in November 2010.

“It’s very important to get buy in from your membership, but not worry about getting everyone on board,” Brookens said. “When we presented to our membership, the response was very positive. But I will tell you, unfortunately, the mentality at that time was, ‘We don’t want to talk about that.’

“Since then, numerous kids have come forward, and schools have been so thankful to have a policy in place to look to for guidance.”

Both policies from Colorado and Vermont allow students to compete with the gender they identify with. Colorado’s requires a “clear and consistent identity,” Brookens said. However, it does not require hormone therapy or a surgery in order to participate in athletics.

“Under no circumstances do we require hormones or a procedure of any kind,” Brookens said.

The NCAA’s policy does require hormone therapy to occur for at least one year prior to participation.

“One thing you have to remember about the NCAA is that their policy is designed for adults,” Johnson said.

Added Brookens: “We’re talking about 18-year-olds, 19-year-olds versus 14- and 15-year-olds.

The NCAA’s policy could “have implications for any transgender athletes in your states,” Brookens added. “They might have to make a decision on hormone treatment (during high school) should they want to play in college.”

Johnson’s group consulted with a psychiatrist, among other professionals, in creating Vermont’s policy. At that time, the psychiatrist said, “If anybody in any state thinks this isn’t occurring in their state, they’re wrong. This is happening at the high school level, the middle school level, the elementary school level.”

Both Brookens and Johnson said a concern raised with allowing transgender students to compete was one of competitive imbalance. For example, if a 6-foot-6, 215-pound transgender female (male-to-female) were to compete in volleyball.

“It’s unfair for us to assume that a kid would be undergoing this transition — and a very personal, deep-rooted belief — just to get a competitive advantage,” Brookens said.

Ultimately, both states developed transgender policies in order to be more inclusive.

“We want every student to be able to participate,” Brookens said. “Traditionally, the students that are going through the transgender process tend to be off to their own, and we all know the advantages to students being active and involved in teams.”

Jake Holtzmann. (Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

Jake Holtzmann and Austin Conway, two of the top Class of 2015 boys basketball players in the state, made their college choices on Tuesday.

Holtzmann, a 6-foot-5 small forward from Chaparral, pledged to Denver. Conway, a 5-foot-10 guard out of Overland, committed to Wyoming.

The two are the first publicly-known boys basketball commits of the 2015 class from the state. The 2014 class ultimately sent 12 players to Division I schools, and had 25 total college commitments.

According to Rivals.com, Holtzmann also had offers from Air Force and Northeastern. He posted the news of his commitment on Twitter:

Very excited to announce that I've verbally committed to play the game I love at Denver University! Pumped to be a Pioneer – Go DU!

— Jake Holtzmann (@jakeholtzy) July 1, 2014

Holtzmann averaged 16.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game as a junior for Chaparral. He had seven games of at least 20 points, including a 26-point effort in an epic Sweet 16 game against Rangeview which went two overtimes.

At DU, Holtzmann will join a long line of Colorado products, including 2014 Mountain Vista graduate Jake Pemberton.

Conway also had offers from Indiana and Rice per his Rivals profile. He announced his decision on Instagram, writing: “Long process but made my decision I’m blessed excited and thankful to call myself a cowboy #Wyo thank you to every one who helped me get here.”

Austin Conway. (Pam Wagner)

Conway averaged 10.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.2 steals during his junior season for Overland. A dynamic athlete, he’s also the Trailblazers’ quarterback and accounted for 2,984 yards of total offense, as well as 32 touchdowns, last season.

In fact, Conway was also a coveted football recruit — fielding offers from Colorado, Colorado State and Nebraska, among others — but ultimately decided to stick with basketball.

Like DU, Wyoming has a recent history of Colorado kids — including former Boulder standout Riley Grabau and Chaparral star Josh Adams.