Only a couple of days after he took over as the Aurora Public Schools Athletic Director, Casey Powell’s office looked like he’d had it forever.

Read the full story here.

(Daniel Deschane/CHSAANow.com)

AURORA — Fair play and equitable opportunities for all programs was the focus of a number of bylaws passed by the Legislative Council during their meetings in 2018.

At the center of those changes was an overhaul of the way classifications will be created and structured. This will allow CHSAA staff, committees and the membership to consider other factors outside of enrollment when creating classes.

Under the new classification structure, teams will be placed into classifications based upon a variety of factors, including things like competitive history, socioeconomic disadvantages, enrollments trends, demographics, geography, and safety and risk minimization. (See bylaw 1500 for a complete breakdown.)

In moving forward with the reorganization of classification structure, the programs that were approved to play down a classification, and those that were placed down by the Classification and League Organizing Committee, will have full opportunities to participate in postseason play.

“Multiple interpretations and past precedent allowed placed-down programs to advance to postseason play,” said CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green. “It makes common sense based on the revisions and similar criteria that programs that are playing down would be given the same opportunities.”

For the past three seasons, teams playing down a classification after meeting certain criteria — including a winning percentage below .250 for the previous four seasons — were ineligible to play in the postseason. That bylaw was passed in January 2015.

However, other schools which went through CLOC to apply for a reclassification of their programs — in other words, to be placed down a classification — had been able to maintain postseason eligibility.

Among the changes at April’s Legislative Council meeting was the deletion of the language in bylaw 1500.27 which made teams playing down a classification ineligible for the postseason.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

In this special installment of the CHSAANow.com Mailbag, we brought commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green in for a Q&A session.

This time, we tackled questions about her first year, eSports, charter schools, “district” teams, school spirit, a shot clock in basketball, championship games on TV, and much more.

To ask a question for the next Mailbag, use this form, or ask on Twitter: Tweet to @jryancasey

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If you think back to a year ago, what were you feeling at this time? How have things changed for you personally in a year?

(Steve Oathout)

A year ago, it was all about ideas and concepts. And a year later, it’s about calls to action and really delving into the responsibilities of the job. I think when you start off you have a mentality of, “Oh I want to do this, and this, and this,” but then when you get into the chair and into the daily routine, it makes it real. It goes from ideas and thoughts to action and realness.

You can start your morning with a to-do list but then you get in the office and there’s 40 urgent emails or phone calls you have deal with. As the new commissioner, everyone wants an audience with you. People want you to prioritize their to-do list. So I’m learning balance.

What are you most proud of in Year 1?

The relationships that I’ve built with the staff. They are the core of the Association and helping me to execute the mission of CHSAA.

What are some of the major things you hope to accomplish in the years to come?

I think a main focus will be the broader education of what CHSAA’s purpose is as an extension of the educational process. We will always be a voice of reason in regards to the purpose of participation, and advocates for kids.

Do you think we say “no” to kids too much?

I believe our roles have changed over the years to being less regulatory, and more service-oriented for kids, coaches, officials and our school communities.

We are balancing the mission of participation without compromising competitive equity. It’s a change in philosophy to embrace more participation — without eroding the culture of fair play.

eSports is emerging nationally as a potential competitive activity. I know you attended a session during the national meeting about it this summer, and have also seized on other opportunities to learn more about it. Where are we headed with eSports?

The interest has been overwhelming. We receive emails and calls urging us to explore the genre. 19 states will participate in this competitive activity in the 2018-19 season. We will take an opportunity to view their competitions and then chart our next steps as we move forward.

More than 22,000 students in Colorado are registered gamers, which means we are missing an opportunity to connect the high school experience and educational accountability to those students. And that would be our future goal — connecting the two.

Additionally, our job will be to dispel the stereotypes and educate the naysayers on our mission, as well as the incorporation of an activity that is on the rise with our students.

What is something you can teach high schoolers about leadership, and what’s something you’ve learned from high schools about leadership?

— @oh_reagan_o, Twitter

I would tell high schoolers to lead with authenticity and empathy and serve for something bigger than yourself. The other thing I would tell all of our participants is to enjoy the high school experience, and don’t put pressure on themselves or allow others to pressure you to be anything more than what you bring to the table. Be your best self.

As far as what I’ve learned? To be open to their interests, even if it may be counter to the historical thought process of a 100-year old state association.

Is there going to be consideration to change the way charter schools are granted CHSAA membership, and bring them more in line with the way traditional high schools are granted automatic membership through their school district? [Ed. note: According to bylaw 600, in order to become a CHSAA member, charter schools and private schools undergo a more stringent review process than traditional public high schools directly under the control and direction of an elected Board of Education for that district in which it resides.]

— Mike, Facebook

For any non-traditional school that hasn’t built a foundation, we vet them to ensure that both sides think through the responsibilities and accountabilities of being a CHSAA member, because unfortunately we have had some non-traditional members not survive in the educational field, and that negatively impacted our members.

Because of that, we feel the current process ensures a cycle of success.

Is there a chance to play the HS 3A,4A and 5A Baseball championships at Coors Field? The @Rockies seem like a great partner to do something like this.

— @LJmaximo, Twitter

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Our goal is to provide the best possible facilities for all of our championship events. We will continue to investigate ways to bring a culminating championship to Coors Field. That is a goal. We would love to give our athletes that experience.

This is a combination of questions that we got for you on Twitter, one that you actually responded to already, but it’s also a common one we see in sports like hockey and lacrosse:

So-called “district” teams often have a lot of success, and that leads to some questioning why individual schools don’t have their own teams. What are some of the hurdles there, and are there ways for us to encourage new programs?

The decision to add or delete programs is done at the local level. We trust that our schools look at interests, finances, etc., within their local construct to determine if they want to add or delete programs. And we support their decisions.

CHSAA is a 359-school membership. Our office is guided by their needs, interests and wants.

What are you doing to directly influence and improve school spirit at sporting events across the state? Most schools that do have a lot of school spirit and energy have a lot of financial backing. How will CHSAA use their influence over scheduling, postseason, rules for spectators, and school administrations to push for increased school spirit?

— Peter, Denver

We are excited to present this summer with Varsity Brands on a new platform about raising school spirit and embracing culture within the school, using athletics and activities.

(Renee Bourcier/bourcierphoto.com)

We have other initiatives, such as #BackMyTeam, which is a social media campaign specifically designed around increasing school spirit. That will be coming back again this fall.

In addition, we have CHSAA leadership and sportsmanship summits, which give kids tools to go back and make a difference in their schools, because school spirit is the core of inclusion.

Are we going to have a shot clock for high school basketball? And when are we going to 30 games in a basketball year?

— Toni, Denver

The shot clock is a national debate that’s being piloted by some states, and I would say the Colorado membership is 50/50 on the idea. We will continue to monitor the pilot programs.

An increase in basketball games has not been submitted by a CHSAA league, and if that were to happen the membership would vote on whether or not to increase games. It hasn’t come up for a discussion or a vote.

More and more research shows an overwhelming connection between CTE and youth football and concussions. While there have been improvements in helmets and techniques, children are concussed at an alarming rate.

What specifically is being done to address this and what responsibility does CHSAA own for the long-term effects of concussions, knowing now the direct correlation between youth concussions and CTE?

— Chris, Sterling

Our responsibility as an Association is to all participants in the area of safety and risk minimization. Our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee has become more involved in the creation of safety bylaws and mandates to ensure that student-athletes are participating in the safest environments possible as recommended by national safety councils.

In the area of concussion, we have strengthened our return-to-play protocols, we have partnered with a company that will provide a local school tracking system for students diagnosed with concussions, and we continuously update our website with the latest information, which is accessible to the public, parents and students.

As a longtime Denver resident, I remember all the years when KWGN-2 and later KCNC-4 would televise the state basketball championship games live. Now, the games are only shown on [the NFHS Network], which requires a high-speed Internet connection and shuts out some viewers. What can CHSAA do to help bridge that gap?

— Richard, Denver

We recently acquired an opportunity to partner with a local broadcast group, and may be able to bridge that gap in the future. But as always, we encourage you to come to the games.

I know the CHSAA is limited on anything to be done about the trend of specialization, but would like to have your thoughts?

— Jim, Castle Rock

I think that specialization is more a large-school issue, as small schools tend to utilize all of their students to participate in their programs, and they’re needed to help those teams.

I think the high school experience is enriched when students participate in multiple activities, not just athletics. Things like music, student leadership, chess club, robotics, knowledge bowl, ultimate frisbee and eSports. The hope is for them to contribute to the bigger picture of their high school, the bigger picture of their school culture.

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To have your question answered in our next Mailbag, use this form.

(Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)

(Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Athletics)

INDIANAPOLIS — Further simplification of the uniform rule in track and field, and clarification on the method of determining the order of finish in cross country highlight 2019 rules changes in those two high school sports.

Seven changes were recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee at its June 11-13 meeting in Indianapolis, and all changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

In Rule 4-3-1, the interpretation of a foundation garment was expanded to include any item worn under the uniform top and/or bottom. The rule now states that “any visible garment worn underneath the uniform top and/or bottom is considered a foundation garment. A foundation garment is not subject to logo/trademark/reference or color restrictions.”

In addition, Rule 4-3-2 was rewritten to allow schools more options in meeting the uniform rule. The rule now states that “all relay and cross country team members must wear uniforms clearly indicating, through predominant color, school logo and color combination of all outer garments worn as a uniform, that members are from the same team.”

“It has become increasingly more difficult to officiate the uniform rule given the increase in the number of programs nationwide that are allowing individual team members the option of independently purchasing either all or part of their team uniform,” said Julie Cochran, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Track and Field/Cross Country Rules Committee. “Slight differences in design of uniform do not negatively impact the identification of a relay or cross country team. The expectation of this rule is that all relay and cross country team members can be clearly identified as representing the same school.”

The revised 4-3-2 NOTE states that “the official shall have no uncertainty in determining that all members are from the same team.”

In cross country, regardless of the system used to determine the places of runners, the order of finish should be based on when the torso of the runner crosses the finish line. Changes in Rule 8-3 state that whether hand timing, transponder/chip or image-based timing systems are used, the torso is the determining factor in order of finish.

The committee also revised Rule 8-1-1 regarding the cross country course which better describes a legal course layout.

The remaining changes concern field events in Rule 6. In the discus and javelin, measurement shall be recorded to the nearest lesser inch or centimeter. The addition of centimeter allows states using the metric system to give a fairer depiction of the actual performance.

In Rule 6-9 regarding the long jump and triple jump, the committee established ranges of distances in the events. Rule 6-9-5 NOTE states that the “distance from the foul line or takeoff board may be adjusted to accommodate different levels of competition. Competitors may change which foul line or takeoff board they are using during competition, but only with the prior notification and confirmation of the event judge.”

According to the 2016-17 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, track and field is the most popular sport for girls with 494,477 participants and is No. 2 for boys with 600,136. Cross country ranks sixth for girls with 226,039 and sixth for boys with 266,271 participants.

A complete listing of the track and field/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.”

The map of member schools — there are now 359 — has been updated for the 2018-19 school year.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

Todd Casebier is well-versed in his coaching history. And it’s not the kind of history that if he’s not careful, he’ll be doomed to repeat it.

Quite the contrary.

He seems eager to repeat the successful turnarounds that he has become known for.

Casebier almost has a healing touch when it comes to turning around high school football programs. After winning a Class 3A championship at Palisade, he moved on to Montrose, a program that was struggling to compete.

By the time Casebier was done working his magic, the Indians were playing for the 4A football title in 2013.

He then moved on to Fruita Monument, where the Wildcats were coming off a 1-9 season. In 2017, Casebier’s third year with the program, they went 10-1.

Now he heads to the Denver area to see if he can replicate that success for Castle View.

“It’s not like this is the first time I’ve done this, so I’m just using the same plan I’ve used (at Montrose and Fruita Monument) and I’m trying to do that again at Castle View,” Casebier said. “There are two things you’re trying do. No. 1 is get a quality staff, which I’ve done at Castle View, and then No. 2 is to get the kids to buy in and believe, and we’re in the process of doing that at Castle View.”

It shouldn’t be hard for the Sabercats players to believe. Casebier has done more than enough to prove his worth as a coach and a leader of a program.

(Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

He has won nearly three times as many games as he has lost at his three stops. His career record is 175-60, and his teams have made the playoffs in 18 of 20 seasons.

Castle View is 6-24 over the past three seasons, and hasn’t had a winning season since 2011, when the team reached the 4A semifinals. Casebier is determined to reverse the fortunes of a struggling team, and understands the grit that comes with getting results.

He’s gotten them before and he has done so admittedly not because of anything that he has specifically done. He has a long-term vision that requires the effort of his assistant coaches and more importantly, his players.

If he gets the effort from everyone involved in the program, Casebier has little doubt that the results will follow.

“I want to be clear; this isn’t about me and it’s not like I did this by myself,” Casebier said. “I’ve been a head coach for 20 years and this is my fourth program and I’ve had good people everywhere I’ve been. It was no different at Fruita. Montrose had a great group of guys, and Palisade before that, so you get the right people together, you sell the plan and then you go make the plan work. I’m trying to do the same thing at Castle View.”

He’ll have to make due without a lot of returning production at least on the offensive side of the ball.

Senior Josh Mullenix is the only returning player with passing touchdowns to his name. Junior Antonio Ursetta is the only returning player to have caught a touchdown pass last year. He hauled in one.

But Casebier isn’t discouraged and knows the challenge that he’ll be confronted with when practices officially begin next month. The Sabercats gave up 251 points last season during a 1-9 campaign and scored just 111, giving him the indication that they’ll have to do better on offense.

“If you look at the scores, they played really good defense,” Casebier said. “They couldn’t generate enough offense to keep them in games. Based on what I’ve seen, we have enough kids that can produce that we can get some things going on offense which of course will only help the defense.”

He added that this is no different than the blueprint that he laid out in his previous stops. And the results spoke for themselves.

The Sabercats return three all-conference players in Cole Oster, Connor Kelly and Andrew Grout. When it comes to leadership on the field, Casebier points to those three as essential pieces of the team this season.

“They’re some of the leaders that we have on the team and I’ve been impressed with them,” he said.

The Sabercats started working in the spring and even attended the football camp at CSU-Pueblo this summer. He’s happy with what he has seen from his players since he came on to the job, but knows that they are just one factor when it comes to getting this program to turning a corner.

“It’s never one thing when a program struggles. It’s many,” he said. “You have to try and address the things that you can and we’re in the process of doing that.”

Based on his past experiences, addressing the issues within his control has had positive results. He has made three programs winners in his 20 years as a coach.

If history is taken into account, Castle View will be the fourth.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

(Lance Wendt/LanceWendt.com)

Next week, we have a Q&A set up with Rhonda Blanford-Green as she heads into her second year as the commissioner of the Colorado High School Activities Association.

We’re going to turn it into a hybrid Q&A/mailbag format, giving you the chance to have your questions asked.

If you’d like to ask a question, use this form, or ask on Twitter: Tweet to @jryancasey

We expect a wide range of questions, so similar topics may be grouped into one question.

Each season and sport brings its own set of challenges – summer athletics and hot weather conditions require careful thought about body temperature regulation and adequate fluid intake, in addition to the nutritional considerations for peak athletic performance.

It’s not uncommon to lose up to four cups of fluid (or two pounds of body weight) per hour of exercise in hot, humid conditions. The resulting decrease in strength and endurance can be surprisingly dramatic. In fact, dehydration can be the biggest hindrance to optimizing both training and recovery – with the effects taking hours or even days to recuperate from. Not only performance can suffer; potentially life-threatening symptoms of heat illness can appear if thirst is ignored or fluids are limited.

Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:

• Increased thirst
• Headache
• Muscle cramps
• Lack of concentration
• High perceived exertion during activity
• Trouble tolerating the heat
• Delayed recovery
• Dark urine and decreased frequency of urination

Take a peek at your urine. What color is it? If it’s dark and there’s not much of it, you need to drink more. If it’s pale yellow (think lemonade), you’re probably close to proper hydration.

So how much should you drink?

To stay hydrated and perform at your best, follow these simple rules:

1. Drink 1-2 cups of fluid with meals – milk, water and 100% juice all count.
2. Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day and sip on it regularly.
3. Take a break every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise and drink two to three big gulps of fluid.

What should you drink before, during and after exercise?

Individual preference, including taste and energy needs, affects what you choose to drink. For exercise lasting less than 60 minutes, water is adequate. For activities longer than 60 minutes in duration, or for training camps or long competitions, choose a beverage with carbohydrates and electrolytes. Many sports drinks are designed to replace fluids and provide needed energy in the form of carbohydrates; most also contain electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, which are lost in sweat. Milk, both white and chocolate, also provide a natural source of carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Refueling with fluid after exercise is important. Take advantage of the recovery benefits of milk by enjoying a glass of ice cold white or chocolate milk within 30 to 60 minutes of completing your activity. Both deliver sufficient carbohydrates to refuel muscle energy stores, in addition to providing protein necessary to rebuild and repair muscles after activity.

(Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)

INDIANAPOLIS — The elimination of the requirement for the entire pivot foot to be in contact with the pitcher’s plate is among the changes approved for the 2018-19 high school baseball season.

This revision in Rule 6-1-3 was one of three changes recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee at its June 3-5 meeting in Indianapolis. All changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

“We are very fortunate that the state of high school baseball is in an excellent position, which is indicative of the few rules changes that were passed,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and student services and staff liaison for baseball. “We appreciate the hard work of dedicated coaches who, in addition to minimizing risk associated with the sport, teach the game in a way that makes our young people enjoy playing for their high school. We must also acknowledge the highly professional and responsible game umpires. Without their thorough knowledge and implementation of NFHS rules, we would not be able to enjoy the small injury rate and increase in player participation.”

The rationale behind the change to Rule 6-1-3 is a result of the difficulty for pitchers to consistently make contact with the pitcher’s plate when pivoting. Before starting the delivery, the pitcher shall stand with his entire non-pivot foot in front of a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher’s plate and with the pivot foot in contact with or directly in front of and parallel to the pitcher’s plate.

“The committee concluded that many pitching mounds are such that it is problematic for a pitcher to have his entire pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate,” Hopkins said. “Therefore, no advantage is gained by having some of the pivot foot not in direct contact with the pitcher’s plate.”

The committee also approved two new umpire signals. The two new signals, indicating calls for “Correct Rotation” and “Information Available,” were approved to further improve communication between partners.

“It is always wise to be able to communicate clearly with your partner(s) during a game,” Hopkins said. “With so many moving parts (defensive players, base runners, umpires), it is imperative that umpires communicate easily and inconspicuously from players and fans. These mechanics say a lot without brining attention to the signaling umpire.”

The “Correct Rotation” signal comes when in a three- or four-man mechanic, the umpires indicate to their partner(s) where they are rotating to a specific base for coverage of an anticipated play. The umpire(s) points with both hands in the direction of the base that they are moving toward.

To assist in providing pertinent information between partners, the “Information Available” signal occurs when the game umpire is indicating that he/she has some information that is relevant to their partner by tapping two times over the left chest (heart).

Additionally, the NFHS Rules Review Committee extended the implementation date to January 1, 2020, for baseballs to meet the NOCSAE standard.

According to the 2016-17 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, there are 491,790 boys participating in baseball at 15,979 schools across the country, and 1,145 girls playing the sport in 269 schools.

A complete listing of the baseball 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 “Baseball.”

(@Oystie74/Twitter)

Nathan Oystrick, who spent the past season as the coach of Colorado Academy’s hockey program, has been hired by the Humboldt Broncos as their coach and general manager, the team announced on Tuesday.

Oystrick was hired by CA last October, and led the school’s JV team in its return to hockey for the first time in more than a decade. The Mustangs are moving to a varsity schedule this season.

In April, the Humboldt Broncos, a Junior A program in Saskatchewan, Canada, were involved in a bus accident that killed 16 people, and injured 13. Head coach Darcy Haugan was among those who killed.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to be the Humboldt Broncos head coach, and look forward to joining this tremendous community and leading this historic organization, all the while never forgetting the circumstances which have brought me here,” Oystrick said, according to the team’s official website.

Oystrick, a native of Saskatchewan, played professional hockey for 10 seasons, including 65 games with the Atlanta Thrashers, Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues. He also appeared in 338 AHL games.

Before he was hired by Colorado Academy, Oystrick was an assistant coach in the ECHL.

Colorado Academy athletic director Bill Hall said the search for a new coach would begin right away.

“I’m really happy for Coach Oystrick. He’s a great person and coach. I’m sure he will help the Humboldt community move forward from last seasons tragic events,” Hall said. “I feel lucky to have had him as part of the Colorado Academy staff, and we will start immediately searching for a replacement to continue what Coach Oystrick started. And that’s to lead our CA hockey program through hard work, a humble attitude, and a focus on the players as role models in the community, classroom, and on the ice.”