IHSAA Commissioner Blake Ress issued the following statement today regarding the scheduling of high school athletic contests in light of the tragedy that struck the United States on Tuesday.

"We are not going to take a position as a state association to mandate that our member schools either play or cancel contests today or in the next few days," Ress said. "We will support the decisions of local school corporations to play, postpone or cancel contests as they deem appropriate for their community."

Schools are reminded that IHSAA By-Law 54-3.3 is in effect if football games are postponed this week. The by-law reads:

In essence, any varsity football games that are not played this weekend will be cancelled unless both schools have a common open date in the remaining weeks of the regular season.

The 2001 IHSAA Girls Golf Tournament Series, scheduled to begin Saturday with sectional competition at 21 sites across the state, will proceed as planned unless circumstances change in the next two days.