Indiana High School Athletic Association

9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650

Phone: 317-846-6601    Fax: 317-575-4244    Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

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MEDIA INFORMATION                                                                               May 2, 2005

Contact: Jason Wille, Sports Information Director                                                                    

E-Mail: jwille@ihsaa.org

 

 

IHSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS RULES ON AGENDA ITEMS

Ten proposals were passed and eight others defeated in action taken by the Board of Directors in its annual review of the IHSAA’s by-laws during a meeting in Indianapolis earlier today.

 

The Board is comprised of 18 seats though one seat, filled by a minority representative from the northern district, is currently vacant. The Board has four options on each proposal: affirm, deny, table or amend. Items passed during the meeting go into effect July 1, 2005.

 

Among the more significant items on the agenda were:

 

·         Adding an additional seat to the IHSAA Board of Directors to be filled by a qualified representative from a private school (defeated 16-1).

·         Move the start of the moratorium week from Sunday to Monday so as to affect only one weekend rather than two (approved 17-0).

·         Limiting a member school’s open facility program for any sport to the season immediately preceding that sport season and summer (defeated 13-4).

·         Adding a second moratorium week to the school calendar between Week 50 and prior to Week 5 as chosen by the member school (defeated 14-3).

·         Moving back two days the first practice date for girls and boys basketball from Monday to Saturday allowing coaches to have multiple practices given it is a non-school day (defeated 16-0 with one abstention).

·         Moving back two days the first practice date for all winter and spring sports from Monday to Saturday allowing coaches to have multiple practices given it is a non-school day (defeated 16-1).

·         In lieu of playing two tournaments during the regular season, boys and girls tennis teams may play two additional dual matches (approved 17-0).

·         Adding a third day of no live contact to the pre-season football practice period (defeated 17-0).

·         Limiting the number of volleyball matches on school nights to two per week exclusive of conference and county tournaments (defeated 15-2).

 

The proposal from the commissioner eliminating rules for jamborees was withdrawn from the agenda.

 

Elections for next year’s leadership of the Board and Executive Committee also were held. Nancy Alspaugh, Principal of Manchester, was voted Board President for 2005-06 and Paul Neidig, Evansville City Athletic Director, was selected as Vice President. Patrick Mapes, Assistant Superintendent of Delaware Community School Corporation, was named Chairman of the 2005-06 Executive Committee and Geoff Penrod, Columbia City Athletic Director, was confirmed as Vice Chairman.

 

Following the meeting of the Board, the IHSAA Executive Committee, in its monthly gathering, ruled on several proposals involving the sports of wrestling, gymnastics and swimming and diving.

 

A proposal by the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association to add wrestlebacks to the regional and semi-state levels of the individual state tournament series was defeated 12-5.

 

In gymnastics, given that less than 25 percent of the membership sponsors the sport, its status is reviewed annually at this time. After a short discussion, the committee voted unanimously to retain sponsorship. Also, three proposals from the gymnastics committee of the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association were ruled on. The committee unanimously voted to retain the order of rotation within each block at the sectional and regional levels to conform with the state meet, while two other items that would increase the number of medals awarded at the state meet were rejected.

 

In proposals submitted by the Indiana High School Swimming Coaches Association, the committee approved by a count of 17-0 in favor of accepting those participants involved in a tie for the 32nd qualifying position for the state meet in an event. Previously, ties were broken by accepting the individual who swam the faster time in the preliminary heat. A proposal requesting that sectional meets be scored to include the top 16 places instead of the top 12 was defeated 17-0.

 

 

NEWS & NOTES FROM AROUND THE STATE

 

  • Former Franklin Community girls golfer Ambry Bishop, in her first year as head coach, led St. John’s University to the Big East Conference tournament title on Sunday, April 24 in South Bend. St. John’s is in its third season with a program and was making its initial appearance in the league tournament. At 22 years of age, Bishop is the youngest women’s head coach in Division I.

 

·         Mike Blackburn, CMAA, director of athletics at Northwestern High School in Kokomo, for the past 28 years, has been selected to the new position of associate executive director of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), effective June 1, 2005. Blackburn was chosen from among five finalists by the NIAAA Board of Directors. He will work with Bruce Whitehead, NIAAA executive director since January 1, to lead the Indianapolis-based national organization for high school directors of athletics.

 

  • Curtis Carr of Hauser ran the 3200 meters race in 9:37.1 in a meet at Rushville on April 21 with Waldron.  His time, also a personal best, shattered the school record set in back in 1983 of 9:58.6.

 

  • Jennings County pitcher Sandy Corum pitched a perfect game on April 19, as her team knocked off Greensburg 1-0 in eight innings.

 

  • Terry Fox has been promoted to athletic director at Indianapolis Cathedral for 2005-06. He takes over for Denise Farrell, who accepted a position as the school's vice principal for academic affairs.

 

  • North Central (Indianapolis) junior Amber Harris, was chosen to the third-team All-USA girls basketball team as selected by USA Today. Harris was one of just two juniors on the newspaper's three teams of five.

 

  • As a way of thanking the senior citizens of the community for their contributions over the years, Lapel athletic director and boys basketball coach Jimmie Howell, in his first year on the job, instituted a free all-sports pass for anyone in the school district who is 65 or older. The school's administration took to the idea and provided more than 150 passes to local residents. The pass allows free admission to regular-season football games and all indoor sporting events. The pass holders also receive preferential treatment when buying post-season tournament tickets.

 

  • Former Jeffersonville High School standout player and coach, William S. Johnson, died on April 19 at the age of 88.  Johnson, as a player, led Jeffersonville to their first ever regional title in 1934 and all the way to the state championship game before losing to Anderson in 1935.  He went on to play for Indiana University from 1935-39 and later coached at Wabash College and IU before returning to Jeffersonville in 1950 to be head coach.  He amassed a 104-61 record, and two regional titles in ’53 and ‘54 from 1950-57.  Johnson was also a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

 

  • Ed Kelly, boys basketball coach at Park Tudor, has resigned to accept the coaching position at St Francis High School in his hometown of Watsonville, California. Kelly compiled a 101-73 record in eight seasons with the Panthers, including the school’s only sectional and regional crowns in 2001.
  • Narrowly missing the state record for strikeouts in a game, Brownsburg pitcher Lance Lynn struck out 20 batters in his team's 4-3 victory over Hamilton Southeastern on April 25. Lynn allowed three hits in the contest. The state record of 22 is shared by Danny Gunn of Thorntown in 1969 and Tim Maki of Carroll (Fort Wayne) in 1980.

 

  • Southport has hired Bill Peebles as its new head football coach taking over for Mike Marciano. Peebles, a former University of Evansville linebacker and 1988 graduate of Indianapolis Cathedral, had been an Irish assistant coach the last 10 years, including offensive coordinator the last three seasons.
  • Brandon Pfoff, head baseball coach at Vincennes Lincoln, recorded his 100th career victory in a 17-0 victory over Loogootee on April 20.  Pfoff, in his sixth season as varsity coach, led the Alices to the 2002 Class 3A state championship.

 

  • John Rodriguez has been named volleyball coach at Indianapolis Bishop Chatard. Rodriguez coached last season at Ben Davis and previously at Marion Lakeview Christian and Marion. He follows Jill Starliper, who led the Trojans to the Class 3A title last fall.

 

  • Pendleton Heights baseball coach Bill Stoudt tallied the 500th victory of his career with an 8-4 win over Anderson Highland on April 14 in the Madison County Tournament.

 

  • Rachel Thiel of Lowell threw a school record 41-9¼ feet in the shot put at Crown Point on April 14.

 

  • Northfield baseball coach Tony Uggen picked up his 200th career coaching victory after an 11-7 win over Eastern (Greentown) on April 19. Uggen, who led the Norsemen to the 2001 Class 2A state championship, is in his 12th year at Northfield.

 

·         Alan Vickrey, coach of the two-time defending Class 4A state champion North Central girls basketball team is stepping down from his post after eight seasons with the Panthers. Citing family health issues and his own educational pursuits as his reasons for resigning, Vickrey posted an overall record of 389-194 in 26 seasons and a 125-65 mark while at North Central.

 

  • Softball coach Mike Wilson from Boonville chalked up his 400th career victory April 28 as the Pioneers defeated Jasper 5-0 in a Big 8 Conference game.  All of Wilson's victories have been at Boonville High School.  He will be honored before the May 5th home softball game in a special ceremony.

 

·         The June 21 exhibitions between the Indiana All-Star and Junior All-Star basketball teams will be played at Pendleton Heights. The girls game will start at 6 p.m. with the boys game to follow.

 

 

IHSAA 04-05/40