WHSAA Spring 2015 Board Of Directors Meeting Results

Football, golf, tennis, indoor track and field, basketball and funding for school activities were some of the topics at the Spring 2015 meeting, of the Wyoming High School Activities Association Board of Directors.

Football:

A few changes were made in regard to practice and during the season.

Starting with the 2015, players are allowed to make contact with sleds and dummies in the first 2 days of practice. In the past, this has not been allowed until the 3rd day. Players still can't wear shoulder pads and jerseys until the 3rd day.

Sled and dummy contact is also permitted at a contact team football camp.

The numbers of quarters that a player can play in a 1-week time frame, has been reduced from 10 to 8. Kickers and punters, who only kick and punt, will not count towards the limit.

This was a first item reading, and normally it would require 2 readings to become official, but the next WHSAA Board of Directors meeting isn't until late September. So the board suspended its rule of 2 readings on the football issues, and these new rules are now official.

Golf:

In past years, spectators have not been allowed on the course during the 2A State Tournament, but were allowed in the 4A and 3A State Tournaments.

This exception has been eliminated.

Coaches will be available to monitor and enforce spectator rules on assigned holes, as part of the tournament staff, determined by the meet director.

Tennis:

The board passed on second reading, a motion that would change the number of minimum practices before first competition, from 9 to 5.

The rationale is that reducing the number of practice days before the season starts, would open up a little more time on the schedule for matches, during the regular season, especially for those teams who have to travel a significant distance.

In addition, having the extra week for competition would allow a little more flexibility on the schedule, if a match has to be rescheduled due to weather.

Tennis State Seeding:

The board passed on second reading, that each first round match at the state tournament, will pit an athlete from a school in the North vs. an athlete from a school in the South.

If the regional tournament is canceled due to weather or other concerns, the athletes will maintain the seed they had at the start of the regional tournament, and will carry that into the state tournament.

Affiliate Member and Combination School Agreements:

The board passed on second reading a motion that if an athlete from a school enters into combination agreement with another school for a particular sport not offered at the school entering into the agreement, that athlete must stay with the combination in other sports as well, provided the first school does not offer that sport.

Long story short...an athlete from School A joins with School B in one sport, and School C in another sport, yet School B offers that other sport as well...this process would be eliminated.

School A and B would have to stick to their combination agreement in all sports that School A doesn't have, unless it's in a sport that School B doesn't offer as well.

Schools must reapply annually to the WHSAA, and if School A decides to combine with a different school, in the next year, then athletes must follow transfer rules.

The WHSAA Commissioner can make exceptions, if it is determined if hardship exists.

Everything previously mentioned would also apply to home schooled students as well.

Indoor Track and Field:

No action was taken, but there is discussion about splitting indoor track and field into 2 classes. Currently there are 23 teams.

2016 2A/1A State Basketball Tournament/Region IX Conflict:

Once again there's a possible conflict on if the Casper College gym will be available. If the Casper College women's basketball team, end up winning the Region IX North Conference, they would win the right to host the Regional Tournament, and that creates an availability conflict, in regards to the 2A/1A State Basketball Tournament.

It gets even more complicated with construction still going on a Kelly Walsh and Natrona County High Schools.

The first back up plan was if CC's gym is not available, then any game to be played at CC, would be moved to Glenrock.

The problem is, Glenrock will be hosting the 3A East Regional Tournament in 2016, and Natrona County High School, will be hosting the 4A West Regional Tournament at the same time.

The WHSAA is considering alternative plans.

State Funding For Activities:

Every biennium, The Wyoming Legislature sets aside money to give to schools, through block grants.

A Legislative recalibration committee is considering reducing the amount of money given to schools for activities.

This could affect various athletic programs, and could be even worse for smaller schools.

The committee is scheduled to meet in mid-May to further discuss the issue.

WHSAA Commissioner Ron Laird says he hopes the measure is defeated.