June 11, 2009

OHSAA Board of Directors Update – June 11, 2009

The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors met Thursday morning at the OHSAA office in Columbus. The following items highlight significant action taken by the Board. The complete set of minutes will be posted to ohsaa.org in the coming days. 

-     The Board elected Steve Stirn, superintendent of Logan-Hocking Local Schools, to serve as president, and Rocco Nero, superintendent of Lowellville Local Schools, to serve as vice president of the 2009-10 OHSAA Board of Directors. Their terms begin August 1.

-     The Board voted unanimously to extend the contract with Akron Firestone Stadium to host the softball finals, making the terms 10 years, which began in 2008. The OHSAA will have a separate press release regarding this announcement.

-     The Board approved a one-year extension for Huntington Park in Columbus to host the state baseball tournament in 2010.

-     For the first time, the Board-approved financial report also included a financial report from each of the six District Athletic Boards. This will be standard practice at all upcoming Board of Directors’ meetings.

-     The Board voted on six proposals from the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association.

A.   The Board denied a request to expand the number of regular-season varsity and JV games permitted during the 2009-10 season to 21 games.

B.   The Board denied a request to expand the number of regular-season varsity and JV games permitted beginning with the 2010-11 season to 22 games.

C.   The Board denied a request to expand the number of regular-season freshman games beginning with the 2010-11 season to 22 games.

D.   The Board approved a request to expand the number of junior high games beginning with the 2010-11 season to 16 games (was 14) plus a tournament not to exceed four games.

E.   The Board denied a request to allow coaches to provide individual instruction during open gym settings.

F.   The Board approved a request to move the first day of practice to the Friday before the Monday date which is currently listed. For the upcoming 2009-10 season, the new start date for girls is Friday, Oct. 30, while for boys, the new start date is Friday, Nov. 6.

-     The Board tabled two proposals from the Ice Hockey Coaches Association, including to extend the length of periods to 17 minutes (currently 15 minutes) and to expand the state finals weekend from four teams to eight.

-     The Board approved a proposal from the Swimming and Diving Coaches Association that will permit diving to conduct its own 16-meet maximum regular-season schedule whether a meet includes swimming or not.

-     The Board tabled a proposal from the wrestling coaches association that the OHSAA add a dual meet state tournament series.

-     The 2009 boys and girls golf championships will be held jointly at Northstar Golf Course in Sunbury (1150 Wilson Road) and The Scarlet and Gray courses at The Ohio State University Golf Club. (Previously, Foxfire Golf Club in Lockbourne was used in addition to Ohio State.) In 2009, girls Division I will be held on Gray, girls Division II will be held on Gray, boys Division I will be held on Scarlet, boys Division II will be held at Northstar, and boys Division III will be held on Scarlet. Division II and III finals are scheduled for Oct. 16-17, while Division I finals are scheduled for Oct. 23-24.

-     The first day of the girls tennis finals (Oct. 23) will be played at the OSU Stickney Tennis Center, but an Ohio State home football game is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24, requiring the second day of the girls tennis finals to be moved to another Central Ohio location to be determined.

-     The Board approved fall sports representation and divisional alignment in golf and cross country and winter sports representation and divisional alignment in basketball, bowling, gymnastics, swimming & diving and wrestling. The specific breakdown will be posted at ohsaa.org in the coming weeks.

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