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In
a recent meeting of the OHSAA, the board has approved a
seven division format for football.
For all the minutes of the meeting,
go to ohsaa.org. CNO file photo by Dylan Knoop
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OHSAA approves seven division format for
football
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of
Directors met Thursday in Columbus for its regularly scheduled January
meeting. The following are highlights from the meeting. The complete
set of meeting minutes will be posted at OHSAA.org.
The Board approved a recommendation from the OHSAA staff regarding the
seven-division tournament format for the 2013 football state
championships. There will be one game Thursday night (Dec. 5), three
games Friday (Dec. 6) and three games Saturday (Dec. 7). Per the
previously approved contract, the 2013 state championships will be held
in Canton and Massillon before moving to Ohio Stadium in Columbus in
2014 and 2015. Exact game times and assignments for which divisions
will play on which date/time slots will be determined at a later time.
The Board approved a recommendation from an OHSAA committee to change
the divisional tournament assignment process for cross country so that
a school’s girls and boys teams will be in the same division. Beginning
in fall 2013, the girls and boys enrollments will be added together and
divided in half in order to determine the enrollment number (and
subsequent tournament division) for that school in cross country.
Currently, divisional alignment is determined separately for girls and
boys, and over 50 schools are affected by having their girls and boys
teams in different divisions. Even if they are in the same division, an
additional 50-plus schools could have their girls and boys qualify to
different regional tournaments (the change would ensure that girls and
boys teams that are currently in the same division from the same school
would be assigned to the same regional site).
The Board approved an initial group of four referendum items that will
be voted upon by the member schools in May during the annual referendum
voting period. The four items, which include one constitution item and
three bylaw items, will be posted at OHSAA.org. Of note, one of the
bylaw referendum items came through the petition process and proposes
separating tournaments for public and non-public schools.
Twelve member schools were recently penalized for committing
infractions of OHSAA bylaws or sports regulations. The list of
infractions and penalties is always included in the meeting minutes
posted at OHSAA.org. Media may request the list from Tim Stried, OHSAA
Director of Information Services (tstried@ohsaa.org).
The golf coaches association made a proposal that would permit coaches
to talk with their players on the course at any time except when the
player is on the putting surface or in a sand bunker. Currently,
coaches are only permitted to talk to their players from the time they
leave the green to the tee box of the next hole. The Board is expected
to vote on the proposal at its April meeting.
The volleyball coaches association made three proposals. First, that
the net height for junior high volleyball be raised to the high school
height of 7 feet, 4 and 1/8 inches. (Currently, the junior high net
height is 7 feet.) Second, that the number of dates that high schools
are permitted to schedule their 22 varsity matches be expanded from 20
dates to 22 dates. And third, that during high school varsity
tri-matches (and other events with more than two teams), the winner can
be determined by a best three out of five format by mutual agreement of
the competing athletic administrators. (Currently, tri-matches are
decided by a best two out of three format.) The Board is expected to
vote on the proposal at its April meeting.
OHSAA staff informed the Board that the spring sports preseason manuals
have been completed and will be posted at OHSAA.org and mailed to all
athletic administrators to give to their coaches.
The Board approved two individuals to receive meritorious service
awards in which the OHSAA will make a donation in their names to the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Central District
Athletic Board nominated Mike Rotonda, recently retired student
activities director for the Columbus City Schools, while the East
District Athletic Board nominated Dick Potts, a basketball coach at
Bethel, Skyvue and Hannibal River high schools who won 589 games in 40
years and is a member of the Ohio Basketball Coaches Association Hall
of Fame.
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