AIA board requests more details on Notre Dame's FB class
August 16, 2016 by Jose Garcia, AZPreps365
The Arizona Interscholastic Association’s executive board will reevaluate in its September meeting whether Notre Dame’s summer football class violated a bylaw.
During its first meeting of the 2016 fall season, the board questioned Notre Dame’s president, James Gmelich, and athletic director, Monica Barrett, for 45-plus minutes about the football class the school launched this summer in which players donned pads. How many players were in the class, the names of the instructors and a class syllabus are among the things Notre Dame needs to provide in the next month.
After Notre Dame reviewed the AIA’s bylaws, Notre Dame started the non-tackling class to teach football safety, Gmelich told the board Monday. The class doesn’t fall under the AIA’s bylaws because it’s now part of Notre Dame’s curriculum, as each student received school credit, Gmelich added.
The bylaw in question is 23.8.2 (Out OF Season Football Activities).
Notre Dame’s case was just one of many agenda items the board tackled after returning from its summer recess.
The board also received an update on the concussion insurance schools will provide their athletes this year. The insurance costs just $1.50 per student.
The student-athletes are covered for ‘first dollar’ coverage for concussion assessment and treatment.
Even if a parent doesn’t have insurance or has a higher deductible, a parent doesn’t need to worry now about seeking treatment or assessment for a concussion based on insurance or cost. The board also was told Monday that Gary Whelchel, the AIA’s state commissioner of officials, will retire at the end of 2017.
Whelchel first joined that AIA in 1967 as a basketball official and was named to his current post in 2001. Dr. Slemmer, the AIA's executive director, and the AIA’s new board president, Dr. Anna Battle, thanked Whelchel for his service to the AIA and Arizona’s officiating community.
The board also addressed these topics:
--Arete Prep’s decision to drop its football program.
--Joy Christian wanted to compete in 8-man football but will stay in Class 2A.
--The javelin will be an AIA track and field event beginning in 2018.
--The board will get feedback on the possibility of scheduling mandatory meetings for athletic directors and coaches prior to a season starting. The AIA is one of the few state associations in the nation that doesn’t require its coaches and ADs to attend mandatory preseason meetings.
--The Florence District is still working to integrate San Tan Foothills High School, which left the Coolidge District for financial issues.
--In September the board will likely approve a succession plan to begin the process of selecting a new executive director. Dr. Slemmer is in his 18th year with the AIA and is the longest tenured executive director in the AIA’s 103-year history. He will retire after the 2016-17 school year.
Agenda items approved/declined
Morenci’s request to wave the age rule to allow an athlete to compete was the only agenda item that was declined by the board Monday.
But the board did approve the age waiver requests of Duncan and Horizon.
These items also passed:
--All of the additional game requests the AIA received from 15 schools.
--The AIA’s annual Legislative Council proposed meeting date (March 3).
--The Wrestling Advisory Committee’s proposal to increase the number of invitational tournaments (5) teams can compete in this season.
--A proposal to allow the AIA to start a developmental girl’s golf league for programs that struggle to get players to join their teams. Teams in the league will schedule a minimum of five matches.
--Greenway’s request to host its Half Time Cross Country Meet three days before the official start of the season.
School violations
The following are the school violations schools self reported:
Sabino’s girls basketball coach allowed an 8th grader to compete in an open gym session at the school.
--Desert Ridge’s boys volleyball program played more than 20 varsity matches last season.
--Perry’s wrestling booster club paid three district coaches $500 each for work they did in a tournament. The coaches believed they were allowed to be compensated since they didn’t coach any athletes during the tournament.
--A Centennial football coach violated articles 14.2.1 (No. practice, contest chalk talk or films are permitted on Sunday during school year.) and 23.2.2 (The season of competition for a school shall conclude with that school’s last AIA sanctioned competition).
--Walden Grove’s new cheer coach allowed 8th grade students to participate during cheer tryouts.
--Duncan’s cheer team hadn’t turned in its concussion, physical and permission paperwork when it practiced on Aug. 1.
Duncan received a warning for its violation, and the other programs that violated rules were given an advisement. The AIA recommends the punishments, which the board needs to approve.
Each school filed corrective actions after self reporting their violations. The corrective actions help determine what punishment a school will receive.
