Written by: Todd Clark
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, May 12, 2006
BOARD UPDATED ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES FACING ASSOCIATION
STEVENS POINT, Wis.--The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control participated in discussions reviewing various issues confronting the membership at its May meeting today.
The Board was introduced to an introductory list of rationale for the recent approval of a student transfer amendment. Effective in 2007-08, the amendment directs that a high school student transferring into a member school after the fourth consecutive semester is ineligible to practice or compete for one calendar year. The existing exceptions in the transfer language, as well as the Association’s existing waiver process remain unchanged.
The Board discussed the integrity and rationale of cooperative programs and the number of schools included in particular cooperative programs. The Executive Staff received approval to address the concerns regarding cooperative teams on a sport-by-sport basis with hockey serving as the initial focus. The Board also approved a motion to officially identify all cooperative programs with more than two schools by the name of the host school and attach an asterisk to identify the program as a cooperative arrangement. The action was taken to clarify potential confusion in tournament planning.
Division placement for specific sets of the membership was also reviewed. A number of possible proposals as introduced at the Annual Meeting on April 26 were presented. The Executive Staff is scheduled to develop a proposal for Board action at its meeting on Oct. 13 for implementation in 2007-08. The Staff received support for implementing a plan on a sport-by-sport basis, using basketball as the initial example.
Support was granted for a recommendation to raise mileage reimbursement expenses from 32 cents per mile to 34 cents per mile for travel involving official WIAA business beginning in 2006-07 while developing creative strategies to reduce travel.
The prospects of adding bowling as a WIAA-sponsored sport received no support at the Annual Meeting of the membership. The Board supported a proposal to survey schools that currently offer bowling opportunities to convey their commitment to administering the program.
The Board was informed the WIAA received confirmation from Tomahawk High School that it correctly enforced its code of conduct in suspending Anthony Lampe from State Tournament competition, making him ineligible to compete. Lampe was allowed to wrestle following a court injunction prior to the State Individual Tournament. The injunction was later dismissed and Tomahawk High School proceeded to apply its code of conduct. Lampe will be stripped of the 112-pound title he won in Division 2, with the most recently defeated opponent moving up a place. Bobby Wunnicke of Dodgeville is declared the champion and will receive the first-place medal.
Other discussions by the Board that did not result in action included an update on the status of national tournaments, conference realignment and a proposal for an exclusive statewide radio network.
The WIAA oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 502 senior high schools and 135 junior high/middle level schools in its membership. It sponsors 25 championship tournament series. For more information, please contact the WIAA office at (715) 344-8580.
# WIAA #
Todd Clark, WIAA Director of Communications
5516 Vern Holmes Dr.
Stevens Point, WI 54481
(715) 344-8580 ext. 320
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