Thanks for all you do!

2. Thanks for all you do! • Joe Evans Associate Director • Wanda Gilliland Assistant Director • Steve Bailey AHSADCA • Ron Ingram Communications • Greg Brewer Officials • Alan Mitchell Publications

3. AHSAA RULES Joe Evans

4. COACHES EDUCATION • Fundamentals of Coaching Course offered on line • PREPARE Sports First Aid course offered by the National Center for Sports Safety (NCSS ). • ASEP Sport First Aid course may be taken on line from • NOTE: A school using a non-certified coach that is not involved in the Coaches Education Program will be fined $300 and the coach will be suspended. • All coaches and non-faculty coaches must meet standards of certification requirements. • Non-Faculty Coaches must complete Coaching Principles and Sports First Aid courses and pass both in order to qualify to receive a coaching card. • First-Time Coaches In The AHSAA have two years to complete Coaching Principles and Sport First Aid courses • Staff training for youth suicide prevention.

5. Transfer Rule • A student is eligible in the school zone in which his/her parents reside (public, private or parochial schools). Any student who completes one year's attendance at a school outside his/her home school zone and fulfills all other requirements becomes eligible in that school. (This does not apply to foreign exchange students.) • A student whose parents make a bona fide move completely out of one school zone into another school zone may transfer all his/her rights and privileges to the member school that serves the area where the parents reside.

6. Transfer Rule Cont. • The following factors are basic guidelines for determining a bona fide move:a. The household furniture of the family must be moved into an unoccupied house or     apartment.b.  All principal members of the family must reside in the new place of residence • c.  The original residence should be closed, rented or dis­posed of and not used by the   family. d. Nine months at the new residence will be required to make a move bona fide.    Note: If a family moves into a now school zone and remains there for less than nine months, the move will not be considered bona fide and the family's child who is enrolled in the new school zone becomes ineligible there the day the family leaves the new school zone.     The student remains ineligible for a full calendar year from the date the family moved out of the new zone. However, if the student did not participate in athletics, the period of ineligibility will be 12 months from the date of the student's enrollment. Custody or legal guardianship set up with anyone will not establish immediate athletic eligibility.

7. Enrollment Rules • A student must be enrolled within the first 20 days of a semester as a regular student in the school system where the student will participate. The 20-day requirement may be waived under extenuating circumstances. Note: A regular student is one who is enrolled at the school and is taking six new subjects of work.

8. Academic Rule • Students entering the 10th, 11th and 12th grades must have passed during the last two semesters in attendance and summer school, if applicable, at least six new Carnegie units with a minimum composite numerical average of 70 in those six units. Four core courses must be included in those units passed and averaged. English, mathematics, science and social studies are core curriculum courses. • Students entering the 8th and 9th grades must have passed during the last two semesters in attendance and summer school, if applicable, at least five new subjects with a minimum composite numerical average of 70 in those five subjects.

9. Academic Rule Cont. • Students entering the 7th grade for the first time are eligible. • Students may regain eligibility at the end of the first semester by meeting the same requirements listed above during their last two semesters in attendance and summer school, if applicable. All first semester work used in regaining eligibility must be completed by the fifth day of the second semester.

10. Age Rule • A high school student who has reached his/her 19th birthday before Aug. 1 is ineligible. Any junior high (ninth grade) student who has reached his/her 16th birthday before Aug. 1 is ineligible. Any middle school student who has reached his/her 15th birthday before Aug. 1 is ineligible.

11. AHSAA POINTS OF EMPHASIS Wanda Gilliland

12. Issues, Fines and Penalties • Conduct Rule Sportsmanship • Academic Eligibility • Transfers/Bona Fide Move • Overlapping School Zones • Outside Participation • Independent Rule • Amateur Rule • Divorce/Custody • Sunday Scheduled Contest

13. FINES PER DISTRICT2007-08 school year DISTRICT FINES TOTAL District 1 26 $7,800.00 District 2 43 $13,500.00 District 3 45 $15,550.00 District 4 43 $13,700.00 District 5 55 $19,300.00 District 6 40 $12,000.00 District 7 34 $10,350.00 District 8 88 $27,700.00 TOTAL 374 $119,900.00

14. No Ejections! Comprehensive Strategy CLAS Department Of Education AHSAA STAR Sportsmanship Initiative Was Developed Three Years Ago Login through Learning Through Sports www.learningthroughsports.com Web Based program using videos to educate students, parents, coaches, and officials Proactive and Behavioral Provide Reports to CLAS, AHSAA, and the Department of Education From June 1st to date $119,000 in fines have been levied AHSAA Goal for Every Sport

15. COACHES CONDUCT • Sportsmanship at all times • Be the example • The AHSAA has ZERO TOLERANCE for profanity.

16. INVOICING FOR FINES • Payment due 30 days after notification

17. FOOTBALL SCHEDULES • 2008 FOOTBALL SCHEDULES DUE IN MARCH 1 • OPEN DATES • SCHEDULE SANCTIONED TEAMS ONLY

18. DECLARATION FORM 26 • Due May 1 • Sports your school plans to field in 2008-09 school year

19. BASKETBALL ROSTERS • Due Jan. 28 • Form 43 can now be used to type and submit basketball tournament rosters online. • Area tournament brackets can also be submitted online. • Forms for all sports can be found at the member section of the AHSAA website.

20. Get Involved Steve Bailey

21. All-Star Sports Week • Coaches School • Rules Clinic • Eight All-Star Games • Coaches Education • Golf Tournament • Combine

22. PRINCIPALSATHLETIC DIRECTORS CONFERENCE • First Principal/Athletic Director Conference set for April 11 • At Embassy Suites, Montgomery • Sponsored by AHSADCA • Registration cost: $25 per person • Featured topics include: new AHSAA software update and procedures, drug testing policies and procedures, current issues in sports medicine, Title IX, NCAA Clearing House requirements, and an open forum with an AHSAA attorney on current legal issues in athletics.

23. ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPIALL-STAR CLASSIC • Basketball all-star nominations • Football all-star nominations • Basketball game in March • Football game in December

24. AHSADCA SCHOLARSHIPS • 10 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS ESTABLISHED BY AHSADCA • WILL BE AWARDED THIS SUMMER AT ALL-STAR WEEK • APPLICANTS MUST BE CHILDREN OF AN ACTIVE AHSADCA MEMBER AND MUST BE A 2008 GRADUATING SENIOR. • DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS, MAY 1, 2008. • APPLICATION FORM ON ASHSADCA WEBSITE (see ahsaa.com).

25. OTHER AHSADCA NEWS • Sportsmanship manual on the way • NATS testing to assist coaches and players • North-South all-star teams to be selected

26. AHSAA PROMOTE YOUR SCHOOL’S TEAMS Ron Ingram

27. THE MEDIA:Sportswriters and sportscasters have a tremendous influence in molding public opinion and behavior at athletic contests. They often have opportunities to point out good and bad practices to the public.Media representatives will only be effective when they are constructive and impartial. They should give constructive examples of sportsmanship in the press and on the air.They should be an example of a good loser when their home teams lose.Know the game they are reporting and help inform the public on the rules of the game.Support the decisions of the coach and no second-guessing.

28. RECLASSIFICATION STUDY MISSISSIPPI • Football has five classes with 32 in 5A playing in four regions • Class 1A has four regions as well with 43 schools • 2007-09 football alignment • 5A - 32 schools • 4A - 57 schools • 3A - 56 schools • 2A - 51 schools • 1A - 43 schools • 2007-09 basketball/baseball alignment • 5A - 32 schools • 4A - 57 schools • 3A - 56 schools • 2A - 56 schools • 1A - 58 schools • Schools are reclassified on odd years with attendance based on even years • Schools are classified with the 32 largest in 5A. The remaining schools are then divided by four and placed equally by student enrollment. If two schools tie for the final spot, they could both be required to play up to the higher class. • ODDITIES • Classes 2A, 3A and 4A can start practice four weeks prior to the last Friday in August with that date allowed for season opening games. • Classes 1A and 5A start practice four weeks prior to the first Friday in September with opening games aligned accordingly. • Basketball teams can play 23 regular season games, three tournaments and up to two preseason classics with permission from the MHSAA.

29. RECLASSICATION STUDY • GEORGIA • 405 schools (5 classifications) • 2006-08 alignment • 5A - 70 (schools) • 4A - 82 • 3A - 86 • 2A - 78 (2 non football playing schools) • 1A - 89 (25 non football playing schools) • Set an arbritrary percentage (changed this year) • 1A: 525 or below • 5A: 1850 or above • All the rest were divided 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 • Can choose to play up.

30. RECLASSICATION STUDY • FLORIDA • Florida has three categories for alignment: • Football • Team sports • Individual sports (includes wrestling, tennis, golf, track) – state team champs are decided by adding individual player totals – like Alabama • CLASSIFICATIONS ARE DECIDED BY TOTAL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS DIVIDED BY EIGHT BASICALLY • 2006-08 football alignment • 6A - 83 schools (2,584 to 4,742 students) • 5A - 81 schools (2,055 to 2,583 students) • 4A - 82 schools (1,708 to 2,054 students) • 3A - 82 schools (1067 to 1,708 students) • 2A - 41 schools (617 to 1,066 students) • 2B - 41 schools (411 to 616 students) • 1A - 42 schools (233 to 410 students) • 1B - 47 schools (50 to 232 students) • Teams play in 4 to 7 team areas based on geography • 32-team brackets for playoffs (area winner and runner-up) from 16 areas in classes 6A through 3A. Classes 2A/2B and 1A/1B have eight areas with 16-team brackets in each.

31. RECLASSICATION STUDY • TENNESSEE • 2005-09 football alignment (299 schools listed) • 5A - 62 schools (Region 7 has 9 and Region 3 has 6) • 4A - 60 schools (Five regions have 8 schools, two have 7 and Region 8 has 6) • 3A - 57 schools (Region 3 has 9 schools and Region 8 has 5) • 2A - 58 schools (Nine regions total with Region 9 and Region 3 with 5 teams; Region 8 has 8) • 1A - 62 schools (Regions range from 10 in Region 5 to 5 in Region 8) • Division II – 39 schools in 3 regions. • 2005-09 basketball, baseball, softball alignment (3 Classes, 16 districts) (375 schools listed) • AAA - 115 schools (District 6 has 4 teams, others range from 6 to 9) • AA - 111 schools (Districts 15 and 16 have 5 schools, Dis. 5 and 6 have 9, others 6 to 8) • A - 113 schools (Has 17 districts, but District 0 has just 3 teams and may not compete; others range from 5 in District 1 to 10 schools in District 14) • Division II – 36 Has Region A and AA with 16 teams competing in A and 20 in AA)

32. COACHING DIRECTORY • Coaching directory info posted online • Deadline for 2008-09 directory, Sept. 1

33. Al.com and the AHSAA • A partnership for the kids • Online championship events • Sportsmanship blog • Coaches blogs • Online statistics and school pages • Instant scores, summaries

34. AHSAA WORKING FOR YOU Executive Director Steve Savarese

35. Championship Sports 11-Boys and Girls

36. The AHSAA is redesigning its website

37. AHSAA UPDATES • Rosters can now be submitted on line (For basketball, form 43) • NewMEMBER WEBSITE • Football Injury Survey • SANCTION REQUEST PROCEDURE NOT USED WHEN OUT-OF-STATE TEAM IS INVOLVED • CHARACTER EDUCATION COURSE NOW MANDATORY • INDOOR TRACK NOT SANCTIONED BY AHSAA THIS SEASON • TWO WEEKS ADDED TO OUTDOOR SEASON

38. AHSAA UPDATES • State Final Four Basketball tourney dates changed to Feb. 25-29 • State wrestling tourney moves to Huntsville: Feb. 7-9 • Outdoor track season begins two weeks early • Hall of Fame banquet: March 17 • Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Basketball at Pelham: March 20

39. Youth Suicide… The “Silent Epidemic” • In the 2005 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and local states – youth surveyed in grades 9 – 12 • State of Alabama and National results: • EXPERIENCING FEELING OF HOPELESSNESS OR SADNESS FOR 2 OR MORE WEEKS - 28.5% of Alabama youth said they had felt that way MORE THAN ONE out of every FOUR youth – Nationally 28.5%. Over 93,000 Alabama youth* • CONSIDERED SUICIDE IN PAST YEAR - 17.1% of Alabama youth reported they had, MORE THAN ONE out of every SIX – Nationally, 16.9%. Over 56,000 will consider suicide in the next 12 months • MADE A PLAN TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN LAST YEAR - 15.0% of Alabama youth had gone as far as to construct a plan, that is over ONE out of SEVEN – Nationally, 13% • Over 49,000 Alabama Youth will make a plan. • ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN PAST YEAR: 10% of Alabama youth reported they had attempted suicide one or more times. That is 1 in 10 -- 8.4% nationally. • 3,332 Alabama youth have made a suicide attempt

40. Legislative proposals • Legislative Proposals’ Survey The annual Legislative Proposals survey has begun for member high schools of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. The list of 13 proposals has been mailed to the schools with a Jan. 31 deadline set for returning their votes to the State Office. • All of the proposals are concerns expressed by some of the 412 AHSAA-member high schools, but all of them do not require action by the AHSAA Legislative Council, a 34-member body elected by the eight AHSAA athletic districts. Any changes to the AHSAA Constitution and By-Laws can be made only the Legislative Council • Results of the schools’ vote will be provided to the four-member district boards when they convene in Montgomery for the annual March meeting. • The proposals, with the presenting school(s) or committee in parenthesis, are grouped in categories: • FOOTBALL 1.Proposed, that football practice begin on August 1 each year. If August 1 is not a weekday, practice would begin on the first weekday after August 1 but no later than August 3. Basketball games would begin no earlier than the first Monday of Thanksgiving. Spring football would begin after the last basketball game is played and end before the last Monday in March (the conclusion of basketball could be as early as Feb. 7th for some schools). Baseball games would begin the last Tuesday in March and conclude with championship games in June. Any baseball playoff game that conflicted with final exams would be played on Saturday rather than Friday. This proposal would require that baseball be extended into June for playoff purposes. No games would interfere with final exams. Childersburg Rationale: This would give athletes the opportunity to fully participate in athletics without pressure to sacrifice one particular sport for another. 60% of states (28/47) decide baseball championships in June or July including Kentucky, Georgia, and Texas.

41. You make a difference in a child’s life. What type of difference do you make? Sportsmanship Coaches Students Officials Parents Conduct Rule Following Rules/Regulations Re-Classification Winning At What Cost! Integrity Current Issues

42. Championship Sports 11-Boys and Girls

43. The purpose of the AHSAA is to regulate, coordinate and promote the interscholastic athletic programs among its member schools, which include public, private and parochial institutions. Currently, there are 412 senior high members and 297 junior high and middle school members with more than 126,000 students participating in the program.

44. RECLASSIFICATION • Reclassification for 2008-09, 2009-10 • More schools than ever before • Cutting travel costs essential • Size disparity wider in 1A than any other classification

45. RETIREMENT COUNCIL OF ALABAMA

46. INSURANCE PLAN BENEFITS • Make sure all athletes are covered • Know your planned benefits • Make castastrophic Insurance submissions • online at ahsaa.com

47. QUESTIONS