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description of the meeting, who was there, action items and
the next meeting date.
Note: all minutes are marked “Draft” until official
approved by the next committee meeting.
ACTIVITY
STANDARDS COMMITTEE
January 29th & 30th, 2004
Courtyard Marriott, Middlebury, Vermont
Members
Present: Peter Coffey, Dot Blake, Shaun Pickett, D.G. Weaver,
Cynthia
Hinrichsen, Brittney Larrabee, Amanda Melendy, Helon Hoffer,
Dan Marlow, Jack Pennypacker, Michael Marks, Kathi
Bierwirth, Frank Pecora, Armando Villeseca, Bob Johnson, Ray
Pellegrini
Guests:
Mike Donoghue, Jeff Stetson, Mike O’Day, Mike Norman, Suky
Schoen, Sean Farrell, John Blount
1) Dan
M. moved to accept minutes of 12/3/03 and 1/26/04, second
by Kathi B..
Minutes were amended to show that Cynthia H. attended 12/3/03
meeting.
Vote – approved unanimously.
2) Jeff
Stetson/Frank Pecora present request by Baseball Committee
for waiver of
the mouth guard rule. Jeff and Frank explained rationale,
1) this is not a NFHS
requirement (recommended, not required), 2) baseball is not
a contact sport.
Bob J. explains information from the Univ. of Pittsburgh about
mouth guards
and concussions. Michael M. says the focus on the issue should
be if it is a
sound educational position. Measure of safety was the issue
when this was first
proposed two years ago. Question – are kids safer with the
use of mouth guards?
Discussion around the concerns of the $.99 boil and place
mouth guards.
D.G. Weaver
moved to “not require the use of mouth guards in baseball/softball
as stated in the NFHS rules (recommended). This would begin
in the Spring 04
season.” Second by Jack P.. Further discussion about available
safety data and
that schools would have the option of making this a requirement.
Concern expressed about the practice of altering mouth guards,
thus creating a safety
issue. Further discussion on the fact that the NFHS does not
require the use
of mouth guards. Vote – approved unanimously.
3) Correspondence
a) reviewed response from Hartford H.S. concerning girl’s
soccer. No action
b) Reviewed Gary Gillespie letter. Request to allow a student
at Stanstead
College in Canada permission to play baseball on a public
school team.
Motion by Jack P. to approve request. Second by Dot B.. Discussion
focused on Stanstead College not being a VPA member school,
also not
eligible for public to public program as host school has a
JV team.
Vote – yes – 2, no – 7 motion defeated.
c) reviewed Spaulding/Stowe hockey incident. No action taken.
d) Reviewed Colchester’s request to move to DII in Girl’s
Basketball effective 03-04. Motion by Dan M. to approve request.
Second by
Jack P.. Discussion was to consider request at next divisional
alignment
and not during an alignment cycle. Vote – denied unanimously.
e) Discussed
Spaulding H. S. request for two age waivers in order for two
Students (one from Africa, one from the Bahamas) to participate
on the school’s track team. Moved by Shaun P. to grant age
waivers. Second
By Bob G.. Discussion – there is a real need for a policy
that deals with the refugee situation. Vote – yes – 12, no
– 1 motion approved.
D.G. Weaver
recommended that an Ad Hoc committee be established to
Study the issue of refugees and how they are dealt with through
high
School activities. D.G. will chair the committee, Cynthia
H. and Shaun P.
Volunteered to be on the committee.
f) Appeal by Mount St. Joseph to allow a student to be reinstated
to the
Varsity hockey team. Student quit the team and participated
in a Midget
Hockey tournament. This is against the VPA Hockey rules as
stated in
the Hockey guide. Motion to approve the appeal by Dot B.,
second by
Dan M.. Discussion of VPA rule and its intent. Vote – yes
– 5, no – 6
Appeal denied.
4) Request
by VPA Football Committee (Mike O’Day and Mike Norman) to
allow
Football to retain its Spring practice (which currently violates
the out of season
policy). Mike O’Day present the rationale and history of the
Spring practice (it
has been going on for many years). Mike Norman presents the
main focus of the Spring practice is to individually outfit
the students with equipment for the Fall. This is a safety
issue. Motion by Dan M. to “allow football to maintain its
Spring
practice as previously conducted.” Second by Armando V.. Further
discussion.
Vote – motion approved unanimously.
5) Discussion
on Independent Affiliated Policy. Michael M. explains there
is a
concern that there is no specific criteria and that it is
not addressed in the
by-laws. Recommends that the policy is in line with the Home
School policy
in terms of participation. Michael/Bob/Ray will draft a policy
for ASC
consideration at the next meeting.
6) Discussion
on current Home School policy. Michael expressed concern with
An interpretation of this policy that is allowing a home school
student to
Participate in sports at a public school through the school
choice program. The
concern is that the home school student is not attending any
classes but is simply
using school choice as a way to play sports. This was not
the intent. Michael/Bob/Ray will present a revised policy
at the next meeting.
7) Brittney,
Amanda and Helon gave an update on the Student Leadership
Conference they attended in Indianapolis last summer.
8) Dan
M. presented recommendations from Activity Scheduling Committee.
a) limit the tournament to the top 16 teams in each division.
Discussion on
whether this still allows an “Open Tournament”. Issue tabled
in order
to allow Dan time to survey AD’s through the VSADA.
b) to
increase the % of games necessary to qualify for the state
tournament
(currently must play 60% of the maximum season allowable games).
Motion by D.G. to “accept the Activity Scheduling Committee
recommendation to increase the % of games from 60% to 80%
of the allowed number of games in order to participate in
the state tournament.”
Second by Dan M.. Discussion. Vote – approved unanimously.
Must now
be forwarded to Executive Council for membership vote in May.
9) ASC
discussion on track committee recommendations for divisional
alignment.
Motion by Jack P. to approve recommendations. Second by Dot
B.. Vote – approved unanimously. See committee letter for
specific recommendations.
10) Update
on IRS/Officials Ad Hoc Committee. This is going to be a major
issue.
The next meeting will have an IRS representative in attendance.
Bob J. will keep
ASC updated.
11) Student
appeal hearing for a 5th year of eligibility for John Blount
of Middlebury.
John, Suky Shoen and Sean Farrell (Middlebury AD) present.
Discussion on information presented. ASC goes into executive
session at 2:00 p.m. in order to discuss confidential information.
Leaves executive session at 2:18 p.m.. Request
To Sean Farrell for official transcript. Upon return, motion
by Armando V. to “grant John Blount’s request for a 5th year
of eligibility based on a hardship situation. “ Discussion.
Vote – yes – 10, no – 1 Hardship appeal granted.
12) Discussion
on need to create Public to Public Program Ad Hoc Committee.
Frank P. has agreed to Chair the committee. Invitation will
go out to all AD’s.
Committee will have recommendations for next ASC meeting.
13) Request
by VPA Cheerleading Committee to increase the maximum number
of cheerleaders for state tournaments to 20 in Division I,
16 in Division II
and 12 in Division III. Discussion. Dan M. moves to approve
request, second
by D.G.. Vote – approved unanimously.
14) Began
process of reviewing ASC policy handbook. Discussion and suggestions
for what should be included.
Adjourned.
Next meeting: March 30, 2004 VPA Office 10:00 a.m. |
