NYSPHSAA Holds Quarterly Executive Committee Meeting in Saratoga
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) held its quarterly
meeting of its Executive Committee in Saratoga Springs on Friday, February 1st. The Committee voted
on several key proposals important to the Association’s 787-member schools.
The Executive Committee approved the Cool Insuring Arena (Glens Falls) as the host of the boys basketball state championships from 2020-2022. Hudson Valley Community College was approved to host the 2020- 2022 girls basketball state championships, SUNY Cortland was approved as the host for the girls lacrosse championships from 2020-2022 and the Moriches Athletic Complex was approved as the host for the softball state championships from 2020-22.
The Executive Committee voted 10-10 (2 abstentions) on a proposal to return to 15-minute periods in the sport of boys ice hockey. NYSPHSAA President Paul Harrica cast the deciding vote to break the tie and ultimately voted in favor of the proposal. The proposal to return to 15-minute periods, with penalties of 1:30, 4:00 and 7:30, is effective for the 2019 Regionals and State Tournament. Sections can continue to play 17-minute periods in the regular season and sectionals for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. The video replay protocol for boys ice hockey was additionally approved.
The use of bipods was approved in the sport of rifle, effective immediately. The girls swimming and diving qualifying standards were approved for the 2019-20 season. They remain unchanged from the fall 2018 season. The committee approved the practice requirement proposal. Starting with the 2019-2020 school year, a student-athletes must practice six times before representing his/her school in a scrimmage or contest in all sports except football, gymnastics, wrestling and baseball which will require 10 practices.
A proposal to establish criteria to allow six classifications for sports with more than 500 participating schools at the NYSPHSAA Championships was defeated. It was also determined that the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee will vote in May on the proposal to use NFHS playing rules in the sports of girls basketball, boys and girls volleyball, softball and gymnastics.
Finally, the Executive Committee approved a proposal to allow female individual sport athletes (i.e. wresting, golf, etc.), to participate via mixed competition in both boys and girls regular season events, as long as the student-athlete does not exceed the maximum number of contests in that sport. Female sport
athletes will continue to be limited to participation in either the girls or boys post season as determined by previous Executive Committee action.
The meeting was called to order by President Harrica at 9:00 am with adjournment at 1:35 pm. The next meeting of the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee will be Friday, May 3, 2019 at the Embassy Suites in Saratoga Springs.
