IHSA Approves Badminton State Finals At DeKalb

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met for its regularly scheduled meeting at the IHSA office in Bloomington on Monday, September 12, 2023, where the Board approved a State Final hosting contract with DeKalb High School to host the IHSA Girls Badminton State Finals from 2023 to 2025.

“We are excited to find a new home for the Girls Badminton State Finals,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “DeKalb facilities are second to none and we believe they have a vision to take this event to the next level. State badminton has a history of long hosting tenures, and we hope to make DeKalb its home for years to come.”

DeKalb High School will be the seventh venue to host the state tournament when the 2023 edition unfolds on May 12-13, 2023. The inaugural IHSA Girls Badminton State Finals were held at New Trier West in 1977. In 1980, Evanston Township High School hosted for the first time, starting an annual rotation between New Trier and Evanston that would last through 2002. Downers Grove North then hosted for three years, before Eastern Illinois University took over hosting duties in 2006, which they continued until 2019.

The 2020 State Series was canceled due to the pandemic and Hinsdale South hosted in 2021 and 2022.

“We are extremely excited for this great opportunity to showcase our facility and the DeKalb community,” said DeKalb High School Athletic Director Peter Goff. “The DeKalb High School Athletic Department and badminton coaching staff look forward to putting on a first-rate tournament for all of the participants and spectators that attend the state finals.”

Three other sites submitted bids to host the state tournament.

“We appreciate all the sites who put the time and effort into their host proposals, we felt great about each and know they all would have provided first-class experiences,” said Anderson. “We especially appreciate Hinsdale South’s efforts the past two years, as they stepped up during the pandemic year to unexpectedly host the tourney and provided a wonderful experience for the competitors in 2021 and 2022.”

ACTION

1. The Board approved a recommendation to update IHSA Board Policy 14: Guidelines for Adding and Deleting State Series Programs. Section 14-3 of Policy will be updated to read as follows:“An existing state series will be deleted when the following objective qualifiers have been met:a.) Sports – The state series has less than 7% of member schools entering a team (3.054).b.) Activities – The state series has less than 7% of member schools participating.”

2. The Board approved a recommendation from the IHSA Esports Advisory Committee to add FIFA soccer to the State Series game offerings.

3. The Board approved recommended changes to the IHSA Personnel Policies.

APPEALS & ELIGIBILITY RULINGS

1. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Montini High School in Lombard. The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.040 and its subs-sections.

2. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Montini High School in Lombard. The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.040 and its subs-sections.

3. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Williamsville High School. The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.030.

4. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Mt. Olive High School. The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.042.

5. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Zion-Benton High School. The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.047.

6. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Rochelle Zell High School in Deerfield. The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.040 and its subs-sections.

7. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Peoria Heights High School. The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.042.

8. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on a student from Rock Island High School. The student was ruled ineligible for non-compliance with IHSA By-law 3.047.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain items the Board discusses, but upon which no action is taken, or that action may not be required. The following is a report of those items from the September 12, 2022, agenda:

1. The Board discussed changes to the IHSA Amateurism by-laws to reflect national trends in Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) allowances for IHSA student-athletes. The Board plans to recommend changes via a by-law proposal that will be a part of the upcoming IHSA legislative process. By-law proposals from member schools are due to the IHSA by October 11. Town Hall meetings will be held in November and voting on the by-law proposals that advance to the all-school ballot will occur in December.

2. The Board heard a report that nominations for the IHSA Board and Legislative Commission are due on September 15. Online voting will occur from September 20 to October 1.

3. The Board heard a report on the upcoming IHSA New Administrator Workshop, which will be held at the IHSA office on September 28. New member school principals, athletic directors, activity directors, and other positions with IHSA-related duties are encouraged to attend. Interested individuals can sign-up to attend by clicking here.

4. The Board heard a report on the completion of the IHSA staff book study on the book “8 Ways to Support Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for All.”

5. The Board heard a report that the IHSA staff will be represented at the upcoming IASA Conference in Springfield on September 29.

6. The Board heard a report that the Executive Director will represent the IHSA at the upcoming NFHS Section 4 meeting in Michigan on September 21-23.

7. The Board recognized outgoing Board member, Dr. Robert Nolting, who reached his term limitation after serving nine years on the Board. Bob was elected to the Board in 2013 as the principal at Andrew High School in Tinley Park and departs from the IHSA Board as the Superintendent/Official Representative of District 230 (Andrew, Carl Sandburg, Stagg).