IHSA February Board Meeting Recap

McReynolds will be honored at the CPL Boys Basketball Championship game, which will be held at UIC’s Credit Union 1 Arena (525 S Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60607). The game is scheduled to tip off at 7:00 PM.

McReynolds, who is the current Sports Director at Wiegel Broadcasting, will be calling the title game on television, but will take a break at the conclusion of the first quarter to be recognized.

If you are interested in coverage of this event, but unable to attend, the IHSA will have photos and video it can share with you upon request afterward.

More on Kenny’s career can be found here: https://www.ihsa.org/News-Media/Announcements/ihsa-announces-9th-class-of-distinguished-media-service-award-winners

IHSA FEBRUARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING RECAP

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors met for its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, February 5, 2024, at the IHSA office in Bloomington, where the Board approved five action items, reviewed Terms & Conditions recommendations for a variety of fall sports, and also issued a reminder to member schools that the IHSA All-State Academic Team application is Friday, February 9.

Schools can nominate students for the IHSA All-State Academic Team here.

A recap of the meeting is provided below:

ACTION ITEMS

1. The IHSA Board approved a recommendation to form an Ad Hoc Football Committee.IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson:“There have been by-law proposals submitted by member high schools related to the IHSA Football Playoffs nearly every year for the past decade. It is our hope that this ad hoc committee can review those proposals to see if they can come to an agreement on any of the underlying issues behind them, and then potentially craft a unified proposal as a solution. We recognize that the outcome may be that the issues are too varied by school size and geography for the committee to reach a common ground, but the Board felt it was important to convene a larger group of invested constituents to come together and have discussions.”

2. The Board approved a recommendation to provide an interpretation to By-law 3.031.4 based upon changes to the by-law that were approved via an all-school vote in December. The new interpretation reads:"When a local public school board adopts a policy to permit students of full time staff members to attend the school when residing outside the attendance area, students will meet the residence by-law if there is a tuition charge per student. (3.031.4)"

3. The Board approved a recommendation to set the IHSA Board of Directors meeting dates for the 2024-25 school year on the following dates:

-Monday, August 26, 2024

-Monday, September 16, 2024

-Wednesday, October 16, 2024

-Monday, December 9, 2024

-Wednesday, January 15, 2025

-Monday, February 10, 2025

-Saturday, March 15, 2025

-Tuesday, April 15, 2025

-Monday, June 16, 2025

4. The Board issued indefinite State Series suspensions to eight member schools for failing to attend an IHSA Town Meeting/Principals’ Rules Meeting (virtual or in-person) for the past two years. The following schools were suspended from State Series participation: Belleville (Governor French Academy); Chicago (Douglass); Chicago (Excel Academy/Roseland); Chicago (Excel Academy/Southwest); Chicago (Little Black Pearl); Peoria (Daarul Uloom Islamic School); Pittsfield (Pike County Christian Academy); and Rockford (KIKIFER’S Entrepreneurial Academy).

5. The Board approved a recommendation to dissolve a cooperative agreement in football between Oblong High School, Palestine High School, and Hutsonville High School.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

Minutes from all Advisory Committees can be viewed by clicking here.

1. The Board approved the consent items, from the Advisory Committees in the following sports & activities and groups: Golf, Volleyball, Tennis, & News Media.

Consent items are recommendations that received approval from the sport/activity advisory committee, the Athletic Administrators Advisory Committee and the IHSA staff. Consent items can be viewed by clicking here.

Some consent items of note:

Volleyball

1. Girls Volleyball Sectional semifinals will be played on Tuesday and the Sectional Championship on Thursday.

2. Girls Volleyball Super-Sectionals will be played on the Monday prior to the State Finals.

Golf

1. Girls Class 1A and Class 2A regionals will be held on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

APPEALS & ELIGIBILITY RULINGS

1. The Board sustained the Executive Director’s ruling on the forfeiture of three junior varsity boys basketball contests and three varsity boys basketball contests by Elverado High School. An Elverado student-athlete played in the contests prior to the school completing the IHSA Transfer Concurrence form.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain items the Board discusses, but upon which no action is taken. The following is a report of those items from the February 5, 2024, agenda:

1. The Board heard a report on the 2023-24 IHSA Officials of the Year.

2. The Board discussed the formation of a State Series in IHSA Girls Flag Football. The Board will have an update on this subject on February 14, 2024.

3. The Board heard a report that the IHSA will be submitting nominations to the NFHS for the Spirit of Sport and Heart of the Arts Awards. More information on the IHSA’s nominees will be released soon.

4. The Board discussed scheduling considerations for IHSA Cross Country Regionals and Sectionals in 2024.