IHSA Board Announces Changes To 2024 State Golf Dates; Provides Clarity On All-Star Game By-Law

ACTION ITEMS

1) The Board approved a recommendation to update the Definition of an “All-Star Team” in the IHSA Handbook and also provided a new Illustration for the IHSA’s All-Star Participation by-law (3.120). IHSA member schools voted (547 schools in favor, 136 schools opposed and 43 schools with no opinion) last December for changes to 3.120 that went into effect on July 1, 2024.

The new definition and illustration can be found below:

Definition:
All-Star Team – A team of students who are selected to participate in a non-school contest or tournament based on athletic ability, performance or reputation when representing the member high school the student attends or previously attended.  Students represent their school by using the school’s name, being selected or nominated by the school, or by wearing any part of the school’s athletic uniform.

Illustration:
By-law 3.120 applies during the school year (from Monday of Week 8 through Saturday of Week 49 of the IHSA standardized calendar).

IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson:
“When the new IHSA by-laws went into effect on July 1, 2024, the changes to the All-Star Participation by-law created a significant number of questions from member schools amidst the changing landscape of non-high school participation in the summer. The Board felt it was prudent to produce the updated language to the All-Star Team definition and the new by-law illustration to more clearly define the scope and timeline of when ‘all-star events’ for underclassmen are restricted. The changes to the by-law that were voted into effect by our member schools in December remain intact as written, however, the Board is confident that today’s updates will better reflect the initial intent of the by-law change.”

2) The Board approved a recommendation to change the dates of the 2024 IHSA Boys Golf State Finals and 2024 IHSA Girls Golf State Finals to Friday and Saturday, October 18-19, one week later than the original dates.

IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson:
“Changing the 2024 IHSA Boys & Girls Golf State Final dates to October 18-19 will allow us to provide the most inclusive State Series tournament possible, as the original state tourney dates (October 12-13) coincided with Yom Kippur. We recognize that these changes were not easy to facilitate from a staffing and planning perspective for our state final courses and communities, so we greatly appreciate their partnership in helping provide the best experience possible for high school golfers in the state.”

3) The Board approved the terms & conditions for girls flag football. The inaugural IHSA State Series in Girls Flag Football will take place this fall. View the Terms & Conditions here.