Board Approves Budget & Changes to Spring Sports

STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The Board of Control reviewed and ratified the 2012-13 budget and a number of coaches’ recommendations that impact spring sports at its October meeting today.
 
Two changes were made to the track and field season regulations. Beginning in 2013, the meet Jury of Appeals will have the authority to review appeals concerning the decision to re-run a race and determine who is eligible and when the re-run will occur. The other track and field recommendation receiving approval addresses ties in individual races 800 meters or longer and in the 3,200-meter relay. Any ties in the final qualifying positions for sectionals and State in these events will remain a tie in accordance with NFHS rules. Each of the runners tied will qualify without having to run a tie-breaking race.

The Board approved a pair of recommendations in softball. The first addresses the location of the next player to bat. The on-deck hitter will occupy the on-deck circle located behind the batter, which has been the protocol the last three seasons on an experimental  basis. This action removes the experimental status and makes it a regulation. The Board also approved a 26-game season maximum for a team and individual, replacing the rule that permits 18-contests with two multi-game dates, which had created some confusion in its application.

Among the baseball recommendations approved by the Board included action to revert back to the rule addressing suspended games during the WIAA Tournament Series. Beginning in 2013, if a WIAA tournament game is called prior to the completion of any full inning following the fifth inning, the game becomes suspended if the visiting team has scored one or more runs to tie or take the lead and the home team has not regained the lead. Also passed was a measure to seed Divisions 2, 3 and 4 in the half brackets unless 60 percent of the schools in the bracket vote to revert back to seeding in the quarter bracket. This same process is used in basketball. In 2014, the spring baseball regional contest will be scheduled five days later to Tuesday of Week 48 of the NFHS calendar and finishing Wednesday and Friday of the same week.

The Board gave its approval to the 2012-13 zero-based, operations budget of approximately $7.7 million, which is similar to last year’s budget. The budget reflects a relatively small increase in expected expenses, as well as a decrease in revenue from a loss of a sponsorship agency partner. It also reflects the unknown impact of relocating the Girls State Basketball Tournament and the celebration of the 100th State Cross Country meet.

Among the other topics discussed in detail were potential Constitutional amendments, recent Area Meeting topics, progress of efforts to redefine worker’s compensation for officials in relation to member schools and an update on conference realignment efforts.

The membership of the WIAA oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 507 senior high schools and 65 junior high/middle level schools in its membership. It will sponsor 25 championship tournament series in 2012-13. For more information, access the WIAA website at www.wiaawi.org

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