Chairman Majikes called the 87th Annual Business Meeting to order at 8:45 a.m.
ITEM 1 Chairman Majikes welcomed all of the representatives of the member schools and asked all present to please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Chairman Majikes then reminded all of the schools to take their two student-athlete plaques prior to leaving today. Chairman Majikes followed by introducing District II Committee Member, Fred Barletta, who delivered both the invocation and the necrology.
ITEM 2 Vice Chairman Bill King thanked all of the member schools for their cooperation during the past year in regard to hosting district championship events in all of the various sports. The cooperation of all of the member schools in District II is greatly appreciated. He quickly introduced the PIAA District II committee members as well as PIAA Assistant Executive Director Patrick B. Gebhart, and PIAA Assistant Executive Director Jennifer S. Grassel.
ITEM 3 A motion was made by Joe Gilhool (AD – Montrose), seconded by Brian Durkin (AD-Forest City) to approve the minutes of the 2016 Annual Business meeting. Copies of those minutes were posted for review on the District II website and sent to all member schools prior to the meeting. All Ayes
ITEM 4 Pat Patte, District II Treasurer, gave the 2016 Treasurer’s Report. Our Total Expenses for the 2015-2016 operating year were $350,139.40; while our Total Income for the same period of time was $387,137.35 – a gain of $36,997.95. Our fund balance as of June 30, 2016 was $265,890.54; an increase in the fund balance of $36,997.95. We currently have $253,217.21 in our checking and saving accounts, and $12,673.33 in a Certificate of Deposit.
A motion was made by Russ Davis (AD- Hanover Area High School), seconded by Mike Namey (AD-Wilkes-Barre Meyers High School) to approve the Treasurer’s Report as submitted. All Ayes
ITEM 5 Bill King presented the Credentials Report. There are 42 High Schools and 51 Junior High Schools present at today’s meeting. Mr. King thanked Walter Allabaugh and Tony Modrovsky for their assistance in taking attendance.
ITEM 6 Bill King introduced the 7 District II State Champions from the prior year:
· Dallas, coached by Matt Samuel, the 2016 PIAA AA Boys Cross Country Team Champion.
· Holy Redeemer, coached by Jerry Paulukonis, the 2016 PIAA AA Softball Team Champion.
· Marcos Rico, Wyoming Seminary (coached by Phil Mercatili), the 2017 PIAA AA Boys Swimming 100 Yard Breaststroke Champion.
· Dominic Hockenberry, Lake-Lehman (coached by John Sobocinski), the 2016 PIAA AA Boys Track 3200 Meter Run Champion.
· Matt Kravitz, North Pocono (coached by Jason Sepkowski), the 2016 PIAA AAA Boys Track 3200 Meter Run Champion.
· Raheem Twyman, Wilkes-Barre Meyers (coached by Hayden White), the 2016 AA Boys Track 300 Meter Hurdles Champion.
· Lakeland, coached by Art Davis, the 2016 PIAA AA Boys Track 1600 Meter Relay Champion.
ITEM 7 Chairman Majikes introduced Patrick B. Gebhart, Assistant Executive Director of the PIAA, who discussed the following talking points:
· Ball Adoption for the next 4 years as follows: Football, Tennis (Wilson); Soccer, Basketball, Baseball (Spaulding); Softball (Dudley); and, Volleyball (Baden).
· Reviewed the Baseball pitching rule and required rest based on pitches thrown in a game as follows – 1-25 pitches require no rest day; 26-50 pitches require 1 calendar day; 51-75 require 2 calendar days; and, 76-100 requires 3 calendar days of rest.
· The PIAA Board of Directors has instructed the staff to discontinue the ability to upload PDF’s as eligibility lists, effective the 2017-18 school year.
· Eliminate the use of shoulder pads for out-of-season activities except for quarterback throwing activities; and, allow member senior high schools to play one (1) additional Regular season varsity football contests with District approval.
· The Volleyball Steering Committee has requested that a dress code policy be put in place for volleyball coaches and referred it to the Pennsylvania Coaches Association for further review and recommendations.
· The Tennis Steering Committee recommended to implement policy if one of the two individuals on the doubles team cannot participate for any reason, the team will have to withdraw from the tournament. This is for State Championships only.
· The Soccer Steering Committee has recommended that a school be required to provide a report or have a hearing before their District Committee if that school experiences, in a single season, three disqualifications, by team level, for fighting and/or foul language in the sport of soccer. Soccer DQ’s were at an all time high last year with 459 total disqualifications.
· The Track & Field Committee will continue to discuss three classifications in the sport. They met in January and will review this year’s qualifiers and how the championships may look based on two or three classifications.
· In an attempt to attract more candidates, there is now online testing for prospective sports’ officials. The cost is $30 per test.
· Asked the administration teams of our member schools to assist in crowd control and unsportsmanlike behavior by fans in your facilities.
· Updated those present on the current initiative in District VII regarding the attempt to unionize high school sports’ officials.
ITEM 8 Jennifer S. Grassel, Assistant Executive Director of the PIAA, then offered other comments and remarks highlighting the following points:
· Reminded schools that if they contract with the Safe Schools Program there is now a coaching education track that can be utilized to satisfy our coaching education requirement.
· Updated those present on the concussion class action lawsuits as well as the newly filed concussion lawsuit in District VII.
· Explained that there were a number of By-Law amendments approved:
ü Sportsmanship, and Unsportsmanlike conduct, addressing unsportsmanlike behavior by student-athletes, coaches, and/or teams during awards/medals ceremonies, from PCA and Sportsmanship Steering Committee;
ü Definition of “Assignor”;
ü Definition of “Team” clarification.
· Strategic Planning reviewed a 21 day sit out for in season transfers in a sport, the cooperative sponsorship of a sport and the limit of 300 students in a school, all transfers by District for the 2016-17 school year and discussed the Indiana success model for classifications. President Zack established the Competition Committee to discuss all facets of the transfer rules and school enrollments, classification and competitive balance.
· There are 3 edits to the CIPPE form – all for clarification:
ü Until the next May 31st or the conclusion of the spring sports season.
ü Student’ Health Conditions of which an Emergency Physician or Other Medical Personnel should be aware.
ü Student’s Prescription Medications and conditions of which they are being prescribed.
ü The NFHS Communicable Skin Form will be modified to allow the authorized medical examiner- which is a MD, DO, PA certified, certified registered nurse practitioner or school nurse practitioner under the direction of MD or DO, to authorize treatment for a communicable skin condition.
ITEM 9 NEW BUSINESS – The following new business items were conducted:
District II Committee member, Fred Barletta, entertained motions for the election of members for the District II Committee for the 2017-2018 school year.
A motion was made by Greg Butler (Assistant Athletic Director-Western Wayne) and seconded by Joe Pizano (AD – Wyoming Area) that the present members be retained. All Ayes
A motion was made Cliff Jones (AD-Wilkes Barre Coughlin), seconded by Jeff Shook (AD- Lake-Lehman) that the nominations be closed. All Ayes
The current committee members will be retained.
ITEM 10 Chairman Majikes presented an award on behalf of District II to Fred Barletta, who received this year’s Pennsylvania Athletic Director of the Year award. Congratulations to Fred!!
ITEM 11 Scott Gower (AD – Scranton Prep) asked Chairman Majikes if the issue of non-preferred lists of sports’ officials in the various District II Championships would be revisited. Chairman Majikes replied that the District is constantly reviewing procedures and practices.
ITEM 12 A motion was made by Joe Pizano (AD-Wyoming Area) seconded by Chris Killiany (AD-Valley View) to adjourn. All Ayes
Meeting was adjourned at 10:50 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike Ognosky, District II Secretary