Meeting was convened at 8:45a.m. by Secretary Ognosky
ITEM 1 In Chairman Frank Majikes’ absence, Secretary Ognosky welcomed member schools to the meeting and quickly introduced the PIAA District II committee members as well as PIAA Chief Operating Officer Mark Byers, and PIAA Director of Business Affairs, Greg Biller. Secretary Ognosky followed by introducing District II Committee Member, Frank Galicki, who delivered both the invocation and the necrology.
ITEM 2 On behalf of Chairman Frank Majikes, Secretary Ognosky 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.
ITEM 3 A motion was made by Simon Peters (AD – GAR), seconded by Ted Anderson (AD-Scranton) to approve the minutes of the 2013 Annual Business meeting. Copies of those minutes were provided to all member schools present. All Ayes
ITEM 4 Frank Victor, District II Treasurer, gave the 2013 Treasurer’s Report. Our Total Expenses for the 2012-2013 operating year were $310,520.65; while our Total Income for the same period of time was $379,314.54 – a gain of $68,793.89. Our fund balance as of June 30, 2013 was $182,926.89; an increase in the fund balance of $68,793.89. We currently have $170,385.55 in our checking and saving accounts, and $12,541.01 in a Certificate of Deposit.
A motion was made by Cliff Jones (AD- Wilkes-Barre Coughlin High School), seconded by Brian Durkin (AD-Forest City High School) to approve the Treasurer’s Report as submitted. All Ayes
ITEM 5 Jim Higgins presented the Credentials Report. There are 43 High Schools and 38 Junior High Schools present at today’s meeting.
ITEM 6 Secretary Ognosky introduced Greg Biller, who, in turn, introduced Emily Rhinevault from Med Express. Emily provided a brief presentation regarding the services offered by Med Express. They will be partnering with the PIAA and have 2 offices – Edwardsville and Wilkes-Barre, to serve member schools. They will be offering trainers’ services if needed and will be providing low cost physicals as well. Information and materials were provided to all member schools. Greg Biller then offered a review of the Policies and Rules-Regulations Changes. A handout was distributed to members present and highlights discussed included:
· Volleyball Libero – effective 2016, a solid colored uniform top that is immediately recognized from all angles is to be worn. It is to be a solid colored uniform top that shall clearly contrast from the predominant color of the team mates uniform top.
· Tournament application process – applies to non-members of the association, not member schools. The application process requires a school to have a physician on site or within a few minutes on call.
· The brackets, pairings, and number of qualifiers are through a second reading process. Contact your district sport steering person if there are any concerns.
· Reimbursement Policy Changes for 2014-2015 in the sports of Football and Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball – there will no longer be a meals and lodging formula in the reimbursement procedures.
· It is stressed to member schools that they need to get their information to the PIAA in a timely fashion for those teams that qualify for inter-district competition.
· The PIAA is considering the possibility of hosting a Spring Festival – common, site, most spring sports – in order to get away from the end of the school year activities and host the spring championships at a common site and time.
· PIAA has entered into a new ball contract with Rawlings – all inclusive for a 4 year period of time. Rawlings has guaranteed to the PIAA that they will be fully stocked in their distribution centers for all sports as of July 1, 2014.
ITEM 7 Mark Byers, Chief Operating Officer of the PIAA, then offered other comments and remarks highlighting PIAA By-Law Amendment changes made during 2013-2014 as follows (all schools received handouts):
· Changes in cooperative sponsorship agreements that effect classifications must be to District Committees by September 15th and to the Board of Directors by October 1st.
· Football end of regular season will be moved to the 85th day to accommodate sub-varsity schedule completion by the following Tuesday of the last regular season varsity play date.
· Modify language in Code of Ethics to address a school cancelling, scheduling, or rescheduling a contest in order to gain a competitive advantage.
· Modify language to clarify that Probation MAY be placed on a school’s particular team.
· Certificates of eligibility shall be submitted on or before the first regular contest in each sport to the PIAA Office and for each sport season to the PIAA Office. Districts can have eligibility lists submitted directly to them and assign a person to upload those eligibility lists to the PIAA Office.
· Coaching education requirement is effective 2016, must be completed by 2018. NFHS Coaching Fundamentals; First Aid – online; ASEP Coaching Principles (classroom). The State Office is working to develop a PIAA coaching education compliance database. This will be a requirement for Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Junior High Coaches, and Volunteer Coaches.
· An amendment addressing mixed gender participation, Article XVI, Seasons and Out-of-Seasons Rules and Regulations, Section 4, Mixed Gender Participation, is before the PIAA State Committee for a third reading. All member schools have received a copy of that proposed amendment in today’s packet and are strongly encouraged to review its content and ask questions of their local district committee.
ITEM 8 Mark Byers then discussed the remaining Policies and Rules-Regulations Changes listed on the handout provided to member schools:
· Lacrosse balls – boys and girls regular season – NFHS mark or NOCSAE mark or both; all member schools need to have properly marked balls for the playoffs.
· Football contact once the regular season begins is limited to 3 days per week and now only 90 minutes total per week. Member schools were provided with a handout that clarified the specifics of these changes. Live action football contact, as defined by USA Football, is contact at game speed where players execute full tackles at a competitive pace taking players to the ground. A team may continue to dress in full pads for practice, but may only participate in live action drills and game time simulations no more than 90 minutes per athlete per week.
· Charter Schools- the PIAA addressed the issue with the PAOC at their request and believe that charter schools should host athletic programs only in sports that are not provided at the local public school.
ITEM 9 Mike Ognosky, Secretary of the District II Committee, conducted the awarding of State Championship plaques to member schools.
ITEM 10 SPORTS REPORTS: The following sports reports were presented at
today’s meeting –
· Lacrosse (Al Holtzer): Al provided member schools with a copy of the format for the upcoming District II Lacrosse Championships. Information will also be placed on the District II website.
· Track & Field (Danielle Adams): Danielle provided schools with a copy of the format for the upcoming District II Track and Field Championships. Information will also be placed on the District II website.
ITEM 11 NEW BUSINESS – The following new business items were conducted:
Secretary Ognosky entertained motions for the election of committee members for the District II Committee for the 2014-2015 school year.
A motion was made by Chuck Suppon (Superintendent of Schools- (WVW) and seconded by Joe Gilhool (AD – Montrose) that the present committee members be retained.All Ayes
A motion was made by Sandy Mackay (AD-WVW), seconded by Ken Janiszewski (AD- Tunkhannock) that the nominations be closed. All Ayes
The current committee members will be retained as presently constituted.
ITEM 14 Frank Galicki offered benediction.
ITEM 15 A motion was made by Mark Rinaldi (AD-Dunmore), seconded by Nancy Roberts (AD-Dallas) to adjourn. All Ayes
Meeting was adjourned at 11:05 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike Ognosky, District II Secretary