Penalties for Fouls during Throw-ins

Changed in High School Basketball

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  Contact: Mary Struckhoff

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 4, 2011) — Penalties for fouls during throw-ins have been changed in high school basketball, effective with the 2011-12 season. The throw-in revision, as well as several other rules changes and editorial revisions, were approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee at its April 11-13 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes recommended by the committee were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Definitions within Rules 4-12-1, 4-12-2 and 4-12-6 were changed to reflect that team control will now exist during a throw-in once the thrower-in has the ball at his or her disposal. The new rule will no longer grant free throws to the defending team in the bonus if the throw-in team commits a foul.

“The advantage was too great because the throw-in team would lose possession and yield free throws under the previous rule,” said Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee. “It was inconsistent with how this same play was being administered during non-throw-in situations.”

The committee also approved an editorial change to Rule 9-2-10, Penalty 4 to clarify that when an opponent contacts the thrower-in, an intentional foul will be charged to the offender. The defender will not have to have broken the plane to be charged with an intentional foul.

The committee edited Rule 1-3-1 to reflect the current basketball court design, which many high schools already use. The rule now permits at minimum a ¼-inch-wide single line and a line no wider than 2 inches for the center circle.

The committee also added Rule 3-5-3, which provides guidelines for arm compression sleeves. Sleeves may be white, black, beige or a single solid school color, and all sleeves must be the same color for each team member. Also, any manufacturer’s logos must not exceed 2¼ inches square.

In addition to the throw-in change to Rule 9-2-10, the committee approved several other editorial revisions, including reorganizing the definition of an intentional foul, clarifying when an alternating-possession throw-in shall be administered and clarifying penalty administration for when single fouls occur as part of a multiple free-throw situation.

Two other editorial changes to the Basketball Rules Book are ones that the NFHS Board of Directors has approved for use in all NFHS rules books.

The first rule extends the clerical duties of officials beyond the end of the game through the completion of any reports required from actions that occurred while the officials had jurisdiction.

The second authorizes state associations to grant exceptions to NFHS playing rules for participants with disabilities, special needs or extenuating circumstances.

Struckhoff said the committee again discussed requiring the use of a shot clock in high school basketball, as it has done for several years, but the committee did not approve the proposal.

“Even though there’s growing interest in using a shot clock, the general sense from the committee is that the time isn’t right,” Struckhoff said. “Given the current economic climate, it would be difficult for schools to comply with a rule requiring purchasing new equipment and hiring additional table personnel.”

A complete listing of all rules changes approved by the committee is available on the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Athletics & Fine Arts Activities” on the home page, and select “Basketball.”

Basketball is the second-most popular sport for girls and third-most popular for boys at the high school level, according to the 2009-10 High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS, with 439,550 girls and 540,207 boys participating nationwide. The sport ranks first in school sponsorship of girls and boys teams with 17,711 schools sponsoring the sport for girls and 17,969 sponsoring the sport for boys.

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This press release was written by Steven Peek, the spring 2011 intern in the NFHS Publications/Communications Department and a senior at Butler (Indiana) University. 

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and Rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing Rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.5 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:          Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900

                                         National Federation of State High School Associations

                                         PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206

                                         bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org

Protective Eyewear Mandated for Field Hockey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      Contact: Elliot Hopkins 

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 15, 2011) — High school field hockey players will be required to wear protective eyewear, effective with the 2011-12 season.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Board of Directors, in its April 13 meeting in Indianapolis, voted to mandate the use of protective eyewear that meets the current American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard for field hockey.

Acting on a recommendation from the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, the Board agreed that the potential risk of injury warranted the requirement of protective eyewear for the 64,000 student-athletes participating in high school field hockey.

“While serious eye injuries in field hockey are rare, the NFHS Board of Directors has concluded that an eyewear requirement is the right step,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of educational services and field hockey rules editor.

NFHS field hockey rules previously allowed – but did not require – the wearing of eyewear that meets the current ASTM standard. Six NFHS-member state associations had previously passed more stringent rules and already mandate the use of protective eyewear.

The revised language to mandate protective eyewear will appear in the 2011-12 NFHS Field Hockey Rules Book.

### 

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and Rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing Rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.6 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:          Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900

                                         National Federation of State High School Associations

                                         PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206

                                         bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org

Forward Approach Definition Altered in High School Diving

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                        Contact: Becky Oakes

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 18, 2011) — Two significant changes in high school diving were among the six rules revisions approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee at its March 27-29 meeting in Indianapolis. The rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

The definition of the forward approach in diving was revised to reflect current trends in the sport. In between the initial three steps and the jump off one foot to a landing on both feet at the end of the board, divers now may use additional steps, hops, leaps and/or jumps.

The revised Rule 9-5-2 now reads as follows: “The forward approach shall begin with not less than three steps and finish with a hurdle, defined as a jump off one foot to a landing on both feet at the end of the board. The diver may use additional steps, hops, leaps and/or jumps between the initial three steps and the culminating hurdle. The forward takeoff shall be from both feet simultaneously to an adequate height to perform the dive.”

“This change supports the advancement of high school diving and reflects the current trends in the variations of the forward approach and the athleticism of today’s high school divers,” said Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Swimming and Diving Rules Committee.

Another important diving change deals with the order of divers in championship meets. Beginning next season, in addition to determining the order by lot, the meet director will have the option of seeding based on the diver’s best competitive 11-dive score submitted. If the seeding is done by dive scores, divers without 11 dive scores will be seeded by lot at the beginning of the diving order.

The flexibility of seeding divers, which also may be used in non-championship meets that are conducted under the championship-meet format, is similar to the option in swimming.

Two additional diving rules were revised by the committee. A note in Rule 9-5-6 was expanded to clarify that flying dives demonstrating 1½ somersaults require the straight position to be maintained until the body has rotated to the vertical position.

The degree of difficulty for three twisting dives were changed as follows: 5227D from 3.1 to 3.2; 5126D from 2.7 to 2.8; and 5136D from 3.0 to 3.1.

In swimming rules changes, the committee changed the starting procedure for pools with a water depth of less than 4 feet and at least 3½ feet. Beginning in 2011-12, swimmers must start in the water rather than from the deck in pools with 3½ to 4 feet of water.

“For risk minimization purposes and to reflect current trends, this is a more appropriate starting restriction in water with a depth of less than 4 feet and at least 3½ feet,” Oakes said. “This rule change does not require any change in equipment.”

The final change is one that has been approved by the NFHS Board of Directors for use in all NFHS rules books regarding the meet referee’s jurisdiction. The rule extends the clerical duties of the referee beyond the end of the contest through the completion of any reports required from actions that occurred while the referees had jurisdiction.

Swimming and diving ranks No. 10 in popularity among boys sports with 131,376, according to the 2009-10 High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS. The sport ranks eighth among girls programs with 158,419 participants.

### 

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and Rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing Rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.6 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:          Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900

                                         National Federation of State High School Associations

                                         PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206

                                         bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org

Chop Block Rule Redefined in High School Football

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          Contact: Bob Colgate

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 14, 2011) — A change in the definition of a chop block in high school football, along with a strong emphasis on proper use of the helmet to minimize risk of injury, highlighted the January 21-23 meeting of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee in Indianapolis.

The modification of the chop block rule was one of 11 rules changes recommended by the Football Rules Committee and approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

The new language in Rule 2-3-8 defines a chop block as “a combination block by two or more teammates against an opponent other than the runner, with or without delay, where one of the blocks is low (at the knee or below) and one of the blocks is high (above the knee).”

Previous language defined a chop block as “a delayed block at the knees or below against an opponent who is in contact with a teammate of the blocker in the free-blocking zone.”

Bob Colgate, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Football Rules Committee, said that any combination block where one block is high (above the knee) and one block is low (at or below the knee) will constitute a chop block – with or without delay between the blocks. He also noted that a low-low combination block is no longer a chop block.

Although not an official rules change, perhaps the most significant action by the committee was the issuance of the 2011 Points of Emphasis on concussions, helmets and contact above the shoulders.

The NFHS has been the leader in establishing playing rules to deal with concussions. Last year, the NFHS implemented new guidelines for the management of a student exhibiting signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion. In addition, the NFHS developed a free online course entitled Concussion in Sports – What You Need to Know, which has been viewed by more than 135,000 persons.

“The committee chose not to change many of the playing rules as it intends to ensure the continued focus on minimizing risk of injury to high school football players,” said Julian Tackett, chairman of the NFHS Football Rules Committee and commissioner of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. “The minimal number of rules changes in high school football this year verifies that the country feels like the game is in great shape.”

In other rules changes, the committee standardized the rules regarding the replacement of apparently injured players, players who exhibit concussion signs and symptoms, and players who are bleeding or have blood on their body or uniform. Players removed in any of these situations must leave the game for at least one down, and the time-out is an officials’ time-out, not one charged to the team.

The rules committee also defined two types of authorized team conferences – the “Outside Nine-yard Mark Conference” and the “Between Nine-yard Mark Conference.” When an injury occurs and the referee grants an authorized conference, it must be an “Outside Nine-yard Mark Conference.” Colgate said this will provide medical personnel time and space to address the injured player.

Three changes were approved in Rule 1 – The Game, Field, Players and Equipment. In Rule 1-1-8, language was added to note that “game officials maintain administrative responsibilities for the contest through the completion of any required reports or correspondence in response to any action occurring while the officials have jurisdiction.” The revised rule further notes that “state associations may intercede in the event of unusual incidents after the officials have signaled the end of the game or in the event a game is terminated prior to the conclusion of regulation play.”

In Rule 1-5-1, the detailed specifications for thigh guards were deleted because they were not necessarily applicable to newer technologies used in current production. The requirements for wearing thigh guards and that the guards be unaltered from the manufacturer’s original design/production remain part of the rule.

Restrictions on eye shade were added to Rule 1-5-3c. If used, eye shade must be applied using a single solid stroke under each eye.

“The committee’s intent was that eye shade be located below and within the width of the eye socket and not extend below the cheekbone,” Colgate said. “No words, numbers, logos or other symbols of any type may be included within the eye shade.”

Four changes were approved by the committee in Rule 9 – Conduct of Players and Others. Those revisions include the following:

A final change was made regarding running clock/mercy rules in nine-, eight- and six-player rules.

Football is the No. 1 participatory sport for boys at the high school level with 1,135,052 participants in the 2009-10 school year, according to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS through its member state associations. In addition, the survey indicated there were 1,350 girls who played football in 2009-10.

# # #

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and Rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.6 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:       Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900

                                             National Federation of State High School Associations

                                             PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206

                                            bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org

Volleyball Rules Committee Illuminates Gray Areas in Protocol

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         Contact: Becky Oakes

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 27, 2011) — The new high school volleyball rules changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Volleyball Rules Committee at its January 3-5 meeting were primarily administrative in nature and made to clarify various aspects of the game. The changes, which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors, will take effect with the 2011-12 school year.

The most important changes dealt with net specifications. Under the new Rule 3-1-1, there may now be a white net sleeve, no wider than 3-3/8 inches, covering the top net tape. That sleeve, so long as it does not affect the height of the net, may have the school name, insignia, school mascot and/or advertising symbol placed along the top by way of a decal or professional printing.

Becky Oakes, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the Volleyball Rules Committee, said the committee was trying to allow for the use of equipment that might be used in collegiate gymnasiums.

“The committee recognized the need for this change as the use of collegiate facilities by high school teams has increased,” Oakes said. “Also, the net sleeve will allow teams to promote school spirit and have another option for revenue.”

Changes to the same rule now provide a range for overall width and length of the net to accommodate both the standard measurements and metric measurements at collegiate facilities.

“The changes in net requirements accommodate our high schools when playing in collegiate facilities and do not require any new equipment or additional costs,” Oakes said.

Articles 9 and 10 were added to Rule 2-1 in order to define playable and non-playable areas. The two separate areas, alluded to in other rules, had not been clearly defined in the past.

The playable area includes the court and the unobstructed space outside the court’s boundary lines, and that unobstructed space must be visible to all team members and officials.

The non-playable area is the space located beyond the court and surrounding playable area, including walls, bleachers, anything part of or behind team benches, and any other areas the first referee identifies during the pre-match conference as unsuitable for play.

“The committee examined the way play is conducted in the gym and wanted to provide the definitions for consistency and fairness in play from facility to facility,” Oakes said.

Another administrative rule addition, Rule 1-3-3, explains the scoring protocol for a team playing with fewer than six players due to injury, illness or disqualification after the start of the match. A loss of rally/point is awarded each time a vacant position rotates to serve in the right back position.

The committee also expanded the use of Officials Signal No. 1, Illegal Alignment. The signal – a slow, circular motion with a straight arm pointed toward the court of the offending team – should now be used when a coach fails to submit an accurate lineup at the beginning of a set and play begins with a penalty.

“The purpose of this change is to increase communication with spectators,” Oakes said. “Before, if an inaccurate lineup was submitted at the beginning of a set, there was a loss of rally/point awarded to the opponent but no signal was provided to spectators as to why the set started with a point. Now things will be clearer.

“The committee cleaned up a number of areas in the rules and more clearly stated various protocols for all involved,” Oakes said, “and we also addressed equipment issues in ways that do not create any additional costs to schools.”

A complete listing of all rules changes approved by the committee is available on the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Athletics & Fine Arts Activities” on the home page, and select “Volleyball.”

Volleyball is the third-most popular sport for girls at the high school level, according to the 2009-10 NFHS Athletics Participation Survey, with 403,985 participants nationwide. The sport ranks fourth in school sponsorship with 15,382 schools sponsoring the sport. In addition, 50,467 boys participate in volleyball at 2,089 schools.

###

This press release was written by Steven Peek, the spring 2011 intern in the NFHS Publications/Communications Department and a senior at Butler (Indiana) University.

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and Rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing Rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.6 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:       Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900

                                             National Federation of State High School Associations

                                             PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206

                                             bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org

 

NEWS RELEASE

Illegal Equipment Violations Revised in High School Soccer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                               Contact: Mark Koski

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 10, 2011) — In an effort to treat all illegal equipment violations the same in high school soccer, players with illegal equipment shall be removed on the first caution, which is given to the coach, and cannot re-enter until the next legal substitution opportunity.

This revision in high school soccer rules for 2011-12 was one of nine changes approved by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Soccer Rules Committee at its January 24-26 meeting in Indianapolis. The rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Since the coach receives the first caution for an illegally equipped player, Rule 4-3 previously allowed a player who had been removed but not cautioned to re-enter during a dead ball. Beginning next season, all removed players will re-enter at the next legal substitution opportunity.

In Rule 12 (Fouls and Misconduct), the rules committee changed the penalty for excessive goal celebration by a player from disqualification (yellow and red cards) to a caution (yellow card), and added two other examples of unsporting conduct in Rule 12-8-1f, which are penalized by a yellow card.

Unsporting conduct now will include a player who displays reckless play and an illegally equipped player, as well as excessive goal celebration, which is defined as any delayed, excessive or prolonged act(s) by which a player(s) attempts to focus attention upon himself/herself and/or prohibits a timely restart of the game.

“The committee agreed that disqualifying a player for excessive goal celebration is too severe,” said Mark Koski, NFHS assistant director and staff liaison to the Soccer Rules Committee. “Actions that would constitute taunting and/or offensive language or gestures, however, are still punishable by disqualification.”

With the addition of “reckless play” as an unsporting conduct violation, the committee approved a definition to include in Rule 18. Reckless play occurs when “the player has acted with complete disregard of the danger to, or consequences for, the opponent.”

Two revisions were approved with regard to player equipment. Rule 4-1-1 now clarifies that goalkeepers may wear pants instead of shorts, as long as they comply with manufacturer’s logo requirements. Also, a new article will be added to Rule 4-1 as follows: “It is recommended that substitutes wear distinguishing pinnies when warming up outside of the team area.” The committee approved the recommendation to help the officials distinguish players who are warming up outside the team area from active field players.

In other changes, goalkeepers now may have two numbers listed on the roster – a goalkeeper’s number and a field player’s number. Also, all players’ numbers must now be listed on the roster. The committee also added a ninth signal to the Official Soccer Signal chart to signal a goal.

In addition to the changes approved by the rules committee, last October the NFHS Board of Directors voted to delay implementation of Rule 4-1-1b regarding uniforms until fall 2013. The rule now will read, “Beginning with the 2013 fall season, the home team shall wear solid white jerseys and solid white socks, and the visiting team shall wear dark jerseys and socks.” The rule, which was adopted by the committee in January 2010, was due to go into effect in fall 2012.

Soccer is the fifth-most popular sport for boys and girls at the high school level. According to the 2009-10 High School Athletics Participation Survey, 391,839 boys are involved in soccer and 356,116 girls participate in the sport.

# # #

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and Rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.6 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:       Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900

                                        National Federation of State High School Associations

                                         PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206

                                         bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org

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