09/17/25 – Board of Control conducts second meeting of 2025-26
September 17, 2025
2025-2026 News Releases
PrintFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SEPT. 17, 2025
The KHSAA Board of Control conducted its second regularly scheduled meeting of the 2025-26 academic year on Wednesday, which will continue on Thursday in Lexington, with the Board of Control voting 13-5 to adopt a shot clock for boys and girls varsity basketball beginning in the 2027-28 high school season.
Thirty-two state associations throughout the country currently use a shot clock in some manner, and Kentucky will implement the use of a 35-second shot clock in two years. KHSAA member schools can continue getting accustomed to a shot clock for the 2025-2026, but it will not be used in postseason until 2028.
The Louisville Invitational Tournament and several other events experimented with a 35-second shot clock last season, and the reps from Louisville said it went off without any problems.
It has long been an area of discussion throughout the Commonwealth, with the board’s final decision backed by several members expressing the belief that using a shot clock will advance the game. The discussion also led the group to believe that waiting until 27-28 would allow for budgeting for the equipment and further training for the shot clock operators.
“The board considered a variety of viewpoints and takes very seriously its role as the stewards of the game,’ said Commissioner Julian Tackett. “Right down to the discussions around the implementation year, they discussed every aspect. With the full year after this season, schools can continue to use the shot clock on an experimental basis, as well as get clocks installed for a smooth transition.”
Other items discussed on Wednesday were expanding opportunities for regional tournaments and bracketing in several sports. The 15th region basketball tournament uses a ‘super regional’ format due to a variety of logistical reasons in basketball, while the 6th region piloted an alternative format for 2025 softball and baseball.
Several topics were brought to the table for discussion concerning the growing numbers of student transfers, the possibility of returning the KHSAA baseball state tournament to Legends Field for one or more rounds, and the planned classification changes for football and track and field / cross country during this school year.
– KHSAA –
About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 290 member schools, both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 229 state championships to 59 teams and 178 individuals in 13 sports and six sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 109,000 rostered member school student-athletes, provides coaching education and sports safety programs for more than 12,000 coaches and licenses and facilitates the distribution of training material for over 4,000 contest officials.
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