January, 2016
01/29/16 – Board Approves Final Football Alignment Moves, Resolves Cross-Bracketing Review for 2016 through 2018
At its regular meeting on January 28, the Board of Control completed a review and discussion on a variety of football related issues. These issues had been on the Board agenda for a period of time and input had been gathered from the Administrators, Athletic Directors and Football Coaches that are members of the Football Advisory Committee, in addition to nearly constant general membership feedback. Data gathered (including travel mileage) and presented to both the Advisory Committee and the Board of Control is available through the Board agenda system at https://portal.ksba.org/public/Agency.aspx?PublicAgencyID=4374&AgencyTypeID=1&BeginDate=1-1-2016&EndDate=1-31-2016
Per the Competition Rules, the school enrollments were to be reviewed following receipt of the 2015-16 enrollments, and the current four-year average boys enrollment at each school was to be compared with the four-year average boys enrollment that placed the teams in classes for 2015-2018. Any school whose ranked enrollment would place them in a different class AND the percentage of enrollment change was […]
01/29/16 – KHSAA Board Adopts Baseball Pitch Count Restrictions with Mandated Rest
At its January meeting, the KHSAA Board of Control had a second and final reading and adopted a pitch count limitation beginning with the 2016 baseball playing season. The Board adopted the proposal in response to concerns regarding student safety expressed both locally and nationally concerning arm injuries and overuse, and upon the receipt of a great deal of recent data.
Previously, the pitching limitation (and subsequent required rest) was based upon innings pitched. The new rules will mandate rest based on pitches thrown as detailed below.
KHSAA Pitching Limitation Rule (For all interscholastic play including scrimmages, regular season and all rounds of postseason) is based on the number of pitches thrown in a game with the following provisions:
Mercer Co. focuses on winning games, not winning streak
BY MIKE FIELDS (Jan. 28, 2016)
NICHOLASVILLE — Mercer County isn’t trying to go undefeated in boys’ basketball this season, but the Titans are trying to win every game.
There is a difference.
No. 1 Mercer County ran its record to 22-0 with an 83-79 victory over host West Jessamine Thursday night. The Titans trailed 74-71 with 1:20 left, but led by Trevon Faulkner, they rallied to remain the only unbeaten team in Kentucky.
Faulkner, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, had 32 points, including seven in the last 1:16.
Malik Dow, a 6-5 senior, had 17 points. Will Hager, a 6-4 senior point guard, had 16.
Mercer County made 40 of 50 free throws on the night. Faulkner hit 18 of 19 from the line.
West Jessamine’s upset bid was led by Siah Holifield’s 27 points and Isaiah Okesson’s 24.
Mercer County Coach Josh Cook says his players “don’t have time to think about the streak” because they are so focused on the task […]
01/28/16 – Board of Control Addresses Football Alignment, Bracketing; Baseball Pitch Count; Swimming and Diving State Qualifiers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 28, 2016
The Board of Control addressed a lengthy agenda during its regularly scheduled meeting at the KHSAA Offices on Thursday, approving a slight “midcourse” adjustment to the football alignment as required by the competition rules and future football playoff bracket formats, finalizing a baseball pitch count, and settling on the number of regional qualifiers for the state swimming and diving meet for 2016.
Per the football competition rules, a “midcourse” adjustment is to be made in the second year of a four-year alignment. In order to be considered for adjustment, the four-year average enrollment (including 2015-16 data) would have to be within the boundaries of another class, and the school shall have had at least a 10 percent change in four-year average enrollment during the two-year period.
Upon review of the data, only two schools fit the criteria to be placed into a different class, and the Board unanimously approved the movement of […]
01/28/16 – Swimming and Diving Region 8 Meet Location Change
Due to the expansion of regions from five to nine for the 2015-2016 Swimming and Diving season, plans were made for the Region 8 Swim Meet to be held at the Falling Springs Arts and Recreation Center in Versailles to decrease the amount of travel for schools in this region.
Several schools in this region had expressed a strong interest in returning to the Stivers Wellness and Aquatic Center in Barbourville, KY for the swimming portion of the Region 8 meet. The KHSAA sent a survey to the Designated Representatives from each school in this region asking them to consult their head coaches in regards to which facility they wanted to serve as the host for the swimming portion of the Region 8 meet.
The overwhelming majority of administrators (19-4) voted for the swimming portion of the Region 8 meet to return to the Stivers Aquatic and Wellness Center. As a result, the swimming portion of the Region […]
01/26/16 – Sweet Sixteen® Draw Show Set For February 4th on CW Lexington, KHSAA.tv
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 26, 2016
The pairings for the 2016 St. Elizabeth Healthcare/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® and the 2016 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® will be revealed on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. (ET) when the annual Draw Show is televised by The CW Lexington. The Sweet 16® Draw Show will also be streamed online at KHSAA.tv and WKYT.com.
The 2016 St. Elizabeth Healthcare/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16® will be held March 9-13 at BB&T Arena in Highland Heights, with the 2016 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16® taking place March 16-20 at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Brackets with official pairings will be available on the KHSAA/Riherds.com Scoreboard and the KHSAA website on the basketball home page following the conclusion of the draw show.
Full-session ticket packages for the Boys’ and Girls’ Sweet 16® will be available for purchase by the general public starting Feb. 8th, at a cost of $124 for side/lower arena seats. For more information, […]
01/26/16 – Reminder About Moratorium on Signing 2017 Football Contracts (and beyond)
For some reason, we have received several reports of schools prematurely scheduling contests for 2017 and beyond in football. Please remember that until the alignment for 2017 is finalized, no contract may be signed. As has been the case for many years, the four year alignment has a two-year adjustment based on significant changes in enrollment.
Because of the ripple effect of any change in alignment, no school may sign a contract for 2017 until the Board of Control has finalized the 2017 adjustments. That is an agenda item this coming Thursday at the regular meeting of the Board of Control, and within three days afterwards, schools will be advised of the option to begin signing contracts. If any adjustments are finalized Thursday, the clearance will be given from the office. Otherwise, if there are any decisions deferred, it will be at least the March meeting of the Board before contracts can be signed.
Consider this as […]
Ervin Stepp appreciates Whitney Creech’s scoring prowess
BY MIKE FIELDS (Jan. 25, 2016)
Ervin Stepp is ready to welcome Whitney Creech into his exclusive club.
Stepp is the only player in the history of Kentucky high school basketball to average more than 50 points a game for an entire season. Thirty-six years ago as a senior at Phelps, Stepp averaged 53.7 points. (And that was before the three-point shot was introduced.)
He topped 60 points six times that season, including 75 against Feds Creek. “I had 50 in the second half of that game,” Stepp said. “Man, if I’d only done that the first half too, I would’ve had 100!”
Now along comes Creech, a senior at Jenkins, who is sporting a 50.6 average, highlighted by a career-high 65 against Jackson County.
Stepp didn’t know about Creech until last month when his brother Gary, athletics director at Alice Lloyd College, told him about her scoring prowess.
“I thought somebody might have a shot […]
01/25/16 – Hall of Fame Journalist Mike Fields Joins KHSAA.org as Contributing Writer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 25, 2016
KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett announced today that Hall of Fame journalist Mike Fields and his more than 41 years of experience covering high school sports will be joining KHSAA.org as a contributing writer. Fields, who retired from the Lexington Herald-Leader in 2015 after 35 years with the publication, will produce content for his own blog at KHSAA.org along with feature articles and state championship coverage through the KHSAA website and social media.
“I have talked to Mike on several occasions about my hopes for developing an increased web presence with stories about the great student-athletes, coaches, officials and administrators that are affiliated with the member schools, both present and former, of the KHSAA,” said Tackett. “Mike being our first contributor is symbolic of his dedication to our schools, his experience with traditional and social media and his love of this level of play. We look forward to his work beginning immediately.”
A […]
It’s good to be back
BY MIKE FIELDS (Jan. 24, 2016)
So, did I miss anything?
It’s been eight months since I retired from the Herald-Leader after covering high school sports for 41 years.
After giving up the gig cold turkey, I filled my time with travel (the British Open at St. Andrews was a bucket-list highlight), grandkids (Candy Land, anyone?), a long honey-do list (I racked up big numbers on my Fitbit while painting the basement), and an autumn wedding (I have three daughters; this was my third misty-eyed walk down the aisle).
I haven’t missed the deadlines or daily grind of the newspaper business, but I have missed reporting and writing and connecting with people.
I was looking for a way to get back in the game in a limited way, and the Kentucky High School Athletic Association was gracious enough to give me an opportunity with this blog. I will also revive my dormant twitter account (@MikeFieldsKHSAA).
I’m not exactly […]
01/21/16 – KHSAA Sanctions Bryan Station and Lafayette Girls’ Basketball Programs for Altercation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 21, 2016
The KHSAA has handed down two-game suspensions to a total of seven girls’ basketball players following an altercation between Lafayette and Bryan Station on January 14, 2016. During the incident, violations of Bylaw 15 “Sportsmanship” were committed when multiple nonplayers (rostered individuals not in the contest) left the bench area. Due to the number of individuals involved in the situation, the game officials appropriately requested review by the KHSAA under the video review policy.
KHSAA policies and procedures permit the use of replay at the discretion of the Commission and in compliance with NFHS playing rules in a situation involving a fight, physical confrontation or ejection where the circumstances are potentially unable to be accurately observed and reported by the game officials, and where either the member school or official has requested such review. This could include identifying individuals that were not previously identified, correcting […]
01/20/16 – Winter Sports Championship Media Credentials
The KHSAA’s online media credentialing system for the Winter Sports Championships is now live. Media members can visit credentials.khsaa.org to apply for credentials for the bowling, wrestling and swimming and diving state championships.
Credentials to each KHSAA state championship event are issued by the KHSAA to working members of the media that regularly cover high school athletics. Credentials must be requested prior to the established deadline for each sport through the online credentialing system (credentials.khsaa.org).
Credentials should be requested by the sports editor/director for all members of his/her organization needing to attend an event. Credentials for freelance photographers and stringers must be requested by the sports editor/director at the outlet the freelancer will be representing. No credentials will be issued outside of the online credentialing system. The KHSAA reserves the right to limit the quantity of credentials issued to media outlets when space is at a premium.
Failure to adhere to the KHSAA policies and guidelines, […]
01/19/16 – KHSAA Sanctions Graves County Boys’ Basketball for Bylaw 16 Violations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 19, 2016
The KHSAA has handed down sanctions to Graves County High School resulting from improper open gym activities involving its boys’ basketball program during the 2014-15 academic year. During the course of its investigation, the KHSAA found Graves County to be in violation of Bylaw 16 “Recruitment/Undue Influence” for conducting open gym activities where student-athletes from other member schools participated without express consent from their respective school’s principal designated representative.
In addition, Graves County boys’ basketball assistant coach Lyndon Dunning was found to be in violation of Bylaw 16 for impermissible contact with the family of a student-athlete at another member school (Hickman County) regarding the open gym activities.
“Graves County Schools will in no way tolerate violations of the KHSAA Bylaws,” said Graves County principal Matthew Madding. “We take a great deal of pride in our compliant membership with the KHSAA and have […]
01/19/16 – Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16® Scholarship Application Now Open
For the third year Whitaker Bank, as part of its continuing title sponsorship of the Boys’ Sweet 16®, and the KHSAA will be presenting four one-time $1,500 scholarships. The scholarships are open to high school seniors that participate in KHSAA sanctioned sports and sport-activities.
Deadline for the information to be received by the KHSAA is Feb. 26. There is no limit to the number of applicants from a school.
Winners will be recognized during the 2016 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ State Basketball Tournament, March 16-20 in Lexington.
Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16® Scholarship Application Form is online and may be completed using the link below:
Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16® Scholarship Application
– KHSAA –
The KHSAA staff routinely publishes blog posts to better communicate with its various constituencies and the public. The blogs for specific sports and sport-activities are on that sport or sport activity main page, and there are general information blogs […]
01/15/16 – Number of State Qualifiers Increased for Swimmers at State Meet
When the realignment of swimming schools was revised last summer, one of the discussion points was about state qualifiers. At that time, with 9 regions, the Board of Control approved bringing two automatic qualifiers from each region, and an additional 14 statewide at-large qualifiers for a competition field of 32 in each event.
Since the adoption of the alignment, staff and tournament management has worked diligently with the time schedule to try and address issues where the Board wanted to see if it was possible to not reduce the number of at-large qualifiers from prior years (when 22 at-large made the field plus two automatic from each region).
At this point, the schedule has been adjusted to the point that the Swimming and Diving Advisory Committee recommended, and the Board of Control has approved, bringing in the 18 automatic qualifiers (two per region) and 22 at large for each swimming event. Therefore, the number of state qualifiers in […]
01/13/16 – Regional Instructions for Bowling
Instructions for the KHSAA Regional Bowling Tournament are now posted on the KHSAA website. You can view these instructions by clicking on the following link:
http://khsaa.org/bowling/bowlingteaminstructionforpostseason.pdf
– KHSAA –
The KHSAA staff routinely publishes blog posts to better communicate with its various constituencies and the public. For a list of those blogs, go to http://khsaa.org/news-stats-pubs/sports-blogs/
01/15/16 – KHSAA and Special Olympics Kentucky Continue Unified Track & Field Program
For the second year, the KHSAA and Special Olympics Kentucky will once partner to offer Unified Track and Field events at the 2016 KHSAA State Track and Field Meet. With that in mind, we wanted to share some relevant information with schools interested in organizing Unified Track and Field teams and competitors.
These athletic events give many of the students in member schools the opportunity to compete in exhibition events, much like the wheelchair events added several years ago. We look forward to working with schools on this opportunity, which includes the option to obtain financial grant money for coaches from SOKY.
Please contact our office with any questions. This is a fairly new program for the KHSAA and we look forward to working alongside our membership to continue expanding opportunities for the students in the Commonwealth.
-KHSAA-
The KHSAA staff routinely publishes blog posts to better communicate with its […]
01/04/16 – Baseball Umpire Advanced Camp Registration Now Open
Registration for the 2016 KHSAA Baseball Umpires Advance Camp is now open. This camp must be attended once every four years to be eligible for assignment to umpire region or state tournaments.
Camp Date
Saturday, February 13 – Hopkins Co. Central High School
Camp Fee
$50 early registration before Feb. 1.
$75 late registration after Feb. 2 until Feb. 11.
Camp Staff
Clarence Coleman – 37-year veteran; KHSAA Assigning Secretary, Kentuckiana Baseball Umpires Association
Keith Morgan – 38-year veteran; Umpire, Central Kentucky Umpires Association
Keith Shartzer – 41-year veteran; Umpire, Kentuckiana Umpires Association
Andy Strain – 38-year veteran; Umpire, Tri-State Officials Association
Kyle McNeely – Former Chair NFHS Baseball Rules Committee and OHSAA Director of Officials’ Development for baseball.
Tentative Topics & Agenda (Times are CT)
8-8:30 a.m. – Registration
8:30-9 a.m. – Welcome, Introductions, Review Agenda
9-9:15 a.m. – KHSAA Associate Commissioner Butch Cope
9:15-11:30 a.m. – Split into groups
11:30-12:30 p.m. – Lunch
12:30-2 p.m. – Rotate Groups
2-3 […]
About Mike
After working as a sports writer for 41 years, I needed a break from the daily demands and deadlines of the newspaper business. So in June 2015, I retired from the Lexington Herald-Leader after covering approximately 4,000 high school sports events in my career. In January 2016, I took on the role of freelance writer for the KHSAA. To reintroduce myself: I was born in Pikeville, grew up in Bardstown, graduated from the University of Kentucky, worked at newspapers in Eustis, Fla., Lake City, Fla., Henderson, Ky., and Evansville, Ind., before coming to Lexington in 1980. Email me at mfields@khsaa.org
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