05/7/13 – Track Realignment and Bowling Championship Site Selection Highlight May Board of Control Meeting

May 7, 2013 2012-2013 News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2013

The Board of Control conducted its final meeting of the 2012-13 academic year at the KHSAA Offices in Lexington on Tuesday. Among the items discussed, the Board of Control approved a draft for new alignment in Track and Field, selected a new site for the Ebonite/KHSAA Bowling State Championship, and approved a recommendation to elevate Assistant Commissioner Butch Cope to Associate Commissioner.

The new proposed alignment for Track and Field, which was last aligned in 2008-09, places approximately 35% of schools in Class 1A, 40% of schools in Class 2A, and the top 25% of schools in Class 3A based on enrollment figures. The new alignment was created with the aim that larger schools have an inherently higher probability of having multiple athletes in different events and should compete more among themselves (as in football), but also recognizes that many of the smaller schools do not field a full team and would not necessarily need to have as few schools in Class 1A. Documentation on the complete realignment is available on the Track and Field page at KHSAA.org. There was also recognition that trying to control travel was of primary concern, even if regions end up with an unbalanced number of teams.

The Board approved a recommendation for a venue rotation for the Ebonite/KHSAA State Bowling Championship. Beginning in 2013-14, the bowling state tournament will move to Collins Eastland in Lexington, after the first two championships were held at Executive Strike & Spare in Louisville. The KHSAA will enter into a one-year agreement with Collins Eastland, with a provision for a second year upon review, and continue to evaluate other venues throughout the state for future championships.

“With the growth of Bowling as a sport-activity, we realize that there are a limited number of venues across the state that can hold the state championship, but we want to continue to explore those options,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett.

Currently in his 19th year with the Association, Cope came to the KHSAA in 1995 as Sports Information Director, and was promoted to Director of Promotions and Media Relations in 2002. Elevated to Assistant Commissioner in 2008, Cope’s day-to-day sport responsibilities include overseeing Volleyball, Baseball and Competitive Cheer, in addition to corporate partner recruitment and fulfillment.

“Butch’s longevity with the KHSAA and interpersonal skills will be a valuable asset as we continue to expand his role within the Association,” said Tackett.

Cope also supervises the KHSAA Hall of Fame, Sportsmanship Recognition Program, Event Novelties, NFHS Student Leadership and HYPE Student Conference, while serving as second in command at the boys’ and girls’ Sweet Sixteen® Tournaments. A 1986 graduate of Marshall County High School, Cope earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in marketing in 1990 and a master’s degree in sports management in 1995, both from the University of Kentucky.

In other action taken during Tuesday’s meeting:

?The Board chose at this time not to introduce a proposal for the full annual meeting to lower the number of games played in various team sports, but will continue to evaluate the current standards in place after surveying its membership.

?The Board approved the financial audit of fiscal year 2011-12, and approved the Association’s working budget for 2013-14.

“I was pleased with the results of our financial audit, especially in a school year (2011-12) when the revenue in our marquee events was down,” added Tackett.
 

— 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 280 member schools both public and private. The KHSAA sanctions 40 state championships in 12 sports and 4 sport activities, licenses and trains over 4,000 officials, provides catastrophic insurance for its more than 70,000 member school student-athletes, as well as overseeing coaching education and sports safety programs.