Author Archive
01/21/22 – Board of Control Sets State First Round Sites; Regional Postseason Instructions Available
The Board of Control conducted its fourth regularly scheduled meeting of the 2021-22 academic year on Wednesday at the KHSAA Office, approving staff recommendations for the State Wrestling First Round sites. For the upcoming 2022 postseason, Regions 1-4 will compete in the State First Round event at Union County High School, while Regions 5-8 will compete at Great Crossing High School. In 2023, Regions 1-4 will visit Central High School and Regions 5-8 will travel to Ryle High School.
More information on the State Wrestling First Round competition (Feb. 18-19) and the Final Championship Rounds at George Rogers Clark HS (Feb. 25-26) will be published to the KHSAA website when it becomes available.
Information pertaining to the Regional Tournaments has been posted to the KHSAA website and can be viewed at the following links:
Regional Manager listing – https://khsaa.org/wrestling/2022/regionmanagers.pdf
Regional Tournament instructions – https://khsaa.org/wrestling/2022/postseasoninstructions.pdf
– KHSAA –
About the Kentucky High […]
01/04/22 – Wrestling Postseason Update, Semi-State Hosts Sought
With the wrestling season in full swing, the Association is looking to solidify postseason plans. With that in mind, our office is accepting applications to host the semi-state rounds of the wrestling postseason. Two hosts are needed for the semi-state round, preferably one in the eastern part of the state and one in the western part, with the events scheduled for Feb. 18-19. Any member school interested in hosting should contact Assistant Commissioner Joe Angolia (jangolia@khsaa.org) to declare its interest by Monday, January 10.
Hosts have been finalized for seven of the eight regional tournaments, and are listed below for reference. The regional tournaments are scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 11-12. If a host site needs to be adjusted in response to local restrictions put in place due to the pandemic, please let our office know immediately.
- Region 1 – Caldwell County
- Region 2 – Bardstown
- Region 3 – TBD
- Region […]
12/28/21 – Wrestling Nominations Sought for Male and Female Midway/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year
The nomination process for the Midway University/KHSAA Male and Female Student Athlete-of-the-Year among wrestling participants for 2021-2022 is now open.
This award is based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership. The link to the application contains additional criteria and a form to nominate one participant from each 2021-2022 team. Nominations must come from a member school, but can be submitted by an administrator, guidance counselor, or coach. Nominations may only be submitted online at https://khsaa.org/ge35-midway-university-khsaa-female-student-athlete-of-the-year-nomination-form/.
The winner will be announced early in the postseason and recognized at an awards event at Midway University in early summer 2022. From the winners selected for each KHSAA championship, one student-athlete will be selected as the 2021-2022 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year announced at the event. All individual winners will also receive their recognition awards at that time.
The deadline for nominations for the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year in […]
12/21/21 – Basketball Schedule Maintenance Updates
As of this morning, access and permissions have been restored for team schedules so that Athletic Directors and Coaches can modify, add and remove games at any time. Any removed game by either Athletic DIrectors or Coaches must include the reason for cancellation.
Member schools must remain diligent by accurately reporting COVID-19 cancellations. The data from those cancelations plays a huge role in seeing how the virus is affecting sports, and frankly, helps ensure our ability to continue to play. We hope this data will be accurate as we move through the winter and vaccinations, including booster shots, increase to help slow the spread and reduce quarantine time.
Contracted games canceled due to COVID are subject to being recorded as forfeits as there was no blanket waiver of Bylaw 22 for this season. The result of the original game will be noted as a COVID cancellation whether or not the opponents reschedule and play later […]
12/21/21 – Initial Basketball RPI Rankings, Stat Leaders Released
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 21, 2021
The first official KHSAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) Rankings and the initial stat leader reports of the 2021-22 basketball season are now available on the Association’s website.
The RPI (https://khsaa.org/rpi-ratings-percentage-index/) is a tool developed for all team sports by using the official KHSAA/Riherds Scoreboard data. It is provided for a variety of reasons, including district tiebreaking and bracketing in specific sports, as well as a means to increase publicity, interest and promotion. The Board of Control has also approved the RPI to be used as a tiebreaking/contest result mechanism to decide seeded district games not played by the deadline due to the pandemic or other reasons.
Stat leader reports will be updated every day at approximately 3 a.m., and will include all teams missing stats for no more than two games. The boys’ leaders can be found at https://khsaa.org/2021-22-boys-basketball-stat-leaders/, with the girls’ leaders available at https://khsaa.org/2021-22-girls-basketball-stat-leaders/.
[…]12/15/21 – PlayVS/KHSAA Esports Winter State Championships Decided Thursday at UK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 15, 2021
Four state champions will be determined Thursday afternoon as the PlayVS/KHSAA Esports Winter State Championships head to the UKFCU Esports Lounge at The Cornerstone on UK’s campus. Tickets to the event are only available for purchase online and can be found at khsaatickets.org.
The championships get underway at 4:30 p.m. as Henry Clay squares off against Lafayette in the League of Legends finals, while Shelby Valley takes on DuPont Manual in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The event continues at 6 p.m. as Lafayette faces Trinity (Lou.) in Madden ’21, followed by Bowling Green versus Trinity (Lou.) in the Rocket League championship match at 7 p.m.
Those unable to attend Thursday’s championships can watch the event live online through the NFHS Network or Twitch.tv (https://www.twitch.tv/PlayVS_2).
PlayVS/KHSAA Esports Winter State Championships
Tickets – khsaatickets.org
Video Webcasts – khsaa.tv
Cornerstone bus route – More
12/09/21 – State Competitive Cheer, State Dance Championships Start Friday at George Rogers Clark
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 9, 2021
Ten state championship trophies will be claimed this weekend in Winchester as George Rogers Clark High School hosts the 2021-22 KHSAA State Competitive Cheer (Dec. 10-11) and 2021-22 KHSAA State Dance Championships (Dec. 12). Tickets to the event are only available for purchase online and can be found at khsaatickets.org. The entirety of the state competitive cheer and state dance championships will be streamed live at khsaa.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network.
The 10th annual KHSAA State Competitive Cheer Championships begin Friday, Dec. 10 at 4:30 p.m. with the Game Day division. The competition continues Saturday, Dec. 11 at 9 a.m. with the first session featuring the All-Girls’ Small, Large and Super divisions. Cardinal Arena will be cleared following the conclusion of the first session, with the second session (featuring the All-Girls’ Medium and Coed divisions) scheduled for a 2 p.m. start time.
The fifth annual […]
12/01/21 – 2021 UK Orthopaedics State Football Finals Begin Friday at Kroger Field
For Immediate Release: December 1, 2021
The 2021 UK Orthopaedics State Football Finals begin Friday morning at 12 p.m. with the first of the weekend’s six championship games as Russellville (12-1) takes on Pikeville (13-2) in the 1A title bout at Kroger Field. Live webcasts of all six games will be available at KHSAA.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network, with a free audio broadcast available at KHSAA.net. Tickets for the 2021 UK Orthopaedics State Football Finals are available online only and must be purchased in advance of the event at khsaatickets.org.
Friday’s schedule continues at 4 p.m. as Lexington Christian (14-0) faces Beechwood (14-0) in the 2A Championship, followed by Boyle County (13-1) versus Johnson Central (12-2) in the 4A Championship at 8 p.m. Saturday’s slate gets underway at 12 p.m. with Belfry (8-6) squaring off against Paducah Tilghman (8-6) in the 3A title game, followed by South Warren (13-1) versus […]
10/15/21 – Esports in Public Schools on the KY K-12 Internet Service
On average, KY K-12 schools get four billion attempted cyberattacks each year. However, during the past 20 months of the pandemic, the number of attempted cyberattacks on KY K-12 schools has significantly increased above four billion. Given all the new federal relief funds coming to K-12 to help address the pandemic, it is anticipated by national cybersecurity experts, that K-12 will be getting 86% more attempted cyberattacks going forward over the next school year.
Therefore, KDE will be taking measures and actions to further strengthen the KY K-12 cybersecurity defenses going forward. It is important to note that KDE will not do anything that weakens or compromises that cybersecurity defense given all its KY K-12 cloud-based instructional and administrative systems, used daily/hourly by KY K-12 schools, rely on a capable, reliable, and stable KY K-12 Internet service.
Therefore, any technology-enabled service that uses the KY K-12 Internet service from any KY K-12 public school and […]
10/07/21 – Wrestling Online Rules Clinic Now Available
The mandatory Online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport of Wrestling is now available. The clinic is required of all officials as well as all coaches (varsity, junior varsity and freshmen), regardless of whether or not the coach receives pay.
For member schools, the clinics are located on the School Log-in Page. To access the clinic, go to https://schools.khsaa.org/ and — under the section entitled Rules Clinics — click on the link that says “View Online Rules Clinics“.
For officials, login to the officials’ subdomain at https://officials.khsaa.org/
OFFICIALS
- October 6 to January 3 (Officials) – the Wrestling Clinic will be online only and may be viewed at no charge during this period.
- January 4 to January 23 (Officials) – the Wrestling Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($30) during this period.
- January 24 to January 30 (Officials) – the Wrestling Clinic will be […]
10/05/21 – Esports Online Rules Clinic Now Available
The mandatory online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport-activity of Esports is available through the KHSAA School Log-in Page. The clinic is required of all coaches (varsity, junior varsity, and freshman), regardless of whether or not the coach receives pay.
To access the clinic, go to https://schools.khsaa.org/ and — under the section entitled Rules Clinics — click on the link that says “View Online Rules Clinics“.
Below is additional information:
- September 27 to November 2 – the Esports Clinic will be online only and may be viewed at no charge during this period.
- November 3 to November 22 – the Esports Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($100) during this period.
- November 23 to December 6 – the Esports Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($200) per the Bylaw 27 schedule during this period.
After […]
09/23/21 – New Wrestling Alignment Approved for 2021-22
During the course of its meeting at the KHSAA offices on Wednesday, the Board of Control approved a new wrestling draft alignment that will go into effect for the 2021-22 season. The Board considered multiple options and reviewed past participation data from the regional tournaments before making its final determination.
The immediate implementation for the new alignment was supported by a survey conducted by the Kentucky Wrestling Coaches Association, which showed 78 percent of its responses in favor of the alignment going into effect this year (73 of 94 responses).
The alignment will be updated at KHSAA.org in the coming days but can be viewed here.
Additionally, the Board approved a recommendation regarding the wrestling postseason to hold two semi-state events prior to the final weekend of the state tournament. The semi-state events will be conducted as Regions 1-4 and 5-8, with seeded pairings and wrestling to eight places, with the top eight advancing […]
09/17/21 – Esports Start Time Update and Registration Deadline Extension
As we head into the start of the Fall 2021 Esports season many of you have noticed a change in the default match start time to 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT. This change was originally intended to allow our Central Time Kentucky schools the ability to make matches on time without having to reschedule week after week. Unfortunately, current scheduling must be set league-wide and individual matches cannot be automatically adjusted based on time zone.
Given the feedback we’ve received from the first week of the preseason, and after working in partnership with KHSAA and the Kentucky Department of Education, we’ve decided that we’ll be starting the KHSAA Esports Fall Season at 4:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. CT effective immediately. This also helps to ensure that teams are not competing during prime-time instructional hours, which was a required condition when esports was first sanctioned. Coaches still have the ability to reschedule matches, but they may not […]
08/24/21 – Social Media Accounts and Websites Impersonating the NFHS Network
We are aware of the issues with scam social media accounts and websites impersonating the NFHS Network to distribute false links to game broadcasts. This is hardly a new problem, but it is continuing to get worse and seems to amplify in advance of Friday night football games.
The fake sites are NOT stealing and streaming the video feeds. They are scraping the scheduled events and marketing them as if they will have them, in hopes of scamming someone into entering their payment info. The NFHS Network reports these accounts when they become aware, but new ones are constantly popping up. Member schools can help prevent fans from being scammed by following the NFHS Network accounts and sharing posts directly from them. You should also make sure you are regularly communicating with your fans so they know the correct websites to view your contests.
If any NFHS Network school partners see something like that – […]
07/27/21 – Fall 2021 Esports Enrollment is Open
Esports requires critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity from players to achieve and sustain success. The development of these types of skills benefits students for life. Thousands of schools across the country are already competing in esports. You can too. Learn more here.
Enrollment for the Fall 2021 esports season is now open on PlayVS. Please find more information about the season below including new titles and season dates. If you are interested in learning more about esports and how your school can get started, click here to schedule a consultation with the KHSAA PlayVS rep.
Fall 2021 Titles
Through the PlayVS platform, your school has access to the most popular titles available this Fall:
- Rocket League (PC, Console)
- League of Legends (PC)
- FIFA (PS4)
- Madden (PS4)
- Splatoon 2 (Nintendo Switch)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo Switch)
- SMITE (PC)
Fall 2021 Key Dates
Preseason […]
07/26/21 – Board of Control to Determine Lacrosse Sanctioning in September
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 26, 2021
The Board of Control conducted its organizational meeting for the 2021-22 academic year on Friday, July 23rd in Newport, during which time it heard various operational reports and status updates from KHSAA staff. As part of its meeting, the Board discussed the feasibility of sanctioning a championship in boys’ and girls’ lacrosse for the upcoming school year.
As outlined in the Board of Control policies for Sports Sanctioning/Sponsorship (https://bit.ly/2VaBHWn), unless otherwise approved by the Board of Control to address specific previously underrepresented populations, in order for the KHSAA to begin discussions concerning the possible sponsoring of a state championship in a new sport or sport-activity, there shall be at least fifty (50) member schools desiring to participate by showing a favorable response on the interest survey and the sport or sport-activity having currently participating schools in at least three basketball regions.
At the time of the meeting, both […]
07/13/21 – Field Event Safety, Uniform Changes Highlight High School Track and Field/Cross Country Rules Revisions
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Two rules revisions involving the competitor’s uniform, along with procedural changes in several field events designed to reduce the risk of injury, highlight rules changes in high school track and field and cross country for the 2022 season.
These changes were among the rules revisions recommended by the National Federation of State High school Associations (NFHS) Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
Similar to a number of other NFHS rules committees, the Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Committee altered its rules regarding head coverings worn for religious reasons.
Rule 4-3-1b(8) now states that ”head coverings worn for religious reasons are not considered hair devices; must not be made of abrasive, hard or unyielding materials; and must be secured to the body and/or uniform.” The change clarifies that there is no need for prior authorization from the state association for […]
07/13/21 – Spring Officials, Supervisor of the Year Winners Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2021
Each year, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association honors the top officials for the 10 sports in which it licenses officials. Finalists in each sport are selected through a combination of not only on-field/court performance but local association activity and leadership, training efforts and the mentoring of newer officials.
One official in each sport is named “Outstanding Official of the Year” for his/her sport in appreciation of their dedication and service to schools and student-athletes across the state. Winners are selected following consultation with local assigning secretaries, veteran officials’ observers, coaches throughout the state and additional staff review.
The Outstanding Officials of the Year for the 2021 spring season are Jerry Mohr for track & field, Ronnie McGuffey for softball and John Carroll for baseball. Each finalist will receive a commemorative watch and certificate courtesy of the Officials Division Trust Fund, with the Official of the Year receiving an […]
07/12/21 – Player Equipment Changes Highlight Rules Revisions in High School Softball
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Two significant player equipment changes involving the wearing of head coverings and beads were among the rules revisions approved in high school softball for the upcoming 2022 season.
These changes along with six other rules revisions were recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Softball Rules Committee at its June 14-16 meeting held in a virtual format and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
In Rule 3-2-5b, language that previously prohibited hard items to control the hair, including beads, has been removed from the rules book. The committee did not believe that the use of hard items, such as beads, presented an injury risk to other players. In contrast, the prohibition of such items has been interpreted as adversely affecting one’s cultural background.
In addition, head coverings worn for religious reasons in high school softball no longer will require prior approval from the respective state high […]
07/09/21 – Adjustment Made to Pre-Pitch Sequence in High School Baseball
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — High school baseball pitchers who do not receive signals from the catcher must now simulate taking a sign with one foot on the pitcher’s plate before proceeding with a pitch.
This addendum to Rule 6-1-1 was the lone rule change forwarded by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee and was subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. The baseball committee’s annual rules meeting was held June 6-8 in a virtual format.
A pitcher leaning forward to receive a sign from the catcher is fundamental to the pre-pitch phase of the game as it indicates to both the batter and the players in the field that the ball is about to be put in play and is the typical signal for any runners on base to begin taking their leadoffs.
Further, most high school baseball coaches deliver their defensive play calls – including pitch selections – […]
07/07/21 – Official of the Year Winners Announced for Winter Sports
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 2021
Each year, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association honors the top officials for the 10 sports in which it licenses officials. Finalists in each sport are selected through a combination of not only on-field/court performance but local association activity and leadership, training efforts and the mentoring of newer officials.
One official in each sport is named “Outstanding Official of the Year” for his/her sport in appreciation of their dedication and service to schools and student-athletes across the state. Winners are selected following consultation with local assigning secretaries, veteran officials’ observers, coaches throughout the state and additional staff review.
The Outstanding Officials of the Year for the 2020-21 winter season are John Eschan for wrestling, Terri Tonges for swimming & diving and Hannah Reynolds for basketball. Each finalist will receive a commemorative watch and certificate courtesy of the Officials Division Trust Fund, with the Official of the Year receiving an […]
07/06/21 – Introductory Esports Course Launched by NFHS Learning Center
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Boasting an ever-increasing number of participants, esports (or electronic sports) continues to rise as one of the more popular and unique activity programs for high school students. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and its Learning Center now address the competitive, organized gaming landscape with a first-of-its-kind course – “Introduction to Esports” – which is now available for free on NFHSLearn.com.
“Introduction to Esports” was developed by the NFHS Learning Center in partnership with Butler University (Indianapolis, Indiana) and PlayVS to not only more clearly define esports, but to offer several key examples of esports’ social benefits, inclusiveness, organizational structure and competition.
“The NFHS Learning Center is pleased to offer this online course for esports. These programs are oftentimes misunderstood, and the course provides education on what you need to know and do to get started,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services. “Esports provides opportunities for […]
06/28/21 – New “Title IX” Course Added to NFHS Learning Center
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — To educate current and future coaches, administrators, parents and student-athletes on Title IX legislation and its monumental influence on high school activities, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced a new “Title IX” course is now available at no cost on the online NFHS Learning Center.
“Title IX has now been around for 49 years, however, the NFHS Learning Center has developed this resource to educate the interscholastic community about the federal legislation in a visual and understandable way,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services. “We look forward to providing this free resource across the country.”
Passed June 23, 1972, Title IX outlawed discrimination on the basis of sex within any federally funded educational program or activity and has since served as the flagship legislation for the growth of high school girls athletic programs. Over the course of 49 years, Title IX compliance has generated a […]
06/23/21 – Official of the Year Winners Announced for Fall Sports
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 23, 2021
Each year, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association honors the top officials for the 10 sports in which it licenses officials. Finalists in each sport are selected through a combination of not only on-field/court performance but local association activity and leadership, training efforts and the mentoring of newer officials.
One official in each sport is named “Outstanding Official of the Year” for his/her sport in appreciation of their dedication and service to schools and student-athletes across the state. Winners are selected following consultation with local assigning secretaries, veteran officials’ observers, coaches throughout the state and additional staff review.
The Outstanding Officials of the Year for the 2020 fall season are Jamie Gatewood for field hockey, Michael Samaan for soccer, Jim Nunley for volleyball and Burney Jenkins for football. Each finalist will receive a commemorative watch and certificate courtesy of the Officials Division Trust Fund, with the Official of the […]
06/22/21 – Seven Former Standout High School Athletes Headline 2021 Class of National High School Hall of Fame
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 22, 2021
Former Leslie County High School standout Tim Couch will become the 10th individual from Kentucky to be inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame next week in Orlando, Fla. The induction ceremony will take place at 6:00 p.m. EST on July 1 at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida, and will be streamed live on the NFHS Network at: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/nfhs/evtfb1ffdd8eb
Couch will become just the fourth athlete from Kentucky, and the first overall individual honoree since 2013, when he is inducted on July 1st. The NFHS will conduct a press conference with the hall of fame class at 12 p.m. on the day of the banquet that will also be streamed on the NFHS Network.
Kentucky in the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame
Athlete – Cliff Hagan (Owensboro) 1988; Paul Hornung (Flaget) 1989; […]
06/17/21 – State Softball Tournament Resumes Friday at UK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 15, 2021
The 2021 KHSAA State Softball Tournament (June 18-20) culminates this weekend as the final eight teams head to the University of Kentucky’s John Cropp Stadium. Tickets to the event are only available for purchase online and can be found at khsaatickets.org. There will be no onsite cash or credit card sales, and fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance to expedite the admission process.
The KHSAA State Softball Tournament gets underway Friday morning with the first of four quarterfinal games at 11 a.m. as Boyle County takes on Lewis County. Daviess County will square off against Pendleton County in the second game of the day at 2 p.m., followed by Lafayette versus Butler at 5 p.m., and Warren East against Green County in the final game of the day at 8 p.m. Saturday’s semifinals will be played at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the championship […]
06/15/21 – State Baseball Tournament Resumes Wednesday at Legends Field
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 15, 2021
The KHSAA State Baseball Tournament (June 16-19) concludes this week in Lexington as the final eight teams visit Legends Field to contend for the 2021 state championship. Tickets to the event are only available for purchase online and can be found at khsaatickets.org. There will be no onsite cash or credit card sales, and fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance to expedite the admission process.
The state tournament resumes with quarterfinal action Wednesday evening as Collins takes on McCracken County at 5 p.m., followed by Danville vs. Lafayette at 8:30 p.m. The quarterfinals continue Thursday as Lyon County faces Whitley County at 5 p.m., and Hazard squares off against Trinity (Lou.) at 8:30 p.m. The semifinals are set for 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Friday, with the championship game slated for 7 p.m. Saturday evening.
Each game will be webcast live at KHSAA.tv […]
06/11/21 – Friday’s Softball Semi-State Games Postponed Until Sunday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 11, 2021
Friday’s softball semi-state games have been postponed until Sunday, June 13 at John Cropp Stadium due to severe weather conditions.
The rescheduled games will be played on Sunday as follows:
1:30 PM – Boyle County vs. Johnson Central (in progress)
3:30 PM – North Laurel vs. Lafayette
6:00 PM – Pendleton County vs. Boone County
Saturday’s games will be played as scheduled.
The updated schedule is available at https://scoreboard.12dt.com/scoreboard/khsaa/kyfp21/tournament_191200
– 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 284 member schools both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 215 state championships to 51 teams and 164 individuals in 13 sports and 6 sport-activities, funds catastrophic […]
06/08/21 – Track and Field Championships Begin Thursday at UK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 8, 2021
The 2021 KHSAA State Track and Field Championships (June 10-12) begin Thursday morning at 10 a.m. when the 1A Meet gets underway at the University of Kentucky’s Outdoor Track and Field Complex. The 2A Championship will be held Friday, June 11, followed by the 3A Championship on Saturday, June 12, with both meets starting at 10 a.m.
Tickets to the event are only available for purchase online and can be found at khsaatickets.org. There will be no onsite cash or credit card sales, and fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance to expedite the admission process.
Live webcasts produced by KYtrackXC will be available at khsaa.tv through a partnership between the KHSAA, MileSplit and the NFHS Network. Subscription plans for the NFHS Network are available for $10.99 a month. A monthly subscription entitles users to every broadcast by the KHSAA and the more than 45 […]
06/07/21- Lehmkuhler, Smallwood Named Midway/KHSAA Student-Athletes of the Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2021
The 2020-21 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year awards program culminated on the campus of Midway University on Monday, as Claire Lehmkuhler (Woodford County) and Jackson Smallwood (Grant County) were recognized as the overall Student-Athletes of the Year.
Beginning in May of 2016, Midway University started presenting a Female Student-Athlete of the Year award at each KHSAA girls’ state championship event. The awards program was expanded in 2019-20 to include male student-athletes, with Midway honoring a deserving student-athlete in each of the 19 officially recognized KHSAA sports and sport-activities.
The awards are based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership, with Midway choosing one overall male and female student-athlete of the year each academic year. School administrators, coaches and athletic directors nominate student-athletes online at KHSAA.org, and the nominees are voted upon by a closed panel consisting of representatives from Midway University.
06/01/21 – NFHS to Hold Second Annual Virtual National Student Leadership Summit in August
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — For the second straight year, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) will host world-renowned leadership experts for the NFHS Virtual National Student Leadership Summit (NSLS). The 2021 virtual conference will be broadcast August 8-10 on the NFHS Network (www.NFHSNetwork.com) and will be the 14th national student leadership initiative sponsored by the NFHS since 2001.
Originally, the NFHS’ summer plans included both the virtual version of the summit and the return of the in-person NSLS after a one-year hiatus. However, extended sports and activities calendars in some states and lingering COVID-19 concerns significantly impacted the number of in-person registrants and led to a cancellation earlier this month. As a result, all efforts have been focused on the virtual event experience with the goal of eclipsing last year’s three-day total of 22,000 student viewers.
Though a live gathering in Indianapolis would have been ideal, hosting the summit in a virtual […]
05/28/21 – State Tennis Championships Begin Tuesday at UK and Top Seed Tennis Club
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 28, 2021
The 2021 KHSAA State Tennis Championships (June 1-3) get underway Tuesday at 8 a.m. as the girls’ singles and doubles competition heads to the UK Boone/Downing Tennis Club while the boys’ tournament opens at Top Seed Tennis Club in Nicholasville. Tickets to the event are only available for purchase online and can be found at khsaatickets.org.
Following the first day of competition, all remaining tennis matches will be played at Top Seed Tennis Club, with Wednesday’s competition starting at 8 a.m. Thursday’s action opens with the boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles semifinals at 9 a.m. Championship matches for boys’ and girls’ doubles are slated for 12 p.m., with the finals for boys’ and girls’ singles set for 2 p.m.
Team champions will be determined through an accumulation of points throughout the tournament, with each singles player and doubles team receiving one point for each match victory. Brackets […]
05/25/21 – Baseball and Softball State Tournament Draws Set for Thursday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 25, 2021
The pairings for the 2021 KHSAA State Baseball and KHSAA State Softball Tournaments will be revealed Thursday, May 27 at 1 p.m. as the Draw Show will be conducted at the KHSAA offices and streamed online at KHSAA.tv.
The 2021 KHSAA State Baseball Tournament begins Saturday, June 12 with semi-state games played at local host sites. The opening round matchups were carried over from last year after the 2020 season was canceled due to the pandemic. Four sites will host the semi-state matchups with Region 1 vs. 4 and 3 vs. 2 played at Western Kentucky University, 5 vs. 8 and 7 vs. 6 at Elizabethtown, 9 vs. 12 and 11 vs. 10 at the University of Kentucky, and 13 vs. 16 and 15 vs. 14 at Morehead State.
The eight teams advancing from the opening round will travel to Legends Field (June 16-19) for the remainder of […]
05/12/21 – Shot Clock Allowed by State Adoption for High School Basketball in 2022-23
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Beginning with the 2022-23 season, a 35-second shot clock will be permitted in high school basketball games by state association adoption. A proposal for a national rule mandating a shot clock was not approved.
A shot clock was among the topics discussed by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee at its annual meeting April 20-22 held virtually this year. All recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
Rule 2-14 states that each state association may adopt a shot clock beginning in the 2022-23 season — according to guidelines outlined in the Basketball Rules Book — to encourage standardization among states. Guidelines include displaying two timepieces that are connected to a horn that is distinctive from the game-clock horn, and using an alternative timing device, such as a stopwatch at the scorer’s table, for a shot clock malfunction. The guidelines also allow for corrections […]
05/12/21 – KHSAA State Competitive Cheer, State Dance Championships Head to George Rogers Clark HS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 12, 2021
Multiple state champions will be determined this week in Winchester as George Rogers Clark High School hosts the 2020-21 KHSAA Competitive Cheer (May 13-14) and 2020-21 KHSAA Dance Championships (May 16). Both events will be streamed live at khsaa.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network, with a limited number of tickets available for purchase at khsaatickets.org.
The ninth annual KHSAA State Competitive Cheer Championships begin Thursday, May 13 with the Game Day division. The first session is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the second session at 1 p.m.
The competition continues Friday, May 14 with the Coed and All-Girls’ Small divisions in the first session of the day at 9:30 a.m. The second session will feature the All-Girls’ Large and All-Girls’ Super divisions and is set to begin at 12:40 p.m. The final session of the day will include the All-Girls’ Medium division and […]
05/10/21 – Recipients Announced for Sixth Annual Louis Stout Memorial Scholarships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2021
Prestonsburg High School brothers Andrew Martin and Jacob Martin, and North Hardin’s Toné Melton have been selected as the recipients of the sixth annual Louis Stout Memorial Scholarships for the 2020-21 academic year.
When former Commissioner Louis Stout passed away in 2012, his late widow Anna directed that donations on his behalf go to the Louis Stout Memorial Fund for Students. Mrs. Stout felt this was an opportunity for the KHSAA to honor student-athletes who excel in athletics, academics, school service and community service.
Winners will receive a one-time $2,000 scholarship payable to an institution of higher learning. Brothers Jacob and Andrew Martin will share the boys’ scholarship, with $1,000 each going to their respective future institutions. The trio was chosen after careful review, with selection criteria based on athletic activities, non-athletic activities, non-school activities and an essay on the role a student-athlete should play in the community.
A […]
05/10/21 – State Dance Information
Information about the 2021 KHSAA State Dance Championships has been posted to the KHSAA website. State championship instructions, competition schedule, maps, and directions can all be found at https://khsaa.org/sports/winter/dance/ under the “State Competition Information and Instructions” dropdown menu. Coaches are encouraged to review all information prior to attending the state championships.
A video conference call for the participating schools will be held on Tuesday, May 11th at 10:00 AM EST. Participating coaches/administrators will receive an invitation to this meeting via email.
Coaches are reminded to be sure to have GoFan comp tickets for the entire squad, and up to two (2) coaches, which were sent to the Athletic Director for each competing school. All tickets will be redeemed on their phone at either the main ticket gate or pass gate.
This year’s championship will take place at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester on May 16th. Doors for fans will open at 12:30 […]
05/05/21 – Board of Control Approves Football Playoff Format Changes for 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 5, 2021
The Board of Control conducted its final meeting of the 2020-21 academic year on Wednesday at the KHSAA Offices, during which time it addressed the football playoff structure after reviewing the results of a recent survey of the membership.
Following a presentation by the Football Coaches Association at its previous meeting regarding its preference for bracketing in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the board directed staff to seek a position from the official spokesperson from each member school (Principal or Designated Representative) per Bylaw 1 via a survey of the football playing schools.
The Board of Control originally changed football bracketing prior to the 2019 season to conduct play intra-district for those rounds, partially due to travel and financial concerns with those contests in prior years. The change, when implemented, was to span the entire four-year alignment period. The alternative was proposed within the membership to pair […]
05/05/21 – State Bass Fishing Championship Begins Friday at Kentucky Dam Marina
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 5, 2021
The eighth KHSAA State Bass Fishing Championship begins Friday morning at the Kentucky Dam Marina when 90 teams compete for the 2021 state title. The two-day KHSAA State Bass Fishing Championship (May 7-8), with Calvert City serving as official host city, begins each morning with the boat launch from Kentucky Dam Marina at 6:30 a.m. (Central). The weigh-ins are scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. each day and will be streamed live online at khsaa.tv.
Teams will launch in three flights each morning with a staggered return to the dock for weigh-ins. The launch order will then be reversed for the second day of the competition. Teams will start returning to the marina at 2:30 p.m. each day for the weigh-in, which will be streamed free of charge on the NFHS Network and available at khsaa.tv. Awards will be presented following day two’s weigh-in to the top […]
05/03/21 – State Bass Fishing Championship Information
State championship instructions and a schedule of events for the 2021 KHSAA State Bass Fishing Championship have been posted on the KHSAA website. The state championship will take place May 6-8 at Kentucky Dam Marina, with Calvert City serving as the official host city of the event.
All spectators staying for the weigh-ins for the 2021 KHSAA State Bass Fishing Championship will need a free digital ticket, which will be available online via GoFan, the KHSAA’s official digital ticket vendor. Fans are required to purchase their free tickets before they arrive and may validate the tickets on their phones once they arrive on-site.
The state championship time schedule and instructions are available online through the following links:
State Instructions – https://khsaa.org/bassfishing/2021/stateteaminfo.pdf
Schedule of Events – https://khsaa.org/2021-bass-fishing-championship-schedule/
Tickets – khsaatickets.org
– KHSAA –
About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the […]
04/21/21 – Dance Regional Information
Regional instructions for 2021 Dance managers, teams, and fans have been posted to the KHSAA website. A link is also provided below for you.
Regional Managers Contact Information
AWARDS
- At the regional competitions, in order to accommodate larger competitions and the need for social distancing among spectators and eliminate mass gatherings, no regional trophies or awards presentations will be made at event.
- Those earned trophies will be given to the teams upon arrival at the state championship.
COACHES
- Primarily due to capacity restrictions at the time sites were formulated, for 2021 each squad will be limited to a maximum of two (2) alternate participants and a maximum of two (2) coaches admitted.
- Additional coaches as necessary, up to a limit of four (4) in the coaching box, will need to purchase admission.
- Future limitations of this type for 2021-22 and beyond will be determined at a later time. […]
04/23/21 – Initial RPI Rankings, Stat Leader Reports Released for Baseball and Softball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 23, 2021
The first official KHSAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) Rankings and the initial stat leader reports for the 2021 baseball and softball seasons have been posted at KHSAA.org.
The RPI (https://khsaa.org/rpi-ratings-percentage-index/) is a tool developed for all team sports by using the official KHSAA/Riherds Scoreboard data. It is provided for a variety of reasons including district tiebreaking and football bracketing, and as a means to increase publicity, interest and promotion. The Board of Control has approved the RPI to be used as a tiebreaking/contest result mechanism to decide seeded district games not played by the deadline.
The RPI rankings are updated on an hourly basis, but are not calculated for teams with missing scores from the previous day or earlier. For the 2021 baseball and softball seasons, COVID cancellations are marked on a team’s schedule as a 0-0 tie but are not factored into the RPI calculations and rankings.
[…]04/21/21 – KHSAA State Championships Begin Thursday For Swimming & Diving and Archery
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 21, 2021
The KHSAA State Swimming & Diving and KHSAA State Archery Championships will be conducted across various sites this week in response to COVID-19 restrictions on indoor events. The non-traditional format ensures the KHSAA is able to offer a culminating event for both Swimming & Diving and Archery, while advancing its standard number of qualifiers to the state championship.
The 2021 KHSAA State Archery Championships get underway Thursday morning at 9 a.m. Central, as Warren East HS hosts the Region 1 & 2 state qualifiers at Ephram White Gymnasium. The qualifiers from Regions 3, 5 & 9 will compete at Anderson County HS on Friday, April 23 with the competition beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. Ryle High School (Regions 4, 6 & 7) and Lexington Christian Academy (Region 8, 10 & 11) will serve as the other host sites for the state championship, with their events split across Friday and […]
4/20/21 – Separate Weight Classes for Girls, Choice of Weight Classes Established in High School Wrestling
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — States will have a choice of 12, 13 or 14 weight classes for both boys and girls competition in high school wrestling, effective with the 2023-24 season.
This will be the first separate weight classes established for girls in high school wrestling, and it marks the first time that state associations will have a choice in the number of weight classes.
The landmark change in weight classes was one of several significant revisions recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 7-9 meeting held virtually this year. All recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
States must select one of the three sets (12, 13 or 14) of weight classes for girls and one of the three sets (12, 13 or 14) for boys. States cannot adopt all three sets and cannot switch back and forth during the season.
The […]
04/15/21 – Standing Forward Takeoffs Approved in High School Swimming and Diving Rules
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — In an effort to increase participation in high school swimming and diving, standing forward takeoffs have been approved, effective with the 2021-22 school year.
This significant addition to high school diving was one of several rules changes recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee at its March 21-23 meeting held virtually this year. All of the committee’s recommended rules revisions were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The addition to Rule 9-5-2 states that for standing takeoffs, “the diver will assume a starting position that includes an upright head and body with arms straight and in a position of the diver’s choice. The diver may move the arms to various preparatory positions provided there is no attempt to start the dive.”
The new language also notes that just before or after the starting position is assumed, the diver shall stop oscillating […]
04/13/21 – State Archery Championships To Be Conducted Across Four Sites
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 13, 2021
The 2021 KHSAA State Archery Championships will be conducted next week across four sites in response to COVID-19 guidelines and capacity restrictions. Conducting the championship in this manner will allow the KHSAA to have the full number of state qualifiers participate in the event, while also providing an opportunity for spectators to attend the competitions.
“Our office has been constantly involved over the last several months with our attempt to conduct some form of culminating event for Archery given the variety of restrictions in place for venues,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “While our desire for a single site has remained a priority, our main objective has been to conduct an event with the allowance for the same number of competitors as past years. Unfortunately, the combination of the pandemic, venue restrictions by the Commonwealth, and the number of qualifying competitors has made this objective unattainable.”
The finalized host […]
04/06/21 – Reducing Injury Risk During Inversions, Release Stunts and Tosses Focus of 2021-22 High School Spirit Rules Changes
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Adjusted points of contact that reduce injury risk during inversions and release stunts and tosses are the most notable revisions in the 2021-22 high school spirit rules.
At its recent virtual meeting, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Spirit Rules Committee produced rules changes that emphasized the committee’s continued focus on risk minimization. A total of seven proposals were recommended to the NFHS Board of Directors, which reviewed and later approved the changes to take effect next year.
“The NFHS Spirit Rules Committee continues its efforts to increase the health and safety of all cheer and dance participants,” said Dr. James Weaver, NFHS director of performing arts and sports and liaison to the NFHS Spirit Rules Committee. “This year’s rules changes allow for good safety practices and allow for education and practice in the sport of spirit.”
To reduce injury risk for the top person in a pyramid during […]
04/06/21 – Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Sweet 16® Begins Wednesday at Rupp Arena
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 6, 2021
The 2021 Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® gets underway Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. when Knott County Central takes on Sacred Heart at Rupp Arena. The Valkyries played in the final game of last year’s Girls’ Sweet 16® before the event was postponed, and ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, falling to South Laurel, 58-57, on March 12, 2020.
Fans can follow all the action through live webcasts at KHSAA.tv or listen to the games online at KHSAA.net. The games will also be carried statewide across 40 stations through the Kentucky Utilities/KHSAA Sweet Sixteen® Radio Network, with the championship game airing locally in Lexington on iHeart Media’s The Bull ICONS 98.5 FM.
Due to current COVID-19 restrictions in place in conjunction with the Governor’s orders and Department for Public Health guidelines, seating is limited and online purchases are sold in sets of 2 to […]
04/05/21-Tennis Nominations Sought For Male & Female Midway/KHSAA Student Athlete-Of-the-Year Awards
The nomination process for the Midway University/KHSAA Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year among Tennis participants for 2020-2021 is now open.
This award is based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership. The link to the application contains additional criteria and a form to nominate one participant from each 2020-2021 team. Nominations must come from a member school, but can be submitted by an administrator, guidance counselor, or coach. Nominations may only be submitted online at https://khsaa.org/ge35-midway-university-khsaa-female-student-athlete-of-the-year-nomination-form/.
The winner will be announced early in the postseason and recognized at an awards event at Midway University in early summer 2021. From the winners selected for each KHSAA championship, one student-athlete will be selected as the 2020-2021 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year announced at the event. All individual winners will also receive their recognition awards at that time.
The deadline for nominations for the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the […]
03/30/21 – Boys’ Sweet 16® Returns Wednesday at Rupp Arena
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2021
The 2021 KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16® presented by UK HealthCare Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine makes its return to Rupp Arena on Wednesday afternoon when Knott County Central squares off against Elizabethtown at 11 a.m. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of the 2020 state tournament, Wednesday’s opening game will be the first Boys’ Sweet 16® game played since Trinity (Lou.) defeated Scott County, 50-40, in the championship game on March 10, 2019.
Fans can follow all the action through live webcasts at KHSAA.tv or listen to the games online at KHSAA.net. The games will also be carried statewide across 46 stations through the Kentucky Utilities/KHSAA Sweet Sixteen® Radio Network, with the championship game airing locally in Lexington on iHeart Media’s The Bull ICONS 98.5 FM.
Due to current COVID-19 restrictions in place in conjunction with the current Governor’s orders and Department for Public Health guidelines, […]
03/25/21 – State Wrestling Championships Conclude Saturday at George Rogers Clark HS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 25, 2021
The 2021 KHSAA State Wrestling Championships conclude Saturday in Winchester as the event makes its inaugural appearance at George Rogers Clark HS for the final round. Due to COVID-19 attendance restrictions, Saturday’s event is already sold out, but each bout will be broadcast live by Trackwrestling and available at KHSAA.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network.
Gates open for fans at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday with championship bracket matches (bouts 1-56) starting at 9 a.m. across four mats. Championship and consolation bracket action will continue (bouts 57-112 and 113-140) until the meet reaches the consolation bracket finals, at which point the event will go down to three mats for the seventh, fifth and third place matches (bouts 141-182). Once the competition reaches the championship bracket finals, the final competitors will be introduced and the championship matches will be contested one at a time (bouts 183-196).
Action from each […]
03/21/21 – State Bowling Championships Begin Monday at Executive Strike & Spare
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2021
The 10th-annual KHSAA State Bowling Championships return to Executive Strike & Spare this week with a modified three-day schedule. The boys’ team and singles competition will open the week on Monday, March 22 with the boys’ team event starting at 8:15 a.m. and the singles tournament slated to begin at 2:40 p.m. The girls’ team and singles championships will be held on Tuesday, March 23 and follow the same time schedule as the boys’ competition, with the Unified Championship slated to start at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 24. A limited number of tickets are available and can only be purchased online in advance of the event at https://gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA.
The boys’ and girls’ team events will begin with two qualifying games in order to seed the squads in a 16-team bracket, with the state champion determined through baker games. For the Boys’ and Girls’ Singles Championship, each competitor […]
03/19/21 – Fan Cutouts Available for Boys’ and Girls’ Sweet Sixteen®
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 19, 2021
The Boys’ and Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® is back!!! Commemorate the return of the Greatest Show in Hoops to Rupp Arena by recognizing yourself or your loved ones with this once in a lifetime opportunity. Celebrate your fandom by showing your school spirit or pay tribute to your favorite student-athlete, by purchasing a fan cutout to be displayed during the boys’ and girls’ tournaments.
Purchased fan cutouts will be displayed in Rupp Arena during both the Boys’ and Girls’ Sweet Sixteen®. The 2021 KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® presented by UK HealthCare Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine will be held March 31-April 3, followed by the 2021 Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® on April 7-10.
To claim your spot at Rupp Arena, visit https://shop.fancutouts.com/products/kentucky-high-school-athletic-association-cutouts
Purchase […]
03/17/21 – Boys’ Sweet 16® Adds UK HealthCare Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine as Presenting Sponsor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 17, 2021
The KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® and event participants around the Commonwealth received a boost this week as UK HealthCare Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine reached an agreement to become the presenting sponsor of this year’s event. One of the Association’s two Platinum Level corporate partners, along with Spalding, UK HealthCare Orthopaedics became the title sponsor of the state football finals in 2019 – the first of a four-year deal.
“UK HealthCare Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine is proud to sponsor the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen Basketball tournament,” said Cynde Estep, UK HealthCare Senior Market Development Manager. “We have a long history of expert care of high school and collegiate athletes, and with the largest and most experienced sports medicine group in the area, we look forward to caring for all of the athletes of the KHSAA to keep them in the game.”
UK HealthCare Orthopaedics, which has been a […]
03/16/21 – KMEA’s John Stroube Named NFHS Heart of the Arts Section 2 Award Winner
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has chosen Kylen Running Hawk, a student at Morris Area High School in Morris, Minnesota, as the 2021 national recipient of the National High School Heart of the Arts Award.
The National High School Heart of the Arts Award is now in its seventh year and was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts and represent the core mission of education-based activities.
Kylen Running Hawk’s love for the theatre was nurtured very early in his life thanks to television commercials for the annual Medora Musical – a summer show held near his native Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota that he would later describe as “the most spectacular thing” he’d ever seen. However, the likelihood he would find his own success as a stage performer seemed improbable given the obstacles in […]
03/16/21 – Esports Nominations Sought for Midway Student-Athlete of the Year Awards
This message is being sent to Athletic Directors and Head Coaches in the sport-activity of Esports …
The nomination process for the Midway University/KHSAA Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award among Esports participants for 2020-2021 is now open.
This award is based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership. The link to the application contains additional criteria and a form to nominate one participant from each 2020-2021 team. Nominations must come from a member school, but can be submitted by an administrator, guidance counselor, or coach. Nominations may only be submitted online at https://khsaa.org/ge35-midway-university-khsaa-female-student-athlete-of-the-year-nomination-form/
The winner will be announced early in the postseason and recognized at an awards banquet at Midway University in early summer 2021. From the winners selected for each KHSAA championship, one student-athlete will be selected as the overall 2020-2021 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year and announced at the banquet. All winners will […]
03/10/21 – Bass Fishing Nominations Sought for Midway Student-Athlete of the Year Awards
The nomination process for the Midway University/KHSAA Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award among Bass Fishing participants for 2020-2021 is now open.
This award is based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership. The link to the application contains additional criteria and a form to nominate one participant from each 2020-2021 team. Nominations must come from a member school, but can be submitted by an administrator, guidance counselor, or coach. Nominations may only be submitted online at https://khsaa.org/ge35-midway-university-khsaa-female-student-athlete-of-the-year-nomination-form/
The winner will be announced early in the postseason and recognized at an awards banquet at Midway University in early summer 2021. From the winners selected for each KHSAA championship, one student-athlete will be selected as the overall 2020-2021 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year and announced at the banquet. All winners will also receive their recognition at that banquet.
The deadline for nominations for the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete […]
03/05/21 – Dance Postseason Updates
The KHSAA has totaled the declarations for Dance for the 2021 season. After evaluation and for this year only, there will be two (2) postseason sites and those dates have now been finalized. It is recommended that any site that was previously planning to host a regional competition in 2021 be afforded that opportunity again in 2022. No changes were made to the regional alignments and competition will remain intra-region at the regional level but with fewer sites in response to the number of declarations and to aid in judging panel logistics. The schedule also takes into account that across the state, three different calendar weeks are used for spring breaks and two large national competitions obviously affect the availability of judging and staffing resources.
At the regional competitions, in order to accommodate larger competitions and the need for social distancing among spectators and eliminate mass gatherings, no regional trophies and awards presentation will be […]
03/02/21 – Sweet 16® Draw Show to Air March 10th on CW Lexington, KHSAA.tv
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2, 2021
Pairings for the 2021 Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® and the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® will be revealed on Wednesday, March 10th at 12:30 p.m. (ET) when the annual Sweet 16® Draw Show is televised by The CW Lexington. The Sweet 16® Draw Show will also be streamed live online at KHSAA.tv and WKYT.com.
Both tournaments will be held at Rupp Arena, with the 103rd installment of the Boys’ Sweet 16® taking place March 31-April 3, followed by the 60th Girls’ Sweet 16® on April 7-10. Ticket availability will be limited in light of COVID-19 attendance restrictions, with more information available in the coming days.
Each game of the boys’ and girls’ Sweet 16® will be webcast live at khsaa.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network. By purchasing a month pass to the NFHS Network, fans can watch all 30 games of the girls’ and boys’ […]
03/01/21 – Wrestling Postseason Update
Dates and sites for the 2021 KHSAA State Wrestling Championships have been determined. Postseason instructions and details will be released in a few days with many more details. These events will be managed through the KHSAA including ticket sales and assignment of officials. All events will be held within the most restrictive of state and local COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions, including an absolute requirement of universal masking of all except for the competitors in action at the time and social distancing to the fullest extent possible.
The State First Round will be conducted as a full-wrestleback (consolation to 3rd place) format in each weight class, seeded by TrackWrestling/FloSports data and criteria following regions. The top-two from each weight class bracket at each First Round site will then advance to the final state round. Below are the host sites for each round taking place at four sites on March 20th:
- State First Round Site #1 (8 […]
03/01/21 – Dawahares/KHSAA Hall of Fame Banquet Set for July 24 in Lexington
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 1, 2021
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association will induct its Class of 2020 into the Dawahares/KHSAA Hall of Fame presented by Roberts Insurance on Saturday, July 24, 2021, at the Embassy Suites Lexington. The banquet, originally scheduled for May of 2020, was postponed last spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 12-member Class of 2020 will be the 33rd inducted into the Dawahares/KHSAA Hall of Fame, and consists of former high school coaches, athletes, officials, administrators, and contributors; and will bring the total number of honorees in the Hall of Fame to 491. The 2020 inductees are:
- CHARLIE ADKINS (Coach / Paintsville)
- GREG BUCKNER (Athlete / University Heights)
- DONNIS BUTCHER (Athlete / Meade Memorial)
- JOEY COUCH (Athlete / Paintsville)
- GARY DEARBORN (Contributor / Harrison County & Pendleton County)
- SAM HARP (Coach / Danville)
- ROBERT JOE “BOBBY” LYNCH (Athlete / Ashland Blazer)
- SHARAE MANSFIELD (Athlete / DuPont Manual) […]
02/24/21 – Bass Fishing Rules Clinic Now Available
The mandatory online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport-activity of Bass Fishing is available beginning today, February 24, 2021. Remember, the clinic is required of all coaches at the varsity, junior varsity, and freshmen levels, regardless of whether or not the coach receives pay. Below is additional information:
COACHES
- February 24 to March 16 (Coaches) – the Bass Fishing Clinic will be online only and may be viewed at no charge during this period.
- March 17 to April 5 (Coaches) – the Bass Fishing Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($100) during this period.
- April 6 to April 19 (Coaches) – the Bass Fishing Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($200) per the Bylaw 27 schedule during this period. After this time, postseason penalties per Bylaw 27 will apply.
The presentation can be viewed on most PC […]
2/22/21-Dance Nominations Sought For Midway/KHSAA Student Athlete-of-the-Year Award
The nomination process for the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year among Dance participants for 2020-2021 is now open.
This award is based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership. The link to the application contains additional criteria and a form to nominate one participant from each 2020-2021 team. Nominations must come from a member school, but can be submitted by an administrator, guidance counselor, or coach. Nominations may only be submitted online at https://khsaa.org/ge35-midway-university-khsaa-female-student-athlete-of-the-year-nomination-form/.
The winner will be announced early in the postseason and recognized at an awards event at Midway University in early summer 2021. From the winners selected for each KHSAA championship, one student-athlete will be selected as the 2020-2021 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year announced at the event. All individual winners will also receive their recognition awards at that time.
The deadline for nominations for the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year in the […]
02/22/21 – Tennis Online Rules Clinic Now Available
The mandatory Online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport of Tennis is now available beginning today, February 22. The clinic is required of all coaches (varsity, junior varsity, and freshman) and whether or not the coach receives pay.
For member schools, the clinics are located on the School Log-in Page. To access the clinic, go to https://schools.khsaa.org/ and — under the section entitled Rules Clinics — click on the link that says “View Online Rules Clinics“.
- COACHES
February 22 to April 13 – the Tennis Clinic will be online only and may be viewed at no charge during this period. - April 14 to May 3 – the Tennis Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($100) during this period.
- May 4 to May 17 – the Tennis Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($200) per the Bylaw 27 schedule […]
02/19/21- Wrestling Postseason Updates
The KHSAA Board of Control confirmed postseason competition for Wrestling at its Feb. 17 virtual meeting. Refer to the news release for details.
https://khsaa.org/02-19-21-board-of-control-updates-status-of-winter-championships/
Now that staff has a clearer direction, plans can move forward with communication and details with managers, hosts and member schools.
Attendance restrictions in place statewide for indoor venues necessitated a change for the 2021 wrestling postseason. In order to maintain the participation entries without any decrease, the Board approved a recommendation from staff to host the State Championships over the course of two weekends. The regional tournaments will now be held the week of March 8th. Four wrestlers from each weight class (no alternates) will advance from the region to the semi-state round, with two regions competing at each site (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8).
The semi-state round will be conducted as a full-wrestleback (consolation) format in each weight class, seeded by TrackWrestling data and criteria following regions. […]
02/19/21 – Board of Control Updates Status of Winter Championships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 19, 2021
The Board of Control conducted a virtual meeting this week in light of the State of Emergency declared for Kentucky due to severe weather conditions, during which time staff outlined postseason options for the upcoming winter championships.
The state bowling championships will be adjusted to a three-day format to allow for facility cleaning and appropriate ingress/egress. Gender-specific competition will be contested on the same day (the boys’ team and single competition on one day, the girls’ events on the next day, followed by the unified/adapted championships) to help alleviate travel concerns. The 2021 state tournament will tentatively be held March 22-24 (Mon.-Wed.) and will follow attendance restrictions per state guidelines.
The continued attendance restrictions in place statewide for aquatic centers necessitate a change for the 2021 swimming & diving postseason. Of the nine sites selected to host regional competition, only one site is currently allowing fan attendance, but even […]
02/18/21 – Esports Rules Clinic Now Available
The mandatory online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport-activity of Esports is now available online. Remember, the clinic is required of all coaches at the varsity, junior varsity, and freshmen levels, regardless of whether or not the coach receives pay. Below is additional information:
COACHES
- February 15 to April 5 (Coaches) – the Esports Clinic will be online only and may be viewed at no charge during this period.
- April 6 to April 25 (Coaches) – the Esports Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($100) during this period.
- April 26 to May 3 (Coaches) – the Esports Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($200) per the Bylaw 27 schedule during this period. After this time, postseason penalties per Bylaw 27 will apply.
The presentation can be viewed on most PC or Mac desktops and laptops, along with […]
02/08/21 – Face Masks, Religious Headwear Major Topics of 2021 Field Hockey Rules Changes
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Guidance for the use of face masks and the allowance of religious headwear to be worn during play without state association consent are among the most significant rules changes that will take effect with the 2021 high school field hockey season.
During its virtual meeting held January 11-13, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Field Hockey Rules Committee included these subjects in its list of eight proposed rules changes that were reviewed and later approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
“Given that many schools played a modified or shortened season with the 2020 rules and some have not yet played or may not play, the committee thought it wise to limit changes to the 2021 rules,” said Anna Saccoccio, chair of the NFHS Field Hockey Rules Committee. “Safety of players is always a main concern, and the 2021 rules will clarify any confusion and concerns around the use […]
02/05/21 – Blocking Below the Waist in Free-Blocking Zone Addressed in High School Football Rules
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The rule regarding blocking below the waist in the free-blocking zone in high school football has been revised for the upcoming 2021 season.
This rule change was recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Football Rules Committee at its January 10-12 meeting, which was held virtually this year. This change to the 2021 NFHS Football Rules Book was subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
As a result of numerous interpretations of current language regarding blocking below the waist in the free-blocking zone, the committee approved another condition in Rule 2-17-2 that must be met for a legal block below the waist in the free-blocking zone, which is a rectangular area extending laterally 4 yards either side of the spot of the snap and 3 yards behind each line of scrimmage.
The new requirement (2-17-2c) is that the block must be an immediate, initial action following the […]
01/28/21 – NFHS Announces Universal Tennis as New Official Partner
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced a new official partnership with Universal Tennis, a global online platform for connecting players, coaches, clubs and federations to grow the sport.
Universal Tennis is most widely known for the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR), a system that provides an accurate rating for every participating tennis player in the world regardless of age, gender or nationality. The UTR algorithm uses scores and quality of opponents from a player’s past 30 eligible matches to calculate a listing value on a point scale between 1 and 16.50. Players also have access to additional statistics that allow for a better understanding of personal performance as they track their improvement. With more than 2.3 million users from about 125 countries, UTR seeks to help players find better matches for any skill level.
“The NFHS is excited to partner with Universal Tennis to help enhance the game […]
02/04/21 – Religious Headwear Permitted Without State Association Approval in High School Volleyball
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — High school volleyball players will no longer need to obtain state association approval to wear religious headwear during competition. The rule change highlights three changes approved for the 2021-22 season.
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Volleyball Rules Committee conducted its annual meeting January 10-12 in a virtual setting and recommended three rules changes that were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
“The Volleyball Rules Committee strongly considered both the financial impact and participation restrictions COVID-19 had on schools and state associations during the 2020-21 season as they approached the proposed rules changes,” said Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Volleyball Rules Committee. “In doing so, the committee focused on rules that make the sport more inclusive by easing the restrictions on religious headwear, provided state associations with more flexibility in regard to officials uniforms, and lessened the penalty for a late lineup.”
[…]02/03/21 – Archery Nominations Sought for Male and Female Midway Student-Athlete of the Year Awards
The nomination process for the Midway University/KHSAA Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award among Archery participants for 2020-2021 is now open.
This award is based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership. The link to the application contains additional criteria and a form to nominate one participant from each 2020-2021 team. Nominations must come from a member school, but can be submitted by an administrator, guidance counselor, or coach. Nominations may only be submitted online at https://khsaa.org/ge35-midway-university-khsaa-female-student-athlete-of-the-year-nomination-form/
The winner will be announced early in the postseason and recognized at an awards banquet at Midway University in early summer 2021. From the winners selected for each KHSAA championship, one student-athlete will be selected as the overall 2020-2021 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year and announced at the banquet. All winners will also receive their recognition at that banquet.
The deadline for nominations for the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of […]
02/03/21 – Archery Rules Clinic Now Available
The mandatory online KHSAA Rules Clinic for the sport-activity of Archery is available beginning today, February 3, 2021. Remember, the clinic is required of all coaches at the varsity, junior varsity, and freshmen levels, regardless of whether or not the coach receives pay. Below is additional information:
COACHES
- February 3 to February 22 (Coaches) – the Archery Clinic will be online only and may be viewed at no charge during this period.
- February 23 to March 7 (Coaches) – the Archery Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($100) during this period.
- March 8 to March 15 (Coaches) – the Archery Clinic will be online only and may be viewed for the makeup fee ($200) per the Bylaw 27 schedule during this period. After this time, postseason penalties per Bylaw 27 will apply.
The presentation can be viewed on most PC or Mac desktops and laptops, along […]
02/01/21 – Initial Basketball RPI Rankings Available
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 1, 2021
The first official KHSAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) Rankings of the 2020-21 basketball season are now available on the Association’s website (https://khsaa.org/rpi-ratings-percentage-index/).
The RPI is a tool developed for all team sports by using the official KHSAA/Riherds Scoreboard data. It is provided for a variety of reasons including district tiebreaking and football bracketing, and as a means to increase publicity, interest and promotion. The Board of Control has approved the RPI to be used as a tiebreaking/contest result mechanism to decide seeded district games not played by the deadline.
The RPI rankings are updated on an hourly basis, but are not calculated for teams with missing scores from the previous day or earlier. For the 2020-21 basketball season, COVID cancellations are marked on a team’s schedule as a 0-0 tie but are not factored into the RPI calculations and rankings.
RPI measures a team’s strength relative to other […]
02/01/21- Wrestling Nominations Sought for Male & Female Midway/KHSAA Student Athlete-of-the-Year Awards
The nomination process for the Midway University/KHSAA Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year among Wrestling participants for 2020-2021 is now open.
This award is based on athletic and academic achievement as well as community service and leadership. The link to the application contains additional criteria and a form to nominate one participant from each 2020-2021 team. Nominations must come from a member school, but can be submitted by an administrator, guidance counselor, or coach. Nominations may only be submitted online at https://khsaa.org/ge35-midway-university-khsaa-female-student-athlete-of-the-year-nomination-form/.
The winner will be announced early in the postseason and recognized at an awards event at Midway University in early summer 2021. From the winners selected for each KHSAA championship, one student-athlete will be selected as the 2020-2021 Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the Year announced at the event. All individual winners will also receive their recognition awards at that time.
The deadline for nominations for the Midway University/KHSAA Student-Athlete of the […]
01/27/21 – Three KHSAA Coaches Receive Section II Coach of the Year Honors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 27, 2021
Three KHSAA coaches were chosen as Section II Coach of the Year winners for 2019-20 by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association as part of its annual recognition program. Oldham County’s Kirk Thomas was the Section II honoree in girls’ cross country, while Elizabethtown’s Karen Henson was selected for girls’ tennis. Sacred Heart’s Donna Moir was the Section II award winner in girls’ basketball, where she was also the recipient of the National Coach of the Year award from the NFHS Coaches Association.
The NFHS, which has been recognizing coaches through an awards program since 1982, honors coaches in the top 10 girls sports and top 10 boys sports (by participation numbers), and in two “other” sports – one for boys and one for girls – that are not included in the top 10 listings. The NFHS also recognizes a spirit coach as a […]
01/27/21 – Initial Basketball Stat Leader Reports Released
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 27, 2021
The first statistical leader reports of the 2020-21 season for girls’ and boys’ basketball have been posted at KHSAA.org. The leader reports will be updated every day at approximately 3 a.m., and will include all teams missing stats for no more than two games.
Statistical entry is required of all member schools, and those failing to meet the requirement to enter stats are subject to penalties from the Commissioner, including fines and other actions within the constraints of Bylaw 27. Member schools are solely responsible for submitting statistical information. If a school or individual is omitted, or information is not updated, that means the team in question did not update its statistics through the KHSAA’s online system prior to the deadline.
The requirement to enter statistics, which has been in place for several years, was reiterated to coaches during the online rules clinic. Statistical entry has the benefit of […]
01/25/21 – 2019-20 National Coaches of the Year Selected by NFHS Coaches Association
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Twenty-three high school coaches from across the country have been selected as 2020 National Coaches of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association.
The NFHS, which has been recognizing coaches through an awards program since 1982, honors coaches in the top 10 girls sports and top 10 boys sports (by participation numbers), and in two “other” sports – one for boys and one for girls – that are not included in the top 10 listings. The NFHS also recognizes a spirit coach as a separate award category. Winners of NFHS awards must be active coaches during the year for which they receive their award. This year’s awards recognize coaches for the 2019-20 school year.
Recipients of this year’s national awards for boys sports are: Ron Murphy, baseball, Rio Rancho (New Mexico) High School; Jerry Petitgoue, basketball, Cuba City (Wisconsin) High School; Kevin Ryan, cross country, […]
01/22/21 – Dance Postseason Updates
Following the Board of Control’s January 21 meeting, we wanted to update the membership on some details as we go forward in the Dance season. Keeping in mind the availability of judges, the dates of nationals for both the National Dance Alliance (NDA) and Universal Dance Association (UDA) were vital in setting our postseason schedule. We realize that there are other competitions and conflicts max exist, but some conflicts will inhibit our ability to secure judging personnel if not properly know.
Our review of options and plans will include consideration of the feasibility of accomplishing the following objectives (if possible) in priority order:
1) Maintain an optimal number of qualifying teams, even if the field is subdivided differently than past practice;
2) A focus on ensuring, at minimum, parental attendance, as permitted within current approved state and local health department guidelines, with additional attendance considerations being reviewed if public health considerations warrant such;
[…]
01/22/21- Wrestling Postseason Updates
After yesterday’s Board of Control meeting, the KHSAA would like to update the wrestling member schools on the process and goals to develop a revised plan for postseason play during the ongoing pandemic.
The Board has asked staff to gather data and information and formulate alternative tournament structures and plans for the 2021 postseason competition. These alternatives are to be reviewed, at this point, solely for 2021 only, as everyone attempts to balance the desire for championship competition and the public health needs and requirements surrounding the pandemic. An alternative plan(s) is to be presented at the Board’s February 17th meeting. It is to include consideration of the feasibility of accomplishing the following objectives (if possible) in priority order:
1) Maintain the full complement of 4 qualifiers in each weight class advancing from each of the eight regional competitions, even if the field is subdivided differently than past practice;
2) A focus on ensuring, […]
01/21/21 – Board of Control Reviews Status of Winter and Spring Sports
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 21, 2021
The Board of Control held its fourth regularly-scheduled meeting of the 2020-21 academic year on Thursday at the KHSAA Office, conducting a thorough status review of ongoing operations and championship plans. Staff provided an overview of all winter and spring sports and sport-activities, while outlining considerations and options for the winter events that will be presented for final review at the Board’s next meeting on Feb. 17.
“Today’s meeting provided an opportunity to update the Board of Control and our constituency on the various issues and COVID-19 mitigations facing each of our sports and sport-activities,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “Circumstances change rapidly during the pandemic but we hope to have a clearer picture for how we can proceed with our winter championships when the Board next meets in February.”
Included in the staff’s report on basketball, was a preliminary discussion on ticketing to the 2021 Boys’ and Girls’ […]
01/19/21 – Dates Announced for Boys’ and Girls’ Sweet Sixteen®
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 19, 2021
The dates for the 2021 Boys’ and Girls’ Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournaments have been set, with the boys’ tournament taking place March 31 through April 3, followed by the Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Sweet 16® on April 7-10. Each tournament will be played over four days at Rupp Arena, with the semifinals and championship played on the final day, as a one-year accommodation due to the events being scheduled around Easter Sunday. The four-day format was standard for the state basketball tournament for several years prior to the 2013 Boys’ Sweet 16® when a statewide legislatively-initiated panel recommended separating the prior semifinal/championship Saturday schedule into two days.
At this time, attendance for both tournaments will be restricted to 15% of capacity within the areas of the arena in-use. Details will be announced in February regarding the ticketing process, but all-session tickets will be limited for 2021 in order […]
01/15/21- Wrestling Season Reminders and Updates
After our first couple of weeks, it appears a couple of reminders are in order related to the wrestling season during the pandemic. We have been blessed by an opportunity to wrestle when so many other states are NOT having that opportunity. But that privilege comes with responsibilities to help ensure public safety and the continued opportunity.
Regular Season
- Mask/Face coverings are a requirement, not a recommendation for everyone off the mat.
- The segment limitations on the number of teams/participants are to be followed even if the event you participate in is hosted out of state.
- As a point of clarification, the 30-second time extension between the periods was established to provide extra time for all parties involved. If all parties are ready, and that extension is not needed, you may begin the next period.
- Coaches, don’t forget part of the Healthy at Sports guidelines stipulates only one coach in the corner of the […]
01/07/21 – KHSAA Adds FIFA and Madden as Newest Sanctioned Esports Offerings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 7, 2021
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association today announced, in partnership with PlayVS, an expansion of its recognized varsity title offerings to include FIFA 21 and Madden NFL 21 for the upcoming Spring 2021 esports season. These latest additions bring the number of sanctioned games to five, joining the KHSAA’s previous offerings of League of Legends, Rocket League and SMITE. Amid continued COVID-19 concerns, and with traditional sports reworking their infrastructure, the value of esports is evident now more than ever as it provides high school students a safe extracurricular environment in which to compete.
Two of the most popular sports titles in the world, FIFA and Madden feature real professional football and soccer players on their actual professional teams. EA’s long-running sport simulation franchises represent all of the excitement gamers know and puts them in the center of the action.
“We are excited to expand our esports offerings to […]
01/05/21 – KHSAA Esports Powered by PlayVS
KHSAA is proudly partnered with PlayVS to provide the only officially recognized varsity-level high school esports league in Kentucky.
Click here to visit the official home of Kentucky high school esports. View season info, titles, league standings, statistics, and past champions; schedule a consultation or sign up to get started.
Esports is a Sanctioned KHSAA Sport-Activity
The KHSAA has partnered with PlayVS to bring esports to high schools throughout Kentucky. Esports, or competitive gaming, is the fastest-growing high school sport in the country and, much like traditional sports, requires teamwork, critical thinking and communication to achieve success. However, esports goes ever further to create a barrier-breaking, all-inclusive environment with a strong sense of community. All games are selected based on their competitiveness and strategy, and are rated E for Everyone.
High School and Beyond
Esports opens up a world of possibilities for students. Besides a truly enriching competitive experience, PlayVS provides support for higher […]
01/06/21 – First Field Hockey Officials Course Introduced by NFHS Learning Center
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — In an expansion of its officiating courses, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) recently introduced the fast-paced sport of field hockey to the online NFHS Learning Center with its “Officiating Field Hockey” course.
Played on a field that is 60 yards wide by 100 yards long, and featuring only two umpires, field hockey is accompanied by unique rules that offer many challenges to a two-man crew. The free online “Officiating Field Hockey” course, which serves as a companion to the NFHS Field Hockey Rules Book and other supporting materials, provides a detailed look at the sport with video assistance.
“The ‘Officiating Field Hockey’ course has been developed for all officials – from first-year umpires to those with more than a decade of experience,” said Julie Cochran, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Field Hockey Rules Committee. “The course was designed to help umpires understated the rules, […]
12/18/20 – NFHS Center for Officials Services Continues to Expand Outreach, Services to Nation’s Contest Officials
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) continues to expand its outreach and services to contest officials nationwide through development of the NFHS Center for Officials Services (COS).
The NFHS COS, with its technology platform created by DragonFly Athletics of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, officially kicked off at the start of the 2020-21 school year and is already servicing nine NFHS member state high school associations (Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina and Wyoming), as well as sport-specific officials in three other states (California, Maine and Pennsylvania).
With the goal of building platforms for every state association, the COS offers a variety of services for officials on both the web and mobile app, including registration, exams, assignments, communication and scheduling tools, and payments.
Most recently, the COS has created an “NFHS Officials Hub” area for members that offers easy access to NFHS sport-specific rules information. With 23 different sports […]
12/17/20 – New NFHS Learning Center Course – “The Student Experience” – Relays Participation Benefits to Students
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced “The Student Experience” – a free student-centered course focused on the long-term benefits of education-based activities participation – as a new addition to the NFHS Learning Center.
“The last few years, we have had a lot of success delivering coursework and resources directly to students through the NFHS Learning Center to help them get the most out of their interscholastic experience,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services. “By taking ‘The Student Experience,’ we want them to understand why participating in high school activities programs is so important to their future.”
In the past year, the NFHS Learning Center has released several resources within “The Parent Seat,” a collection of courses and videos that promote the true purpose of education-based athletics and performing arts to parents of participants. “The Student Experience” is the first course offering that conveys a […]
12/15/20 – Visual, Technical Revisions Offer Improved User Experience to NFHS Learning Center’s ‘Sudden Cardiac Arrest’ Course
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Revisions recently introduced to “Sudden Cardiac Arrest” aligns one of the NFHS Learning Center’s most significant courses with recent updates to its other offerings.
Currently available to take free of charge, the revised “Sudden Cardiac Arrest” course has been reviewed by both NFHS course partner, Simon’s Heart, and by the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC). As part of the revisions, the course received both branding and technology updates that had already been implemented to other NFHS Learning Center coursework.
“We are pleased to continue our successful partnership with Simon’s Heart to bring revised Sudden Cardiac Arrest content to the interscholastic community,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services. “The course revisions centered around upgrading the look and feel of the course, as well as technology upgrades to improve the user experience.”
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is the number one cause of death in the United States for student-athletes during […]
12/15/20 – 2020 UK Orthopaedics State Football Finals Head to Kroger Field
For Immediate Release: December 15, 2020
The 2020 UK Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine State Football Finals begin Friday morning at 11 a.m. with the first of the weekend’s six championship games as Kentucky Country Day (10-1) takes on Paintsville (9-2) in the 1A title bout at Kroger Field. Live webcasts of all six games will be available at KHSAA.tv for subscribers to the NFHS Network, with a free audio broadcast available at KHSAA.net.
Tickets for the 2020 UK Orthopaedics State Football Finals are available online and must be purchased in advance, as there is no opportunity for walkup sales at this year’s event due to COVID-19 restrictions. Links to purchase tickets for each championship game, along with a summary of the policies and procedures for the state finals can be found at https://khsaa.org/uk-orthopaedics-state-football-finals-gameday-information/.
As a reminder to those in attendance, face coverings, over the nose and mouth, are required for all […]
12/14/20 – Updates to the Wrestling Season Due to Recent Board Actions
At a special meeting held on December 10th, the Board of Control upheld its earlier decision by a 12-5 vote to begin practice for winter sports on Dec. 14th and regular-season competition on Jan. 4th, 2021. [Read More from that Meeting]
By confirming its decision from November 18th, winter sports and sport-activities will be permitted to resume activity on Monday the 14 of December. The first official contest date for Wrestling will be January 4th, 2021. Teams will be able to have a ten-week regular season that will allow a maximum of 15 contests, with no more than three (3) contests in a given week. The postseason will begin the week of Monday, March 15.
Weight management dates will be adjusted to allow certification into a particular weight class at any regularly scheduled match or tournament up to and including the Saturday of NFHS week 34 (February 27, 2021), but the two-pound growth allowance […]
12/01/20 – Schedule Set For State Football Finals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 1, 2020
Following the Board of Control meeting on November 18th, the Association has worked to finalize the order of games for the 2020 UK Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine State Football Finals. The games will be played Friday, December 18th and Saturday, December 19th at Kroger Field with three games on each day.
The order of games and times for this year’s finals will be:
Friday, December 18th
- 11 a.m. – 1A Championship
- 3 p.m. – 2A Championship
- 7 p.m. – 4A Championship
Saturday, December 19th
- 11 a.m. – 3A Championship
- 3 p.m. – 5A Championship
- 7 p.m. – 6A Championship
As approved by the Board of Control during its November 18th meeting, the following provision will also be in place once the playoffs reach the Fourth Round:
- If one team from a game withdraws […]
11/19/20 – Board of Control Pushes Back Start of Winter Sports Season to January 4
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 19, 2020
The Board of Control conducted its third regularly-scheduled meeting of the 2020-21 academic year on Wednesday and elected to postpone the start of the winter sports season to January 4th by unanimous vote. In congruence with the Governor’s order issued later the same day, official practice for all indoor interscholastic winter sports shall cease on Friday, November 20 at 5 p.m. and is planned to resume on Monday, December 14. This cessation will apply to all indoor interscholastic sports at all school levels, including but not limited to basketball, bowling, competitive cheer, dance, indoor track and field, swimming, and wrestling.
Details regarding any allowances for indoor interscholastic sports, which will be restricted prior to December 14, will be distributed to the membership prior to the Governor’s ordered shutdown of school-related in-person activity on Friday, November 20. The season calendar for each winter sport, as well as current virus data […]
11/18/20 – NFHS Learning Center Debuts New Video for Electronic Whistle Use in Volleyball
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — As part of its continued effort to educate officials on new procedures and protocol in officiating, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has debuted a new instructional video on the online NFHS Learning Center – “Official Volleyball Signals Using an Electronic Whistle.”
The “Official Volleyball Signals Using an Electronic Whistle” video provides officials with tips and techniques to assist in creating seamless signal sequences when using an electronic whistle. Supporting information in the video includes examples of various signals conducted by the first and second referees in applying proper mechanics.
Last spring, as COVID-19 information became more prevalent, the NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee promptly responded to help with health and safety concerns in the sport. The committee’s response resulted in the development of rules considerations related to social distancing and limiting contact to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“In recent months, volleyball officials quickly purchased electronic whistles to […]
11/11/20 – Esports Online Rules Clinic For Coaches Now Available
The esports online rules clinic is now available at khsaa.org and required of all member school head and assistant coaches (varsity, junior varsity and freshmen), regardless of whether or not the coach receives pay. With the esports rules clinic being offered for the first time this year, the clinic will be available for free during the fall season but is a mandatory requirement of all coaches and should be completed before the fall postseason begins on December 11.
A revised clinic will be offered for the spring season which will also be required but will have the standard fee, late and super-late periods for completion.
For member schools, the clinics are located on the School Log-in Page. To access the clinic, go to https://schools.khsaa.org/ and — under the section entitled Rules Clinics — click on the link that says “View Online Rules Clinics“.
COACHES
- November 10 to December 11 (Coaches) – […]
Scores Powered by Riherds.com
Official KHSAA Operations Partners
