Rhode Island Interscholastic League

Rhode Island Interscholastic
League
February 2006
Monthly Bulletin
CHAMPIONSHIP DATES
Basketball
March
6-12
Gymnastics
February
19
Hockey
Boys
Girls
March 17-28
March 3-7
Indoor Track
February
3-19
Swim
February
25 & 26
Wrestling
February
9-25
RIIL
Online at
www.riil.org
Rhode Island
Interscholastic
League
The RIIL is Proud to Recognize its
Corporate Sponsors
Thomas A. Mezzanotte
Executive Director
Richard R. Magarian
Assistant Executive Director
Jane C. Hale
Treasurer
Ruth Nicastro
Secretary
Susana Borges
Secretary
Gail Lepore
Secretary
Rhode Island Interscholastic League
Bldg. #6 R.I. College Campus
600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Providence, RI 02908-1991
Tel: (401) 272-9844 ◊ Fax: (401) 272-9838
website: www.riil.org ◊ email: [email protected]
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
Page 2
FROM THE DESK OF THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR……..
What’s in a name?
Nothing, unless you’re the person being
disrespected.
We are all aware of the names, remarks,
terms used by individuals in today’s society whose only purpose is to ridicule,
disrespect, hurt, anger, etc. Sadly, some
of these names have been used by student-athletes during high school practices, as well as games. As teachers,
coaches, referees, and teammates, what
do we do when we hear a student-athlete
use or make such a remark?
One option you can choose is to ignore it
and make believe you didn’t hear it at all.
However, by choosing this option it gives
a signal to the student-athlete that it’s
okay or worse - you condone it. The second option is to face and address it. It’s
our moral and ethical obligation to do so.
Often student-athletes in the heat of athletic competition misspeak. This is
WRONG and it cannot be tolerated. Remember, it’s learned behavior and it can
and must be unlearned. Essentially it is
about being sensitive to our sensitivities
and SHOWING RESPECT.
We can help student-athletes affirm their
own identity and respect and appreciate
the identity of others. We know that
young people draw “bold” lines between
“us” and “them.” We have an obligation
to teach students, athletes, and teammates to accept and embrace diversity
instead of its opposite – divisiveness.
Martin Luther King taught us that.
What makes American high schools unlike
any others in the world is both the diversity of sports offered and that no two
teams will ever look alike.
When student-athletes put on their school
colors, they become one team. They represent their school.
We can teach student-athletes what hap-
LOGGIA PIAVE, NO. 364
Order Sons of Italy in America
IS PROUD TO HONOR
ROBERT PALAZZO
AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE
MERIT AWARD
This award is the highest honor given by this association. It is bestowed to someone who contributes a
great deal to civil, religious and community service.
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
pens when different races, cultures and
ethnic groups get together and work for a
common goal. It is called teamwork.
This happens every day on our fields and
in our gyms. Student-athletes will accept
discipline and criticism when it is done
with love and caring.
It can be summed up in one word –
“Tolerance” – the capacity for and the
practice of recognizing and respecting the
beliefs or practices of others.
Remember, name calling is learned behavior and can be unlearned – We all have
an obligation to do so. ■
Tom Mezzanotte
Executive Director
Richard Magarian
Assistant Executive Director
On March 19th, St. Joseph’s Day, a dinner will be
held in Bob Palazzo’s honor at Lombardi’s 1025
Club. A reception will begin at 6:00pm followed
by dinner at 7:00pm. The ticket price is $40.00
and can be purchased by sending your name, address, number attending, check amount enclosed,
along with a check made payable to Loggia Piave
#364 to:
Elaine E. Botelho
14 Stockton Drive
Middletown, RI 02842
Deadline date to purchase a ticket is March 1st.
TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR.
Page 3
PRIDE ON THE MOUNT
More than a Game
John Gillooly
The sweat, the skates, and the stories from the premier NHL
player-producing school.
Mount Saint Charles Academy is the Los Alamos of
hockey. A small school in a small town in a famously small
state, it has for decades been a virtual secret laboratory for
creating hockey players, winning regional championships for
twenty-seven straight years, and sending player after player
to the NHL. But no parent or reporter had ever been allowed
to a practice or in the locker room, until veteran sportswriter
John Gillooly was given total access for one year.
JOHN GILLOOLY is a national-award-winning
sportswriter for the
Providence Journal in
Providence, Rhode Island.
He has been the recipient of
an Associated Press Sports
Editors award for enterprising writing along with several regional awards. His
feature writing and commentary on college and high
school sports over the past
two decades have established him as an expert on
the role of athletics in
eduction.
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
The result is a year in sports unlike any other. The story of
Mount Saint Charles is in many ways the story of one man,
the coach, Norman “Bill” Belisle, now in his seventies.
Gillooly watched the practices, rode the bus, hung out in the
locker room after defeats and triumphs. He spoke with the
parents and the former players now competing for the Stanley Cup. He
talked hockey for hours with kids who have dreamed all their life of
playing for coach Belisle.
Gillooly found a coach who made cuts in thirty minutes—who even
cut his own son after only a day. His practices were notoriously hard,
so hard that many excellent players were too timid to try out. Bobby
Orr, a scout, might show up at a game but wouldn't want to bother
Belisle and would hang furtively in the shadows. It was a team where
future NHLers would linger for three years on junior varsity.
Here for the first time is the inside story of this legendary hockey
coach, a must-read for every player and fan.
Page 4
Character, Leadership and Sportsmanship Committee
Committee
on
Leadership and
Character
Sportsmanship
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Committee on Character, Leadership and Sportsmanship is
to
T promote sportsmanship and foster the development of good character. Our
school sports programs must be conducted in a manner that enhances the academic, social, physical and ethical development of student-athletes and teaches
them positive life skills in an effort to help them become personally successful
and socially responsible.
To: Sport Directors, Coaches and High School Principals
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Rhode Island Interscholastic League is renewing their pledge and commitment of fostering the tenants
of Character, Leadership and Sportsmanship for our student-athletes. I t is a topic of great concern among all
principals, and the League is examining programs and options that promote good sportsmanship and further develop the intrinsic qualities of character and leadership in all our student-athletes. It will be the direction of
this committee to examine and define what constitutes a healthy and educationally sound interscholastic
sports program, and to cultivate the ideals of fairness and competition. While high school competition has been
the hallmark of the RI Interscholastic League, this new initiative will articulate the expectations of schools,
athletic directors and coaches as we chart a new course for sports in the state of Rhode Island—one built on
the qualities and behaviors expected of our student-athletes.
In the months to come the League will be asking for your guidance, advice and input as we develop and implement an appropriate program aimed at fostering sound ethical and moral decision making at all levels. This is
not a change in our way of thinking but a recommitment to our student-athletes. The mission of the RI Interscholastic League requires each of us to provide educational opportunities for our student-athletes through
interscholastic sports. A thorough examination of our sports programs and the expectations we have for students and adults will be a means to that end.
Thank you for your time and dedication to interscholastic sports; it is in this arena that the principles of
good character and leadership are realized and the preparations of future leaders are undertaken.
Sincerely,
The Rhode Island Interscholastic League
The Committee on Character, Leadership and Sportsmanship
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
Page 5
The 16th Annual National
Sportsmanship Day will be held on
Tuesday, March 7, 2006. National
Sportsmanship Day promotes
sportsmanship and ethics in athletics and everyday life.
The Institute for International
Sport at the University of Rhode
Island has administered this highly
acclaimed program, and can provide
athletic programs in RI with excellent community service opportuni-
ties through school visits promoting
ethics, honesty, peaceful conflict
resolution and fair play in athletics
and society. Through this program,
high school students will go into elementary schools and middle schools
to hold forums discussing the importance of sportsmanship.
The RIIL encourages all schools,
administrators, coaches and teams
in Rhode Island to join in this celebration and promote sportsmanship.
As high school coaches, we
understand that athletes look to
you and other sports health professionals for credible information related to sports nutrition.
For that reason, the Gatorade Sports Science Institute
(GSSI) will provide you with current and timely information that
you can use to educate your athletes.
To learn more about National
Sportsmanship Day or to register
on-line, please visit the Institute
for International Sport’s website at
www.internationalsport.com/NSD.
Also, you can call Richard Lynch,
Director of National Sportsmanship
Day at 401-874-7405 or email at
[email protected]. ■
Tom Mezzanotte
Executive Director
Please visit the Gatorade
Sports Science Institute’s
website www.gssiweb.com for
more information on topics
such as:
•The science— or lack
thereof—on ingredients that
can be found in sports drinks.
•The scientific approach used
at GSSI to evaluate the efficacy of ingredient options for
sports drinks.
Since 1985, GSSI has been
dedicated to helping athletes
optimize their performance
and safeguard their health
through research and education in hydration and nutrition
science. We hope that you will
find the information on the
GSSI website beneficial. ■
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
Page 6
Reprint from the WIAA Bulletin
November 12, 2004
The emotion and excitement surrounding each tournament series is testimony to the value and interest of interscholastic athletics throughout the
state as communities and schools bond
in support of their teams venturing
down the tournament path.
What has become increasingly evident is the discontent with the paths
teams need to journey down successfully to qualify for the State Tournament. This is not at all a new phenomena; however, it appears the volume and
intensity of those concerns are on the
increase, and not just in particular
sports.
To understand and respond to concerns, a knowledge of the WIAAs longstanding philosophy regarding the State
Tournament Series is essential. The
structure of the Tournament Series is
designed to include representation from
all areas of the state in the State Tournament.
Perhaps this is where the discontent
begins. With this model and philosophy,
there are proponents of the philosophy
that the State Tournament should
showcase, what they believe, are the
best teams and individuals in the state
based on mythical polls and rankings,
regardless of geographical considerations. This is not to convey that this
may not be already happening in the
existing alignment based on objective
competition, and not subjective opinions
from one week to another.
Understandably, there are rich
pockets of quality programs in certain
areas of the state in every sport,
whereby one or two sectionals may have
a disproportionate number of what are
considered by some as State Tournament caliber. As a result, there are
those who prescribe to the fact some
teams fail to qualify in certain sectionals that are equally or more worthy to
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
School administrators should strive for a safe and comfortable environment for all spectators at athletic contests. This includes taking measures to ensure that fans are representing their school well at home and always contests.
participate in the State Tournament as
programs that legitimately qualify from
other sectionals. Analysis of State
Championship results can refute many
of these beliefs.
As recently as this fall, the issue of
tournament groups and assignments in
basketball was a topic of discussion at
School Administration is Responsible
for Fans at Home and Away Contests
By-Law 810 makes no distinction of
whether a school is the visiting or home
school as far as unsportsmanlike conduct is concerned. The school’s administration is responsible for the conduct
of its team, coaches, students and fans
at any interscholastic event in which
the school is participating.
The failure to uphold proper standards of conduct causes much of the
criticism and adverse publicity of interscholastic athletic events. Furthermore, improper conduct hinders the
achievement of the educational values
derived from athletics. Only with the
conscientious effort of all administrators, coaches, fans, and players can we
achieve the most worthwhile objectives
of interscholastic athletics.
the Area Meetings. Little or no support
was expressed for changing the existing groupings in basketball or any other
sport.
Another element not to be ignored in
the commotion and emotion surrounding
tournament play is sportsmanship. As
an Association and as educators, we are
continually emphasizing sportsmanship
and the important component it has in
the overall educational experience instilled through athletics.
Recently, some of the actions and
reactions surrounding the football playoffs have fallen short of sportsmanship
expectations. The credibility of those
in position to educate and serve as models for good sportsmanship are diminished when they react contentiously
within their schools, community and
media because their position or selfinterests were not served. It become
difficult to instill sportsmanship values
when actions contradict the message of
how to respond when things don’t go the
way we want them to or the way we envisioned they would.
In establishing the playoff model,
the WIAA implements a welldocumented, objective list of criteria
……..continued
Page 7
Continued from page 7
to select the 224-team field. The same
is true for determining the groupings,
parings and locations of games. The collision of objectivity, established by successfully implementing the existing criteria, and the subjectivity possessed by
those with a greater interest in the fate
of their teams is the source of heightened emotions.
with emotion, and it is for that reason
every tournament is special for the
student-athletes, coaches, administrators and communities involved. Without that emotion, much of the mystique and popularity of the tournaments would be diminished.
And they
think this
job is easy!
If energy and emotion are channeled in a constructive and supportive
manner toward the teams and individuWhat is particularly encouraging in an
als competing and the positive experiassociation governed by its membership is
ences they encounter, it is difficult to
the opportunity to adjust and improve the
tarnish the mystique and excitement
process. Through the committee process,
of the Tournament Series for those
beginning with the input of the Coaches
participating. ■
Advisory, changes can be implemented
effectively and efficiently if it represents the wishes of a vast majority of
MSHSAA Journal November 2005
the membership.
The tournament season is always filled
Coaches work to prepare young people for life
Editor’s Note: Excerpts from his acceptance speech delivered on the occasion of
Kwame McDonald receiving the Minnesota
Basketball coaches Association’s 2005 Distinguished Service Award at an October 28
luncheon. McDonald is a sports reporter for
the Minneapolis-St. Paul Spokesman Recorder newspaper.
I’m sure we can all agree that the
goal in education is to prepare young
people for life. As a coach, it is your
duty. Yes, your obligation is to prepare
each member of your squad to perform
the best they can. You do that by developing positive and effective habits.
Those positive and effective habits are
developed through repetition. Repetition evolves at practice. The more you
do something the same way, the more
proficient you become. This is what you
teach daily as you prepare your team
for the opponent.
You must also teach your team how
to accept different, yet important
roles. Some people shoot better than
others. Some pass better than others.
Some defend better than others. Each
of those skills, and many more, must
continue to be repeated and improved
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
upon. Each of those skills
are essential to ensure a
team victory. As a coach,
you recognize that, and
therefore work with each
and all of your team members to develop a cohesive
THOUGHTS unit. No member of your
team can be ignored, or
passed over, because that might be the
one who loses the game for you. Each
player is of high importance and the net
result is mutual respect and accountability between the coach and the
player.
It is also necessary for a coach to
help each player develop positive interpersonal relationships. How to get along
not only with teammates, but also the
opposing players,
“It wasn’t so
referees and fans.
much what you
Athletes learn how
did for me,
to lose with honor
but
rather,
and win with dignity.
how
you
made
They must learn
me feel.”
how to put setbacks
in their proper perspective and how to rise again to com-
pete against the next opponent.
Coaches also emphasize good sportsmanship.
If it was my job to lead a school,
each teacher would have to bring a
coach’s mentality, the dual accountability, reciprocal respect and mutual loyalty characteristics of good coaches to
the relationships with their students
and families.
It is true that when students need
letters of recommendation, if they have
been athletes, you can rest assured one
of these letters will be from one of
their coaches. It is also true that most
good coaches are also good teachers.
Good habits developed as a result of
teaching and coaching excellence will be
a part of your former students’ repertoire forever.
A former student was asked by one
of his former coaches, “You often say I
did so much for you. What exactly was
it that I did to deserve your continued
praise?” His former student replied,
“It wasn’t so much what you did for me,
but rather, how you made me feel.” ■
MSHSL Winter 2006 Bulletin
www.MSHSL.org
Page 8
Pre-season meetings
perfect for coaches and parents to
Excerpts from article b
team
up
············
Excerpts from article by Jody Redman, Associate Director, Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL)
One of the most important and
challenging relationships facing coaches
today is the one that exits between the
coach and parent. By establishing a good
working relationship and identifying and
setting clear goals and expectations prior
to the start of the season, many problems can be avoided and the overall experience will be a positive one for all involved.
Pre-season meetings represent a great
opportunity to establish dialogue among
stakeholders—a dialogue that lays the
groundwork towards a positive experience for the participant. Pre-season
meetings provide a forum for students
and their parents, coaches and administrators to openly discuss sportsmanship,
school and League policy, penalties for
violations, risk of injury and healthy lifestyles, including the use of tobacco, alcohol, steroids and other drugs, rule
changes and expected behaviors.
Here are some topics that could be
addressed by athletic directors and
coaches at pre-season meetings:
•
Introductions—Coaching Staff,
Participants, Parents
Introduce yourself and your coaching
staff to the parents. Briefly describe
your background and have your coaches
do the same, including their coaching
experience and reasons for coaching.
Then invite the students and parents to
introduce themselves. Explain the importance of creating a positive coach-parent
relationship and that an open line of communication will help create a positive
experience for their child. Provide an
agenda to make the meeting run more
efficiently.
•
Coaching/Program Philosophy and
Primary Goals
Present your personal goals and objectives for the upcoming season. A
coaching philosophy that emphasizes fun,
teaches fundamentals, teamwork, sportsmanship, and respect is certainly encouraged.
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
assured that the playing/practice
area and equipment will be checked to
help keep players safe and free from
hazards. They should be told of the
availability of first aid and who is
responsible for its administration.
•
•
The Player’s Responsibilities
Provide specific local guidelines,
rules, and consequences for rule violations. Student-athletes must assume
certain responsibilities if they wish to
play, including good sportsmanship,
teamwork, and being on time for practice. Also, cooperating with coaches and
teammates, developing team and individual skills, and abiding by playing, school
and league rules. These responsibilities
should be discussed so that students
and parents understand the expectations of your program.
•
League Rules and Policies
Students and parents mush have a
firm understanding of State Association
rules and policies and the penalties associated with each.
•
Tobacco, Alcohol, Drug Education
and Prevention
It is crucial to educate parents
about the important influence they have
in preventing alcohol, tobacco, and other
drug use by their children. It is imperative to counter the dangerous—but commonly held belief— that chemicals have
no side effects and that students who
use are only “being kids.” The goal is to
prevent alcohol and drug use by raising
parents’ awareness. A useful resource:
“Make the Right Choice,” a steroid educational DVD video.
•
Risk of Injury
Student participants and their parents need to understand and know how to
minimize the risk of injury. Warn them
about the potential for physical injury,
what they can expect in terms of possible injuries. Injury prevention measures
should be outlined. Parents should be
Emergency Procedures
Have a clear plan about how an
emergency will be handled. Have the
parents provide the information necessary for you to handle an emergency (Parents’ names, addresses,
telephone numbers, names and telephone numbers of family doctors and
the hospital of preference). You
should also describe the procedures
that will be used in case of an emergency.
•
Understanding the Sport
Many times during the course of
the season, spectators question officials, shout instructions to players or
contradict the coach because they
are unaware of the rules or lack a
basic understanding of the sport.
This can often place a strain on the
coach/parent relationship. By reviewing some basic concepts and
rules, you can help avoid these situations. Explain what equipment the
players need and where it can be
purchased. You may also want to
offer advice on the quality of equipment, and indicate how much parents
can expect to pay for specific items.
•
Parents’ Responsibilities
Create awareness of ethics and
sportsmanship and how they relate
to sports and activities. Explain to
the parents that their child is counting on them to be a positive participant at their event. The main reason kids play is to have fun and be
with their friends. Give participants
a scenario of attending and observing a math class at the school. While
sitting in the back of the room, begin to act out and yell at the
teacher. Continue to act poorly
while shouting “That teacher never
calls on my kid, he/she must hate my
kid, they never give her a chance…”
Conclude by asking the parents,
“Would you act like this in a math
class?” Then remind the parents
……..continued
Page 9
team
up
·············
Continued from page 9
that high school athletics venues are also
classrooms, just a different subject matter and that it is no OK to yell and
scream at the players, coaches or officials.
•
Communication Expectations
Va l u e o f h i g h s c h o o l
Promote the importance of ongoing,
honest communication. Playing time,
strategy, play calling and another student participant are not appropriate
items for a parent to discuss with their
child’s coach. Explain your school’s communication protocol. There are situations that may require a conference
between the coach and the parent.
These are to be encouraged. It is im-
portant that both parties involved have
a clear understanding of the other’s
position. When these conferences are
necessary, the following procedure
should be followed to help promote a
resolution to the issue of concern. Call
to set up an appointment. If the coach
cannot be reached, call the athletic director. He or she will help facilitate.
Do not attempt to confront a coach before or after a contest or practice.
These can be emotional times for both
the parent and the coach. Meetings of
this nature do not promote resolution.
•
Season Schedule
Provide the student participants
and their parents with a schedule of
games and practices for the upcoming
season. Also, inform the parents as to
when players are expected to arrive at
practices and games and when they will
be available to leave. You may also wish
to provide a list of all the players’ ad-
dresses and phone numbers for the parents.
•
Question and Answer Time
Concluding the meeting with a question-and-answer period will provide parents with an opportunity to raise any
concerns they may have.
Parents can be a great asset for your
program. By offering a pre-season
meeting and setting clear expectations,
you are setting the groundwork needed
for a great season.
Coaches, students and parents should
consult with the athletic director for a
copy of the resources listed above.
Together, let’s “Team Up” for a positive experience. ■
athletics confirmed by survey
A recent survey from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center
for Education Statistics (NCES) confirmed previous case studies conducted by
the National Federation of State High
School Associations (NFHS) indicating
that participants in high school activity
programs attain a higher education level,
get better jobs and are more fit and active
than those students who do not participate
in activity programs.
The NCES examined the status of high
school athletes eight years after their
senior year in high school. Using a sample of individuals who were seniors in
1992, the study provided information on
the educational, labor market and health
status of these individuals in the year
2000.
Among the findings, the survey indicated that high school athletes at the elite
and varsity levels were more likely than
non-athletes to have any postsecondary
education by 2000 and to have earned a
bachelor’s degree by 2000. In addition,
elite athletes were more likely than nonathletes to be employed and employed
full-time in 2000. Those who participated
in high school athletics at the elite and
varsity levels earned a higher income in
1999, when compared to those who did
not participate in high school athletics.
Lastly, high school athletes at all three
levels of participation—elite, varsity and
junior varsity—were more likely than
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
NFHS NEWS/January 2006
non-athletes to participate in physical fitness activities and in group sports/
recreation activities in 2000.
Elite and varsity athletes who were
seniors in 1992 were less likely to be daily
smokers in 2000 than were non-athletes;
however, the research indicated that athletes were more likely to binge drink in
2000 than their non-athletic counterparts.
•No differences were detected in
high school athletic participation
rates between races.
In addition to the general conclusion
that athletic participants had more positive
life outcomes by the year 2000, the survey
indicated that, among athletic participants,
those who participate at the more intense
levels will experience more positive outcomes than those who participate at less
intense levels. As an example, more positive outcomes were indicated for elite athletes (team captains, most valuable players,
etc.) than varsity and junior varsity athletes. Additionally, varsity athletes were
observed to have more positive outcomes
than junior varsity athletes.
•A higher percentage of students in
private high schools reported high
school athletic participation than
students in public schools (72 to 60
percent).
Following are other findings from the
survey data:
•A higher percentage of males than females reported athletic participation (72 to
49 percent).
•A higher percentage of students
from high-socioeconomic status
families reported high school athletic participation than students from
middle—or low—SES families.
•A higher percentage of students
with high test scores reported athletic participation than students with
middle or low scores.
A sample of 9,840 students who
were 10th graders in 1990 and 12th
graders in 1992 was used to produce
the estimates in this report. ■
Page 10
PRINCIPALS’ COMMITTEE ON ATHLETICS
SUMMARY
OF
MEETING
Classical High School, violation of Article 3, Section 5, Missing Transfer Affidavit
On a motion made and seconded, the Principals’ Committee on
The January meeting of the Principals’ Committee on Athletics unanimously voted to impose a fine of $100 for this
Athletics was called to order at 1:40 p.m.
violation.
Executive Director’s Report
The Executive Director’s Report from the December 19, Burrillville High School - appealing violation of Article 3, Sec2005 meeting was approved.
tion 1a, Eligibility List
Treasurer’s Report
The Treasurer’s Report was approved.
On a motion made and seconded, the Principals’ Committee on
Athletics unanimously voted to deny Burrillville High Schools
appeal of a fine of $200 for not submitting the Boys’ BasketCommunications
ball
Eligibility list in accordance with Article 3, Section 1a.
Mr. Mezzanotte referred to several letters, memoranda and
publications placed in each member’s folder or filed in the
LaSalle Academy – Wrestling Rules Violation
League office.
On a motion made and seconded, the Principals’ Committee on
Athletics
ruled that LaSalle Academy used an ineligible athMr. Mezzanotte presented a letter received from Keith Kenlete
in
a
wrestling
match against Coventry High School on
yon, rendering his resignation as Co-Director of Boys’ and
December
21,
2005.
As a result, the ineligible LaSalle athGirls’ Outdoor Track. The Committee accepted his resignalete
forfeited
his
match
and subsequent points and the Lation with regret.
Salle wrestling team lost the match. The school would be
imposed a $100 fine and the coach be suspended for one
STRATEGIC PLAN
league match.
Mr. Mezzanotte reported the following: the Action Planning
Committee will be meeting on Thursday, January 26, 2006.
Following is the timeline: January 2006, write action plans
and edit action plans as needed; March 2006, distribute all
action plans to members of the strategic planning committee
for their review; May 2006, present entire strategic plan to
the Committee; On-going – 2006-07, implement all action
plans as written, monitor implementation of action plans, conduct annual evaluation of action plan implementation and present action plan implementation reports to Strategic Planning
Committee for their review, revise Strategic Plan as needed,
and write new action plans for the next school year.
RULES VIOLATION
A number of schools have not submitted complete sets of
the new 2005 Assumption of Risk Forms. These schools have
been notified. Because this is a new form and all athletes
must complete and submit these forms, schools will be given
some additional time before submitting them to the RIIL
Office.
Cranston High School West, violation of Article 6, Section
5c – Use of Ineligible player/violating the Transfer Rule
On a motion made and seconded, the Principals’ Committee on
Athletics unanimously voted to impose a fine of $100 for this
violation and suspend the Girls’ Basketball coach for one (1)
league game.
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
Middletown High School, violation of Article 3, Section 1a,
Eligibility List-Gymnastics
Middletown High School self-reported a violation of an ineligible gymnast who participated in a meet against Woonsocket
on January 8, 2006, a violation of Article 6, Section 5. The
Principals’ Committee on Athletics moved to table this motion
until further information was presented.
ARTICLE 6, SECTION 6, A: EJECTION FROM A GAME
Mr. Mezzanotte presented a revision of Article 6, Section
6,A, Ejection from the Game-Athlete Ejection. The Committee tabled this revision for further review.
ALIGNMENT UPDATE
Mr. Mezzanotte updated the Committee regarding progress
made on sport re-alignment. To date, all Fall Sports Committees have met or plan to meet before the next monthly
meeting to develop a new alignment for their sport in accordance with the alignment guidelines established by the Principals’ Committee on Athletics.
LEADERSHIP, SPORTSMANSHIP AND CHARACTER: CHAIRMAN,
DAN WARNER, PRINCIPAL OF NARRAGANSETT HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. Warner, Chairman of Leadership, Sportsmanship and
Character Committee, summarized the progress made at his
Committees last meeting. The Committee will meet again on
January 24, 2006.
Page 11
SPRING SPORT SCHEDULES DUE JANUARY 23, 2006
⇒ Baseball, Golf, B/G Lacrosse, Softball (Fastpitch &
Mr. Mezzanotte reminded the Committee that the Spring Slowpitch) and Boys’ Tennis – No report was given.
Schedules are due by January 23.
FALL SPORTS
⇒ Girls’ Soccer, Marie Johnson, Director – all is going well.
⇒ Girls’ Tennis, Denise Boulé, Director – all is going well.
⇒ Girls’ Volleyball, Elaine Botelho, Director – all is going
BEFORE THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED, A MOTION WAS MADE
AND SECONDED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THE COMMITTEE VOTED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ARTICLE 1, SECTION 13, RIIL DUES AND FEES
Mr. Magarian presented to the Principals’ Committee on Athletics a proposal to increase the RIIL League Sport Entry
⇒ Football, Bob Cooney, Director – Football Alignment ComFees (for selected sports) for the 2006-2007 school year.
mittee Meeting tonight 1/23 @ 5:30pm.
The Committee will review the proposal and consider it at the
⇒ Boys’ Soccer, B/G Cross Country, Field Hockey, – no February meeting of the Committee.
well.
report was given.
WINTER SPORTS
⇒ Boys’ & Girls’ Ice Hockey, George Egan, Director – the
Committee commended Mr. Egan for his work in rescheduling
the games from the Cranston Rink to other rinks throughout
the state. Great job!
⇒ Gymnastics, Kelli Murphy-Doorley, North Kingstown Gymnastics Coach, reported to the Committee in place of Melissa
Gendreau, Director of Gymnastics. Mrs. Doorley conveyed to
the Committee the problems expressed by numerous gymnastics coaches regarding the Dual Participation Rule (Article 7,
Section 6). After lengthy discussion, the Principals’ Committee on Athletics encouraged all gymnastics coaches and
schools to adhere to the rule (Article 7, Section 6) as it presently exists. Gymnasts must comply with the RIIL Loyalty
rules (Article 7, Section 6) and must attend team practices
and matches unless granted a waiver by the principal and athletic director.
HEARINGS
3:30 pm
Rachel Ferri – Cranston High School West
Waiver of Article 3, Section 5, The Transfer Rule.
Appealing a decision of Waiver Committee.
Motion to grant waiver: 3-9-0 (denied)
The Committee then adopted the following closing motion:
THAT ANY AND ALL MOTIONS, AMENDMENTS AND ACTIONS BY THE
PRINCIPALS’ COMMITTEE ON ATHLETICS AND THE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE PRINCIPALS’ COMMITTEE ON ATHLETICS TO THIS
DATE BE REAFFIRMED AND RATIFIED.
The January meeting of the Principals’ Committee on Athletics was adjourned at 4:35 P.M.
⇒ B/G Basketball, B/G Indoor Track, Swimming and
Wrestling – no report was given.
SPRING SPORTS
⇒ Boys’ Volleyball, Don Kavanagh, Director.
Tolman High
School requested to move to Division II in Boys’ Volleyball. As a result, Mr. Kavanagh presented a revised alignment moving both Tolman and Westerly to Division II and
adding a new team Tiverton High School to Division II.
On a motion made and seconded, the Principals’ Committee on
Athletics voted 8-3 approving this new Boys’ Volleyball alignment.
⇒ Boys’ and Girls’ Outdoor Track, Bob Littlefield, Director. Mr. Littlefield and Mr. Mezzanotte reported that
the Outdoor Track Committee would table its plans to
initiate co-ed meets this spring. The Track Committee
would continue this discussion during the realignment
process.
RIIL February 2006 Monthly Bulletin
Page 12
Mission Statement
The Mission of the Rhode Island Interscholastic
League is to provide educational opportunities for
students through interscholastic athletics and to provide governance and leadership for its member
schools in the implementation of
athletic programs.
National Affiliation
The Rhode Island Interscholastic League is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations,
which consists of the state high school associations of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and all provinces of Canada are affiliate members.
The objectives of the National Federation of State High School Associations are to:
•
serve, protect, and enhance the interstate activity interests of the high schools belonging to the
state associations;
•
assist in those activities of the state associations which can best be operated on a nationwide
scale;
•
sponsor meetings, publications, and activities which will permit each state association to profit
by the experience of all other member associations;
•
coordinate the work so duplication will be minimized;
•
formulate, copyright, and publish rules of play or event conduct pertaining to interscholastic
activities;
•
preserve interscholastic athletic records, and the tradition and heritage of interscholastic sports;
•
provide programs, services, material and assistance to state associations, high schools and
individual professionals involved in the conduct and administration of interscholastic activities;
•
study in general all phases of interscholastic activities and serve as a national resource for
information pertaining thereto;
•
identify needs and problems related to interscholastic activities and where practical provide
solutions thereto; and
•
promote the educational values of interscholastic activities to the nation’s public.
a monthly publication
of the
Rhode Island Interscholastic League