MSHSL Fall 2011 Bulletin by Howard Voigt

Volume 81, Issue 1, Fall 2011

THE BULLETIN Official Publication of the Minnesota State High School League 2100 Freeway Boulevard Brooklyn Center, MN 55430-1735 763-560-2262 http://www.MSHSL.org Information within this Bulletin may be reprinted only with the permission of the MSHSL.

Volume 81, Issue 1 Fall 2011 Editorial Staff Editor: Howard W. Voigt Assistant Editor: Ellen Rajkowski Contributing Editors: David Stead Kevin Merkle Lisa Lissimore Craig Perry Jody Redman John Millea Rich Matter Chris Franson Board of Directors Regions 1-2A Scott McCready, St. Charles Regions 3-4A Chris Laird, Heritage Christian Academy Regions 5-6A Rick Bleichner, Breckenridge Regions 7-8A Mike Kolness, Ada-Borup Regions 1-2AA Mark Fredericksen, Waconia Regions 3-4AA Mike Manning, Rosemount Regions 5-6AA John Soma, Edina Regions 7-8AA Perry Aadland, Chisago Lakes Area State School Boards Assn. Roz Peterson, Lakeville Walter Hautala, Mesabi East MN Assn. of Secondary Principals John Hamann, Underwood Luanne Wagner, St. Francis Boys Sports Mark Solberg, Cambridge-Isanti Girls Sports Mindy Sparby, Belle Plaine MN Music Educators Assn. Lane Powell, Fillmore Central Speech Assn. of MN Jill Lofald, Duluth Denfeld Governor's Appointees Kim Algoo, Shakopee Mike Rusinko, Eden Prairie Laurie Esau, Orono

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Printed by Carlson Print Group 7490 Golden Triangle Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344 The MSHSL Bulletin is published in Fall, Winter and Spring and is designed to meet the needs of the 525 member Schools.

League Office Personnel The Minnesota State High School League Office has been established to provide special services to the member schools. Listed below are the office personnel: Extension / Voice Mailbox Executive Director - David Stead ........................ 480 Executive Assistant - Lynne Johnson ........... 490 Associate Director - Jody Redman ..................... 481 Administrative Assistant - Amie Symens ...... 491 Associate Director - Kevin Merkle ...................... 484 Administrative Assistant - Amanda Johnson 494 Officials Coordinator- Katie Vanderpoel ........ 496 Associate Director - Craig Perry ......................... 482 Administrative Assistant - Susi Hollenbeck ... 492 Associate Director - Lisa Lissimore .................... 483 Administrative Assistant - Sheila Robinson .. 493 Director of Information - Howard W. Voigt .......... 485 Assistant - Ellen Rajkowski ........................... 542 Assistant Director - Richard Matter ..................... 497 Accounting Assistant - Sharon Bahma ......... 541 Ticketing Assistant - Nancy Myers ................ 487 Assistant Director - Chris Franson ...................... 488 Web Site Coordinator - Nancy Etter .............. 551 Technology Assistant - Tracie Bressler ........ 552 Media Specialist - John Millea ............................ 554 Program Specialist - Amy Doherty ..................... 495 Office Manager - Kristi Vesall ............................. 489 Administrative Assistant - Yvonne Walsh ..... 486 Receptionist - Ann Bailey .............................. 540

When calling the League Office (763-560-2262), direct your requests to staff persons as designated: Accounts Payable .............................................................. Sharon Bahma Accounts Receivable ......................................................... Yvonne Walsh Activity / Late Registrations ................................................ Chris Franson Activity Section Assignments ............................................. Chris Franson Administrative Regions ........................................................... Dave Stead Archive Information ........................................................ Howard W. Voigt Athletic / Activity Director Advisory Committee ................... Kevin Merkle Board of Directors Information ............................................... Dave Stead Camps and Clinics .................................................................. Craig Perry Charter Officials Associations .............................................. Kevin Merkle Chemical Rule Interpretations ............................................... Craig Perry Cooperative Sponsorship ................................................. Lynne Johnson Debate & Music Judges ..................................................... Chris Franson Debate Judge & Music Judge Registrations ......................... Nancy Etter ExCEL Program ................................................................. Lisa Lissimore Fine Arts Rules Interp. (Debate & Music) .......................... Chris Franson Fine Arts Rules Interp. (One Act & Visual Arts) ................ Chris Franson Fine Arts Rules Interp. (Speech) ....................................... Chris Franson Gender Equity ......................................................................... Dave Stead General Information on MSHSL ............................................. Dave Stead Hall of Fame ....................................................................... Lisa Lissimore Insurance ................................................................................ Rich Matter Interstate Sanctions ................................................................ Dave Stead League Publications ...................................................... Howard W. Voigt Marketing and Promotions ................................................ Lisa Lissimore Membership Information .................................................. Lynne Johnson News Media Services .................................................... Howard W. Voigt Non-School Competition ........................................................ Craig Perry Office Management ................................................................ Kristi Vesall Officials Program .................................................................. Kevin Merkle One Act Play Judge Registrations ......................................... Nancy Etter One Act Play Judges .......................................................... Chris Franson PSAs and TV Visuals .................................................... Howard W. Voigt Registration of Officials ................................................ Katie Vanderpoel Results and Records ..................................................... Howard W. Voigt Rulebooks, Supplies, Awards ........................................... Yvonne Walsh Rules Interpretation Meetings ...................................... Katie Vanderpoel School Eligibility ...................................................................... Craig Perry Speech Judges .................................................................. Chris Franson Speech Judge Registrations .................................................. Nancy Etter Sports Medicine Advisory Committee .................................... Craig Perry Sportsmanship Program ................................................... Lisa Lissimore Spotlight on Scholarship Program .................................... Lisa Lissimore Student Ejections ..................................................................... Ann Bailey Student Eligibility .................................................................... Craig Perry Supplemental Allowances ...................................................... Kristi Vesall TEAM UP Advisory Committee .......................................... Jody Redman TEAM UP Program ............................................................. Jody Redman Ticket Assistant .................................................................... Nancy Myers Triple “A” Award .................................................................. Jody Redman Web Site Development ....................................................... Chris Franson Web Site Assistance ............................................................... Nancy Etter

Activity Rule Interpretations, Coach Incidents Reports, and Activity Advisory Committees

The MSHSL Logo is a registered mark of the organization and use in any manner is prohibited unless prior approval is obtained from the League.

Schedule of Board of Directors Meetings October 6 ................................. MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center December 1 ............................. MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center February 2 ................................ MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center April 5 ....................................... MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center June 11 .................................... MSHSL Office Brooklyn Center Representative Assembly Meeting TBD ............... Edinburgh USA, Brooklyn Park

Adapted Athletics (Bowling, Floor Hockey, Soccer, Softball) .. Rich Matter Alpine Skiing / Boys’ & Girls’ .................................................. Rich Matter Badminton / Girls’ .............................................................. Lisa Lissimore Baseball ................................................................................. Kevin Merkle Basketball / Boys’ ................................................................. Kevin Merkle Basketball / Girls’ ............................................................... Lisa Lissimore Cheerleaders ...................................................................... Jody Redman Cross Country Running / Boys’ & Girls’ ............................ Lisa Lissimore Dance Team / Girls’ .............................................................. Kevin Merkle Debate ................................................................................. Chris Franson Football .................................................................................. Kevin Merkle Golf / Boys’ & Girls’ ................................................................. Dave Stead Gymnastics / Girls’ .............................................................. Jody Redman Ice Hockey / Boys’ & Girls’ ..................................................... Craig Perry Lacrosse / Boys' & Girls’ ........................................................ Rich Matter Music ................................................................................... Chris Franson Nordic Ski Racing / Boys’ & Girls’ .......................................... Rich Matter One Act Play ....................................................................... Chris Franson Soccer / Boys’ & Girls’ ........................................................ Jody Redman Softball / Girls’ .................................................................... Lisa Lissimore Speech ................................................................................ Chris Franson Swimming and Diving / Boys’ & Girls’ ............................... Lisa Lissimore Synchronized Swimming / Girls’ ....................................... Lisa Lissimore Tennis / Boys’ & Girls’ ............................................................ Craig Perry Track & Field / Boys’ & Girls’ .............................................. Jody Redman Visual Arts ........................................................................... Chris Franson Volleyball / Girls’ ................................................................. Jody Redman Wrestling ................................................................................. Craig Perry

Inside This Issue Dave’s Dialogue

It’s How We Treat People ............................................................................................................................ 2

News and F eatures Features

To Mark 100 Years 3 League Of Basketball Tournaments Minneota, Breck School, Eden Prairie Win Challenge Cups ............................. 4 Announces Support 6 League For Robotics Competition

Schools Reimbursed $625,000+ For Tournament Expenses .......... 7 Student Participation Shows Slight Increase ............................ 8 Extending Its 13 GrandStadium Coverage, Student Participation

Viking 10 Former Randall

New Policies In Effect For Seeding Section Tournaments ......................... 14

Athletic Activities

Class AAAAAA Football Format Finalized For 2012 ................................ 16

McDaniel Inducted Into National High School Hall Of Fame

Runner Honored 17Andover For Helping Injured Competitor

Officials 2010-11 Service Awards Presented .............. 26 Also

Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes ........ 29 2011-12 Calendars Of State Events, Meetings ..................... 31

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Student Eligibility 100 Series Bylaws Updated ............................ 18 Two Tracks of Coaches Education Available For Learning ..................................... 20 New Concussion Law In Effect ....................... 21 Study Finds Repeated Non-Concussive Blows Equally As Dangerous ..................................... 21

Fall 2011 Bulletin

Dave’s Dialogue

It’s how we treat people By Dave Stead Executive Director

ntil September 10, 2011, the amazing story about Zach Gabbard, a basketball player at Perham High School who collapsed on the court in a game against Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton on January 20, 2011, was, perhaps, the most widely talked about event in the athletic community. I’m sure that nearly all of you will recall the incident, and thanks to the emergency action plan in place at D-G-F, a defibrillator was used on Zach as medical personnel attended to him on court and later as emergency crews rushed him to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, N.D. Minnesotans everywhere saw and read portions of Zach’s story throughout the winter in John’s Journal on the League website and in other news reports that updated and highlighted his progress. And who can forget Zach’s emotional reunion with his teammates and community members in Williams Arena as Zach spoke with his team and was then wheeled onto the court to join the Yellowjackets in the Class AA quarterfinal game of the state basketball tournament? Perham continued on to win the Class AA state championship. But that’s not the story. The real story lies in the support Zach received from his own Perham community, the D-G-F community, and hundreds of other individuals and teams throughout Minnesota who put winning aside and understood the value of a community larger than their own. The real story includes teams that collected money to help pay medical bills. There are stories like the one in North Branch where bus drivers who heard about Zach spontaneously dug into their own pockets to donate money for his coaches to buy gas for their car travel to Minneapolis. The state high school coaches association donated money from their Coaches Helping Coaches campaign. And it lies in the hearts, prayers, and support of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Minnesotans who aren’t just “above average” as Garrison Keillor says. Rather, they’re truly exceptional. There have been other equally important, perhaps lesser known, stories about student athletes, communities united to support families, and humanitarian outreach efforts. However, the following are ones that quickly come to mind. Rachel Sandell was in her senior year at Duluth East High School when she received her liver cancer diagnosis. She and her mom were on their way to Reno, Nevada, for treatment at the same time her team was playing in the State Hockey Tournament. Thanks to KSTC-TV Channel 45 and GrandStadium.tv, Rachel was able to stay connected to her friends on the ice and in the stands at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. But that’s not the story. As the Class AA quarterfinal game progressed, and especially when there was a lull in the action, everyone in attendance heard the chant, “Rachel! Rachel! We love Rachel!” The Duluth East students knew they would be on television, which gave them the perfect opportunity to let a friend know they were supporting her, and they used the televised and webcast hockey game to do so. They were successful. Jessa Kohlhaas, a friend and fellow senior, eagerly shared with League staff how they wanted Rachel to know how much they cared for her and missed her. Earlier that week, Duluth East High School held a pep assembly before the hockey team left for the state tournament. It was reported that the celebration was dedicated to Rachel; and as her friend, Jessa, explained, “Basically, as a community at East and around Duluth we’re trying to show her and her family support. Financially, emotionally, whatever they need we’re just trying to show that we love them, we care about them and we’re behind them 100 percent.” Duluth East beat White Bear Lake 4-3 in double overtime. After the game the Greyhounds goaltender, JoJo Jeanetta, said, “It was a really sad story when Rachel was diagnosed, but it’s amazing to see how well she’s dealing with it and to see our whole school get behind her. We’re playing for each other and for her.”

Dave Stead

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, now Minnesota’s governor, read about Laura’s story in the Star Tribune and later explained, “That day something just grabbed me. I said, ‘I can do something about this and make it happen.’” John Millea, now the League’s media specialist, was working as a sports writer for the Star Tribune when he learned about Laura Griffiths, a senior basketball player from Cherry High School who was diagnosed with a heart condition that required surgery. Her family had no health insurance. But that’s not the story. John had been in contact with the Griffiths family and wrote about her diagnosis. Suddenly, the family learned that Laura’s surgery had been scheduled at the University of Minnesota Children’s HospitalFairview. Former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, now Minnesota’s governor, read about Laura’s story in the Star Tribune and later explained, “That day something just grabbed me. I said, ‘I can do something about this and make it happen.’” Kolby Gruhot, a 2008 graduate of Stephen-Argyle High School, played football for the Storm his entire career. His teams were fortunate to have claimed the 9-Man championship four times, and the team had an overall record of 53-0 during his playing days. But that’s not the story. Kolby was injured in a farm accident when he was three years old, and he played his entire career with a prosthetic left leg. His community and school’s philosophy of inclusiveness supported Kolby in every way, and nothing could speak louder to affirm him and his family than the message his community shared with them every day. I was at a meeting with my colleagues from other Midwest state high school associations when Joel Maturi announced Jerry Kill as the new football coach for the Minnesota Gophers. As I shared the news, Gary Musselman, my colleague from Kansas said, “You’ve got a good one. He’s a Kansas guy with roots in high school football. And, he’s as solid as they come. Minnesota will love him.” Marty Hickman from Illinois said, “I’ve watched him at Southern Illinois and at Northern Illinois. He’s the real deal.” I met Coach Kill when he spoke at a meeting of the Twin Cities Dunkers on Feb. 22, 2011. You’ve certainly heard that he is a cancer survivor, and I’m sure you’ve also read or heard about his down-tothe-basics approach to coaching and to life. His comments captured nearly everyone at the meeting, and after his talk I stopped to

Fall 2011 Bulletin

See People on Page 3

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News & Features

League to mark 100 years of basketball tournaments

he 2012 basketball tournaments mark an important milestone in League history — 100 years of high school basketball tournaments. The first tournament, an invitational, was held in 1913 at Carleton College in Northfield. Fosston High School won the 13-team tourney defeating Mountain Lake 29-27 in the championship game. Carleton College sponsored the high school tournament through 1916, when the League took it over and later moved it to Minneapolis, implemented a qualifying format with districts/ regions, and sponsored tournaments for both girls and boys. Centennial Festivities As part of the tournament centennial celebration, the League and its broadcast partner, KSTC-TV Channel 45, will focus feature stories about some of the greatest moments in the history of the girls’ and boys’ state

content, basketball commemorative tournaments. A merchandise, and panel of special programs basketball and displays at aficionados met the state girls’ in August to and boys’ identify the best basketball games, tournaments. greatest League staff is players, best encouraging finishes, top member schools coaches, best to get involved in shots and greatest the Basketball teams. The League Centennial and Channel 45 will Celebration by: feature the “best of” ● Sharing during the broadcasts tournament of each tournament. memorabilia The that could be Centennial displayed Planning The during the Committee is first tournament, tournaments moving trophies, forward with an invitational, was — uniforms, balls, other activities newspaper that include a held in 1913 at clippings, audio commemorative publication, Carleton College in recording, films or special League Northfield. videotapes. If website

you have something of interest, please contact Lisa Lissimore or Kevin Merkle at the League office. ● Working with your local newspapers and encouraging them to write stories about your community’s state tournament experience and submit the article to the League. This is a special opportunity to recognize and build on these success stories. TV and radio stations can conduct interviews with past tournament participants — players, coaches and others in your community who have a unique story about the tournaments. ● Creating your own celebration and recognition of past tournament participants or team champions. ● Hosting a team reunion at the state tournaments. Special arrangements are being made with the Target Center to make suites available for past championship teams. The greatest way to celebrate this milestone — attend the tournaments in March.

People ................................................................................. continued from Page 2 introduce myself and welcome him to Minnesota on behalf of the League. As we stood together, he looked me squarely in the eye as I talked about the League and football in particular and said, “If you ever need anything, just give me a call.” Lots of people say that but forget their words a few seconds after they’ve been spoken. I had the feeling then, and it remains today, that his invitation was sincere. Chip Scoggins, a sports writer for the Star Tribune, wrote an article for the Sept. 9, 2011, paper about Kill and the 2011 season-opening football game at TCF Bank Stadium against New Mexico State. The game was important to the story, but the focus was on Kill’s outreach to Mia Gerold, a 10-year-old who had undergone cancer radiation treatments for an inoperable brain stem tumor. Kill learned about Mia from Gophers offensive lineman Josh Campion, who had volunteered at Mia’s school, heard about her story, and talked with Coach Kill. Kill called the school and arranged to meet Mia. Scoggins wrote, “The two just ‘clicked’ from the start, Mia said. They talked about their battles with cancer and everyday life. Kill loved her bubbly personality and her spunk.” Scoggins continued by writing, “She (Mia) knows she can always call Kill and he’ll drop everything to help her. Kill was hired to win games, and graduate players, but he wants to be measured by more than that. ‘If I can help somebody here on this Earth, that’s what I’m here for,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t tell you my won-loss record right now if you ask me. I don’t care. God doesn’t care how many games we win. He doesn’t care who wins on Saturday. But he does care how we treat people.’” Now, that’s the story. Little did anyone know that the enthusiasm of thousands of fans on a beautiful fall afternoon would be silenced with 20 seconds left in the game when Coach Kill suddenly collapsed on the sideline. The trainers and doctors rushed to Kills’ side, assistant coaches gathered players together, and throughout the stadium and on the sidelines people

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“If I can help somebody here on this Earth, that’s what I’m here for. I couldn’t tell you my won-loss record right now if you ask me. I don’t care. God doesn’t care how many games we win. He doesn’t care who wins on Saturday. But he does care how we treat people.” bowed in prayer. The outcome of the game had become insignificant as compared to the life being attended to in the face of significant trauma. As Coach Kill was wheeled out of the stadium, the student section began, soon to be followed by other parts of the stadium, chanting “Jerry…Jerry…Jerry.” This story was played out on television and in front of a worldwide audience, through comments from his players, and in reports from university officials. But the real story on Sept. 10, 2011, and the yet untold stories throughout our high school communities, has its roots in Kill’s comment, which was captured in the article Chip Scoggins wrote that day. We’re judged by “how we treat people.” The truly important life lessons and success stories are not the ones measured by contest wins and losses. Rather, they are the ones measured by lives truly changed in and through athletic and fine arts participations. Kill had it exactly right, and so did Perham and Dilworth-GlyndonFelton and Duluth East and Cherry High School and people everywhere who connected with one another in circumstances like the ones above and in everyday efforts in schools and communities throughout our state. How we treat others is the real story. Way to go Minnesotans.

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News & Features

Minneota, Breck School, Eden Prairie win Challenge Cups By Lisa Lissimore Associate Director

den Prairie High School and Breck School of Golden Valley are repeat winners in the 2010-11 Challenge Cup competition and Minneota High School is a first-time Cup winner. The Challenge Cup is a statewide, yearlong competition among League member schools. Schools earn points for their success in post-season athletic and fine arts tournaments. The school earning the most points at the end of the year in each classification — A, AA and AAA — receives the traveling Challenge Cup. This year marks the first time the award is presented to schools from three different classes. Previously there were two classes and only two Cup winners. We modified the scoring system last fall as it relates to team and individual sports and added another class to increase school participation. We congratulate Minneota, Breck and Eden Prairie for winning the Challenge Cup in their respective classes. Defending Cup champion Eden Prairie has won the award five times in eight years. The Eagles won the Class AA Cup previously in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010, and this year’s Class AAA Cup. They were runners-up in 2007. This past school year they participated in 23 state tournaments and earned 829 Challenge Cup points. The Eagles won team championships in girls’ cross country running, boys’ hockey, girls’ soccer and had individual champions in boys’ track and field (triple jump), boys’ swimming and diving (200-yard medley relay and 100-yard butterfly), and girls’ swimming and diving (100-yard butterfly, 200-yard medley relay and 100-yard backstroke).One Eden Prairie swimmer, Rachel Bootsma, set a national record in the

Previous Challenge Cup winners include St. Cloud Cathedral—2004 and 2006; Eden Prairie—2006, 2008 2009 and 2010; Lakeville—2004 and 2005; The Blake School—2005, 2007 and 2009; Wayzata— 2007; Perham—2008 and Breck School of Golden Valley—2010.

100-yard backstroke with a time of 51.31 (previous mark was 51.85). Repeat Challenge Cup winner Breck School scored 340 points to win the Class AA Cup, having won last year’s Class A Cup. The Mustangs participated in nine state tournaments and finished first in a variety of team/individual events including girls’ golf (individual champion), boys’ tennis (team and singles), boys’ swimming and diving (100-yard backstroke and 200-yard medley relay), and girls’ track and field (4x200-meter relay, 400meter dash and 4x400-meter relay). Breck School also earned points in girls’ gymnastics, girls’ swimming and diving, and both the girls’ and boys’ hockey tournaments. Minneota is the new Class A Challenge Cup winner with 161 points. With an enrollment of 160 students, the Vikings competed in six state tournaments and finished as high as third in football, wrestling, and girls’ volleyball. Other points came from runners in the boys’ and girls’ state cross country running meet and three individual wrestlers who placed third in that tournament. This is the school’s first Cup. Other schools finishing in the top five of the 2010-11 Challenge Cup race: Class AAA — Wayzata (707 points), Apple Valley (484 points), Edina (444 points), and Stillwater (397 points); Class AA — St. Cloud Cathedral (336); The Blake School of Minneapolis (290), Rochester Lourdes (286), and Perham (284); Class A — Springfield (140), Adrian (106), Maranatha Christian Academy of Brooklyn Park (93) and Lanesboro (91). The Challenge Cup is sponsored by Wells Fargo, the League’s premier corporate sponsor. For a complete list of all the schools that earned Challenge Cup points for the 2010-11 school year, visit the League website at www.MSHSL.org, click on the Recognition tab and then click on the Challenge Cup link.

Challenge Cup Modifications Scoring modifications In sports scored by the results of individual athletes such as track and field and swimming and diving, schools will receive points for each individual medalist only. No team points will be awarded. Sports such as tennis, skiing, gymnastics, cross country running, and golf will continue to get both individual and team points because the tournament is structured as a team competition and an individual competition.

Classification Change A third classification was added so three schools now will have the opportunity to win the Cup. The breakdown will group schools by enrollment as follows: ● Class AAA — The largest 96 schools ● Class AA — The next 175 schools ● Class A — The remaining schools.

Fall 2011 Bulletin

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News & Features

League recognition program profiles By Lisa Lissimore Associate Director

e’re counting on you to nominate members from your community – students, coaches, fine arts directors and contest officials – for the following League-sponsored recognition programs. For nomination forms and additional information about these programs, go to the League website at www.MSHSL.org, click on the Recognition tab and then click on the link for the program you’re interested in.

ExCEL Award This program recognizes students for community service, academic achievement, and leadership. Eligibility requirements: 1) a junior in high school; 2) making satisfactory progress toward graduation requirements; 3) participation in a League-sponsored fine arts or athletic activity; and 4) hold a leadership position in school and work voluntarily in their community. Schools can nominate one boy and one girl for this award program, which is now in its 16th year. Nominations are accepted through the third week in December. Award recipients are selected through a multilevel process that involves League member schools and an independent panel of judges from schools throughout Minnesota. More than 3,000 students have been recognized with this award program.

Academics, Arts, and Athletics Award Commonly known as the Triple A Award, this 23-year old program honors high school seniors throughout the state who have a 3.0 or higher grade point average and who participate in a League-sponsored athletic and fine arts activities. Triple A Award winners (4 total) receive a four-year $1,000 scholarship. Scholarship winners are announced during the

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State Boys’ Basketball Tournament in March. Schools can nominate one boy and one girl for the Triple A Awards. Nominations must reach administrative region Lisa Lissimore committees in January. More than 11,000 students have been recognized through this program.

Hall of Fame Established in 1991 and housed at the League office, members of the Hall of Fame are selected through a multi-level process that includes the League’s member schools and a committee of athletic, fine arts, and educational leaders. Nominations are solicited in nine categories: athlete, coach, official, administrator, fine arts participant/director/ adjudicator, activity/athletic director, and contributor (someone who has made outstanding contributions to high school activities in some capacity other than those previously mentioned including such areas as sports medicine and sports media). All candidates for the Hall of Fame must be at least 35 years of age. They may be retired from their field or still active. Nominations are accepted year-round. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is held in May of oddnumbered years. Challenge Cup Created in 2003, the Challenge Cup is a statewide, year-long competition among League member schools. Schools earn points throughout the year for their success in postseason athletic and fine arts tournaments. The school earning the most points at the end of the year in each classification --A, AA, and AAA †receives the traveling Challenge Cup. Challenge Cup point totals are posted on the League’s website following each series of tournaments -- fall, winter, spring.

Fall 2011 Bulletin

Spotlight on Scholarship This year-round recognition program honors students for outstanding academic performance in two distinct ways: individually and collectively. Through the Spotlight on Scholarship program, the League provides certificates to every athlete and fine arts participant in the state who has a “B” or better grade average. In addition to honoring students for their individual efforts, the Spotlight on Scholarship program also recognizes and rewards fine arts and athletic teams that collectively achieve a 3.0 or higher grade average. The League awards Spotlight on Scholarship banners to qualifying schools.

Created in 2003, the Challenge Cup is a statewide, year-long competition among League member schools. Schools earn points throughout the year for their success in post-season athletic and fine arts tournaments. 5

News & Features

League announces support for robotics competition Photographs by Howard W. Voigt / MSHSL

By Amy Doherty Program Specialist

ecognizing the importance of science and math extracurricular activities, the League recently announced that its Board of Directors has voted to partner with FIRST — For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — in supporting robotics competitions. The announcement was made by Executive Director Dave Stead at a news conference on the grounds of the Minnesota State Fair in conjunction with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Day at the Fair. U.S. Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota also spoke about the importance of STEM education at the announcement news conference. This new partnership will make the FIRST Robotics Competition, which has 131 teams throughout Minnesota, more mainstream in Minnesota’s high schools by giving it the status and statewide cohesiveness of other popular extracurricular activities. In a broader sense, it will help FIRST to realize its vision of a world in which young people dream of becoming our future science and technology leaders. Minnesota is well poised to make FIRST Robotics Competition

League Program Specialist Amy Doherty made comments when the League’s support for FIRST Robotics Competition was announced at the 2011 Minnesota State Fair. Doherty will oversee the robotics competition for the League. a mainstream program because it has the fourth-largest state contingent of teams in the nation and hosts the largest of the more than 50 FIRST Robotics

Minnesota U.S. Sen. Al Franken pledged his support for the robotics competition. He is proposing legislation that will fund continuing education for teachers who mentor the students.

Competition regional events. This event consistently fills Williams and Mariucci Arenas on the University of Minnesota campus with a combined total of 123 teams. In its partnership, the League will promote the FIRST Robotics Competition among Minnesota high schools, support a state championship for which teams qualify at FIRST Robotics Competition regional competitions in March, and provide teams the same prominence of other League

activities within their schools. FIRST will continue to provide teams with the annual challenge, will oversee procedures, and will host the regional competitions. The state tournament is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 19, although more information will be available on the League’s website and through FIRST in the coming months. The FIRST Robotics Competition is a high school level program of FIRST, a 501(c)(3) See Robotics on Page 7

The League will promote the FIRST Robotics Competition among Minnesota high schools, support a state championship for which teams qualify at FIRST Robotics Competition regional competitions in March, and provide teams the same prominence of other League activities within their schools. The state tournament is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 19. 6

Fall 2011 Bulletin

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News & Features

Schools reimbursed $625,000+ for tournament expenses By Rich Matter Assistant Director

or the fiscal year ending July 31, 2011, the League Board of Directors approved more than $625,000 in school expense reimbursements to member schools. This amount is greater than the 10-year average reimbursed to member schools. The Board has set an annual goal of $500,000 for school expense reimbursements. For the 2010-2011 school year that goal was exceeded by 25 percent. Continued support from corporate sponsors, a long-term television contract, and strong tournament tickets sales account for the excess reimbursement. More than 73 percent of the League’s member’s schools shared in the reimbursement. The average reimbursement per school was approximately $1,742. This reimbursement helps tournament teams offset expenses related to transportation, hotel accommodations, and mealrelated costs. An expense

More than 73 percent of the League’s member’s schools shared in the reimbursement. The average reimbursement per school was approximately $1,742. reimbursement formula determines the amounts each school receives. The formula

takes into consideration the number of days a school participates in the tournament,

10-Year Comparison of School Expense Reimbursements for Tournament Participation 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

No. of Schools 359 360 357 364 365 360 365 372 368 359

Total Returned 476,296 256,233 669,084 671,022 600,689 692,930 870,259 680,812 418,804 625,388

Avg. Per School 1,326 712 1,874 1,843 1,645 1,925 2,384 1,830 1,138 1,742

the number of participants on the official squad, and the number of miles from the tournament site. The school expense reimbursement plan has been in place for the past 19 years. For a more detailed description of the school expense reimbursement policy, see the Rules and Policy Manual on the League Web site — www.MSHSL.org. Annual audit to begin soon The Office of the State Auditor will soon be conducting the League’s annual financial audit. An Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended July 31, 2011, will be distributed to each member school upon completion of the audit. If you have questions or need additional financial information, contact me at 763-560-2262 or email: rmatter@mshsl.org.

Robotics .............................................................................. continued from Page 6

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2011. Minnesota’s FIRST Robotics Competition has grown from just two to 131 teams during the past five years.

The Minnesota State High School League is excited to begin this partnership with FIRST Robotics, and to be witness to the

Washburn High School students were among the first to demonstrate their robots at the Fair, showing how their machines are used to stack inflated rings during a limited amount of time. Different schools demonstrated their machines each day of the Fair.

Fall 2011 Bulletin

amazing feats that the high school robotics teams can achieve.

Photographs by Howard W. Voigt / MSHSL

educational non-profit based in Manchester, New Hampshire. Dubbed a “varsity sport for the mind,” FRC combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams of 25 students or more are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program a robot to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors. It’s as close to “real world” engineering that a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team. FIRST was founded by Segway inventor Dean Kamen in 1989 to inspire America’s young people to pursue future careers in science and technology by creating the same levels of fun, recognition, and celebration that students experience from participating on major high school athletic teams. The FIRST Robotics Competition has 2,072 teams nationwide and completed its 20th season in

News & Features

Student participation shows slight increase T

he total number of student competitive athletics participations reported for the 2010-2011 school year increased slightly compared to the 2009-2010 school year. However, it is very important to note that the League’s participation figures are always best “guess-timates.” Best “guess-timates” are formulated based on the number of schools that reported participation figures (only 65 to 70 percent) compared to the number of schools that reported nothing. The total number of participations (duplicated

COMPETITIVE ATHLETIC ACTIVITY Adapted Bowling – CI (Co-ed) Adapted Bowling – PI (Co-ed) Adapted Floor Hockey - CI (Co-ed) Adapted Floor Hockey - PI (Co-ed) Adapted Soccer - CI (Co-ed) Adapted Soccer - PI (Co-ed) Adapted Softball - CI (Co-ed) Adapted Softball - PI (Co-ed) Badminton, Girls’ Baseball Basketball, Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ Cross Country Running, Boys’ Cross Country Running, Girls’ Dance Team, Girls’ – Jazz Dance Team, Girls’ – High Kick Football - 11-Man Football - 9-Man Football - Total Golf, Boys’ Golf, Girls’ Gymnastics, Girls’ Hockey, Boys’ Hockey, Girls’ Lacrosse, Boys’ Lacrosse, Girls’ Skiing, Boys’ Alpine Skiing, Girls’ Alpine Ski Racing, Boys’ Nordic Ski Racing, Girls’ Nordic Soccer, Boys’ Soccer Girls’ Softball, Girls’ Fast-Pitch Swimming and Diving, Boys’ Swimming and Diving, Girls’ Synchronized Swimming, Girls’ Tennis, Boys’ Tennis, Girls’ Track and Field, Boys’ Track and Field, Girls’ Volleyball, Girls’ Wrestling TOTAL PARTICIPATIONS

participants) for 2010-2011 was 223,545, an increase of about 1.7 percent, compared to 219,780 participations for 2009-2010. Girls (3,716) accounted for the greatest portion of the overall increase of 3,765. Football remains the activity involving the most boys — 26,151. The total number of football teams declined by seven 9-man teams and four 11-man teams, from 395 total teams to 384. The next highest participation sports for boys are track and field (16,101), basketball (13,468), and baseball (13,449). Schools 36 25 51 59 64 48 64 48 17 427 462 457 338 338 160 169 360 80

Teams 32 24 14 17 19 11 43 36 17 373 428 420 291 290 149 157 318 66

376 359 181 270 243 68 76 111 114 111 113 238 219 418 141 194 21 191 225 426 431 451 340

340 324 140 158 124 54 60 78 78 95 98 191 185 369 123 150 14 169 200 352 355 415 248

2010-2011 Boys 163 55 188 108 153 64 199 81

Track and field is the sport involving the greatest number of girls — 15,283 in 2010-2011 on 355 teams. The next highest participation sports for girls are volleyball (14,910), fast-pitch softball (11,500), and basketball (11,144). The number of schools sponsoring non-competitive cheerleading continued to decline. Nine fewer schools (232) sponsored the activity in 20102011. League member schools submit their rosters at the beginning of each season and the figures reflect participation by

8,165

15,283 14,910 24

Total 287 86 288 165 231 113 328 139 593 13,458 13,468 11,144 6,451 4,952 3,832 4,431 24,083 2,068 26,151 6,037 4,188 2,372 5,640 3,672 2,929 3,032 975 773 1,704 2,084 8,907 8,117 11,500 3,828 5,292 399 5,176 6,320 16,101 15,283 14,910 8,189

119,992

103,553

223,545

13,449 13,468 6,451

24,083 2,068 6,037 5,640 2,929 975 1,704 8,907 3,828 5,176 16,101

Girls 124 31 100 57 78 49 129 58 593 9 11,144 4,952 3,832 4,431

4,188 2,372 3,672 3,032 773 2,084 8,117 11,500 5,292 399 6,320

Fall 2011 Bulletin

Schools 35 26 50 61 59 51 63 51 18 435 470 463 326 331 156 173 348 89 437 382 368 182 274 242 62 73 101 102 109 113 222 215 423 143 193 20 190 224 430 428 452 346

seventh- through 12th-graders at the varsity, JV and B-squad levels. It must be noted that the participation totals are best “guess-timates” because although member schools are required to enter their rosters on the League Web site, some schools do not comply. League staff includes best “guess-timates” for those schools that did not submit their rosters based on their enrollment and/or previous participation figures. The accuracy of the League’s annual participation survey is

Teams 31 25 14 13 16 12 16 11 18 379 434 430 285 288 150 165 322 73 395 341 330 142 157 126 52 58 74 73 93 97 193 189 375 117 152 14 168 199 351 354 423 254

See Participation on Page 9 2009-2010 Boys 217 23 182 97 170 68 188 142

Girls 121 29 96 39 123 41 156 87 540

14,152 13,491 11,643 6,460 5,052 3,239 4,021 25,433 2,018 27,451 6,021 3,678 2,437 5,678 3,351 2,338 2,369 997 785 1,505 1,905 8,489 8,297 11,097 3,563 5,207 390 4,536 5,727 15,871 15,136 14,271 8,304 119,943

99,837

Total 338 52 278 136 293 109 344 229 540 14,152 13,491 11,643 6,460 5,052 3,239 4,021 25,433 2,018 27,451 6,021 3,678 2,437 5,678 3,351 2,338 2,369 997 785 1,505 1,905 8,489 8,297 11,097 3,563 5,207 390 4,536 5,727 15,871 15,136 14,271 8,304 219,780

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News & Features National sports participation continues upward climb

articipation in high school sports increased for the 22nd consecutive school year in 2010-11, according to the annual High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Based on figures from the 50 state high school athletic/activity associations, plus the District of Columbia, that are members of the NFHS, sports participation for the 2010-11 school year reached another record-breaking total of 7,667,955 participants. Boys and girls participation figures also reached respective all-time highs with 4,494,406 boys and 3,173,549 girls participating in 2010-11 — an overall increase of 39,578 participants from 2009-10. “While the overall increase was not as much as we’ve seen in the past few years, we are definitely encouraged with these totals given the financial challenges facing our nation’s high schools,” said Bob Gardner, NFHS executive director. “The benefits of education-based athletics at the high school level are well-documented, and we encourage communities throughout the nation to keep these doors of opportunity open. “Based on the survey, 55.5 percent of students enrolled in high schools participate in athletics, which emphasizes and reinforces the idea that high school sports continue to have a significant role in student involvement in schools across the country.” Cross country running and outdoor track and field gained the most participants in boys’ sports last year, with increases of 7,340 and 7,179, respectively. Other boys’ sports with significant jumps were soccer (6,512),

basketball (5,637) and lacrosse (5,013). Three sports with lower overall participation totals registered large percentage gains in 2010-11 — fencing (up 38 percent to 2,027 participants), weightlifting (up 12 percent to 22,161 participants) and badminton (up 9.4 percent to 4,693 participants). Among girls’ sports, the emerging sport of lacrosse led the way with an additional 6,155 participants — an increase of nine percent from the previous year. With 74,927 participants nationwide, lacrosse cracked the girls Top 10 listing for the first time as it moved past golf (71,764). Outdoor track and field was close behind lacrosse with an additional 6,088 participants, followed by soccer (5,440), volleyball (5,347) and cross country running (2,685). Sports with lower overall girls participation totals that registered the largest percentage gains were wrestling (up 19.8 percent to 7,351 participants), badminton (up 14 percent to 12,083 participants) and weightlifting (up 11 percent to 8,237 participants). The top 10 participatory sports for boys remained the same from 2009-10: Elevenplayer football led the way with 1,108,441, followed by outdoor track and field (579,302), basketball (545,844), baseball (471,025), soccer (398,351), wrestling (273,732), cross country running (246,948), tennis (161,367), golf (156,866) and swimming and diving (133,900). Outdoor track and field was the top sport for girls again last year with 475,265 participants, followed by basketball (438,933), volleyball (409,332), fast-pitch softball (373,535), soccer (361,556), cross country

“Based on the survey, 55.5 percent of students enrolled in high schools participate in athletics.” running (204,653), tennis (182,074), swimming and diving (160,881), competitive spirit squads (96,718) and lacrosse (74,927). Texas and California once again topped the list of participants by state with 786,626 and 774,767, respectively, followed by New York (388,527), Illinois (350,144), Ohio (328,430), Pennsylvania (316,687), Michigan (314,354), New Jersey (255,893), Florida (245,079) and Minnesota (223,545). Although the rise in girls’ participation numbers was not as large this past year (due, in part, to significant drops in competitive spirit numbers in two states), the percentage increase rate has more than doubled the rate for boys during the past 20 years — 63 percent to 31 percent. Twenty years ago, girls constituted 36 percent of the total number of participants; this past year that number climbed to 41 percent. In Oklahoma, the number of girls’ participants actually exceeded the number of boys this past year — 44,112 to 42,694. The participation survey has been compiled since 1971 by the NFHS through numbers it receives from its member associations. The complete 2010-11 High School Athletics Participation Survey is available on the NFHS Web site at www.NFHS.org.

Participation......................................................................... continued from Page 8 Football remains the activity involving the most boys. Track and field is the sport involving the greatest number of girls. dependent upon all member schools supplying accurate rosters to the League office. Howard W. Voigt, League director of information, coordinates collection of the data and works closely with League Assistant Director Chris Franson in devising best “guess-timate” formulas to attempt to arrive at reasonable participation numbers for those member schools that do not provide the data. “Just is in past years, the annual increases and decreases are probably more a matter of how we tweaked the data we did get to come up with our ‘guess-timate’ formulas from year to year,” Voigt explained.

SPIRIT SQUADS Cheerleading (Non-Competitive) Drill / Related Units

2009-2010 Schools Total 241 4,780 55 661

4,026

5,441

TOTAL PARTICIPATIONS FINE ARTS Speaking: Debate One Act Play Speech Total Speaking Arts: Visual Arts

Schools 60 283 323 202

TOTAL PARTICIPATIONS MUSIC Bands Orchestra Vocal TOTAL PARTICIPATIONS

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2010-2011 Schools Total 232 3,353 54 673

Fall 2011 Bulletin

2010-2011 Teams 60 277 305

Total 704 2,929 5,802 9,435 3,038

Schools 60 288 332

2009-2010 Teams 59 285 313

204

12,473

Total 726 3,496 6,438 10,660 2,036 12,696

2010-2011 Schools Total 418 31,878 219 4,126 430 33,332

2009-2010 Schools Total 421 30,291 217 4,191 429 32,114

69,336

66,596

News & Features Former Viking Randall McDaniel ‘Says It All’ at National High School Hall of Fame induction By Lisa Lissimore Associate Director

Randall McDaniel’s career

very year members of the League staff and other activity association staffers attend the National Federation’s annual summer meeting in late June or early July. Like all national meetings or conferences we talk shop about our respective activity programs in small group sessions and listen to motivational speakers in general sessions. We also have the privilege of meeting some of the nation’s best athletes, coaches, officials and fine arts directors during the National Federation’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which is the closing event of the summer meeting. With 11 Minnesotans in the National High School Hall of Fame, this was one of the few times that Minnesota did not have an inductee. So, with the okay from the Arizona Interscholastic Association, we mutually celebrated the induction of Arizona’s nominee, former Minnesota Viking Randall McDaniel. McDaniel, a native of Avondale, Arizona, was one of 12 individuals inducted into the 2011 National High School Hall of Fame. The others were: Lete Andrews, the high school basketball coach with the most wins (boys or girls) from Gransbury, Texas; Kevin McReynolds (Arkansas), former Major League baseball player; Kenny Monday (Oklahoma), 1988 Olympic gold medalists in wrestling; Billy Owens (Pennsylvania), former NBA Player; the late Brad Van Pelt (Michigan), former NFL player; Curt Bladt, Iowa high school football coach; Larry Shaw, West Virginia retired wrestling coach; Pete Shock, New Mexico basketball and track coach; contest officials Emry Dilday of Springfield, Missouri and Rick Tucci of Pembroke Pines, Flordia; and Dan Washburn, former executive director of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Among this illustrious group, it was McDaniel who gave the acceptance speech on behalf of the entire 2011 class. Here’s what Randall told the 750 attendees about the life lessons he learned from his participation in high school activity programs. “From Texas…..Oklahoma…..and Pennsylvania. Photograph courtesy of National Federation / NFHS

Randall McDaniel was a three-year varsity starter and twotime all-state selection in football and basketball at Agua Fria High School in Avondale, Arizona. He also played baseball and participated in track and field, setting the school record in the 100-meter dash as a senior. He was an All-American at Arizona State University and played 12 years with the Minnesota Vikings, where he started 202 consecutive games at left guard, and two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In addition to the National High School Hall of Fame, McDaniel is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. McDaniel currently is a second grade basic skills instructor at Hilltop Elementary School in Mound, Minnesota. He and his wife Marianne reside in Shorewood, Minnesota. Michigan…..Iowa…..and West Virginia. New Mexico…..Missouri…..and Florida. Arkansas…..Alabama…..and Arizona. We are the Class of 2011. “I’m honored and humbled to accept this award on behalf of my fellow inductees. I’d like to thank Executive Director Bob Gardner, President Nina Van Erk, Hall of Fame Director Bruce Howard, the Hall of Fame Selection Committee, and the National Federation staff for hosting this extraordinary event. “All across this nation, in big cities and small towns, boys and girls – black, white, yellow and red – participate in high school sports and activities where they learn life-lessons, develop new skills and lay a solid foundation for their futures. This is all possible because of the people in this room. “As coaches, administrators, teachers, officials and supporters of high school sports and activities you have created places where students can thrive and discover their talents both on and off the field of play. “Thanks to the strong leadership of the National Federation of State High School Associations, 11 million students in 18,500 high schools are given the opportunity to begin the journey that has led me and my fellow inductees to this stage tonight. For that, we are forever grateful. “I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to pursue two passions in my life. The first was football and the second is education. I believe my success for 14 years in the NFL and for the past 10 years in the classroom is a direct result of my experiences in high school sports. “Outside of my family and my wife, the lessons I learned through sports have had the greatest impact on me. I believe one of the most important factors in the path you choose in life is the experiences of your youth. “The mission of the National Federation of State High School Associations is to ‘develop education-based sports and activities that help students succeed in life.’ I strongly believe in this mission. “Through high school sports and activities, we learn no one should be defined by the color of their skin or the neighborhood they call home. We enable the barriers dividing us to come down and the bonds we share to grow stronger. “Through high school sports and activities, we encourage young people to pursue their passions and dare to dream. We allow the doors of opportunity to open and lives to be forever changed. See McDaniel on Page 11 Randall McDaniel accepted the National High School Hall of Fame award from Nina Van Erk, 2010-11 NFHS president and executive director of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.

Fall 2011 Bulletin

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News & Features Photographs by Ellen Rajkowski / MSHSL

League staff joins in on the fun at the Fair

he Minnesota State High School League staff joined thousands of Minnesotans at the 2011 Minnesota State Fair when the staff set up a booth on West Dan Patch Avenue in recognition of Prep45 Day at the Fair. State fair officials designated Saturday, Aug. 27, as Prep45 Day

Associate Director Lisa Lissimore answered questions about League programs.

Administrative Assistant Sheila Robinson gave away souvenir hockey sticks.

to celebrate the energy and excitement of high school sports in Minnesota. They provided the League’s broadcast partner, KSTC –TV Channel 45, with several blocks of Dan Patch Avenue to set up exhibits, interactive games and to conduct sports talk sessions with local sports celebrities and sports medical professionals. League staff met with hundreds of fair-goers, distributed information about League programs and activities, and gave away miniature soccer balls, volleyballs, hockey sticks and game-size pucks. In honor of the centennial celebration of high school basketball tournaments in 2012, the League conducted a drawing for tickets to both the girls’ and boys’ basketball tournaments.

“They say we learn all we need to succeed in life when we’re in kindergarten. But personally, I think the secrets to success can be found on the playing field. “It’s where …….. ● “We learn character matters – so you must be responsible for your choices and accountable for your actions. ● “We learn hard work pays off – so you must earn your way every single day. ● “We learn no one gets anywhere by themselves – so you should listen to and respect those who came before you. ● “We learn it’s the name on the front of the jersey…not the one on the back that matters – so you need to be a team player. ● “We learn success is not limited by gender, race or socioeconomic status – so you should embrace diversity. ● “We learn everyone has something to contribute – so you must work together to succeed. ● “We learn true character is measured in the moments of defeat – so you should always respect your opponent and the game you play. ● “We learn adversity is an opportunity to grow – so you should use it to make yourself better. ● “We learn small actions can have a big impact – so you should use your talents to make a difference. “And finally…… ● “We learn what matters the most are the relationships you build – so we must take care of one another. “I think these 10 lessons are all we really need in life. I know they’re the lessons behind the success of each of my fellow inductees. “On behalf of Emry, Rick and Dan, Leta, Curt, Larry and Pete, Kenny, Kevin, Billy and the Van Pelt family, I would like to thank the Federation and all of you here tonight for the work you do and the wonderful honor you’ve bestowed upon us this evening. “Thank you.”

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Photograph courtesy of National Federation / NFHS

McDaniel ............................................................................ continued from Page 10

“They say we learn all we need to succeed in life when we’re in kindergarten. But personally, I think the secrets to success can be found on the playing field.”

Fall 2011 Bulletin

News & Features Financial education for students

Students and their parents urged to access tools and tips

oing to college is an exciting time. At Wells Fargo, we believe in the value of a college education. More importantly, we believe that this is a great time for students to begin building a solid financial foundation, which helps ensure success in the future. Whether students are planning for college or already there, we’ve got tools and tips to help them and their parents through. At www.WellsFargo.com/ resources, students and parents can sign up to get information tailored to their needs, whether it’s preparing for college, managing their money, or learning about college financing options. Check out some of the relevant information students and parents can receive immediately and through continuing communications from Wells Fargo (see chart at right):

Plus, students get a chance to win $1,000 When students sign up to receive college tips and tools from Wells Fargo, they’ll automatically be entered in the CollegeSTEPS Sweepstakes for a chance to win $1,000. Sweepstakes winners are chosen through random drawings, giving them a chance to win $1,000. A total of 40 $1,000 prizes will be awarded (20 to high school students and 20 to college students). Once students sign up, SM

Upfront resources (students receive an automatic email with links to these resources when they sign up) Ongoing communications

Upfront resources (parents receive an automatic email with links to these resources when they sign up)

Resources for students High school students College students The financial aid process step-by A checklist of questions to ask step. on campus tours. Tips on finding scholarships. The financial aid process step A guide to private student loans. by-step. Budgeting basics. Tips on finding scholarships. A guide to private student loans. Information about cosigners. Ways to establish good credit. Junior and senior checklists. Links to online calculators. Links to online calculators. And more! And more! Student WellsWire® – quarterly The CollegeSTEPS® program – a series of college planning emails newsletters covering topics like saving for freshmen through seniors and budgeting, finding and managing covering topics like study tips, student loans, and savvy money tips financial aid, and making campus for college life. visits Resources for parents Parents of high school students Parents of college students The financial aid process step-by A glossary to decode the step. language of education financing. A guide to private student loans. Pros & cons of various financing Links to online calculators. options. A link to Wells Fargo's Student A comprehensive high school LoanDownSM blog. checklist to keep your student And more! on track. Worksheets to help you talk about college selection with your child. The financial aid process stepby-step. A link to Wells Fargo's Student LoanDownSM blog. And more!

they’re automatically entered in future drawings as long as they remain eligible. No purchase necessary. For complete Official Rules, including eligibility and drawing dates, visit www.WellsFargo.com/ collegesteps.*

Finding more money for college When figuring out how to pay for college, it’s important to start with money that doesn’t need to be repaid. Here are some other tips to share with students looking for those opportunities: ● Wells Fargo scholarships in your community: Many Wells Fargo regions offer scholarship programs. A local Wells Fargo store can give you more information. ● Scholarship search engine: Use an online scholarship search engine to find scholarships that match your talents and interests. For more details, check out wellsfargo.com/student. ● Local or school-specific scholarships: Talk to your high school counselor about these kinds of scholarships. Also, check with your college’s admissions office or school website to see if they offer school specific scholarships.

Fall 2011 Bulletin

*No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Sweepstakes runs on www.wellsfargo.com/collegesteps from 12:01 a.m. Central Time (“CT”) on 8/6/10 to 11:59 p.m. CT on 8/5/12 (“Promotion Period”). Open to full or part-time students who are in an accredited secondary or postsecondary educational institution or program (including, but not limited to, high school, college, university or trade school, or are home schooled in an accredited program) and are legal residents of the U.S., 13 years of age or older as of the date of enrollment in Wells Fargo’s CollegeSTEPS program or Student Education Resources (“Resources”). All eligible students who were enrolled in the Resources on or before 11:59 p.m. CT on 8/5/11 will be automatically entered in all drawings without having to re-enroll. See Official Rules at www.wellsfargo.com/collegesteps or a banker for complete details. Void where prohibited by law. Sponsor: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., P.O. Box 5185, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57117.

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News & Features

GrandStadium extending its coverage, student participation Photographs courtesy of 45.GrandStadium.tv

By Cyndi Nightengale

eady Camera 1 ... cue Camera 1 ... ready Camera 2 .... A roll, B roll, head room, switch. Going live, lights, camera, action! Most everyone knows these words have something to do with producing a television show or event. Mitch Gerber and Paul Johnson, seniors at Grand Meadow this year, have not only learned these terms, but they have put them into use through a program called GrandStadium.TV. GrandStadium, the brainchild of Stu Swartz and Tom Lapping, founders of GrandStadium, brings high school students and television production together to broadcast Minnesota State High School League tournament events. GrandStadium, in partnership with KSTC-TV Channel 45, wants to expand its reach to more schools across the state. GrandStadium is seeking additional schools who want to join in on the fun. Interested students and educators should contact GrandStadium for more information by going to info.GrandStadium.tv and sending an e-mail or calling the telephone number. The plan is to set up training sessions to accommodate everyone who signs up, in the metro area or outstate. GrandStadium is on tap to produce 21 tournament events this school year. The plan is to add some regular-season games to the lineup, if possible. For all of this to happen, they will need a large pool of trained students. GrandStadium and KSTC-TV Channel 45 bring in students to train with industry professionals. The students then get their feet wet with hands-on opportunities during the state tournament productions. Some students work as producers, some are behind the cameras, and others take on the director’s role. At Target Field for the state baseball tournament Prep

Students received real-world experience in a pro stadium during the 2011 Prep Championship Series. Gerber worked the camera on Championship Series this past the third-base line, upper level. June, Gerber and Johnson were “Being a part of the production part of the crew running the showed me how TV puts it all cameras. Both students found it to be an together,” Gerber said. Handling the professional amazing experience. So much so, camera was also a bonus for that both may continue studying Gerber, who has filmed Grand broadcasting when they go to Meadow’s football team for the college. Johnson, who likes to past three years. dabble in photography, now has a Before Gerber and Johnson love for video. “I learned a lot,” said Johnson, were given the opportunity to work the baseball games, they who was behind the camera in went through the training the outfield that was on the provided at no charge by catcher and batter. “I learned GrandStadium and KSTC-TV about the baseball game, how TV Channel 45. After that, the two produces baseball, the whole worked on the state girls’ thing.”

gymnastics meet production to gain technical experience for the bigger venue events. Still, the greatest lesson the two garnered from their training and job experience with GrandStadium was being part of the bigger picture. Working with others on the state baseball tournament taught them the importance of communication and collaboration. In other words, being a part of the team. “It brought us together with other schools,” said Johnson, who enjoyed meeting, training and working with students from other high schools. This is the vision for GrandStadium and its sister program, EduVision. Through EduVision, schools such as Eagan High can set up in-house curricula for students to learn the ins and outs of broadcasting, then execute productions for their school and community. School administrators and educators like Paul Besel of Grand Meadow and Aric Harrier of New London-Spicer are among them. “I support programs that expand options and expose students to what is available when they are out of school,” Besel said. “This is also a great way students can expand their skills in technology, too. See GrandStadium on Page 15

Chelsea Eaton, a 2011 Eagan High School graduate, assisted a camera operator in finding a subject in the crowd from their position adjacent to the visitor’s dugout.

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Fall 2011 Bulletin

News & Features

New policies in effect for seeding section tournaments By Kevin Merkle Associate Director

or a number of years the League Board of Directors has been working on developing more consistency between administrative regions and the competitive sections that they oversee. While many schools remain in the same administrative regions and competitive sections, many other schools move from section to section every two years, or have different sports competing in sections which are conducted by different region committees. The goal was to find areas where there could be more consistency which would help those schools who have to deal with many differences and also to save time and effort for region committees. A subcommittee of the Board has worked on this with significant input from region secretaries. Twelve different areas were reviewed for possible improved consistency. After extensive study, this list was reduced to three main topics: 1) dealing with forfeitures; 2) section tournament seeding; and 3) rental of school facilities. The policies developed in these three areas have been presented at area meetings, as well as administrative region committee meetings. The policies were discussed at the League Board meeting in June 2010 and were approved at the Board meeting in August 2010. The rental and forfeiture policies went into effect last school year, with the seeding policies going into effect beginning with the current fall season. Several updates and revisions have been made based on feedback from the regions, in an effort to better define the policies. The issue of greatest concern is the policy governing seeding. The previous methods for seeding competition at the section level for advancement to state tournaments have had one thing in common — they were consistently inconsistent. All section team competition will now be seeded one of three ways — 1) point system; 2) faceto-face meetings of the coaches; or 3) an electronic process via computer, fax or telephone. This

The previous methods for seeding competition at the section level for advancement to state tournaments have had one thing in common — they were consistently inconsistent. policy should still allow enough flexibility to cover most, if not all of the methods that have previously been used for seeding. The use of a common point system is the method that is most misunderstood. The League collaborated with MinnesotaScores.net to refine what Minnesota-Scores.net terms a Quality Results Formula or QRF, originally unveiled in 2002. The new QRF has been reviewed by both coaches and athletic administrators and tested against examples of actual 2010-11 section seeding results. Probably the most controversial part of the former QRF was Margin of Victory/Defeat (“MOV/D”). As part of the agreement with MinnesotaScores.net, MOV/D has been completely removed, leaving the formula with just three parameters: 1. Won or Lost the game 2. Opponent’s Class 3. Opponent Number of Wins The point system used by sections in the past did not take into account the number of opponent wins, only the class they were in. As a result, all opponents in the same class were treated identically, no matter what their record was. Also, each section gave different degrees of credit for the opponents in each of the classes. By utilizing the new QRF, sections will be applying the same criteria in every corner of the state and will be able to better quantify the quality of the opponent based on their win total. If there is a tie, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head

Kevin Merkle

competition. If still tied, the next tiebreaker is section winning percentage; followed by overall win percentage. If still tied, a coin flip is used to break the tie. The first QRF rankings of the fall season were posted on September 19 and will be subsequently calculated weekly for football and daily for all other sports. An example of the application and comparison of the new QRF versus the actual 2010 seeding of one 2010 football section can be found at http://minnesotascores.blogspot.com/2011/09/ qrf-explained-in-detail.html. Every administrative region oversees multiple sections of each activity, and the choice of seeding method may vary from section to section and sport to sport. With the face-to-face method, the League has highly recommended (but not required) that each coach’s high and low rankings be discarded; that ties first be broken by head-to-head competition; and if necessary to break a tie, throw out the rankings given each other by the tied teams. As a last resort, it is recommended that a coin-flip be used to break a tie.

With the electronic method, coaches share information about their teams via conference call, email or fax. The ranking is then done online, with each coach ranking every team except his/her own. Each coach’s high and low ranking is discarded, and the lowest total ranking becomes the high seed, and so on. The tiebreaking procedures mentioned above as recommendations are mandatory for the electronic seeding process. The concerns expressed seem to be primarily based on the unknown. However, a committee carefully reviewed the point system and there has been further review and further comparisons with the actual results of seeding from last year. There are also sections that are currently using the QRF system to seed their teams. While no system is perfect, I believe this is a very fair system and will be an improvement on some of the point systems that have been used in the past. As Ryan Weinzierl, the creator of the QRF system, has stated: “The QRF is NOT a predictor of what will happen. It is a way to give proper credit to how a team has already played.”

All section team competition will now be seeded one of three ways — 1) point system; 2) face-to-face meetings of the coaches; or 3) an electronic process via computer, fax or telephone.

Fall 2011 Bulletin

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News & Features Patrick Kelly

Warren H. Keller

NoteWorthy People

Patrick Kelly, president of the Kelly & Lemmons law firm of St. Paul and legal counsel to the League, has once again been named a Super Lawyer in the state of Minnesota for 2011. Achieving this distinction follows nomination and a rigorous multi-level review. A separate peer review group has bestowed an AV® rating on Kelly for the 11th consecutive year. Such a rating is reserved for only about one percent of attorneys and is representative that an attorney has reached the height of professional excellence with the highest level of skill and integrity. AV®, BV® and CV® are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.

Warren Henry Keller, 70, of Warroad, died Aug. 30, 2011, in the LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau after a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services for Keller of Warroad were held on Sept. 2 in Warroad. Keller, a former member of the League Board of Directors, was born in Devils Lake, N.D., graduated from Oberon (N.D.) High School and then graduated from Minot State University with a teaching degree. Before completing his degree, Keller served in the U.S. Army as a military policeman for two years. He married Sharon Burke in Galesville, Wis. in 1966. They lived in Comfrey where Keller taught and coached from 1967 to 1969. Next, they moved to Argyle and together raised five children. Keller taught and coached at Argyle High School from 1969 to 1992. The family moved to Warroad in 1992 and he was a classroom teacher and coach for three years. In 1995 he was named the See People on Page 17

GrandStadium .................................................................... continued from Page 13 GrandStadium. For more information about GrandStadium, the 2011-2012 production schedule and training for your school broadcast team, go to info.GrandStadium.tv.

To get started today and reserve a space in an upcoming School Broadcast Training event at Channel 45, contact Tom Lapping at tlapping@grandstadium.tv or call

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“The students are becoming trendsetters. They are ambassadors to get the next group of students interested in the program.” And that is exactly what Gerber and Johnson are doing. They hope to return to the program this fall, with more Grand Meadow students getting involved in the program. Interest is up at the school, especially among the younger students. Besel hopes the program will help to evolve programs in his own community, perhaps forging a partnership with the Grand Meadow local access television and the high school. He would love to see a television studio on campus, completely run by the students. “It would run the full gamut of all jobs from producer, director, reporter,” he said. From there, the sky’s the limit. For now, Grand Meadow is off and running under the auspices of Cameron VanDyke (center), a senior this year at Eagan High School, worked as technical director alongside St. Charles High School’s George Rodriguez (left), also a senior this year, inside the production truck outside the stadium.

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Fall 2011 Bulletin

Athletic Activities Southland team honors late WabashaKellogg player with tree donation To the League: This was a great show of sportsmanship and shows that there are more important things in life than football. Wabasha-Kellogg had a player killed in a car accident last fall. Southland contacted W-K to see if they could donate something to the school in the player’s memory. W-K Head Coach Nick Richmond said that a tree would be a good idea. So, before the varsity game on September 2, 2011, there was a ceremony during pre-game where the Southland team and coaching staff presented the tree they donated and it was planted near the field. This was a very touching experience and I was proud to have been able to attend. This sportsmanship continued throughout the game with everyone helping players up and always showing good sportsmanship. Both Southland and Wabasha-Kellogg should be proud of their players and staff for this great show of sportsmanship. Bou Gazley, Rochester MSHSL Football Official

Class AAAAAA football format finalized for 2012

t its August meeting the League Board of Directors finalized the format for the Class AAAAAA football playoffs which will be conducted for the first time in 2012. The Board approved the recommendations of the Football Task Force: ● The class will be the 32 schools with the largest enrollments, divided into four sections of eight teams. ● Each section will seed Nos. 1 through 8 using their choice of seeding procedures based on current policy. ● No games will be played on the Tuesday following the Education Minnesota break. ● On the Friday, the day prior to section semifinals for other classes, the first round is played within each section (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5). ● The following Friday, the four victorious teams from each section are matched with four victorious teams from another section for crossover games. The highest seed from one section plays the lowest seed from the section with which they are paired. High seeds are the home team. Sections are paired with the same section for two years and then rotate. Initial pairings would be determined by a

Class AAAAAA

Umpire noted player’s comment, reminding him why he officiates To the League: On June 9, 2011, I had the pleasure of umpiring the Section 8A baseball championship game between Red Lake County and Norman County. The game was a very competitive contest with a number of lead changes and rallies by the respective teams. Throughout the competition the players and coaches for both teams displayed exemplary sportsmanship and respect for the game of baseball. From time to time people will say something to me like, “I don’t know why you’d want to umpire. What a thankless job.” In the bottom of the seventh inning with the game tied, one of the Red Lake County players came to the plate and said to the catcher from Norman County, “It’s too bad only one of us can win this game.” Moments like this are why I continue to umpire high school baseball. Jeremy Carney MSHSL Baseball Official

2012 Section 3 Burnsville High School Eagan High School Eastview High School, Apple Valley Lakeville North High School Lakeville South High School Park High School, Cottage Grove Prior Lake High School Rosemount High School

random draw. The eight winners advance to the state quarterfinals. ● Those eight teams are seeded according to Board policy — coaches vote online to seed the top four and there is a blind draw for their opponents. The bracket is set according to the seeding results. Quarterfinals will be played the following Friday, the same day that most other quarterfinals are played. The semifinals will be played in the Metrodome on Thursday evening prior to the Friday-Saturday semifinals for the other classes. The championship will be played on Friday night of the Prep Bowl weekend. Teams who advance to the state quarterfinal will receive a state qualifier plaque since they will no longer receive a section championship plaque. At its recent meeting, the Football Advisory Committee conducted the draw for the section crossover games. In 2012 and 2013, Section 5 will compete against Section 6 and Section 3 will compete against Section 4. In 2014 and 2015 the crossover match-ups will be Section 4 with Section 5 and Section 3 with Section 6. In 2016 and 2017 Section 6 will match up with Section 4 and Section 5 will match up with Section 3. Section 4 Cretin-Derham Hall High School, St. Paul Forest Lake High School Mounds View High School North High School, North St. Paul Roseville Area High School Stillwater Area High School White Bear Lake Area High School Woodbury High School Section 5 *Anoka High School Blaine High School Brainerd High School Centennial High School, Circle Pines Champlin Park High School, Brooklyn Park Coon Rapids High School Maple Grove High School *Osseo High School Section 6 Eden Prairie High School Edina High School Hopkins High School *Minneapolis South High School Minnetonka High School Robbinsdale Armstrong High School Shakopee High School Wayzata High School

Co-ops: ● Anoka High School includes Legacy Christian Academy and PACT Charter School ● Osseo High School includes Maranatha Christian Academy, Brooklyn Park ● Minneapolis South High School includes Minnesota Transitions Charter School, Minneapolis

Fall 2011 Bulletin

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Athletic Activities

Andover runner honored for helping injured competitor It turns out Paulauskas had been “spiked,” meaning he was stepped on or came in contact

with pointed metal spikes some runners wear on their shoes to get better traction. Paulauskas

was taken to a hospital where he See Runner on Page 20 Photograph by Ellen Perrault / Aonka-Hennepin Schools

hen Andover cross country runner Josh Ripley heard the screams of Lakeville South runner Mark Paulauskas during the Applejack Invite held in Lakeville, Ripley knew he needed to help. In the first mile of a two-mile junior varsity race held Sept. 16, Ripley discovered Paulauskas holding his ankle and bleeding profusely. Worried that Paulauskas had punctured his Achilles tendon, Ripley carried his wounded competitor for a half a mile to get him to his coach and parents. After making sure Paulauskas was in good hands, Ripley jumped back into the race. (L-R): Anoka-Hennepin School Board Chair Tom Heidemann, Josh Ripley, Andover Activities Director Eric Lehtola, and Andover cross country running coach Scott Clark.

People ........................................................................... continued from Page 15 Warroad Public School Activity and Community Education Director. He served in that position for nine years until retiring in 2004. During his career he was a physical education, health and science teacher as well as a basketball, football and baseball coach. Keller was conference coach of the year four times in his six seasons as head football coach in Argyle and was conference coach of the year six times as Argyle’s head basketball coach. He was also named the state’s 9-Man Football Coach of the Year in 1986 and was Region 8 Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year twice. Keller led Argyle to a state 9-Man title in 1986, and was an assistant coach on Argyle’s 1981 state championship team. In 2001 he was inducted into the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In 2004 he was named the Minnesota Class A Athletic Administrator of the Year. In 2010 he was inducted into the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame and on September 24, 2011, Keller was inducted into the Warroad Warrior Hall of Fame for his contributions to Warroad athletics. He is survived by his wife, Sharon; son John Keller and wife, Candy, of Fosston; daughter Michelle Nash and husband, Brad, of Warroad; daughter Amy Keller of Detroit Lakes; daughter Kari Rivard and husband, Ryan, of Argyle; and son Michael and wife, Anne, of West Fargo, N.D. Eleven grandchildren, his mother, Frances Keller of Devils Lake, N.D. and two sisters, Sharon (Chuck) Johnson of Nevis and Rosella (Ken) Amann of Wheaton, several nieces and nephews and brothers and sisters-in-law also survive. He was preceded in death by his father, Lawrence Keller.

M. Judith Schmidt M. Judith Schmidt, “Judy”, age 68 of Winona and formerly of Houston, Minn., died Sept. 6, 2011 at her home. Services were held Sept. 10, 2011, in Winona. Mary Judith Schmidt was born Jan. 22, 1943, in Winona Judy

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graduated from Cotter High School, Winona State University and continued her education to attain two master’s degrees. In 1964 she married Gary R. Schmidt in Winona. She started her teaching career at Loretto High School in Caledonia, and then spent 32 years at Houston Public Schools, retiring in 1999. She was later an instructor in the master’s of education program at St. Mary’s University, Winona, teaching future teachers. In addition to teaching English and speech, she served students as the play director, speech coach, and cheerleader advisor, and also served as a judge at numerous League fine arts competitions. Schmidt was well known in the area for the countless number of theater productions she directed. She produced shows at Houston High School and community theaters in Houston, Austin and Winona. She was a finalist for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Schmidt was also appointed by the governor to the Minnesota State Arts Board and served as its chair. She worked in Congressmen Tim Penny’s office in Washington, D.C. as a part of the Teacher / Intern Program. She was also awarded grants by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. A strong advocate of the arts, she served on the Commonweal Theatre Board in Lanesboro and was a contributor to the Great River Shakespeare Festival. Schmidt is survived by her husband, Gary, Winona; son Jim (Kim) Schmidt of Winona; son Phil (Elaine) Schmidt of North Branch; and daughter Catherine Schmidt of Winona; five grandchildren; her mother Phoebe Bambenek of Winona; sister Laurie (Fred) Krause of Winona; brothers James (Diane) Bambenek of Chillicothe, Ohio, Charles (Joyce) Bambenek of Farmington Hills, Mich., and Gary (Claire) Bambenek of Prior Lake; and other relatives. She was preceded in death by her father James V. Bambenek; granddaughter Faith Schmidt; and sister Marilyn Bambenek.

Fall 2011 Bulletin

Athletic Activities Student Eligibility 100 Series bylaws updated By Craig Perry Associate Director

his past spring the League Representative Assembly passed the following changes to the 100 Series Bylaws. After a year of study, the changes were proposed by an ad hoc committee comprised of more than two dozen coaches, principals, and superintendents who felt the changes would best serve the needs of member schools and their students. Here is a synopsis of some of the major changes that will impact student eligibility. Bylaw 101—Age A student who turns 20 years of age during the 11th or 12th semester since first entering the 7th grade shall be allowed to participate through the completion of the 12th semester. The previous language indicated a student who turned 20 years of age during either of the final two semesters of eligibility became ineligible to participate in League-sponsored programs. This change will positively impact those students who are multisport athletes. Example: A high school basketball player turns 20 during January of her senior year. Under the old rule she would no longer be eligible. Now, with the updated bylaw, she could complete her basketball season and also participate in a spring sport. Bylaw104—Enrollment The new provisions for this bylaw clarify eligibility for students who transfer to a charter school that is a member of the League. Charter school students are eligible to participate in League-sponsored activities at their charter school or in a program cooperatively sponsored by the charter school with another member school. Because charter schools do not have any attendance area, for purposes of establishing residence, the public school attendance area where the charter school is geographically located shall be assigned to the charter school. Example: A family lives in Andover and relocates to Hastings. The new family residence is located in the Hastings High School attendance area. New Century Charter School is also located in the Hastings attendance area. The Hastings public school attendance area is assigned to New Century. The students who now reside in Hastings can attend either the public high school or the charter school and shall be immediately eligible at either school. Bylaw 105—Grade Level Eligibility The changes to this bylaw clearly outline the process to be used by a school with no continuation high school to allow its 7th and 8th grade students the opportunity to participate Major Bylaw Changes for 2011-2012 ☛ in League-sponsored programs. A participation agreement can be formed ☛ with a public or private League member school. However, only one ☛ participation agreement per sport can be formed. Example: Epiphany, a K☛ 8 school located in Coon Rapids, has no continuation high school. If the member schools are in agreement, Epiphany could form a participation agreement for football with Coon Rapids, a volleyball 101

AMENDED to redefine the eligibility of students when they turn 20 — See Page 18

AGE

Students participating in League-sponsored activities shall be under 20 years of age at the start of the sport season. A student who turns 20 during the sports season will be permitted to complete that sports season. A student who turns 20 during the 11th or 12th semester since first entering the 7th grade shall be allowed to participate through the completion of the 12th semester.

Students who participate in the Adapted Athletics Program shall be under 22 years of age. A student under age 22 who has started a sport season will be permitted to complete that sports season.

103

AMENDED to expand the graduation progress tracking period — See Page 18

104

AMENDED to redefine where charter school students are eligible — See Page 18

☛

AMENDED to specify ineligibility for post-secondary participation — See Page 19

ENROLLMENT

4. Charter School Students: Charter school students are not eligible to participate in League-sponsored activities for the public school in their resident district because they do not meet the Minnesota Department of Education requirements for being enrolled in the local public school. For participation opportunities, the charter school would have to join the League and offer the program or enter into a cooperative agreement with another League member school. at their charter school or in a program cooperatively sponsored by the charter school and another member school or schools. For purposes of establishing residency, the public school attendance area where the charter school is geographically located shall be assigned to the charter school.

105

AMENDED the definitions pertaining to continuation schools — See Page 18

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

Students must be full time students according to the Minnesota Department of Education criteria. Students must meet the school’s credit requirements for graduation in four years beginning with the student’s entry into 9th grade. be on track to meet the school’s graduation requirements in six years (12 consecutive semesters) beginning with the first day of attendance in the 7th grade.

GRADE LEVEL ELGIBILITY

Definitions: 1. A Continuation School is one that is under the same administrative head and governing board. 2. A student in grades 7, 8, or 9, who attends a school under a separate administrative head and governing board; which does not have a continuation high school; and where no other opportunity for participation on a high school team exists; is eligible to participate for a public high school team provided the public high school and the non-continuation school have established a joint agreement for participation in League Activities. The non-continuation school must be located in the public high school district as defined below. The participation agreement for each activity or athletic program can be formed with: A. The public school in the public high school attendance area as determined by the district school board where the non-continuation school is geographically located. If the public high school in #1 above declines the request for participation agreement the non-continuation school may form a participation agreement with any other public high school; or B. Any non-public high school. 3. Public high school district: The term “High School District” shall refer to the territory assigned to a specific high school by a Board of Education and shall not refer to a school system except in cases in which only one high school exists in a school system. 3. All participation agreements shall be established for a minimum of two years. If either or any of the schools involved in the participation agreement wish to dissolve the agreement, they may do so provided a minimum of one year’s notice is given to the other school(S) unless the schools involved mutually agree to discontinue the agreement. 4. A Non-continuation school can form only one participation agreement for each athletic or activity program.

106

Craig Perry agreement with Legacy Christian Academy, and a football agreement with Anoka. Only one agreement per sport can be formed. The terms of the agreement must be kept on file at both schools and the length of the agreement is a minimum of two years. Bylaw 106—Graduates of Secondary Schools Any student who has graduated or completed the terminal grade in his or her home country (this is directed toward international students and foreign exchange students) is not eligible to participate in Leaguesponsored athletics or fine arts programs. Example: In some countries, like Denmark, a student completes the final or terminal grade of high school with the equivalency of our 11th grade. When that student transfers to Minnesota as a foreign exchange student the student is not eligible to participate in League programs. Previously, foreign exchange students who had completed the terminal grade or graduated in their home country could participate in fine arts programs. Bylaw 109—Seasons of Participation Students may not participate in more than one interscholastic season in a given sport in each school year or more than six seasons in any sport while enrolled in grades 7-12. Example 1: Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, a student who enters into 7th grade now has 12 consecutive semesters available for participation. Previously, the counting of semesters for eligibility began with the student’s initial entrance into the 9th grade, and a student had eight consecutive semesters available for participation. Example 2: If a student participates in League programs in both semesters as a 7th grader, repeats the 7th grade for academic and socialization purposes and participates again as a 7th Major Bylaw Changes for 2011-2012 ☛ grader and continues to advance academically, his participation eligibility will ☛ conclude at the end of the 12th semester—his 11th grade year. The student will not be eligible to participate while attending ☛ school as a 12th grader. 109

BOARD POLICY re BYLAW 208

411

Additional bylaw changes can be viewed on the inside front and back covers of the 2011-2012 Official Handbook.

GRADUATES OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS

3. Students who have participated with a college or university team in an activity or sport sponsored by the League are ineligible for participation in any League-sponsored activity.

AMENDED to expand the eligibility period of students who begin participation in 7th grade — See Page 20

NON-SCHOOL COMPETITION AND TRAINING

Re BYLAW 208.4: Summer Coaching Waiver No-Contact Period The Summer Waiver No-Contact Period dates consistently run Saturday through Friday, except when July 4th occurs on a Friday (* Use Monday as the start for the years when July 4th occurs on a Friday. This protects the integrity of the holiday weekend. This will occur in one year out of seven.). The approved dates are: 2012 .... June 30 – July 6 (Saturday – Friday) 2018 .... June 30 – July 6 (Saturday – Friday) 2013 .... June 29 – July 5 (Saturday – Friday) 2019 .... June 29 – July 5 (Saturday – Friday) 2014 .... June 30 – July 6 (Monday – Sunday)* 2020 .... June 29 – July 5 (Monday – Sunday)* 2015 .... July 4 – July 10 (Saturday – Friday) 2021 .... July 3 – July 9 (Saturday – Friday) 2016 .... July 2- July 8 (Saturday – Friday) 2022 .... July 2 – July 8 (Saturday – Friday) 2017 .... July 1 – July 7 (Saturday – Friday) 2023 .... July 1 – July 7 (Saturday – Friday)

IDENTIFIED specific dates of summer coaching waiver no-contact periods for next 10 years — See Page 42

SCHEDULING OF CONTESTS

2. Member schools may schedule dual contests with non-member schools, agricultural schools, and other independent amateur organizations. The eligibility bylaws and regulations of the League shall apply and must be observed by the teams or individual representatives of member schools in all contests whether participating against a member or non-member school. provided that: A. The non-member school follows all of the eligibility guidelines and bylaws of the state high school athletic/ activity association in the state where the school is located; and B. The state high school athletic/activity association is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations; and C. The participation by the non-member school has been approved for competition by that state high school athletic/activity association and the MSHSL.

BOARD POLICY re 400 BYLAWS

CLASS COMPETITION

D. Class Competition 2) Classification Formula for Administrative Regions Effective with the 2011-2012 school year, the largest 124 128 schools shall be assigned to Class AA administrative regions. The rest of the schools shall be assigned to Class A administrative regions. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, these assignments shall be in place for a minimum of four (4) years.

AMENDED to redefine non-member schools with which competition may be conducted — See Page 61

☛

SIMPLIFIED language in the policy, as well as added several new provisions (outlined at left) — See Page 65

FOUR (4) CLASS TOURNAMENT* TOURNAMENT*: When there are 288 320 or more teams registered for a League activity, the divisions will be based on enrollment as follows: Class AAAA: The 48 64 largest teams by enrollment Class AAA: The next 64 largest teams by enrollment Class AA: The next 128 largest teams Class A: The rest of the registered teams Class AA and Class A: If fewer than 256 teams remain, the classes will be divided equally. If more than 256 teams remain, Class AA will be the largest 128 teams and the remainder of the teams will be Class A. 5) Tournament Formats/Reduction in the Number of Classes/Enrollments for Classification Purposes/ ”Opt-Up” Requests/Classification Appeals h) Prior to any classification determination, schools who believe their school demographics unfairly place their team sports (Football, Hockey, Basketball, Baseball, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball) in a larger tournament classification may appeal their placement to the MSHSL office provided that the criteria below is met: ... (Five criteria follow) ...

Continued on Inside Back Cover

SEASONS OF PARTICIPATION

1. Students may not participate in more than one interscholastic season in a given sport in each school year or more than four six seasons in any sport while enrolled in grades 9 7 to 12.

Fall 2011 Bulletin

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Athletic Activities Coaches Education Study both to become a coach and continue your learning By Jody Redman Associate Director

he League offers two education options for Minnesota coaches. The Minnesota Coaches Education Program provides certification for coaches who do not meet the state statute requirement to be a head coach in Minnesota. The Continuing Education Requirement or CER is for those coaches who currently meet the state statute requirement and is mandatory for every head coach in Minnesota to complete every three years. Here is a brief overview of these two distinct programs. Minnesota Coaches Education Program Individuals in Minnesota who wish to be a head coach, but who do not meet the state statute requirement to do so, will receive instruction and education in: Fundamentals of Coaching, Sports First Aid, League Bylaws, Concussion Education and TeamUp — the League’s nationally recognized educational outreach program. Those who successfully complete this program will meet the Minnesota Department of Education head coach certification requirements. The diverse curriculum will be delivered in a blended approach: six hours of face-to-face instruction will be blended with interactive online components and learning modules. The face-to-face instruction includes chapters 1 and 2 of the National Federation of High School

Jody Redman Associations (NFHS) Fundamentals of Coaching curriculum and three TeamUp modules — Anyone Can Save a Life, Risk Management and How’d Ya Do. After the face-to-face instruction, coaches will complete the rest of the curriculum online at their convenience. The online curriculum includes: Chapters 3, 4 and 5 of the NFHS Fundamentals of See Education on Page 22

Runner ................................................................................ continued from Page 17 received more than 20 stitches and is in a brace/boot to immobilize the area so the stitches do not pop out. Ripley, a junior at Andover High School, said stopping to help the injured runner was “just natural instinct.” “I didn’t think about my race, I knew I needed to stop and help him,” Ripley said. “It was something I would expect my other teammates to do. I’m nothing special; I was just in the right place at the right time.” Paulauskas’ coach and parents are extremely grateful to Ripley for his actions. “I was stunned and so proud of the sportsmanship and kindness he showed to our runner who was injured,” said Jessica Just, the Lakeville South team’s coach. “The family, our Lakeville South coaching staff and our whole team were so thankful and appreciative of Josh’s act of kindness and selflessness to a rival competitor.” Gene Paulauskas, Mark’s father, learned of Ripley’s actions after his son had been handed off to him. “While I was running with Mark in my arms (to get medical attention), he told me that it was a runner from another team who

“I didn’t think about my race, I knew I needed to stop and help him. It was something I would expect my other teammates to do. I’m nothing special; I was just in the right place at the right time.” had stopped and helped him to an area of the course where he could get some help,” Gene Paulauskas said. “It was horrible to see Mark with such a bad injury, but we were all struck by the selfless act of compassion, kindness and sportsmanship exhibited by Josh Ripley, the Andover runner.” When someone told Ripley’s coach, Scott Clark, that Ripley was carrying another runner, Clark said he thought he misheard. “Then Josh comes jogging into view carrying a runner,” Clark said. “I noticed the blood on the runner’s ankle as Josh handed him off to one of the coaches from Lakeville. Josh was tired and you could tell his focus was off as he started back on the course; clearly he intended to finish, this happening inside the first mile. I got his attention and told him to relax and get his

focus back for racing and not worry about his place. Josh continued to run and finished.” Clark said what Ripley did says a lot about him as an individual. “Clearly, Josh is a compassionate and caring person,” Clark said. “We consistently talk about being a team and caring about how each person on the team does. Cross country is filled with quality athletes at each school. It is always gratifying to see it exhibited in such a way as Josh did.” Ripley, the son of Stacey and Jason Ripley of Andover, was honored by the Anoka-Hennepin School Board for his actions on Sept. 26. Andover Activities Director Eric Lehtola told the Board he was privileged to introduce Coach Scott Clark. A 32-year teacher in

Fall 2011 Bulletin

the Anoka-Hennepin School District and cross country running and Nordic ski team coach, Lehtola said he was glad to see Clark receive recognition for the lessons he’s taught athletes like Ripley. Clark said it was nice to see an athlete be acknowledged for doing something other than competing well. He said it was great to see attention given to cross country running where there are so many great kids. “It’s great to see kids recognized for going over the top and doing something you wouldn’t expect,” Clark said. “Thank you for recognizing Josh and his contributions to the sport.” Ripley shared with the school board the story about how he came across an injured runner and carried him to his coach. Josh said he said a quick prayer with him and then got back into the race. Ripley was awarded a medal by the school board. Board Chair Tom Heidemann also shared with him that the school board is receiving e-mails from across the country congratulating Ripley on what he did. “Thank you for what you did for that student, caring about another person and stepping in,” Heidemann said. “We really appreciate it.”

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Athletic Activities

Heads up: Who’s on first? By William O. Roberts, M.D., M.S.

t is hard to believe we are well into the fall sports season. Concussion has been in the news again. Sidney Crosby, out of professional hockey with persistent symptoms from his concussion last January, has returned to the practice ice, but his season may be in jeopardy. Justin Morneau is out for the season with persistent concussion symptoms, despite trying to get back to his usual first base position with the Twins. Concussions take their toll on athletes at all levels and there are changes from the state legislature and national scene involving concussion safety for athletes. The Minnesota Legislature passed a concussion reporting and education law to help protect our state athletes under age 18 from lack of medical evaluation and management. The gist of the law requires that any athlete suspected of having a concussion cannot return to play on the same day, must be evaluated by a qualified health care provider, and must be educated along with parents and coaches regarding the symptoms and recognition of concussion prior to the season. Thus, a coach not pulling a player from play is breaking the law. A parent trying to force an athlete back into competition without proper evaluation is breaking the law. And a school not ensuring coach and parent education is breaking the law. This has the potential to be a very powerful law and to improve the safety profile for our student athletes. It will be up to parents, athletes, and health providers to provide the proper evaluation and management for safe return to play. The League has developed an online system for coaches to get the necessary educational materials and for schools to keep track of the coaches who have completed the mandatory training. This project was completed in the very short time between the passage of the law late in this last legislative session and the September 1, 2011, effective date for the new requirements. The League also embedded the parent education materials into the athlete eligibility forms for parents to review prior to the start of the sports season. The League materials are available at www.MSHSL.org and the recommended concussion protocol can be accessed at http:// www.MSHSL.org/MSHSL/news/ConcussionInfo.pdf. The key management phrase is “When in doubt, sit them out.” As a coach, you cannot get into difficulty if you follow that mantra. The management protocol also requires a graded, gradual return to physical activity that takes a minimum of six days after concussion symptoms have resolved. This is to ensure that the brain is healed and that the symptoms do not return with activity.

Sports Medicine

Dr. William Roberts

The key management phrase is “When in doubt, sit them out.” As a coach, you cannot get into difficulty if you follow that mantra. The management protocol also requires a graded, gradual return to physical activity that takes a minimum of six days after concussion symptoms have resolved. This is to ensure that the brain is healed and that the symptoms do not return with activity. Crosby and Morneau will likely tell you sitting out is no fun, but going back too early can prolong the disability and increase the risk for more severe injury and even greater time loss. William O. Roberts, M.D., M.S. is a professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, Division of Sports Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, and also is chair of the League’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.

The Damage Done While concussive hits dominate the debate, a groundbreaking new study suggests that minor blows — and there can be hundreds each game — are just as tramautic By David Epstein

ou wouldn’t guess that Jefferson High football players Joel Ripke and Brandon Stumph are part of a scientific breakthrough. Purdue researchers who put sensors in the helmets of the seniors from Lafayette, Ind., certainly didn’t. Ripke, a mountainous 17-year-old at 6’6” and 260 pounds, is the Bronchos’ starting right tackle. His buddy Stumph, a starter at defensive end, is a more

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Fall 2011 Bulletin

mundane 6’1” and 190 pounds, but with a thirst for contact. His black helmet looks like one of those chipped and gouged bowling balls that hasn’t beaten a straight path in years. Despite their easy camaraderie and Penn-and-Teller size difference, Ripke and Stumph line up across from each other in practice and get after it, with Stumph breaking out every duck, Concussion See Page dodge, chop or bullon rush he 19 See Damage on Page 22

Athletic Activities Education ........................................................................... continued from Page 20 Coaching curriculum, NFHS Sports First Aid, League Rules and Policies, Concussion Education, and three additional TeamUp modules. Continuing Education Requirement (CER) Every head coach in Minnesota who currently meets the state statute requirement and is serving as a head coach in a Minnesota high school is required to complete the online Continuing Education Requirement (CER). The Continuing Education Requirement (CER) is available through the Coaches Clipboard page of the League website. Coaches receive instruction and education in: Coaching Philosophy, Concussion Education, Emergency Planning, and League Bylaws. Once completed, coaches will have access to the required online rules interpretation meeting. The continuing Education Requirement (CER) must be completed every three years.

Facts

Minnesota Coaches Ed

CER Delivery In-person & Online .................................................................... Online Time 60 clock hours ................................................................ 3 clock hours Cost $170 .............................................................................................. Free Curriculum NFHS & MSHSL ........................................................................ MSHSL In-person Requirements 6 hours ........................................................................................ None Online Requirements Chapters 3-5 ................................................................... Chapters 1-4 of the NFHS Curriculum & of the MSHSL Curriculum First Aid Requirement Concussion Training Bylaw Review TeamUp Modules Stats ● 4,047 coaches have completed the Continuing Education Requirement ● 10,700 coaches have completed the Concussion Education Requirement ● 3,500 sport officials have completed the Concussion Education Requirement

Damage .............................................................................. continued from Page 21 knows to get past Ripke’s forklift arms and Frisbee-sized mitts. “If I’m not bigger than the dude, I like to hit him with my helmet,” Stumph says, “and then use a move so I can get his hands off me.” Nor does Ripke shy away from putting hat on hat. He’s been taught that effective run blocking requires three points of contact on the defender: hand, hand, helmet. Despite their frequent bellringings and clock-cleanings, neither Ripke nor Stumph has suffered a concussion in practice or in a game. That would be unequivocally gratifying news, except that the Purdue researchers’ data, published in the Journal of Neurotrauma (http://www.liebertonline.com/ doi/pdfplus/10.1089/ neu.2010.1512), tell a far more troubling story. The findings suggest that while the NFL is going to unprecedented lengths to control the violent collisions that produce concussions, brain

trauma in football may start much earlier, and much less conspicuously, with hits that never raise an eyebrow, much less a penalty flag. Before the 2009 football season the group of Purdue engineering professors, athletic trainers and graduate students fitted 23 of the Bronchos’ helmets with accelerometers and gave players both the ImPACT test—a computerized neurocognitive exam that tests memory and concentration—and tests of working memory while their brains were monitored with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The idea was to establish a baseline for each player against which he could be re-examined after a concussion. Says Thomas Talavage, a Purdue associate professor of biomedical engineering and electrical and computer engineering, “We were looking to understand what kinds of hits cause a concussion and what the consequences are.”

Using NFL-sponsored studies as a guide, the researchers figured that hits in excess of 80 times the force of gravity (heading a soccer ball produces around 20 Gs) would cause concussions. So the Purdue researchers were stunned when, on the first day of full-contact practice, they started seeing hits of 100 Gs or more. “I thought, ‘Oh my god, we’re going to be carrying these kids off the field,’” says Eric Nauman, associate professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering. It turned out, however, that no particular magnitude of hit correlated with a concussion. One player holding the line on an extra-point attempt took 289 Gs to the helmet from a converging pair of would-be kick blockers. “You could hear the hit in the subdivision next door,” says Evan Breedlove, a biomedical engineering grad student and member of the study team. But the lineman was fine. In fact,

Fall 2011 Bulletin

three weeks into the season the Purdue team had just one concussion for its study. (There were concussions among Bronchos players who were not part of the test.) So the researchers had players from the study who had never suffered concussions retake the ImPACT test and get their brains scanned with functional MRIs (fMRI), which image cerebral blood flow to pinpoint active areas in the brain. The players were meant to serve as a control group for later comparison to concussed teammates. But the first lineman who came in as an ostensible control subject surprised the researchers when, compared with the preseason, he scored 20% lower on the visual memory section of the ImPACT test, which requires rapid identification of recurring patterns. The player had no trouble with the verbal section, though, and Talavage See Damage on Page 24

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Athletic Activities Damage .............................................................................. continued from Page 22 began to think there might be something wrong with the test itself, which is used by the NFL and many college and high school teams to gauge whether a player has recovered from a concussion. A few concussions did arise as the season went on, but the researchers continued to bring in nonconcussed players for ImPACT tests and fMRIs. And then they saw it again: Another kid who had never suffered a concussion flubbed the visual memory section of the ImPACT test. Of 11 players who took midseason testing, three had suffered concussions during the season and eight had never had concussions. Of those eight, four nevertheless showed significant declines in visual memory. In fact, the players with the most impaired visual memory skills were not coming from the concussed group but from a group that in the week preceding the test had taken a large numbers of hits—around 150— mostly in the 40 to 80 G range. If the test scores were accurate, the researchers had inadvertently documented, in real time, a new classification of high school athlete: a player who was never concussed, was not verbally impaired and was asymptomatic even as far as his parents could tell, but whose visual memory was more impaired than his amnesic, headachy, light-sensitive, concussed teammates. Says Talavage, “We started having weekly meetings to debate whether we were seeing something real.” And then they looked at the fMRIs. Those brain snapshots had been done while players took two versions of a working memory test. In the first version a subject must click a button each time a flashing letter repeats in sequence. D, A, B, B—click. The second version requires more brainpower: React when the letter that flashed two characters ago repeats. A, J, F, J—click. All of the players were able to complete the test with relative accuracy, but the brain activity of the four players who took a lot of middling hits—but suffered no concussions—changed dramatically. When each one took the harder version of the test, there was an unmistakable decline in activity in an area of the brain just behind the forehead

assignment. The four functionally called the dorsolateral prefrontal impaired Bronchos, however, cortex, which is critical to visual showed absolutely nothing that memory. “It’s like a horse race,” would be categorized as a says Talavage. “When the brain symptom. “You wouldn’t even starts a task, it starts all the know to examine them,” says horses running, and one wins, or Larry Leverenz, an athletic gets the task done. But when the trainer and Purdue clinical brain is already taxed, it prevents professor of health and some of those horses from kinesiology who is on the study starting. There are fewer team. “There’s nothing until you resources available.” give them an fMRI or test the Talavage has seen an visual memory.” interesting parallel in an Even in the gladiator culture of unrelated study that compares football, the gifted growing children with If the test scores awareness of readingwere accurate, the brain injury impaired and has average researchers had transformed children. The the act of gifted kids inadvertently hiding a show relatively low documented, in real concussion from one brain activity time, a new signifying on a reading to test, classification of high bravery one of presumably stupidity. The because they school athlete: a functionally aren’t challenged player who was never impaired four didn’t hide and need not concussed, was not symptoms; summon all they never their mental verbally impaired and knew they horsepower. had any. The average was asymptomatic Beyond children start the fact that all the even as far as his the best horses. But predictor of the readingparents could tell, impaired impaired but whose visual visual subjects, like memory was the gifted memory was more not children, concussions keep some of impaired than his but the the starting gates amnesic, headachy, number of hits absorbed closed—not light-sensitive, in the because the previous task is too concussed week, one easy but other bit of because it is teammates. data jumped too difficult. out at the Purdue researchers. A single week of 150 hits turned While the players who were the four “functionally impaired” diagnosed with concussions Jefferson High players, as the tended to take heavy hits on the Purdue team calls them, into side of the helmet, the equivalents of the readingimpaired children, except that the functionally impaired four tended to get hit on the front, essentially damage was to visual memory. in the upper forehead, which Yet every method of sideline houses the dorsolateral prefrontal diagnosis for concussions relies cortex—where linemen get hit, on self-reported symptoms like play in and play out. It wasn’t the headaches or dizziness, in rare, excessively violent collision addition to tests of verbal—not between the wide receiver and visual—memory. The NFL, for the free safety, the Patriot missile example, now mandates that a intercepting the Scud, that concussed player is done for the mattered most, but rather the day if, after a hit, he can’t carry milder, more frequent kind of hits on a coherent conversation or remember the last play or his gap that replicated two adolescent

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rams knocking heads. Consider this: Concussions as we know them involve a hit that rattles a part of the brain involved in language processing or motor skills. Hits to the forehead that might be every bit as damaging hide their nefarious effects in the frontal lobe, a part of the brain primarily involved in visual memory, planning and cognition, rather than motor or sensory function, and thus not taxed by sideline concussion exams. Indeed, it’s possible that all along, while brain trauma questions have focused on concussions, the real damage is being inflicted by minor impacts that chip away at the brain. A 2009 study by researchers including Ann McKee, the Boston University neurologist who has autopsied the damaged brains of deceased former NFL players, noted that long-term brain deterioration did not strictly correspond to the history of concussions. Randall Benson, a neurologist at Wayne State in Detroit who has studied former NFL players suffering from cognitive impairment and depression, says that some of them never suffered a concussion. Benson thinks the Purdue researchers may have taken a real-time snapshot of the early stages of the corrosive creep that wears away the frontal lobe, a part of the brain involved in navigating social situations. Too much erosion and victims reach a breaking point—like former Steelers offensive lineman Terry Long, who died in 2005 from drinking antifreeze. “It’s an insidious progression,” Benson says, “and it’s not obvious when you talk to [players].” Benson has seen MRIs that show the brain drifting in the head with a movement as routine as a twisting of the neck. “It would defy the laws of physics if the brain didn’t have a shearing injury when you stick your face into a 275-pound defensive lineman,” he says. But what if it doesn’t take a 275-pound lineman? What if it takes only a 190-pound Brandon Stumph, the likes of whom many of the 1.1 million high school football players will encounter regularly on the field? Or what if it doesn’t take even that? What if it just takes a one-pound soccer See Damage on Page 25

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Athletic Activities David Epstein > VIEWPOINT Unique study explores cumulative effect of hits in high school football

ast November I wrote an article for Sports Illustrated about a unique study on brain injuries in high school football players conducted by a group of researchers at Purdue University. The reason I honed in on this particular study was that, rather than dissecting the brains of deceased players to look for signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), this group was following young players over the course of a season to see if they could document brain impairment in real time. In other words, as opposed to a “crosssectional” study — in which observations are made at a single point in time, but the cause/ effect relationship cannot be definitively established — this study was longitudinal, meaning that it would track players over the course of the season. The researchers put accelerometers in the helmets of players at Jefferson High School in Lafayette, Ind. with the intention of measuring the G-forces of hits that caused concussions. The idea was then to give the players tests of

memory and focus as well as to take pictures of their brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to see just how a concussion altered cognitive processing. But when the researchers started dragging in apparently healthy non-concussed players for memory tests and fMRIs to establish a control group, they were surprised to discover that several players had impaired brain functioning despite not having suffered a concussion. Ultimately, the study found that the sheer number of hits that a player had taken over the previous week, completely irrespective of whether a concussion had been suffered, was the best predictor of brain impairment. As I wrote last November, this is particularly scary, because it means that the vast majority of brain damage in football players might be occurring in the absence of any easily recognizable symptoms or of a particularly bell-clanging hit. The Purdue researchers recently finished

● Researchers at Purdue University track players over the course of the season ● They discovered that many nonconcussed players have impaired brain functioning ● One possible solution: monitoring hits as one would monitor a pitcher’s pitch count analyzing the second year of their Jefferson High data — which was discussed as part of Frontline’s “Football High” special on PBS — and it has shown more of the same. Of the 31 times that the researchers brought in nonconcussed players to do neurocognitive testing, 17 produced impaired scores. “That’s 17 players who were not expected to be impaired,” said Tom Talavage, a Purdue associate professor of biomedical engineering and electrical and computer engineering. The fMRI data has backed up the results from the first season as well, in that the pattern of brain activity in impaired players changes when they are asked to do a task that requires mental focus. In tests where players are asked to briefly recall letters that have been flashed before them, the impaired See Study on Page 27

Damage .............................................................................. continued from Page 24 ball? In a 2003 study from the Florida Institute of Technology, subjects were briefly shown a design and directed to redraw it. Only one of 12 non-soccer-playing control subjects scored below the normal range, compared with seven of 21 soccer players who had a history of frequent headers. That cohort also scored worse on an IQ test than the control group, and lower than players who did not head the ball as frequently. The mounting evidence suggests that some people— perhaps a lot—simply cannot play these games without being damaged, concussion or no concussion. “You can break something by hitting it hard once,” says Katie Morigaki, a Purdue graduate assistant athletic trainer who worked on the study, “or you can break it by hitting it softer many times.” And now the good news. “There are issues we can address without changing football or racking up costs,” says Nauman. If it’s simply the number of hits that predict whether a player will suffer brain damage, then, like pitch counts, that can be managed. Instead of full-contact practice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, high schools could take a cue from the pros. “If a school can’t afford all this

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The mounting evidence suggests that some people—perhaps a lot—simply cannot play these games without being damaged, concussion or no concussion. “You can break something by hitting it hard once,” says Katie Morigaki, a Purdue graduate assistant athletic trainer who worked on the study, “or you can break it by hitting it softer many times.” stuff”—like fMRI, which they invariably can’t—“if they hit one fewer day a week, they’re probably in better shape,” Nauman says. Even simpler would be a cultural shift from the head-butt back to the high-five. The Purdue team found the Jefferson players’ celebratory helmet-knocks registered 80 to 100 Gs near the frontal lobe. More good news: Though the Bronchos were not told their test results, several, like Ripke and Stumph, figured out that they were in the high-hits group by virtue of getting called in for more fMRIs than their teammates. The Purdue researchers say one Jefferson

High player who was in the impaired group last season seems to have figured that out and has played with better, heads-up technique this season, reducing the number of hits he’s taken on the forehead. And the best news: After nine months off from football, the functionally impaired players who were back for the 2010 season (one had graduated) returned to their baseline ImPACT scores. So perhaps the youthful brain is able to completely heal itself, or at least make up for any deficit. Critical chronological windows are known to exist for recovery from particular brain injuries. For example, in the rare case when a

Fall 2011 Bulletin

very young child has a stroke and loses the ability to speak, a different part of the brain is able to take over speech, and the child invariably recovers full language ability. But if the stroke occurs after the age of nine, the brain is not as flexible, and the recovery may be longer and less complete. If it occurs after puberty, some symptoms will be permanent. The Purdue study is continuing this fall at Jefferson High, with 32 Bronchos players now taking part, and it shortly will expand by adding the reigning Indiana Class 3A state champion West Lafayette High. Researchers hope to track players through high school and even college—Ripke hopes to play at the next level—to see at what point deficits become irreversible. That is, if they are not already looking at it. “Are these kids really coming all the way back to baseline?” Leverenz asks. “Or are they just a little bit off one year, and just a little bit off the next year, and pretty soon it’s significant?” Let’s hope for good news. Reprinted courtesy of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: “THE DAMAGE DONE” by David Epstein, November 10, 2010 © 2010 and “VIEWPOINT” by David Epstein, April 13, 2011 © 2011 Time Inc. All rights reserved.

Officials

2010-11 Service Awards presented

he Minnesota State High School League has recognized scores of officials for their continued work on behalf of the student-athletes of the state. Awards are presented to them according to their length of service. The service award recipients for the 20102011 school year were: 50 Years William F. Adams, Wadena; Warren J. Bailey, Pipestone; Derald L. Severson, Plainview. 40 Years Tony Bartovich, Eveleth; John Blin, St. Paul; Michael T. Budion, Wyoming; James S. Erzar, Grand Rapids; Paul R. Frank, Minnetonka; Babe Glumack, Hibbing; Edwin E. Homan, Hutchinson; James H. Hruby, St. Cloud; Edward S. Kane, Faribault; Wally Larsen, Rosemount; Bob Lebens, Bloomington; Terry Lobland, Rochester; Mark E. Stange, Shoreview. 30 Years Terry J. Althoff, Luverne; Scott Anderson, Bemidji; Lori Ard, Dent; Burt G. Bardal, Faribault; Roderick C. Bernhard, Janesville; Donald Butler, Cambridge; Terry Bumgarner, Richfield; Forster Davis, Northfield; David Eidenschink, Detroit Lakes; Henry Gerth, Winona; Loren W. Gessler, Jordan; David E. Guertin, Granite Falls; Scott E. Hanna, Duluth; Thomas M. Highum, Brainerd; Richard P. Hommerding, Sartell; Fred Jurewicz, Shakopee; Guy T. Kimball, Moorhead; Dean R. Klauer,

Rochester; Wolfgang S. Kraft, Woodbury; David Lundquist, St. Paul; Kris Lyons, Moose Lake; Kevin G. Merkle, Northfield; Jeffery H. Moberg, Russell; A. Todd Proshek, New Prague; Dan Raden, Burnsville; Richard L. Renner, Pine Island; William G. Rothstein, Sauk Rapids; Paul Seaton, Foley; Lee Ann Steen, Sherburn; Julian Tuominen, Duluth; Patricia Juul Turner, Burnsville; George Winn, Maple Grove. 20 Years Steven B. Ashwood, Elk River; Brad R. Augustin, Fairfax; Bruce Bakalyar, Lakefield; Alan Baloun, Windom; Chris Baxter, Hawley; Scott Beekman, Marshall; Hamilton E. Bell, Maplewood; Jim Bennett, Duluth; Susan A. Bennett, Duluth; Bruce V. Berg, Alexandria; Craig P. Boysen, Buffalo; Keith Bunkowske, Vergas; Steven B. Burchill, Brainerd; Lori M. Chirpich, Fairmont; Arlene Dagnault, Richfield; Bruce Donatell, Minneapolis; Peter Draine, Saint Paul; Lewis W. Ely, Mound; Keith E. Emerson, Osakis; Wayne K. Erbes, Marshall; Chris Etzler, Staples; Jim Fall, Pine Island; John M. Fondurulia, Hoyt Lakes; Rodney A. Frost, Farmington; Curtis C. Giersdorf, North Mankato; Dennis Hammann, Chaska; Dan R. Henrikson, Owatonna; Deborah Hiestand, Maple Grove; Dale E. Hietala, Duluth; Joel Hokanson, Fairmont; Marc C. Hoyer, White Bear Lake; Troy A. Hoyt, Springfield; Urule Igbavboa, Oakdale; John A. Jacobson, Duluth; Steve T. Johnson, Marshall; Kathleen W. Kalenberg,

Minnesota officials now also national members All officials registered with the League are now members of the NFOA — National Federation Officials Association. The NFOA membership provides a number of benefits, including: ● Online access to rulebooks, casebooks and official manuals; ● Ability to search those publications; ● Access to training materials, video and other, for most sports; ● Officials Discussion Forum; ● Officials Quarterly online magazine; ● Additional future benefits. To access this information go to your Official’s Corner page and click on the “NFOA Central Hub” link in the messages section of the upper right corner under “General.” You can also get to the NFOA Central Hub via the National Federation website (www. NFHS.org). Click on “Officials” in the upper left part of the page, then click on the link for the Official’s Hub.

New testing procedures in use now

Buffalo Lake; James J. Kirshbaum, Maple Grove; William T. Kozik, Bloomington; Brent M. Kuphal, Plymouth; Lisa K. Lange, Brainerd; Marc D. Laskow, Eden Prairie; Philip R. Lutz, New London; Emil I. Makinen, Deer River; Brian Masyga, Winona; Timothy I. McConnell, Lakefield; Thomas J. McDonald, Ely; Kevin L. Meger, Mankato; Charles Moore, Maple Grove; Robert J. Norman, Brooklyn Center; Darrell Olson, Maple Grove; Rachel M. Palmer, North Mankato; Scott J. Patten, Carlton; Darrel M. Pederson, Lake Park; Glenn E. Peterson, St. Louis Park; Kelly Potts, Gilbert; James K. Richter, Clear Lake; Sam H. Ricker, Iron; Michael J. Roff, Champlin; Donald J. Sampson, Hibbing; Ronnie Schneider, Roseville; Gerald W. Sillanpa, Duluth; Kevin S. Simonson, Glencoe; Jeff Skogmo, Detroit Lakes; Stephen H. Smothers, Hastings; Bernard Sprenger, Sleepy Eye; Scott Tschimperle, Brownton; David A. Ulwelling, Warroad; Mark P. VanGuilder, Roseville; Michael L. Vipond, Horace; Jeff M. Vlatkovich, Hibbing; R. Steven Watson, Eagan; Wayne D. Weller, New York Mills; Richard A. Williamson, Owatonna; Clarence Winter, Lakeville; Dave Wisnieski, Big Lake; Stephen J. Wontor, Fridley. 10 Years Zach Alvin, Brooklyn Park; Jeremy R. Anderson, Alexandria; John Anderson, Eden Prairie; Terry L. Anderson, New Ulm; Guy See Awards on Page 27

must still score 80 percent or better on the test in order to pass. Those who fail to reach 80 percent will have one additional opportunity to take the test, and a different set of 60 questions will be provided. Officials will only have two opportunities to pass the test.

Hockey, track and field among new training clinics to be offered Once again we had a very successful round of training clinics for fall sports — football, soccer and volleyball. A video training opportunity wasmade available to all volleyball officials. Clinics will again be offered in basketball, wrestling, and girls’ gymnastics this winter, and for baseball and girls’ softball in March. In addition, training clinics are being developed in both hockey and track and field. Look for additional information about clinics online and in your pre-season mailing.

Beginning this fall, officials are being tested differently than in the past. One hundred test questions for each sport will be available through the Official’s Corner. These questions may be reviewed online or may be printed. We encourage officials to review them all and answer each question. When taking the test, only 60 of the 100 questions will be asked. Questions will be both True and False and Multiple Choice. Officials

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Officials Study .................................................................................. continued from Page 25 players appear to require more cognitive resources to complete the relatively simple task. It’s as if the brain is a damaged engine that suddenly needs to use more horsepower than should be necessary just to get the vehicle down the block. “They can still do the test,” Talavage said, “but not in the same manner as when they were healthy.” On the bright side, so far kids in the study have returned to normal brain functioning after the season. The Purdue researchers hope they can one day pin down just how many hits it takes before someone is set irreparably on the path to CTE. Since the number of hits taken in the prior week has

proven in both seasons of the study to be the best predictor of brain impairment, Talavage envisions one possible solution: monitoring hits as one would monitor a pitcher’s pitch count. “If we can just slow down the accumulated damage so that we don’t pass whatever threshold leads to CTE,” Talavage said, “then that’s a win. That’s the same for most people as eliminating the problem.” Now that we pretty much know what to expect when the brain of a deceased ex-NFL

player is examined — a buildup of tau proteins that are the hallmark of CTE — longitudinal studies like the one at Purdue hold the key to figuring out how to make the game safer. Reprinted courtesy of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: “THE DAMAGE DONE” by David Epstein, November 10, 2010 © 2010 and “VIEWPOINT” by David Epstein, April 13, 2011 © 2011 Time Inc. All rights reserved.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/david_epstein/04/13/ high.school.concussion/index.html#ixzz1TPCbYYHD

Awards ............................................................................... continued from Page 26 Andrews, Lakeville; Nourddine Aouche, Crystal; Aziz Aresmouk, Maple Grove; Dennis G. Atchison, Stillwater; Bruce Babler, Nevis; Ted Bauer, Rochester; Julian Bertogliat, Esko; Chad Bessler, Laporte; Randy Best, Lakeville; Dan Block, Shakopee; Brian H. Boche, Jordan; Lee Boraas, Cold Spring; Rob Boraas, Monticello; Rob Bowe, Austin; David Bowman, Rochester; Jay Brunn, West Saint Paul; Roger Buerkle, Fargo; Robert Burt, Coon Rapids; John Busch, New Ulm; John H. Caldwell, St. Cloud; Craig Canham, Brooklyn Park; Jeff Carlen, Annandale; Diane Carlson, Newport; Karl F. Carlson, North Oaks; Julie Carroll, Danvers; Michael D. Carter, Lino Lakes; Mike Casey, Eagan; David W. Childers, Big Lake; Nicole Clark, Rosemount; Dave Clear, Rosemount; Scott Colbeck, Fergus Falls; Paul A. Coleman, Andover; Catherine Coppock, Mound; Lucas G. Crawford, Hopkins; Scott Daak, Hutchinson; Brent M. Dack, Northfield; Anthony Dahl, Circle Pines; Peter Dahl, Center City; Matt P. Dalle, New Hope; David Daubert, Watertown; Dick Daymont, Northfield; Doug Deragisch, Marshall; Ron Dobbs, Spicer; Matthew J. Doyle, Duluth; Kent Draayer, Austin; Paul Drake, Prior Lake; Jake Eider, Apple Valley; Thomas S. Eliason, New Hope; Joann Ellefson, Shoreview; Joel Erdman, Ceylon; William Fedoryk, Austin; Chad Felchle, Rice; Marc Fioravanti, Arden Hills; Joe Fraher, Maple Grove; Jay Fredrich, Rogers; Jeff Fredrickson, Plymouth; Pat Freese, Kent; Mary Frey, Edina; Stephani Geerdes, Fairmont; Mary Gessell, Sartell; Bradley William Glesner, Proctor; Dale Goulson, Roseville; Keith Grammer, Duluth; Larry Gross, Apple Valley; Joe Guscetti, West Saint Paul; James F. Guzzo, Duluth; Justin R. Haakenson, Rochester; Brodie Hacken, Vadnais Heights; Patrick Haefner, Nicollet; Samuel F. Hager, Owatonna; Aaron L. Hammer, St Cloud; Paul Hamre, Sacred Heart; Douglas L. Hansen, Canby; Jon C. Hansen, Marshall; Brad Hanson, Monticello; Jon Harris, Fergus Falls; Emily Heckmann, Minneapolis; Craig Hedlund, Moorhead; Michael Heifort, Inver Grove Heights; Stephen Lee Helder, Apple Valley; Allie Helgren, Rosemount; Terry Helmer,

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Shoreview; Marlin Herbert, Grand Rapids; William Hickok, St. Paul; Randy Hochstein, Plymouth; Gregory Holeman, Centerville; John Holine, Woodbury; Charles E. Hollenback, Anoka; Gregg Holman, Andover; Perry Holweger, Breckenridge; Douglas Houle, Redwood Falls; Paul F. Ivancich, Ely; Nick Izzo, Isanti; Scott Jans, Granite Falls; Reggie Jarrett, Minneapolis; Mike Jastram, Fargo; Neil Jennissen, Cambridge; Gregge Johnson, Elk River; Ray D. Johnson, Eagan; Chad Jones, Owatonna; Steve Jorgenson, St. Paul; Douglas James Kaltved, Brooklyn Center; Christopher M. Kavanaugh, Grand Rapids; Keith L. Keel, Sioux Falls; Emmett Keenan, St. Cloud; Ronald Keller, Saint Cloud; Thomas Keller, Duluth; John J. Keranen, Ely; Bruce Ketchum, Hudson; Paul Kirby, Pine City; Loren Klein, Winona; Roy Kline, Blaine; Gregg Kloss, Coon Rapids; Eric M. Knutsen, Maple Grove; Joshua J. Koenig, International Falls; Jeremy Kovash, Perham; Tom Kubes, Forest Lake; Brent Kubis, Esko; Charles T. Lallak, Maple Grove; Don LaLonde, Hibbing; Andrew E. Lange, Roseville; Beth Lanoue, Tracy; Darren Larson, Baxter; Michael I. Lee, Benson; Kenneth Lehner, Maplewood; Aaron Lenes, Fosston; Rebecca Leuer, North Branch; Steve Lindberg, Duluth; Lisa Lindemann, Savage; Darcy Lindquist, Winona; John Logan, St. Paul; Gary Lowe, Rosemount; Abby Lozinski, Marshall; Thomas R. Lund, Warroad; Lyle H. Lundquist, Andover; Kevin Maertens, Minneapolis; Brenda O. Magoba, Minneapolis; David P. Marcotte, Rosemount; Darin Marcussen, North Branch; Doug Marshak, Duluth; Kristina Marshall, Eagan; Greg Martin, Dassel; Nick Mattila, Babbitt; Pat McCormick, Apple Valley; Rob McNulty, Lino Lakes; Erik Mestnik, St. Cloud; Dawn Michaud, Sartell; Laura Mickow, Eyota; Dan Monson, Winona; Jennifer Moore, Apple Valley; Steve Morben, Detroit Lakes; Justin Morrison, Brainerd; David L. Munson, Walker; Robert M. Myers, Rosemount; Dave Nagel, Rochester; A. William Nelson, Northfield; Jay Nessler, Mankato; Mark Northfield, Coon Rapids; Deanne R. Novotny, Alexandria; Gerald Ochs, Redwood Falls; Jamie Olsen, Vadnais Heights; Jeff

Fall 2011 Bulletin

Olson, Delano; Jay Owens, Red Wing; Jon Ryan Parker, Faribault; Jonathan Pearson, Karlstad; Lane Pearson, Lakeville; Timothy J. Pekarna, Minneapolis; Heather L. Pennie, Morris; Jason P. Perkins, Woodbury; Mike Peters, Janesville; Bill Petersen, St. Paul; Patti Peterson, Middle River; Kevin Philion, Mentor; Brian Pierson, North Mankato; Lukas Pohlmeier, St Cloud; Keith A. Pokela, Cottage Grove; Leigh Pomeroy, Mankato; George Proud, Chaska; Tom Raetz, Owatonna; John Raymond, Apple Valley; Mark Reamer, Farmington; Duane K. Reed, Minneapolis; Eugene Richardson, Saint Paul; Patrick Richter, Walker; Glenn Roll, Glyndon; Barbara Russell, Robbinsdale; Royce L. Ruter, Rochester; Cory Santelli, Gilbert; Peter J. Sarberg, Alexandria; Andrew Sawyer, Bloomington; Drew Scherber, St. Michael; David Schmeichel, Golden Valley; Juliet Schmit, Stillwater; Tom Schreiber, Rochester; Keith Schreiner, Marshall; Zachary Al Schubert, Minneapolis; Mike Schumacher, Rochester; Justin Schwantes, Oakdale; James Scroggins, Minneapolis; David Sell, Glencoe; Craig Sevick, New Brighton; Michael Sherman, St. Paul; Chad Shikowsky, International Falls; Dave Sieben, Melrose; Stan Simmons, Shakopee; Dale Skallerud, Hawley; Michael S. Skradski, Brooklyn Park; Karl Sonneman, Winona; Holly Souza, St. Paul; Tim Stafki, Maplewood; Judy Stapleton, Eyota; Thomas R. Stark, Chaska; Frank Jon Sterner, Waconia; Tom A. Stierlen, North Mankato; Trevor Sundquist, Esko; Robert Swift, Rochester; Eugene Tessier, Mahtomedi; Chad Theisen, Blaine; Peter Thorvig, Hinckley; Laura A. Traeger, Annandale; Ralph Viera, Owatonna; Phil Wadkins, Rochester; Craig Ward, Brainerd; Ron Weill, Stillwater; Larry Wenaas, Dilworth; Greg Westerman, Kilkenny; Dave Wik, Monticello; Gary Williams, Clontarf; Adalberto Yanes, Rochester; John Zilles, Woodbury. The League appreciates the dedication and work of all of its registered officials and urges each to recruit and mentor more. Congratulations to all of these officials who have earned years of service awards! Thanks for your service to student-athletes!

Officials Dance coach went above and beyond To the League: My name is Melissa Erp and I am an official for dance team. I was the superior judge at the February 2011 West Central Conference Tournament in Paynesville. The host school that evening was experiencing some significant sound system issues. The issues were extreme enough to make it very challenging for the teams to perform their routines. During the intermission between High Kick and Jazz, Sara Marek, head coach of the St. Cloud Cathedral team, hooked up her own mini-sound system that she had brought along with her, and somehow she got it wired into the host school’s overhead system. So, for the Jazz portion of the evening at least, the teams had the benefits of great music and stress-free performances thanks to Sara. And, along with that, I’d like to note that Sara ran her minisound system herself during the entire Jazz Division competition, even while her own team was performing. I just want to recognize Sara for her great act of sportsmanship and willingness to help out, not only her own team, but the other teams in the West Central Conference that evening.

The following letter was sent to Albany girls’ softball coach Vance Ressler and Mora girls’ softball coach Charlie Whitbred, and shared with the League. Vance and Charlie: Just wanted to drop you a note and tell you how much fun it was to be involved in your softball game yesterday (May 16, 2011). It is rare to see two coaches in the same game who are so positive towards their teams - and towards the officials. The encouragement I heard directed to the players - along with the constant coaching and teaching - was great. As an A.D., I hope my coaches do as well. Also – every one of your players was extremely respectful to me as an official. That is an attitude and approach that kids learn from their coaches. Thanks for modeling that. It was a beautiful day weather-wise - and a great ballgame. Thanks for letting me be a part of it. Good luck to you both in the playoffs. You will represent the West Central very well. Hope to see you soon. Emmett Keenan MSHSL Softball Official

Melissa Erp MSHSL Dance Team Official

Hill-Murray athletes ‘shock’ official for offering thanks

Support for all dance teams praised by judge The following letter sent to Albany High School was shared with the League. Dear Albany dance team coaches and A.D., I was the superior judge at the Aitkin Invitational this past weekend (January 2011). I wanted to write to you to let you know that the Albany parents and fans were outstanding at the meet. I noticed that they cheered and supported every single team that came onto the floor. They would cheer throughout all of the routines, not just during the Albany performance. They would shout encouraging words like “Come on PRB!” and “Way to go Cloquet!” and their great sportsmanship was definitely recognized. During our post-meet conference, several of the other judges commented on how amazing the Albany fans were. Please let the parents and fans know that they really set the bar for sportsmanship. Way to go Albany! You made our day! Colleen Smith, Brainerd MSHSL Dance Team Official

Encouragement, teaching, respect noted at softball game

The following letter was sent to Hill-Murray Activities Director Bill Lechner and shared with the League. Mr. Lechner, I am sending you a quick note of appreciation for the actions of some of your athletes at the conclusion of the Section 4AA Track and Field Championships at Stillwater High School on June 2, 2011. I have been a track and field official for about 40 years. I have worked at the state track meet for 37 years and I am a head official I was clerk of the start for the 4AA meet. It had been a long day. I was weary and had a meet the next morning. I was packing my bags to go home Suddenly, a group of about 20 Hill-Murray student athletes approached me and my colleagues and shook the hand of each and every one of us, thanking us for our service. I get thanked by students once or twice per year. This action by your students was shocking to me because NOTHING like it had ever happened to me in my entire officiating experience. I was recharged and reinvigorated. It could be that this is the sort of action all Hill-Murray students would do. Whether it is or not, you must be incredibly proud of your kids. Please pass my best to your athletes, coaches, and the entire Hill-Murray community for this small gesture which was heartfelt for those who received it. Tom Fischer, Anoka MSHSL Track and Field Official

Fall 2011 Bulletin

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Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Summary of the Minutes of the April 7, 2011, Board of Directors Meeting Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance Board Actions 1. Approved the Agenda adding action items #9H - Holy Family Catholic High School’s Placement in Wright County Conference and

discussion item #10C – Journalism Competition. 2. Approved the Minutes of the January 24, 2011 Board of Directors’ meeting. 3. Recognized John Schumacher for being chosen as Athletic Director

of the Year and for being selected to receive the 2011 State Award of Merit. 4. Jaime Sherwood, Athletic Director, Wayzata High School asked the Board to consider approving Section Football. Mr. Sherwood

Inclusion by Willmar’s girls’ swimming and diving team appreciated The following letter was sent to Media Specialist John Millea by Willmar Activities Director Jamie Thompson. Mr. Millea: The following info is from an e-mail that went to our head girls’ swim coach (Carl Shuldes), superintendent (Dr. Jerry Kjergaard), and me. It was sent by Lynn Stier (parent of Megan, the athlete spoken of below) and when I asked Lynn if she was OK with me passing it on to you she said she was fine with that. As an A.D., I really like to be included on POSITIVE emails like this, so I thought I would share it with you. Thanks for your time and for sharing great stories on the MSHSL website!

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Jamie Thompson Willmar Activities Carl, I have thanked you personally for this amazing year so far for Megan, and also felt the need to thank you a little more publicly as you should be extremely proud of yourself, your girls’ swim/dive team, your coaches, and the great program you run that not only builds athletes, it builds character. Background for Jamie and Dr. Kjergaard: our youngest daughter, Megan, is in the eighth grade and has Down Syndrome. Megan typically has been involved in Special Olympics bowling in the fall. Last spring, my husband and I talked about wanting her involved in a more “active” sport and one that she really enjoys. I talked to Carl to see if our girls’ swim/dive team has had athletes with special needs and would this be feasible. He was completely open to the suggestion and this fall we decided to have Megan become part of this team. Carl has been very accommodating to Megan’s needs and we have adjusted practices and meets accordingly so she can enjoy them and be successful. Either my husband or I try to be at every practice to just help out the coaches if needed. Megan is having the time of her life. She feels a part of the team, she has been participating in the diving mostly (for her it means feet first), and is making a connection with the teammates and coaches. Her endurance has improved greatly since practice started in August and she is able to make it through most of the practice time. A few things really struck my husband and I and warmed our hearts (and this usually is followed by tearing up!). Early in the year, one of the seniors asked if she could be Megan’s “secret swimmer” which is a teammate who does the extra special things for another teammate for the away meets. That was very cool! Megan has been included in the team activities as well. Last Thursday was Megan’s birthday and we also had a home meet. Carl was aware of this and really went the extra mile to make it even a more special day for Megan. The girls sang to her by the diving area. After the march in, it was announced and the team sang to her again and the crowd cheered. The diving girls and coach also gave her some great gifts that just made Megan feel even more part of the team. We are so very proud of Megan’s accomplishments and definitely know that Carl, his coaches, and the fellow teammates have contributed to these successes this fall. We cannot thank you enough for touching our lives and especially Megan’s in the ways that you have. We also know that Megan has touched many lives in return. We are all very blessed! Thanks for taking the time to read this and it is a great success story to be shared even more publicly if the opportunity arises. I enjoy speaking publicly about these type of successes and would be willing to do so if ever needed. As we are looking at school programming, athletics, etc. and why it is important that they continue to be part of our children’s lives, this goes deeper for us personally. Thanks again and have a great day! Lynn Stier, Willmar Department Director, Rice Rehabilitation Center

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stated section football would help with scheduling challenges; budgets; and missed class time. Received Lobbyist’s report including an update on the following: (1) omnibus bill; (2) concussion bill; (3) ticket bill; (4) sales tax bill (MSHSL Foundation); and (5) stadium bill. Received Legal Counsel’s report. There are no claims pending. Approved the Executive Committee’s recommendation to deny a wrestling co-op and approve a girls’ hockey co-op for the 2011-2012 school year Approved the future Board of Directors Meeting Dates and Area Meeting Dates and Sites as presented. Approved the placement of schools into competitive sections for the 2011-2013 school years as reviewed at the March 11, 2011, Board of Directors Workshop Approved adding a 7th class of football with 32 rather than 28 football schools beginning with the 20122013 school year. Approved forwarding Bylaw 109 (Seasons of Participation) proposed amendment to the Representative Assembly for consideration. Approved forwarding Bylaw 101 (Age) proposed amendment to the Representative Assembly for consideration. Approved forwarding Bylaw 103 (Credit Requirements) proposed amendment to the Representative Assembly for consideration. Approved forwarding Bylaw 104 (Enrollment) proposed amendment to the Representative Assembly for consideration. Approved forwarding Bylaw 105 (Grade Level Eligibility) proposed amendment to the Representative Assembly for consideration. Approved forwarding Bylaw 106 (Graduates of Secondary Schools) proposed amendment to the Representative Assembly for consideration. See April 7 on Page 30

Fall 2011 Bulletin

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Summary of the Minutes of the June 6, 2011, Board of Directors Meeting Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance Board Actions 1. Approved the Board Addendum additional action items: #9G – Class Football “Opt-ups” and Classification Divisions; #9H – Football Experiment: Onside Kick; #9I – 2009-2010 Nordic Ski Request; and #9J – Staff Salaries. 2. Approved the Minutes of the April 7, 2011 Board of Directors’ meeting. 3. Received Lobbyist’s report including: (1) Concussion Bill and how that will affect the MSHSL; (2) Vikings Stadium Bill; (3) Sales Tax Exemption Bill (MSHSL Foundation); (4) the Governor vetoed the Education Omnibus Bill; and (5) conference placement legislation. 4. Received Legal Counsel’s report regarding a lawsuit

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that the MSHSL has been named in; and eligibility issues. Approved a request from La Crescent High School to participate in the Wisconsin High School Forensics Association competition Approved a request from the Metro Deaf School to hold a football camp offsite from August 28 to September 1, 2011. Approved for one year only. Approved the 2011-2012 Complimentary Ticket List. Approved the 2011-2012 Speech Season: Books & Topics to be used: The Storytelling Book: “Grimms’ Tales for You Young and Old, The Complete Stories”, Translated by Ralph Manheim, Anchor Books a Division of Random House, Inc.; Discussion Topic “Feeding the World.”

9. Approved the 2011-2012 preliminary budget as presented. 10. Approved the Coaches Education Requirements (CER): Membership Responsibilities as presented. 11. Approved the MSHSL being a presenting partner of the FIRST State Robotics Tournament. 12. Approved the “opt-up” and “opt-down” appeals in football as presented. 13. Approved seven classes for football with the largest 32 schools being in Class 6A. 14. Approved an onside kick football experiment as presented. 15. Approved the staff salaries for 2011-2013 on file in the League office. 16. Approved the June 6, 2011 minutes of the Eligibility Committee as presented.

17. Approved the financial statements for the month ending March 31, 2011 as presented. 18. Approved the financial statements for the month ending April 30, 2011 as presented. 19. Approved the Annual Charitable Organization Report. 20. Approved the 2011-2012 catastrophic insurance rates at $4.35 per participant as presented. Discussion Items A. A potential partnership with the Minnesota High School Press Association (MHSPA.) More information will be available at the August Workshop. The complete, official Minutes may be obtained from the League office by the designated school representative of member schools.

April 7 ................................................................................. continued from Page 29 17. Approved forwarding Bylaw 107 (Physical Examination) proposed amendment to the Representative Assembly for consideration. 18. Approved forwarding Bylaw 110 (Semesters Enrolled) proposed amendment to the Representative Assembly for consideration. 19. Approved forwarding Bylaw 111 (Transfer and Residence) proposed amendments to the Representative Assembly for consideration. [Domestic Students - 9th Grade Options]. 20. Approved forwarding Bylaw 111 (Transfer and Residence) proposed amendments to the Representative Assembly for consideration. [Domestic Students - Custody of Student]. 21. Approved a baseball

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tournament schedule change (no format change) for the 2011 State Baseball Tournament. Approved the addition of wheelchair track and field events to the current structure beginning with the 2011 track and field season. Approved the proposed calendar as presented with the following changes: (1) number of weeks/games for soccer (boys’ and girls’) should be 16 not 18; and (2) Speech – Class A (Friday) and Class AA (Saturday). Approved the Conference Placement Committee’s recommendation to place Holy Family Catholic High School in the Wright County Conference starting with the 2012-2013 school year. Approved the April 7, 2011

minutes of the Eligibility Committee as presented. 26. Approved the financial statements for the months ending January 31, 2011 and February 28, 2011 as presented. 27. Approved the MSHSL Investment Policy. 28. Approved the MSHSL entering into a partnership with Partnering for Youth that will provide an Ethical Leadership Program for interested member schools. 29. Approved changes to the Region/Section Consistency Policy as presented regarding forfeiture before seeding and after seeding. Discussion Items A. Membership Responsibilities and the fines and penalties for not fulfilling the Coaches’ Education Requirements. The

Fall 2011 Bulletin

information will be provided at the upcoming spring Area Meetings and will be an action item for the Board of Directors at the June meeting. B. Robotics as an MSHSL sponsored event was discussed and cost information was distributed. This will be an action item at the June Meeting. C. Journalism Competition was discussed. One of the Board of Directors’ goals is to expanding academic activities. This will be an item at the June meeting for additional consideration. The complete, official Minutes may be obtained from the League office by the designated school representative of member schools.

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Calendars 2011-2012 Calendar of State Events Nov. 1 ........................................................ Opening date for girls’ competitive dance team Oct. 25-28 ........................................................ STATE GIRLS’ TENNIS TOURNAMENT – Class AA @ Baseline Tennis Center, U of M; Class A @ Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center, Minneapolis Oct. 26-28, 31 Nov. 1, 3 .............................................. STATE SOCCER TOURNAMENT – Quarterfinals @ various sites (26-28); Class A & Class AA Boys’ semifinals (31); Class AA Girls’ semifinals, Class A third-place, Class AA Boys’ third-place (1); Class AA Girls’ third-place, Class A & Class AA finals (3); All third-place & championship games will be played @ Metrodome Oct. 31 ................................................................................. Opening date for girls’ hockey Nov. 5 ......................................................... STATE CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING MEET – St. Olaf College, Northfield Nov. 8 .......................................................... General Election: No school activities 6-8 p.m Nov. 10-12 .............................................. STATE GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT – Xcel Energy Center, RiverCentre, St. Paul Nov. 10-12 .................................................................. STATE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS - Various sites Nov. 14 .................................................. Opening date for Alpine skiing, Nordic ski racing, girls’ gymnastics, boys’ hockey & girls’ basketball Nov. 16-18 .............................................. STATE GIRLS’ SWIMMING & DIVING MEET – U of M Aquatic Center, Minneapolis Nov. 18-19 ................................................. STATE ADAPTED SOCCER TOURNAMENT – Stillwater Area Senior High School Nov. 18-19 ........................................ STATE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS – Metrodome, Minneapolis Nov. 21 ................... Opening date for wrestling, adapted floor hockey & boys’ basketball Nov. 25-26 .................................................. STATE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT FINALS / PREP BOWL - Metrodome, Minneapolis; 9-Man, Class A, Class AA & Class AAAAA (25); Class AAA & Class AAAA (26) Nov. 28 ............................................................. Opening date for boys’ swimming & diving Jan. 13-14 .................................................................... STATE DEBATE TOURNAMENT – University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Feb. 7 ................................................ Precinct Caucus: No high school activities 6-8 p.m., Feb. 9-10 .................................................. STATE ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL - Class A (9) & Class AA (10) - O’Shaughnessy Auditorium, St. Catherine University, St. Paul Feb. 15 .............................................. STATE ALPINE SKI MEET – Giants Ridge, Biwabik Feb. 16 ................................................................... STATE NORDIC SKI RACING MEET – Giants Ridge, Biwabik Feb. 17-18 .............................................. STATE GIRLS’ DANCE TEAM TOURNAMENT – Target Center, Minneapolis Feb. 22-25 ........................................................ STATE GIRLS’ HOCKEY TOURNAMENT – championship rounds @ Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul & consolation rounds @ Ridder Arena, U of M, Minneapolis Feb. 24-25 .............................................................. STATE GIRLS’ GYMNASTICS MEET – Sports Pavilion, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

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March 1-3 ............................................................. STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT – Xcel Energy Center, RiverCentre, St. Paul March 1-3 ................................................ STATE BOYS’ SWIMMING & DIVING MEET – U of M Aquatic Center, Minneapolis March 5 ...................... Opening date for girls’ synchronized swimming, adapted bowling, adapted softball & girls’ badminton March 7-10 ....................................................... STATE BOYS’ HOCKEY TOURNAMENT – championship rounds @ Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul & consolation rounds @ Mariucci Arena, U of M, Minneapolis March 12 ................................. Opening date for girls’ fast-pitch softball & track and field March 14-17 ........................................... STATE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT – Target Center & Williams Arena, U of M, Minneapolis March 16-17 .................................. STATE ADAPTED FLOOR HOCKEY TOURNAMENT – Bloomington Jefferson Senior High School March 19 .......................................................................... Opening date for golf & baseball March 21-24 ............................................ STATE BOYS’ BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT – Target Center & Williams Arena, U of M, Minneapolis March 26 ....................................................... Opening date for practice for girls’ lacrosse, boys’ lacrosse & boys’ tennis TBD by each Region ................................................. VISUAL ARTS - TBD by each Region April 20-21 .................................................................... STATE SPEECH TOURNAMENT – Class A (20) & Class AA (21), Chanhassen High School TBD by each Region ............................................ SECTION / STATE MUSIC CONTESTS/ FESTIVALS - various Minnesota sites, dates TBD by each Region May 18 .................................................... STATE ADAPTED BOWLING TOURNAMENT – Brunswick Zone, Eden Prairie May 19 ............................................................. Final date of GIRLS’ BADMINTON season June 1-2 ................................................. STATE ADAPTED SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT – Coon Rapids High School June 5-8 ........................................................... STATE BOYS’ TENNIS TOURNAMENT – Class AA @ Baseline Tennis Center, U of M; Class A @ Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center, Minneapolis June 7-8 ....................................................... STATE GIRLS’ SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT – Caswell Park, North Mankato June 8-9 ............................. STATE TRACK & FIELD MEET – Hamline University, St. Paul June 9 ............................................ Final date of GIRLS’ SYNCHRONIZED SWIM season June 12-13 ....................................................................... STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT – Class AAA @ Bunker Hills Golf Course, Coon Rapids; Class AA @ Ridges at Sand Creek, Jordan; Class A @ Pebble Creek Golf Club, Becker June 12-15 ............................................................. GIRLS’ LACROSSE TOURNAMENT – Chanhassen High School June 12-15 .............................................................. BOYS’ LACROSSE TOURNAMENT – Chanhassen High School June 14-15 ....................................... STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT - Class AAA @ Midway Stadium, St. Paul & Dick Siebert Field, U of M, Minneapolis; Class AA @ Dick Putz Field, St. Cloud & Joe Faber Field, St. Cloud; Class A @ Athletic Park, Chaska & Mini Met, Jordan

Fall 2011 Bulletin

Calendars 2011-2012 Calendar of Meetings Oct. 3 ...................................................... Area Meeting, Clarion Inn, Rochester, 8:30 a.m. Oct. 4 ...................................... Area Meeting, Edinburgh USA, Brooklyn Center, 9:30 a.m. Oct. 5 .......................................... Officials Advisory Committee, League Office, 9:30 a.m. Oct. 6 .............................................. Board of Directors Meeting, League Office, 9:30 a.m. Oct. 10 ............................. Pre-Season Hockey Rules Clinicians, League Office, 8:30 a.m. Oct. 11 ....... Girls’ & Boys’ Swimming & Diving Officials Selection, League Office, 9 a.m. Oct. 11 ......................... Pre-Season Gymnastics Rules Clinicians, League Office, 10 a.m. Oct. 12 ............................................. Football Officials Selection, League Office, 9:30 a.m. Oct. 12 ............................................ TeamUp Advisory Committee, League Office, 10 a.m. Oct. 13 .......................... Pre-Season Wrestling Rules Clinicians, League Office, 8:30 a.m. Oct. 19 ...................................... One Act Play Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m. Oct. 19 ..................................... Adapted Soccer Officials Selection, League Office, 3 p.m. Oct. 22 ..................................................... ACT National Test Date, (www.actstudent.org) Oct. 25 ........................ Pre-Season Basketball Rules Clinicians, League Office, 8:30 a.m.; with Charter Clinicians and Observers, 10 a.m. Nov. 5 ...................................................... SAT National Test Date (www.collegeboard.org) Nov. 18 ................................................. Music Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m. Nov. 21 ............................................................. Region Secretaries, League Office, 9 a.m. Dec. 1 ............................................. Board of Directors Meeting, League Office, 9:30 a.m. Dec. 3 ...................................................... SAT National Test Date (www.collegeboard.org)

Dec. 5 ........................................... Basketball Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m. Dec. 7 ................................................. Softball Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m. Dec. 7 ......................................... Dance Team Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m. Dec. 7 ............................ Minnesota Adapted Athletics Meeting, League Office, 3:30 p.m. Dec. 7 ........................... Adapted Floor Hockey Rules Meeting: Maple Grove High School, 6:30 p.m. Officials only; 7:15 p.m. Officials & Coaches Dec. 10 ..................................................... ACT National Test Date, (www.actstudent.org) Dec. 14 ......... Adapted Floor Hockey Rules Meeting: Bloomington Kennedy High School, 6:30 p.m. Officials only; 7:15 p.m. Officials & Coaches Dec. 16 ... Pre-Season Synchronized Swimming Rules Clinicians, League Office, 10 a.m. Jan. 6 ....................................... Dance Team Officials Selection, League Office, 9:30 a.m. Jan. 9 ....................................... Gymnastics Officials Selection, League Office, 9:30 a.m. Jan. 10 .............................................. Hockey Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m. Jan. 10 ........................................ Herb Brooks Award Committee, League Office, 11 a.m. Jan. 11 ............................................. Hockey Officials Selection, League Office, 8:30 a.m. Jan. 17 ........................................... Wrestling Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m. Jan. 18 ......................................... Wrestling Officials Selection, League Office, 8:30 a.m. Jan. 18 ............................................. ExCEL Selection Committee, League Office, 10 a.m. Jan. 25 ......................... Athletic Directors Advisory Committee, League Office, 9:30 a.m. Jan. 28 .................................................... SAT National Test Date (www.collegeboard.org)

Fall 2011 Bulletin

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Minnesota State High School League

Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE

2100 Freeway Boulevard Brooklyn Center MN 55430-1735 PHONE: 763/560-2262 FAX: 763/569-0499 World Wide Web: www.MSHSL.org

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Mission Statement The Minnesota State High School League provides educational opportunities for students through interscholastic athletic and fine arts programs and provides leadership and support for member schools.

Beliefs ◆ Participation in school activity programs is a privilege and not a right. ◆ Sportsmanship needs to have a constant presence in all school-based activity programs. ◆ Students should have an equal opportunity to participate in all activities offered by their school. ◆ Ethical behavior, dignity and respect are nonnegotiable. ◆ Student participants who choose to be chemically free must be supported. ◆ Collaborative relationships with parents enhance a school’s opportunity to positively impact student success. ◆ Academic priorities must come before participation in athletic or fine arts activities.

◆ Positive role models and an active involvement in a student’s life by parents and others are critical to student success. ◆ High school activity programs are designed for student participants, and adults must serve in a supportive role. ◆ The success of the team is more important than individual honors. ◆ Compliance with school, community and League rules is essential for all activity participants. ◆ Participation in school-sponsored activities must be inclusive, not exclusive. ◆ Ethical behavior, fairness, and embracing diversity best serve students and school communities.