Winter 2012 Bulletin

Volume 81, Issue 2, Winter 2012

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 2 Winter 2012 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 Steve Eklund, Braham

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

You’re gonna miss this (an Open Letter to the Girls, Parents, and Coaches of the SHAWA Swim team) ...................................... 2

News and F eatures Features

3 Basketball Mementos, Memorabilia Solicited 4 Celebrating 100 Years of Minnesota High School Basketball Tournaments

Challenge Cup 112011-2012 Competition Under Way

12 Robotics Competitors Eagerly Await Season Kickoff Events

Athletic Activities

Sorting Out the Proper Participation of Middle School Students .................................. 16 CTE: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Focus of Significant Research ............................. 17 Make Academic Accommodations After a Sports-Related Concussion ..................... 18 New Research on ACL Injuries ............................ 20

The Cover From the trophy that Fosston won in 1913 (lower left corner) to Blake Hoffarber’s “impossible” shot from the seat of his pants (center), and numerous moments in between, mementos, memorabilia, headlines and photographs illustrate the first 100 years of Minnesota high school basketball tournaments.

www.MSHSL.org

Officials

Officials Training Clinics Continue to Expand ............................................. 21 Rules Book Apps Developed, Launched ............. 22

Also

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes .................. 23 2011-12 Calendars Of State Events, Meetings ... 26

Winter 2012 Bulletin

1

Dave’s Dialogue

You’re gonna miss this

By David V. Stead Executive Director

Dave Stead following the 2011 Girls’ Swimming and Diving season

captured the essence of high school activities. ➨

I’ve always liked listening to country music because each artist reflects their individual perspectives about life. And Trace Atkins is a singer whose songs resonate with me for a number of reasons.

A couple of years ago Adkins had a hit recording titled “You’re Gonna Miss This.” The lyrics describe different stages in the life of a girl as she matures from high school, to a newly married young woman, and to a young mother with small children. At each stage of her life she dreams about what the next stage might

be like. But the chorus of the song encourages her to enjoy the present and focus on the good things happening right in front of her because . . .

You’re gonna miss this. You’re gonna want this back.

You’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast.

These are some good times, so take a good look around You may not know it now, but you’re gonna miss this.

At times all of us tend to lose focus on the joys of the “here and now,” but Jane Hagen, the mother of a varsity swimmer got it exactly right. Her “open letter” to the South High and Washburn Aquatics (SHAWA) swim team

An open letter to the girls, parents and coaches of the SHAWA swim team physical education teacher at Washburn said if she can swim on the My daughter just finished what was probably the most intense, swim team, she can be in a regular gym class, too. I fully expect that hardest, yet most memorable and fun three months of her life. When when she swims for her Special Olympics team this winter she will she looks back, these will definitely be her “glory days.” I have all blow everyone out of the water with her newly honed skills. you to thank for this.

The physical benefits are enormous, and the rigorous practices From the moment we approached the information table at have paid off. But the social and emotional benefits are without Washburn for sports sign-up, Tanya has been welcomed. We had bounds. You have given her things and experiences she has never gone to school that night with a pipe dream of participating in a had, and you seemingly take it for granted to include her. Previously regular activity, something she has not done since T-ball in 1st she . . . grade. I thought maybe she could have some fun, maybe get some . . . had never jumped in a lake at 5:30 and exercise – at least in practices, and possibly find I thought maybe played get-to-know-you games. some kids who would say “Hi” to her in the hall or . . . had never gone to a sleepover. wave to her in the lunchroom. Being in the special she could have . . . had never done a car wash. education program, these are commonly the only . . . had never had a friend give her a ride in a chances she gets to see “the regular kids.” some fun, maybe car.

I have been overwhelmed when, at each turn, get some exercise – . . . surely had never participated in a high she has been included like any other swimmer. school sporting event.

In realizing that she was in the odd situation at least in The list goes on and on. The pasta parties and of being both a senior and new to the team, I being welcomed to so many homes. Getting her prepared Tanya for her role in your “families.” I practices, and hair braided on the bus. Sharing an ear bud with said it’ll surely be fine for her to not be a mom because it’s her first year and she’s in no position possibly find some someone who likes what’s on her iPod. Learning cheers. Having matching outfits. Getting her hair to help others figure out what’s going on. But the kids who would say dyed in a hotel bathroom, (by the way, everyone girls solved that issue with three moms in her it so much, I’m wondering what color it was family. (Editor’s note: In this instance, the word “Hi” to her in the loved and who’s gonna dye it again when this wears “mom” refers to senior swimmers who embrace Having new contacts on her phone and and support new team members.) hall or wave to her out.) having someone show her how to text (even if she She can’t jump off the blocks…so she starts in the water. in the lunchroom. doesn’t really get it.) Standing in a group outside the school waiting together for the bus to go to She simply does not have the same abilities or Being in the special practice. Having help with her hair or cap. stamina that other girls do…so you swam around Getting not just a wave in the hallway but a hug! her. (I know it would have been nice if she stayed education program, These are things she had not done before SHAWA. closer to the lane lines.) Both the coaches and I was around a lot. I thank you for your girls helped her compete, and cheered on her these are patience in putting up with my constant picture progress. but you’ll have to excuse me, I want to She has made enormous strides in her commonly the only taking, remember everything that happens for this short swimming ability and her fitness level trying to keep up with you (as you all probably have). She chances she gets to time because these are truly Tanya’s senior pictures. has never been pushed to work so hard at see “the regular something and from where I sit, she has WA on Page 3 See SHA SHAW responded with flying colors. The adaptive

kids.”

2

Winter 2012 Bulletin

www.MSHSL.org

News & Features Basketball mementos, memorabilia solicited The 2011-12 basketball seasons are well under way. The 2012 state tournaments are a little more than three months away. At both tournaments, the Minnesota State High School League will be celebrating the 100th state basketball tournament, marking the first boys’ event in 1913.

The centennial milestone will be commemorated many ways. There will be recognition of players, coaches, games, shots, tournaments and teams throughout the first 100 years. History will be paramount and the public is invited to assist with contributions of mementos and memorabilia that will be displayed at both state tournaments.

An earlier appeal resulted in a few contributions already. An extensive scrapbook has been shared. A championship trophy and photograph of a girls’ team from the ‘20s is in League possession. Ticket stubs and uniform patches have also been contributed.

Anything and everything is being solicited.

Items such as tournament programs, books about the tournament, newspaper clippings, balls and uniforms, trophies, photographs — anything related to either state tournament is needed to fill display cases for fans to enjoy while at Target Center for the 2012 state tournaments.

League staff will take great care in securing any contributed item and will make sure it is returned in the same condition in which it was received. The League can arrange for pickup or delivery of items if required.

Potential contributors may inquire by sending an e-mail to hoops100@mshsl.org or by leaving a message in the general mailbox at 763-560-2262.

Anything related to either state tournament is needed to fill display cases for fans to enjoy while at Target Center for the 2012 state tournaments.

SHAWA .......................................................................... continued from Page 2 There may be groups of girls in different grades. There may be groups of girls who swim at different levels. There may be groups of girls from different schools, but what I saw was just a big group of girls, who, led by some amazing captains and other seniors, accepted my daughter in a way she has never experienced before.

When you are young, you may judge the people around you by many criteria — what they wear, how smart they are, how cute they are, how popular they are, how they smell, their sense of humor, what sport they play, how they talk — but I’ll tell you all something.

When you grow up and have kids, you will judge people (at least to some degree) by how they treat your kids. I judge you, one and all, to be fine people. You have treated Tanya with kindness, and respect, and friendship. You have expected her to do everything, and she has. You have respectfully helped her when she needed it and left her to do things herself when she didn’t.

Being born with Down syndrome obviously means you have special needs, and require special education. But it doesn’t mean your “wants” are any different. You just want to be liked and have friends and have fun and be proud of your accomplishments and praised for your best efforts, just like everyone else…and I think it’s ironic that Tanya feels most “special” just being one of the girls.

Thank you to the SHAWA coaches for not only helping Tanya be her best (and figuring out a way for her to swim her beloved butterfly and 100 IM!) and expecting a lot from her, but fostering an atmosphere of acceptance that pervades this team.

Being born with Down syndrome obviously means you have special needs, and require special education.

But it doesn’t mean your “wants” are any different. You just want to be liked and have friends and have fun and be proud of your accomplishments and praised for your best efforts, just like everyone else…and I think it’s ironic that Tanya feels most “special” just being one of the girls.

Thank you to all the parents who raised these fine girls that made it seem natural to welcome Tanya to their team.

And most of all, thank you to all the girls who swim and dive for SHAWA. You are amazing young women. Thanks for the memories. ➨

Jane Hagen

WOW. What an amazing perspective and what tremendous memories for the swimmers and their coaches who honored the life lessons embraced by educators since the inception of high school sports. These values fully enabled an athlete to participate equally in team events throughout the entire season.

www.MSHSL.org

When I reflect on the incredible affirmation Jane Hagen shared, I’m hard pressed to recall any award more prestigious than the one she bestowed on the entire SHAWA team and their school communities.

Trace Adkins was right. These girls are gonna miss this, but I believe they will forever

remember how they truly made a difference for Tanya. I trust that their future will be filled with untold moments lived in the present and that they will continue to be role models for hundreds of others because they learned so much about what is really important in life.

Read this “Open Letter”

Winter 2012 Bulletin

again… and again… and again. I challenge each coach and advisor in every one of our member schools to purposely help their athletes and fine arts participants focus on the truly important life lessons taught in the after-school classrooms throughout our state.

Don’t let them miss this.

3

News & Features

Celebrating 100 years of Minnesota high school basketball tournaments

By Marc Hugunin The first boys’ basketball tournament was held in 1913.

And, so, 2012 marks the 100th year of state high school tournament play in Minnesota.

This milestone provides an obvious occasion for celebration, and also for recognition that the boys’ and girls’ tournaments can be described as among the most durable cultural events in Minnesota. Consider that these tournaments since 1913 have: ● Determined more than 260 state champions; ● Given more than 400 different schools representing more than half of all Minnesota cities and towns (about 486 out of 854) the opportunity to compete for those championships; ● Provided about 24,000 high school athletes

4

opportunities to compete at the state tournament level; ● Been witnessed in person by approximately 7.2 million fans; ● Provided uncounted millions more with the opportunity to share in the thrills and excitement through radio broadcasts (since 1938), television broadcasts (since 1955), newspaper reports, local pep rallies and celebrations.

Why Basketball?

During the single class era from 1913 to 1970, the state tournament often was the toughest ticket and the most widely appreciated event on Minnesota’s sporting calendar. It was the first statewide high school tournament, pre-dating boys’ track and field, and boys and girls swimming and diving by

a decade or more. Baseball and hockey tournaments did not begin until the 1940s and football’s Prep Bowl was an innovation of the ’70s.

Basketball enjoyed a special place in the culture of early 20th century Minnesota. Why? Sports such as baseball and football had evolved in the dirt and the sweat and the spit of American playgrounds and were thus considered to be rough and uncouth. Conversely, consider basketball.

The game was invented by Dr. James A. Naismith, an instructor at the International Training School of the Young Men’s Christian Association at Springfield, Mass, now Springfield University. The YMCAs, the Christian churches and the medical profession all promoted the game in a drive to improve physical fitness among America’s young men. It was said that a

Winter 2012 Bulletin

A packed house in 1944 at the St. Paul Auditorium. The photo is three images “stitched” together to create the panoramic view. The framed image is part of the League photographic archives.

healthy body leads to good morals and “what is beneficial to the body (also) is so to the mind.”

Naismith was both an M.D. and an ordained minister. The first basketball coach at the University of Minnesota, Louis J. Cooke, was an M.D. Fred B. Hill, founder of the Minnesota state high school basketball tournament, was professor of biblical literature at Carleton College, an ordained minister and prominent in the YMCA movement.

Boys and girls played basketball because it was fun. But their parents, educators and community leaders embraced the game and brought it into their schools because they were promised spiritual, mental, social and moral, as well as purely physical improvement for their children. No one had thought to ears on Page 5 See 100 Y Years

www.MSHSL.org

News & Features 100 Years ............................................................................. continued from Page 4 make such a case on behalf of the other sports.

Yet, as early as 1901, George B. Aiton, Minnesota’s Inspector of State High Schools, had expressed concern that an “excessive desire to win” had taken hold of the schools.

Educators wondered if high school student-athletes were making normal progress toward a diploma? Or, were they mercenaries? Had professionalism found its way into the schools? Were games contested fairly? Were opponents treated with the respect that was due to Christian ladies and gentlemen?

The state tournament provided leverage toward the control of this “excessive desire to win.” A committee was formed at the 1913 tournament — Hill was elected its chairman — and it was charged with ensuring that a tournament would be held again in 1914 and thereafter. Its first acts were to establish eligibility rules and encourage high schools to play only among themselves. If a team wanted to play in the tournament, it would play by the committee’s rules.

The Single-Class Era By 1970 there were 10 boys’ state tournaments, but none for girls. Yet, in the game’s earliest years, girls and young women played basketball in almost as large a number and with every bit as much enthusiasm as the boys.

More than 350 Minnesota high schools fielded girls’ teams at some time between the turn of the century and the late 1930s.

But many viewed girls’ basketball as unhealthy and perhaps immoral from the very beginning. “The emotional strain attendant upon competition would be injurious,” according to a report by women physical educators. Thus, the single-class era was also the single-gender era.

In 1938 the Minnesota Department of Education recommended that girls’ athletic programs be dropped. By 1939 the Department reported that schools offering interscholastic competition for girls had declined from 92 in 1938-1939 to 38 in 1939-1940. “This,” it said, “represents a decided change for the better.”

The boys’ basketball tournament, meanwhile, grew

www.MSHSL.org

BOYS

AND GIRLS PLAYED BASKETBALL BECAUSE IT WAS FUN.

BUT THEIR PARENTS, EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS EMBRACED THE GAME AND BROUGHT IT INTO THEIR SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY WERE PROMISED SPIRITUAL, MENTAL, SOCIAL AND MORAL, AS WELL AS PURELY PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENT FOR THEIR CHILDREN. slowly but steadily from humble beginnings. Attendance at Carleton peaked at about 2,000 in 1920, when a large contingent of fans came from nearby Red Wing.

The tournament moved to the Twin Cities in 1923, and some 10,000 saw the 1929 and 1933 finals at the University of Minnesota Field House and Minneapolis Auditorium, respectively, with Red Wing again providing a lion’s share of the spectators.

More than 16,000 came to see Lynd and its novel fast-breaking offense in 1946, also at the University. More than 18,000 saw the 1951 final between Canby and Gilbert, and more than 19,000 saw the tournament’s most famous “Cinderella” team, Edgerton, in 1960, both tournaments at the former Field House and now known as Williams Arena.

As these attendance figures suggest, enthusiasm for the tournament was heightened by the occasional success of the small town Cinderellas. The theme had been established at the very first tournament in 1913, in fact, when Fosston prevailed in what was called “a complete surprise.”

Fifteen schools now classified in Class A won single-class championships: Fosston, Virginia (1916), Aurora (1923), Gaylord (now Sibley East, 1926), Chisholm (1934), Mountain Lake (1939), Breckenridge (1940), Buhl (now Mountain Iron-Buhl, 1941 and 1942), Gilbert (now EvelethGilbert, 1951), Edgerton (1960), Luverne (1964) and Sherburn (now Martin County West, 1970).

Twelve more small schools finished as runners-up.

As of 1951, the six championships won by Iron Range teams were second only to the Big Nine with seven.

Basketball fans loved them because they kept up-tempo basketball alive in the 1920s and 1930s when most Minnesota high schools had adopted a slow, deliberate, ball control , defensively-oriented style.

Chisholm’s “point-a-minute” teams under coach Harvey Roels set the pace, and won the 1934 state championship.

The first school actually given the moniker “Cinderella” was Gaylord in 1926. A hat was passed around the Kenwood Armory lobby after their 13-9 championship game victory over Gilbert to raise funds to support the team’s trip to the national tournament in Chicago, and enthusiastic fans contributed over $500 to the cause.

In 1946 Lynd was not only the smallest school from the smallest town ever to reach the state finals, but also the first Minnesota high school to run a modern fast break. They took No. 1-rated Crosby-Ironton completely by surprise, 58-47, and C-I took three timeouts in the first quarter alone to catch their breath. Lynd’s semifinal win over Stillwater, 46-39, featured the tournament’s first behind-theback pass by Casper Fisher.

Fourteen years later, the Flying Dutchmen from Edgerton defeated Richfield in overtime and next Austin to become Minnesota’s most famous

Cinderella. The semifinal was the first tournament matchup of two 1,000 point scorers — Bill Davis of Richfield, and Dean Veenhof of Edgerton.

How the Game was Played In its earliest days, Naismith’s new game was lacking in established strategies. Most teams did not have a coach. Left to their own devices, boys did what boys will do — they ran, they jumped, they flung the ball at the hoop. Fosston’s 1913 champions “bewildered their opponents” with short, rapid passes thrown while running in circles, a style of play born of the expedient of practicing in a classroom. Besides no coach, Fosston also did not have a gymnasium.

But by the end of the Northfield era in 1922, most schools had a paid, professional coach, and now it was the coaches’ turn to do what coaches do — injecting discipline, meaning at least in part a new reluctance to shoot the ball.

By the 1940s three new ears on Page 6 See 100 Y Years

The hometown victory parade for the Edgerton Flying Dutchmen, the most famous of the “Cinderella” teams to advance to the state tournament and win it in 1960.

Winter 2012 Bulletin

5

News & Features 100 Years ............................................................................. continued from Page 5 offensive strategies emerged and scoring went through the roof. A dozen years before V-E Day, the state title had been decided by a score of 16-13. A dozen years later it would be 101-54.

The low post emerged with the appearance of Jim McIntyre of Minneapolis Patrick Henry in 1944 and 1945. The tallest boy, by four inches, to play in tournament history scored a record 29 points, then 36, and 43 more in the 1945 final. St. Paul Humboldt’s 6-6 Jim Fritsche in 1949, New Prague’s 6-10 Ron Johnson in 1955 and 1956, Edina’s 6-7 Bob Zender in 1966, 1967 and 1968, 6-8 Mark Olberding of Melrose in 1974, and 7-footer Randy Breuer of Lake City are only a few of the dominant big men who followed in McIntyre’s footsteps.

The fast break arrived in 1946.

Lynd was one of several teams that ran on every possession when possible, failing against Austin, however, in the finals and losing 63-31. Cloquet was another in 1963. The Lumberjacks played Bloomington, described as “the greatest defensive team ever,” in the first round and won 87-67. But Marshall upset Cloquet in the final, 75-74.

The jump shot developed slowly, though it is true that newspapers in the 1930s are filled with pictures of players shooting while jumping. But the phrase “jump shot” did not appear in state tournament reportage until 1952 and 1953 when Dave Tschimperle of Hopkins and Omar Larson of Granite Falls were described as the best “jump shooters.” By 1957, Tommy Nordland of Minneapolis Roosevelt was hailed as the best outside shooter in tournament history for his “long jump shots.”

Equal Opportunity By the time of Roosevelt’s 101 point outburst in the 1956 final, the second golden age for Minnesota’s small town teams dawned. Edgerton, Marshall and Luverne (1964) won three state titles in five years despite the claim that the small schools couldn’t compete. Ironically, it was Minnesota’s smaller schools themselves who had promulgated this idea. They had lobbied the Minnesota State High School League for a two-class tournament for more than 30 years.

6

In 1946, Lynd was the smallest school to qualify for the state tournament.

The achievement drew interest from the editorial cartoonist at the St. Paul Pioneer Press prior to the game against CrosbyIronton.

By the 1960s, however, the small schools had an unexpected ally — the larger schools in the Twin Cities. After World War II, in Minnesota as elsewhere across the country, families had streamed both from the small towns and from the big cities down a network of new interstate highways to equally new suburban communities.

Enrollments skyrocketed at suburban high schools while stagnating elsewhere. By the time the Baby Boom had run its course, half of the state’s population was concentrated in the Twin Cities metro area. And yet, the metro area comprised only two of the tournament’s eight regions.

So, competition was divided into two classes beginning in 1971. Ironically, the smaller schools — St. James (1972) and Melrose (1974) — won two of five “overall” championship games

between the champions of each class. Counting Sherburn’s 1970 championship in the last of the single class tournaments, the small schools had captured three titles in five years.

The two-class system not only guaranteed that eight smaller schools would play in the state tournament. It also enabled inner city schools to make their return.

Minneapolis schools, which had won 14 of 15 Region 5 titles from 1933 to 1947 and eight state championships between 1921 and 1957, were unable to gain even a single state tournament berth between the years of 1958 and 1968.

No African-American player is known to have played in the tournament until 1951 and 1952 when Bob Wagner of Hopkins earned all-tournament honors.

LeRoy Gardner and Jim Hill of St. Paul Central did the same in 1965 and 1967. Then, beginning in

Winter 2012 Bulletin

1971, a parade of outstanding African-American players appeared. In 1976 came the coup de grace, as the Minneapolis Marshall-University boys and the St. Paul Central girls became the first predominately AfricanAmerican teams to win a state title.

Marshall-University, whose girls’ team finished fourth in the 1976 tournament, is also the only team in tournament history, boys or girls, to place all five starters on the all-tournament team.

Central , meanwhile, was led by Lisa Lissimore, Linda Roberts and Rita Burch, who are AfricanAmerican, and Debbie Krengel and Teresa Tierney (Joe Mauer’s mom), who are white.

Prior to the first official Minnesota State High School League girls’ basketball tournament in 1976, there were two unofficial, single-class tournaments. The first was played in the fall of 1974 for schools that played girls’ basketball in the fall.

The other tournament took place in the winter of 1975 for schools that played the sport in the winter. Glencoe (fall) and Academy of Holy Angels (winter) won those unofficial titles. Later that year, the League Board of Directors voted unanimously to establish girls’ basketball as a winter sport and that a two-class tournament would be held in March.

Still, there were skeptics who said that girls could never master the game of basketball. This myth was quickly demolished by the girls from New York Mills and especially by Janet Karvonen.

Karvonen put girls’ basketball on the Minnesota map. For three straight years she set tournament scoring records with 59, then 78 and, finally, 98 points. She completed her career the following year with a record (regardless of gender) 329 state tournament points.

The Multi-Class Era The current multi-class format enables more schools to play in the state tournament each year, and it also allows schools to appear and win more frequently than they did in the past. By way of comparison, the state’s first dynasty, the Red Wing boys, won four of the first 21 tournaments, in 1915, 1920, 1922 and 1933. It

ears on Page 7 See 100 Y Years

www.MSHSL.org

News & Features 100 Years ............................................................................. continued from Page 6 would be more than 50 years before another team, the Bloomington Jefferson boys, would win a fourth championship and no boys team would surpass Red Wing’s record in the 20th century.

The Rochester Lourdes girls won their fifth title in 1995. But now, the Lourdes girls and Hopkins boys each have amassed eight state titles. The Minneapolis Patrick Henry boys have won six, including four in a row from 2000 through 2003. Southwest Minnesota Christian also pulled off four-in-a-row in the Class A boys tournament from 1999 to 2002. The Minneapolis North boys and girls each have won five championships, as have the DeLaSalle boys.

Myron Glass, coach of the Lourdes girls, leads all coaches with eight championships; and Kenny Novak, Jr., coach of the Hopkins boys, and Faith Johnson Patterson of the Minneapolis North and DeLaSalle girls, each have won six. Only Duane Baglien, coach of Edina’s threepeat champions of 1966, 1967 and 1968, ever won as many as three titles during the single class era.

Individual boys and girls have far out-stripped the career scoring records of yore. As of 1970-1971, Ron Johnson of New Prague, with 203 points in 1955 and 1956, was the top all-time scorer among the boys. In the multi-class era, Johnson’s record has been exceeded by Cody Schilling of Ellsworth, the only boy ever to lead the tournament in scoring three years (267 points); Khalid El-Amin of Minneapolis North (238); Isaiah Dahlman of Braham (236); Mark Olberding of Melrose (228); and Ben Johnson of DeLaSalle (227).

The three-point shot has also helped to inflate individual scoring. Cory Mountain’s 51-point outburst for Albrook in 2006 included an additional record 10 three-point shots. The previous record of 50 points was set in 1978

by Jimmy Jensen of Bemidji the old-fashioned way — down low.

Among the girls, Tayler Hill’s 47-point performance for Minneapolis South in the 2009 Class AAAA championship game included five three-pointers, though Brittney Chambers’ 47 points for Jordan in a Class AA semifinal the previous year included but one.

It is difficult today to imagine that the three-pointer was invented by fellows who wanted nothing more than to open up the lane for more of the low-post game. But instead, defenses

ears on Page 9 See 100 Y Years No African-American player is known to have played in the tournament until 1951 and 1952 when Bob Wagner of Hopkins earned All-Tournament honors.

Debbie Krengel (above) was a key player for St. Paul Central, winner of the inaugural girls’ tournament in 1976. Janet Karvonen (right) shows what observers called her “picture perfect” jump shot form. Karvonen put girls’ basketball on the map in Minnesota, leading New York Mills to three consecutive titles in 1977 through 1979, and finished her high school career with 3,192 points.

Photos courtesy of Minnesota Hoops: Basketball in the North Star State

by Marc Hugunin and Stew Thornley

www.MSHSL.org

Winter 2012 Bulletin

7

News & Features

Model ethical behavior: Do what is right

By Kevin Merkle Associate Director As coaches, ADs, officials and other school personnel, we should constantly be talking about the educational value of our activity programs. We coach and play to win — as we should. But as we also know, that is not the ultimate objective.

Instead the objective is for student athletes to learn and grow as individuals, to learn core values and to build character. One of those values or character traits is ethical behavior.

However, do we practice what we preach? Do our actions model these values and character traits?

While we talk about the great values of educational activity programs, I keep hearing about more and more examples of (what I feel) is unethical behavior.

What are the real values that we are teaching our student athletes when we do the following (all true stories from actual incidents that have occurred in Minnesota in the recent past): ● Hiring officials for a varsity contest who live in the school district, have kids that attend that school or even have a son or daughter playing in the game being officiated; ● A coach kept an extra set of legal equipment in case the officials ruled that what was being used was illegal (which it obviously was); ● Coaches breaking out-ofseason coaching rules, but insisting that it didn’t happen; ● A PA announcer providing play-by-play accounts of the action, which alerted the home team when the opponent droped back to pass; ● A coach telling the officials prior to the game that the team was legally equipped when the coach knew that was not the case; ● Coaches allowing illegal baseball bats to be used throughout the season or testing the officials each game to see if the rules will be enforced;

8

● Officials ignoring the rule that requires that bats be inspected before the game because they don’t want to be adversarial with the coaches; ● Officials working a playoff game in which the coach of one of the teams is a colleague at the official’s full-time job; ● A coach sending an athlete back into the game after an official has observed the signs and symptoms of a concussion — before the athlete was examined by an appropriate health care professional; ● A coach using such profanity that members of the chain gang file a complaint with the League office; ● Coaches always looking for “creative” ways to get around the coaching out-ofseason rules; ● Not providing all of your team’s statistics for the use by the media during a state tournament or falsifying those statistics in the attempt to gain an advantage over an opponent.

I could go on, but you get the picture. In some situations, what is ethical and what is not may be somewhat of a gray area. In some cases there can certainly be disagreement about what is ethical and what is not. However, in my opinion, all of the above are obvious examples of unethical and/or unacceptable behavior.

What happened to our ethics and doing what is right? What happened to following the rules as written, or playing the game fairly? What happened to being a good role model to our studentathletes?

I’m sure there has been unethical behavior since the very first competition, but I don’t think that makes it right. None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes, but these are blatant, intentional examples of unethical behavior. In most cases this behavior occurs in order to gain an advantage. Is winning at the

Kevin Merkle

“What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.”

“What will matter is not your success, but your significance.”

“What will matter is not just making a living, but in how you help make lives.” high school level so important that we sacrifice our moral and ethical character and even worse — that we model inappropriate behavior for our student athletes?

Is this the behavior that should be allowed in any high school program?

I might only be speaking for myself, but if I had a choice to have my kids or grandkids in a program that wins a lot of games at whatever cost, or in a program where the coach models a high level of ethical behavior, I will chose the latter every time. I truly believe that in many, if not most cases, the coaches that are of high ethical character and demonstrate that through ethical behavior, not only are instilling those values in their athletes, but they also have winning programs on the field/court/rink. Many times those coaches who have low ethical behavior and violate basic rules do not have successful teams — no matter how you measure success.

Recently I reviewed some information on the Whatwillmatter.com website. This website is produced by the Josephson Institute, an organization heavily involved in character education (Character Counts) and ethical behavior in general. Here are some thoughts from that website:

Winter 2012 Bulletin

“What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.”

“What will matter is not your success, but your significance.”

“What will matter is not just making a living, but in how you help make lives.”

As coaches, officials, and administrators in high school athletics, we are educators.

Whether we like it or not we are role models to our studentathletes, as well as to all other students and our entire community. Our actions are many times the most important and visible lessons that we teach.

Let’s all renew ourselves to do our best to model positive ethical behavior, and to teach our student-athletes to play and live to a high ethical standard — the type of ethical standard that will serve them well for the rest of their lives, and the kind of standard that will impact them much more than how many wins they experience.

As a coach, Lou Holtz had one rule for his players to follow, and this same rule will work for you as you determine how you will model and demonstrate ethical behavior: “You know what is right, and you know what is wrong . . . . do what is right.”

www.MSHSL.org

News & Features 100 Years ............................................................................. continued from Page 7 The Next 100 Years The state tournaments have experienced a precipitous decline in attendance in recent decades.

Attendance at recent boys’ tournaments is barely one-third of what is was during its heyday, and less than two-thirds of what it was as recently as 1989.

Attendance at the girls’ tournament recently has been about half of what it was at its peak in 1990.

But the success of the tournaments is properly measured today — just as it was measured by its founders 100 years ago — not by quantity, but by its qualities. Have the tournaments retained their focus on the welfare of studentathletes? Do they support and enhance the educational mission?

If the answers to these questions are yes, then the state tournaments will be just fine, whatever their size and scope.

Marc Hugunin is co-author of Minnesota Hoops: Basketball in the North Star State, published by the Minnesota Historical Society, and author of a Web blog of the same name, located at www.minnesotahoops.blogspot.com.

LOOK

Minnesota Prep Photo / www.MNPrepPhoto.com

trapped the ball and denied the passing lanes while aggressively challenging the shot. Offenses then adapted, making every effort to score in transition before the defense gets set.

The Wabasso Rabbits and Red Lake Warriors remain the exemplars of the new scoring era.

Wabasso came into the 1997 tournament averaging more than 100 points per game. In a semifinal game the Rabbits led Red Lake 81-62 after three periods and by 14 with 1:15 left.

Then Red Lake guard Gerald Kingbird scored 13 points in 57 seconds to tie the score at 105, though the Rabbits pulled away in overtime to a 117-113 win.

Hancock caged the Rabbits in the final the next day.

Similarly, the biggest stars of the past 15 years have been those who mastered the full-court transition game — guards like Joe Coleman and Blake Hoffarber of Hopkins; Dahlman; El-Amin; Hill; Coco and Kelly Miller of Rochester Mayo; Angel Robinson of St. Paul Central; Schilling, and many more — rather than the low-post players of yesteryear.

Tayler Hill’s 47-point performance in the 2009 Class AAAA championship game not only earned her a gold medal, but a souvenir game ball to mark her single-game scoring record, a mark she shares with Jordan’s Brittany Chambers who set the mark the year before.

FOR ADDITIONAL

HISTORICAL ESSAYS ABOUT THE STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS ON THE

LEAGUE

WEBSITE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, LEADING UP TO THE

100-YEAR CELEBRATIONS AT THE 2012 STATE TOURNAMENTS.

A page from the 1926 state tournament program details the schedule of events. Championship Saturday was a busy day for the players of all eight teams. It began with a 9:30 a.m. tour that took them to the Minneapolis flour mills, the University of Minnesota, the State Capitol in St. Paul, and concluded at the Minneapolis Art Institute. That was followed by a luncheon at the Minneapolis Athletic Club hosted by the University of Minnesota and its “M” Club. Then there was an unspecified performance in the afternoon at the State Theater. The third-place game was played at 8 p.m. followed by the championship game at 9 p.m. in which Gaylord defeated Gilbert 13-0.

www.MSHSL.org

Winter 2012 Bulletin

9

Excellence in athletics and the fine arts. It’s what schools need to win the Minnesota State High School League Challenge Cup. Awarded annually to three high schools, the Challenge Cup is a statewide, year-long competition among Minnesota high schools.

Points are awarded to schools based on their success in section and state fine arts and athletics 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 standings are posted on the League’s web site throughout the year so schools can monitor their point totals. To learn more about the Challenge Cup competition log on to mshsl.org.

News & Features

2011-2012 Challenge Cup competition under way

By Lisa Lissimore Associate Director The competition for the 20112012 Minnesota State High School League Challenge Cup is in full swing with Ada-Borup, The Blake School of Minneapolis and Eden Prairie leading the way.

A review of the leader board shows Ada-Borup ahead in Class A with 70 points. The Cougars earned points for participation in the State Football Tournament and for finishing fourth in the Class A State Girls’ Volleyball Tournament. Trailing close behind the Cougars is Dawson-Boyd with 63 points, Bethlehem Academy with 62 points, Nevis with 60 points and Mahnomen, Prairie Seeds Academy of Brooklyn Park, and Warren-Alvarado-Oslo each with 50 points. Minneota, last year’s Class A Challenge Cup winner, is in eighth place with 42.3 points.

In the Class AA Challenge, The Blake School is in first place with 206 points. The Bears won the Class AA Girls’ Soccer Tournament and the Class A Girls’ Tennis title. They also finished fourth in the tennis doubles competition and the

boys’ and girls’ state cross country meets. One runner, Clare Flanagan, won the Class A individual title and classmate Brandon Clark placed second in the boys’ Class A race. Rounding out the top five in this class: St. Cloud Cathedral (125 points); Rochester Lourdes (124.3 points); Annandale (101 points); Marshall (85 points); and Hutchinson (78 points).

Battling for top billing in the Class AAA race are five-time Cup winner Eden Prairie plus Edina.

With only a 25-point lead over the Hornets, Eden Prairie won three fall state championships in boys’ soccer, girls’ volleyball and football. The Eagles also had individual swim champions that earned 47 of the schools 259 Challenge Cup points. Edina, the team champion in girls’ tennis and girls’ swimming and diving, is in second place with 236 points, followed by Wayzata (147 points), Benilde-St. Margaret’s (135 points), Rochester Mayo (131 points), and Lakeville North (113.5 points).

The League, along with its premier corporate partner Wells Fargo, created the Challenge Cup program in 2003 to recognize and

Lisa Lissimore reward League-member schools for excellence in athletics and fine arts activities. Under the program guidelines, schools earn points for their success in postseason tournament play and 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 second time the award will be presented to schools from three different classes. Previously there were two classes and only two Cup winners.

“The Challenge Cup is a yearround competition that generates a lot of excitement between League member schools,” explained Dave Stead, executive director of the League. “Many schools, big and small, will continue to earn Cup points based on their performance in the upcoming section and state tournaments. We’ll see the leader board change again in March when the winter tournaments are completed.”

“The Challenge Cup is an excellent way to measure the overall efforts of schools involved in League fine arts and athletic activities,” said Dave Kvamme, regional president for Wells Fargo’s Minnesota Great Lakes region. “The competition is always close and we expect it to go down to the wire again this year.”

The Challenge Cup standings for all qualifying schools are posted on the League’s website after each seasonal state tournament series. Cup scores from the 2011 fall tournaments are currently posted on the website. The winter tournament standings will be added in April, and the 2012 Challenge Cup winners will be announced in late June after the spring tournaments are completed. The traveling Challenge Cup will then be presented to each winning school during a recognition ceremony generally held in the fall.

Previous Challenge Cup Winners The League and Wells Fargo will crown the ninth set of Challenge Cup champions after the final June 2012 state tournaments. Past Cup winners include: 2004: St. Cloud Cathedral - Class A; Lakeville - Class AA 2005: The Blake School - Class A; Lakeville - Class AA 2006: St. Cloud Cathedral - Class A; Eden Prairie - Class AA 2007: The Blake School - Class A; Wayzata - Class AA 2008: Perham - Class A; Eden Prairie - Class AA 2009: The Blake School - Class A; Eden Prairie - Class AA 2010: Breck - Class A; Eden Prairie - Class AA 2011: Minneota - Class A; Breck - Class AA; Eden Prairie Class AAA

www.MSHSL.org

Winter 2012 Bulletin

11

News & Features Students and advisors are eagerly awaiting the kickoff events for the 2012 FIRST Robotics Competition season. On Jan. 7, 2012, they will meet at several locations around the state to learn about the new challenge and pick up kits containing the parts used to create their robots.

The kickoff events are planned for Minneapolis, Duluth, Mankato, St. Cloud, and Fargo (for teams in far northwestern Minnesota).

Each team will leave the events with specific information about the challenge they face, plus about 70 pounds of parts from which to construct their robots. FIRST will telecast a 90-minute program detailing the challenge.

Ninety teams are registered for the Minneapolis kickoff at the University of Minnesota, 14 teams will gather at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, 18 teams will meet at Minnesota State University-Mankato, 15 teams have registered for the event at St. Cloud State University, and 15 teams will meet at North Dakota State University in Fargo, only two of which are actual North Dakota teams.

FIRST Robotics Competition combines sports excitement with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams are challenged to fund and design a brand, exercise teamwork, build and program robots to perform tasks against competitors.

The 2011 challenge was “Logo Motion™,” with teams competing on a field with poles, attempting to earn points by hanging as many triangle, circle and square logo pieces as possible. Bonus points were awarded for each robot that hung and assembled logo pieces to form the FIRST logo.

FIRST means For Inspiration and

Howard W. Voigt / Minnesota State High School League

Robotics competitors eagerly await season kickoff events

Minneapolis Washburn students were among many that demonstrated their 2011-model robots during the 2011 Minnesota State Fair. The challenge involved stacking inflatables shaped like the FIRST Robotics logo.

Recognition of Science and Technology and touts itself as “The varsity Sport for the Mind.” The organization website is www.usfirst.org.

Jostens, League suggest: Pause, reflect, then post As an administrator of a Minnesota State High School League member school, you are in a unique position to influence students and provide them positive examples. One area of extreme popularity and use by nearly all students, and at sporting events, is social media (blogging, text-messaging, posting comments or replies on websites, uploading videos, etc.).

The use of social media has introduced new issues for students, parents, athletes, schools, employers and even state lawmakers. Moreover, the topics of cyber bullying, Internet safety, and online reputation are extremely relevant and timely for

12

schools, educators, students and families.

As a partner in education and student leadership opportunities, Jostens launched an awareness campaign in February 2010 called Pause Before You PostTM. This public service program is designed to encourage students to make smart decisions about personal publishing, particularly when using sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others.

We have all heard, read, or seen the effects of misuse and misinterpretation when using social media. Pause Before You PostTM is essentially a turn-key

package that includes everything a school needs to plan and conduct an awareness campaign that encourages students to ask themselves questions before posting personal information online and also communicates consequences of poor decision-making.

Jostens’ Pause Before You PostTM is validated and supported with research by Dr. Justin Patchin and Dr. Sameer Hinduja, leading experts on cyber bullying and co-directors of the Cyberbullying Research Center.

The program was also designed with input from educators and

Winter 2012 Bulletin

students from across the country.

The consequences of poor decisions can greatly impact student-athletes. The Minnesota State High School League and Jostens both believe that an environment of inclusivity, ethical behavior, parent and family involvement, respect, and a basis for making smart choices is crucial for student and educator success. The League is demonstrating a proactive role in the lives of student-athletes by supporting Jostens’ Pause Before You PostTM campaign and encouraging students to pledge to pause before they post.

Visit Jostens.com/pause for videos, tips, and discussion points.

www.MSHSL.org

Athletic Activities

League adds events for track and field wheelchair division

By Jody Redman Associate Director The Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors has approved three additional track and field events for the wheelchair division of the 2012 track and field season. Athletes participating in the track and field wheelchair division may now choose to compete in the 100meter, 800-meter, 1600-meter, and 3200-meter track events and in the discus and shot put field events.

All competitors may enter and compete in a total of four track and field events, but not in excess of either three track or three field events in arriving at the combination of four. The wheelchair division is open to athletes with permanent physical

disabilities. Athletes must compete during the regular season in a minimum of three meets to qualify for participation in a section meet. Competing in a section meet will qualify athletes competing in the wheelchair division for the state meet on June 8-9, 2012.

Schools must register with the League by April 2, 2012, to be eligible to compete in the wheelchair division and must notify the schools they will compete against at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled competition.

There are specific rules and policies that govern the track and field wheelchair division. For additional information about this activity, check the track and field activity page on the League website.

Opposing coach noted courtesies following game The following note was sent to Orono girls’ hockey head coach Keith Radloff and copied to Orono Activities Director Bucky Mieras who shared it with the League and said, “Coach Radloff is a new coach with many years of coaching experience and we are excited about what he brings to our program.”

Hi Keith, Congrats on a great win last night. It was a well fought battle. I thought you would like to know that I have received multiple e-mails from my players’ parents stating how polite and courteous your players were after the game.

There were many handshakes and thank you’s for the food.

My team parents were extremely impressed.

I was also impressed with how hard your team played and how polite they were in the handshake. You should be very proud of your team. I know as a coach I would love to hear how well my team handles themselves off the ice as well as on the ice.

Good luck the rest of the way. I hope we can continue our tradition of playing for the wooden horse.

Matt Miller New Prague Girls’ Hockey Head Coach

Help!

I can’t find the link to the rules interpretation meeting 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) and the sport specific annual Rules Interpretation Meeting.

The CER is available through the Coaches Clipboard page on the League website. Coaches receive instruction in: Coaching Philosophy, Concussion Education, Emergency Planning through Anyone Can Save A Life, and League Bylaws.

Once the coach completes the CER, the link for the annual online Rules Interpretation Meeting for their sport will become active at the bottom of the Coaches Clipboard page.

The Rules Interpretation Meeting is only available through the Coaches Clipboard Page. To begin, go to www.MSHSL.org and click on the Coaches link in the gold menu bar at the top of the page; then choose Coaches Clipboard and create your page by typing in a user e-mail address and password.

Greenway cheered for Grand Rapids after soundly defeating them The following note was sent to Executive Director Dave Stead.

Dave, I know how you and your fellow workers like to hear about good sportsmanship.

This one is an unusual variety.

The Greenway Raiders defeated the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks in volleyball 3-0 on Monday. On Tuesday, the Grand Rapids volleyball team played Deer River. Sitting in the bleachers were some of the Greenway volleyball players dressed in orange (Rapids’ colors) and holding posters cheering the players on to a good match.

David Carlson Grand Rapids

www.MSHSL.org

Winter 2012 Bulletin

13

Athletic Activities Roosevelt-St. Clair experience epitome of what high school sports should be

Football tournament schedule for 2012

The following letter was sent to Minneapolis Roosevelt Activities Director Al Frost and other administrators and shared with the League.

I would again like to express the gratitude of the St. Clair Cyclone football program for the hospitality shown to us by the staff, coaches and especially players of Minneapolis Roosevelt. I have been coaching for various programs since 1990 and have been to dozens of different schools. By far, Minneapolis Roosevelt showed more hospitality than I have ever experienced from a host team . . . a genuine first-class organization.

Mr. Frost did an outstanding job of getting students together, to get them out of their shells and provide them the opportunity to meet someone new. By inviting us to break bread with you, we were able to meet many great young men . . . young men whom we may never have met without this opportunity.

There was a different atmosphere on the bus ride home. The conversations were a little louder. But I didn’t hear a word about the game. What I heard was a bunch of young men talking about the “cool” guys that they had just met.

The experience was the epitome of what athletics should be . . . two teams battling hard on the field, with respect and class, then sharing a wonderful meal afterward . . . with respect and class!

Thank you again for inviting us into your home. I hope we have the opportunity to return the favor some day!

With an additional class be added to football for 2012, there is a need to adjust the schedule for the semifinal and championship games played in the Dome. With the need to play fourteen games during the semifinals, games will be played on Thursday, Friday and Saturday — November 15, 16 and 17. At its December meeting, the League Board of Directors approved a schedule that will have four games played on Thursday, and five each on both Friday and Saturday.

This schedule will allow the first game to start later in the morning and the last game earlier in the evening, while at the same time allowing 5-10 minutes of additional time between games. On Thursday the first game will start at approximately 11:30 a.m. and on Friday and Saturday games will begin at 9:00 a.m. The exact schedule of when each class will play is still being finalized, but part of the plan is to have both games from one class on the same day when possible.

The 31st Annual Prep Bowl will be played on November 23 and 24, with four games played on Friday — likely 9-Man, AA, AAAA and AAAAAA, starting at 10 a.m., and the other three classes — likely A, AAA and AAAAA on Saturday, also starting at 10 a.m.

Baseball tournament dates finalized The 2012 State Baseball Tournament will use the same format as last year with all teams playing their first-round games on Thursday, June 14. All teams will play a second round on Friday, June 15, with the consolation final and the third-place game also played on that date. The third annual Prep Championship Series will be played on Monday, June 18, when all three championship games are decided at Target Field.

Chris Harvey St. Clair Head Football Coach

Roosevelt lauded for clean play, social post-game meal The following note was sent to Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson and shared with Minneapolis Roosevelt staff and the League.

Hello Dr. Johnson, My name is Bill Braunger and I am an assistant football coach for St. Clair High School in St. Clair, Minnesota. Last Friday afternoon our football team traveled to Roosevelt High School to play a football game. This game featured two teams that had dropped their varsity teams for this year and both teams entered the game with undefeated records.

St. Clair was able to win the game and put a damper on the Roosevelt homecoming dance.

During the course of the game the Roosevelt team showed frustration at their mistakes, but never did I see any chippiness towards our players. After the game we were invited into the gym where we were treated to a great meal of spaghetti, lasagna, garlic bread, salad and pop/water.

The Roosevelt athletic director talked to both team saying he wanted the players to mix together and get to know someone from the other team. Both the players and coaches were able to sit down and enjoy the meal with a member of the other team.

If this evening reflects the way the Roosevelt football team is being run and the type of thing that is going on in the hallways of Roosevelt High School, then we all have much to learn from the Teddies.

Thanks for a great afternoon/evening.

Bill Braunger

14

Winter 2012 Bulletin

www.MSHSL.org

Athletic Activities

National High School Sports Record Book now online After 32 years as a print publication, the National High School Sports Record Book has officially moved online and can be accessed on the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) website at www.nfhs.org/recordbook.

The Record Book contains alltime records for boys and girls in 16 high school sports. Visitors to the site can select from the menu of sports, and will have the option to search for specific records across all sports in the Record Book.

In addition, new entries will be posted in the Record Book on an ongoing basis once the record

performances are verified.

Previously, records were updated annually with the printing of the book.

“The National High School Sports Record Book is a one-of-akind publication and has become a tremendous resource for many individuals across the country,” said Bob Gardner, NFHS executive director. “At this point in time, given the advances in technology, we felt that we could reach thousands and thousands of individuals by moving this valuable publication online. Also, the option of daily updates makes this publication even more useful.”

National interscholastic records are maintained by the NFHS through a detailed system of verifying, recording and preserving the accomplishments of high school student-athletes.

The approval of high school records rests with the NFHS member associations in the 50 states plus the District of Columbia.

The first edition of the National High School Sports Record Book was published in 1978 with 176 pages in a 5¼ x 8½ format. By the final printing of the 5¼ x 8½ format in 2004, the book had grown to 448 pages.

The 8½ x 11 format was adopted

in 2005, and the final edition in 2010 was 248 pages.

In addition to the searchable aspect of the online publication, links will be posted soon that will take viewers to photos, videos and features of selected team and individual performances.

For more information on the new online version of the National High School Sports Record Book, contact John Gillis, editor, at jgillis@nfhs.org, or Chris Boone, assistant editor at cboone@nfhs.org.

Twitter users can follow the Record Book @NFHSRecordBook.

The Record Book contains all-time records for boys and girls in 16 high school sports. Visitors to the site can select from the menu of sports, and will have the option to search for specific records across all sports in the Record

In addition to the searchable aspect of the online publication, links will be posted soon that will take viewers to photos, videos and features of selected team and individual performances.

www.MSHSL.org

Winter 2012 Bulletin

15

Athletic Activities

Sorting out proper participation of middle school students

By Dr. Craig Perry Associate Director Historically, the winter athletics seasons seem to be when we have the largest number of middle school students participating with League high school programs. League bylaws allow students in grades 7-12 to participate in high school programs. The bylaws also allow a middle school student to participate with the middle school program and at the same time they can participate with the high school program.

There are, however, some special conditions and rules that must be met for those students who participate with both the middle school program and the high school program. Here are the key points of emphasis to be followed when middle school students participate at both the middle school and high school levels.

Eligibility certification First and foremost, any student in grades 7-12 who participates with a high school program must be certified to do so. The athletic director or administrator at the high school must confirm the student is eligible to participate in high school programs. So, any middle school student who is going to participate with the high school program must be declared eligible to do so.

Example 1: A seventh-grade wrestler who does not have a certified weight cannot participate in a high school contest until he has a certified minimum wrestling weight determined and then electronically entered into the League weight certification database.

Example 2: A sixth-grade studentis swimming with the middle school program and the high school coach wants him to participate with the high school swimming program. This is not allowable because sixth-graders are not eligible to participate in League programs.

High school events We have to define a high school event to ensure that we manage and host events correctly.

Any event identified as a varsity,

16

JV, sophomore, or B-squad event is a high school event. Also, any event involving students in grades 10-12 is a high school event.

Example 1: High School A sends a ninth-grade girls’ basketball team to participate at School B vs. their C-Squad. The C-Squad has students in grades 8, 9 and one from the 10th grade.

Because School B has a 10thgrader on the team, the contest is considered a League high school event and League participation rules must be followed.

Example 2: Students from grades 7-9 participate in a wrestling tournament. The wrestlers are matched up by skill and experience rather than by weight. This event involving students only in grades 7-9 grades would not be identified as a high school event, and because it is not a high school event League rules, including weight certification, do not have to be followed.

Participation Participation with a high school program includes but is not limited to practice, training, scrimmages, and contests. Again, only students in grades 7-12 who have been determined eligible to participate by the athletic director are able to participate in high school programs.

Maximum participation When a student participates with both a middle school program and a high school program, all contests must be counted toward the maximum allowable contests for that sport.

Essentially, all contests at the middle school and high school levels count toward the maximum. So, if a student participated on the middle school team, the JV team, and also saw some varsity playing time, all participation must count towards the maximum allowable. Daily and season participation limits can be found in Bylaw 502.

Example 1—Wrestling: A student is allowed a maximum of 36 individual matches and all matches must be counted. If the student wrestles in 12 matches at the middle school level, then the student can participate in no more than 24 matches at the high school level.

Example 2—Basketball: No

Craig Perry student may participate in more halves per season than a number equal to three (3) times the number of varsity games scheduled. Participation in any half counts as one (1) half in administering these rules. All games scheduled and played as stated under non-League tournaments count toward the following: 1.) season total for contest/games; and 2.) season player participation. If the varsity team has a full schedule of 26 games, then the maximum halves from all levels must be no greater than 78.

Simultaneous multiple-level events Member schools often run middle school events in conjunction with high school events. The varsity wrestling team may be wrestling on one mat in the gym and the middle school wrestlers and JV are wrestling on a second mat at the same time. Or there may be a middle school swimming event held prior to the high school swimming and diving invite.

There are certain protocols to follow when managing events of this nature.

Non-League events must be stand-alone-events: they cannot be held within League events.

Example: A JV wrestling dual is taking place and after the dual at 136 pounds, middle school wrestlers take to the mat for five matches, including some sixthgraders and some seventhgraders who are matched up by skill, not by weight. After the middle school wrestlers are done the JV dual resumes. This type of event cannot take place. High school events must be conducted according to the NFHS rules book

Winter 2012 Bulletin

and by League policies and bylaws. The JV event must be 14 consecutive bouts based on the 14 weight classes specified in the rules book. The middle school event should have been held prior to the JV event.

Preliminary events In some sports it is the norm to host preliminary contests or exhibition competitions. Any event, in any sport, that does not follow League participation rules, policies and guidelines must be held independent of the high school event—either before or after, but it cannot be held during the high school event.

Unattached/unaffiliated participation There is no such thing. This type of participation does not exist. All students who participate in League-sponsored events must be certified by their school and must represent their school.

Example 1: During a varsity swimming meet a student who is not eligible to participate at the varsity level is allowed to swim in lane 8 as a non-scoring unattached student whose performance will not be scored toward the team totals for the meet. If the student is not eligible to participate in the varsity meet he cannot swim unattached or as a non-scoring exhibition. Once more, only students who are eligible to compete in Leaguesponsored events can do so.

Example 2—Gymnastics: During a varsity meet the coaches agree to add two additional gymnasts to each event to participate as non-scoring, exhibition participants. The rules See Participation on Page 27

www.MSHSL.org

Athletic Activities

CTE Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy focus of significant research

By William O. Roberts, M.D., M.S. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease that is a result of repetitive head trauma. It is a rising concern in sports like football, hockey, soccer, and of course, boxing.

While we do not deal with boxing in Minnesota high schools, the other sports are prominent activities in most communities across the state.

Researchers are not sure how much trauma or how much force is required to cause problems, but some new findings are concerning.

A group of researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University of New York City, studied men and women who started playing soccer as children and were still playing in adult leagues. They estimated how many times each player headed the ball in the previous year using a very detailed questionnaire, and they also surveyed for past concussions.

The players were then tested for memory and cognitive function looking for patterns related to heading exposure.

Finally, each player had a special MRI scan that can detect changes in brain structure (this is beyond the MRI that is available to us in clinical practice). The research group found loss of brain white matter in players with more than 1,100 to 1,300 head strikes compared to those with who had fewer impacts. The white matter loss appeared to be very similar to changes seen in severe concussion.

Also in the news, former Minnesota Wild player Derek Boogaard’s brain autopsy

revealed CTE. Boogaard was a fighter and had the role of enforcer with heavy hitting and repeated altercations suspected to have played a role in these brain changes.

This does not speak well for the NHL’s continued “let them fight it out” policy. High school hockey does not allow fighting, but there is plenty of body checking and likely many subconcussive blows to the head.

This should be considered by coaches who set the tone for their teams and officials who set the tone for each game. We owe it to our players to keep the game as safe as possible by teaching, modeling, and enforcing the rules.

Along the lines of head and brain safety, a group of concussion specialists just created an online concussion library that is accessible to parents, coaches, players, and other interested people, in addition to researchers and medical providers. Called the Sport Concussion Library, the web-based site — www.dev.sportconcussionlibrary.com — includes well over 2,000 peerreviewed journal articles, many book chapters, concussion legislation on the federal, state and provincial levels, filmed documentaries, and a downloadable SCAT2 test, the standard sideline concussion assessment tool. The library site is free and regularly updated.

Michael Stuart, M.D., a member of the League Sports Medicine Advisory Committee from the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and the chief medical officer for USA Hockey, is a part of the group overseeing this project.

Sports Medicine

Dr. William Roberts

Called the Sport Concussion Library, the web-based site — www.dev.sportconcussionlibrary.com — includes well over 2,000 peer-reviewed journal articles, many book chapters, concussion legislation on the federal, state and provincial levels, filmed documentaries, and a downloadable SCAT2 test, the standard sideline concussion assessment tool. The library site is free and regularly updated.

See Concussion on Page 19

www.MSHSL.org

Winter 2012 Bulletin

17

Athletic Activities

Make academic accommodations after a sports-related concussion

By William M. Heinz, M.D. Late in the second quarter of a recent Friday night football game, an athlete got up slowly after a play and then — even more slowly — walked to the sideline.

By the time he got there, he was complaining of a headache, confusion and feeling sick to his stomach. He couldn’t remember the play that was just run or even the hit he took.

Five minutes later in the locker room at halftime, he was complaining that his symptoms were worse. The team physician told the coach that the athlete was done playing for the evening.

The physician went to the stands to talk to the player’s mother and explain that her son had suffered a concussion and would most likely be out of school

and sports activities for two to three weeks. The physician stressed that this was a brain injury, and he wanted the player to rest his brain as much as possible for the next several days. The “rest” included no studying, texting, computer use, video games, loud music, hanging out with friends or even going to class until his symptoms improved.

The player’s mother seemed surprised about the directive to not attend classes, but she was told that any activity that made her son’s symptoms worse would cause his concussion to take longer to resolve. The physician outlined the progression he wanted her son to take — first to get back to full class activity, and then to sports. She seemed relieved when he explained the

academic accommodation program that was already in place at her son’s high school.

This program is a combined effort involving the teachers, counselors, school administrators, school nurse, athletic trainer and team physician. It allows athletes with a concussion to slowly progress back to full academic work without being stressed about missing classes, assignments or tests.

Among sports-related injuries, concussions continue to be the proverbial elephant in the room.

In spite of our best efforts, including education, legislation, articles in publications and rules changes in sports, the incidence of concussions in high school sports continues to increase. The National High School Sports

Injury Surveillance Study (High School RIOTM) shows a consistent increase in concussion rates from 2005 to 2010.

The problem of how to reduce the incidence of concussions is only one of the many unresolved issues. We continue to have great difficulty confirming the diagnosis of a concussion at the time of the injury, and currently the only effective treatment is brain rest and avoidance of a repeat injury.

Sports-related concussions occur in approximately five to 10 percent of contact/collision sport athletes in each season. Athletes who suffer sports-related concussions are instructed not to attempt to return to play until cleared by a medical professional.

Typically, the concussed See Concussion on Page 19

Guidelines for Post-Concussion Academic Accommodations Stage

18

Goals/Key Ideas

Expected Duration

Teacher’s Actions

Student’s Actions

I

Complete rest.

2-6 days

● Contacted by school nurse ● Explanation of injury and current plan of care

● Out of school. ● Strict limits for use of computer, cell phone, texting, video games. ● No Physical/Sports Activity.

II

Significant deficits in processing and concentration.

Cognitive activity as tolerated.

2-14 days

Develop lists of three categories for all assignments:

● In school as tolerated. ● When present, observing not participating. Get copies of notes, handouts, etc. ● Communicate with teachers about progress/challenges. ● Be patient with slow recovery, just do your best. ● No Physical/Sports Activity.

III

Gradual increase of time and energy, slowly resuming full workload.

Variable duration.

Hopefully 3-7 days, possibly more.

IV

Complete resumption of normal activities.

1. Excused: Not to be made up.

2. Accountable: Responsible for content, not process. May be notes or work shared by a classmate, or may be covered in a review sheet.

3. Responsible: Must be completed by student and will be graded. ● Prioritize assignments with student, both make- up work and new work. ● Continue to use lists with the three categories for assignments until all work is completed, and assist with setting a timeline for completion of assignments.

● In class/school full time. ● Communicate with teachers on your progress with assignments.

Communicate with teachers and parents on the pace of resuming a full workload and completing make-up work. ● No Physical/Sports Activity (including gym class).

● Monitor completion of assignments. ● Communicate with parents and staff as to when student is caught up with assignments and working at the same pace as their classmates. ● Communicate with Guidance Office as grades are updated.

● Resume all normal activities. ● Progress with athletic trainer – supervision resumption of participation in athletics.

Winter 2012 Bulletin

www.MSHSL.org

Athletic Activities Concussion ........................................................................ continued from Page 18 athletes have a combination of physical, cognitive, emotional and sleep irregularity symptoms.

Athletes should be withheld from all sports activities until their symptoms resolve and they return to baseline on balance and neurocognitive testing.

It is recommended that all high schools implement a comprehensive concussion management program that includes the following key elements: 1. Concussion education for athletes, parents, coaches and school personnel.

2. Baseline balance and neurocognitive testing.

3. Post-injury testing performed by the athletic trainer, school nurse, team physician and/or neuropsychologist.

4. Academic support and accommodations during the recovery period.

5. Return to function and play decisions made by collaboration of all individuals involved in the care of the injured athlete.

It is important to understand that these athletes have suffered a brain injury. Granted, it is considered to be mild, but it is still a brain injury. Therefore, in addition to avoiding all sports activity, they need to refrain from full academic activity until their symptoms and neurocognitive function improves. Much the same as we would not expect a student with a recent knee injury to perform a timed running activity for gym class, we cannot expect a student with a concussion to perform at a high cognitive level, such as participating in class discussions, taking tests or completing papers, until their symptoms improve and they return to normal function.

In general, concussed studentathletes will recover more quickly with rest, not only physical rest from athletic activities but also cognitive rest from academic work. During this recovery period, it is important that there is a balance between rest and the amount of academic work the student is required to perform.

Injured student-athletes need to use the concept of “small bites,” meaning they can attempt small, short-duration activities and continue to perform them as long as they remain asymptomatic. If their symptoms

www.MSHSL.org

worsen, they need to take a step back and allow the symptoms to improve. If they do well, they can attempt a more challenging activity or a longer duration (a

larger “bite”). This approach continues until they are back to full academic activity.

In order to keep this progression moving forward, it is

Coach, father endorses concussion education The following letter was sent to Executive Director Dave Stead.

Mr. Stead, Cannot thank you enough for supporting and implementing concussion training for all coaches. As a parent of a student-athlete who suffered a concussion in high school and in college, I simply cannot encourage you enough to continue to educate schools and coaches as much as you possibly can on this issue.

My daughter has not experienced a normal day of life for almost one entire year now because of her second concussion while playing sports. We even had to withdraw her from school because her headaches were so intense.

We have sought all different kinds of medical help and treatments ranging from the top neurologists in our state of Minnesota to physical therapy, chiropractic treatments, acupuncture and everything in between to give our daughter some relief. She has a pharmacy in her room full of medications and continues to get different types of treatment weekly.

My daughter’s life has been a mess since her second concussion and had we known more, perhaps this would not have happened. I cannot thank you enough for tackling this issue and please do all you can to protect our studentathletes.

Coaches must do a better job of protecting our athletes.

Please, please, please do as much as you can and more to continue to educate all involved.

One more thing; I have coached sports for over 30 years and have seen a lot of serious injuries, including kids all night in emergency surgery and everything in between.

Nothing has been anything like the past year of intense migraine headaches and the loss of normal life for my daughter.

Please do everything you can to let coaches and parents know they need to be very careful before they allow the kids to get back into action.

Winning is not worth what my daughter has been going through. I would really encourage parents to be very careful in regards to allowing their son or daughter to get back into the game too soon after a concussion.

Our daughter’s concussions have been a life-changing event for the worse for her. She has not a normal day of life in a year because of concussions on the basketball court.

Had we known then what we know now, her life may have had a chance to be normal.

Thanks for doing what you are doing.

Randy Myhre Editor’s Note: Randy Myhre is the girls’ basketball head coach at Barnum High School.

Winter 2012 Bulletin

essential to have the studentathlete closely monitored by the athletic trainer and/or school nurse on a daily basis. Excellent communication must be maintained between the treating physician, the athletic trainer, school nurses, guidance counselors, teachers and parents.

There has been a quantum shift in the management of concussions during the past decade. Physicians and neuropsychologists have moved away from concussion grading scales and the “cookbook” approach for return to play. In addition, athletes suspected of suffering a concussion are not allowed to return to play in the same contest and not allowed to return to the activity until they are cleared by an appropriate health-care professional.

A graduated return-to-play program is now used to ensure the athlete is asymptomatic at both rest and exertion prior to allowing full activity. This same approach can be used in returning concussed athletes to full academic activity because this is every bit as important as the return-to-play decision. Too often, student-athletes try to return to class, take tests/quizzes or work on assigned projects before their brain has recovered from their injury. This only delays their healing and their return to function.

The accompanying table outlines possible guidelines for returning student-athletes to full classroom and academic work.

Depending on the severity of the concussion and the type and amount of symptoms, the athletes would be started at Academic Stage I, II or III. They are allowed to progress to Stage IV as they can tolerate. Every day, they should be re-evaluated by the school nurse and/or athletic trainer to check on progress. Also during this time, they typically receive another neurocognitive test to monitor their progress.

Not until they advance to Academic Stage IV do they return to any sports activity or start a return-to-play protocol.

These are only guidelines.

Every school will need to approach concussions and academic accommodations differently. In addition, every concussion is different, so each See Concussion on Page 20

19

Athletic Activities

New research on ACL injuries

By Kristin Maki The bad news is that ACL injuries in young athletes continue to rise. The good news is that new research is shedding light on prevention and treatment of this devastating injury. We’ve rounded up some of the latest findings.

Orthopedic surgeons from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have seen a significant increase in children’s knee injuries. They reported their findings during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics that was held in October.

The team of surgeons researched records for ACL and meniscus tears among patients who were under 18 years old. The review included records from January 1999 to January 2011 and found a total of 996 meniscus tears, 914 ACL tears, and 155 tibial spine fractures. The study revealed meniscus tears increased by nearly 14 each year, while ACL tears increased by about 11 per year. These records were compared to patients who had tibial spine fractures during the same time period. The tibial spine fractures had increased by only one annually.

One of the lead researchers in this group, J. Todd Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D., told Science Daily, “Since tibial spine fractures were once thought to be the pediatric equivalent of an ACL tear, this

continued rise in ACL tears in children suggests that injury patterns are changing and that the true incidence of these injuries is increasing.”

The long-term effects of ACL and meniscus tears are still vastly unknown, since until recently these injuries were rare in younger athletes. However, a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that in just over 10 years after injury among Swedish soccer players, nearly half of the players developed arthritis in the injured knee.

As reported by the New York Times, “within 12 to 14 years after the injury, 51 percent of the female players and 41 percent of the men had developed severe arthritis in the injured knee. The same time frame could have an injured 10 year-old dealing with a

severely arthritic knee before he or she is 25.”

So how can we stop this disturbing trend? Citing the study from the surgeons at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the New York Times notes, “A better solution would probably be to stop assuming that children can train like miniature Ronaldos or Kobe Bryants.

‘A lot of what we see in our injury data is almost certainly due to a statistical measure called exposure hours,’ Dr. Lawrence says. ‘The more you do a risky activity at a high level, the more likely you are to get hurt.’

His advice? Encourage kids to play multiple sports and not to do any one sport year-round, and especially not when they’re 5 or 6, or even 9 or 10. They’re kids.

Let them play and have fun, like kids.’”

Other experts are taking more specific approaches, as several ACL-injury prevention programs have been developed over the past few years. The Chicago Tribune reported on one put together by Dr. Cynthia LaBella, an associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University, and implemented at Chicago Public Schools.

LaBella’s program aims to distribute the strength on the right and left sides of the body more evenly — an area in which females are more likely to lack compared to male athletes. In order to accomplish this, the

program focuses on strengthening muscles and keeping them warm, along with keeping the heart rate up. It also teaches participants plyometric exercises to mimic sports maneuvers.

Coaches were randomly selected from Chicago’s public schools, and those who participated in the intervention group were trained in orchestrating the 20-minute warmup program at practices and a shorter version to use before games. Along with the neuromuscular training, the coaches taught their players jumping and landing techniques to minimize ACL injuries.

According to Medical News Today, a total of 90 coaches and 1,492 athletes participated in the study, with 737 athletes in the intervention group and 755 in the control group.

In terms of the program’s success, The Chicago Tribune reported, “By the end of the season, girls who participated in the exercises showed an 80 percent reduction in ACL sprains, a 70 percent reduction in knee sprains and a 62 percent reduction in ankle sprains, compared to girls in the control group whose coaches did not learn the exercises and performed their own warm-ups.”

At the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, See ACL on Page 21

Concussion ........................................................................ continued from Page 19 one needs to be treated individually.

With regard to the concussed football player mentioned earlier, he was able to attend limited class the following Monday. He started classes later than usual, did not attend band class and he had to leave physics class early because his symptoms got worse.

Over the next three days, he was able to progress to full class attendance, but required another week before his symptoms cleared enough to start taking tests and quizzes.

Two weeks after his injury, he “passed” his neurocognitive and balance tests and started the progression back to play. He was able to play in the game the

20

following Friday, and has been symptom-free since. Over the next several weeks he was able to catch-up on the assignments and tests he missed while he was concussed. This approach took all the pressure off him and allowed him to recover from his concussion as quickly and safely as possible.

of sport-related concussion. J Athl Train. 2004; 39: 280-297.

3. Previously unpublished data from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study (High School RIO) for 2005/ 06-2010/11. Annual summary reports available at http:// injuryresearch.net/ rioreports.aspx

References

Dr. William M. Heinz practices sports medicine in Portland, Maine, and specializes in the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of sports-related musculoskeletal injuries. He received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and then graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Heinz

1. McGrath N. Supporting the student-athlete’s return to the classroom after a sport-related concussion. J Athl Train.

2010;45(5):492-498.

2. Guskiewicz KM, et al. National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement: Management

Winter 2012 Bulletin

holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine.

He is the team physician for the Portland Sea Dogs and a team physician for U.S. Soccer. He is also the company physician for the Portland Ballet and the orthopedic consultant for the Portland Pirates, Bridgton Academy, Gould Academy and Deering High School. Dr. Heinz is a member of the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.

Reprinted with permission from the October 2011 issue of High School Today published by the National Federation of State High School Associations (www.NFHS.org).

www.MSHSL.org

Officials

Officials training clinics continue to expand Clinics have been or will be conducted this year for soccer, football, volleyball, hockey, wrestling, gymnastics, basketball, baseball, softball and track and field With the addition of training clinics in hockey and track and field, the League’s Officials Training Program continues to expand. Clinics have been or will be conducted this year for soccer, football, volleyball, hockey, wrestling, gymnastics, basketball, baseball, softball and track and field.

The format for the training in each sport is different, fitting the training to the nature of the sport. While all sports have a beginner’s component, the League is developing more training for veteran officials.

Baseball and softball will be expanding training to an advanced level this spring, and plans are being made to do the same in basketball and several other sports next year.

In some sports, training for beginners will move to either a video or online format. This will enable all new officials to be trained prior to ever stepping on the contest stage in a varsity event or even a lower-level event.

Training clinics for veterans will include more classroom training involving video training and more discussion, along with more time being spent on specific rules.

All officials will be required to attend a training clinic at least

Above: At the recent basketball officials training clinic at In some sports, Oxford Community Center in St. Paul, John Yorkovich is reviewing terminology as part of the clinic’s introduction. training for Below: Attendees are reviewing and practicing signals under the leadership of clinician Steve Makowske. beginners will move to either a video or online format. This will enable all new officials to be trained prior to ever stepping on the contest stage in a varsity event or even a lower-level event. Training clinics for veterans will include more classroom training involving video training and more discussion, along with more time being spent on specific rules. once every three years. That requirement is not yet being enforced, but all clinic attendance is being tracked. The plan is to enforce this requirement beginning with the2012-13 school

year. Officials will be given specific information on how this requirement will be implemented and the consequences for not meeting this requirement, well in advance of its implementation.

ACL..................................................................................... continued from Page 20 sports medicine specialists have received a $2.6 million grant to research the causes for bad outcomes with second attempts at repairing ACL tears in the knee. Their study will compare techniques and outcomes for these second ACL surgeries.

In this study, patients who have a second tear will be recruited and followed for at least two years after the surgery. Along with noting the knee’s condition

www.MSHSL.org

and original surgery methods and reconstruction, the researchers will compare rehabilitation techniques. The second surgery will also be studied.

The Washington University news release reports, “If I reconstruct the ACL in your knee, and you go back to sports, and three years later you pivot on a basketball court and tear it again, that subsequent surgery often

does not have results equal to the original surgery,” says Rick W. Wright, MD, the MARS study’s principal investigator. “In a previous study, we found that the strongest predictor for a bad outcome after ACL surgery was whether that surgery was the initial reconstruction or a subsequent procedure.”

The researchers plan to follow 1,000 patients across the country.

Winter 2012 Bulletin

They will be tracked for two years to follow up on possible problems after surgery. While there is no maximum age, patients have to be at least 12 years old to participate in the study.

This article was originally published at: www.Training-Conditioning.com.

Kristin Maki is an editorial assistant at Training & Conditioning magazine.

21

Officials Veteran football official marveled at high level of positive behavior

Rules book apps developed, launched The National Federation of State High School Associations has announced the launch of its first rules application for mobile devices. As of November, the NFHS Basketball Rules App is available in the Android Market. This great new resource combines the NFHS Basketball Rules Book and Basketball Case Book into one searchable mobile app and is a tremendous companion piece to the printed books. Additionally, the material is cross-referenced to display related content.

The NFHS rules app developed in partnership with ArbiterSports, is available at this time for Android devices only; however, the iPhone/iPad version will be released soon. In addition apps for NFHS rules in other sports will be coming later this year and into 2012.

National Federation Officials Association All League registered officials are automatically members of the National Federation Officials Association and are reminded to take advantage of this membership. One of the main benefits is full access to the NFOA website. On this website officials may view all rule books, case books and official’s manuals. Also available is the online version of the Official’s Quarterly magazine, as well as videos and other educational materials.

To access the NFOA website, sign in to the Official’s Corner of the League website. Once there, look under Messages in the upper right hand side and click on the NFOA Central Hub link.

Once on the Hub you will need to sign in to get full access. At the top of the page enter your e-mail address and use your League official’s ID number as your password. You can then go to specific sport pages where you will find educational materials.

Use the Publications tab to find the rule books and other printed materials.

Being a member of the NFOA is one of the benefits you receive as a League official and we encourage you to take advantage of these materials.

New NFHS officiating course launched The first-of-its-kind online officiating course from the NFHS is designed to introduce individuals to the world of interscholastic officiating — ideal for those considering becoming an official or anyone within their first few years in officiating. Designed to take 30-45 minutes to complete, the course covers topics like the basics of becoming and staying an official; the science of officiating a contest, the art of officiating a contest, and putting it all together.

The course is free to League officials since we are a 100 percent NFHS Officials Association. More information will be provided to officials as to how to access this course. In the near future this course will likely become a requirement for new officials to reach “Registered” status with the League.

22

The following letter was sent to Associate Director Kevin Merkle and copied to Fairmont A.D. Randy Soma and Blue Earth Area A.D. Rob Norman.

Dear Kevin: I would like to share with you one of the most positive experiences that I have had in my 46 years of officiating. My crew was assigned to officiate the football game between Fairmont and Blue Earth Area High Schools this past Friday evening, October 14, 2011, at Blue Earth. What we found upon arrival was that both teams were rated in the top 5 in the state, one team was undefeated; the other had 1 loss. There was a very large crowd in attendance — both sides of the field had full stands and a large crowd stood against the fence surrounding the field.

What made this such a positive experience was not the game - although it was a great game - but the sportsmanship displayed on the field for the entire game; a game that was very tight throughout and ended with a two-point differential.

There was some very hard hitting in the game. After each play, members of both teams helped each other up, not just their own teammates but also the opponents. When a penalty was called, the captain of the offending team would ask who the penalty was on. Once advised, he would comment, “Thanks, I will talk to him and take care of it.” This occurred throughout the entire game. While each coach would not necessarily agree with every call that was made, he moved on to the next play; maintaining focus on his players and the game.

When we left the field after the game ended, we received many complimentary comments from the home town fans, even though they had lost. What a positive lesson they provided to the players and students! While this was a tough loss for them, they recognized that this was only a game. The real lesson they learned was one called “life.”

Unfortunately, too much time is spent today on teaching our kids that they “must” win! That was not the case Friday evening. I don’t know what these schools or this conference is doing to promote this type of sportsmanship, but I commend them and recommend it to all schools/conferences in the state.

The message they are sending is one that will make these young men and women so much more prepared for whet lies ahead for them.

Fairmont High School and Blue Earth Area High School — thank you for setting the high standards that you did last Friday night with your outstanding sportsmanship and values! I wish both of you continued success.

Jack Shawn Referee, on behalf of my entire crew — Randy Sames, Geoff Arenson, Jeron Schmidt, and Gary Sonnenburg

Winter 2012 Bulletin

www.MSHSL.org

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Summary of the Minutes of the August 16, 2011, Board of Directors Meeting Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance Board Actions 1. Approved the Agenda.

2. Approved Minutes of the June 6, 2011 Board of Directors meeting.

3. No individuals or delegations had asked to speak to the Board regarding any of the identified Agenda items.

4. Received Lobbyist’s report regarding the MSHSL Foundation and the legislative session. He also indicated that Senator Nelson, Representative Davids, Representative Erickson, and Governor Dayton would be sent thank you notes for their support in providing assistance with the Foundation’s continuation for the next four years.

5. Received Legal Counsel’s report about the lawsuit regarding the Blaine High School and Anoka/Hennepin School District. A summary judgment had been requested but no response had yet been received 6. Executive Directors’ Report included congratulating Jody Redman, Kevin Merkle, and Matt Dempsey who were approved as members of the Gymnastics Rules Committee, Athletic Directors’ Advisory Committee, and Lacrosse Rules Committee, respectively. He also reported that: (1) the August mailing had been sent to the member schools; (2) that there will be a Robotics press conference held at the State Fair at 11:00 a.m. on

August 25th; Dave Stead and Amy Doherty will be present for the press conference along with Senator Al Franken and members of FIRST Robotics; (3) rules meetings are being held as well as the meetings for the clinicians; (4) Jody Redman held a very successful webinar; and (5) thanks to the entire staff for working together to provide support for the member schools.

Dave Stead thanked the Board members for their attendance and commitment at the workshop and looks forward to a successful school year.

7. Executive Committee Report Received: President Sparby provided members with a report from the Executive Committee meeting including: (1) Letter from Kasson-Mantorville and a review of the eligibility requirements provided by the school board regarding the wrestling program; (2) Kennedy Jefferson dance team was approved for a cooperative sponsorship, however, the wrestling co-op application was denied; (3) Chaska was provided an “opt-up” opportunity to Class AAA based on the late decision by the Executive Committee relative to a regular and post season competition co-op for Chaska/Chanhassen wrestling teams; (4) Salary adjustments were approved based on changes of assignments; (5) A student who had transferred from

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

one school to another was approved by the Executive Committee; and (6) The June meeting date was moved from June 4 to June 11, 2012.

Approved Resolution in Appreciation and Recognition for Service and Dedication to the MSHSL Board of Directors: Carol Bomben, Ray Kirch, Brent Robbins, John Schumacher, Bill Webb and Les Zellman.

Approved 2011-2012 Board of Directors Committee Assignments.

Approved the 2010-2011 expense reimbursement dollar amount as presented.

Approved the following publications as presented: (1) the Official Handbook, (2) the Board Policy Manual Guidelines, (3) the Region Secretaries Manual and (4) the Employee Handbook.

Approved contract for Mike Tillman, MSHSL Speech Consultant and Carl Lipke, MSHSL Music Consultant.

Approved the 2010-2012 contract for Kelly & Lemmons to serve as Legal Counsel for the League.

Approved the 2010-2012 contract for Roger Aronson to serve as MSHSL Lobbyist/ Special Projects Counsel Approved the Class AAAAAA Football Format.

Approved the Dance Team Rule Changes for 2011-2012 as presented.

Approved the Eligibility Committee recommendations as presented.

18. Approved the financial reports for May and June 2011 financial reports and approved the draft July, 2011 financial report.

19. Approved contract letter with the state auditor to conduct the annual audit.

20. Approved Region 4A request for financial support in order to run their tournaments for the fall season.

21. Approved the MSHSL investment consultants as presented by the Finance Committee.

22. Approved a three-year contract extension with Preferred Design.

Discussion Items A. Journalism Competition B. 100 years of basketball The complete, official Minutes may be obtained from the League office by the designated school representative of member school.

Officials Award Applications Due in January Applications for the Third Annual Awards program for officials are now being accepted, with the applications for the 2012 awards due by January 20.

There are three awards that are part of this program. One officials association will be presented the Award of Excellence. This award goes to an association that has done an outstanding job in all of the aspects of being an association — recruiting, training, mentoring, and assigning officials. The Citation Award is presented to an association that has developed a particularly strong program in a specific area such as recruiting, training or mentoring. The third award is the Distinguished Service award which is awarded to individuals who have provided exceptional service to their associations.

Officials associations are strongly encouraged to apply for these awards. Application forms were sent out in December to charter

www.MSHSL.org

clinicians and assignment secretaries. If you need an application form, contact the League office. Applications received last year have been kept on file and will be given consideration again this year. Those who made those applications last year may add additional supporting materials.

The selection committee will meet in late January with the winners notified in February. The awards will be presented during the State Boys’ Basketball Tournament on Saturday, March 24.

Winter 2012 Bulletin

23

A concussion is a brain injury.

All concussions are serious.

Concussions can occur without loss of consciousness.

Concussions can occur in any sport.

Recognition and proper management of concussions when they first occur can help prevent further injury or even death.

Athletes who experience one or more of the signs and symptoms listed below after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body may have a concussion.

Signs Observed by Coaching Staff • Appears dazed or stunned • Is confused about assignment or position • Forgets an instruction • Is unsure of game, score, or opponent • Moves clumsily • Answers questions slowly • Loses consciousness (even briefly) • Shows mood, behavior, or personality changes • Can’t recall events prior to a hit or fall • Can’t recall events after a hit or fall

Symptoms Reported by Athlete • Headache or “pressure” in head • Nausea or vomiting • Balance problems or dizziness • Double or blurry vision • Sensitivity to light or noise • Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy • Concentration or memory problems • Confusion • Just not “feeling right” or is “feeling down”

If you suspect that an athlete has a concussion, you should take the following four steps: 1. Remove the athlete from play.

2. Ensure that the athlete is evaluated by a health care professional experienced in evaluating for concussion. Do not try to judge the seriousness of the injury yourself.

3. Inform the athlete’s parents or guardians about the possible concussion and give them the fact sheet on concussion.

4. Keep the athlete out of play the day of the injury and until a health care professional, experienced in evaluating for concussion, says the athlete is symptom-free and it’s OK to return to play.

For more information on Concussion Management and the MSHSL Return to Play protocol, visit www.mshsl.org

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Summary of the Minutes of the October 6, 2011, Board of Directors Meeting Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance Board Actions 1. Approved the Agenda.

2. Approved Minutes of the August 16, 2011 Board of Directors meeting.

3. No individuals or delegations had asked to speak to the Board regarding any of the identified Agenda items.

4. Received Lobbyist’s report including an update on the Vikings Stadium bill.

5. Received legal counsel’s report including no pending lawsuits and contracts are going well. Received Executive Directors report including: (1) Robotics Tournament date has been set for Saturday, May 19, 2012 at the University of Minnesota; (2) KSTC-TV won an Upper Midwest Emmy for their live coverage of the 2011 2A Boys’ State Hockey Tournament Eden Prairie vs.

Duluth East; (3) Dave Stead and Lisa Lissimore are reviewing the current ball company contracts; this is the end of a two year agreement and needs to be renewed; (4) All eight Area Meetings are completed; (5) A Conference Placement Hearing regarding Melrose was held at the League Office on September 30, 2011. The 180-day search will not be completed until October 24, 2011. A conference call will be held with members of the Placement Committee to

www.MSHSL.org

finalize placement on October 24, 2011; and (6) The MSHSL had a booth at the State Fair in coordination with Channel 45. The booth was very successful. Dave Stead thanked Lisa Lissimore and her assistant, Sheila Robinson for their work in putting the booth together.

6. President Sparby provided members with a report from the Executive Committee meeting including: (1) Held a conference call with a member school regarding a bylaw violation. The Executive Committee approved the action taken by the member school’s administration and school board; (2) Received an update regarding a member school’s violation of eligibility verification and schedule of contests; (3) Approved a one-year continuation for a regular season and post season cooperative sponsored activities in boys’ and girls’ hockey, boys’ and girls’ Nordic ski, boys’ & girls’ track and field, and girls’ swimming. The Committee recommended that the full Board review Bylaw 403 Cooperative Sponsorship as a possible amendment for the Representative Assembly to consider; (4) Discussed: staff recognition luncheon – December 22, 2011, potential addition of wheelchair track and field

7.

8.

9.

10.

events, and 100th year celebration as an organization; (5) A Hearing was held at the League office on September 30, 2011 regarding Melrose High School Conference Placement; (6) Moved a tennis eligibility question to the Eligibility Committee for review and action; (7) Justin Kaufenberg, TST Media, presented information regarding online “hubs” for all MSHSL activities and a possible partnership; (8) Confirmed the following dates for the Board of Directors summer workshops: August 4, 5, and 6, 2013; August 3, 4, and 5, 2014, and August 2, 3, and 4, 2015; and (9)Discussed the review of the Board of Directors Policy Manual.

Approved the 2011-2012 Board Goals including implementing “Coaching Licensure for MSHSL Member School” with “Coaches Education Requirement (CER) for all coaches at all MSHSL levels (varsity, junior varsity, Bsquad/sophomore).”

Approved Advisory Committee recommendation to allow unlimited singing in Speech as long as it is referenced in the text or stage directions.

Approved Advisory Committee recommendation to allow any type of visual aid in Speech.

Approved Advisory

Winter 2012 Bulletin

11.

12.

13.

14.

Committee recommendation that each section, Class A and Class AA, may advance two contestants in individual events and two teams in each relay event to the state track and field meet.

Approved the Eligibility Committee recommendations as presented.

Approved accepting the interpretation and application of the MSHSL Executive Director regarding the definition of “student practice with a team”, and the definition of “team membership” (Bylaw 518.6B).

Approved the July 2011 and August 2011 financial reports.

Approved Region 8AA request to retain 21% or an extra $5,530 as of July 31, 2011.

Discussion Items A. Robotics State Tournament B. Co-op Sponsorship: Potential Bylaw Implications C. Tournament Format/Week/ Series Schedule D. CER Report – Fall,2011 E. On-line Rules Meeting Report – Fall, 2011 F. Computer Bandwidth Usage – Fall, 2011 G. Eligibility Transfer Report – Fall, 2011 The complete, official Minutes may be obtained from the League office by the designated school representative of member schools.

25

Calendars Fall 2011 State Team Champions Girls’ Tennis ............................................................ A – THE BLAKE SCHOOL, Minneapolis AA – EDINA Boys’ Soccer .............................................. A – BENILDE-ST. MARGARET’S, St. Louis Park AA – EDEN PRAIRIE Girls’ Soccer ........................................................... A – THE BLAKE SCHOOL, Minneapolis AA – WAYZATA Boys’ Cross Country Running .................................................. A – ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL AA – STILLWATER AREA Girls’ Cross Country Running .................................................. A – ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL AA – MONTICELLO Girls’ Volleyball ........................................................ A – BETHLEHEM ACADEMY, Faribault AA – MARSHALL AAA – EDEN PRAIRIE

Adapted Soccer ............................................................................. CI – ANOKA-HENNEPIN PI – ROBBINSDALE/HOPKINS/MOUND-WESTONKA Girls’ Swimming & Diving ........................................................ A – SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN AA – EDINA Football .......................................................................... 9-Man – EDGERTON/ELLSWORTH A – DAWSON-BOYD AA –CALEDONIA AAA – ST. CROIX LUTHERAN, West St. Paul AAAA – ROCORI, Cold Spring AAAAA – EDEN PRAIRIE

2011-2012 Calendar of State Events 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 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

26

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 5-8 .................................................................. GIRLS’ LACROSSE TOURNAMENT – Chanhassen High School June 5-8 ................................................................... BOYS’ LACROSSE TOURNAMENT – Chanhassen High School 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 14-15, 18 ........................................................ STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT – (14-15: quarterfinals, semifinals, consolation rounds & third-place) 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 (18: Prep Championship Series - all three championship games) Target Field, Minneapolis

Winter 2012 Bulletin

www.MSHSL.org

Calendars 2012 Calendar of Meetings 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) Feb. 2 ....................................... League Board of Directors Mtg., League Office, 9:30 a.m.

Feb. 7 ...................................... Pre-Season Track & Field Clinicians, League Office, 9 a.m.

Feb. 7 .............................................................. Visual Arts Advisory, League Office, 2 p.m.

Feb. 8 ........................................................... Track & Field Advisory, League Office, 9 a.m.

Feb. 11 ....................................................... ACT National Test Date (www.actstudent.org) Feb. 14 ........................ Pre-Season Baseball/Softball Clinicians, League Office, 8:30 a.m.

Feb. 21 ............................................. Baseball Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m.

Feb. 21 ...................... Adapted Floor Hockey Officials Selection, League Office, 9:30 a.m.

Feb. 22 .................................. Boys’ Lacrosse Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m.

Feb. 22 ................................... Girls’ Lacrosse Advisory Committee, League Office, 3 p.m.

Feb. 22 ................................................ Pre-Season Golf Clinicians, League Office, 10 a.m.

Feb. 23 ................................... Pre-Season Girls’ Lacrosse Clinicians & Charter Clinicians, League Office, 11 a.m.

Feb. 24 .................................. Pre-Season Boys’ Lacrosse Clinicians & Charter Clinicians, League Office, 11 a.m.

March 7 ................................ Adapted Softball Rules Meeting: Maple Grove High School, Officials, 6:30 p.m.; Officials & Coaches, 7:15 p.m.

March 8 ....................................... Triple “A” Selection Committee, League Office, 10 a.m.

March 8 ...................................... Minnesota Adapted Athletics, League Office, 3:30 p.m.

March 10 ................................................ SAT National Test Date (www.collegeboard.org) March 13 .................................... Officials Advisory Committee, League Office, 9:30 a.m.

March 14 .................................... Adapted Softball Rules Meeting: Bloomington Kennedy, Officials, 6:30 p.m.; Officials & Coaches, 7:15 p.m.

March 21 ...................................... Track & Field Section Managers, League Office, 8 a.m.

March 21 ........ Track & Field Meet, Hy-Tek Operators Training, League Office, 10:30 a.m.

March 23 ... League Representative Assembly, Edinburgh USA, Brooklyn Park, 9:30 a.m.

April 2 ................................................................ Region Secretaries, League Office, 9 a.m.

April 4 ....................................... State Soccer Tournament Meeting, League Office, 1 p.m.

April 5 ...................................... League Board of Directors Mtg., League Office, 9:30 a.m.

April 11 ........................ Track and Field Officials Selection, Perkins, Golden Valley, 9 a.m.

April 14 ...................................................... ACT National Test Date (www.actstudent.org) April 16 ............................................. State Gymnastics Meet Mtg., League Office, 1 p.m.

April 19 ........................................... TeamUp Advisory Committee, League Office, 10 a.m.

April 24 .................... Area Meeting, Best Western Garden Inn, North Mankato, 9:30 a.m.

April 25 .............................................. Speech Advisory Committee, League Office, 9 a.m.

April 25 .................................. Area Meeting, The Marshall Golf Club, Marshall, 9:30 a.m.

April 27 ................................................... Area Meeting, Clarion Inn, Rochester, 9:30 a.m.

April 30 ........................................... Area Meeting, Best Western, Fergus Falls, 9:30 a.m.

May 1 ........................................ Area Meeting, Best Western, Thief River Falls, 9:30 a.m.

May 2 ........................................................ Area Meeting, Valentini’s, Chisholm, 9:30 a.m.

May 2 .......................................... Minnesota Adapted Athletics, League Office, 3:30 p.m.

May 2 ................................. Adapted Softball Officials Selection, League Office, 3:30 p.m.

May 3 ........................................... Lacrosse Officials Selection, League Office, 11:30 a.m.

May 5 ...................................................... SAT National Test Date (www.collegeboard.org) May 8 ............................ Area Meeting, The Lodge at Brainerd Lakes, Brainerd, 9:30 a.m.

May 9 ................................ Baseball & Softball Officials Selection, League Office, 10 a.m.

May 10 ....................................... Area Meeting, Edinburgh USA, Brooklyn Park, 9:30 a.m.

May 22 ......................... Athletic Directors Advisory Committee, League Office, 9:30 a.m.

June 2 ..................................................... SAT National Test Date (www.collegeboard.org) June 9 ........................................................ ACT National Test Date (www.actstudent.org) June 11 .................................... League Board of Directors Mtg., League Office, 9:30 a.m.

Participation........................................................................ continued from Page 16 book for gymnastics does not allow for non-scoring participation.

Participation on non-school teams A middle school student who participates on a non-school team cannot participate with a high school program in the same sport during the same high school season. The student can participate with the middle school team at the same time.

Example 1: We have already identified that a middle school student in eighth grade can participate with the middle school eighth-grade team and also with the high school JV team. But if the eighth-grader participates with a non-school eighth-grade travelling team, that student can participate with the middle school team and the non-school team but the student cannot participate with the high school program.

www.MSHSL.org

Example #2—Hockey: A student is on the JV hockey team, but he also wants to participate with the local bantam hockey team. This type of dual participation is not allowed. In fact, during the tryouts for the high school hockey team the student cannot participate with the bantam team. While participating with the high school team, even during tryouts, a student cannot participate on a non-school team.

The 22nd calendar day Students who join the high school program after the22nd calendar day of the high school season can be eligible for both regular-season and post-season competition as long as they have not participated in the same sport: ● On a non-school team or as an individual competitor; or ● In a camp or clinic; or

● Received private instruction in that sport during the high school season.

Those students who have been participating with the middle school program who join the high school team after the 22nd calendar day are fully eligible for the regular season and post season.

Example 1—Hockey: A student is playing bantam hockey and decides to leave the bantam program and join the high school program in late December. In this case the student would be eligible for the regular season only because the student was participating with a non-school team after the 22nd calendar day of the season.

Example 2—General: A student did not go out for swimming at the start of the high school season, but in the first week of January decides he wants

Winter 2012 Bulletin

to participate with the swimming program and joins the team. As long as the student did not compete on a non-school team or as an individual competitor, did not participate in a swimming camp or clinic and did not receive private instruction in swimming once the official high school season started, the student can join the team and be fully eligible for the regular season and post season.

Care must be taken by the school administration to properly and correctly monitor the participation of middle school students who are participating with both the middle school and the high school program. Athletic directors need to work with their coaches to ensure only those middle school students who are eligible to participate with the high school programs are granted that privilege.

27

Education Finances Paying for college: What to know before you apply for student loans When I first applied for student loans my sophomore year of college, I found myself where many of you will too: the financial aid office. There I sat, in a long line, as I waited for a financial aid advisor to call my name and tell me about my options for financing my education.

What I didn’t know was that three years after that meeting I would find myself with six different loan payments due each month for the foreseeable future.

Sometimes I wish I had asked more questions back then. At the end of the day, we must all educate ourselves about the particularities of student loans because we are the ones who will have to pay them off. To help you get started with that, here are some things that would’ve been helpful for me: Do a little research. Get some basic knowledge before you meet with an advisor so that you ask the right questions. Learn about all your student loan options (federal and private), types of interest rates for different loans (fixed vs. variable matters!), and about how repayment will work.

Understand loan amounts.

Figure out how much you’ll be able to borrow. It varies depending on what types of loans you’re considering. Some loans are capped at a certain amount and others allow you to borrow up to the cost of education determined by your school. Get a good idea about how much you are willing to borrow based on how much you think you would be able to pay back per month.

Learn how to qualify for private student loans. Private lenders determine your eligibility based on a number of factors, including your credit score and/or that of your cosigner (like a parent or other person with established credit).

Figure out your interest rates.

Keep tabs on the interest rates on all your loans and whether or not they may change over time (a variable interest rate). Remember that private student loan interest rates are based on credit (among other factors), whereas other student loan programs might have a set interest rate for all borrowers.

Bottom line: Ask around! If you’re a history major (like I was)

28

and are going to go into the working world after graduation, know that you usually have a sixmonth window (a grace period) to get your finances in order before repayment begins. Ask fellow history majors or alums how much they are earning and how well they manage their loan payments to get an idea of the situation you may find yourself in.

From there, manage the amount you borrow so your eventual loan payments are in line with your estimated income, and don’t forget that you’ll have other bills to pay each month.

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. 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 SM

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, 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. *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 CollegeSTEPSSM 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.

Winter 2012 Bulletin

www.MSHSL.org

Giving brings out the best in everyone

As a company, Wells Fargo is the nation’s third most generous cash donor according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy. We have: ƌɄɄ $1 )Ʉ(*- Ʉ/# )ɄǃžŽƅɄ($''$*)Ʉ/*ɄŽƅƇżżżɄ)*)+-*Ũ/.Ʉ$)ɄžżŽżƆɄ ƌɄɄ * 0. Ʉ*)Ʉ.0++*-/$)"Ʉ. #**'.Ʉ ) Ʉ 0 /$*) 'Ʉ+-*"- (.ƇɄ+-*1$ $)"Ʉ *1 -ɄǃƂƂɅ($''$*)Ʉ' ./Ʉ4 -Ɔ ƌɄɄ -*1$ Ʉ Ŧ*- ' Ʉ#*0.$)"Ʉ/#-*0"#ɄǃŽžɄ($''$*)Ʉ$)Ʉ *) /$*).Ʉ/*Ʉ $/ /Ʉ!*-Ʉ 0( )$/4Ʉ$)ɄžżŽżƆ

wellsfargo.com © 2011 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. (687704)

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

PAID MINNEAPOLIS MN Permit No. 31890

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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.