INDIANAPOLIS – The IHSAA Board of Directors, in its annual review of the IHSAA By‐Laws, approved moves involving the girls basketball season and also passed measures put forth by the Indiana Football Coaches Association with regard to summer participation and practice schedules on Monday.

The group approved by an 18‐1 vote moving up the start of the girls basketball season by one week. Effective July 1, 2015, the first practice date, first authorized contest date as well as the dates of the state tournament will each be one week earlier to allow the entire girls basketball state tournament to be played separate from the boys state tournament. In turn the decision will also ensure the girls state finals will be played in Indianapolis. As was announced in March, the girls finals will return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse beginning next season.

Also approved were recent proposals from the Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) that go into effect immediately.

The body unanimously voted for a proposal from the IFCA, including an amendment that would establish a more detailed criterion for conducting football practices, particularly the initial four days of practices with regard to allowable contact, equipment to be used and the duration of practices.

Also approved by a 19‐0 vote was a proposal from the Indiana Football Coaches Association creating a new section of the Participation rule establishing specific criteria for football participation in the summer, including an amendment that specifies that the maximum time for a school’s Activity Day will be 3.5 hours over a five‐hour period. Schools will be allowed to sponsor up to 12 Football “Activity Days” where coaching staffs may work with two or more players from their teams. During those 12 days, five “Competition Days” may be designated allowing players to practice with or compete against players from another school.

All proposals are considered in the order that the affected rule appears within the current by‐laws. The Board of Directors has four options on each proposal: affirm, deny, table or amend. A simple majority is necessary to act on any measure. A copy of the current by‐laws is available here. All approved measures become effective immediately unless otherwise noted.

Other significant items from Monday’s meeting are highlighted below:

•   Approved 18‐1 an amendment to allow local school corporations to select coaching education courses as approved by the IHSAA and establish three levels of accreditation. This measure goes into effect with the 2015‐16 school year.
•   Approved a new section of the Enrollment and Attendance rule establishing requirements for a student enrolled in a Virtual Education School to qualify for participation in athletics at the Public School serving the student’s residence.
•   Turned down a measure by an 18‐0 count that would change the penalty for a transfer for primarily athletic reasons from 365 days of ineligibility to 365 days of limited ineligibility.
•   Affirmed unanimously an amendment to standardize rules in sports that use controlled scrimmages that a scrimmage may not occur sooner than the day following the fifth day of practice.
•   Approved by a 15‐4 vote increasing the number of season contests permitted in boys and girls basketball from 20 games to 22 games.