MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / February 2, 2000

BATON ROUGE – The issue of non-faculty coaches was the major item on an otherwise quiet agenda at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s General Business Meeting Friday morning held at the Radisson Hotel Convention Center.

The principals attending approved a motion by a vote of 114-87 to allow non- faculty assistant coaches in the sports of football, baseball, boys’ and girls’ basketball, softball, boys’ and girls’ indoor track and field, boys’ and girls’ outdoor track and field and volleyball provided the individual has successfully completed the LHSAA’s Coaches Education and Certification Program.

Previously, non-faculty members could only be coaches in cross-country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, tennis and wrestling.

Schools that use non-faculty coaches must provide the LHSAA with a list of these coaches by Oct. 15. If a school adds a non-faculty coach after thatdate, they must notify the association in writing.

The principals voted down a motion, 112-75, to allow non-faculty head coaches in baseball and softball.

The principals also approved motions that made changes to the seeding process in football. One that will have a big impact, especially when it comesto scheduling, is that teams will no longer be penalized two points for playing down in class when figuring power points.

All district first and second place teams, including all teams tied for first place, now automatically qualify for the playoffs. If two teams are tied in thestrength factor rating and played each other during the season, the team that defeated the other team will be awarded the higher seeded position. Iftravel in the regional, quarterfinal and/or semifinal round is equal, the higher seeded team will now be the home team. And in the Superdome Classic, thehigher seeded team will be the home team.

Items pertaining to eligibility and magnet schools were tabled until next year’s convention. The principals did approve an amendment to preventstudents from intentionally failing six, seventh and eighth grades by being absent an excessive amount of days. The principals also approved items thatextends the number of days a grade correction can be made for eligibility purposes from seven calendar days to seven school days following the end of the grading period.

The principals also approved items that will allow home teams in baseball and softball to schedule night games. Except during the dates of a tournament, ateam will not be allowed to play more than one school night preceding a school day during a week. The principals also approved by a 107-78 margin tomove the time that a game is considered a night game from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.In other business, the principals, by a margin of 88-78, went against a motion introduced by West Ouachita principal Johnny Hines that called for all district members to be in agreement in order for a district to require teams to play twice in football.

The principals also approved the introduction of girls’ pole vault in both indoor and outdoor track and field. The change is effective immediately inoutdoor track and field.

Jimmy Anderson of LaGrange High School was voted in for a third term as president of the association. Carl Langley of Hathaway High School wasnamed to a third term as vice president.

In class business, Class 2A members voted to have the first, second and third place finishers in each district qualify for the playoffs in softball and to have five wild card teams. There will no longer be any byes. In Class 5A, theprincipals approved a Division I boys’ and girls’ soccer championship tournament to be held in the New Orleans area. The first championships willbe held Feb. 25-26 at Pan American Stadium. Commissioner Tommy Henry announced that this year’s Superdome Classic will be held Dec. 8-9. The 2001 LHSAA Convention is scheduled for Jan. 24-26.

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