Minnesota State High School League
Board of Directors Meeting
April 3, 2014
Meeting Synopsis
Action Items
 The Football Advisory Committee recommendation to revamp the structure of the Class AAAAAA section
football tournament was defeated. It called for each of the four sections to seed its eight teams 1-8. Then
those teams would be placed in one of six randomly selected brackets for two rounds of competition to
determine state tournament qualifiers. The predetermined brackets are designed to prevent a No. 1 seed
meeting a No. 2 seed from the same section until the Prep Bowl.
 With the recommendation of the Board’s Technology/Coaches and Officials Education Committee, a policy
was approved that requires all athletic administrators to complete continuing education requirements once
every three years. Currently that policy only pertains to all coaches. The new policy becomes effective in
Fall 2014.
 The calendar of meetings for the 2014-15 school year was approved. The calendar that establishes start
dates, tournament/meet dates and their venues was also approved for the 2014-15 school year, as well as a
similar projected calendar for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years.
 The Board decided to table action on adding Academic Decathalon as a new activity. The activity is
administered now by the Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation. Staff will provide greater detail
about the proposed partnership at its June 2 meeting. Academic Decathlon is a scholastic competition for
high school students and was created to provide opportunities for students to experience the challenges of
rigorous team and individual academic competition. Each student competes in 10 events: Economics, Essay,
Art, Interview, Language and Literature, Math, Music, Science, Social Science and Speech. Students also
compete in Super Quiz Relay. The League’s role is still to be determined. The team from Lake CrystalWellcome Memorial won the state championship this past February.
 A number of amendments to League bylaws were approved for forwarding to the League Representative
Assembly for adoption at its May 12 meeting. The proposed amendments will be shared with all member
schools and will also be discussed at the upcoming Area meetings later this month and in early May. The
amendments and affected bylaws are:
o Bylaw 111—Transfer and Residence: It will allow a student a 15-day “trial period” to return to the
student’s original school after a transfer provided the student has not competed at the varsity level in any
sport during that time period.
o Bylaw 201—Amateur Status: It will allow for actual and reasonable reimbursement for participation in a
camp or clinic; it prohibits participation on professional teams or signing with a professional team; it
will allow a tryout with a professional team if the student can document that (s)he paid all the fees and
expenses.
o Bylaw 205—Chemical Eligibility: Expands the prohibited use, consumption, possession, purchase, sale
or distribution of products containing or delivering nicotine, tobacco and other chemicals (eg ecigarettes); expands the definition of substances or products that alter the central nervous system (eg
synthetic drugs, glue, bath salts etc).
o Bylaw 208—Non-School Competition and Training: It more clearly defines for coaches what exactly is
prohibited during the annual no-contact period incorporating the July Fourth holiday. A second
amendment provides specific definitions and policies pertaining to football contact and practice during
the summer months.
o Bylaw 304—Ineligible Student: It removes the team penalty exception for administrative errors in using
an ineligible player serving a chemical or non-school competition penalty.
o Bylaw 403—Cooperative Sponsorship: It changes the co-op application deadline from the first day of
practice for a sport to no later than 30 calendar days prior to the first day of practice for a sport.
o Bylaw 411—Scheduling of Contests: It will allow scheduling contests with out-of-state schools only if
the opponent’s state association actually sponsors that activity and that opponent abides by its state
association’s eligibility rules.
o Bylaw 502—Daily/Season Player Participation Limits: It imposes a daily limit of not more than 6.5
quarters during any consecutive three-day period for football players.
o Bylaw 508—Football: It is a complete revision of what must be done before the first game is played,
spelling out specific protocols for heat acclimitization and practices. It reduces the pre-season period
from three weeks to 14 calendar days.
Discussion Items
 The Board discussed a proposed policy that addresses issues related to transgender students. Legal counsel
has conducted extensive research and drafted the proposal. Adoption of the policy will become an action
item on the Board’s June 2 agenda.
 A change in membership status for home schools was discussed. The proposed policy will require that all
home schools be subject to the same $100 membership fee and $90 fee for each sponsored activity that
member public and private schools must pay. Currently home schools may become non-voting members for
no charge and still enter into cooperative programs with other members. This policy proposal will also be
subject to action at the upcoming June Board meeting.
 The Board also discussed a recommendation from the executive director to reassign some current staff and
add additional staff to handle the increased number of activities and programs that the Board has approved
in recent years. Again, action on the recommendations is slated for the June Board meeting.

Board Committee Reports
 Executive Committee
The committee discussed staffing levels in the League office, the status of planning for the League’s
celebration of its first 100 years, a proposed policy pertaining to transgender students, Achiever Academy,
and potential use of a “success factor” for placement of member schools in competitive classes.
 Eligibility Committee
The Board adopted 12 separate censures of either athletic directors or coaches for violations of various
bylaws. The committee also recommended and the Board approved the suspension of one assistant wrestling
coach, one head wrestling coach, one head boys’ basketball coach, and one head track and field coach.
 Audit/Finance Committee
The committee recommended and the Board approved the financial statements for the months of January
and February. The committee also reviewed the attendance figures for the recent winter tournaments, which
revealed a total decline of almost 7,000 from the 2012-13 winter season. Girls’ hockey and wrestling
showed the greatest declines.
 Communications and Marketing Committee
The committee reviewed preliminary results of marketing initiatives for the recent winter tournaments. Staff
reported that income from merchandise sales, in-arena promotional packages and advertising in tournament
programs has netted about $225,000 thus far this school year. Staff also briefed the committee on the status
of current partnerships for which new contracts will soon need to be negotiated.
 Technology/Coaches and Officials Education Committee
Staff offered updates on the coaches education program and an annual Midwest Officials Summit. Associate
Director Jody Redman has traveled to several parts of the state to talk about the Why We Play program and
will continue to do so. The committee shared with the full Board some impressive statistics pertaining to
delivery of content this current school year via the League website — such as 3,815 hours of general
meetings for coaches and officials, 11,200 hours of sport-specific meetings for coaches and officials, and
6,800 hours of continuing education for coaches.
Extra Point
 League lobbyist Roger Aronson updated the Board about legislative issues. He is very optimistic that the
League’s sales tax exemption, which funds the League Foundation, will be permanently extended. The
exemption allows the League Foundation to provide grants to member schools that have totaled from about
$500,000 up to $750,000 annually.
 Three Board members have thrown their hats into the ring to be elected vice president for the 2014-15
school year: Bob Grey, Shelly Hotzler and Erich Martens. An election will be held at the June 2 Board
meeting.
 Prior to the Board meeting, Maple Lake Activities Director Dave Schroeder and Buffalo Activities Director
Tom Bauman were permitted to plead a case for delaying implementation of district football scheduling for
one more year. Three other ADs also spoke in favor of proceeding with the approved plan for
implementation in 2015. No action was necessary or taken.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the League Board of Directors is Monday, June 2, 2014, at the League
office.
4/4/14