ve ! nture ! 2012 UCA SUMMER CAMPS uca.varsity.com t Stay inffoormed. Be a fan on &ffoollow us on t 1.888.CHEERUCA NFHS REPORT NFHS Opposes U.S. Soccer’s New 10-Month Season BY ROBERT B. GARDNER, NFHS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND RICK WULKOW, NFHS PRESIDENT Since the High School Athletics Participation Survey was started tempted to co-exist. Many NFHS member state associations have by the NFHS in 1971, soccer has been the runaway leader on the enacted specific bylaw provisions to permit ODP participation by growth charts. That first survey indicated 78,000 boys and 700 girls high school athletes. There seems to be no spirit of unity or coop- played soccer at the high school level. Today, there are about eration with this latest move by U.S. Soccer. 400,000 boys and 360,000 girls playing the sport at approximately In addition, the Amateur Sports Act, which was revised in 1998, 11,000 high schools. imposes on U.S. Soccer and other National Governing Bodies the Forty years ago, soccer was the 10th-most popular high school “duty” to work cooperatively with entities such as state high school sport for boys. Today, having passed wrestling, cross country, golf, associations in order to protect young people and the institutions swimming and tennis, it has moved to No. 5. Only the longstand- that serve them. ing entrenched sports of football, track and field, basketball and U.S. Soccer’s desire is to prepare players to compete against the baseball have a higher number of participants than soccer. best clubs and international teams around the world. It is prepos- In addition, there has been an increase in the number of boys terous, however, to think that having these elite players for an- participating in high school soccer for 32 consecutive years; how- other two to three months is the answer and will close the gap ever, that streak may come to an end when figures for the 2012- between the United States and soccer powers from other nations. 13 season are tabulated because of an unfortunate ruling by U.S. Jason Pendleton, soccer coach at Blue Valley Southwest High Soccer. School in Overland Park, Kansas, said it best: Earlier this year, U.S. Soccer – the sport’s governing body in the “I understand that the U.S. wants to be the best at everything, United States – announced that it was moving to a 10-month sea- but I don’t think the reason the national team hasn’t flourished is son with its U.S. Soccer Development Academy effective with the because our kids are playing high school sports. Our best athletes 2012-13 season. As a result of this action, the approximately 4,000 in America still aren’t migrating to soccer. … My concern is that, at boys who compete in the 78-team Development Academy will no the end of the day, it’s going to be only about soccer. At the high longer be able to play soccer on their high school teams. school level, the focus isn’t just on soccer but also the development Since 2007 when the Development Academy was created, boys as a student-athlete and human being.” on these Olympic Development Program (ODP) clubs were able to While the number of boys involved in these programs is small play on their high school team in the fall – at least in those states – approximately 4,000 of 400,000 – it is unfair for these individu- that sponsor the sport in the fall – and then join the ODP club after als to have to make a choice. But if any of these 4,000 elite play- the high school season concluded. ers have any hopes or desire to play professional soccer or to be The “club vs. high school” debate has been a longstanding selected for the Olympic team, they are being told that path can- issue with the sport of soccer. The United States is unique among not include playing on their high school team. That is wrong. international soccer powers in that the sport has a strong tradition This decision affects the other 396,000 boys on high school of scholastic participation and exists within an education-based teams as well. They are made to feel separate and unequal, which school setting. While we believe this is a positive step, U.S. Soccer seems to be at odds with U.S. Soccer’s mission of growing the is trying to adopt the year-round, sell-yourself-out approach that sport. exists in the majority of countries in the world. We will continue our efforts to persuade U.S. Soccer to reverse Obviously, we are extremely disappointed with this ruling by this decision so that these 4,000 individuals can continue to enjoy NFHS | www.nfhs.org/hstoday U.S. Soccer, particularly given the fact that our schools have at- the benefits of education-based interscholastic sports. 1 HighSchool™ THE VOICE OF EDUCATION-BASED ATHLETIC AND PERFORMING ARTS ACTIVITIES TODAY Contents 10 Welcome We hope you enjoy this publication and welcome your feedback. Please take a few moments to complete the Review Form on the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org/hstoday. You may contact Bruce Howard, editor of High School Today, at [email protected]. VOLUME 5, NUMBER 7 COVER STORY EDITORIAL STAFF Publisher.......................Robert B. Gardner School Authority to Sanction Parents of Student-athletes: Court Editor............................Bruce L. Howard backs authority of schools to suspend parents from events for in- Assistant Editor .............John C. Gillis Production.....................Randall D. Orr appropriate behavior. –Lee Green Advertising....................Judy Shoemaker Graphic Designer...........Kim A. Vogel Online Editor .................Chris Boone Cover photo provided by Paynter Pics, Arizona Interscholastic Association. PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Superintendent..............Darrell Floyd, TX Principal........................Ralph Holloway, NC High School Today, an official publica- SUBSCRIPTION PRICE tions Committee, but the publisher cannot be re- School Boards ...............Jim Vanderlin, IN tion of the National Federation of State One-year subscription is $24.95. Canada add sponsible for loss or damage. 12 $3.75 per year surface post age. All other foreign State Associations..........Treva Dayton, TX Reproduction of material published in High High School Assoc ia tions, is published subscribers, please contact the NFHS office for Media Director ..............Robert Zayas, NM School Today is prohibited with out written per- eight times a year by the NFHS. shipping rates. Back issues are $3.00 plus actual Performing Arts..............Steffen Parker, VT mission of the NFHS executive director. Views of postage. Athletic Director ............David Hoch, MD the authors do not always reflect the opinion or Athletic Trainer ..............Brian Robinson, IL EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING OFFICES Manuscripts, illustrations and photo graphs may policies of the NFHS. National Federation of be submitted by mail or e-mail to Bruce Howard, Coach ...........................Don Showalter, IA State High School Associations editor, PO Box 690, Indianapolis, IN 46206, Copyright 2012 by the National Fed eration Legal Counsel................Lee Green, KS PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 <[email protected]>. They will be carefully of State High School Associa tions. All rights Contest Official..............Tim Christensen, OR Telephone 317-972-6900; fax 317.822.5700 considered by the High School Today Publica- reserved. High School Today | April 4 FEATURES HST ONLINE 14 COMMUNICATION Building a Good Relationship with the Media: Schools should consistently report results of games – win or lose. –J.P. Murrieta 16 SPORTSMANSHIP Sportsmanship – It Starts with the Athletic Director: Coaches are the soldiers, but the athletic director is the general when it comes to You can access previous issues online sportsmanship. at www.nfhs.org/hstoday. –Dr. David Hoch, CMAA 26 DEPARTMENTS EDUCATION 1 NFHS Report Change is Inevitable, Growth is Quick Hits Optional: Schools should make sure 6 Interesting Facts and Information new programs are well-designed before implementation. –Todd Whitaker 18 Above and Beyond • North Dakota Ice Hockey Team Gives Back to Community Through Pucks 4 People Game • Despite Lack of Sight, Howell Achieves Dream 30 of Playing Football 22 Performing Arts PUBLIC RELATIONS • ‘Young Musicians Excelling’ Helps Students Customer Service Ideas from Disney in Washington • Speech Educator Awards for Your Athletic Department: Athletic departments should consider 25 Did You Know? ways to put best foot forward. USA Coaching Coalition Hosts National –Dale F. Blair, MS, ATC, CSCS Coaching Conference 28 Sports Medicine High School Injury Surveillance Assists NFHS 34 in Risk Minimization Efforts ATHLETIC PROGRAMS 36 In the News What High School Coaches Expect of Athletic Directors: Coaches 39 Sportsmanship in Action appreciate athletic directors who will listen to ideas and have an open door. 40 Voices of the Nation –Mark Planamente NFHS | www.nfhs.org/hstoday 5 QUICK HITS Legal Brief Editor’s Note: This column features an analysis of a landmark court case highlighting a key standard of practice for scholastic sports programs. This material is provided by Lee Green, an attorney and member of the High School Today Publications Committee. L.A. v. Board of Education – Township of Wayne [BETW] tablished that participation in interscholastic athletics is a privilege, New Jersey Office of Administrative Law 2011 not a constitutionally protected property right and that the BETW Facts: Nine Wayne Hills High School football players were sus- student-athlete code of conduct clearly stated that the privilege of pended from playing in the North New Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 participation