WASHINGTON INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION 435 Main Avenue South, Renton, WA 98055 Phone 425-687-8585 – Fax 425-687-9476 Internet Address: www.wiaa.com WIAA EXECUTIVE BOARD MINUTES March 26-27, 2006, WIAA Office, Renton, Washington BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: President Jim Evans (District 6), Vice President Ken Axelson (District 1), Craig Olson (District 2), Art Jarvis (District 3), Ed Ploof (District 3), Henry Karnofski (District 4), Kent Andersen (District 5), Joe Feist (District 7), Al Falkner (District 8), Ken Lindgren (District 9). HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS: Mike Burton (Fine Arts), Ross Hjelseth (WFIS), Ed Laulainen (WSCA), Dave Lutes (WSSAAA), Wendy Malich (WSSAAA), Steve Smedley (WASA), Steve Smith (AWMLP), Todd Stordahl (WOA), and Debbie Winskill (WSDDA). DISTRICT SECRETARY REPRESENTATIVE: Tom Doyle (District 2) – Sunday, and Rich Frazer (District 4) – Monday, substituting for scheduled District Secretary Bill Gant. WIAA STAFF: Executive Director Mike Colbrese; Assistant Executive Directors Terry Cavender, Cindy Hettinger and Jim Meyerhoff; Legal Counsel John Olson; Director of Finance and Operations Leah Francis; Director of Marketing and Media Relations Darin Hanson; and Administrative Assistant Jeananne Tescar-Burcham. The WIAA Executive Board meeting was preceded by an executive session and a work session. Work Session Mr. Colbrese updated members of the Executive Board regarding the all-classification volleyball tournament that was scheduled for the Tacoma Dome and the progress of relocating the tournaments. Venues are available in the Tri-Cities, Yakima and the greater Spokane area. Mr. Colbrese and Ms. Hettinger presented two options for tournament placement. Members of the Board directed staff to schedule all volleyball tournaments on the same weekend, if possible. In the event that the venues cannot be secured for the same weekend, there will be two weeks of tournament play. The 1B, 2B tournaments will be placed in the Tri-Cities, the 1A, 2A tournaments placed in Yakima for week one, and the 3A, 4A, tournaments in Yakima during week two. Ball Bids Mr. Colbrese reviewed the ball bid process, the goals related to designating the state championship ball and the company representatives schedule. Board members discussed topics linked to member schools such as transition issues that may occur with product availability and customer service. Appeals Process Mr. Colbrese complimented Representatives Dave Qualls and Joe McDermott, Senators Dave Schmidt, Mark Schoesler and Rosemary McAuliffe, and representatives from WSSDA, WASA and AWSP for their assistance. Legislation has been passed directing MINUTES WIAA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING March 26-27, 2006 WIAA Office, Renton, Washington Page 2 the WIAA to implement a committee to be the first level to hear appeals regarding classification and the third level of appeal for WIAA rules violations. AUDIENCE – Sunday, March 26, 2006 – Mike Combs, Tacoma Dome Director; Rob Henson, Assistant Director; Cynthia Davis, Operations Manager; Jeff Brown, Event Manager; John McCless, Event Manager; Beth Sylves, Marketing Manager. Tim Waer represented the Tacoma Sports Commission. Mr. Colbrese welcomed all of the guests from the Tacoma Dome staff. Executive Board President Jim Evans asked Executive Board members, Honorary Board members and staff to introduce themselves and their positions. Mr. Combs introduced the members of the Tacoma Dome staff and their positions. Mr. Combs thanked the WIAA Executive Board for allowing the Tacoma Dome staff the opportunity to address the Board. Mr. Combs provided a verbal sketch of the relationship between the Tacoma Dome and the WIAA. He stated that the events the WIAA has placed at the Tacoma Dome have been cooperative events, and he reviewed the financial commitment of the Tacoma Dome. Mr. Combs acknowledged the hardship that scheduling another event in place of the all- classification volleyball tournament has caused the WIAA. He explained the process and policy for booking events, including the first-tier/second-tier designation of events and organizations. Mr. Combs stated that the WIAA is a second-tier client and that in actuality Tacoma Dome policy is to schedule second-tier events six months in advance with the ability to cancel the event if a first-tier event becomes available. He stated that the contracts that the WIAA presently has in place for Mat Classic, gymnastics, football and basketball are the exceptions. Mr. Combs reviewed the financial position of the Tacoma Dome and referenced the recent bond failure as a key financial factor in overriding the availability for an all- classification volleyball tournament. He also stated that the proposed all-classification volleyball tournament was an untried second-tier event while the replacement event was considered first-tier. Mr. Combs declared that the Tacoma Dome would like to continue to hold WIAA events and shared that current facility design changes include preparations for new football turf. He shared that the specifications for the new football turf have been put out for bid, and he expects the turf to be in place for the 2006 WIAA Football Championships. The cost of the turf has been put into the Tacoma Dome budget, but there is still the search for outside funding sources. Mr. Combs closed by offering to take questions from members of the Board and apologizing that this situation hurt the Tacoma Dome’s relationship with the WIAA, but stated this was a business decision. Members of the Board asked Mr. Combs to review in more detail the policy for securing the venue, contract responsibilities and how first and second-tier designations are made. S:\EXECBD\MINUTES\2005-06\Minutes\06 March Minutes.doc 2 MINUTES WIAA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING March 26-27, 2006 WIAA Office, Renton, Washington Page 3 Mr. Combs informed members of the Board that a contract is generated by the Tacoma Dome staff after a verbal agreement has been reached on the availability of the venue. He noted that, according to booking policies, a second-tier contract date can be challenged if the event is six months in the future. Mr. Combs shared that tier designation is made by the Tacoma Dome staff based upon projected revenue. Board members inquired further regarding the future of events that have signed contracts and whether or not representatives from the Tacoma community were authorized to bid for an all-classification volleyball tournament. Mr. Combs stated that the Mat Classic and gymnastics events have a signed contract ending in 2010. He reminded members of the Board that, though the dates are considered firm, the events are still considered second-tier events and the dates can be challenged. Mr. Combs assured members of the Board that when the bid was presented the representatives who presented the bid for an all-classification volleyball tournament did have the support and permission of the Tacoma Dome, but due to the booking policy the date was challenged by a first-tier event. Mr. Colbrese shared with the Executive Board that the WIAA staff was unaware of the booking policies until he was notified by the Tacoma Dome staff during the basketball championships. Mr. Combs agreed that the booking policies are not included with the contracts that have been signed in the past. Mr. Evans thanked the members of the Tacoma Dome staff for appearing and that members of the Board appreciated their apology. He indicated, that if the Board desired, it would direct staff to meet with the Tacoma Dome staff. AUDIENCE – Monday, March 27, 2006 – Ed Little, Principal, Skyview High School; Jim Condon, Athletic Director, Skyview High School. Mr. Evans welcomed Mr. Little and Mr. Condon and members of the Board introduced themselves to the guests. Mr. Little and Mr. Condon appeared before the WIAA Executive Board to appeal the application of WIAA Rule 25.2.4 A “By entering participants in a state championship meet, contest or tournament, each member school certifies that, barring injury, illness or unforeseen events, the team or individuals representing the school will participate in every game or competition that is part of that championship event, until the final conclusion of the meet, contest or championship.” With regard to Skyview High School during the state gymnastics championships. Mr. Condon read a prepared statement regarding Skyview High School’s participation in the 2006 Gymnastics Championships. Mr. Condon shared that this was the first year that the Skyview High School gymnastics team had qualified as a team for the event. He stated that two of Skyview’s gymnasts qualified for individual competition based on their performances during the first day of competition. Mr. Condon avowed that the S:\EXECBD\MINUTES\2005-06\Minutes\06 March Minutes.doc 3 MINUTES WIAA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING March 26-27, 2006 WIAA Office, Renton, Washington Page 4 athletes, their parents and the Skyview coach believed that the state event was actually two separate tournaments - the team tournament and the individual tournament. The two athletes involved are club competitors who had committed to a club event scheduled to take place during the second day of state competition. Mr. Condon declared that the athletes made arrangements to travel to Portland for the club meet, which they expected to last two hours, and that they planned to return to the state competition in Tacoma the second day in time to compete in the individual events. Mr. Condon stated that due to traffic the athletes arrived in Tacoma late missed participating in the first two events of the individual competition. Mr. Little commented that he had interviewed the parents, athletes and coaches involved in the situation and concluded that the parents and athletes had been committed to returning to the state competition in time to compete. Mr. Little asked members of the Executive Board to consider leniency; citing that many club gymnasts are forbidden to participate in high school competition by the clubs in which they compete and the importance of the club events in which they competed.