Aurora – Nobody admitted to feelings of spring fever, but it was an easy, breezy day nonetheless at the Colorado High School Activities Association’s second and final board of control meeting for the school year.
The subject of sportsmanship and changes in the basketball playoff format were the main points of contention for the 64-member board Thursday at the Radisson Hotel Southeast.
During January’s meeting, the board voted in favor of instituting a list of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors by spectators at high school sporting events. On Thursday, three amendments were brought forth for a vote and two passed by slim margins.
The most significant change is individual schools will be in charge of deeming what is and is not appropriate behavior, and the schools also will be in charge of enforcing its rules. That essentially takes away the need for the CHSAA to police fan actions.
“First of all, no one is anti-sportsmanship. … The passage of (two of the amendments) made CHSAA’s job easier by taking away the authority to enforce sportsmanship standards,” CHSAA commissioner Bill Reader said. “Schools want to set their own standards, and how they do that will be a reflection on the school.”
Speaking before the board, Julesburg athletic director Dennis Tjaden took the position of spokesman against the current sportsmanship guidelines, saying more explanation is needed.
“We want the sportsmanship committee to come up with policies and punishment, we don’t want it to be arbitrary,” Tjaden said.
The other major issue was a change of venue for the basketball playoffs, and the biggest adjustment came in Class 4A. Previously, the top-eight seeds would host the first two rounds, and the remaining four rounds – from the sweet 16 to the title game – were split between larger venues, such as the University of Northern Colorado and Metropolitan State College.
Now, the subregions for the first two rounds stay as is, but competing 4A high schools will continue to host through the quarterfinals round, with the remaining top seeds getting home games. The changes at the 5A level will not be as dramatic, but the final two rounds for both classes will be at CU’s Coors Events Center.
“A change was needed and this is a huge change in 4A because there will be home sites up to the final four,” CHSAA assistant commissioner Chuck Howell said.
In other business, Faith Christian AD Tara McIntire was named as an assistant commissioner for the CHSAA, replacing Judy Barnett of Manitou Springs.
In the budget review, it was noted the CHSAA was $50,000 ahead of where it was this time last year, and football produced $90,000 more than last year thanks in part, Reader said, to “good weather and great matchups.”
Reader said playing the 5A and 4A title games at Invesco Field at Mile High also was “a shot in the arm.”
On the downside, attendance at the state wrestling tournament dropped by about 2,500 fans.
