The Arizona Interscholastic Association’s executive board unanimously voted to approve American Leadership Academy Gilbert North as a member school, beginning the 2018-19 school year, despite opposition.

Gilbert Public Schools District board member Reed Carr asked the board during Tuesday’s monthly board meeting not to accept ALA Gilbert North as a member. Carr explained how Gilbert North was actively recruiting athletes, an AIA violation, during his presentation.

The AIA is aware of the recruitment allegations and is concerned, AIA executive director David Hines said.

That’s why, during a previous board meeting, the AIA’s board banned Gilbert North from postseason play during its first two seasons if it was approved as a member school. Carr requested that Gilbert North not be allowed to be a full member until 4-5 years had passed.

Prior to Tuesday’s board meeting, 77 AIA member schools voted yes to approve ALA Gilbert North’s full membership and 30 member schools voted no.

After an executive session Tuesday, the board approved Gilbert North as a member school with the 2-year postseason ban still in place.

Executive director report

Hines reported to the board that the National Federation of State High School Associations, during its annual winter meetings in December, talked about the possibility of asking middle schools to join its state associations.

Helping middle school athletic programs organize and conflicts with club sports were some of the reasons the NFHS gave during its annual winter meetings for possibly inviting middle schools to join state associations.

“It would also help introduce the middle schools to our bylaws and rules that we have,” Hines said.

It’s up to the AIA’s board and its member schools to determine if the AIA should move forward with the middle school discussion, Hines added.

Hines also informed the board during his report that four executive board seats for the 2018-2020 term will open up, including the 3A and 6A Conference seats.

Conferences can start making recommendations for the board seats. The board will announce the new board members in the April board meeting.

Hines also congratulated Chaparral baseball player Karsten Householder for being one of 10 finalists for the 2017 Wendy’s High School Heisman award. Householder received a $5,000 scholarship from Wendy’s.

During his report, Hines announced that Arizona State will host the inaugural Native American Basketball Classic on March 10. Four teams will be selected to participate in the event as well as the AIA’s Unified Basketball program.

Athletic directors will determine which teams will play in the event, which will recognize the accomplishments of reservation schools and their cultural contributions.

Hines also notified the board that the NFHS Network will start sharing its broadcast rights fees with its associations. The AIA is one of the firsts associations to help the NFHS broadcast games on its network.

The NFHS also signed with an e-Sports company that wants to work with state associations in creating e-Sports high school leagues, Hines said. The cost to play in an e-Sport league for each student would be $16.

The leagues would consist of five or three member teams. No shooting games would be played in the e-Sport leagues.

American Leadership Academy Ironwood clarification

Buddy Allen, the athletic director for American Leadership Academy Queen Creek Ironwood, asked the board if his school could appeal ALA Ironwood's 2-year ban from postseason play. Ironwood was also given a 2-year postseason ban because it falls under the ALA umbrella just like ALA Gilbert North.

Allen also asked why his school received a 2-year ban, and the board expressed its concern over recruitment allegations. ALA Ironwood was in the Charter Athletic Association before applying for AIA membership last year.

Allen said that he and his staff will have policies and procedures in place so that his school doesn’t violate the AIA's rules. If there is proof that ALA Ironwood is adhering to the policies and procedures, the board said it might reconsider ALA Ironwood’s 2-year ban appeal in March or April.

NFHS report

Dr. Anna Battle, the AIA’s NFHS liaison, also attended the annual winter NFHS meetings.

These were some of the highlights from her report:

• NFHS is opposed to college games being played on Friday, the day high schools schedule their football games. The Southeastern Conference has agreed that it won’t schedule games on Friday. The NFHS will continue to talk to the Pac-12 about allowing the spotlight to be on just high school football on Fridays.
• The NFHS is concerned about the early December signing period, which was introduced last month. Some state associations held their football state championship games during the week of the early singing day.
• The 7 on 7 offseason high school football tournaments have created recruiting issues for the NCAA and state high school associations. The dialogue between colleges about 7 on 7 events continues, Dr. Battle said.
• Because of the FBI investigations into college basketball programs, the NFHS has asked the NCAA to help return the basketball recruiting focus to the high schools instead of the summer tournaments.
• The AIA’s contingency of 110 athletic directors was the second largest group from one state during December’s national athletic director meeting in Phoenix.
• NFHS Executive Director Bob Garner is retiring. The NFHS will select a successor by August.
• Hines said that the NFHS’ national council approved in December to allow state associations to run national events if they chose too. This does not include national postseason tournaments.

Financial report

Denise Doser, the AIA’s director of finance, reported that the fall gate receipt total was four percent behind last year’s amount.

But she’s expecting the winter state tournaments to turn that around. Despite the small gate receipt decline, the AIA is well ahead of budget expectations, Doser said.

Also, the AIA’s bottom line is eight percent ahead of last year thanks to the reduction in state tournament site expenses as well as the continued growth of the AIA’s AZ Sports Properties.

In the fall, more than $47,000 was generated through the Tik-A-Tap online ticket app the AIA now uses, Doser reported. About $22,000 was generated from the three football state championship games that were held at University of Arizona.

Agenda items approved

The board approved the following agenda items:

• A proposed amendment to extend the spring beach volleyball season. The season can now end by May 15, giving AIA outdoor volleyball players more flexibility for when they want to play in indoor offseason tournaments.
• A proposed amendment to simplify and clarify the 520/530 transfer forms. If approved by the AIA’s legislative council, the new form, the 550, will be available online for schools.
• AIA lifetime passes for John Cooper (Glendale) and Georige De La Torre (San Tan Foothills).
• Three replacement complimentary passes requests.
• Flagstaff’s request to exceed its JV and varsity basketball schedule to help fill Monument Valley’s schedule.
• McClintock’s request to exceed its boys volleyball schedule to help fill Fountain Hills’ schedule.
• AZ College Prep’s request to exceed its boys volleyball schedule to help fill Fountain Hills’ schedule.
• Tanque Verde’s exception to allow it girls basketball players to play more than six quarters a night. The program is currently playing its junior varsity and varsity schedules with 15 players.
• The Nov. 20 4A Conference meeting minutes.
• Thirteen contests and or program cancellation requests, including the junior varsity and freshman wrestling programs of Cactus Shadows and Fredonia’s junior varsity basketball program for boys and girls. The consent was unknown for six contests and or program cancellation requests.
• Telesis Prep didn’t consent to Bagdad cancelling its girls’ basketball program this season.
• Horizon Honors’ appeal to move its cross country and track teams from Division III to Division IV.
• The Gilbert Public Schools request to allow its teams to compete in a district track championship meet. The meet would count as a qualifier and not against its invitational limit.
• The requests from Chandler and Saguaro to allow its football coaches to coach in postseason national events. The events were already held, but the AIA board didn’t receive the requests until after its December board meeting.
• Desert Vista’s request to allow a female soccer player to exceed the tryout rule. The player is taking recruiting trips to different colleges between Jan. 13-27.
• Peoria Unified District’s request to exceed its tournament limit to support participation in its district wrestling tournament on Jan. 25 at Liberty High.
• The student eligibility appeal (paper review) or request for hardship eligibility (legal guardian) from Flowing Wells and San Tan Foothills.

School violations

The AIA’s executive board placed Catalina’s boys basketball program on probation for one year, beginning Tuesday.

The school, if it wants to, has 10 days to appeal the probation. According to the report Catalina filed, Catalina’s coach was ejected from a regular season tournament game on Dec. 28. After being ejected, the coach took his team off the court for the remainder of the game. The head coach was eventually suspended for the rest of the season and a letter was placed in the coach’s file.

This was the third major violation Catalina has reported since October, said board member Herman House, the district athletic director for Tucson Unified District. Two of those violations were basketball related, and the other one invovled the football program.  

A team can’t participate in the postseason if placed on probation.

The following violations were also self reported by schools.

Warning for Marana for violating the physical exam rule. After the head cheerleader coach was removed, the school assumed the squad was cleared to cheer but wasn’t.

Advisement for Marana’s boys basketball. An assistant boys basketball coach violated the code of ethics rules for coaches after referring to an opposing player as a “cupcake," contributing to a confrontation after the game. The coach was suspended from all games, practices and meetings until Jan. 2. The coach is no longer with the team.

Warning for Skyline’s boys basketball. The head boys basketball coach contacted a Desert Vista student via Twitter, telling him “come back” on Sept. 9. The coach was suspended for two varsity games and a letter of reprimand was placed in the coach’s district file. The coach and his athletic director attended Tuesday’s board meeting. The coach described in detail his relationship with the player, whom he mentored off the court and hasn’t contacted since September, the coach said. The coach also apologized to the board and said his “come back” comment was said in jest.

“I knew I made a mistake,” the coach said.

Warning to Ironwood’s girls basketball. The girls basketball coach didn’t didn’t follow the new Register My Athlete procedure when he had a player try out.

Warning for activities program of Cholla. Two transfer students competed in a preseason soccer tournament without having completed their 520/530 forms.

Warning for activities program of Cholla. A transfer cross country student who hadn’t completed the 520/530 forms was allowed to compete.

Advisement for Carl Hayden football. The unsportsmanlike conduct of some football players during the postgame handshake line led to shoving and fights between players after a game. The altercations were initiated when an opposing player shoved a Carl Hayden player, Carl Hayden’s report states.

Willow Canyon. Following an altercation along North Canyon’s bench, a parent stepped on the basketball court. According to the school’s report, security immediately redirected the parent back to the stands as officials managed the altercation. The board accepted Willow Canyon’s report as is.

Advisement for activities program of Tucson. The junior varsity coach was allowed to coach without being cleared to do so.

Advisement for Lake Havasu’s boys volleyball. A junior varsity basketball coach sat on the bench during a varsity game after being ejected from a junior varsity game.

Advisement for activities program of Shadow Ridge. A 520 form was not completed for a student due to the parent providing false information, according to the school’s report.

Advisement for activities program of Santa Cruz. The school failed to notify its junior varsity boys basketball coach that a transfer player was supposed to sit out 50 percent of the games and played in the first game of the season.

Advisement for South Mountain boys basketball. The school initially determined that a transfer basketball student from New York could play. But after learning that the student had completed eight semesters he was kept out of the lineup. The school forfeited seven games the student participated in. The board denied South Mountain’s forfeit appeal.

Advisement for Safford girls soccer. A coach removed the team from the field during the tournament, violating Removal of Team bylaw (19.3).

An advisement is a word of caution.

A warning places a school in jeopardy of being placed on probation if another violation of any rule or regulation is committed. A school will not be eligible for the Overall Excellence Award during the warning period.