LHSAA president David Federico made a surprise announcement before schools cast their first vote during Friday’s LHSAA general assembly at the Crowne Plaza.
After a review of the LHSAA’s financial report, Federico told those in attendance that member schools will not be required to pay yearly dues in 2023-24. He noted that the LHSAA’s reserve of $1.5 couped with benefits from the COVID-based Payroll Protection Plan made the dues break possible.
Other notable items during the meeting at the Crowne Plaza in Baton Rouge included:
• Two sportsmanship proposals from the executive committee passed. The first stiffens penalties for egregious unsportsmanlike acts and sets suspension parameters for first and second offenses for teams and individuals.
The second addresses defamatory statements made to the media or posted on social media about an athlete, contest official or school. It established fines of $200 for one offense and $500 for multiple offenses.
Schools could also be prohibited from playing home games or playing contests with the individuals involved in the sanctions in attendance for up to one calendar year.
• Two basketball proposals that prohibit a boys basketball team from playing a playoff game on the same day the school’s girls team competes in either a LHSAA tourney semifinal or final both passed. The second sets up the structure for handling those situations.
• Teurlings Catholic’s Mike Boyer withdrew a proposal that would have reduced the number of nonfaculty coaches for single gender schools.
Boyer sought to amend the proposal to add more nonfaculty coaches for coed schools but was told that would have to be a new proposal next year.
• One notable basketball proposal failed. It would have removed the extra power ratings point given to district champions. The proposal backed by the Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches Association failed 186-182 — one of the closest votes of the day.
• Bowling schools approved dividing boys competitors into two divisions by a 90-9 margin. The proposal was based on a growing number of boys competing and leaves the LHSAA with two bowling divisions for boys and one for girls, starting in 2023-24.
• Two notable softball proposals passed. St. Amant’s Beth Templet proposed that higher seeded teams automatically host quarterfinal playoff games, matching many other sports, which passed 312-52.
An executive committee proposal to give softball a preseason evaluation period comparable to baseball passed 323-2.
• New schools can be admitted to join the LHSAA on a conditional basis but will now only be placed in districts during the next classification process.