AHSAA UPDATE



[pic]AHSAA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UPDATE

TV DEAL A TREMENDOUS BOOST FOR OUR SCHOOLS

Happy New Year to each of you and I hope 2009 is a wonderful year for you. I see 2009 as a great year of opportunity for the AHSAA, its member schools and the children we all serve.

We closed out 2008 with a bang as our All-Star Football Team, directed by head coach John Grass of Oxford, won the Alabama-Mississippi Classic at Mobile in style, 28-3. It was an impressive display of effort, teamwork, coaching and pride and we thank all the coaches and players for their dedication. I also want to thank Steve Bailey, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association, for a job well done. We thank the game committee, Ladd-Peebles Stadium’s crew under the direction of stadium manager Paul Christopher and the city of Mobile for its hospitality. For the first time, our AHSAA Radio Network broadcast the game live across the state.

The Super 6 Football Championships and the State Swimming and Diving Championships were also very successful. We thank all involved.

I am also excited to announce our new television partnership with CBS 42 (WIAT TV) of Birmingham. The new five-year deal will help us make our championships available state wide. I thank the Alabama Sports Foundation for its hard work in making this possible, and we thank CBS 42 President and General Manager Bill Ballard. This is going to be a superb partnership for the AHSAA and will allow us to move into the future on solid ground.

The AHSAA will hit the ground running in 2009 with state playoffs in wrestling and basketball on the horizon as well as spring sports teams gearing up for the spring season with practice starting in the weeks ahead.

The state wrestling tournament is set for Huntsville’s Von Braun Center Feb. 5-6-7. We thank the City of Huntsville for hosting this event in such a professional manner. We especially thank Mayor Tommy Battle and the Huntsville Sports Commission, directed by Ralph Stone.

We are also looking forward to the basketball state tournament as well as area, sub-regional and regional play. The State Finals will once again be at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (Feb. 24-28). We thank the City of Birmingham for making this such an enjoyable experience, and we thank our regional tournament hosts– Troy University, Alabama State University, Jacksonville State University and Wallace-Hanceville Community College–for all they do to make our basketball playoffs such a success each year.

CBS 42, AHSAA SIGN

5-YEAR TV AGREEMENT

The Alabama High School Athletic Association has entered into an agreement with WIAT–TV of Birmingham giving CBS 42 broadcasting rights for AHSAA championship events for the next five years.

The agreement, developed for the AHSAA by The Alabama Sports Foundation (ASF), encompasses statewide television for the AHSAA’s Super Six Football Championship Series and Basketball State Finals Championship Series with other possibilities to be determined.

“I am very excited. This partnership with CBS 42 will no doubt solidify the television broadcast coverage for our AHSAA member schools and will help move the AHSAA into the future on firm ground,” said AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese.  “This long-term commitment by the AHSAA and its Central Board of Control will not only produce a quality television package for our football and basketball championships, but also expand our television presence for future championship events.”

The agreement begins immediately with the broadcasting of the Basketball State Finals in late February. CBS 42 is also working with AHSAA to secure broadcasting rights for the championship series in both football and basketball for every television market in Alabama.

               

LEROY QUARTERBACK NAMED MR. FOOTBALL

Leroy High School senior quarterback Clint Moseley was chosen by the Alabama Sports Writers Association as 2008 Mr. Football.

Moseley, who was also named by the ASWA as Class 2A Back of the Year, recently was named MVP of the Class 2A state championship game after leading Leroy to a 41-8 victory over Sulligent. Moseley directed Coach Danny Powell’s Bears to a 15-0 record this season and three straight state 2A titles. The Bears finished with season with a 25-game winning streak, longest active streak in the AHSAA.

The selection of Moseley by the ASWA All-State Committee was announced at a dinner hosted by The Birmingham News Dec. 18. Ross Wood of the Clarke County Democrat is the chairman of the ASWA group.

The banquet was attended by Back and Linemen of the Year winners in all six AHSAA classifications as well as each honoree’s family and coach.

AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese addressed the attendees as well as former Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox, the ASWA’s Mr. Football winner in 2001.

The complete list of Mr. Football winners include:

Mr. Football Winners

1982 Tommy Compton, Vigor

1983 Freddie Weygand, Emma  Sansom

1984 Roderick Green, Gardendale

1985 Pierre Goode, Hazlewood

1986 Larry Ware, Lee-Montgomery

1987 Robert Jones, Parker

1988 Darrell Williams, Vigor

1989 Steven Coleman, Pike Co.

1990 David Palmer, Jackson-Olin

1991 Robert Davis, Homewood

1992 Freddie Kitchens, Etowah

1993 Thomas Banks, West Jefferson

1994 Dawud Rasheed, Shades Valley

1995 Gorman Thornton, Jeff Davis

1996 Antoneyo Williams, Central-Tuscaloosa

1997 Mac Campbell, Alexandria

1998 DeMarco McNeil, Blount

1999 Cory Whisenant, Springville

2000 Carnell Williams, Etowah

2001 Brandon Cox, Hewitt-Trussville

2002 JaMarcus Russell, Williamson

2003 Chris Nickson, Pike Co.

2004 Jarod Bryant, Hoover

2005 Andre Smith, Huffman

2006 Larry Smith, Prattville

2007 Julio Jones, Foley

2008 Clint Moseley, Leroy

ASWA PICKS FOOTBALL COACHES OF THE YEAR

The Alabama Sports Writers Association announced its 2008 AHSAA Football Coaches of the Year. The coaches were announced along with the 2008 All-State Football Team selections.

The coaches selected, by classification, include:

6A: Kevin Wieseman, Huntsville

5A: Ryan Herring, Shelby County

4A: Tripp Curry, Cherokee County

3A: Richard White, Dadeville

2A: Dwight Bowling, Sulligent

1A: Royal Carpenter, Speake

BRYANT-JORDAN DEVELOPING LONG-RANGE FUNDING PLAN

The Bryant-Jordan Scholarship Program is currently working on developing a new and exciting long-range fund-raising program, according to Bryant-Jordan Director Dr. Ken Blankenship.

Former State Superintendent of Education Dr. Ed Richardson is spearheading the effort to develop strategies which will help the Bryant-Jordan Foundation continue to serve the children of the state for many years to come.

“I think this will be a significant step in moving our fund-raising into the future,” said Dr. Blankenship.

The Bryant-Jordan Foundation is currently conducting discussions with the state’s junior colleges in regard to adding more scholarship opportunities through the annual Bryant-Jordan program. The program pays out annually more than $600,000 in scholarship money to 96 senior student-athletes from AHSAA-member schools.

MINI CLINICS SET

FOR 4 SPORTS THIS MONTH

The AHSADCA’s new sports specific mini-clinic series will continue this month with three sports clinics set this week, Jan. 6-7-8. Baseball coaches came in on Jan. 6, with softball coaches set Wednesday, Jan. 7, and football coaches Thursday, Jan. 8. A soccer clinic will be held Jan. 13. All clinics are one-day events and are being held at the AHSAA Office at 7325 Halcyon Summit Drive in Montgomery. The clinics are open to all middle school and high school coaches.

Each clinic will conduct a rules clinic beginning at 8 a.m., followed by the clinic speakers at 9. To attend the rules clinic and take the test, a coach must be registered for the sports clinic, said AHSADCA Director Steve Bailey.

Clinics for basketball, tennis, wrestling and track have already been held.

Guest clinicians for baseball were Troy University head coach Bobby Pierce and Auburn-Montgomery head coach Q.V. Lowe. Softball clinicians are University of South Alabama head coach Becky Clark and Faulkner University head coach Hal Wynn. Clinicians for the football mini-clinic are South Alabama head football coach Joey Jones and his defensive coordinator, Bill Clark.

Jan. 6: Baseball

Jan. 7: Softball

Jan. 8: Football

Jan. 13: Soccer

Feb. 10: Volleyball

Feb. 12: Golf

SAVARESE ATTENDS

NFHS WINTER MEETING

AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese attended the National Federation of State High School Associations winter meeting at Fort Lauderdale, Fl.. Jan. 2 through Jan. 5.

The NFHS Winter Meeting was geared exclusively for state association executive directors and provided an outstanding professional development program. The first-class conference features professional speakers, as well as the opportunity for executive directors to share their experience and expertise on a variety of subjects.

The Winter Meeting will be held June 27-July 2 at Chicago, IL.

SCHEDULES, ROSTERS MUST BE ENTERED ONLINE

Many of the AHSAA’s boys and girls basketball coaches have not submitted their full schedules and up-to-date rosters on-line to the AHSAA member site. That means some game scores have gone unreported.

It is mandatory that all varsity head coaches make sure their complete schedules are on line and scores of each game are posted on-line ASAP. Anyone is having difficulty should contact the AHSAA office immediately to get the problem resolved.

Spring sports varsity team schedules are due online by Jan. 15.

The software program’s writers are currently working on the schedule component so it will allow out-of-state teams to be added. Once this problem has been solved, schools will be notified so out-of-state games and results can be entered.

AHSAA ASKING PRINCIPALS

ABOUT RECLASSIFICATION

The AHSAA has posted a survey online seeking member-school input concerning reclassification.

Each principal is asked to go to the member site and answer the short survey which deals with number of classes, playoff sites and format as well as important issues they fill should help determine reclassification.

The link for the survey is:



The survey was emailed to each principal Monday, Jan. 5. As of Jan. 6, a total of 100 schools had already responded.

Deadline for the online survey’s completion is Jan. 21.

DEADLINES SET FOR BASKETBALL ROSTERS

Each school in the championship program MUST submit online a Basketball Tournament Roster to the State Office before Jan. 16 and also to the area tournament director at the area seeding-drawing meeting.

Area tournament brackets are due into the AHSAA office by Jan. 26, 10 a.m.

Basketball Playoffs

Feb. 2, 5, 7--Girls Area tournaments

Feb. 3, 6, 9--Boys Area tournaments

Feb. 12-13--Sub-Regional playoffs

Feb. 17-21—Regional tournaments

Feb. 24-28--State Finals

Wrestling Playoffs

Jan. 31—Section meets

Feb. 5-7--State Tournament

BOB JONES FINISHES

2ND IN T-MOBILE CLASSIC

Bob Jones High School downed Gentry (Ms.) 47-18 and then lost to South Bend-Washington (In.), 46-38, in the finals of the T-Mobile Invitational Basketball tournament held at Ball State University in Muncie, In.

Lawrence North (In.) won the boys division of the NFHS-endorsed tournament, 58-44, over South Atlanta (Ga.).

WASHBURN INDUCTED INTO AL-MISS HALL OF FAME

Former AHSAA Executive Director Dan Washburn and current Mississippi High School Activities Association Executive Director Dr. Ennis Proctor were inducted into the Alabama-Mississippi Classic Hall of Fame.

The two were introduced to players, coaches and parents at the Alabama-Mississippi Awards Dinner at Mobile, Dec. 12.

IMPORTANT DATES

Deadline for submitting basketball tournament rosters on line: Jan. 16.

Deadline for area tournament brackets: Jan. 26, 10 a.m.

State Wrestling Tourney: Feb. 5-6-7, Huntsville.

State Basketball Tourney: Feb. 24-28, Birmingham.

Bryant-Jordan nominations due to area chairpersons: Jan. 20.

Bryant-Jordan area committees make selections: Jan. 26.

Bryant-Jordan Region Committees make selections: Feb. 3.

Bryant-Jordan Banquet: April 13, Birmingham.

Principal/AD Conference: April 16-17, Montgomery.

SPRING SPORTS

DATES FOR FIRST GAMES

Tennis: Feb. 9 (varsity); Feb. 16 (Junior

High/Middle Schools)

Soccer: Feb. 9 (all).

Outdoor Track: Feb. 13 (all).

Softball: Feb. 16 (all).

Baseball: Feb. 16 (all).

Golf: Feb. 23 (all).

AHSAA Softball Rules

Clinics begin this month

AHSAA-sponsored rules clinics for softball coaches begin this month.

Every head coach must attend one of these state sponsored rules clinics.

Each coach should make plans to attend a clinic before the season begins unless they attended the rules clinic during All-Star Week last summer at Huntsville.

All clinics will begin at 7 p.m. (CST) unless otherwise noted.

The first clinic was held Jan. 4 at Muscle Shoals. Those remaining include:

Jan. 7: Jacksonville, Jacksonville Community

Center, 6: 30 p.m.

Jan. 7: Northport, Tuscaloosa County High

School Media Center, 6:00 p.m.

Jan. 7: Huntsville, Alabama A&M, Elmore

Gym, 6:00 p.m.

Jan. 7: Bay Minette, Faulkner State Comm.

College, Room C-100, 7:00 p.m.

Jan. 7: Montgomery, AHSAA Office, Softball

Coaches Mini-Clinic, 8:00 a.m.

Jan. 10: Dothan, Westgate Park, 2:00 p.m.

Jan. 14: Jasper, Memorial Park Building.

Jan. 17: Eastern Hills Baptist Church, 9:00 a.m.

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