Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

Minutes
October 6, 2008 • 9 a.m.
Robert W. Hughes FHSAA Building
Gainesville, Florida


Cristina Alvarez called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. The following committee members were in attendance: Carolyn Allen, Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto); Steven Brabham, Jay HS; Lisa Donna, Carrollton (Miami); Justin Dougherty, Holy Trinity (Melbourne); Erick Figueroa, Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville); Raneisha Lamar, Pompano Beach HS; Gideon Levy, Dunedin HS; Shelby Loveless, Frostproof HS; Zach McCulley, Tate HS (Cantonment); Adrienne Morris, Edgewater HS (Orlando); Carol Ann O'Shea, Providence (Jacksonville); Jonathan Riguad, Pembroke Pines Charter; Drew Russo, Pope John Paul II (Boca Raton); Evan Turner, Forest HS (Ocala); Daniel Washburn, Edgewater HS (Orlando); Taylor Whaley, Lakewood HS (St. Petersburg). Cristina Alvarez, Director of Media Relations & Marketing; Denarvise Thornton, Associate Executive Director for Athletic Administration; Justin Harrison, Director of Athletics; Seth Polansky, Director of Membership Services; Laurel Ring, Director of Special Programs; Jamie Rohrer, Director of Athletics; Shanell Young, Director of Athletics; Colleen Healy, Intern; Brett Adams, Intern; Will Berget, Practicum Student; and Ryan Beck, Practicum Student, also attended the meeting.

1. Ms. Alvarez welcomed the committee members to the FHSAA Office. She congratulated the student-athletes on being the first-ever student-athletes selected for the committee and gave the committee members a tour of the FHSAA office.

2. Each committee member introduced themselves.

3. The student-athletes were put into groups of four, and were asked to come up with five things that need improvement in high school athletics. Their suggestions and discussions included:

• Eligibility requirements - the GPA is not strict enough. Would like to see the minimum GPA be 2.5
• Funding for equipment, etc. - "pay for play" is an issue
• The overlap of sports seasons
• Players quitting in the middle of a season
• Training for contest officials
• Recruiting and special treatment for student-athletes
• Coaches certification
• Section appeals
• Sportsmanship - Unsporting conduct rules, peer pressure, codes of conduct/contracts
• Balancing sports and academics
• Playing on Sundays
• Introduction of new sports

4. Justin Harrison asked for feed back from the committee members of the preselling of tickets for a $5 student price.

5. Laurel Ring informed the committee members about the Academic All-State Team.

6. New Business:
2008 RECOMMENDATION #1: Require all school districts to have a policy regarding student-athletes quitting during the season. Motion by Brabham, Second by Dougherty. The recommendation was not passed 16-0.

2008 RECOMMENDATION #2: Recommend student-athletes to be made aware of contest officials training requirements, and more training be required for new officials. Motion by Levy, Second by Russo. The recommendation was passed 16-0.

2008 RECOMMENDATION #3: Recommend that the Board of Directors endorse the concept of a change in Florida Statute for the student-athlete minimum GPA requirement be raised to 2.5 over three years with an incremental scale (2.2 the first year, 2.4 the second year, 2.5 the third year). The recommendation was endorsed 13-3.

7. The committee agreed to meet at 9 a.m. on Monday, Mar. 30, 2009.

8. The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.