FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 23, 2009
Board adds adapted track & field division
GAINESVILLE - The Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted today to add an adapted division to the Track & Field State Series.
Each of the four current classes will be divided into the boys division, boys adapted division, girls division and girls adapted division to allow students with permanent physical disabilities to participate in the wheelchair 200-meter dash, wheelchair 800-meter run and wheelchair shot put.
“The Board took action today to initiate a track & field competition for disabled students, affording them the opportunity to compete on an interscholastic level and recognizing that adaptive students are part of the entire interscholastic program,” said Executive Director Roger Dearing.
The new divisions will begin with the 2009-10 track & field season. For further information, click here.
The Board also endorsed the bylaw proposals being presented for consideration and possible adoption by the 2010 Representative Assembly, including a revision of Bylaw 3, Membership, which will phase out approved nonmember status at the end of the 2010-11 school year.
In other action, the Board of Directors:
• Approved the following appointments to the 2010 Representative Assembly: Reginald Davis, athletic director, Godby (Tallahassee), Public School Division 4; Cynthia Saunders, principal, Lake Weir (Ocala), Public School Division 10; Valerie Miyares, athletic director, Edgewater (Orlando), Public School Division 16; Brenda Grasso, principal, George Steinbrenner (Lutz), Public School Division 18; Laura Figueredo, athletic director, Plant (Tampa), Public School Division 19; Janice Brown, athletic director, Moore Haven, Public School Division 22; Jeff Jenkins, athletic director, St. Francis (Gainesville), Private School Divisions 5-6; Gina Baucom, athletic director, All Saints’ (Winter Haven), Private Schools Divisions 21-22; Deborah Long, principal, Oslo Middle (Vero Beach), Middle School Section 3; Judge Helms, Gadsden County, School Board Section 1; Edward Murray, Citrus County, School Board Section 2; Frank Reilly, Polk County, School Board Section 3; and Wilbert Holloway, Miami-Dade County, School Board Section 4.
• Approved the following appointments to the Public Liaison Advisory Committee: Pamela Stewart, assistant superintendent of St. Johns County, as the designee of the Commissioner of Education; Senator Steve Oelrich as the representative of the Florida Senate; Representative Bill Proctor as the representative of the Florida House of Representatives; Jackie Simmons, principal of Ed White (Jacksonville), as the minority public school principal representative; John Palmer, athletic director of Hernando (Brooksville), as the fulltime active member school coach representative; and Bill Buchalter, former Orlando Sentinel sports writer, as the news media representative.
• Approved Broach School West Campus (Jacksonville) as an approved nonmember school. Eastland Christian (Orlando) was denied approved nonmembership.
• Heard a discussion on the exemption from manual forms or documents for schools that use online entry lists.
• Heard a discussion on the adoption of a policy to handle H1N1 and contagious diseases and their potential impact on state championship events.
• Heard a discussion on amending the Preparticipation Physical Evaluation Form (EL2) to include a permanent disability qualification for adaptive track participation and a review of information regarding sickle cell trail family history.
• Heard a discussion on possible revisions to the Consent and Release from Liability Certificate (EL3).
About the FHSAA
The Florida High School Athletic Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida. It has a membership of more than 750 middle and senior high schools, and sponsors postseason competitions to determine the official state high school champions in 30 different sports. The 16-member FHSAA Board of Directors is the executive authority of the Association.
Contact for media:
Cristina Alvarez
Coordinator of Media and Marketing, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 170
calvarez@fhsaa.org
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