Aside from the GHSA executive committee's decision to table legislative-fueled discussions, here are some other highlights from Monday's meeting:
• GHSA schools will be allowed to play Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) schools in sports not operating under a power rating system. GHSA sports operating under a power rating system include football, basketball, baseball and softball.
• The GHSA voted to change the financial distribution of football championship revenue and expenses as follows: AAAAAA- 19%; AAAAA – 16.5%; AAAA – 16.5%; AAA – 15.5%; AA – 14.5%; A (Public) – 9%; A (Private) – 9%. Also for football, coaches can conduct coin tosses for home field in playoff games through conference calls out of the GHSA office as opposed to traveling unreasonable long distances for face-to-face coin tosses.
• The state basketball tournament will use the same format for its playoff brackets that are used for football, soccer and baseball, meaning teams from the northern and southern parts of the state would face off in earlier rounds.
• Most committee recommendations were passed with little to no resistance, except for the wrestling committee’s recommendation to limit the number of matches in which an individual wrestler may compete in a season to 55 matches. Buford athletic director Dexter Wood motioned to table the recommendation in favor of more input from coaches and that motion passed.
• With Gary Phillips replacing the retiring Ralph Swearngin as executive director, Phillips will be replaced in his current role as assistant executive director by Jay Russell, a retired school official who posted a 71-37 record as football coach of Gordon Central, Stephens County, Rabun County and Barnesville Academy. ... Model principal Glenn White was elected president of GHSA; Pope assistant principal Lisa Williams was elected vice president.
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