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WIAA rep assembly meeting to be Monday
With reclassification in the past, topics include rules violations
DOUG PACEY
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
When the WIAA Representative Assembly meets on Monday at Emerald Downs in Auburn, the dozens in attendance won't face proposals that will change the face of Washington high school sports.
"There are not any landmark decisions to make," said Nooksack Valley athletic director Tom Meixner, the Whatcom County League's representative at the meeting. "We're just trying to fine tune some things."
After years of voting on reclassification - schools will be reclassified beginning next fall - the hot-button topics next week are rules violations and out-of-season coaching.
While the Chief Sealth girls' basketball team has attracted attention for its coaches' illegal recruiting actions, Meixner said he didn't think either of the two proposed rules violations amendments were related to Sealth.
A bigger issue is a proposal that calls to limit the amount of time coaches can spend with their teams out of season.
It reads: Out of season for all high school sports shall be from July 15 until the first day of fall sports turnouts and from the final day of the state tournament for that sport until the conclusion of the final spring sport state tournament.
"Everyone feels like they have to play year-round," Meixner said. "The summer is an unregulated period and we're trying to rein in the out-of-season participation of athletes."
For a complete list of the proposed amendments, visit www.wiaa.com.