NFHS Lends Support to U.S. Department of Education Ruling on Participation in Sports by Disabled Athletes

By: Bruce Howard

 As the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is in full support of the policy of inclusion that underlies the guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for K-12 schools to provide opportunities for disabled students to participate on athletic teams.

In the most recent High School Athletics Participation Survey, the NFHS’ 51 member state associations and the 19,100 schools in those associations reported that almost 7.7 million boys and girls participate in high school sports. Bob Gardner, NFHS executive director, said even more individuals now will have the opportunity for that once-in-a-lifetime experience of high school sports.

“We believe in the values of participation for all students,” Gardner said. “Providing opportunities for disabled students adds value to their educational experiences.”

While the new OCR guidelines issued Friday do not ensure that a disabled student will be able to play on a school’s competitive team, they do deal with five principles that schools must implement to provide modifications for a disabled athlete that would provide that individual the opportunity to play on a school’s competitive team.

Although the implementation of these guidelines will be on an individual school basis throughout the nation, the NFHS, which writes playing rules for 16 high school sports, will be working with its membership to assist schools.

“The NFHS and our member state associations will work together with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to enhance participation opportunities for all students, including those with disabilities,” Gardner said.

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About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.6 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

NFHS Responds to American Academy of Pediatrics Statement on Cheerleading Injuries

According to Bruce Howard Director of Publications and Communications, National Federation of State High School Associations, "On October 22, the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) released a statement with guidelines to help prevent cheerleading injuries. Many of the recommendations – including qualified coaches and injury surveillance – are worthwhile and important to minimizing risk for the nearly 400,000 high school cheerleaders. 

  

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) agrees with many of the recommendations and, in fact, has worked for more than 20 years to minimize risk for high school cheerleaders. In 1988, the NFHS published its first guidelines for sideline cheerleading. Those guidelines became the basis for the NFHS Spirit Rules Book, which was first published in 1992.

With the continual growth of cheerleading, the NFHS also recognizes the need for properly educated and trained coaches. In 2009, the NFHS Coach Education Program introduced the first of two online education courses designed for spirit coaches. “Spirit Safety Certification,” developed with the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA), is designed to provide information and advice to help spirit coaches assess and make changes to their current safety program, with the goal to minimize the risks involved in cheerleading.

A year later, the NFHS introduced the “Fundamentals of Coaching Cheer and Dance” course designed to help coaches with skills and tactics, including a review of philosophy, communication techniques and risk management. Both courses have been instrumental in educating spirit coaches, with more than 15,000 courses delivered since their debuts. All courses can be viewed at www.nfhslearn.com.

 

The NFHS also agrees that injury surveillance is important to help prevent future injuries. Since 2009, cheerleading has been included in the High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study, commissioned by the NFHS and compiled by Dr. Dawn Comstock, principal investigator for the Center of Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. In 2011-12, cheerleading injury rates were 0.57 per 1,000 athlete exposures, which was 17^th out of the 20 sports studied. (visit http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/cirp-rio-study-reports for the full reports.)

The NFHS also works with the National Center for Catastrophic Injury Research at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, which has been collecting catastrophic injury data on cheerleading for 30 years.

Concussions are also a significant injury to all high school athletes, including cheerleaders, which is why the NFHS added language to all its rules books – including spirit – specifying how athletes should be treated when suspected of having a concussion. The guidelines include being immediately removed from activity and being examined by an appropriate health-care professional before returning to activity. In addition, the free online course “Concussion in Sports – What you Need to Know” has been taken by almost 600,000 individuals at www.nfhslearn.com. 

 

The NFHS strives to minimize risk for all high school athletes, including cheerleaders. The spirit community – administrators, coaches, parents and cheerleaders – should know that this support system of rules, education and research exists to provide a safer environment for all cheerleaders."

NFHS TO ALLOW INSTANT REPLAY FOR BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

From the Post and Courier

Instant replay has been approved starting next season for last-second shots in high school basketball championship games.

The rule change by the National Federation of State High School Associations allows replay for review of a shot attempt at the end of the fourth quarter or overtime, and only when the last-second shot would affect the outcome of the game.

The rule is not mandatory and leaves the decision whether to use it to each state association.

“When available, technology should be used to assist game officials and administrators in making the correct call when the outcome of the game hangs in the balance and a team has no further opportunity to overcome a critical error,” said Mary Struckhoff, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the basketball rules committee. “This change provides state associations that opportunity.”

The change would let officials determine whether the ball had left the shooter’s hand before time expired or whether the shot was a 2- or 3-pointer.

Approved by the federation at a recent meeting, the change was prompted by controversial finishes in 2008 championship games in South Carolina, Ohio and Michigan.

In South Carolina, Summerville beat Spartanburg, 50-48, to capture the 2008 boys Class AAAA state championship after a 75-foot desperation shot by Spartanburg, which sailed through the net after time expired, was waved off when the officials ruled it was not released in time.

The 2008 Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division 1 girls basketball state championship was won by Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame over West Chester Lakota West, 69-67, following a last-second lay-up. Controversy arose as to whether or not the shot left the shooter's hand before time expired.

Finally, the result of a boys Class B semifinal game was disputed in Michigan, when Flint Powers Catholic defeated Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, 66-65. After referees huddled together, it was determined that a buzzer-beater made by Forest Hills Northern was a two-point field goal, causing Northern to come up one point short. The two coaches disagreed as to whether the call was correct.

Another new rule will allow the use of a red light behind the backboard to signal the end of a quarter or overtime. If no red light is present, the audible timer’s signal will continue to be used.

The NFHS is the governing body for almost 19,000 high schools in the United States.