WIAA announces rule change, classification changes moves to four-year cycle

The following is a release from the WIAA:

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) has announced nine amendments (rule changes) have passed by members of the Representative Assembly for the 2015-16 school year.

Of the nine passed amendments, four dealt with high school programs only. The classification cycle amendment (Rule 4.1.0) was supported and will change from a two-year cycle to a four-year cycle. A school can appeal its classification after two years. The next passed Amendment (Rule 17.5.8D) allows an individual who is invited to participate in a national championship event the opportunity to be coached by his/her high school coach. Another supported Amendment (Rule 18.23.3) grants a high school student, who is not representing his/her school, the opportunity to compete against a college team with amateur standing maintained. The final high school only Amendment (Rule 65.3.3) gives 1B schools the choice for varsity volleyball matches to be two-out-of-three, three-out-of-five, or five-out-of-five. In addition to the Amendments, the high school voters also supported a service fee increase of five dollars per sport and activity and five cents per student.

Three of the Amendments that passed apply to both the middle level programs and the high school programs. The first (Rule 8.11.0) adds an Honorary Board Member representing the Washington Tribal Schools. The second Amendment (Rule 18.23.0) increases the merchandise value a student-athlete may receive from $300 to $500 and still maintain their amateur standing. The final supported Amendment (Rule 29.0.0) for both the middle level and high school programs allows protests to be filed within 24 hours following a regular-season contest.

There were two Amendments that were supported that affect middle level only programs. The first (Rule 18.16.2) deletes references to elementary school when 5th or 6th graders are used to salvage a program. The next Amendment (Rule 51.61.0) reduces the minimum number of practices, by two, for all middle level sports, except football.

The Representative Assembly is comprised of 53 (35 high school, 18 middle school) school administrators from each of the nine WIAA districts. For an amendment to pass, 60 percent approval is needed from the voting members of the Assembly.