In the News - October

NFHS Rules Changes Made in Four Winter Sports

Playing conditions are continually evolving in a constantly changing sports world, and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rules committees have updated the rules for four winter sports to meet those changes.

The committees met this past spring to revise rules for basketball, swimming and diving, ice hockey and wrestling that go into effect with the upcoming 2007-08 school year.

Five basketball rules were modified, most notably that high school coaches will receive less time to replace a disqualified or injured player.

The interval to replace a disqualified or injured player went from 30 seconds to 20 seconds with a warning signal being sounded after five seconds.

This change in Rule 2-12-5 comes with the intention to move the game along in a more efficient fashion.

The dolphin kick was addressed in one of the major swimming and diving rules changes. Rule 8-2-2c now states that the dolphin kick may be executed after the initiation of the arm stroke and before the breaststroke kick.

Other changes dealt with the clarification of diving regulations, including Rule 9-5-1, which now allows divers to have their arms in the position of their choice for the forward starting position.

Two rules revisions dealing with risk minimization highlighted seven changes approved by the NFHS Ice Hockey Rules Committee.

The requirement that dental guards be attached to the face mask was deleted from Rule 3-4-4. In addition, Rule 3-3-1 was modified to further define what constitutes acceptable throat/neck protection gear.

Rule 3-3-1 now reads that "acceptable throat/neck protection includes a mask with a ‘flapper'-style protector attached or a mask with an extension worn in combination with one of the following:

"A separate neck guard providing throat protection or a neck guard as part of a manufactured undergarment providing throat protection (chest protector extensions do not satisfy the requirement)."

Numerous wrestling rules changes were made, many of which focused on clarifying existing rules, but new Rule 5-20-5a allows an offensive wrestler to request a neutral position restart by signaling his desire to a referee.

The defensive wrestler is still awarded an escape if the offensive wrestler utilizes this option, but this starting position could offer a new and valuable offensive advantage.

Overuse injuries increasing among athletic youth

Year-round sports and overuse injuries are plaguing young athletes, warns the California Athletic Trainers' Association (CATA). Youth today are suffering from overuse injuries, which were virtually non-existent in young athletes in the past.

According to the High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS, sports participation among boys and girls has increased more than 37 percent in the past 20 years. Injuries derived from prolonged, repeated motion or impact, such as knee problems, stress fractures and growth plate injuries are becoming more and more common among athletic youth.

"What we have is an overzealous youth sports culture," said Mike West, certified athletic trainer and CATA governmental affairs chair.

"Kids are injuring themselves chasing the glory of college scholarships and professional careers by playing harder, faster and longer at a young age."

To curb frequency of injuries in young athletes, some boundaries in sports are being established. In May 2007, Little League International placed a limit on the number of pitches players age seven to 18 can throw in a game due to the increasing number of shoulder injuries kids were sustaining by playing for long periods of time.

The CATA provides guidelines to safeguard young athletes from overuse injuries to save their bodies for future play. A warm-up and cool-down should be included in every practice regimen to keep muscles warm and flexible. Young athletes should not ignore pain or discomfort, and should make an effort to get enough rest.

The CATA suggests young athletes should be placed into age-appropriate sports. Athletes should receive annual physicals to detect any potential or existing injuries. Also, qualified coaches and certified athletic trainers should be present during any sporting activity.

After 40 years, Bob Baldridge retires

After 40 years of exemplary service, Assistant Executive Director Bob Baldridge retired from the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) October 1.

Baldridge was a staff member since 1967, helping develop the TSSAA's enrollment classification system and assisting with government relations. After attending college at Lambuth (Tennessee) College, he completed his undergraduate degree at Belmont (Tennessee) University. He went on to receive his master's degree in educational administration from Middle Tennessee State University.

At the national level, Baldridge was awarded the NFHS Citation in 2000. He also served on the NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee for five years, and has presented at several NFHS Summer Meetings.

Baldridge served as executive director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame for eight years, was a member of its board for nine years, and has been a member for the organization for more than 35 years. He also helped raise $3.2 million to establish the first Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.

Baldridge is joined by only two other people in the history of high school state associations who have reached the 40-year milestone -- North Carolina High School Athletic Association Executive Director Charlie Adams and retired Iowa High School Athletic Association Executive Director Bernie Saggau.

Claudia Dodson passes away

Claudia Dodson, longtime Virginia High School League (VHSL) administrator and National High School Hall of Fame member who championed the cause for girls and women's sports opportunities, passed away August 18 at the University of Virginia Medical Center. She was 65.

Only the fourth woman in the country to be hired as a state administrator, Dodson joined the VHSL in 1971 when gymnastics was the only option for female student-athletes, then a neglected group on the prep scene.

"Claudia Dodson was there from the beginning. I can't imagine any person having more impact on female athletics in this state than Claudia," said VHSL Executive Director Ken Tilley.

Dodson, who died 13 days shy of her 66th birthday, was a trailblazer in expanding female athletics in Virginia, increasing offerings from one sport to 12 and into 31 state championships upon her retirement in January 2002.

"The leaders of this organization recognized that a strong person had to be brought in in order to turn things around, and Claudia fit that bill perfectly," Tilley said. "She fought for female athletics and made sure the movement kept progressing forward."

Born in Washington, D.C., Dodson graduated from Chester (Virginia) Thomas Dale High School before earning a bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1963 from Westhampton (Virginia) College (now the University of Richmond), and a master's degree in physical education from the University of Tennessee in 1965.

Dodson, a Virginia High School Hall of Fame member, helped establish Women in Sport (WinS), a respected organization that promotes and highlights female athletes in central Virginia. At the time of her death, Dodson was president of WinS. She held the post for the past five years.

The Virginia Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association recognized her by establishing the Claudia L. Dodson Scholarship, which is presented annually to a Virginia high school senior.

A health and physical education teacher at Richmond (Virginia) Meadowbrook High School, Dodson spent seven years as a driver's education instructor before joining the VHSL as programs supervisor.