CHAPEL HILL– The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors completed its winter Board meeting on Thursday at the NCHSAA offices.

One of the significant changes the Board made is the elimination of the “pod” system for NCHSAA football playoffs in 2-A, 2-AA, 3-A, 3-AA, 4-A and 4-AA. The pods will be maintained in 1-A and 1-AA because of the extreme travel that can happen in those classifications. Even though the straight seeding will increase travel in other classifications, the Board noted that the NCHSAA has increased travel allotments and has returned much more money for the schools that may help offset increased travel costs.

Among the other major items approved by the Board:

–Information was shared about the upcoming 100th anniversary celebration for the NCHSAA, which will be held during 2013-14

–Approved playoff calendar for 2013-14

¬¬–- Increased length of both men’s and women’s lacrosse seasons by one week, with no increase in number of games; effective 2014

–Approved summer dead period of two weeks for all sports in terms of off season work; one week during the week of the fourth of July and one week during NCCA coaches clinic

–Approved change in basketball start date for non-football playing schools; they may start practice on October 15 and start playing games on first day of practice for football playing schools. Extra games must be completed prior to first playing date for football playing schools; those games will not count for seeding but it does give those schools additional revenue possibilities, and it actually goes back to a rule in place previously

–Recommend change in By Laws by changing time period for submitting proposed amendments; to change “no less than 20 days” before Annual Meeting to “by November 1”; this would be balloted to full membership, for 2013-14 school year, and would take a three-fourths majority of the total ballots distributed to pass

–Clarifying language in By Laws to say “Commissioner shall distribute” (instead of current language “mail”); the other adjustment would be”…three fourths of the total ballot distributed”, effective for 2013-14 academic year 

–Clarifying language in current edition of Handbook relating to non-boarding parochial schools: “athletes shall not be given scholarship aid or other financial considerations with the exception of need-based aid as determined by an independent agency”; change would be for 2013-14 academic year

–Recommended moving forward with plans to renovate NCHSAA offices 

–Restructured promotional points system for officials; proposal places emphasis on earning points in clinics, state rules clinics and scrimmages, reduces weight on exam (which is on line) and adds points for varsity games worked.

–Created new booking association since North State Association currently has 129 schools; North State will then have 73 schools and new agency 48  

–Approved changing title from “booking agent” to “regional supervisor of officials” for those positions– reflects duties more accurately and the expectations to teach, train and supervise 

— Approved fee increase for officials; no increase in football, for instance since 2006; 10% increase per game fee per sport beginning 2014-15 school year (average $6 per game), and fees remain the same until realignment year 2018-19. North Carolina is also one of few states that does not pay travel for officials.

The Board also agreed in principle on recommendations from two committees that have been operating during the fall. One set of recommendations came from the Non-Traditional Schools Committee and another from the Education and Athletics Committee. Further action will be taken at the Board meeting in May.

NCHSAA commissioner Davis Whitfield said, “We had a number of difficult issues to address and our Board worked hard to determine what was in the best interest of our membership.”