ALABAMA

HIGH SCHOOL

ATHLETIC

ASSOCIATION

STEVE SAVARESE

EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR

June/July, 2011 AHSAA Update

Inside This Issue

Savarese

Comments 2

AHSAA Partner

Spotlight 3

All-Star Sports

Week 6-8

Evans: Summer

Practice Rule 9-

10

Hackleburg Spirit

Soars in Playoffs 13-

14

Fine/Ejection Free

Schools, 2010-11 15

AHSAA Staff

16

AHSAA

June/July Update

Pisgah’s Shelby Holley, at right, is shown slug-ging her 35th homer of the 2011 softball season to lead Pisgah to the Class 3A state champi-onship over Geneva at La-goon Park. Her 35 home runs in 2011 and 72 career homers are national prep records.

JULY 11-15

Schedule

inside

Schools Rally Together

In Difficult Times

As we close out the 2010-11 school year, I am so thankful to be asso-

ciated with such an outstanding state association of member schools.

The devastation that was left behind by the tornadoes of April 27 could

have been too much for many states to overcome.

SEE SCHOOLS SET EXAMPLE - Page 5

Photo Courtesy of Creative FX

All-Star Sports

Week

Special Edition

The 2011 Alabama

High School All-Star

Sports Week will be return-

ing to Montgomery, July 11

-15 after six years in Hunts-

ville. This will be an informa-

tion-packed week that I

urge all schools to make

plans to attend. I want to personally in-

vite each high school, mid-

dle school and junior high

coach and administrator to

this year’s 15th annual All-

Star Sports Week. There

will be all-star contests for

baseball, softball, boys and

girls soccer, boys and girls

basketball, volleyball and

football. Wednesday, July 13, will

once again be set aside for

school administrators. Our

entire staff will be on hand

for the mandatory meeting

to present issues that cur-

rently affect our member

schools. It all begins at 8:30

a.m. AHSAA Medical Ad-

visory Committee members

Dr. James Robinson and

Dr. Lawrence Lemak will

also address a mandatory

afternoon session of AH-

SAA schools from 2:30 to

3:30 p.m. And as in previous years,

each school will be required

to sign in for each manda-

tory session to insure repre-

sentation for this important

presentation that deals with the

health and safety of our student

-athletes. There will also be the Coaches

School, which will offer

coaches from all sports some

sports-specific seminars. In

addition, rules clinics, now

mandatory for all head coaches

in middle, junior high and high

school, will also be offered to

any attendee for the cost of All

-Star Week registration and

without a rules test. Those who do not attend All-

Star Sports Week will be re-

quired to take the Rules Clinic

on line at a charge of $40 for

head high school coaches and

$20 for head middle and junior

high coaches. The on-line ver-

sion will also have a required

test that must be completed.

There will be no other rules

clinics available starting with the

2011-12 school year. I can’t say enough about Steve

Bailey, Director of the Alabama

High School Athletic Directors &

Coaches Association, and his

sports committees for the job they

have done in lining up the 2011

list of guest clinicians. In football, four head coaches

from the Southeastern Conference

will be on hand on Thursday and

Friday, July 14-15, beginning

with Derek Dooley of the Univer-

sity of Tennessee. Dooley will

address the attendees at 9 a.m. on

Thursday, followed by Arkansas

head coach Bobby Petrino later

that morning at 10:30. LSU head

coach Les Miles will kick off the

afternoon session at 1:15 p.m. and

Gene Chizik, head coach of the

2010 National Champion Auburn

Tigers, will close out the college

coaches session from 2:45 to 4

p.m. This marks the third straight

year that All-Star Sports Week

has featured the head coach of the

reigning BCS National Champi-

onship team addressing our high

school coaches. I don’t think any

other state association can make

that claim. A special New Coach Orienta-

tion will be conducted by AHSAA Hall of Fame coach

Spence McCracken from 4:15 to

5:15 p.m., on Thursday to close

out the day just in time for the

North-South All-Star football

game which kicks off at 7 p.m.

See Savarese, Page 5

Mandatory School Session Set July 13 At All-Star Week

Page 2 AHSAA Update

Steve Savarese

Executive Director

P.O. Box 242367 Montgomery, AL

Zip: 36124-2367

Phone: 334-263-6994 Fax: 334-387-0075

E-mail: staff@ahsaa.com

ALABAMA

HIGH SCHOOL

ATHLETIC

ASSOCIATION

AHSAA Update Page 3

Each month in the AHSAA Update

Newsletter to its member schools, the

Alabama High School Athletic Associa-

tion will spotlight one of its valued cor-

porate partners. This month the AHSAA is proud of its

corporate partnership with Encore Rehabilitation, Inc., one of America’s most di-

versified rehabilitation providers. Encore began in 1984 as a rehabilitation manage-

ment company under the vision of physical therapists Paul Henderson and Paige

Plash, today, under the same partnership, Encore continues to grow and explore

new frontiers, helping to shape the quality and outcome of rehabilitative care. En-

core employs over 400 people with the corporate office based in Decatur, AL. The company’s goal is to provide cost effective and efficient rehabilitation to

meet the needs of all members of the community – including patients, physicians,

healthcare managers, business, industry and schools. Encore remains steadfast in its

dedication to provide the highest quality of rehabilitative care and to ensure integ-

rity in all operations. Encore is the official athletic training provider for the AHSAA. Since 2004, Encore

Rehabilitation has provided athletic training coverage for all AHSAA boys and girls

state championships and also has worked closely with the AHSAA at other special

events, including Alabama All-Star Sports Week, Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Foot-

ball Classic, Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Boys and Girls Basketball Classic, and the

annual Alabama Champions Challenge Pre-season Football Classic. Outpatient Clinics – Represents the largest division of Encore with over 45 facilities across

Alabama and Mississippi. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology

services provided utilizing a large selection of treatments and modalities. Therapists work closely

with each patient and physician to assure positive outcomes management. Work Zone Industrial Rehab – Specializing in worker’s comp rehabilitation, the Encore

Work Zone is positioned to keep industrial working forces healthy and to reduce costly time

lost from work. Post injury rehab may be conducted in an Encore outpatient clinic or at an on-

site rehabilitation department designed, equipped and staffed through Encore. The Work Zone’s

goal is to restore function, mobility and independence to the injured worker and to assure su-

perb communication between all parties involved in the worker’s compensation process. Sports Medicine/Athletic Training – Provides athletic training coverage for more than

25,000 athletes daily. Exciting, fast-paced and athlete focused, the Encore Sports Medicine Divi-

sion is dedicated to returning athletes back into action quickly and safely. Our professional teams

provide complete sports medicine services for high school, collegiate, professional and weekend

athletes. SportsFit Fitness & Wellness – Encore understands the vital relationship of successful reha-

bilitation and developing a healthy lifestyle. Under the SportsFit division, Encore integrates full

service fitness centers within rehabilitation facilities providing a great transition for discharged

rehabilitation patients and producing a quality fitness and wellness program for the community. Contract Services With Hospitals, School Systems, Nursing Homes – Providing specific

programs for specific needs, Encore works closely with hospitals, school systems and nursing

homes to provide plans designed for each client.

AHSAA Corporate Partner Spotlight

Page 4 AHSAA Update

A22011-12 AHSAA Central Board of Control

Bobby Parrish

Mobile

Ed Lathan

Mobile

Lamar Brooks

Dale County BOE

Dyneshia Jones

Troy

Luke Hallmark

President

Marengo Co. BOE

Mose Jones

Thomaston

Richard Brown

Beauregard

Terry Cooper

Birmingham

Curtis Coleman

Birmingham

Mike Welsh

Spring Garden

John Hardin

Hackleburg

Brenda Mayes

Muscle Shoals

Larry Morris

Vice President

Scottsboro BOE

Janet Latham

Athens

Craig Pouncey

State Dept. of Ed.

Montgomery

Page 5 AHSAA Update AHSAA Update

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Not Alabama, and certainly not Alabama’s high schools. This terrible nightmare was

turned into a magnificent life lesson as we continue to witness displays of kindness,

concern and love for each other like I have never witnessed before. After April 27, we all had to step back, take a deep breath and then contemplate

where we must go from here. It became prudent to shut down our spring playoffs for a

little while as we tried to recover. I toured the areas of our state most affected with the

intent of lifting the spirits of those so tragically affected, but what I found was that I

was the one that had my spirits lifted the most. When Principal John Hardin of Hackleburg High School pleaded with me to let the

kids return to play, I was moved to tears. I was so proud to see how Hackleburg’s base-

ball and softball teams fought valiantly in the playoffs. I was also proud to see how

their opponents went out of their way to offer such wonderful hospitality and kindness. The humility and character displayed continued to be at the forefront throughout the

remainder of the playoffs as all worked tirelessly to find a way to get the games in.

One thing I know for certain. Our kids and coaches do get it. While I want to offer my congratulations to all who won state championships this

spring, I want to congratulate our teams more for showing the kind of character that

education-based athletics is really all about.

Steve Savarese, Executive Director

Member Schools Set Example To Follow

SAVARESE: From Page 2

On Friday, some of the nation’s top college assis-

tant coaches will be speaking, including Don

Yanowsky of the University of Memphis, Trooper

Taylor and Phillip Lolley of Auburn University,

Greg Gregory of South Alabama, Kim Helton of

Alabama-Birmingham, Mike Groh and Chris

Rumph of Alabama. We will cap the week on Friday night, July 15, at

the Renaissance with the Coaches Championship

Award Banquet. Being recognized will be the

head coaches who guided teams to AHSAA state

championships during the 2010-11 school year just

completed — as well as six additional coaches

who will be honored with the inaugural ―Making

A Difference‖ Coach of the Year awards. The six

will include one head coach from each classifica-

tion of the AHSAA. This award is being pre-

sented to a coach who has gone above and beyond

the normal influence of a high school coach to

make major positive difference in the communi-

ties where they work and live and with the chil-

dren they serve. This will indeed be a special

award for six very special coaches, and I think it

will become the most prestigious award a high

school coach in this state might receive. Speakers lined up for the Basketball Clinic in-

clude: Tony Barbee of Auburn University, Lennie

Acuff, University of Alabama-Huntsville, Tho-

mas Johnson of East Tennessee University,

Donnie Marsh of Alabama-Birmingham, Althe-

rias Warmley of Alabama A&M., George Hatch-

ett of Vestavia Hills High School as well as a spe-

cial forum on Friday including Nigel Card of

Saint James, Brian Privett of Madison Academy,

Melissa White of Enterprise, and Tammy West of

Cold Springs. A complete list of all All-Star

Sports Week Clinicians can be found on page 8

of the AHSAA Update.

Page 6 AHSAA Update AHSAA Update

RENEWED EXCITEMENT PROMISES OUTSTANDING ALL-STAR SPORTS WEEK

The return of

the 15th annual

All-Star Sports

Week to Mont-

gomery, Ala-

bama, promises a

renewed enthusi-

asm and plenty of

excitement! A

special thanks to

the city of Hunts-

ville and the

Huntsville Sports

Commission for

being outstanding

hosts over the

past six years.

This summer, 2011 promises to carry on the

great tradition of education and fellowship

among coaches and administrators and exciting

all-star games. The event this year will be

highlighted by an outstanding speaker lineup

that includes Gene Chizik of the National

Champion Auburn Tigers. Coach Chizik will

be joined by a host of others including Derek

Dooley, Tennessee; Bobby Petrino, Arkansas;

and Les Miles, LSU.

Administrators and coaches will again be

greeted by several luncheon opportunities.

Learning Through Sports will host the 4th an-

nual Sportsmanship Luncheon on Wednesday

for qualified schools. On Friday at noon the

FCA will host a luncheon for all coaches.

Also, on Friday at 6:30 p.m., we will honor our

championship and retiring coaches at the

Coaches Championship Awards Banquet. The

public is invited to the banquet but seating is

limited.

For those seeking educational opportuni-

ties, the Alabama State Department of

Education will again offer the free School Bus Re-

certification course on Tuesday.

The National Center for Sports Safety will offer

the Prepare Sport First Aid course on Wednesday

at 1:00 p.m. and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. The Urol-

ogy Centers of Alabama will continue its’ service

of free prostate screenings on Thursday.

We will again offer a variety of Leadership

Training Courses on Tuesday and Thursday along

with our Certified Athletic Administrator Exam

(CAA) on Thursday.

As always, the athletic directors and principals

sessions will be very informative and useful for

both the newly hired and the veteran. A special

treat this year will be Stephen Bargatze, a nation-

ally known magician and motivational speaker. In

addition, a mandatory general session on Wednes-

day promises to enlighten attendees on current

medical issues.

Once again, our committees have secured na-

tionally recognized speakers for clinics in 10 indi-

vidual sports. These clinics will provide a special

opportunity for you to increase your knowledge

and share ideas with your peers

The Expo will once again feature numerous na-

tionwide vendors to allow you to see the latest in

products related to your sport.

As you can see, a lot will be happening July 11-

15. You deserve the best for what you do for the

student athletes of our state and we hope that you

will join us for these exciting events. Register

early and come be a part of this special event in

Montgomery. Once again, thank you for what you

do in the ―trenches‖ each and every day!

Steve Bailey

Director, AHSADCA

Once again, our committees have secured nationally recognized speakers for clinics in 10 individual sports.

Page 7 AHSAA Update AHSAA Update

All-Star Sports Week -- July 11-15

ALL-STAR WEEK

COACHING SCHOOL

DAILY SCHEDULE At Renaissance Hotel

and Convention Center,

Montgomery

Monday, July 11 8:30 a.m. - noon: Baseball School 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Swimming School

1:20 p.m.-2:05 p.m: Baseball School 2:15 – 3:15 p.m.: Baseball Rules Clinic 4:00 p.m.: North-South All-Star Baseball Riverwalk Stadium

9 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.: Softball School 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m.: Softball School 4 p.m.-5 p.m.: Softball Rules Clinic 6:00 p.m..: North-South All-Star Softball Lagoon Park Softball Complex

Tuesday, July 12 8 a.m.-noon: Bus Recertification Clinic 8 a.m.-noon: Leadership Training Course 501 8 a.m.-noon: Leadership Training Course 504

1 p.m.: Golf Tourney, Lagoon Park 5 p.m.: Girls North South ll-Star Soccer Emory Folmar YMCA Complex 7 p.m.: Boys North South ll-Star Soccer Emory Folmar YMCA Complex

Wednesday, July 13 8:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m.: AD/Principals Meeting 8:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m.: Volleyball School

9:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.: Wrestling School 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Soccer School Noon-1:30 p.m.: Sportsmanship Luncheon 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m.: Soccer School 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m.: Volleyball School 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m.-Wrestling School 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Prepare Sports First Aid

Course 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.: AD/Principals Meeting 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.: General Session

(Mandatory School Representation) 3 p.m.-4 p.m.: Soccer Rules Clinic 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Computer In-Service 4 p.m.-5 p.m.: Wrestling Rules Clinic 4:30 p.m.-until: One-on-One Computer Ses-

sion 6 p.m.-7:45 p.m.: North-South All-Star Girls

Basketball, Alabama State U. Acadome 8 p.m.-9:45 p.m.: North-South All-Star Boys

Basketball, Alabama State U. Acadome

North-South All-Star Series History

Football

2010: North 14, South 7 (South leads series, 28-22-2)

Boys Basketball

2010: North 86, South 81 (North leads series, 42-25)

Girls Basketball

2010: North 58, South 42 (North leads series, 12-2)

Baseball

2010: Rained out (North leads series, 13-9)

Boys Soccer

2010: North 7, South 1 (North leads series, 6-3-1)

Girls Soccer

2010: North 3, South 2 (North leads series, 7-2-1)

Volleyball 2010: North 3, South 0 (25-14l 25-19, 25-23) (North

leads series, 10-4)

Softball 2010: North 11-12, South 0-1 (North leads series, 20-

6)

Page 8 AHSAA Update AHSAA Update

All-Star Sports Week -- July 11-15

15th All-Star Sports Week Guest Clinicians

Gene Chizik Mitch Gaspard Tony Barbee Melanie Davis

Football Clinicians: Derek Dooley, Tennessee; Bobby

Petrino, Arkansas; Les Miles, LSU; Gene Chizik, Auburn Uni-

versity; Don Yanowsky, University of Memphis; Trooper Tay-

lor and Phillip Lolley, Auburn University; Greg Gregory,

South Alabama; Kim Helton; Alabama-Birmingham; Mike

Groh and Chris Rumph, University of Alabama.

Basketball Clinicians: Tony Barbee, Auburn University;

Lennie Acuff, University of Alabama-Huntsville; Thomas

Johnson, East Tennessee State; Altherias Warmley, Alabama

A&M; Donnie Marsh, Alabama-Birmingham; George Hatch-

ett, Vestavia Hills HS; Nigel Card, Saint James HS; Brian

Privett, Madison Academy; Melissa White, Enterprise HS;

Tammy West, Cold Springs HS.

Baseball Clinicians: Mitch Gaspard, University of Alabama;

Bobby Pierce of Troy University; Jim Case of Jacksonville

State; D. J. Conville of Huntingdon College; Chris Heaps,

Hartselle HS.

Soccer Clinicians: Jody Smith, Alabama State University;

Kris Keplinger, Hoover HS.

Softball Clinicians: Gerry Glasco, University of Georgia;

Melanie Davis, Troy University; Holly Currie, Auburn-

Montgomery; Cindy Patterson, Scottsboro HS; Jerry

Goodson, Ariton HS; Stephanie Brown, Opelika HS; Amy

Sullivan, Pelham HS.

Swimming Clinician: John Howell, Emory University.

Track Clinicians: Harvey Glance, former University of Ala-

bama head coach; Michael Barbee, University of South Ala-

bama; Drew Bentley, McGill-Toolen HS.

Volleyball Clinicians: Ed Allen, University of Alabama (and

staff).

Wrestling Clinician: Steve Garland, University of Virginia.

Cheerleading Clinicians: Brad Jones, UCA-Alabama State

Director, and Sandra Seals, Winfield HS.

ALL-STAR WEEK

COACHING SCHOOL

DAILY SCHEDULE At Renaissance Hotel

and Convention Center,

Montgomery

Thursday, July 14 8 a.m.-2 p.m.: Cancer Screening Clinic 8 a.m.-11 a.m.: Basketball School 8 a.m.-noon: Leadership Training Course 502 8 a.m.-noon: Leadership Training Course 506 8:30 a.m.-9 a.m.: AHSADCA Meeting 8:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.: Football School 8:30 a.m.-noon: Prepare Sports First Aid

Course 8:45 a.m.-11 a.m.: Track and Field School 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Cheer Coach School 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.: Volleyball Rules Clinic 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m.: AACCA Certification 1:15 p.m.-5:15 p.m.: Football School 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.: Track and Field School 2 p.m.-4:15 p.m.: Basketball School 2 p.m.-4 p.m.: CAA Exam 3:45 p.m.-4:45 p.m.: Track Rules Clinic 4 p.m.: North-South All-Star Volleyball Con-

test, Faulkner University 7 p.m..: North-South All-Star Football Game,

Cramton Bowl

Friday, July 15 8 a.m.-noon: Football School 9 a.m.-11:15 a.m.: Basketball School Noon: FCA Luncheon 1 p.m.-2 p.m.: Basketball School 1:45 p.m.-3 p.m.: Football School 2 p.m.-3 p.m.: Basketball Rules Clinic 3:15 p.m.-4:15 p.m.: Football Rules Clinic 6:30 p.m.: Championship Coaches/Making A

Difference Awards Banquet

Each summer

AHSAA mem-

ber-school stu-

dent-athletes are

encouraged to

take as much

time off as they

can. However,

we know that

youngsters are

going to play as

much as they

can.

We caution our

coaches to re-

member how im-

the starting practice date for fall

sports. All-Star Sports Week is a

“dead week” for team camps.

The maximum length of a

team camp is one week (seven

consecutive days). A junior

high/middle school team may

attend a team camp at a differ-

ent time than its high school

varsity. Helmets are the only

type of protective equipment

that may be worn at an organ-

ized football team or individual

camp.

Each day at a team camp

(includes 7-on-7 competition)

counts toward the maximum

seven days allowed for summer

practice competition. Only eligi-

ble athletes may participate in

summer competition.

Other guidelines for team camps

(a) Camp fees charged each

school should cover room,

This month, the AHSAA

is emphasizing Rule III (Contests) and

the part that deals with summer practice par-

ticipation and summer camps.

RULE III (CONTESTS)

SECTION 20:

SUMMER CAMPS Students may attend

summer camps (for indi-

viduals) provided they do so

individually at their own ex-

pense. When students at-

tend camps as individuals,

the Fifty Percent Rule will be

in effect for team play.

All individual and team

camps sponsored by a

school must be held prior to

Understand The Do’s and Don’ts of Summer Practice Rule

RULE OF THE MONTH: Summer Practice Competition

Page 9 AHSAA Update

board and insurance for all par-

ticipants.

(b) Team camps are instruc-

tional in nature. Practice times

are provided for teams when

they are not participating in

modified games.

(c) All teams must be guaran-

teed an equal number of modi-

fied games (Most camps guar-

antee a minimum of 10

games.)

(d) Modified games must use a

running clock.

(e) Schools cannot be required

to wear game uniforms.

(f) The Amateur Rule is in ef-

fect.

(g) No trophies may be

awarded.

(h) Spectators may not be

charged admission.

SEE SUMMER PRACTICE

RULE, PAGE 10

portant it is for the

students to not be

overworked. For

those student-athletes

who play multiple

sports, especially, it is

important that coach-

ing staffs work to-

gether to insure the

student isn’t stretched

too thin.

That’s why we are

taking a look in the

June/July AHSAA

Update at the Summer

Practice and Partici-

pation Rule as set

forth by the membership. With

that in mind, coaches and par-

ents alike should work to make

sure the student-athlete develops

his/her skills carefully.

Some things to remember: All

practice competition and team

camps sponsored by AHSAA-

member schools must include

only AHSAA-member schools

or schools from other NFHS-

affiliated state associations.

Each student is allowed seven

days of practice competition per

sport. Only eligible students

may participate in summer com-

petition.

Joe Evans

Associate Executive

Director

Page 10 AHSAA Update

Summer Practice Rule …. Continued from Page 9

A high school coach may work at team

and individual summer camps, but coaching his/her own players in team

competition would count as one of the allowed seven days of competition.

SECTION 21. SUMMER PRACTICE

RULES. Coaches are allowed to practice with their own students during the sum-

mer months (from the end of school un-til the starting practice date for fall

sports) and use drills to teach skills.

Mandatory practices are prohibited until the starting practice date for fall sports.

No football equipment except helmets and hand-held blocking pads may be

used until the starting date for fall prac-tice. Weight training and conditioning

programs are not restricted. It is the re-sponsibility of each school to see that

the Summer Practice Rule is not vio-lated.

All practice competition and team camps sponsored by AHSAA-member

schools must include only AHSAA-member schools or schools from other

NFHS-affiliated state associations. (All Team camps hosted by colleges and

other outside organizations are ex-cluded.)

Summer Practice Competition.

1. A school may participate in seven days of practice competition per sport

during the time school is out until the first fall practice date (Aug. 1 in 2011).

Volleyball practice competition can be held until July 28.

No interscholastic contest may be scheduled on Sunday without prior ap-

proval of the Central Board of Control.

This includes summer play.

Note: If a coach conducts more than

seven days of practice competition, he/she could be restricted from coaching

that team the following school season.

2. Each student is allowed seven days of practice competition per sport. Only eli-

gible students may participate in sum-mer competition.

3. Coaches may coach their own school players in practice competition. Coaches

may coach their own children in more than seven days of competition if none

of the coach’s other players are on the child’s team.

4. Each day of practice competition in organized events (team camps, Sports

Festival, etc.) will count toward the maximum seven days allowed.

5. Practice competitions between

schools are deemed to be modified or practice contests under the jurisdiction

of participating schools, therefore AH-SAA-registered officials are not required

and National Federation rules may not

apply.

6. Each school should analyze the liabil-ity issues of its practice competition and

act accordingly.

7. Admission may be charged to any

practice competition under the direction of the school principal.

8. No practice competition involving

coaches and players in grades 7-12 (including team camps) is allowed dur-

ing All-Star Sports Week, a “dead

week”.

9. Helmets and hand-held blocking pads are the only types of protective equip-

ment that may be used in any football practice competition (includes team and

individual camps).

State High School Associations

Summer Meeting at Philadel-

phia, PA, June 28-July 2.

Washburn, Mitchell

Honored by NFHS Former AHSAA Executive

Director Dan Washburn and AH-

SAA Assistant Director Alan

Mitchell will be honored at the

NFHS Summer Meeting.

Washburn, who served as Execu-

tive Director from 1991-2007, is

being inducted into the NFHS

National Sports Hall of Fame.

Mitchell, who has served as Di-

rector of Publicity and Publica-

tions since 1979, is being recog-

nized as one of eight recipients

of the NFHS Citation award for

state associations. The award designed to honor

individuals who have made con-

tributions to the NFHS, state

high school associations, athletic

Three new members have been

elected by their districts to replace

three longtime outgoing members

of the Alabama High School Ath-

letic Association Central Board of

Control. Stepping down from the

Board are veteran members Leo-

nard Riley, Superintendent of

Chambers County Schools (District

4), Don Cox, Superintendent of

Russellville City Schools (District

7) and Clyde Goode, Sr., of the

Colbert County School System

(District 7). Named to replace the trio are

Richard Brown, principal of

Beauregard High School (District

4), John Hardin, principal of

Hackleburg High School (District

7) and Brenda Mayes, Muscle

Shoals High School teacher/coach

(District 7). The new members will be joining

the Central Board for the July

meeting and will be attending the

92nd annual National Federation of

Everyone Worked Together To Help Crown Spring Sports Champs

Three New Members Join AHSAA Central Board of Control

Page 11 AHSAA Update

and fine arts/performing arts pro-

grams, the NFHS Citation is one of

the most highly-regarded achieve-

ments in high school activities. The

2011 recipients will receive their

awards July 1 at the 92nd NFHS

Summer Meeting in Philadelphia,

PA. Washburn, who will be inducted

on July 2, becomes the eighth Hall

of Fame selection from Alabama.

Previous inductees include former

executive directors Cliff Harper

(1987) and Herman L. ―Bubba‖

Scott (1990), contest officials Dan

Gaylord (1988) and Sam Short

(2007), football coach Glenn Daniel

(1999) and basketball coach Wal-

lace ―Mickey‖ O’Brien (1992) and

athlete Bart Starr (1989). Past NFHS Citation Award recipi-

ents from the AHSAA include Greg

Brewer, Ken Blankenship and 2010

Officials Citation recipient Houston

Young.

Congratulations to all the AHSAA spring

sports champions. We closed out an incredible

school year with championships in boys and girls

tennis, boys and girls track, boys and girls soc-

cer, boys and girls golf, softball and baseball.

We also crowned individual champions in the

decathlon and heptathlon. We owe a special thank you to all the section,

regional and state groups that worked to make all

our playoffs successful. We applaud the tireless

efforts of those who went out of their way to

help re-schedule events in order to make sure

schools most affected by the April 27 tornado

destruction could participate. The events were

truly outstanding.

I also personally owe a special thank you to the

City of Decatur for all

their help during the

Class 1A-3A state tennis

championships. They were fully pre-

pared to keep our par-

ticipants and fans safe

from harm during the

bad weather. I look forward to see-

ing you at All-Star

Sports Week in Mont-

gomery in July. Before

you know it, it will be

time to start a new

school year. Until then, I

hope all of you have a great summer.

Wanda Gilliland

Assistant Director

Attending sports spe-

cific rules clinics for

coaches in the AHSAA

has been made much sim-

pler. Register and attend All-

Star Sports Week. That’s

it. No longer will the AH-

SAA be conducting rules

clinics prior to a sports

season at numerous sites

across the state. There is

just one site now where a

coach can sit in on a rules clinic – All-Star Sports

Week. I emphasize this for a couple of reasons. Each

year many schools must pay fines because head

coaches failed to attend a rules clinic. It is man-

datory that all head coaches (high school, middle

school and junior high) in the sports of football,

boys and girls basketball, volleyball, baseball,

softball, wrestling, boys and girls track and boys

and girls soccer attend a rules clinic each year

prior to their sports season or take an on-line

rules clinic and test. There is no test with the

rules clinic series offered at All-Star Sports

Week and there is no cost other than the cost of

registration for the All-Star Sports Week. There

will be a $40 charge for high school head

coaches and a $20 for junior high and middle

school head coaches for the on-line rules clinic

and test (in each sport). Failure to comply will result in a fine being

levied against the school the head coach repre-

sents. Schools are required to list on its Form 1

the head coach for each sport the school offers.

If a head coach’s name is not found on the

school’s Form 1 on line or not listed as head

coach, the school will be automatically fined. To comply, principals and athletic directors

should inform each head coach of their respon-

sibility in this matter and follow up to make

sure they meet the necessary requirements. The AHSAA’s contest officials have been

taking on-line rules tests ever since the 2006-07

school year. Coaches now have the option, however, of

attending a rules clinic for free at All-Star

Sports Week or taking it on line at a nominal

charge and then successfully completing the test

following the on-line clinic.

SPORT CAMP LOCATION DATES

Baseball: Spain Park/ June 2-5

Indian Springs

Basketball: Albertville June 23-26

Football: Decatur August 11-14

Soccer: Guntersville July 7-9

Softball: Arab July 15-17

Volleyball: Briarwood/ June 24-26

Indian Springs

Wrestling: Vestavia Hills/ June 17-18

Indian Springs

Rules Clinics Now On-line Or At All-Star Sports Week

Page 12 AHSAA Update

Greg Brewer

AHSAA

Director of Officials

2011

AHSAA

SPORTS

OFFICIALS

CAMPS

Hackleburg Baseball Team Spirit Soars Despite Town’s Destruction

Page 13 AHSAA Update

This story of one team’s tenacity and how it has inspired an entire town and state to rebuild appeared

in the Birmingham News just a few weeks after a F-5 tornado destroyed the small town of Hackleburg

in northwestern Alabama. It was written by Birmingham News prep sports editor Jeff Sentell and is be-

ing re-printed this month thanks to The Birmingham News. It is a story that won’t be forgotten.

By Jeff Sentell, Birmingham News

HACKLEBURG -- The drive into Hackleburg won't be the same for a long time.

The small town in Marion County was one of the hardest hit by the April 27 tornadoes. An EF-5 tor-

nado reduced a town of about 1,600 to nothing.

The Piggly Wiggly? Gone. Gas station? Dollar General? The Wrangler plant? Gone, gone and gone. Hackleburg City Councilman Darrin Wigginton said 197 buildings were destroyed. There were an-

other 298 damaged. There was one business out of 30 that survived.

The latest figures reported the community suffered 18 casualties from that storm. But baseball season was not going to be one of those. Hackleburg High's team played on, the Panthers

losing in the state baseball playoff quarterfinals to South Lamar last Saturday. "You have to know Hackleburg to know we never considered canceling our season," junior Adam

Sutherland said. "That's how we are. We never even asked the question if we were going to play. ... If

one of us had died, we'd have played even harder for them."

That spirit ran through town long before any tornado.

Neighbors reached out. Russellville donated gear. The Spring Garden team Hackleburg eliminated in the playoffs offered its

facilities so the Panthers could "host" the next round. The players on the Cedar Bluff team the Panthers

beat in the second round made peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches for them to eat between games. Brantley faced Hackleburg in the 2009 Class 1A football championship game. That community col-

lected cash at an intersection one Saturday and presented more than $5,600 to Hackleburg. When South Lamar welcomed the Panthers to their baseball diamond last Friday, the school's baseball

boosters set up a concession stand behind their dugout. The Reese's Cups were free. So were drinks, chips, hot dogs and hamburgers. The items were all do-

nated by the Millport community. "It was the right thing to do," Scott Cole said, a former South Lamar booster club president. "We

wanted to make this day easier. They've got plenty of tough ones ahead." When last Friday's games resulted in a split, there was a potluck dinner awaiting the visitors and their

fans. They came both for therapy and town pride.

But it's going to take even more therapy and time to get past what Hackleburg saw April 27.

Four boys on the team lost their homes. Sutherland went into the cellar "four or five" times on April 27. Before the big one hit, the boys de-

cided they didn't want to go down again. But the mother "laid the law down" and now Sutherland's

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14, SEE HACKLEBURG ….

Hackleburg Baseball Team Inspires Town…continued from Page 13

Page 14 AHSAA Update

around to tell you how his brother's No. 16 Hackleburg football jersey was whisked away and found

in Tennessee. Those four will always remember their ears popping and those 30-to-60 seconds of

dread where they wondered if they would get another breath. "The first thing when I left that cellar was, 'Oh, God' and then go house to house to find these

guys," Sutherland said. "All of us live within walking distance of one another."

Sutherland found his jerseys under a broken wall. His glove is missing. "I'm a designated hitter," he said. "I don't really need to worry about a glove with everything else

everybody lost." Their stories are heartbreaking but revealing. The boys shared one about a 3-year-old from Phil

Campbell who told everyone a man put him in a freezer and said not to come out until someone came

for him. "The kid said the man with wings told him that," Sutherland said. "What 3-year-old has the sense to

make up a story that a man with wings put him in a freezer to save him from a tornado?" They speak of a member of their community who found a mass of flesh in the front yard. It was the

remnants of a face stripped from its skull. "You live through that, and being down 8-3 in the sixth inning just doesn't bother you," Justen Gal-

laway said. Jordan Baccus was in a carpeted basement with seven other people. The power went out. That EF-5

hit 10 seconds later. "My friend grabbed my foot," Baccus said. "I was in the air half the time. I watched the tornado rip

the house to shreds." His friend Jerry didn't join them fast enough. He was on the steps coming down to that basement.

He held on to two rods that supported the house. The winds sucked a tooth from his mouth. The carpet the Baccus family was standing on was blown out from underneath them. It hasn't been

found.

Austin Ingle woke up his mother when the tornado was about 200 yards away. His family got in a closet. He remembers being turned upside down. Their mobile home was

thrown across a pasture about 90 yards. He's just got scrapes to show off. His mother was sent to UAB Hospital. She had a broken neck. She's got stitches from her eyelid to

the top of her head. She needed 10 staples and has a halo device attached to her neck. "She's fine, be-

cause it could've been a whole lot worse," Ingle said. "With what she lived through, she's great." That's the Hackleburg coming out. The hardware store, the post office and two churches turned

schoolhouses are all that's left along with plenty of that survivor's mindset. "We lost everything," Sutherland said. "Can you imagine what it would mean to our town if we

won a state championship to show the tornado could take lives and homes but not take the fire from

our town? It almost destroyed us, but gave us a way to show how strong Hackleburg is." Wiggington agrees with his residents that the Wrangler factory must be rebuilt. If that comes back,

the town will rally. Students who think a school is just walls can learn from those guys. "We lost our

houses, but seeing everyone in the family is alive makes it OK to take because we just lost houses,"

Sutherland said. "But to know we're not going to finish our senior year in a school you love and that

you've been going to all your life is the hardest part to take." When there were "Go Panthers" signs erected in front of the rubble of that school shortly afterward,

it was no surprise. "That's Hackleburg," Wigginton said. "We'd have 100 people show up for a mar-

ble match if we were playing in it."

Page 15 AHSAA Update

AHSAA Schools Without a Fine or Ejection in 2010-11 Ninety-nine high schools completed the 2010-11

school year without receiving an ejection or fine, ac-

cording to figures compiled by the AHSAA. The 99

schools will be recognized at the fourth annual Sports-

manship Luncheon at the Renaissance Hotel and Con-

vention Center on Wednesday, July 13, at noon, during

the 15th annual Alabama All-Star Sports Week. Included in this year’s group are five schools that

have not had a fine or ejection since the inception of

the STAR Sportsmanship Program in 2007-08. The

five include the Alabama School for the Blind, Athens

Bible, Covenant Christian, Linden and Westminster

School of Oak Mountain.

In addition, nine schools to be recognized have been

fine and ejection free for the last three years: Hubbert-

ville, McIntosh, J.F. Shields, Oakman, Westbrook

Christian, Bayside Academy, Colbert Heights and An-

niston. The complete list of AHSAA member high schools

without a fine or ejection in 2010-11 is listed below.

SCHOOL District Class Addison D-8 1A Akron D-3 1A Alabama /Blind D-6 1A

Athens Bible D-8 1A Belgreen D-7 1A Covenant Christian D-7 1A Decatur Heritage D-8 1A Faith Christian D-6 1A Gaston D-6 1A

Gaylesville D-6 1A Hubbertville D-7 1A Jacksonville Christian D-6 1A Jefferson Christian D-5 1A Keith D-3 1A Linden D-3 1A

Marion County D-7 1A McIntosh D-1 1A Paint Rock Valley D-8 1A Sacred Heart D-6 1A Saint Bernard Prep D-8 1A Shields, J.F. D-1 1A Skyline D-8 1A

South Lamar D-7 1A Spring Garden D-6 1A Sweet Water D-3 1A Tharptown D-7 1A Westminster/Oak Mtn D-5 1A Woodville D-8 1A

Colbert Heights D-7 2A Cold Springs D-8 2A Cottonwood D-2 2A Flomaton D-1 2A Francis Marion D-3 2A Highland Home D-2 2A

Holy Family D-5 2A Horseshoe Bend D-4 2A

SCHOOL District Class Houston County D-2 2A LaFayette D-4 2A Lexington D-7 2A

Long, G.W. D-2 2A Mars Hill Bible D-7 2A Mobile Christian D-1 2A New Brockton D-2 2A Oakman D-5 2A Phil Campbell D-7 2A

Providence Christian D-2 2A Tanner D-8 2A Westbrook Christian D-6 2A Alabama /Math & Science D-1 3A Ashville D-6 3A Bayside Academy D-1 3A

Carbon Hill D-5 3A Clements D-8 3A Dale County D-2 3A Elkmont D-8 3A Gordo D-7 3A Hale County D-3 3A

Hamilton D-7 3A Handley D-6 3A Holly Pond D-8 3A Montevallo D-5 3A Opp D-2 3A Pennington, J.B. D-8 3A Randolph D-8 3A

Rogers D-7 3A Sipsey Valley D-5 3A Susan Moore D-8 3A Trinity Presbyterian D-3 3A Winfield D-7 3A Winston County D-7 3A

Alexandria D-6 4A Anniston D-6 4A Ardmore D-8 4A Brooks D-7 4A Childersburg D-6 4A Corner D-5 4A

Deshler D-7 4A East Lawrence D-7 4A Good Hope D-8 4A Guntersville D-8 4A Lincoln D-6 4A North Jackson D-8 4A

Oneonta D-8 4A Southside D-6 4A Springville D-6 4A West Limestone D-8 4A Athens D-8 5A Brookwood D-5 5A

Charles Henderson D-2 5A Greenville D-3 5A Pleasant Grove D-5 5A Saint Paul's D-1 5A Selma D-3 5A Alma Bryant D-1 6A G.W. Carver D-5 6A

Grissom D-8 6A Hoover D-5 6A Oak Mountain D-5 6A Stanhope Elmore D-6 6A

Page 16 AHSAA Update

Meet

The

AHSAA

Staff

3rd

Year

Vanda Peppers Secretary for AHSAA

and AHSADCA

The AHSAA STAFF …..

ALABAMA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Newsletter

Issued monthly by the Alabama High School Athletic

Association 7325 Halcyon Summit Dr., (P.O. Box 242367) Montgomery,

AL 36124-2367

Phone: 334-263-6994; Fax: 334-387-0075;

Web: www.ahsaa.com

OFFICE HOURS: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

- AHSAA STAFF -

Primary Areas of Responsibility

STEVE SAVARESE (ssavarese@ahsaa.com)

- Executive Director –

Overall AHSAA Administration

JOE EVANS (jevans@ahsaa.com)

- Associate Executive Director - Administration, Eligibility, Investigations, School Audits, Champion-ship

Events

WANDA GILLILAND (wgilliland@ahsaa.com)

-Assistant Director - Girls Program Director, Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Eligibility, Inves-

tigations, Championship Events, Declaration Forms, Foreign Exchange

Students

ALAN MITCHELL (amitchell@ahsaa.com)

-Assistant Director – Publications, Publicity, Championship Program Formats, AHSAA Hand-

book, Website Coordinator, AHSAA Records, AHSAA Hall of Fame

Coordinator, Awards, Computer Operations

GREG BREWER (gbrewer@ahsaa.com)

-Assistant Director – Director of Officials for All Sports, Officials Guide, Officials Camps,

Classification, Playing Rules Implementation, Championship Events,

Computer Operations

STEVE BAILEY (sbailey@ahsaa.com) -Director of Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Asso-

ciation- Director of All-Star Sports Week, Player and Coaches Selection for All-

Star Games, Sports Committees, Sports Mini-Clinics, Champi-ons Chal-

lenge, Community Involvement, Fund Raising Activities

RON INGRAM (ringram@ahsaa.com)

- Director of Communications - Communications with Schools, Coaches, Media, Website Update and

Development, Publications, Publicity, Records Updates, Cham-pionship

Events, STAR Sportsmanship

SANDY LOGAN (slogan@ahsaa.com)

-Office Manager-

Bookkeeper for AHSAA and AHSADCA, Coaches Registration, Catastrophic Insurance Premiums, Championship Programs, All-Star

Sports Week, Mini-Clinics, Principal/AD Conference and Junior High/

Middle School Conference registration

CHARLOTTE DAVIES (cdavies@ahsaa.com)

-Administrative Secretary- Correspondence of Official AHSAA Letters for Executive and Associate

Directors, Sanction Approval, AHSAA Hall of Fame Coordina-tor, Leg-

islative Proposals, Bryant-Jordan contact

ELVIA HENDERSON (ehenderson@ahsaa.com)

-Secretary (Eligibility)- Computer Data Coordinator for AHSAA Eligibility, Volley-

ball and Basketball Rosters, Member school correspondence,

Telephone Receptionist, Facsimile Coordinator, Fines and

Ejections

ALAINE DAVIS (adavis@ahsaa.com)

-Secretary (Finance)- Championship Programs, Football Regional Standings and

Play-offs, Ticket Distribution

VANDA PEPPERS (vpeppers@ahsaa.com )

-Secretary (AHSAA, AHSADCA)- Player and Coaches Coordinator and Coaches Registration

for All-Star Sports Week, School Ads for All-Star Sports

Week, Financial Secretary for Officials, Ala.-Miss. All-Star

Games.

EULA MILNER (emilner@ahsaa.com)

-Secretary (AHSADCA)- General Assignments, Program Ads and Exhibits for Alabama

All-Star Sports Week, All-Star Week Golf Tourney, Tickets

and Programs for All-Star Week

RODNEY MILLS (rmills@ahsaa.com)

-IT Coordinator- Technology Coordinator, Online Procedures, New Software

Education, Technology Equipment Upkeep

DENISE AINSWORTH (dainsworth@ahsaa.com)

- Assistant to AHSADCA Director - All-Star Sports Week Coordinator, Sports Mini-Clinic Coor-

dinator, Champions Challenge,

MARK ISTVAN

-Programmer-

Website Programming, Website

Page 17 AHSAA Update

The AHSAA STAFF …..