Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

Prep Beat

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Saturday, June 10, 2000

Fixed representation,
16-team state tournaments
on the ropes

Star-Bulletin staff

WAILEA, Maui -- Establishing fixed representation and 16-team state tournaments failed to receive enough votes in committee but will have a final chance for a floor vote during today's final session of the Hawaii Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association conference at the Outrigger Wailea Resort.

Thirty-six out of 62 proposals passed out of committee and will be voted upon by the full assembly of 71 schools today.

Upon approval by the assembly, the recommendations will be forwarded to the HHSAA Executive Board which will make the final decision.

Four proposals that failed to receive enough votes out of committee are still alive, as the assembly will hear them as minority concerns. If the assembly votes to accept them, they will be forwarded to the HHSAA Executive Board for consideration.

Among the proposals that failed to pass out of committee but remain alive were the HHSAA's proposal to seal representation at five to the OIA, two each to the ILH, MIL and BIIF, and one to the KIF.

The state representation formula now is based on the number of teams participating in the league as compared to the total number in the state.

A second major proposal that failed to pass but still has a chance is the controversial 16-team tournament format. The sports of volleyball, basketball, soccer, softball and baseball now use a 12-team format to decide a state champion.

A proposal passed last year asked the HHSAA to study the concept of a 16-team tournament in which no team would receive a first-round bye and there would be four regionals of four teams each, with the winners advancing to a "Final Four" the following week. The HHSAA committee, which consisted of one representative from each league, recommended to HIADA that the boys' and girls' basketball championships be used in a 16-team format to test the new system.

The committee tackled the issue for nearly an hour before the proposal was defeated by a 16-12 vote. But the minority asked for a voice vote on the floor at the final general assembly.

Other proposals that passed out of committee include:

Establishing cheerleading as the 26th state tournament sport.

Adding Oahu to the rotation for cross country and golf.

Adding Maui to the rotation for baseball.

Moving the boys' and girls' volleyball championships to the same week, with the semifinals and finals at the Stan Sheriff Center in November.

Moving the 2001 state track and field championships to Maui.

Among the proposals that died in committee:

Making the boys' and girls' golf championship the same week.

Making the boys' and girls' soccer championship the same week.