April 25, 2007: Meeting Summary

Held April 25, 2007

1. Strongly recommend that athletes wear mouth guards while participating in contact sports (volleyball, field hockey, basketball, wrestling, soccer, water polo, and lacrosse) where the NFHS rules do not already mandate such wearing.

2. Recommend that, if the proposed football play-off system is adopted by the MSHSAA member schools beginning with the 2008-09 school year, the Football Advisory Committee develop a bi-seasonal research component to monitor heat and non-heat related injuries, a system by which game officials shall call a quarterly mandatory water-break time-out for at least the first two games of the regular season, educational guidelines for coaches regarding the acclimatization process of players, a point of emphasis for coaches to take a conservative approach in terms of intensity during the pre-season scrimmage, and a point of emphasis to schedule the starting time of at least the first two regular season games when the heat index is potentially lower.

3. Recommend that a dermatologist be on-site at the State Wrestling Tournament to confirm physicians’ skin condition diagnoses.

4. Recommend that a point of emphasis to clean/disinfect all mats at the end of wrestling tournaments, including the State Tournament, be presented at all wrestling rules meetings as part of the process of the prevention of the spreading of communicable diseases.

5. Went on record in support of the current 14-day policy regarding physicians’ skin condition notes in wrestling.

6. Recommend that a place for the emergency contact person’s cell phone number be added to the Pre-Participation Physical Examination form.

7. Went on record in support of scheduling all four races of the 3200 meter run at the Track and Field Championships on Friday evening in order to reduce heat concerns.

8. Went on record in support of shortening the race distance and/or scheduling the starting time of the races when the heat index is potentially lower for at least the first two weeks of the cross country season in order to minimize heat concerns.

All items approved