MINUTES - SOFTBALL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Held October 31, 2018, at the MSHSAA Office, Columbia, MO
Members present: Jeff Graviett, Shelly Deen, Shawna Bybee, Josh Walker, Brad Purvis, Shannon England, Lee Dishman, Courtney Haskell, Nikki Herman.
Lou Mazzocco attended representing the MSHSAA staff and Tom Jacobsen representing the Missouri softball association.
Lou introduced himself, welcomed the group, and thanked the members for their service. All members introduced themselves.
Lou asked the group to review and approve the minutes from the 2017 meeting.
Motion Haskell, Herman second, to approve the minutes of the 2017 Softball Advisory Committee meeting that was held on November 1, 2017. Motion passed 9-0.
Lou went on to the Board Action to 2017 Committee Recommendations.
Lou reviewed the MSHSAA Softball Manual. He covered section 1 of the manual and he opened the floor to anyone with corrections or questions. Lou mentioned that the site selection process was somehow removed, but will be in the manual as an appendix for next year. He went on to section 4 (District Tournament Information) of the manual.
Lou went on to Board Policy on Preseason Interschool Scrimmages. They are no longer called that and are called Jamborees. Opened number of teams you can invite is another change to the policy.
New Business was as follows:
Lou updated the committee on the status of the 2018 Softball Championship series. There was a lot of rain during District play that had some consequences for a lot of districts. A lot of districts played multiple rounds in one day. 3615 was our attendance at fall state softball. 12 of our 16 teams were new from last year. Lou talked about the 4 day window for Districts, and this year we stretched Districts to Monday and Tuesday. Lou opened the floor to anyone you had thoughts about the district window. The committee chose to combine this discussion with New Business Item F. It was considered to expand the Fall window to include Tuesday as well. Lou recommended to the committee to survey the softball playing schools about moving the fall softball district start play on Tuesday.
Motion Haskell, Purvis second, to Survey member schools to expand Fall District window to go from Tuesday to Saturday. Motion passed 9-0.
Lou went on to the next agenda item review of dates for 2019.
Josh discussed coaches being responsible for the umpire draft. He said to have coaches oversee the draft, but athletic directors of the schools are there. The floor was open for further discussion. Josh suggested that we put having 2 coaches on the tournament committee for districts. Lou added it in the district manager’s manual.
England discussed his agenda item which was conflict of state softball playoffs and tournament games with other MSHSAA playoff events. Park Hill is play championship game on Saturday with track sectionals on the same day. There was a top ranked pole vaulter on the softball team. England’s issue is state championships on the same day as a huge track event. After further discussion Lou said that the student-athlete has to make choices.
Motion by England, second by Bybee to recommend moving the spring state championships to Thursday and Friday. Motion failed 2-0 with 7 abstaining.
Purvis went on to the next agenda item, dropped 3rd strike having a more prompt out call by the umpire. After further discussion Lou said that he will take this to his umpires and see what the right mechanics are.
Deen started talking about the next agenda item, 1:30 time limit tournaments-run rule 8 after 5, 12 after 3. The table was open for further discussion. No action was taken.
Lou went on to the next agenda item, contest limits. Right now it’s at 20 games and 1 tournament, 18 and 2 tournaments, 14 and 3 tournaments.
Motion by Walker, second by Graviett to recommend changing the contest limitations from 14 and 3 to 16 and 3. Motion passed 8-0 with one abstaining.
Discussion about permissible and impermissible regular season and post season bench conduct. Explanation that walk up music for your team and not the other team would be permissible in the regular season, but playoffs you need to play walk up music for both or neither. Lou discussed a number of complaints regarding the use of artificial noisemakers in the dugout and one school that was banging on buckets with drumsticks during a pitchers wind up.
Motion by England, second by Graviett recommending staff develop language to be placed in the Softball Manual outlining permissible and impermissible bench/dugout conduct for the regular season to include a ban on artificial noisemakers. Motion passed 9-0
Lou discussed the work of the Ad Hoc Committee on Classifications. Provided general outline of the committees work and direction it is heading. Explained it would be possible for Fall class expansion but Spring would still need to get to 128 schools. No action was taken.
Lou explained the AD Advisory committee’s recommendation about the offseason instructional contact insert in everyone’s’ packet. Graviett dasked if this would eliminate all “Open Facility” options. Lou explained he believed the school only would be eliminated but the community one may remain in plkace.
Motion by Graviett, second by Walker to go on record in support of the AD Advisory committee’s recommendation. Motion passed 9-0
England had a coach come with him with a concern on district seeding. The coach wants it to be a point system. The table was open for further discussion. No action was taken.
Minutes of the Softball Advisory Committee, Page 2
October 31, 2018 at the MSHSAA Office, Columbia, Missouri
Lou thanked Shannon England for his years of service to the committee and presented him with a certificate.
The next scheduled meeting of the Softball Advisory Committee was scheduled for November 6th, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the MSHSAA Office, Columbia, MO.
The meeting adjourned at 1:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lou Mazzocco, Assistant Executive Director
LM/sl