2017 Soccer Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

Transcription

1 Soccer Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Florida High School Athletic Association 1801 NW 80 th Blvd., Gainesville, FL Monday, February 27, :00 a.m. I. Introduction and Purpose Mr. Ozuna called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. He welcomed committee members and attendees, and then notified members that the purpose of the meeting was to review the rules and regulations of FHSAA Soccer and make recommendations to the Board of Directors as deemed necessary. Meeting attendees were as follows: Jim Lieb, The Bolles School (Jacksonville); Jeffrey Klug, Milton High School; Dean Oliff, Gateway High School; Scott Carswell, Merritt Island High School; Scott Ware, Wharton High School (Tampa); David Trepkowski, Fort Myers High School; Margo Flack, Cardinal Gibbons High School (Fort Lauderdale); Leo Madrigal, Southwest Miami High School; Jeff Watson, Miami Country Day School, FACA Rep.; Jeff Kurzner, Greater Miami Athletic Conference, Ex-Officio. FHSAA staff members present were Alex Ozuna, Corey Sobers, Bryan Hoekzema, and Craig Damon. II. III. IV. Review Procedures, Agenda and Expense Vouchers Mr. Ozuna reviewed the procedures of the meeting, explained the process that a recommendation goes through prior to being implemented and gave the members time to complete their expense vouchers. Selection of the committee Vice Chairperson Committee members selected Scott Carswell as the Vice Chairperson. [Motion: Lieb, Second: Flack Vote (9-0) to Approve] Review 2016 Minutes The 2016 Soccer Advisory Committee Meeting minutes were reviewed by the committee. [Motion: Flack; Second: Lieb Vote 9-0 to Approve the Minutes] V. Review 2017 Soccer State Finals VI. The 2017 FHSAA Boys and Girls Soccer State Championship Tournament was held in Deland, Florida at Spec-Martin Stadium hosted by the FHSAA, in conjunction the City of Deland and Deland High School. Mr. Ozuna express sentiments of gratitude and appropriation for all the hard work the staff and volunteers with the City of Deland and Deland High School showed when putting together this event. During discussion, Mr. Ozuna explained the selection process of the host site, and that the tournament format was changed to a finals only for the finals due to field condition concerns if 30 tournament games were played. In addition, the committee discussed the field size during the games and the steps that will be taken next year to ensure a wider field. Old Business a. Official Game Time Recommendation: The official match time shall be kept by the designated head official on the field. If a scoreboard is used, it shall be stopped at 2 minutes Page 1

2 remaining in each period with an announcement that the official time will be kept by the time keeper on the scoreboard and it shall run down to 0:00 with a horn, buzzer or other signal to indicate the end of the match. Rationale: In too many games this year, the consistency of the application of time when using a scoreboard has caused too much controversy. Without a paid timekeeper, the use of scoreboards can cause problems with coaches and players relying upon it for end of game determination. Several games in the playoffs had questionable results due to both officiating errors and communication. The preference is obviously to have a scoreboard clock that mimics the exact time remaining on an official s watch. However, without a paid timekeeper as a part of the crew (like football), the use of a scoreboard clock causes problems. To satisfy both conditions it would be best to set the clock to stop at an arbitrary 2:00 remaining with an announcement that the official time is kept on the field. That way, everyone realizes the clock is an inaccurate guide to the end of the match. However, in cases where teams or schools wish to utilize a paid official as timekeeper; or in cases of the State Series Competition when there is a paid timekeeper; the use of a more accurate clock can still be done. Discussion: There was discussion on the fact that the referees are not accurately keeping the scoreboard consistent with their watch. It was clarified by Mr. Ozuna that the way the NFHS set it up, the clock stops so that there is no adage time. The committee discussed and agreed that the current set up only works if the timekeeper is paying attention. Therefore, they decided it would be best if there was an official timekeeper, or if it was stopped at 2 minutes so that there was less controversy. [Motion: Lieb; Second: Flack Vote 9-0 to Approve] b. Classification Recommendation: The FHSAA should reexamine soccer classifications and create equality with the sport similar to the other major team sports. Add additional classifications. Rationale: Boys and girls soccer currently competes within 5 classifications in the state of Florida. Other similar team sports such as softball, baseball, volleyball, boys and girls basketball compete in 9 classifications. Softball currently has 556 participating schools and baseball has 581 participating schools across 9 classifications. In comparison girls soccer competes with 528 and boys soccer 547 schools in 5 classifications. Across both boys and girls soccer 52 districts has 8 or more teams, including numerous 10 team districts. In comparison, only 13 districts across softball and baseball contain 8 or more. Previous reasoning behind nonexpansion of the soccer classifications have been a lack of rural school participation and the lack of money generated by the sport. To rebuke these arguments the state can just reclassify by total population. Creating smaller windows for schools to fit in classifications. Rural classifications are not needed. Additionally finance is always an area of topic, however creative revenue, such as raising ticket prices $1 to district tournaments and raising the fee for preseason tournaments could balance these costs. Discussion: The overall consensus is that there are too many teams in most districts. 8 teams should be the maximum allowed in a district, but currently there are many districts who have 9 or more teams. The committee discussed procedures for district tournament seeding and bracketing, and concluded that tournament seeding Page 2

3 VII. and bracketing is something that should be left to individual districts to determine collectively during the district planning meetings. Mr. Ozuna clarified that this item has passed by the SCAC and endorsed by the ADAC last year and if approved again by both committees the item would go to the Board of Directors for approval. There was discussion on how many classifications should be added with the consensus being that at least 1, possibly even 2 classifications should be added. [Motion: Flack; Second: Madrigal Vote 9-0 to Approve] c. Conduct Penalty Kicks in Non-District Games Recommendation: Allow penalty kicks procedures to be conduct, if a non-district game ends in at tie, and it is mutually agreed upon by participating schools. Rationale: As an option for a non-district games, if mutually agreed upon by participating schools, if at the end of regulation the game is tied, teams can conduct the penalty kicks procedure to determine a winner. This primarily is to prepare teams to take penalty kicks in a competitive setting. This will also allow referees to officiate and let them have the environment play out for them as well. This can be in the contract prior to the game. This would not be allowed in regular season district play. Discussion: The committee discussed the possibility of conducting penalty kicks during the regular season to offer players an in-game practice scenario that they wouldn t be able to experience otherwise until the postseason. The committee requested that this be discussed and stipulated in the game contract between the competing schools prior to the game. In addition, the committee stated that it will be the responsibility of the home team to communicate this information to the contest officials prior to the game as well. [Motion: Lieb; Second: Carswell Vote 9-0 to Approve] New Business a. Substitution Rule Recommendation: Adopt a substitution rule more in line with college standards. If a player is substituted in the first half, he/she may not re-enter until the 2nd half. In the 2nd half of play, every player is allowed to be substituted and re-entered into the match (not just the starting players) Rationale: This will put the HS game more in line with the college game. This can help the repeated substitutions at the end of matches for time wasting opportunities. Also, this will add more importance on your starting lineup, adding a little more strategy to starting the game. This will require home teams have an official book, like in basketball, to track substitutions for the referees. Discussion: The committee felt a rule of this nature would hinder a coach s ability to meet the overall goal of interscholastic of inclusion and participation for all. If the team is not comprised of all high-quality players, it denies opportunities for kids at the bottom of the roster to play more by limiting the amount of times they can get into the game. [Motion: Flack; Second: Lieb Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] Page 3

4 b. Headgear/Head Band Recommendation: Consider head gear/concussion head bands at the least Rationale: Provide more protection for players Discussion: The committee felt the current rules give schools and individual student-athletes the option to use soft head gear during competition. However, the committee felt that a mandate of head gear should not be set as current research on head gear indicate that there is no current product that prevents the occurrence of concussions. Mr. Ozuna pointed out that certain products (like soft head gear) can reduce possible impact forces to the head, but they do not prevent the occurrence of concussions. [Motion: Flack; Second: Madrigal Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] c. Final Four at Neutral Site Recommendation: Going back to true Final Four at neutral site for Semis and Finals Rationale: If you look at the brackets certain teams had 4 homes games into the final in addition the proper protocol for the state series needs to be followed. Finally if you look at the majority of other sports a final four still exists why the change for soccer. Think about the experience the student athlete should have. Discussion: The committee discussed the selection process of the host site for the state finals, and the reasoning as to why the tournament format was changed to a finals only. It was explained to the committee that the finals only format was implement this year due to field condition concerns at the selected venue. The selection committee felt the field would not hold up if 30 tournament games were played in a span of two weeks. During the discussion, the committee brought up concerns regarding district runner-ups hosting state semifinal games during the tournament. Mr. Ozuna clarified that the regional and state tournament are viewed as two different tournaments and once a team advances from the regional tournament to the state tournament that team is considered regional champion (regardless if the team was a district champion or runner-up) and thus has every right to host the state tournament game, if dictated by advancement procedures. [Motion: Watson; Second: Flack Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] d. Dark Home Uniforms Recommendation: Reverse the home and away jersey color requirements Rationale: The home team should wear colors representing their school colors as white is too plain for the home team. Let the visiting team wear all white and the home team be able to show their home crowd the creativity of their school colors within their home jersey. Discussion: The consensus of the committee was that traditionally in the sport of soccer the home teams wears their team colors for the home crowd and if the rule is adjusted schools will not have to purchase new uniforms, as teams would just flip what they wear during home and away games. [Motion: Lieb; Second: Watson Vote 9-0 to approve the recommendation] e. Mouth Guards Page 4

5 Recommendation: Make all players wear mouth pieces or alleviate it all together. Rationale: Hillsborough County requires public school players to wear mouth pieces. FHSAA should either make this rule applicable to all schools throughout Florida or alleviate it all together. *FIFA does NOT require mouth pieces since there is not evidence of fur. Discussion: The committee briefly discussed the item and felt that is should not be mandated for the sport as it is traditionally not used in the sport and current rules give individual student-athletes the option to use during interscholastic competition. [Motion: Flack; Second: Watson Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] f. 45 Minute Halves Recommendation: 45 min halves for post season games Rationale: Discussion: The committee briefly discussed the item and felt this change may put the FHSAA in bad standing with the NFHS was this recommendation would change a competition rule. [Motion: Flack; Second: Watson Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] g. Stadium Clock Recommendation: The use of stadium clocks. Rationale: It is not enforced the same way across the state. Discussion: The committee felt no further action is necessary in regards to this item as this item is being addressed with one of the old business items. The item was reviewed, but no further action taken was by the committee. h. Celebrating After Goal Recommendation: Celebrating after scoring a goal. Rationale: Referees enforce the rule different across the state. Discussion: Mr. Kurzner informed the committee that referees are told that anything that looks rehearsed is what should be called excessive celebration, and they are also told to remind the captains and coaches at their meeting. The consensus of the committee was that a student-athletes should receive some type of penalty for violating this rule, but felt an automatic suspension which follows after receiving a red card is not warned for this type of violation. The committee felt that similar offences Amended Recommendation: A player penalized for excessive celebration after a goal shall receive a blue card instead of a red card. [Motion: Lieb, Second: Watson Vote 9-0 to approve the amendment] [Motion: Flack; Second: Watson Vote 9-0 to approve the amended recommendation] i. Penalty After Red Card Recommendation: Penalty for red cards. Page 5

6 Rationale: Schools need to be notified ASAP when and how long a player is penalized Discussion: The committee briefly discussed this item but concluded that current practice is sufficiently satisfies the requirements of this recommendation. [Motion: Oliff; Second: Watson Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] j. Limited Water Break Recommendation: Limit the water breaks to the specific conditions as set by our rules and judged by the officials. Rationale: We are turning our sport into a 4 quarter event. Our sport is designed to have two flowing halves. We don't have time-outs and we don't have water breaks when the weather does not call for it. Players can easily be substituted without changing the flow of the game to accommodate hydration issues most times. Discussion: The committee felt the current water break procedure should not be adjusted as student-athlete hydration is a necessity regardless of temperature. In addition, the committee felt that they did not want to add the added responsibility to the contest official of determining whether the temperature is warm enough to implement the water break. [Motion: Trepkowski; Second: Madrigal Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] k. District Host Responsibility Recommendation: Districts host should be a rotation between all schools every year. Rationale: There are many times a school host every year or two years and that plays a big part because some have synthetic field vs natural grass. It should be every year it s a different school so it can be fair. Until all schools have hosted then it goes back to the rotation. Discussion: The committee discussed this item briefly and determined that this item has already been established within current policy. Currently during the district planning meeting, each district has the ability of determining which school will host the district tournament. There is no currently the policy which prevents a district from rotating the schools that host the district tournament, from year-toyear. [Motion: Flack; Second: Trepkowski Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] l. Overtime Procedures Recommendation: Change Overtime from golden goal to two 10 minute overtime. Rationale: It is not fair for two teams to play their hearts out an entire game and end a game on a golden goal. Most of the time, the golden goals are on mistakes. No one really uses golden goal anymore but high school and college. Let the kids play two extra period times of 10 minutes. Discussion: The committee discussed this item at length and determined that, because current NFHS rule currently states overtime shall be two ten minute periods, FHSAA soccer rules should reflect what is written in the NFHS rules book as it pertains to overtime procedures. Page 6

7 [Motion: Watson; Second: Flack Vote 8-1 to approve the recommendation] m. 9 vs. 9 Recommendation: Change number of players to 9 v. 9. Real soccer is supposed to be played on wider fields -- not American football fields. Rationale: I propose that, so long as we are playing on fields (only) as wide as American football fields, all games should be 9 v. 9. When you go from playing on an American football field to an actual soccer field (like many of the final four venues) the game changes tremendously. If we reduce the number of players on the field to 18 (instead of 22), my hope is that the players would have more space on the field to play the game the "right" way. Also, although I don't have the stats to back this up, I bet there are more injuries in games played on these narrow fields. If more of us played on wider fields (or reduced the congestion on our current fields), I bet we would see a reduction in collisions, concussions, and injuries. (Of course, I realize that we would need to come up with actual dimensions as to when the 9 v. 9 format would apply, but I thought I'd float this idea out there...). Discussion: The consensus of the committee was that current high school soccer field size does not warrant a shift to 9 vs 9 soccer. The committee will like to keep the current field participation numbers the same. [Motion: Fleck; Second: Watson Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] n. Start/End Season Dates Recommendation: The start and end dates for Varsity boys soccer need to be reexamined. Moved at least one week later Rationale: : The days of students practicing over the holiday break are over and for the past two years we have to play districts within 10 days of returning to school. Most schools next year will not return to class until January 8 th. Discussion: The committee felt that it would be nice if the season started later because football is still going on and so often times you don t have the field available. The committee felt that there are too many other sports going on when the season starts and it makes it tough to schedule and start games. In addition, the committee felt that the winter break at the end of the girls season makes it tough to get all the district games in and leaves little room to reschedule any postponed games. However, the committee felt that since the season was just adjusted by one week, during the previous year, it may be to earlier to request additional season adjustment. [Motion: Madrigal; Second: Watson Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] o. Yellow Card Limitation for Teams Recommendation: Yellow card limit per team Rationale: I have observed far too many yellow cards in Florida H.S. soccer. I came from WI, they have a great team yellow card limit. They are allowed 24 games so the max card limit is 24. Over that and you are not allowed in post-season play. That rule has placed a greater emphasis on fair play and it has improved referee and coach relations. Referees do not control games with cards and they communicate more Page 7

8 with players and coaches about player behavior. I would recommend you look into or call the WIAA in Wisconsin. The games are much more enjoyable. Discussion: The committee felt this was a good idea but too difficult to implement in a state that has over 500 participating schools. [Motion: Flack; Second: Trepkowski Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] p. Yellow Card Limitation for Individual Recommendation: Yellow card limit for individuals Rationale: Many states have a yellow limit for individuals. After the first 5 yellow cards the coach is required to sit the player for one game. Then it is every 3 cards. I have heard kids brag for receiving a yellow card in every game. Once tournament play starts their individual count starts over. The games in Southwest Florida are way too physical, I believe some accountability is in order. Discussion: The committee felt this was a good idea but too difficult to implement in a state that has over 500 participating schools. [Motion: Madrigal; Second: Flack Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] q. District Tournament Eligibility Recommendation: In districts with more than 6 teams. Bottom 2 teams should not qualify to participate. Rationale: A great soccer team will beat a not so good team on any day of the week even if the great soccer team are not at 100%. Ex: My girls were mercy ruled in regular season by the team we were assigned to play in the first round of districts. Going into the game my girls already were deflated and ended up getting beat worse than the first time. I suggest the bottom 2 teams do not go to districts because it ends up being a waste of time and resources. Discussion: The committee felt that this is something the can currently be implemented on a district by district basis. Currently districts have the power to determine the amount of teams that advance to the district tournament when voting during the district planning meeting. [Motion: Flack; Second: Lieb Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] r. Goal Differential for District Tiebreaker Recommendation: Change the tiebreaker system to include goal differential +/- 4 goals before away wins and home wins. Rationale: if a district schedule is unbalanced where one team has more away games than the other that it makes the points from away contests or home contest very unfair. Especially if the higher seed gets a home game in the district semifinal. Discussion: The committee felt that adding a goal differential can allows bring sportsmanship issues regardless of the +/- 4 goals. The overall consensus was that a change to the tiebreaker procedure was warranted, but adding a goal differential feature may not be the best method of accomplishing that change. [Motion: Oliff; Second: Lieb Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] s. Elimination of District Tournament Page 8

9 VIII. IX. Recommendation: Do away with district playoffs. Rationale: With the system in play, at times the season does not mean anything. You could end up with teams with losing records in the state playoffs as district winners. Have each team in district play a home and home. Top two in district move on. Discussion: The committee felt the district tournament is an important part of the student-athlete experience and they do not wish to remove it. [Motion: Madrigal; Second: Flack Vote 9-0 to deny the recommendation] FACA Recommendations The FACA meeting was cancelled this year due to the hurricane. The clinic will be held this year in Orlando. Compliance & Eligibility Update Mr. Damon gave the committee an update on current compliance and eligibility issues. Mr. Damon state to the committee that a lot of changes occurred this year, but the will be some changes next year, such as open enrollment for all schools in the state of Florida. In addition, Mr. Damon reminded the committee members that coaches need to be careful with that information that is put out on social media, as coaches can/will lose their jobs over information that is put on their social media accounts X. Round Table Discussion a. Three Whistle System Discussion: The committee discussed the topic of the three whistle system at length. Some committee members felt that the three whistle system causes too many discrepancies, especially when it comes to offside calls. However, during the discussion, Mr. Kurzner pointed out that the three whistle system gives side officials the responsibility to make foul calls throughout the contest, and if implemented correctly, it allows the side official to make the appropriate foul calls in the area while staying around the last defender. Mr. Kurnzer pointed out that this main issue is that crews are not utilizing the system correctly, and are using the concepts of the two flag system, while in the three whistle system, which creates confusions and failure to make the appropriate calls. XI. b. Create a Separate Division for Private Schools Discussion: The committee discussed this item and concluded that a public versus private argument goes beyond recruiting and that there are many factors to consider when discussing this topic. The committee discussed how this topic has been brought up through many different venues but never gains any traction. Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 1:04 PM Page 9