AHSAA approves record $1.8 million in schools revenue sharing plan
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (ahsaa.com) — The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control approved returning a record $1.8 million to its member schools under its Revenue Sharing Plan. The action was taken Wednesday at its annual summer meeting in Montgomery.
The AHSAA Legislative Council also met Wednesday.
The Revenue Sharing Plan, approved first by the Central Board in 2009, has returned $9.8 million to its member schools over the last six years. The formula for the distribution of funds includes a differential between classifications and the number of sports played by non-football-playing schools. The plan returns excess funds back to the schools when the AHSAA has at least one year’s working capital in reserve.
The Central Board of Control also approved waiving membership dues for member schools for the 24th straight year – a cost savings of more than $83,000 in 2015-16 and approximately $2 million to our member schools since 1992.
“Returning $1.8 million to our schools through our revenue-sharing plan is certainly important to the financial well-being of our schools,” AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese said. “We are proud to have now returned almost $12 million to our schools through the Revenue Sharing Plan and the waiving of school dues. I thank our Central Board for its strong leadership and thank our valued corporate partners for their commitment to our member schools, our student-athletes and our educational based programs.”
The Central Board also heard appeals from Murphy, Muscle Shoals, John Carroll Catholic and Daphne high schools. In each case, the Central Board upheld the sanctions administered by the executive director with only one change. The one-year restrictive probation sanction in the respective sport was reduced to regular probation for one year – which allows the program to compete in championship play during the probationary period.
Central Board president Mike Welsh said, “Because of the rule change in April, it allowed the board to consider the efforts of the schools in question to correct the problems. Before the rules change, the executive director did not have that option.”
He said each member school has taken measures that included self-imposed sanctions and restrictions. “Because of the actions taken by the schools, the board felt that lifting the restrictive probation was justified.”
The sports affected at each school were Murphy (girls’ basketball); Muscle Shoals (football); John Carroll Catholic (football); and Daphne (volleyball).
AHSAA Associate Executive Director Tony Stallworth swore in several new board members. They included Blount principal Jerome Woods (District 1), Dadeville administrator Pam Holloway (District 4), Center Point principal Van Phillips (District 5), Wadley principal Lori Carlisle and Lawrence County principal Thomas Jones (District 7). Not in attendance was Sumter County Schools’ superintendent Dr. Tyrone Yarbrough.
The Board also was updated on AHSAA’s Corporate Partner program. ALFA is the newest corporate partner, and Jacks’ increased its support bringing the total to nine in the Corporate Partner Program (Alabama Power, ALFA, Cadence Bank, Coca-Cola, Encore Rehabilitation, Jacks’, Russell, Team IP and Wilson).
The Board also approved recommendations by the AHSAA’s Sports Committees including changing the new Baseball Pitch Count Rule pitching limitation from team level to grade level.
The Central Board also was updated about the AHSAA Five-Year Strategic Plan, which is entering its fifth year. AHSAA Assistant Director Denise Ainsworth informed the board that all 24 goals of the strategic plan have been completed, implemented or studied.
The Board also recognized and thanked retiring AHSAA Assistant Director Greg Brewer for his dedicated service and was introduced to his replacement Mark Jones.
In other Central Board action:
– Approved the financial reports for the spring championships in soccer, softball, baseball and track.
– Reviewed and approved 2016-17 publications including the AHSAA Handbook, the combined 2016-17 AHSAA Sports Book.
– Approved the 2016-17 budgets for the AHSAA and the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association AHSADCA) and the 2015-16 audits for each group.
– Approved a new Consent and Release Form that must be signed by all student-athletes and their parents beginning in 2016-17.
– Approved a recommendation from the Competition Committee to explore a State Cheerleading Plan that includes regional competition.
– Approved the request from Cornerstone Christian School of Rainsville to be removed from AHSAA middle-school membership.
— Was updated about the AHSAA insurance coverages and School Audit Program.
Action by the AHSAA Legislative Council, which met in the afternoon:
– Heard a review of the Central Board action.
– Reviewed and approved the new Handbook and Sports Book publications.
