Notes from Monday's executive board meeting

September 17, 2013 by Jose Garcia, AZPreps365


The probation of Deer Valley dominated the headlines Monday, but other items were discussed during Monday’s executive board meeting at the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Phoenix office.

Below are some of the other topics the board tackled:

The board wants to continue to search for a better way to set up a system for representatives that want to introduce a new sport to the AIA.

Flag football, robotics and lacrosse are some of the programs that are being mentioned as potential new AIA sponsored events.  

---The board agreed to send the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association a letter of apology for the sideline behavior of Steve Belles, Hamilton’s football coach, during the August Sollenberger Classic game between Mountain Pointe and Bishop Gorman in Nevada.

Eddie Bonine, the executive director of the NIAA, filed a complaint against Belles, who argued with Mountain Pointe’s principal during the Sollenberger Classic game before the Belles and the principal shook hands.

---Joe Paddock, the Amphitheater Public Schools district athletic director, was selected to join the AIA’s executive board as the 4A conference representative.

---The executive board allowed Salt River’s football program to forego its chance of reaching the playoffs this season and to cancel its upcoming varsity games against Bagdad and Salome.

Salt River has struggled to compete against better programs and is concerned about the safety of its players. The program has lost a handful of players to injury, and the turnout for Salt River football was low this year.   

Salt River’s section games will now be considered freedom games for rankings purposes.

---The board granted Phoenix Christian’s request to allow about five players to play in junior varsity and varsity games this season.

Phoenix Christian is the only school that moved up two divisions this year, and its enrollment isn’t as high as the Division III teams it plays.

---The AIA’s executive director, Dr. Harold Slemmer, will serve on the executive board of the Positive Coaching Alliance, which partnered up with the AIA last year.

The Positive Coaching Alliance is considered a national leader in character development programs for the parents of athletes, athletic departments, coaches, and athletes.

---At the board’s request, the basketball committee will attempt to find ways to reduce travel for super sectional basketball tournament games.