A Message From the Executive Director …

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As we enter the first full month of the 2007-08 school year, the focus in our office turns to Cross Country, Swimming & Diving, and Volleyball.  There are more students participating in IGHSAU sanctioned activities in the fall season than at any other time during the year.  With 4,200 running, 1,700 in the pool and 15,000 knocking down the nets, the total of 20,000 student participants makes this a very active time of the year.

Our staff spends much of September building the tournament series schedules for these sports.  The final touches are being made to the volleyball assignments, which are due out just after September 15^th.  Our goal is to assess the first two-three weeks of play in order to have a handle on team strength.  As I’ve mentioned before in this column, while geography remains a primary consideration when regions are drawn, we also attempt to split strength to the greatest degree possible.  We attempt to have those assignments out approximately four weeks before the tournament series begins.  The next two weeks are then devoted to assigning over 1,000 officials to work those matches.

Cross Country sites are out, with the teams assigned later this month.  We can wait longer to split teams in cross country, as the assignment procedure for officials is much less complicated.  Splitting strength is very complicated in this sport, as the regional meets are run co-ed.  Our staff not only attempts to split power within the girls programs, but also works with the Iowa High School Athletic Association staff as boys’ power is split.  With fewer regional qualifying sites, and the additional complications with splitting both girl and boy strength, the process takes some extra time.

Swimming pairings are due later this month, with regional sites announced in mid-September.  Qualifying on a time basis removes some of the necessity of splitting team strength, although that is still a factor as assignments are made.  However, with diving taking a finite number from each regional site to state, a split of diving strength is a major factor in determining how teams are assigned, and we like to get at least one 11-dive meet on the books to fully assess strength.

This past week, the Athletic Union announced upcoming state tournament sites for golf and tennis.  With those announcements, championship sites have been determined in all sports through at least the rest of this decade.  We take pride in ensuring our tournaments are in the best possible venue.  I’ve described in previous columns the best venue doesn’t just mean the best arena, or the best soccer pitch, but it also includes the interest and commitment of the host community and availability of housing for not only teams but also fans.

The Athletic Union does not solicit bid fees for any state tournament site, and does not accept cash payments from any city awarded a State Tournament.   These facts help insure financial obstacles which would prevent a city from expressing interest are removed.

Cross Country is set through and including 2009 at Kennedy Park in Fort Dodge.  We recently extended our agreement with the Community Y of Marshalltown to host the State Swimming and Diving through 2012.  A volleyball extension was inked in Cedar Rapids in 2006 for 10 years, through 2015. 

Basketball has an agreement through 2020 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.  Track and Field is set to run as a co-ed championship through 2015 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.  These are the two largest state tournaments from an attendance standpoint.

Soccer begins the first year of a new five-year extension in Muscatine next spring, ensuring that tournament remains in the city through 2012.  Bowling will be held at Plaza Lanes in Des Moines through 2011.  Softball will mark its 40^th anniversary in Fort Dodge by the end of the current contract with that city in 2015. 

The State Golf tournament will be held in Marshalltown in 2008 and 2009, and in the Des Moines area in 2010-2012.  Elmwood Country Club and the American Legion will serve as host courses in Marshalltown, with Otter Creek and Copper Creek hosting the event in the Des Moines area.  The State Co-Ed Golf Tournament will be at Copper Creek in 2008 and 2009, returning to Otter Creek in 2010-2012.

State Tennis is split by class, due the need for numerous indoor courts in any host city.  We hope to play the entire tournament outdoors, but weather doesn’t always cooperate.  The 1A tournament moves from Decorah in 2008 to Johnston in 2009, Iowa City in 2010 and Waterloo in 2011 and 2012.  The 2A tournament is in Ames in 2008, Iowa City in 2009, 2011 and 2012, and Johnston in 2010.  The Co-Ed Tennis tournament will be in the Des Moines area through 2012.

We have made a concerted effort to lock sites through at least the upcoming five-year period.  There is a great deal of planning that goes on for both our office and the host city, and the long term agreements have proven to be invaluable in ensuring a great state tournament venue.

One other item you will notice this year is the championship trophy on display a year in advance in the respective host cities.  The trophies have undergone a redesign this year, and have been made available to our host cities to display to promote the tournament coming later this school year.  We hope to have these on display later in the month throughout all of our 2007-2008 championship venues.

It seems impossible that the fall sports are nearly at their halfway point, and we are building toward state tournaments, but that time will be here soon.  Mid-October through mid-November is easily the busiest 30 day period of the year.  Everyone on our staff looks forward to building toward the tournament and the crowning of state champions.  Best of luck to everyone as the fall progresses.