2008 GirlsÕ State Basketball Tournament
Regulations and Guidelines
This letter spells out information and regulations associated with participation in the 2008 GirlsÕ State Basketball Tournament. This information is being posted well before qualifying teams are known in order for some preparation to be made in advance. Please contact our office should questions about the state tournament remain after reviewing this letter. Keep in mind regulations as posted in the basketball tournament manual shall apply unless otherwise specified in this letter or in other associated correspondence.
STATE TOURNAMENT PROGRAM
INFORMATION
Program information forms must be filled out and sent to the IGHSAU electronically. Coaches must log onto the IGHSAU website to fill out these forms. Access to these forms will require a user name and password. Athletic Directors have previously been supplied the user name and password.
Each school must supply a team picture to Jason Eslinger at the IGHSAU. You must e-mail a JPEG file of a team picture to Jason at jasoneslinger@ighsau.org. Please be sure to include identification with your photo. All information must be received no later than Friday, February 15. Failure to meet this deadline will result in having this information omitted from the state tournament publications. Please contact Jason if you have trouble with the on-line process.
ATHLETIC UNION OFFICE
The Athletic Union office in Wells Fargo Arena will be located in the Business Suite on the 200 Level. This office will be staffed from 8:00 am through the conclusion of the final game each day of the tournament. Scores, box scores and other statistics will be posted on the Athletic Union web site (www.ighsau.org) following each game throughout the week.
WELLS FARGO ARENA TICKETING
Wells Fargo Arena has three seating levels. The 100 Level, referred to as the lower bowl, seats over 8,000. The 200 Level surrounds the middle of the arena and seats over 2,000. The 300 Level, referred to as the upper deck, seats over 6,000. Your ticket allows seating in any location, although the upper deck is closed to all seating unless the size of the crowd warrants its use. All tickets are general admission for $8. Wells Fargo Arena does not accept checks.
Advance tickets are available for purchase either at the Wells Fargo Box Office, by telephone at 866-553-2457, or through the Wells Fargo web site (www.iowaeventscenter.com).
There are suites located throughout the building. These suites are corporately owned. Access to the suite-level is available solely for these suite owners and any school administrator needing access to the IGHSAU Office located in the Business Suite. There are no suite rentals available from the Athletic Union during the week of the tournament.
There is no public seating on the floor level of the arena. Only media, participating teams, cheerleaders, entertainers, etc. holding IGHSAU issued access passes or wristbands are permitted access to the floor level.
WHO MUST HOLD A TICKET All children 2 years and older will be required to have a seating ticket. Children under 2 who will occupy their own seat will need a ticket. Children under 2 who do not occupy their own seat are admitted free of charge.
Doors for each session of the tournament open 60 minutes prior to tip-off of the first game.
SALE OF TICKETS
FIRST ROUND: Tickets for sale to your community followers will be sent via UPS from the State Office to all 32 state qualifiers on the day following your qualifying for the State Tournament. Contact Karon Brown or Sherry Tegtmeier (515-288-9741) should you have ticket questions or additional needs beyond the tickets sent through the initial allotment to your school.
SECOND ROUND: If
your school wins its first round game, second round tickets will be available
for community sale. At the end of
your first round game, an administrator must pick these tickets up in the
IGHSAU administrative office in the Business Suite on the 200 Level.
IMPORTANT NOTE - All unsold tickets must be returned to
the IGHSAU administrative office
in the Business Suite on the 200 Level at Wells Fargo Arena prior to your game. Due to the ticketing structure in place
at Wells Fargo Arena, tickets which are not returned prior to your game will be considered ŌsoldĶ and your
school will be appropriately billed.
It is recommended spectators purchase first and second round tickets from their school, as this will alleviate any wait at the box office windows. Ticket-holders may enter the arena from the northwest entrance, or the skywalk entrance – the two closest entrances to parking areas. Those without a ticket must purchase a ticket at the Wells Fargo Arena box office located on the southwest corner of the arena. The third entrance to the arena is located at the box office.
Note: The IGHSAU pays each school a fee of $0.25 per ticket sold by the school locally in its community. This applies to first and second round games.
CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS: If your school advances to a championship game, tickets will NOT be sent back to your community, but rather sold on-site at Wells Fargo Arena.
Advanced ticket sale windows behind Section 101 will open immediately upon the conclusion of each first and second round game, and remain open through half-time of the following game. This schedule is to accommodate fans from a winning team seeking to buy their ticket for the next round.
In addition, all 13 box office
windows at the southwest entrance to the arena will sell advance round tickets at any time. Please note the main box office is located on the lower level in the
southwest corner of the building and outside of the ticketed area, proper. In order to watch additional games of a
session after purchasing an advance round ticket, individuals must use the
advance sale windows behind section 101.
COMPLIMENTARY ADMINISTRATOR
TICKETS
Each participating school will be
supplied four (4) general admission tickets for their teamÕs first round game
for distribution to its school administrators. These tickets will be included in the mailing containing
your schoolÕs community sale tickets sent via UPS from the State Office the day
following your qualifying for the State Tournament. These tickets are provided to assist school
administrators in providing proper supervision of its fans.
Four (4) general admission
tickets are also available for administrators of second round qualifiers and
championship teams. These tickets
must be claimed at the IGHSAU administrative office located in the Business
Suite on the 200 Level prior to the end of the session your team
participates. Again,
these tickets are provided in recognition of your responsibility for
supervision of spectators at the event.
GENERAL ADMISSION SEATING
GUIDANCE
Home team spectators (bottom line of a pairing bracket) should sit on the west (team and scorerÕs bench) side of the arena. Visiting team spectators (top line of a pairing bracket) should sit on the east (opposite the team and scorerÕs bench) side of the arena.
Public address announcements and the overhead video-board will provide game-day direction for the transition of fans from one game to the next.
TEAM, CHEERLEADER ENTRANCE
INTO WELLS FARGO ARENA
There is one (1) pass gate for the participating team travel party and cheerleaders. It is located at the NE corner (2nd St.) of the Arena, at street level. This is also the only entrance for a participating team wishing to enter to watch a session of the tournament in which it is not participating. No tickets are provided for the team travel party or cheerleaders. Rather, you will be issued wristbands upon entering the pass gate. A new wristband is issued each day.
Wristbands are required to be at floor level. Specific instructions for the wristband use will be given to teams at check-in. There are no concession or merchandise stands on floor level. Players, coaches, managers or cheerleaders wishing to access the public areas of the building can do so only WEARING a wristband and only through a designated access point. Likewise, access to the floor from the public area is only available to those WEARING a wristband or IGHSAU credentials.
The official team travel party is
limited to a total of 23 persons (coaches, players, chaperone, managers and/or
trainers). The entire party of 23
must enter together. Under no
circumstances will anyone in excess of 23 be allowed admittance to floor level
or entry through the pass gate. Each school determines the composition of its 23 person
travel party. Children under high
school age may be part of the 23 member travel party but must be accompanied by
an adult at all times.
Each participating school is
allowed up to six cheerleaders in uniform during the session in which it
participates. These cheerleaders
must enter through the pass gate.
This allowance is above and beyond the 23 included in the team travel
party. One cheerleading supervisor
will also be admitted through the pass gate when accompanying the cheerleaders. Remember, a mascot is considered one of
the six cheerleaders.
TEAM BUS PARKING
After dropping off the team at the pass gate, participating team busses will be directed to designated parking in the north parking lot at VeteranÕs Auditorium. There is no charge for parking of participating team busses. Other busses parking in the VetÕs lot are assessed $25 per day for parking.
SPECTATOR PARKING
Charter or pep busses carrying
spectators will drive south on 3rd Street (this is a one-way
street---need to be in the left lane) and drop off fans at the south entrance
of Wells Fargo Arena. From there,
they may proceed directly south on 3rd Street to Principal Park
(home of I-Cubs baseball) where the bus may be parked free of charge. Once parked, the driver may then call
515-282-8111 and ask for the ŌSchool Bus Shuttle CabĶ to pick them up at
Principal Park. The one-way fee to
Wells Fargo Arena is approximately $6.
When the driver is ready to return to Principal Park, they need to call
515-282-8111 or use the Taxi Courtesy Phones located throughout Wells Fargo
Arena and ask for the ŌSchool Bus Shuttle CabĶ. They will be picked up at the south entrance of Wells Fargo
Arena at Third and Center Streets and returned to Principal Park for
approximately $6. The approximate wait
time for a taxi is 5 to 7 minutes from when the call is made.
Individual vehicle parking is
available in the lot immediately north of VeteranÕs Auditorium. The lot charge is $6. Other parking options include parking
ramps at 7th and Crocker, 5th and Grand, and 4th
and Locust. A map showing
recommended access to Wells Fargo Arena and surrounding parking is located at
the following web site (http://www.i235.com/tournament_maps.htm). Be aware all downtown parking ramps are
connected directly with Wells Fargo Arena via the skywalk system. Maps assisting spectatorÕs travel from
the arena to I-235 will be available at the Arena and at the web site listed
above.
HOTEL INFORMATION
The Des Moines Convention and
Visitors Bureau has provided a listing of hotels and rates. To download this list, please click
here.
PARADE OF PARTICIPATING TEAMS
– Friday Night
All teams not playing in a championship game will participate in the Friday evening Parade of Teams during halftime of the 1A championship game (first game of the evening). The team party of 23 to include players, in uniform or in a common team warm-up suit, along with the coaches and managers take part in this parade. Attendance is required. More details will be provided to each team upon its arrival at the tournament.
TEAM DINNER – VeteranÕs
Memorial Auditorium, 4:00-5:30 p.m. Friday
A complimentary pasta bar for the
23-person travel party of each team will be held in VeteranÕs Memorial
Auditorium Friday, February 29 beginning at 4:00 p.m. A meatless option will be included. The event is buffet-style. No tickets
are necessary. You will check in
with an IGHSAU staff member at the door. Attendance is optional.
TEAM HONORS BREAKFAST –
VeteranÕs Memorial Auditorium, 10:00 a.m. Saturday
The Team Honors Breakfast,
recognizing all participants, coaches, and administrators will be held on
Saturday, March 1 at 10:00 am in VeteranÕs Memorial Auditorium. All 32 schools qualifying for the State
Basketball Tournament will participate in this event which includes recognition
of the Hall of Fame Class of 2008, the E. Wayne Cooley Scholarship Award
winner, a Hall of Fame Coach, and other awards.
Each school is allotted 18 seats
at the breakfast for players and coaches.
In addition, each qualifying school superintendent, principal, and athletic
director are invited to the breakfast.
Additional housing and travel
allowances will be provided to schools for their participation in this event,
which is a mandatory function of the tournament. Attire is dress casual (no jeans, sweatsuits, etc).
A tradition of the HonorÕs
Breakfast involves having schools stand during the breakfast to sing their
school song. While it is not
practical to involve all 32 teams, all schools playing in championship games
will be asked to sing their school song for the other participants at the
breakfast. Also, one other school
from each class will be drawn at random to sing. Team members whose rendition is judged to be the best will
win T-shirts. Des Moines Roosevelt
is the defending champion.
TRAINERS
A certified athletic trainer from
Iowa Health--Des Moines, Outpatient Therapy staff will be positioned at each
end of the playing floor near the basket.
They will go onto the playing floor only when directed by a coach. They are also available prior to each
game for taping, treatment, etc. in a room across the hall from the locker
rooms. Note – Trainers
accompanying a specific team must be included in the 23 member travel party and
must be seated on the team bench. No school personnel are permitted in the seats designated for
the IGHSAU training staff.
BASKETBALLS
Do not bring basketballs to Wells
Fargo Arena. We will have balls
for each team to use during the warm-up periods associated with your actual
tournament games. These balls
remain at the ScorerÕs Bench. Do
not take them from the playing floor area. The balls will be identical to those used in the tournament
games. There will be no towels
available at the Arena. Each team
needs to furnish its own towels.
PRACTICE
Practice on the arena floor is prohibited prior to your actual pre-game time sequence. However, should your team wish to practice on a 94-foot floor prior to the tournament, it is acceptable to practice in other facilities as long as no school time is missed.
PRE-GAME WARM-UP
The playing floor will be
available thirty minutes before each session. Teams will be allowed fifteen minutes on the floor to
warm-up between games. Specific
instructions for team introductions will be given at the tournament.
DRESSING ROOMS IN THE ARENA
The dressing rooms are located at
the west side of the Arena. Each
team is solely responsible for its own valuables. While each player will have a locker available in the
dressing rooms, there is no area to lock valuables. A locker room monitor will be on duty at all times while your
team members are associated with the dressing room. We have made every attempt to create a pleasant stay for
your team while participating in the arena. No fans or parents will be allowed access to the floor level
of the arena. Once a team member
is dressed in uniform for the game, she will not be allowed access to any other
level of the arena. Taping will be
done in the sports medicine area across the hall from the dressing rooms.
MEDIA INTERVIEWS
Following each game, teams are
given a 5-minute cooling off period in their locker rooms. At that point, the head coach and
three players selected by the head coach, shall report to the interview room to
answer requests for interviews from the media.
ARENA SECURITY
All bags and purses are subject to search by Wells Fargo Arena security prior to spectator entry. No outside food or drink is allowed to be carried into the arena by spectators.
BANNERS, SIGNS and NOISEMAKERS
The display or use of banners, signs, hoops, placards, or other paper product is strictly prohibited. Additionally any objects which provide a safety concern (pom-poms on a stick, helium products, etc) are prohibited. All artificial noisemakers (airhorns, cowbells, thunder-sticks, etc) are prohibited. Spectators will not be allowed to bring any of these items into the arena. Any of these items discovered in the arena will be confiscated by arena security and destroyed. Uniformed cheerleaders may use signs or cards to lead cheers only.
PETS
Except as otherwise stated
herein, no pets are permitted at events sanctioned by the Union. Any
persons found with a pet at an event will be removed from the premises.
However, this policy shall comply with the provisions of Iowa Code ¤216C.
As such, a person with a disability or a person training an assistive animal
has the right to be accompanied by a service dog or an assistive animal, under
control. The person is liable for damage done to any premises or facility
by a service dog or assistive animal. A "service dog" means a
dog specially trained at a recognized training facility to assist a person with
a disability, whether described as a service dog, guide dog, hearing dog,
support dog, independence dog, or otherwise. An "assistive animal"
means a simian or other animal specially trained or in the process of being
trained under the auspices of a recognized training facility to assist a person
with a disability.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOTAPING
Photography is permitted in the arena. Spectators may videotape as long as the equipment is hand-held, the taping is done from a ticketed seat, and no external power is utilized. Photography or videotape shot for the purpose of re-sale or re-distribution is strictly prohibited.
Steve Pope Photography will provide photographic coverage of the Girls State Basketball Tournament. Steve will take action, reaction, and team photographs of all tournament games. Individual and team award ceremonies will be covered as well. After the tournament, photos can be viewed and ordered at www.stevepopephotography.com. Steve will have a display at the tournament with information concerning previewing and ordering photographs. All orders and inquiries for this event shall be made with Steve Pope Photography through his website (www.stevepopephotography.com) and/or phone number (515-277-7663).
YEARBOOK PHOTOGRAPHY
One yearbook photographer (still photography) per school is allowed media access for its 1st round game only. A request for this access must be sent by a school administrator via email to Monte Wilson (monte@ighsau.org) no later than February 22. Approved yearbook photographers must purchase a ticket to enter the building. The photographer shall report to Monte Wilson at the media pass gate located at the Northwest Entrance to the Arena. At that location, a media pass will be issued in exchange for the photographerÕs ticket. No accommodations are granted for videographers, who are subject to the same videotaping regulations as any other spectator.
ALCOHOL & TOBACCO POLICY
No alcohol or tobacco is to be sold or consumed on the grounds of any state tournament venue leased or provided to the Athletic Union for the purpose of conducting a state championship.
Section 123.46 of the Iowa Code States: A person shall not possess or consume alcoholic liquors, wine or beer on a public school property or while attending a public or private school-related function. A person shall not be intoxicated or simulate intoxication in a public place. A person violating this subsection is guilty of a simple misdemeanor.
This policy will be strictly
enforced.
SPECTATOR ATTIRE
Notify your students and patrons
that shoes and a shirt are required for admittance into all IGHSAU indoor
events. No masks or apparel presenting a safety concern will be permitted
Anyone wearing clothing which is obscene or objectionable will be asked to
remove the clothing and/or may be required to leave.
SPECTATOR CONDUCT
Each school is responsible for
supervising and policing their own spectators regarding behavior and conduct.
The following behaviors by spectators are not permitted at
Iowa GirlsÕ High School Athletic Union sanctioned competitions and shall result
in the specified penalties.
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
Immediately following the
completion of each game on Monday through Friday afternoon, a brief awards
presentation will be held to present the team plaques to the losing team and to
announce the day and time of the next competition for the winning team. BOTH TEAMS SHALL REMAIN ON THE FLOOR
FOR THIS AWARDS PRESENTATION.
FAILURE TO DUE SO WILL RESULT IN AWARDS NOT BEING PRESENTED AND SUBJECT
THE VIOLATING SCHOOL TO OTHER SANCTIONS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE ATHLETIC UNION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
Immediately following each
championship game on Friday and Saturday night, an awards presentation will be
made. The All-Tournament Team will
be recognized and trophies and
medals awarded to the runner-up team followed by the championship team. A team picture will also be taken.
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Each school shall select an adult
from their community who exemplifies Good Sportsmanship and Proper
Decorum. Immediately prior to the
team introductions at the first round game for all teams, a presentation will
be made at center-court to the representatives chosen by the two participating
teams. A $250 award will be
presented to each school at that time.
This replaces the selection of a single winner in each class which was
presented following the championship game.
TRAVEL AND PER DIEM
SUPPLEMENTS
Each qualifying team will receive a letter under separate cover outlining travel supplements and per diem allowances provided by the Athletic Union.
We sincerely hope this information assists you in planning your trip to the 2008 GirlsÕ State Basketball Tournament. We look forward to seeing you starting February 25.
Mike Dick
Associate Director