The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) held its quarterly meeting of the Executive Committee on Wednesday, February 2nd at the Embassy Suites in Saratoga Springs. The committee voted on several key proposals important to the Association’s 787-member schools.
The Executive Committee approved establishing criteria for the creation of a sixth classification for sports with 501 or more teams eligible to participate in the NYSPHSAA State Championships. Starting in the 2023-24 school year, the NYSPHSAA sports of baseball, softball, boys basketball, girls basketball, boys soccer and girls soccer are eligible for a sixth classification pending approval from each sport committee.
Following the sixth classification vote, the Executive Committee approved establishing a timeline, process and criteria for the classification cut-off numbers for non-variation five, four and three classification sports along with two-division sports. Both of these action items can be found starting on page 53 of the meeting agenda.
After lengthy discussion to address venue COVID restrictions by section representatives on the Executive Committee, a motion submitted by Section IV to limit attendance at the Competitive Cheerleading Championships at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to 400 or less was defeated by a 14-6 vote (2 abstentions).
Section VI made a motion to limit the attendance at the Boys Basketball Championships and Wrestling Championships to less than 5,000 was defeated by a 18-4 vote. The NYSPHSAA is subject to the New York State Department of Health guidance for Large Scale Indoor Events, which require vaccination/ testing for indoor events of more than 5,000.
The meeting was called to order by President Julie Bergman at 9:00 am and concluded at 1:21 pm. The next meeting of the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee will be Wednesday, May 4th at The Embassy Suites in Saratoga Springs.
