MACON — The GHSA's Executive Committee enacted a number of changes over a wide range of sports during its spring meeting on Monday in Macon.
Both offseason and postseason will see alterations in the coming school year.
The Executive Committee voted to double the number of student-athletes a coach may work with at one time during an offseason skill workout from two to four.
Meanwhile, there will be no more early morning or late night road trips for coaches in order to determine postseason playoff sites after the GHSA voted to eschew individual coin flips for one grand coin flip that will take place statewide in order to determine whether the upper or lower bracket line will host in the case of two equal seeds meeting in the playoffs.
Perhaps the biggest proposed change was denied, as a proposal to return the GHSA's structure to six classifications (from the current seven) and reset the realignment time frame from four years to two was killed in committee.
Also tabled was a proposal to increase minimum seating requirements for GHSA basketball playoff games to a 2,000-seat minimum for Classes AAAAAA and AAAAAAA.
There were plenty changes passed, however, including:
- Baseball: Pitch count rules were expanded to include games against out-of-state opponents.
- Football: All interrupted or postponed games must now be played to completion -- unless the head coach of the trailing team opts to end the game, in which case the score at the point of interruption will be recorded as a final.
- Football: In spring practice programs may now replace a two-team scrimmage with a three-team jamboree.
- Football: The Class AAAAAAA power rating will only count games against opponents in Classes AAAAA and above.
- Softball: The tiebreaker in which a runner is placed at second base to start each frame will now go into effect in the 10th inning instead of the previous eighth.
- Swimming: Will now compete in four classifications at the state championship meet , with the top 30 in each class being scored instead of the top 20
- Volleyball: Teams may now play a best-of-five match in Area competition, provided that is the only match those teams play on the day.
- Wrestling: Alternates will now be allowed to be on hand at State Sectional and State Championship tournaments.
Finally, it was noted that the GHSA 's board of trustees will meet on May 4 in Thomaston to review candidates for the soon to be vacated Executive Director's position. It will meet again on May 16 in Thomaston to vote on a recommended candidate. Gary Phillips is leaving the post in June under pressure from the state legislature.
