Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association

WIAA MEMBERSHIP PASSES STUDENT TRANSFER AMENDMENTS; FOUR OTHERS AT ANNUAL MEETING 
STEVENS POINT, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association membership voted to adopt six amendments and make several editorial revisions to the Constitution, Bylaws and Rules of Eligibility at its 2006 Annual Meeting held today in Wausau.
One of the amendments impacting transfer students in the Rules of Eligibility, which received the most publicity prior to the today’s meeting, was approved 269-76 by the membership. Effective in 2007-08, any student transferring into a member school is ineligible to practice or compete for one calendar year unless the move was made necessary by parents’ total change residence or approval is granted by the Board of Control through an existing waiver process.
A second alteration to the student transfer provisions of the Rules of Eligibility was also approved by a 333-9 vote. An academically ineligible student transferring into any member school retains that same status for the same period of time as determined by the former school. In effect, the amendment adds an academic component to the existing rule regarding ineligibility of transfer students based on disciplinary reasons.
An amendment adding requirements to the application process for school’s attempting to join the WIAA passed by a 339-4 margin. Schools wishing to join the WIAA will now need to sponsor at least one sport program for one year before it becomes eligible for the Tournament Series in any sport or be eligible to enter into a cooperative arrangement with another school. 

The membership also approved an amendment that adds language requiring street drugs and performance enhancing substances to be included in school conduct codes and subject to each school’s disciplinary procedures. The amendment was supported by a 338-4 tally.
(the full text in this area also requires schools deliver and educational progrma to kids/parents/coaches each year.. Idealy, want to put together the 'total package' for our members... give them great tools to use..)
By a 343-0 vote, the membership approved an amendment that clearly defines the Board of Control’s authority to restore eligibility and reduce a career-ending penalty to a student-athlete unknowingly committing an amateur-status violation. Student-athletes may regain eligibility if there is documented extenuating circumstances and complete restitution has been made. 
The membership supported a measure that will help ensure representative leadership on the Board of Control and Advisory Council. Election procedures will now require a minimum of 25 percent of the schools in an election set to vote in order for a write-in candidate to be elected or advanced in a primary. That amendment passed 339-1.
The membership also approved six editorial changes to the Bylaws and Rules of Eligibility, which are only intended to clarify existing interpretations of the rules, by a 336-7 margin.
Other significant discussions addressed cooperative program requests, national competitions, the possibility of adding bowling as a sponsored sport and the divisional placements of religious independent schools. Alternatives to the present division placement model were presented and a release will be forthcoming. 
A total of 432 delegates from 354 schools were in attendance. The WIAA oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 503 senior high schools and 132 junior high/middle-level schools in its membership. It currently sponsors 25 championship tournament series. For more information, please contact the WIAA office at (715) 344-8580. 
# WIAA #
Todd Clark, WIAA Director of Communications 
5516 Vern Holmes Dr. 
Stevens Point, WI 54481 
(715) 344-8580 ext. 320