It’s possible Hawaii girls water polo will have a Division II tournament if a proposal to create one passes at the Hawaii Interscholastic Athletic Directors convention on the Big Island next week.
The HIADA voting body, made up of all of the state’s high school athletic directors, will decide on whether to create an eight-team D-II state event when they meet June 5-9 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village.
It is one of 30 proposals that will be discussed. You can read about the key football state-tournament proposals here.
The Hawaii High School Athletic Association, the overseer of all the high school state tournmaments, created a one-division, eight-team water polo event in 2004. The number of teams rose to 12 in 2008.
In other matters, HIADA will discuss:
>> Creating a Division II category for the boys and girls state cross country meet, based on team declarations for either D-I or D-II. The total of 200 individual runners would remain the same.
>> The way in which proposals that don’t originate at HIADA are passed. Currently, a 3-2 vote among the state’s five leagues can pass a measure. If this new proposal, which was introduced by the OIA, passes, all five leagues would have to unanimously pass it. Although it could not be confirmed, one possible reason for the item is the way in which the three-tiered state tournament passed last year. The idea did not originate at HIADA and went directly to the Hawaii High School Association executive board (where all measures, from HIADA or not) must pass before they become a reality. In the HHSAA executive board vote for the three-tiered tournament, four leagues (ILH, BIIF, MIL and KIF) voted for it, with one (OIA) abstention.
>> Using USA Baseball’s Pitch Smart guidlines for youth and adolescents for the baseball state tournament. That would change the daily (or two-day total) maxiumum number of pitches thrown by a pitcher to 105 from 110. The amount of pitches thrown with rest days in between would also change. Currently, it’s 1-35 with zero days rest, 36-60 with one day, 61-85 with two days, and 86-110 with three days. If passed, the new totals would be: 1-30 with zero days, 31-45 with one day, 46-60 with two days, 61-75 with three days, and 76-105 with four days. Either way, no pitcher can pitch on three consecutive days. This proposal is being brought to the table for athletes’ long-term safety and health. When the first pitch count rules were adopted at HIADA, it was discussed that the Pitch Smart guidlines would be presented as an option in the future.
>> Awarding medals and team points to the top eight finishers in the state track and field meet. Currently, the top six receive medals and points: 10 for first, 8 for second, 6 for third, 4 for fourth, 2 for second, and 1 for first. If the proposal passes, 10 points would be awarded for first, 8 for second, 6 for third, 5 for fourth, 4 for fifth, 3 for sixth, 2 for second, and 1 for first. This would align with National Federation of State High School Associations guidlines.
>> Awarding medals and team points to the top eight finishers in the state swimming and diving meet. Currently, the top five score points and get medals. If passed, the new system would award points differently for indidivudal events (9 for first, 7 for second, 6 for third, 5 for fourth, 4 for fifth, 3 for sixth, 2 for seventh, and 1 for eighth) than relay events (18 for first, 14 for second, 12 for third, 10 for fourth, 8 for fifth, 6 for sixth, 4 for seventh, and 2 for eighth).
>> The use of compression shirts and fight shorts in wrestling. OIA officials, who are proposing the item, believe that when athletes are considering a sport, having to wear a singlet can be a deterrent. This would help in recruiting wrestlers and building the sport, they say.
>> Holding the boys and girls state bowling tournaments on separate days rather than on the same day. If passed this would be tried as a pilot program. According to Interscholastic League of Honolulu officials, who introduced the measure, overcrowding at the various venues is a problem currently.
>> Charging an admission fee for bowling, which would defray operating costs and help with the overcrowding problem.
>> Allowing two coaches instead of one in the corner of the mat for state boys and girls judo matches. This would foster in the development of assistant coaches.
>> Keeping judo scoring the same. Currently, judoka can win matches by ippon, two wazari, yuko or shido. If it passes, this would mean Hawaii would not enforce new International Judo Federation and United States Judo Federation rules in which judoka win by either ippon or the higher amount of wazari throughout a match. Some Hawaii officials (the item is being proposed by the Oahu Interscholastic Association) believe those new federation rules will unecessarily prolong matches and increase the chances of injury.
>> Using ultrasound for body fat testing in wrestling instead of by caliper. According to HHSAA officials, who proposed the measure, this is a more accurate system and it would eliminate human error in the testing. It can also, the HHSAA says, detect if an athlete is over- or under-hydrated. California and other states have adoped the ultrasound method.
>> Removing a cap of 27 points for state boys and girls volleyball consolation matches.
Nick,
Any word on the outcome of a D-2 water polo state tournament that was mentioned in this article?