Feb 09, 2006
Responses Sought re: National Tournaments
Please read the letter below concerning the NFHS' endorsement of National High School Tournaments. Opinions on the topic should be emailed to DAANJ President Gregg Ficarra at gregficarra@paps.net
1/26/06
Dear Athletic Administrator Association Presidents:
Recently I received disturbing information regarding a presentation made by T-Mobile that included the National Federation involvement to have two four-team national invitational basketball tournaments during the Christmas holidays. The invited teams would be those top ranked by USA Today, limited to schools which are members of a National Federation member state high school association.
I know that most of you if not all of you attended the NIAAA/NFHS Annual Conference in Orlando in December. There was no discussion or hint of an idea that a plan like this was in the works involving national tournaments for school teams. I also attended the NFHS Summer Conference in San Antonio that included presentation of a new NFHS Strategic Plan. At no time were national tournaments discussed nor were they a part of the Strategic Plan. I do understand that the Strategic Plan is not a document that is carved in stone, but for something like this it should at least be discussed with all of the State Directors. My impression is that the national tournament issue was put in the Strategic Plan for a specific reason. If it is not an issue, why put it in that document?
The National Federation does not have the role of conducting, sponsoring or endorsing athletic events. If that role is going to change then I feel there should be consultation with the states that form the NFHS and the NIAAA. Having student athletes travel all over the country so that the NFHS can financially benefit does not send a positive message regarding educational athletics.
The T-Mobile plan calls for a $1.5 million dollar payment for participation. I also understand that $1.5 million or more is a lot of money to turn down. But where do we go from here? How much will it cost to have a volleyball national tournament? Where do you draw the line on which sports will be next? Is this what we want Educational Athletics to represent? The focus on elite athletes, and programs? This is not what EDUCATIONAL ATHLETICS are supposed to be about. We are the ones who are supposed to look out for the welfare and integrity of high school athletics.
I am sure that each state association has its own ideas in favor of, or against the issue of national tournaments. But we would be remiss if we did not speak out regarding this issue now. If we think that national tournaments are good for high school sports then we should plan for them and be sure to include all of the sports possible. If we donýt think they are good, we should stay away from all of them.
As the President of the MIAAA and as a Representative Council member on the Michigan High School Athletic, I feel that it is my obligation to make you aware that discussions of national tournaments have returned to the NFHS Board of Directors. I am vehemently opposed to national tournaments of any kind and plan to speak to the membership of both the MIAAA and the MHSAA to do whatever is necessary to stop this plan before it rolls out of control.
I ask each of you to do the same in your state. If the NFHS and the NIAAA are truly associations that represent the membership within each state and nationally, then they will at least discuss the issue before moving forward. The positions of member states and associations need to be communicated to both the NFHS and the NIAAA Board of Directors.
I am open to comments and or suggestions on your position or ways that would help us have an input in this issue. Please e-mail me at: pcryan@stcs.org or hard copy a letter to me at: 3465 N. Center, Saginaw, MI, 48603.
Thank you for your time and consideration regarding this issue.
Peter Ryan, CMAA
President
Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Assoc.
Cc: Robert Kanaby, NFHS
Bruce Whitehead, NIAAA
Jack Roberts, MHSAA
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