To: All IHSTeCA officers, members, and other interested parties

From: Tim Cleland, IHSTeCA president

The 2010 Indiana Tennis Convention was held Feb. 4-5-6 at the Indianapolis Racquet Club.  The convention attracted 145 registrants, a figure kept down by a major snowstorm.

       The following items of business were conducted at the IHSTeCA general membership meeting:

• Approved the election of the 2010 slate of officers:
  • Tim Cleland, president
  • Bill Reed, first vice president
  • Sharon Rosenburgh, second vice president
  • Joe Doyle, third vice president
  • Mark Reilly, fourth vice president
  • Mike Bostic, fifth vice president
  • Don Wafer, secretary / treasurer
    
     
• Announced that a Rules Survey will be conducted online in late summer 2010 in preparation for Rules Proposals to the IIAAA and IHSAA in January 2011.  Tim Cleland and Sharon Rosenburgh will coordinate the survey and proposals.
  
  
  The following items of business were conducted at the IHSTeCA district membership meeting:
  
   
• Surveyed membership about increasing All-State Singles from 24-26 selections to 30 selections (no ties) and All-State Doubles from 16-18 teams to 20 teams (no ties).  These suggestions were supported by 87% of the voters at the district meetings.
   
• Surveyed membership about changing Academic All-State totals.  Instead of selecting Top 50 each season, instead determine a state standard ratio of GPA and test scores and then award Academic All-State to all players who meet the standard (regardless of whether that is more or less than 50 players).  This suggestion was supported by 84% of the voters at the district meetings.
   
• Asked membership how All-District process could be improved.  Ideas included:

          > More notification of meeting.
          > Send an email to all coaches one day prior to the meeting with a list of nominees.
          > Allow online voting.
          > Require that schools who nominate players must have a coach of proxy present.
          > Send postcards to each coach with info on how to access nomination forms and where to send them (instead of relying on sectional AD's to distribute this info).
          > Avoid conflicts with church by moving it from Wednesday night.
          > Reduce driving distances for meetings.
          > Rotate meeting locations
          > Conduct meeting by teleconference
  
   

• Asked membership about their ideas for possible new rules to be considered prior to January 2011 meetings with IHSAA and state athletic directors.  Ideas included:

                  > Standardized scoring system for regular-season tournaments throughout Indiana.
                  > Multi-class sectionals.
                  > Conduct draw for regionals, semi-states, and state by the mid-point of the season instead of at the end of the season.
                  > Provide medals for all eight teams at State Finals.  Medals for teams fifth through eight should say "State Finalist".
                  > Prevent players from retiring from a match simply because they do not want to finish.
                  > Clarify point penalty system.  Provide examples of ball abuse and racquet abuse to clarify what should be a penalty.  Clarify which coaches should call penalties and when.
                  > Switch to a standard match format of 3 singles and 4 doubles matches.
                  > Retain the current 3 singles and 2 doubles format but switch the scoring system: 1/2 point for a singles win, 1 point for a doubles win, a team must accumulate 2 points to win the team match.
                  > Mandate third sets to be 10-point tiebreakers throughout the season.
                  > Increase the number of coaches (paid or volunteer but approved by school board) who are allowed to coach from two to three in a match or tournament.
                  > Allow two varsity coaches, two JV coaches if JV is playing at site away from varsity.
                  > Allow three coaches at an invitational with multiple sites.
                  > Allow coaching between points as long as 20-second time limit is not violated.
                  > Allow coaching at all times -- at least at JV level.
                  > Must use sectional lineup at least twice during the regular season (unless injury).
                  > Schools must have at least four courts to host a tennis match.
                  > Play sectional or regional rounds at separate sites if there are not enough courts at the host site to start all matches at the same time.
                  > If weather forces tournament indoors, attempt to start singles and doubles of a team match at the same time.
                  > Expand the length of the season (softball goes longer than tennis).
                  > Reconsider the 50% rule for doubles.
                  > Drop the draw meeting for sectional.  Have IHSAA conduct all the draws.
 

• Asked membership about how school budget crisis was impacting tennis.  Ideas included:

          > About a 1/4 of schools are not paying for convention fee.
          > The vast majority of schools are not paying hotel expenses.
          > Some schools are cutting paid assistant coach positions.
          > Some schools are using "Pay to Play" fees.
          > Some schools are instituting travel distance restrictions.
          > Some schools are delaying repairs on their tennis courts.
  
   

  • Asked membership about matching "mentor coaches" with "less experienced coaches"

            > More than 25 coaches volunteered to be mentor coaches.
            > We will investigate trying to match first-year and second-year coaches with a mentor coach in their area.