The TSSAA Board of Control last week approved a two-year contract extension with the Rutherford Chamber of Commerce for the girls’ and boys’ state basketball tournaments and Spring Fling through 2022-2023.
The Board also addressed a growing issue concerning virtual schools and athletic eligibility. The Board voted to permit the transfer of a student’s athletic record to a district-operated virtual school under the existing rules permitting transfers due to a student’s reassignment by the school district.
As an emergency action for the upcoming school year, the Board voted to give virtual schools two options to choose from based on how it wishes to conduct its athletic programs. The school (1) may field its own teams, or (2) allow their students to participate in any sport at the student’s zoned public school. Virtual schools who are currently members and already participating in cooperative agreements must choose one of the above options for the 2021-22 or make a special request to the Board of Control to continue their cooperative programs.
Twelve schools applied for and were approved for membership in the association. Each school that applied for membership at the June meeting is a virtual school. Those schools are Rutherford County Virtual School, The iLearn Institute at Lenoir City, Collierville Virtual Academy, E.B. Wilson High School, VITAL (Virtual Instruction to Accentuate Learning), Greene Online Academy of Learning, Johnson City Virtual Academy, WCS (Williamson County Schools) Online, Jackson Academic Steam Academy, Pioneer Virtual Academy, Germantown Online School of Learning, and Roane County Virtual Academy.
Other actions by the Board included:
* The Smyrna Bowling Center and Hendersonville Strike & Spare both submitted bids to host the state bowling tournament for the next two years. The Smyrna Bowling Center was selected to continue to serve as host of the state tournament, which it has done since the sport was sanctioned by TSSAA 20 years ago.
* Voted to allow schools to return to their normal pre-season as allowed by the TSSAA calendar.
* Voted to approve numerous changes regarding the competition format and postseason format in bowling. Team format will now consist of one game of American 10-pin and five Baker games. Individuals will now qualify for the state tournament by competing in their respective Sectional Tournament. There will be four sections, each of which will be comprised of two regions. The sectional tournament is open and the lanes will be oiled using the same “sport shot” pattern chosen for the state tournament. State qualifiers will be based on total pin fall after six games.
* The Board was updated regarding the pilot program for girls’ flag football. The Tennessee Titans are providing grant money for TSSAA to help schools start the sport. Williamson County Schools will pilot the program in the spring of 2022.
* Approved a four-class schedule for the Division I girls’ and boys’ state basketball tournaments. With a fourth class added beginning with this school year, the tournament will need to begin on Tuesday of each week instead of Wednesday.
