ALTERNATE-YEAR RULES BOOK PUBLICATIONS

The Michigan High School Athletic Association now provides all National Federation rules publications to its member schools and registered officials on an alternate-year rather than annual basis.

Citing the high cost to purchase and ship rules books that have few significant changes year after year, MHSAA staff proposed last spring and the Representative Council approved Nov. 30 a schedule of purchases that will save the association approximately $115,000 over each two-year period.

The savings will not only allow the association to delay increases in its officials registration fees which are already among the lowest across the country, but it will also help underwrite new officials’ recruitment, current officials’ retention and training initiatives, including an online video training program that will be available free of charge to all MHSAA registered officials in 2009.

The MHSAA and the Illinois High School Association have mutually agreed on a schedule for alternate-year purchases of National Federation rules books which will permit these two associations to continue to work together on the afore-mentioned and other officiating matters.

The MHSAA is among several high school associations across the country that have been requesting that the National Federation prepare and publish rules changes on a two-year schedule for all sports, not just girls gymnastics. Recently, the National Collegiate Athletic Association adopted a two-year schedule for playing rules changes for intercollegiate athletics, and many other organizations change rules even less frequently.

In the “off years” when publications are not purchased, the MHSAA will provide the previous year’s rules book to new officials; and all officials and schools will be provided summaries of changes online, in print and at meetings.

Following is the MHSAA distribution plan for National Federation publications:

2008-09:
Baseball Rules Book and Case Book
Basketball Rules Book and Case Book
Girls Gymnastics Rules Book
Track & Field Rules Book and Case Book

2009-10 and again in 2011-12:
Football Rules Book and Case Book
Ice Hockey Rules Book
Girls Lacrosse Rules Book
Boys Lacrosse Rules Book
Soccer Rules Book
Softball Rules Book and Case Book
Swimming & Diving Rules Book
Volleyball Rules Book and Case Book
Wrestling Rules Book and Case Book

2010-11 and again in 2012-13:
Baseball Rules Book and Case Book
Basketball Rules Book and Case Book
Girls Gymnastics Rules Book
Track & Field Rules Book and Case Book

MHSAA Competitive Cheer and Alpine Skiing Manuals will be published in 2008-09 and 2010-11, etc. Rules books in bowling, golf and tennis will also be provided in 2008-09 and 2010-11, etc.