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Steps for Creating Successful Relationships with Challenging Parents

Selling Naming Rights for High School Athletic Facilities

Carmel’s ‘Culture of Care’ Addresses Students’ Social-Emotional Needs

Promoting the Arts at an Athletic Event Builds Support

Unified Sports: More Than Just a One-Day Event

November 2020

Developing a Junior High Speech and Debate Program hst In all competitions – sports, academic or performing arts – access matters. Especially in a Title I school, many stud... Read More
Keeping High School Music Program Alive During Pandemic hst These days, we all are thinking about safety in ways we never imagined. Surface contamination is concerning, but in o... Read More
Portland, Oregon, School Recipient of Performing Arts Excellence Award hst The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has chosen Portland (Oregon) Cleveland High School (... Read More
Iowa Multi-sport Athlete Does it All – With One Hand hst Trashaun Willis exemplifies the spirit of high school sports. He excels on the football field, on the basketball co... Read More
New Mexico Association Launches Mental Health Awareness Initiative hst The New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) launched a Mental Health Awareness Campaign for the 2020-21 school year ... Read More
NFHS, NFL Partner to Promote High School Football hst The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the National Football League (NFL) have announce... Read More
Activities Directors Find Balance in Life by Officiating hst Serving as a school’s activities administrator brings an array of challenges, and conversely, plenty of rewards. Thes... Read More
Ideas on Reducing Stress from Zoom Fatigue hst Are you “Zoomed” out? Are you tired of seeing your students or colleagues in little boxes? Are you unfocused when... Read More
Don’t Stand So Close to Me – An Overview of Viruses november With our society knee-deep in the consequences of COVID-19, which has affected our mental and physical health, it is ... Read More
Selecting and Keeping the School’s Team Physician hst With almost eight million secondary school student-athletes across the country, it’s important that schools have a co... Read More
Steps for Creating Successful Relationships with Challenging Parents hst The official blows the whistle and loud boos come flying from the bleachers. The player has just picked up her fifth ... Read More
Selling Naming Rights for High School Athletic Facilities hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Andy Tebbe, athletic director, Westfield (Indiana) High School, and... Read More
Carmel’s ‘Culture of Care’ Addresses Students’ Social-Emotional Needs november Carmel (Indiana) High School is well known for the academic, extracurricular and cocurricular excellence of its stude... Read More
Promoting the Arts at an Athletic Event Builds Support hst High school activities are an extension of the classroom, and many of life’s lessons are learned while taking part in... Read More
Unified Sports: More Than Just a One-Day Event hst When the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published the Dear Colleague Letter on January 25, 2013, it detailed the impor... Read More
Dealing with Athletic Budget Issues Related to COVID-19 hst There is no doubt that COVID-19 has created challenges for many athletic programs around the country. As a result, so... Read More
Locker Room Supervision is Key Factor in Hazing Prevention hst Hazing continues to be an issue of concern in high school athletics programs and one of the most highly litigated cla... Read More
Lessons for Developing School Sports Anti-Hazing Policies hst The Damascus Hazing Incident In October 2019, an external review by a law firm, WilmerHale, was released regarding ... Read More
Best Practices, Success Stories from the Fall Sports Season hst Courage, creativity and cohesion are just a few of the qualities necessary for achieving the improbable – elements th... Read More

October 2020

Building Advocates: Helping Principals Find Their Voice for Speech Ac. hst The world of the secondary school principal – often the fate-determiner for speech activities in the schools – is one... Read More
After Health Scare, South Carolina’s Singleton Leads with Renewed Foc. hst The individuals on the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) staff know there are three things that take preceden... Read More
Cederstrom Returns to High School Gridiron After Stellar MLB Career hst Gary Cederstrom, former Major League Baseball umpire and Minot, North Dakota native, has found a nice retirement gig ... Read More
National High School Activities Month Celebrated in October hst In 1980, National High School Activities Week came to fruition as part of an initiative by the National Federation of... Read More
Ideas on a Successful Contest from the Athletic Director’s Perspective hst Everyone has their own viewpoint of what constitutes a successful game. Many would point to winning and the final sco... Read More
Missouri’s Kerwin Urhahn Previews Upcoming Year as NFHS President hst On July 2, Kerwin Urhahn, executive director of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) for th... Read More
Adverse Childhood Experiences: What Coaches Can Do hst Editor’s Note: This is the second in a two-part series addressing what coaches should know about working with athlete... Read More
COVID-19 Financial Costs Loom Large for High School Activity Programs hst The impact of COVID-19 to high school activity programs, including both fine arts programs and athletics, is not limi... Read More
State Associations Navigating Different Kind of Officials Shortage october Recruiting and retaining officials has presented a different kind of challenge in recent months for state high school... Read More
Coaching Through the Pandemic: Reframing Coach Leadership and Guidance hst Students, coaches and advisers face challenges throughout any season. In fact, one of the reasons people gravitate to... Read More
Finding the Silver Lining From the COVID-19 Pandemic hst COVID-19 has turned high school activities upside down. Additional planning has been required, and yet uncertainty re... Read More
Athletic Directors Play Key Role in Mentoring Non-teacher Coaches hst One of the legal duties of athletic administrators, as detailed in the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrato... Read More
Legal Rulings on Sports Participation Rights of Transgender Athletes hst A Continuing Evolution of Legal Standards In recent years, as part of their good-faith efforts to better serve the i... Read More
Playing Sports in Pandemic: States, Students, Families Take Different. hst For those intimately connected to the world of high school sports, the summer months were topped with extra layers of... Read More
NFHS Hosts First Online Performing Arts Conference hst *Links to Conference Presentations Below* For the first time in its 21-year history, the annual NFHS Performing Ar... Read More

September 2020

Coaches Should Support Sharing Students Across Activities hst Improved academic performance, broader perspectives and higher self-esteem are all benefits from participating in hig... Read More
National, State Initiatives Generate Hope for Performing Arts Programs hst In any time of crisis, a proverbial call is issued to individuals and organizations in positions of leadership. When ... Read More
Maryland Team Finds Purpose Through Service hst “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi Educators and coache... Read More
Taking Steps to Build Trust with Student-Athletes hst By the nature of their position, coaches are leaders, although some coaches struggle with that leadership at times. C... Read More
Indiana University Helping Athletes with Performance Enhancement hst The field of Sport and Performance Psychology (SPP) is designed to help athletes become the best version of themselve... Read More
Niehoff Reflects on Feats, Pursuits Following Second Year of Leadersh. hst Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is starting her third year as executive director of the National Federation of State High Scho... Read More
Adverse Childhood Experiences: What Coaches Should Know hst Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and what individuals wo... Read More
Paying Coaches for Value to Students Beyond Playing Games hst The COVID-19 pandemic has created an environment in which every aspect of a high school activities program needs to b... Read More
Having a Plan for Difficult Conversations Decreases Stress, Anxiety hst As an educational administrator, you may not be able to avoid inevitable challenging encounters with others. Frequent... Read More
COVID-19 Pandemic – Athletic Directors Prepare for Months Ahead hst On the national level, several doctors, epidemiologists and scientists have suggested that there may be a surge of CO... Read More
Responding to Mental Health Emergencies in Athletics hst A recent experience as coach of our girls tennis team was one most coaches have never experienced – and hopefully wil... Read More
NFHS Network – Major Resource for Schools Amid Coronavirus Uncertainty hst It’s been seven years since the NFHS partnered with PlayOn! Sports to launch the NFHS Network – a streaming service t... Read More
New Title IX Regulations: What Schools, ADs Need to Know hst On May 6, 2020, the United States Department of Education released new Title IX regulations that establish how educat... Read More
Top 10 Reasons ADs Should Offer In-Service Sessions on Sports Law hst The True Purpose of a Sports Law In-Service Although there is a misperception among many school and athletics admin... Read More
NFHS Guidance Keys State Association Plans for Restarting High School. hst “Well, now what?” As state associations placed indefinite holds on winter and spring athletic events back in March, ... Read More
Learning Center Delivers 11 Millionth Course; Launches Pivotal COVID-. hst During trying times this past June, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) addressed a pres... Read More

May 2020

We Can Do This Together! hst Coaches and educators are no strangers to calling audibles, changing lesson plans in the middle of a class, or scrapp... Read More
Athletic Directors Leading Through COVID-19 Pandemic hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Derek England, CAA, director of athletics, Hoboken (New Jersey) Hig... Read More
Staying Connected with Your Teams During the Pandemic hst There is so much happening in our country – and throughout the world – right now, but there is not much happening whe... Read More
State Association Staffs Band Together to Serve Member Schools Amid C. hst A sweeping pandemic of a little-known virus forced state associations across the nation into intense actions and deci... Read More
Technological Pitfalls from Use of Online Programs During Pandemic hst Prepared or not, high school education is now online for everything from Algebra to AP American History and Ceramics.... Read More
Planning Ahead for Return to Sports, Other Activities hst Given the unprecedented and frequently changing events of the past several weeks, there is some hesitancy in writing ... Read More
Athletic Trainers Staying Connected with Athletes Virtually hst When the school year stopped abruptly in early March, the interruption to sports had many athletes and athletic train... Read More
Staying Connected and Engaging with Athletes During the Pandemic hst High school sports, performing arts and activities play a vital role in the lives of students across the country. Inv... Read More
Moment with Mom: A Communication Resource for The Case for High Schoo. hst The first time a mother looks into her child’s eyes may be a moment of instantaneous bonding and commitment. That sin... Read More
Minnesota Official Laments Loss of Work During Pandemic hst Matt Sorenson was in a catcher’s crouch recently, scanning the bottom shelf in a grocery store aisle. Like taking an ... Read More
Wacky Week in Illinois as Pandemic Shuts Down March Madness hst Editor’s Note: Matt Troha, Illinois High School Association assistant executive director and a member of the High Sch... Read More
Sports Law Issues Related to COVID-19 Pandemic hst Empty Seat Although many Americans first became aware of COVID-19 in late January of 2020 through reports buried de... Read More
Performing Arts Leaders Provide Student Opportunities Through Online . hst In the same way that it has halted action on the athletic fields and running tracks, the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)... Read More
Loss of State Tournaments and Major Spring Events Affects Communities. hst The spikes will not be laced up this spring, the batons will not be passed, and the hurdles will not be cleared. The ... Read More

April 2020

Positive Ways to Help Students Cope With National Health Crisis hst Every generation experiences an historic negative moment at some point in time – some are just worse than others. In ... Read More
Impact of Fair Labor Standards Act Revisions on Schools hst The New FLSA Regulations In October 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced changes to the Fair Labor St... Read More
California Coaches Creating Opportunities for Para-Athletes hst While humanity has grown increasingly integrated, there are still silos of cultural understanding that continue to ... Read More
Consideration for Coaches Working with Athletes Out-of-Season hst A blast of the whistle and a long day of school and practice was finally over. All Tamika wanted to do on the drive h... Read More
Steps for Parents to Help Child with College Athletic Recruiting hst If athletes have the ability to play on the NCAA Division I or II levels, they will be found. There are no secrets. H... Read More
Do You Play on a Field of Dreams or an Accident Waiting to Happen? hst “Common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden.” –Anonymous Safety. Every athletic organization w... Read More
Reflections: Life from Perspective of an Athletic Director’s Spouse hst I have lived the life of an activities director’s wife for 12 years after seven years as a coach’s spouse. Some of ... Read More
Finding Balance: Raising an Infant and Being an Athletic Director hst The role of athletic director can be one of the most thrilling and rewarding, yet challenging and stressful jobs in... Read More
Later Class Times Present Challenges for Activities Schedules hst Maintaining an adequate sleep schedule has long been considered an essential personal health component for people of ... Read More
Improving Security at End of High School Sporting Events hst What Happens After the Game? Keeping Everyone Safe There are few things in high school athletics more thrilling tha... Read More

March 2020

Helping Students, Parents to Understand Transfer Rules hst The transfer culture in high school sports continues to grow – exponentially in some cases – and shows no signs of sl... Read More
Athletics Eligibility and Medical Vaccinations hst Trends Regarding Medical Vaccinations Although immunization laws in all 50 states require vaccinations as a conditio... Read More
Before Legislators Enter Picture, Explain Value of Programs hst Leaders of school-based athletics know that these programs are an important component in developing the whole child, ... Read More
Indiana Senior Finds Confidence Through Unified Sports® hst Labels define us from birth. Life begins with a series of checkboxes already marked – gender, race, religion. After t... Read More
Extemporaneous Speaking Contestants Develop Multiple Skills hst Rebecca Blank currently serves as the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a former Acting United... Read More
Ways Athletic/Activity Directors Can Show Care for Coaches/Advisors hst Not only do coaches have to handle issues that teenagers are facing, but they have to deal with parents and all of th... Read More
Seely Credits High School Sports for Saving His Life hst Promoting the values of education-based athletics and activities programs is central to the NFHS mission. Participati... Read More
School Nurse, Athletic Trainer – Working Together for Students’ Health hst As young professionals, many athletic trainers are taught that they should become friends with custodians and adminis... Read More
Importance of the ‘Three Rs’ and ‘Four Cs’ in Education Today hst Rigor, Relevance and Relationships These three words roll off the tongue easily in an alliterative manner. But what... Read More
High School Administrators Should Develop Plan for Retirement hst There is little doubt that most high school administrators – superintendents, principals, athletic/activity directors... Read More
Finding Coaches, Players, Workers Among Challenges for Rural Schools hst Activity directors in rural school districts face a number of unique issues – from finding coaches, dealing with tran... Read More
Separate Participation Policies for Athletics, Activities hst Students who wish to participate in their high school’s athletic offerings must agree to abide by the school policies... Read More

February 2020

Issues with Foreign-exchange Students in High School Athletics Progra. hst Every year, thousands of high school foreign-exchange students come from all over the world to further their educatio... Read More
Putting Fun Back in High School Athletics hst Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.” In the world of high school sports and education-based athletics, this quote ... Read More
Safety in the Scene Shop for School Theatre Programs hst A well-equipped theatrical scene shop is a tremendous asset to any school theatre program. Equipment should be suitab... Read More
So, You Didn’t Make the Musical – Now What? hst There’s a story I tell my theatre class at the start of every semester. During my sophomore year of high school, I d... Read More
Indiana Seniors Leaving Legacy of Giving hst November in Indiana means the start of basketball season for high school teams across the state. For local fire depar... Read More
The Best Part of the Game is the Opportunity to Play hst In response to the realization that our school/league was not providing a platform for ALL students to enjoy the expe... Read More
Importance of Strategic Planning in Education-based Athletics hst Stephen Covey suggests that organizations should “begin with the end in mind.” That’s good advice. Every educational ... Read More
Schools, Students Reap Benefits of Nevada’s Title Partnership hst The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) recently made a landmark move by cobranding its logo with th... Read More
The Mental Health Crisis in Children and Young Adults hst Suicide is the second-leading cause of death in children 12-17 years of age in the United States. The suicide rate fo... Read More
Booster Clubs for High School Athletics: One vs. Multiple hst The mention of booster clubs can make high school activities directors cringe. While booster clubs are essential for ... Read More
Promoting Activities Programs Through Showcase Events hst Connecting students to schools may be one of the most important ways to ensure that students achieve academic success... Read More
Multiple-sport Coaches Have Impact on Many Student-Athletes hst The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Board of Directors meeting was drawing to conclusion and it had... Read More
NFHS Learning Center Delivers 10 Millionth Course (1) hst The NFHS Learning Center ushered in the new year on January 7 when it eclipsed 10 million course deliveries since it ... Read More
Consideration of Liability Issues in 7-on-7 Football hst The Debate Over 7-on-7 Football Modern 7-on-7 football has its roots in flag football, a non-contact (theoretically... Read More

January 2020

Promoting Athletic Programs Through Social Media hst Avid social media usage for the purpose of entertainment – especially by young people – is a widely accepted practice... Read More
Participation in High School Athletics Has Long-lasting Benefits hst High school athletic programs have been studied for more than a century. Early studies focused on how athletics helpe... Read More
Schools Should Establish and Communicate Expectations of Parents hst Many schools have codes of conduct for student-athletes and extensive lists of responsibilities for their coaches. Ho... Read More
HST Special Issue No. 100 – Beyond the School Walls hst In May of 2007, the NFHS invited about a dozen people to attend a meeting in Indianapolis to help the organization st... Read More
2019 Sports Law Year-In-Review hst Legal Issues in Athletics Administration Over the course of the year, lawsuits were filed, court cases were decided... Read More
How State Associations Can Support School Music Programs hst “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” – Confucius, Book of Rites. As a former mu... Read More
Ohio Football Player’s Heroism Saves Neighbor’s Life hst At its core, football is an instinctual game defined by split-second decisions made by players and coaches. Timing is... Read More
Community Service Ideas for High School Sports Teams hst Not only are coaches expected to teach a particular sport, they are expected to teach life skills. One of the key c... Read More
High School Today Committee Drives Success of Publication hst When each monthly issue of High School Today arrives, you may initially glance at it and possibly read a few articles... Read More
In Their Own Words: Dusty Baker was Four-sport Standout in High Schoo. hst Dusty Baker was a four-sport star – football, basketball, baseball, track and field – at Del Campo High School in Sac... Read More
Pre-Contest Medical Time-out is Effective Emergency Planning hst Is there a qualified medical professional on site? Is there an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for this venue? Is there a... Read More
Process for Sharing School Facilities with the Community hst For many years, Columbine, Chatfield and Dakota Ridge High Schools shared the same youth development program. During ... Read More
Creating a Hall of Fame Provides Opportunity to Treasure School’s His. hst Step into any high school gathering space and you are sure to be enveloped in history. Banners, plaques, trophies, an... Read More
Working with the Community to Maximize Support for School Events hst In many cases, the high school(s) is the hub of the community. This can be the case in a large community with several... Read More
Community Involvement is Essential for School Fundraisers hst When it comes to raising additional money for the athletic program, administrators have a number of approaches from w... Read More
State High School Associations Come in All Shapes and Sizes hst When the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, it laid the foundation for the United States of Amer... Read More

November 2019

Successful Mentoring Program Rests with Athletic Director hst Mentoring is a common technique that is used in connection with the professional development of coaches. With this ap... Read More
Maintaining School Activities in a Small School Setting hst Providing a broad variety of activities, athletics, clubs and arts has been a challenge for schools of any size for s... Read More
Officials Tiring of Unruly Behavior By Parents, Other Fans hst In August, the NFHS distributed an op-ed suggesting that inappropriate behavior by parents and other adult fans at hi... Read More
Building Bridges Between Performing Arts, Athletics Departments hst Joe Theismann, former Washington Redskins and Super Bowl champion quarterback, said in an interview with a reporter, ... Read More
Improving from Within Through Solo and Ensemble Participation hst Many high school bands spend hours and hours in rehearsal learning, improving, fine-tuning and attempting to perfect ... Read More
Illinois Physician Dedicates Over 50 Years to High School hst It has been 51 years since Dr. Gerardo Grieco attended his first football game as a freshman at St. Rita High School ... Read More
Suggested Topics to Cover in Mentoring of Coaches hst The process of mentoring new, inexperienced coaches is not a simple act of assigning an experienced individual to ans... Read More
Avoid Hazing Incidents by Taking Preventive Steps hst When a hazing incident occurs, an entire school community is affected. Parents no longer trust coaches and administra... Read More
High School Football is Thriving, Not Dying hst When the annual High School Athletics Participation Survey was released by the National Federation of State High Scho... Read More
Pioneers Wendell, Darwitz Blaze Trail for Girls Ice Hockey hst It was billed as “The Showdown.” Decades later, it still carries that tag. On a cold mid-November Monday night in 19... Read More
Despite National Success, Schwarz Still Assists School Orchestras hst Gerard Schwarz is the Conductor Laureate of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and a Distinguished Professor of Music at ... Read More
“The Parent Seat” Seeks to Improve Parent Behavior at Events hst The scene is a crisp Friday evening in the fall. The local high school football team is playing a tightly-contested g... Read More
Vaping: Misperceptions and Pitfalls for Student-Athletes hst The use of e-cigarettes, also known as “vaping,” has become a popular alternative form of nicotine consumption. An el... Read More
Indiana Music Association Conducts Events, Provides Resources hst Editor’s Note: This is another in a series of articles on the affiliate members of the National Federation of State H... Read More
Montana’s Mark Beckman Discusses Year Ahead as NFHS President hst Mark Beckman, executive director of the Montana High School Association (MHSA), assumed the presidency of the Nationa... Read More
Free Student Admission to Events Could Change School Culture hst High school life is filled with many memories, and many of those memories are a result of participation in cocurricul... Read More
Impact of California’s ‘Fair Pay to Play Act’ On High School Athletes hst The California Law On October 1, 2019, at an event hosted by LeBron James’ Uninterrupted Platform, on a special epi... Read More

October 2019

Increasing Student Participation, Retention in High School Sports hst Promoters of participation in high school sports face more challenges now than ever before. Budget cuts, single-sport... Read More
Court Rules Sports Officials Are Independent Contractors hst Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association v. National Labor Relations Board On June 14, 2019, the D.C. Court... Read More
Changing School Culture Requires Intentional Focus hst Even though the Madeira High School Athletic Program (Cincinnati, Ohio) was successful in terms of competition, there... Read More
Developing a Plan for Coaching Improvement in Schools hst It’s the day after a challenging league contest and you find yourself speaking with your colleague about the game las... Read More
A – Z of the 2019 National Athletic Directors Conference hst The following is an A-through-Z of reasons why every board of education member, superintendent and principal should s... Read More
Mock Trial Activity Offers ‘Insider’s View’ to Judicial System hst You are sitting in a courtroom watching a trial proceed. Attorneys are standing to make objections and witnesses are ... Read More
New Mexico School’s Inclusive Band Goes Viral hst It was an extraordinary experience for Carissa Bonacci and simultaneously an ordinary performance for the Oñate Royal... Read More
Swing Tournaments Provide Speech Competitors Multiple Opportunities hst In the world of college speech and debate, travel can be substantial, often involving crossing state lines. Because o... Read More
Process for Making Bass Fishing a Sport in Vermont hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Jeff Goodrich, athletic director of Essex High School in Essex Junc... Read More
NFHS Middle School Committee Develops Vision Statement hst In April, the NFHS Middle School Committee met for the first time in Indianapolis. In that discussion, eight committe... Read More
Knowing Your ABCs About AEDs Could Save a Life hst Editor’s Note: The following information on AEDs is designed for athletic directors and school administrators to shar... Read More
Strategies for Assisting New, Inexperienced Coaches hst Coaching can and should be one of the most rewarding experiences for anyone who makes the commitment to work with you... Read More
So You Want to Discuss Playing Time? hst Deran Coe and Darryl Nance both know playing time for high school athletes is a hot topic that coaches must try and n... Read More
Finding Creative Ways to Handle Shortage of Bus Drivers hst A shortage of bus drivers is a common issue for many schools. It seems simple, but the reality is people are not brea... Read More
Providing Professional Development for High School Coaches hst There can be little debate that athletic administrators have a lengthy list of tasks and obligations, and none is mor... Read More
Officials Cover Important Topics in Pregame Meeting hst Upon arriving to work a high school athletic contest, an officiating crew is typically welcomed by an athletic admini... Read More

September 2019

Creating More Options for Title IX Compliance hst Often, the number of players on the combined varsity, junior varsity and freshman football teams could cause a challe... Read More
High School Students Energized at Leadership Summit hst “Champions are made in the moments we are challenged.” That was the message Adrienne Bulinski – a former Miss Kansas... Read More
With New Offerings, Learning Center Passes 70 Courses hst The NFHS, along with partner organizations, have released a collection of new and revised online education courses th... Read More
Helping Coaches with Health and Safety Education hst High school coaches have busy schedules. Most have a full day of teaching and the tremendous pressures that go with t... Read More
Heat-Related Illness and ADHD Athletes hst Almost eight million boys and girls participate in secondary school sports. Given the number of participants, playing... Read More
NFHS Network Begins Seventh Year of Covering High School Events hst As the NFHS Network enters its seventh year of operation this fall, it approaches a significant milestone. Nearly 230... Read More
Teacher Shortage in Schools – a National Crisis Looming hst Editor’s Note: While this article does not address high school athletics and performing arts activities specifically,... Read More
Proposed Title IX Regulations: Effect on K-12 Schools hst On November 28, 2018, the Department of Education (DOE) issued its long-awaited proposed Title IX Regulations, which ... Read More
Alternatives to Tournament Trophies Can Reduce Costs hst In the closet of the debate room at Amarillo (Texas) High School is a box of old trophies. This box came when the own... Read More
JUUL is Biggest Contributor to Vaping Problem in Nation’s Schools hst In the final month of 2018, concerns about the increase in student vaping were brought to me by a worried parent, at ... Read More
Legal Issues From E-Tobacco Use by Student-Athletes hst The Issue The most recent National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ... Read More
Vaping Epidemic – New Challenge for Athletic Administrators hst Many athletic administrators have had to confront the issue of vaping – the act of inhaling vapor created by batter... Read More
Making Daily Choices – the Life of a High School Athlete hst I just wanted to play basketball. I wanted to play in college and had my sights on the Minnesota Gophers. I grew up w... Read More

May 2019

20th NFHS Performing Arts Conference Set for September hst This year, the NFHS performing arts conference celebrates its 20th year as a meeting of speech, debate, theatre and m... Read More
Developing Invaluable Life Skills Through Speech and Debate hst It is 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday. You are walking through the halls of a local high school. Well-dressed students are sc... Read More
High School Musicals: Impacting the Curriculum hst Overture School musicals can be far-reaching with careful planning. Many high schools stage a musical each year mak... Read More
NFHS Approves 30 Basketball Evaluation Events hst The renewed emphasis of basketball recruiting in an education- based setting is almost here as the NFHS has approved ... Read More
South Carolina Teacher, Students to Receive Heart of the Arts Award hst As a highly recognized educator for the past 21 years and a drama teacher for the past 14 years at Beaufort (South Ca... Read More
New Mexico Athlete Battles Cancer While Continuing to Compete hst July 14, 2018 – Cloudcroft (New Mexico) High School junior Ella Puckett undergoes surgery to remove a ruptured tumor ... Read More
Maryland Student-athlete is Spirit of Sport Award Recipient hst As a toddler growing up in Huntingtown, Maryland, Amanda Merrell was the proverbial bundle of energy. Born a healthy ... Read More
Bailey Remains Scoring Leader in Indiana High School History hst In the basketball-crazed state of Indiana, Damon Bailey created more headlines than any high school player in the sta... Read More
Use NFHS National Coaches Week to Recognize Your Staff hst Showing appreciation for your coaches is a vital step in the ongoing effort to retain these valuable men and women in... Read More
Interested in Officiating? Begin the Process with a Friend hst The shortage of officials continues to be a challenge across the country. Games end up starting late or being resched... Read More
Augustus’ 8-foot Hoop of Dreams Spurred Hall of Fame Journey hst A single-ring hoop stationed 8 feet off the ground was the childhood centerpiece of Louisiana native Seimone Augustus... Read More
Heartland Christian School Association Expands Beyond Oklahoma hst Editor’s Note: This is another in a series of articles on the affiliate members of the National Federation of State H... Read More
Back Pain in High School Athletes Should be Taken Seriously hst Back pain is a common complaint in adults, with research indicating that up to 80 percent of adults will develop back... Read More
Athletic Directors Discuss Steps to Take Before Releasing a Coach hst Letting go of a coach might be the most difficult part of the job for a high school athletic director. That was the c... Read More
Demonstrating Appreciation Key Factor to Retaining Coaches hst In every high school athletic program, there will always be an individual or two who resigns his or her coaching posi... Read More
Proactive Officials Vital Part of Emergency Action Plan hst In the face of a medical emergency, Dale Wakasugi has simple, yet powerful advice for school administrators: “Do some... Read More
10 Steps to Reduce Liability of School Sports, Athletics Personnel hst The Issue In the modern sports law environment, the challenge for school and athletic administrators of complying w... Read More
Helping Administrators Recognize Value of Athletics hst When I was being interviewed for an initial teaching position, the principal looked up and asked one last question: W... Read More
NFHS Centennial Celebration Heads to Finish Line in Indy hst Celebrations are special times. Many of us celebrate birthdays and weddings on an annual basis, and there are special... Read More

April 2019

Impact of Competitive Cheer Laws, Regulations on Title IX Compliance hst The Issue In recent years, state legislatures, state departments of education and state athletic/activity associati... Read More
Theatre Rigging Systems Should Be Inspected Annually hst A beautiful auditorium is a point of pride for any school. Whether serving as a central gathering point for school ac... Read More
Minnesota Community Rallies to Support Former Student, Family hst On a Thursday morning in October 2018, Micah Johnson was headed to the doctor for an ear infection. He was traveling ... Read More
Values of Sports Help Oklahoma Couple Handle Health Issues hst Life is made up of experiences that challenge our body, mind and spirit. Sports teach us that on the other side of ev... Read More
How Students of Color Can Dream Bigger Through Debate hst Multiple academic studies demonstrate that competitive speech and debate fosters the essential life skills of critica... Read More
High School Was Special Time for Baseball Star Joe Mauer hst It had been a seemingly endless day of talking baseball for Joe Mauer. All the hoopla was certainly understandable s... Read More
Google Forms Used as Assessment, Organizational Tool for Choir hst During the past few years, I have found a wide variety of ways to utilize Google forms that have made my job easier a... Read More
ACL Injury Prevention: The Importance of Neuromuscular Training hst High school sports are more popular today than ever with nearly eight million participants during the 2017-18 school ... Read More
Effective Newsletters Connect School Departments, Community hst In the January 2019 issue of High School Today, an article on school newsletters focused on the potential for connect... Read More
Suggestions for Evaluating All School Activity Programs hst The season is over. On the surface, it seems things went well. However, how can activity directors evaluate the past ... Read More
Illinois Elementary School Association – Serving Middle Schools for 9. hst Editor’s Note: This is the ninth in a series of articles on the affiliate members of the National Federation of State... Read More
Offseason Review of Programs Leads to Future Success hst The closing night of the play, the winning shot of the final basketball game or the final lines in the last debate co... Read More
Athletic Administrators Helping Teams with Life-Saving AED Legislation hst History of Janet’s Law At approximately 5:50 p.m. on August 10, 2006, Janet Zilinski, an 11-year-old recreational c... Read More
Marketing Athletic Program Necessary to Gain Community Support hst In the corporate world, marketing is the process of promoting the positive aspects of a company’s products or service... Read More

March 2019

Fine Arts: Team Building in a Large Public School District hst Establish Roles within the Team The first step in team building is to establish your role within the team. As the... Read More
Illinois Basketball Player Not to Be Underestimated hst Historically, individuals with disabilities have been institutionalized, marginalized, discriminated against and – ... Read More
Adding Badminton to Your High School Athletic Program hst In education-based athletics, high school athletic administrators should be providing opportunities for as many stu... Read More
Five State Champions Crowned in First Esports Season hst Five state champions were crowned in late January in the first esports competition conducted through the National Fed... Read More
Coach/Team Communication: Replacing the Whistle hst Technology changes faster than . . . technology. And that makes writing a technology article on any specific topic a ... Read More
Oregon Groups Collaborate to Help Prevent Youth Suicide hst Editor’s Note: This is the second of a two-part series addressing the challenges of mental-health issues in high scho... Read More
Competitive Balance of Schools Remains Issue in Several States hst The pursuit of competitive balance among schools in state associations that comprise the National Federation of State... Read More
Helping Student-Athletes Make Best College Choice hst Toward the end of summer, a highly recruited athlete at a school walked into the athletic director’s office. It was... Read More
Creative Solutions for Inclement Spring Weather hst Spring in the state of Minnesota can be hit or miss when it comes to conducting high school sporting events. Spring... Read More
Veterans Provide Tips for New Athletic Directors hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Wendy Malich, CAA, director of athletics and activities, Franklin P... Read More
Consider Athletics as Extension of School Day, Award Credit hst School board members, superintendents and principals consistently are faced with two questions. The first is a short ... Read More
Disabilities Law Applied to Scholastic Athletics Programs hst Editor’s Note: There is a correction included at the end of this article to an item included in the Sports Law Year-i... Read More
State Associations Adding Girls Wrestling Tournaments hst While the sport of wrestling is not new or emerging, high school girls wrestling is seeing impressive growth across... Read More

February 2019

Injury Risk Lowest in History of High School Football football article Football. Mention of the word elicits various responses. To many people, it is the most popular high school sport and... Read More
Adding Esports to Your High School Activities Program hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Mat Parker, director of athletics, activities and program developme... Read More
Federal Law Increases Legal Protection for Athletic Trainers hst The New Law On October 5, 2018, the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act (SMLCA) was signed into law by President ... Read More
‘Book Tastings’ Help Speech Students in Choosing Literature hst When it comes to finding literature for performance in speech and debate, students often struggle with where to start... Read More
School Broadcast Program Preparing Students for Real World hst During the past two years, the students of Farmington (New Mexico) High School’s Student Broadcast Program have bee... Read More
Digital Ticketing is Coming to a High School Near You hst Tickets to high school sporting events have always been a myriad of colors. At ticket booths, one ticket may be blue ... Read More
Challenges of Mental-health Issues in High School Athletics hst Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of two articles addressing the challenges of mental-health issues in hig... Read More
Alaska Activity Programs Rebound After Earthquake hst The 7.0 earthquake that struck south central Alaska during the early morning hours of November 30 sent more than seis... Read More
STUNT Has Potential to Transform Cheerleading Culture hst Bethany Hamilton, a famous surfer and shark attack survivor, once said, “Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitm... Read More
A Perfect Example – Selling Education-Based Athletics to Constituents hst Pep rallies, homecoming events, last-second winning shots, bonfires and state championship games – these can embody s... Read More
High School Activity Programs – Supporting the School Mission hst High school activity programs are important in giving identity to school communities, but with the increased focus on... Read More
Memo to Parents: Stop Criticizing High School Officials hst Parents of high school student-athletes who regularly criticize, harass and abuse contest officials were put on notic... Read More
Navigating Challenges as a Female Activities Administrator hst During the 2018 NFHS Summer Meeting in Chicago, a workshop session was held to discuss the challenges facing female a... Read More
New Education Courses Address ACL Injuries, Mental Health hst The NFHS Learning Center has recently released two free courses that address key issues in high school sports and act... Read More

January 2019

Colorado Volleyball Coach Returns to Sidelines with New Perspective hst It was two years ago this past December when Shane Forrest, Montrose (Colorado) High School volleyball coach, recei... Read More
Summer Speech Co-op Helps Students Prepare for Coming Year hst When the local university was no longer able to host a speech and debate camp in the summer, speech and debate coac... Read More
Keeping Coaches Up to Date with Department Newsletters hst It is not uncommon for high school athletic coaches to focus so much on their sport that they forget they are part of... Read More
Increasing Participation is Focus in Newfoundland, Labrador hst Editor’s Note: This is the eighth in a series of articles on the affiliate members of the National Federation of Stat... Read More
Appropriate Medical Care Standards for High School Athletes hst In 2001, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), in cooperation with 16 other medical associations and sp... Read More
Electronic Medical Records – a Tool for Every School hst For decades, schools have used an electronic platform to track information about their students related to the school... Read More
Maximizing the Benefits of Your Public-Address Announcer hst Public-address announcers can enhance the atmosphere at high school athletic events. They bring excitement to the s... Read More
Minnesota School Builds Culture from the Ground Up hst There was a time when a person could walk into the Houston (Minnesota) High School gym during a varsity volleyball ga... Read More
Unified Bowling – Bonding Experience for Everyone at California School hst Traditionally, schools offer a wide variety of student clubs, athletic teams, a marching show band, a theatre program... Read More
Changing Your School’s Culture Through Unified Sports hst There are 10 seconds left on the clock and Tyler has the ball at half-court. He dribbles and passes to Hayden, who ... Read More
2018 Sports Law Year-In-Review hst Legal Issues in Athletics Administration Over the course of the year, lawsuits were filed, court cases were decided... Read More
Afterschool Safety, Security – Urgent Issue for Administrators hst Mike Blackburn doesn’t mince words when describing the most urgent topic in interscholastic athletics today. That sub... Read More
New Mexico School Starts Athletic Hall of Fame to Recognize Alumni hst In 2005, Sports Illustrated ranked La Cueva High School as the 22nd overall high school athletics program in the nati... Read More

November 2018

State Legislatures Continue to Update Concussion Laws hst Negligence Per Se A legal principle with which every school and athletics administrator should be familiar, one whi... Read More
Vermont School Remembers Parkland Victims with Stirring Performance hst On Valentine’s Day of this year, our nation was horrified at the news of another mass murder in an American school. O... Read More
South Dakota Theatre Students ‘Making Magic for Life’ hst The skills that students learn by participating in technical theatre are ones they will utilize for a lifetime, and t... Read More
Indiana Coach Making a Multi-Sport Impact hst High school coaches lead by example. So, what better way to encourage multi-sport participation, which small schools ... Read More
Collegiate Club Sports Offer Alternative for Student-athletes hst When the NFHS presented its inaugural Heart of the Arts Award to Leia Schwartz in 2014, she had just completed a high... Read More
Ohio Conference Offers Student Leadership Summit hst Thanks to a growing number of state leadership conferences, high school student-athletes are receiving more opportuni... Read More
Weather Can Play Havoc in ‘Football Crazy’ Saskatchewan hst Editor’s Note: This is the sixth in a series of articles on the affiliate members of the National Federation of State... Read More
Ultimate is New Sport Participation Opportunity in Vermont hst After a five-year journey, Ultimate becomes a fully sanctioned varsity sport in Vermont in the Spring 2019 season. Th... Read More
Participating in Cold Weather: Minimizing the Risk of Injuries hst With temperatures decreasing and winter sports on the horizon, schools should begin to consider the best ways to prev... Read More
Niehoff Addresses Challenges as NFHS Executive Director hst Editor’s Note: Dr. Karissa Niehoff became the sixth full-time executive director of the National Federation of State ... Read More
Why Multi-Sport Athletes Should Matter to Administrators hst The tears in Jackie’s eyes were present because the social worker had just told her that she was being placed in anot... Read More
Schools Should Provide Safe, Enjoyable Experience for Game Officials hst Whether you are a high school principal, superintendent or athletic director, imagine instead for a moment that your ... Read More
Esports Introducing New Participants to High School Activity Programs hst Recognizing the role that video games play in the lives of high school students, the National Federation of State Hig... Read More
Mentoring Coaches for Education-based Athletics – Important Task for . hst While professional development and mentoring of coaches are very much related and perhaps thought to be interchangeab... Read More
Oklahoma’s David Jackson Looks Ahead to Year as NFHS President hst Editor’s Note: David Jackson was chosen as president of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NF... Read More

October 2018

‘There is No Constitutional Right to be a Bully’ hst “There is no constitutional right to be a bully.” Sypniewski v. Warren Hills Reg.l Bd. of Educ., 307 F.3d 243, 264 (3... Read More
Superintendents Share Ideas on Promoting Performing Arts hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Dr. Jodi Duron, superintendent of the Elgin (Texas) Independent Sch... Read More
New Mexico Athletes Employ Random Acts of Kindness hst The values gained by participating in interscholastic athletics and activities are preached daily by educators, coach... Read More
Online Activities Directors Approve Transfers to Virtual Schools hst Student-athletes are using technology at an ever-changing rate. They are able to take classes online and graduate fro... Read More
‘Play Smart’ Screening Program Keeps Hearts Healthy hst They were friends and classmates, and now united forever as teammates by a less common bond – forged when a lacrosse ... Read More
Sickle Cell Trait – Why the Concern in High School Sports hst Although most sudden death in sports is related to cardiac issues, Sickle Cell Trait (SCT) has been recognized recent... Read More
Target Shooting Program – New Activity Option for Students hst Shooting sports in Oklahoma are growing rapidly due to the tremendous investment of the Oklahoma Department of Wildli... Read More
Desktop Scanning: A Convenience Worth the Cost hst Sharing documents with others has been a part of most business and school offices for generations. The first method, ... Read More
Playing Multiple Sports Reduces Injury Risk hst According to the latest research, ACL surgeries in 6-to-18- year-olds are up 60 percent during the past 20 years, and... Read More
Communities Reap Benefits of Proper Marketing, Promotion hst The marketing of a program for any high school athletic administrator goes beyond putting people in the stands. While... Read More
Best Practices for Managing a School District Health Crisis hst One afternoon in the fall of 2016, Joan McIntyre, RN, BSN, health services director for the Enid (Oklahoma) Public Sc... Read More
An Athletic Director’s Legacy? – Doing What’s Best for Students, Coac. hst At a meeting of athletic directors, one administrator was overheard explaining to a colleague that in the next year h... Read More
Evaluating Coaches Within Education-based Athletics hst When hiring coaches, administrators will typically outline general expectations and may even provide a preview of the... Read More
Interest in Boys Volleyball Programs Continues to Expand hst Boys volleyball is already the second fastest-growing sport in the country since 2012 and could be poised for more gr... Read More
Court Upholds School Policy Regarding Transgender Students hst Doe v. Boyertown Area School District On July 26, 2018, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Th... Read More

September 2018

Arizona Tennis Coach Balances Success, Participation hst Coaching started for Laurie Martin on two tennis courts in her Phoenix, Arizona neighborhood. There, Martin found a... Read More
Building Support for Activities Within Your School Board hst To most faculty, students and staff working in a school district, their school board is an unknown. They hear about t... Read More
Participating in the NFHS Debate Topic Selection Process hst “I hate this year’s policy debate topic.” As a debate coach, I have heard this statement repeated by students, coach... Read More
Supreme Court’s Decision on Sports Gambling – Effects on High School . hst The Issue The May 14, 2018, decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Murphy, Governor of New Jersey, v. National Colle... Read More
Medical Time-out Important Part of Emergency Action Plan hst “Medical Time-out” was all that was written in the subject line of the email one Tuesday morning before our first awa... Read More
Fosbury Changed High Jump During Oregon High School Days hst Dick Fosbury, who was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame this past summer, revolutionized the high j... Read More
Monitoring Air Quality Crucial in Western United States hst Monitoring air quality is often far from the minds of coaches and athletic administrators while preparing for the sch... Read More
Crowd Control at Events Focus of State Associations hst Among the factors that have contributed to the decline in officials at the high school level is poor sportsmanship fr... Read More
Revised Concussion Course Available on Learning Center hst In an ongoing effort to educate high school coaches, student-athletes and parents regarding all aspects of concussion... Read More
States Experiment With Instant Replay in High School Football hst It is a common scene during professional and collegiate games when various stoppages in play require an official re... Read More
Athletic Directors Offer Fundraising Ideas to Supplement Budget hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Paul Szymanski, activities director, Watertown-Mayer Public Schools... Read More
The Title IX Coordinator: Roles and Responsibilities hst On April 24, 2015, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued a Dear Colleague Letter reminding all... Read More
NFHS Celebrates Centennial, 100th Annual Meeting hst The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) will be celebrating its 100th year of existence thro... Read More
High School Sports Participation Increases for 29th Consecutive Year nfhs news Led by an additional 15,009 participants in girls sports programs, the overall number of participants in high schoo... Read More

May 2018

Nine Ways Title IX Protects High School Students hst Title IX – Public Law 92-318 of the Education Amendments of 1972 No person in the United States shall, on the basis... Read More
Tollefson Won 13 High School Track, Cross Country Titles hst Carrie Tollefson, who will be inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame July 2 in Chicago, Illinois, won fi... Read More
Expanding the Educational Impact of High School Theatre hst The foundation of every high school performing arts program lies in its educational benefits. Such programs foster a ... Read More
GRAMMY Awards for Teachers – Honoring Those Making a Difference hst Many of the artists whose music we purchase and listen to are Grammy Award recipients. Named for Emile Berliner’s inv... Read More
New FCC Rules Impact High School Performing Arts hst In 2010, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) auctioned off most of the 700MHz (megahertz) wireless transmissi... Read More
Connecticut Student-athlete is Spirit of Sport Award Recipient hst As a youngster at Quaker Hill (Connecticut) Elementary School, Marissa Walker was an exceptional multi-sport athlet... Read More
Montana School Travels Through Yellowstone by Snowcoach hst Traveling from Gardiner (Montana) Public Schools to West Yellowstone (Montana) Junior/Senior High School in the fal... Read More
Google Sheets for Scheduling – Communicating in the Digital Age hst In 2006, Google transformed the document, spreadsheet and presentation industry by introducing web-based productivity... Read More
Postseason Ceremony Recognizes Individual, Team Accomplishments hst Coaches are fortunate to experience the most successful and challenging of environments on a seasonal basis. No soone... Read More
Risks Associated with Sport Specialization in High School Athletes hst In recent years, there is an increasing trend toward intense sport-specialized training (sport specialization) among ... Read More
Tips on Implementing Professional Development Program for Coaches hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Chris Lavoie, CMAA, director of athletics at Wekiva High School in ... Read More
Activity Programs Help in Healing Process at Minneapolis School hst Editor’s Note: This is a follow-up to an article that appeared in the October 2017 issue of High School Today regar... Read More
Helping Students Report Injuries Without Fear of Looking Weak hst As leaders continue to actively study and understand the injury risks that student-athletes assume while playing cont... Read More
Rhode Island Student to Receive Heart of the Arts Award hst For most aspiring thespians, the stage is a place to hone their craft and to improve their performances. However, ... Read More
C.W. Whitten, H.V. Porter – First Leaders in High School Sports hst The 99th Summer Meeting of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) will take place June 28-J... Read More
Gardner Shares Thoughts on Eight Years as NFHS Executive Director hst Since the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) established the full-time position of executiv... Read More

April 2018

Illinois Wrestler Inspires Others in Comeback from Injury hst Leadership can be intentional or unintentional. While some people are natural leaders, others happen upon leadershi... Read More
Observing Trends in Opportunities for Youth Involvement in Jazz hst Frida plays the trombone in her school’s jazz workshop, an extracurricular ensemble that meets on Thursdays for two... Read More
UIL State Spirit Championships Drawing Record Participants hst Spirit is one of the fastest-growing activities in the country, and nowhere is that growth more evident than in Tex... Read More
Peer Support Teams on Increase for Athletic Trainers hst School communities are often faced with the overwhelming emotional strain of unexpected loss of life. This can come i... Read More
New Brunswick Association is Only Bilingual Province in Canada hst Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a series of articles on the affiliate members of the National Federation of Stat... Read More
Interview Questions for Hiring Coaches within Education-Based Athleti. hst During the interview process for hiring coaches, there are several basic questions that have commonly and routinely b... Read More
Guidelines for Developing Lightning Safety Policies hst Late spring and summer are perfect months for baseball, swimming, hiking and other outdoor activities associated with... Read More
Classroom with a Scoreboard: Important Role of Athletics in Education hst As school districts build their budgets for next year, they will include millions of dollars that are allocated in th... Read More
Sports Nutrition Advice for Vegan, Vegetarian High School Athletes hst High school students elect to follow vegetarian and vegan diets for many reasons, such as compassion toward animals, ... Read More
Running Effective AED Drills – Essential Part of Emergency Plan hst In high school sports, students push themselves to find their limits. That extreme physical exertion, however, can, a... Read More
Fair Labor Standards Act Opinion Letter on Coaches hst The DOL Opinion Letter On January 5, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) re-issued an opinion letter addressin... Read More
Hazing, Bullying Prevention – Collaborative Effort for Schools, Commu. hst It’s a common misconception that newcomers to a group embrace its hazing rituals. Realistically, no one wants to be a... Read More

March 2018

School Administrators: Consider the ‘Cost’ Before Cutting Athletics P. hst Superintendents are well aware that they live on the edge. Bad weather or major budget cuts spell trouble. While most... Read More
Legal Authority of State High School Associations hst The Legal Issue In recent years, numerous legal challenges have been filed by student-athletes or schools disputing... Read More
Mentorship Programs Play Key Role in Retaining Contest Officials hst In the recent national campaigns to recruit and retain high school contest officials, implementing a mentorship progr... Read More
Focusing on Positive Experiences as a High School Athletic Director hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Rick Johns, CMAA, athletic director, Providence Academy, Plymouth, ... Read More
How an Athletic Administrator Can Connect with New School, Community hst The turnover rate in high school athletic administrator positions is alarmingly high, and, in many instances, the ind... Read More
The Opioid Epidemic and High School Sports: Why it Matters hst More than 140 Americans die on a daily basis from an opioid overdose according to the Centers for Disease Control. Fo... Read More
Components of an Effective Strength and Conditioning Program hst Whether a school is creating a new strength and conditioning program or continuing to build one, there are six critic... Read More
Pennsylvania Coach Revives School’s Track Programs hst In 2014, Tom Shade was a recently retired track and field coach in DuBois, Pennsylvania. However, instead of quietl... Read More
Manitoba Association Directs Programs for 200 Schools hst Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles on the affiliate members of the National Federation of State... Read More
Texas Wind Ensemble Festival Offers Unique Learning Experience hst Each year in May, the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) music program offers a State Wind Ensemble Fest... Read More
Ohio Football Player Understands the Power of Impact hst Tom Pettry’s life was forever shaped by a single impact on the high school football field. It was Pettry’s freshman... Read More
NFHS Performing Arts Associations: Many Benefits Beyond Insurance hst Every profession has many organizations involving membership opportunities. These organizations offer a number of opp... Read More
Developing Team Concepts in the Performing Arts hst Teamwork. 21st Century Skills. Standards. These are all terms used in education as fundamental goals and ideals. In... Read More

February 2018

Music Educators Share Tips on Recruiting Band Students hst In a perfect world, all students who wanted to take band would find their way to their school’s beginning music progr... Read More
Love for the Game Spurs Indiana Official’s Return from Accident hst Tim Coady, an Indiana high school basketball official, grew up loving the sport he gives back to. Although an Ohio ... Read More
Arizona School Increases Grade Checks to Help Student-Athletes Stay E. hst The benefits of education-based athletics are numerous. But, the benefits are only fully enjoyed if student-athletes ... Read More
New Video Production Technology Changing Game for Colorado School Dis. hst The Cherry Creek School District in Colorado is making it easy for families and fans that cannot make it to games to ... Read More
Reducing Pitching Injuries: Count Pitches, Don’t Count on Surgery hst “Take me out to the ball game. Take me out with the crowd.” Baseball: Home runs, strikeouts, pitching counts? As of ... Read More
British Columbia Association Governs Competition in 18 Sports hst Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of articles on the affiliate members of the National Federation of Stat... Read More
Administrators: Update Current Technology Tools Before Adding More Ap. hst In the fall of 2014, High School Today published an article regarding ideas for administrators on the use of technolo... Read More
New Ideas Keep Education-Based Activities Alive in Small Schools hst Coast to coast, small schools are faced with the common, troubling challenge of finding new ways to keep education-ba... Read More
Developing Partners, Marketing Events in State Associations hst Editor’s Note: Some of the material in this article was shared during a workshop at the 2017 NFHS Summer Meeting in P... Read More
Feedback Positive on Pitching- Restriction Policy in High School Base. hst In July 2016, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Rules Committee, in conjunc... Read More
Encouraging Multi-Sport Participation in Athletic Programs hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Dr. Doug Kuhlman, CMAA, director of activities and development, Lut... Read More
#MeToo: Future Impact on Sexual Harassment Litigation Involving Schoo. hst The TimelineIn retrospect, from a vantage point a few years into the future, the last three months of 2017 will likel... Read More
Growth of Unified Sports Continues Across Country hst Special Olympics Unified Sports is a climate changer – not in the global warming sense, but in the social weather pat... Read More
Immigration is Selected as 2018-19 Policy Debate Topic hst On January 10, 2017, ballots from 34 states, the National Catholic Forensic League, National Speech and Debate Associ... Read More
Angel Tournaments Provide Great Benefits for Novice Debate Students hst “Out of the frying pan and into the fire” was a phrase used many years ago as teams nervously entered their first d... Read More

January 2018

2017 Sports Law Year-In-Review hst Legal Issues in Athletics Administration Over the course of the year, lawsuits were filed, court cases were decided,... Read More
Thanks to the Miracle in Monticello, a Life is Saved hst Cindy, Ryan and John Monahan A miracle, performed by angels, took place recently at Monticello (Minnesota) High S... Read More
Learning Opportunities Backstage in High School Theatre Programs hst A veteran teacher once said, “I don’t teach theatre, I teach kids and theatre is my tool.” Regardless of disciplin... Read More
Illinois Officials Conference Provides Opportunity for Education, Net. hst When it comes to high school officiating, it would appear there is no such thing as an easy call, although the Illino... Read More
Alberta Association Conducts Championships in 12 Sports hst Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles on the affiliate members of the National Federation of State... Read More
Student Advisory Committee Plays Vital Role for Illinois Association hst The Illinois High School Association’s Student Advisory Committee (SAC) turned nine years old during the 2017-18 sc... Read More
Nebraska School Welcomes Another Member into Conference hst Lexington and Holdrege high schools are located about 40 miles apart in Nebraska and have a longstanding relationsh... Read More
Elkhart Central High School Raises Money by Selling Parking Spots hst Most often, projects are necessary to keep high school activity programs up and running. The traditional fundraiser... Read More
Arizona’s Pre-Contest Medical Preparedness Card Helps Save Lives hst The Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) has created a “Pre-Contest Medical Preparedness Card” that realizes num... Read More
Educational Digital Recording: Hearing How to Improve hst As professionally produced music moved from analog to digital through LPs to cassettes to CDs to iPods and Apple Musi... Read More
Homeschool Students on Athletic Teams Continues to be Much-debated To. hst The participation of homeschool students on high school athletic programs in their school of residence is a much-deba... Read More
Steps Involved in Hiring Coaches for Education-based Athletics Progra. hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Ryan Adams, CMAA, coordinator of athletics, physical education and ... Read More
When the Community Wants a Coach Fired – Proper Steps for School Admi. hst The game ended and it was another loss. “The coach has to go.” “The coaching is incompetent.” “No, it’s coaching malp... Read More
How Athletes Can Be Involved in Performing Arts Activities hst Recently, during a two-day period in our small school cafeteria waiting area, there were more than 120 elementary and... Read More

November 2017

After AED Saves Son’s Life, Family Raises Money for More Units hst The game of basketball has put the Bates-Diop family squarely in the spotlight during the past few years. Such is t... Read More
Pastor, Teacher, Coach, School Administrator Dedicates Life to Service hst Fred Greene “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” –Mahatma Gandhi Fred Gr... Read More
Minnesota Starts Program to Thank Officials for Service hst Officiating is often referred to as a thankless avocation. One state high school association is turning that around, ... Read More
National Jamboree Band Amazing Experience for Students, Educators hst I had the pleasure of being a part of the adult staff of music educators working with the National Jamboree Band at... Read More
Cheerleading and Dance Squad Music: Copyright Law Issues hst Trending Issues in Music Copyright LawIn 2001, in A&M Records et al v. Napster, the most significant judicial r... Read More
Interest in Girls Flag Football Building in Nevada hst Flag football for girls has proved to be a valuable addition to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (... Read More
Colorado Association Includes All Students in #BackMyTeam Contest hst Good sportsmanship has many components, including playing fair, following the rules of the game, respecting officia... Read More
Opportunity for Athletic Competition is Available to All Students hst Many schools have developed programming to create opportunities for student-athletes with intellectual and physical... Read More
Title IX Expectations of K-12 Schools – 45 Years After Passage hst Students of all genders and sexual orientations in federally funded institutions, including K-12 schools, have a ri... Read More
Value of Fine Arts in New ‘Every Student Succeeds Act’ hst When President Barack Obama signed S.1177 into law in December 2015, he was not creating new regulations for everyo... Read More
Chain-of-Command Steps Necessary When Dealing with Complaints hst Hypothetical Scenario: A parent gets upset at something that happened in his or her child’s classroom or at an extrac... Read More
Creating an Education-based Athletics and Performing Arts Culture hst Yes, I‘m one of those – a former athlete, coach, athletic director and for the past 25 years an administrator. When m... Read More
Use of PowerPoint Helpful with Pre-Season Parent Meetings hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Josh Vandergrift, athletic director of Mosley High School in Lynn H... Read More

October 2017

Sexual Violence Policy Development Guidelines for K-12 Schools hst A Typical Case In June 2015, a school district in the central part of the United States settled for $600,000 a feder... Read More
Football Coach Achieves the Extraordinary by Doing the Ordinary hst The extraordinary is many times accomplished by dedication to doing the ordinary day after day, practice after prac... Read More
Vermont Student Leads Effort for CPR Training in Schools hst It bothered Tommy Watson that when an adult collapsed in the stands at a sporting event at his middle school that o... Read More
Five Potential Debate Topics Selected for 2018-19 hst Thirty-six delegates from 21 states, the National Speech and Debate Association, the National Catholic Forensic Leagu... Read More
Adding an Assistant or Game Manager for Extra Help hst With all of the responsibilities and the extensive time it takes to accomplish everything, an athletic administrator ... Read More
Catchings Won Top High School Honors in Illinois, Texas hst Tamika Catchings began her basketball career at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, where she won her ... Read More
Understanding Two Categories of Appearance and Performance Enhancing . hst Earlier this year, a position statement concerning Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drugs and Substances (APEDS) ... Read More
Conducting Investigations That Survive Legal Scrutiny hst Allegations of wrongdoing put school districts at risk. Whether students or employees are blamed for the wrongdoing, ... Read More
Teams Supporting Teams – Promoting Respect and Sportsmanship hst In a November afternoon, Dakota Ridge High School’s (Littleton, Colorado) girls basketball team held one of its wee... Read More
CSIET Guide to U.S. International Student Visa Programs hst (Editor’s Note: This article was written by the staff of the Council on Standards for International Educational Trave... Read More
Minnesota Athletic Director Handles Crisis from Gas Explosion hst It was past mid-morning on August 2, and Minnehaha Academy activities director Josh Thurow was in a familiar place.... Read More
Emerging Activities, Partnerships Spur Participation Increase in Urba. hst Innovative ideas and some helpful professional heroes are among the ways that large urban schools are addressing the ... Read More

September 2017

Speech and Debate: Opportunity Should be Provided for All Students hst Debate is an essential opportunity that should be provided to all students. Studies and professional opinions touting... Read More
Illinois Sports Teams Help Communities with Flood Relief Efforts hst Crystal Lake South football players Max Klinsky (from left), Dylan Rhoades and Kyle Leva help move sandbags in Algo... Read More
Keeping Participation Levels Up Despite Shrinking Budgets hst The Oklahoma State Department of Education has had a number of budget issues since 2008, causing problems for all Okl... Read More
Sports Medicine Course Guidelines – Great Opportunity for Students hst Sports medicine class offerings have been around in high schools in a variety of formats for many years. Traditionall... Read More
Saluting Speech and Debate Programs During Activities Month hst October is National High School Activities Month, designed to recognize and celebrate extracurricular activities and ... Read More
Concussion in Sports – Past, Present and Future hst Whether it is the local newspaper or the national news, it almost seems as if a day does not go by without mentioning... Read More
Dartmouth Introduces Robots to Eliminate Live Tackling in Practice hst In 2011, the Dartmouth football team’s coaches decided to eliminate tackling other team members from their practices ... Read More
Solid Foundation at Home Paves Way for Maya Moore’s Success hst Maya Moore spent her prep basketball career at Collins Hill High School near Suwanee, Georgia. She was a four-time hi... Read More
High School Today Celebrates 10 Years of Serving Schools hst High School Today is now 10 years old, and this issue represnts the first graphics change since we started in 2007. W... Read More
Officials Recruitment Campaign Has Positive Response Across Country hst The National Officials Recruitment Campaign has proven effective in heightening awareness of the country’s shortage o... Read More
Exit Interview – Powerful Tool to Assess Impact of Athletic Programs hst One of the primary responsibilities of an athletic administrator is to evaluate each of his or her school’s athletic ... Read More
Wildlife Can Present Challenges at High School Sporting Events hst Wildlife and high school activities typically aren’t a harmonious mix. Sure, it can be a picturesque scene when a ... Read More
State Highlights: Section 1 hst Editor’s Note: This section highlights some key events that have occurred recently in high school sports and activiti... Read More
Leadership Council Brings Together Leaders of All School Teams hst John Quincy Adams is quoted as saying, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become ... Read More
High School Athletic Directors Face Many Difficult Decisions hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Briant Kelly, CMAA, associate superintendent of Community High Scho... Read More
School Hazing Investigations, Reports Yield Prevention Guidelines for. hst The Ooltewah Situation On December 19, 2015, the varsity basketball team from Ooltewah High School (OHS), part of th... Read More
Parent Tips for Approaching the Coach About Playing Time hst A student-athlete is working hard but still isn’t playing much, what should a parent do? Of course, parents can’t mak... Read More
NFHS Adopts Resolution Regarding Friday Night High School Football nfhs news In an effort to re-emphasize that Friday nights in the fall should be reserved for high school football, the Nation... Read More
High School Sports Participation Increases for 28th Straight Year, Ne. nfhs news Led by the largest one-year increase in girls participation in 16 years, the overall number of participants in high... Read More
Nation's Student Leaders Gather in Indy for Leadership Summit nfhs news Earlier this month, the NFHS hosted more than 160 student ambassadors from 30 states and Canada at the National Stu... Read More

May 2017

Minnesota Four-sport Athlete is 2017 Spirit of Sport Award Recipient hst Like most other students at Moose Lake (Minnesota) High School, a school with 184 students, sophomore Danny Lilya p... Read More
Minnesota Performing Arts Student is 2017 Heart of the Arts Award Rec. hst From the cultural epicenter of the Twin Cities, Josie Ross has embodied the very best the performing arts offer. Ro... Read More
High School Trumpet Player Succeeds Despite Vision Loss hst Music has been an important part of Nathanael Batson’s life for as long as anyone can remember. It started in first... Read More
Yankees’ Bobby Richardson Was High School Star in South Carolina hst Bobby Richardson, who will be inducted into the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame July 2 in Providence, Rhode ... Read More
Minnesota Requires Photo Registration Card for Contest Officials hst A high school activities or athletic administrator puts plenty of trust in the officials who are assigned to work a c... Read More
Missouri Association ‘Shows Off ’ Its Sportsmanship hst Sportsmanship is an easy and desirable thing to show off. If a team or school displays good sportsmanship, that’s a... Read More
Mariachi – Newest State Music Event in Texas hst Mariachi music is alive and well in Texas. Indigenous to Mexico and its culture, mariachi music typically includes ... Read More
Balancing Life as a High School Music Educator hst The commitment required of teachers to support our nation’s youth and provide the educational foundation necessary fo... Read More
Schools Continue to Encourage Multiple-sport Participation hst Throughout the high school community, it is generally accepted that playing multiple sports is beneficial to student-... Read More
Dakota Ridge’s Super Fans Help School’s Sportsmanship Efforts hst Besides trying to build competitive teams, develop quality studentathletes and hire exemplary coaches, one issue th... Read More
Dealing with the Sudden Resignation of a Coach hst Coaching at the high school level can be a demanding, yet rewarding experience. Athletic administrators understand ... Read More
Top Ten U.S. Supreme Court Cases for High School Athletic Directors hst The Importance of U.S. Supreme Court Rulings On March 6, 2017, the Supreme Court announced that it was sending the... Read More
Booster Clubs Provide Service Opportunity for Parents hst Any athletic administrator understands how booster clubs are a critical component to high school athletics these da... Read More
Dangers of Heat Illness Reduced by Following Proper Guidelines hst Outside temperatures are on the rise and will be in full force just in time for athletes to participate in their su... Read More
Considerations for Adding New Teams to Your Program hst Leaders in education-based athletics should want to offer as many sports and teams as possible in their programs. Thi... Read More

April 2017

Limits on Schools to Punish Student- Athletes for National Anthem Pro. hst The Trickle-Down EffectAs with so many other behaviors exhibited by professional athletes that quickly filter down ... Read More
Ways to Build School Support for Performing Arts Programs hst How to build support for a school’s performing arts programs is an issue that has been discussed since these vital ... Read More
Organization Pitches in to Equip Baseball, Softball Teams hst When a natural disaster hits the United States, the communities affected generally look to others for assistance. A... Read More
NFHS Network – Incorporating Students into School Broadcasts hst Video streaming is a large part of today’s technology-driven world. It allows people in all locations to view live... Read More
Profile: Joe Rantz’s Opportunity Began in High School hst Long before his extraordinary life became the centerpiece of author Daniel James Brown’s book The Boys in the Boat:... Read More
The More, the Merrier for Sportsmanship in Tennessee hst When it comes to sportsmanship, the more, the merrier; the more student-athletes, coaches and fans are practicing g... Read More
Texas, Kansas Add ‘Game Day’ to State Spirit Competitions hst Varsity Spirit’s Game Day Championship, showcasing the best sideline and crowd-leading material that teams have to ... Read More
States Implement Pitching Restrictions in High School Baseball hst Overuse injuries are a growing concern in all high school sports – particularly in baseball with overuse injuries t... Read More
RED-S Shifts Focus to All Athletes With Disordered Eating hst The Female Athletic Triad, first described almost 25 years ago, is a syndrome of energy deficiency with or without ... Read More
Google Drive – the Mechanism for Finally Going Paperless hst Not all that long ago, our monthly league meetings consisted of stacks of three-ring binders. Often, progress would s... Read More
Athletic Directors Have Task of Mentoring Non-Teacher Coaches hst For many high school athletic directors, filling a coaching staff today is a lot different than it used to be. “I ... Read More
Athletic Directors: Balancing Time Between Work and Family Life hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Andy Cardinal, athletic director of the Cardinal Local School Distr... Read More
Recruiting, Retaining Officials Challenges State Associations hst Long odds stare at an official before he or she even takes that first step onto a court, field or sheet of ice. New... Read More
States Continue to Address Competitive Balance of Schools hst The search for competitive balance of schools has led many state associations in recent years to develop multiplier r... Read More

March 2017

Football Coaches Find Fulfillment Leading Allied Bowling Programs hst What do football cleats and bowling shoes have in common? That may sound like the beginning of a bad joke, but for ... Read More
Prompt Response Saves Michigan Official at Football Final hst Willie Watson signals touchdown during the November 25 game prior to collapsing. A 32-second response by Emergency... Read More
Using Athletic Department Twitter Accounts for Effective Communication hst Athletic administrators may be expected to move their departments into the digital era of connecting with the communi... Read More
New Hampshire Association Keeps Sportsmanship Simple hst Sportsmanship is a simple concept, one in the same vein as the golden rule. Treating others as you want to be treat... Read More
NFHS Authenticating Mark Program Now in 17th Year hst For 17 years, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Authenticating Mark Program (AMP) has ... Read More
Online Database Management – Making Good on a Promise hst One of the promises made when personal computers were first available to the public was that they would make paper ... Read More
NFHS Learning Center – Five Million Online Courses in 10 Years hst On December 31, the NFHS Learning Center established yet another milestone, delivering its 5,000,000th online educa... Read More
Smokeless Tobacco, E-cigarettes, Vaping: What is the Real Deal? march Smokeless tobacco is any product in which tobacco is held in the mouth so that nicotine can be absorbed. Smokeless to... Read More
Legal Obligations of Schools to Pregnant and Parenting Student-Athlet. hst Title IX and Pregnant/Parenting Students The 37-word core of Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972, Publ... Read More
Administrators Shadow Students to Gain Better Perspective hst High school administrators make decisions every day that influence the educational and extracurricular experiences of... Read More
Athletic Directors Offer Suggestions for Handling Problematic Parents hst Kyle Franey (left) and Dallas Linter (right) Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Dallas Lintner, CMA... Read More
Balanced Approach to Activities/Academics: A Superintendent’s Perspec. hst School activities and academics complement each other, are integrally connected to one another and are mutually ben... Read More
Ways to Reduce Turnover of High School Athletic Directors hst The position of a high school athletic administrator is extremely demanding and perhaps overwhelming at times. It enc... Read More

February 2017

Students Learn Important Life Skills Through Participation in Student. hst Student Congress started in 1938 with Pi Kappa Delta, the oldest national collegiate forensic organization, and the... Read More
Education Reform is Selected as 2017-18 National Policy Debate Topic hst On January 10, 2017, ballots from 33 states, the National Catholic Forensic League, National Speech and Debate Associ... Read More
Arizona Volleyball Team Aces Service On and Off Court hst Student-athletes are members of a variety of communities – their teams, schools, churches and hometowns. The amount... Read More
Hall of Fame Recognitions Provide Many Benefits to Schools hst The preservation and promotion of a high school’s athletics history and tradition is of the utmost importance for any... Read More
Podcasts Emerge as New Way of Covering High School Sports hst The Internet has changed the way that society consumes media in all forms, and perhaps no medium has grown more expon... Read More
Maryland Students Lead the Way to Sportsmanship hst In a perfect world, sportsmanship would be an automatic attainment, something that would come to everyone naturally a... Read More
‘Veteran’ Illinois Volleyball Officials Honored for Service to Country hst Veteran high school sports officials know when they officiate on the biggest stage – a state final tournament – that ... Read More
Many Options Available in Athletic Scheduling Software Programs hst Regardless of whether administrators are responsible for two athletic fields and one gym in a high school of 150 stud... Read More
UIL, Brain Institute Partner for Nation’s Largest Concussion Study hst The nation’s largest concussion study among high school student-athletes is under way thanks to a partnership between... Read More
States Strive to Involve Students in Athletics Before High School hst State associations across the country are constantly exploring new ways to deliver the many benefits of interscholast... Read More
Administrator’s Role in Training, Support for High School Coaches hst The following is a notice supplied to a recently hired new teacher. Congratulations on joining the teaching ranks. I... Read More
Illinois Athletic Director Connects with Students by Shadowing Teams hst Hinsdale (Illinois) Central High School enjoyed the best cumulative state championship success in Illinois history ... Read More
Improving Sportsmanship in Education-based High School Athletics hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Valerie Miyares, athletic director of Wekiva High School in Apopka,... Read More
Transgender Students: Participation in School Sports, Access to Facil. hst The Controversy The development of fair, practical and legally sufficient policies regarding the inclusion of transg... Read More

January 2017

2016 Sports Law Year-In-Review hst Legal Issues in Athletics AdministrationOver the course of the year, lawsuits were filed, court cases were decided,... Read More
Indiana Commissioner Bobby Cox Discusses Values of School-based Athle. hst Last summer, in an interview with the Indianapolis Star, Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Commissio... Read More
Maryland Soccer Team Turns Game into Benefit for Venerated Coach hst When Randy Dase, head coach of the Towson (Maryland) High School boys soccer team, found out that he needed to have... Read More
Recruiting Students for Speech, Debate, Theatre Programs hst Participation in interscholastic activities is an important ingredient to success at the 19,000-plus high schools aro... Read More
Students Gain Many Benefits from Involvement in Theatre hst How can any reasonable person in today’s world not understand how the theatre is one of the most beneficial experie... Read More
Guitar Class Enhances Participation in School’s Music Program hst In an environment where enrollments in arts courses are declining due to pressures from Common Core, economic stres... Read More
Athletic Directors: Effective Mentoring Ideas for Your Coaches hst While many athletic administrators want and feel that they should do more with regard to mentoring their coaches, the... Read More
Pennsylvania Sportsmanship: ‘The Only Missing Piece is You’ hst In most state associations, sportsmanship is an amalgamation of many different concepts – from citizenship and comm... Read More
Sleep: An Underrated Player in Athletic Performance hst Alarm clock. Wake-up. Eat. Train. School. Eat. More school. Practice. Eat. Homework. Sleep. Repeat. This is the day... Read More
Ideas on Measuring Success in Education-based Athletics hst A basic premise of education-based athletics is that winning is not the only or ultimate objective. Instead, the grow... Read More
Techniques for Building a Successful High School Team hst High school athletic administrators have many hats to fill, from scheduling contests and officials, to maintaining ... Read More
Robotics Offers New Participation Opportunities in Two States hst In 2008, the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) thought it would have no issue scheduling the University of... Read More
Injury Rates Higher for Athletes Who Specialize in One Sport hst The issue of whether high school student-athletes should specialize in one sport or play multiple sports continues ... Read More

November 2016

High School Athletics and the Effect on At-risk Students hst Dwayne is a 17-year-old junior with high hopes that football will finally make his mother proud. As a junior high s... Read More
Signing and Singing – the Power and Emotion of Music hst Music has been used to express a variety of human emotions, allowing the performer to share those feelings with oth... Read More
Michigan Teen Spreads Awareness of Cerebral Palsy with Swagger hst “In times of difficulty, those brave enough to stay the course will be victors in the end.” Those words spoken by ... Read More
Illinois Association Converts Old Films for Viewing on YouTube hst Three years ago, the Illinois High School Association confronted a historic problem. In the office, nestled away in f... Read More
Virginia Sportsmanship Award Honors Legacy of Longtime Assistant Dire. hst It can be difficult to teach good sportsmanship and citizenship at the high school level. In many cases, the best w... Read More
Connecticut’s ‘Class Act Sportsmanship’ Promotes Positive Cheers hst Positive student cheering is getting revolutionized with a new program by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic ... Read More
Nebraska Association Establishes ‘Head, Heart, Heat’ Program hst The risks associated with concussions, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and external heat illness in high school sports ha... Read More
Alabama Association Examines Transfers with Investigations Team hst Athletic transfers and illegal recruiting are under the microscope in Alabama, where the Alabama High School Athletic... Read More
Illinois All-State Academic Team Honors Top Student-Athletes hst • Valedictorians.• State champions.• Perfect ACT scores.• Multi-sport all-state student-athletes.• 5.0 grade-point av... Read More
Summit Initiatives: Expand Participation, Minimize Risk, Maximize Per. hst The numerous benefits of healthy and fun sport participation are clear. However, there are recognized factors that ... Read More
Multi-purpose Fields Generating Increased Revenue, Spirit for Schools hst Multi-purpose fields nationwide are providing stress relief and revived spirit for athletic directors tasked with ove... Read More
Understanding Snapchat and How Schools Can Utilize the App hst These days, teachers, coaches and principals are facing an ever-present challenge. No matter how many rules they crea... Read More
Developing an Education-based Culture in High School Activities November Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Kevin Demer, CAA, athletic director at Boone High School in Orlando... Read More
Fair Labor Standards Act Revisions Impact Schools, Athletics Programs hst The New RulesOn May 18, 2016, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) announced the final version of new standard... Read More

October 2016

Students Share Reasons for Participation in High School Athletics hst This month, the NFHS is kicking off its National Communications Campaign entitled “#MyReasonWhy” with the goal being ... Read More
Small Illinois School Enacts Unified Bass Fishing Program hst Establishing a Unified sports program can be a difficult, yet rewarding, task for any school. It can be even more c... Read More
Support for Beginning Speech and Debate Coaches hst All beginning coaches, whether they coach a sport or a performing arts activity, need good support to reach their hig... Read More
NFHS, Barrow Neurological Institute Launch ‘Concussion for Students’ . hst Seeking to empower students with knowledge of how to identify, react to and prevent concussions, the NFHS has partner... Read More
Wisconsin Association Highlights Sportsmanship at Summit hst In December, more then 3,000 students, coaches, administrators and parents will enter a hotel conference room in Stev... Read More
Indiana School Group Successful in Raising Funds for Charity hst It is becoming increasingly difficult in the current economic and school setting to raise money for charitable organi... Read More
Becoming More Effective Through Electronic Organization hst Administrators today are faced with shrinking budgets and personnel shortages resulting in more work needing to be do... Read More
Coaches’ Health: Keys for Sleep, Exercise and Mental Health hst Coaching is a demanding profession that involves far more than just training athletes at practice and leading them du... Read More
Perspectives of Two First-year Athletic Directors hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Mark Orszula, athletic director at Streamwood (Illinois) High Schoo... Read More
Administrators Share Reasons for Career in High School Athletics/Acti. hst This month, the NFHS is kicking off its National Communications Campaign entitled “#MyReasonWhy” with the goal being ... Read More
Online Film Exchange Now Thriving at High School Level hst Whether meeting in the parking lot of a K-Mart store in New Lenox, Illinois, or at halfway points throughout The Land... Read More
Effective Collaboration with Law Enforcement: New Trends in Athletic . hst During the modern era of education, the safety and security goals of school districts have grown and expanded. Athlet... Read More
Studies Show Decline in Rate of Concussions hst he NFHS and its member associations’ attempts to further minimize the risk of head trauma and concussion in football ... Read More
Scholastic Journalism in Texas Offers Students Lifetime Opportunities hst The after-party for my senior prom was not exactly the typical high school scene. Instead of hanging out with the ... Read More
Sports Event Management and Security: Legal Issues, Strategies hst Origin Story A diverse range of event management and event security challenges confront the operators of sports even... Read More

September 2016

Booster Club Embezzlement: Legal Issues, Preventive Strategies hst Betrayal A well-known observation about breaches of trust, the origin of which has never been conclusively establish... Read More
Collaboration Between Arts, Academics Benefits Students hst In 1971, the Houston Independent School District opened its first stand-alone magnet school. Although the famed LaGua... Read More
Five Potential Debate Topics Selected for 2017-18 hst Thirty-three delegates from 21 states, the District of Columbia, the National Catholic Forensic League, the National ... Read More
Fisher, Saban Offer Assistance in Flood-ravaged West Virginia hst In the wake of this summer’s catastrophic flooding that left 23 dead and much of central West Virginia in a dilapid... Read More
Eighth-Grade Girl Wins Delaware Coed Golf Event hst In 2003, Suzy Whaley made history by becoming the first woman to qualify for a PGA Tour event by winning the 2002 C... Read More
Indiana Association Recognizes Acts of Sportsmanship hst High school gymnasiums are often lined with state championship banners to show off the school’s athletic accomplishme... Read More
Public-address Announcers Can Have Positive Effect on Crowd Control hst February 6, 2004. A 6-foot-6 Arizona high school basketball player dunked on a breakaway – climaxing a big rivalry wi... Read More
Spurrier’s Fame Began as Three-sport Star in Tennessee hst Steve Spurrier was one of the best multi-sport athletes in Tennessee history during his playing days at Science Hill ... Read More
Concussion Management in Student-Athletes: Return to Learn Before Ret. hst During the past decade, there has been much attention given to safe return of athletes to sports participation follow... Read More
Add Spice to Your School Recognition Programs hst Competing in high school sports is a great way for athletes to not only develop their fundamentals and skills, but al... Read More
School Recognition Programs Build Morale of Staff, Students hst When Enid (Oklahoma) Public Schools (EPS) teacher Jamie Aguilar received a challenge coin award from district adminis... Read More
Student Leaders Learn Valuable Lessons at Summit hst This past July, the NFHS hosted the three-day National Student Leadership Summit (NSLS) at the Hyatt Regency Indian... Read More
Building Community Bond Through High School Spirit Groups hst What do three different high school varsity cheerleading squads, 20-plus Pee Wee Cheerleaders, two all-star footbal... Read More
Avoiding Pitfalls of First-year Administrators hst So, you have been handed the keys to your new office and are ready to begin the new role as a high school administrat... Read More
Conducting a Title IX Self-Audit – A Proactive Measure hst As conversations continue about Title IX pertaining to school athletic programs, the focus is clearly at the K-12 lev... Read More
High School Sports Participation Increases for 27th Consecutive Year nfhs news Led by an encouraging report in football participation nationwide, the number of participants in high school sports... Read More

May 2016

Top Ten Sports Law Resources for School Administrators hst The Need for Cutting-Edge Information For school and athletics administrators in the modern educational environment,... Read More
Marching Bands: Keeping Them Healthy and Safe hst With the beginning of the school year and most fall athletic programs starting in July or August, it is important t... Read More
Utah Encourages Students to Raise the Bar on Sportsmanship hst Good sportsmanship is a work in progress. Even when it is being exhibited, there is always room for improvement or so... Read More
Tom Southall: Defying Odds as Standout High School Athlete hst Tom Southall, who will be inducted into the NFHS National High School Hall of Fame July 2 in Reno, Nevada, excelled... Read More
Cooperative Programs Keep Athletics Alive for Small Schools hst Declining enrollments in some of the nation’s less-populated schools has opened the door for cooperative sharing ag... Read More
Choosing and Executing an Effective Fundraising Project hst In an ideal world, high school education-based athletics and performing arts activities would all be adequately suppo... Read More
Game Video: Not Your VHS Camcorder Anymore hst Using the video equipment to record your team’s game or practice (or the band’s rehearsal) has become significantly e... Read More
Computerized Cognitive Testing: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly hst Baseline concussion testing is an often-cited solution to the concussion epidemic. Many believe that if a baseline co... Read More
Helping Athletes, Parents with the College Recruiting Process hst Among the many tasks of high school athletic directors, helping athletes and their parents through the recruiting pro... Read More
Practical Ways to Promote Your Athletic Program hst Some of the greatest successes of high school athletic programs may not take place on the field, court or in the gym,... Read More
Student Advisory Groups Prove Invaluable for State Associations hst Kansas SAC While attending the 2015 NFHS National Student Leadership Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana, with two loc... Read More
Reaching State Legislatures for Support of School-based Sports hst In the Ohio state legislature sits a senator who has a unique perspective on issues facing high school sports and act... Read More
Grant Writing: Is This an Option for High School Athletic Directors? hst Is grant writing a feasible option for high school athletic directors? The short answer is a definitive yes. Among ... Read More
Successful Grant Writing for High School Athletic Programs hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Larry Herges, CAA, athletic administrator at Three Rivers Local Sch... Read More
Nebraska Student-athlete Selected for Spirit of Sport Award blog Holding the 2015 Nebraska School Activities Association Class C1 volleyball state runner-up trophy is the class of ... Read More
Alabama Marching Band; Director Selected for 2016 Heart of the Arts A. awards From the “Wiregrass Region” of southeastern Alabama comes the inspirational story of a high school marching band an... Read More

April 2016

2015-16 Speech, Debate and Theatre Association Educator Awards Select. hst The NFHS Speech, Debate and Theatre Association has selected 21 individuals to receive the 2015-16 Outstanding Speech... Read More
Wimberley Responds to Larger Task Than Football Game hst One Texas high school football team recently learned that those bonds formed on the field grow even stronger when a... Read More
States Come Together for Collaborative Sports Safety Meeting hst When it comes to promoting the health and safety of student-athletes, Dr. Brian Hainline is optimistic that great s... Read More
Prayer, Religion-related Activities at School Athletics Events hst The Legal Issue An ongoing challenge for school and athletics administrators is the question of the legal permissi... Read More
Challenges of Serving as Athletic Director at an International Scho. hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Gil Grant, athletic and activities director at the Bonn Internation... Read More
Sports Fundraising and Gender Equity: Clearing Up the Confusion hst The topic of gender equity as it relates to Title IX has been precarious at best primarily due to its misinterpretati... Read More
When It’s Necessary to Terminate a Coach hst One of the worst experiences a person can go through is getting fired. The only thing that might be worse than bein... Read More
Managing Change in a High School Athletics Program hst Athletic administrators constantly face new developments and have to adapt accordingly. Change may come from recently... Read More
Idaho State Tournaments Begin and End With Sportsmanship hst School administrators have a lot on their plates. From working a full school day to supervising after-school activi... Read More
Digital Music Stands: Music on Display hst Near the end of the 1990s, technology began to become available that made it possible for sheet music to be digitized... Read More
McDermott Trio Leads Prospect to Illinois Speech Title hst Jimmy, Scott and Molly McDermott The Illinois speech community is no stranger to the name McDermott. Since 2012, S... Read More
Using Technology to Become More Efficient and Productive hst Although going completely paperless would be a difficult task for a high school athletic administrator, it is importa... Read More
Improving Surveillance of Catastrophic Sport Injuries in High School . hst Currently, there are more than 7.8 million participants in high school sports in the United States. The benefits of p... Read More
Changing the Culture of High School Football hst Participation in high school sports has increased for 26 consecutive years, and there are currently more than 7.8 m... Read More
Voices of the Nation: What is an important lesson you have learned fr. hst What is an important lesson you have learned from your student-athletes? Dan SabersHead Football CoachCity Hi... Read More

March 2016

2015-16 Outstanding Music Educator Awards Selected hst Eighteen individuals have been selected to receive the 2015-16 Outstanding Music Educator Awards, given by the NFHS M... Read More
Washington Lays Groundwork for Positive Sportsmanship hst Sometimes, the success of a program depends on the people who created it or lead it. Other times, those who are parti... Read More
Return to Play: Who Makes the Decision? hst Recently, the NCAA ruled that athletic trainers and team physicians should have the final decision with regard to med... Read More
‘Herculean’ Fundraising Effort Keeps Douglas Programs Thriving hst Last April, school pride reached a fever pitch in small, rural Douglas, Massachusetts, when parents and students le... Read More
Former High School Speech/Debate Students Excel as Professionals Today hst The January 2016 issue of High School Today included an article titled “Performing Arts Students Develop Skills Neede... Read More
Dealing with Social Media in a High School Athletics Program hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Jim Inskeep, athletic director at Carmel (Indiana) High School, reg... Read More
Disabilities Law and Reasonable Accommodations in Sports hst The Issue The December 11, 2015 settlement of a disabilities-related lawsuit, Kempf v. Michigan High School Athletic... Read More
Devoting Time to Activity Programs Challenge for School Administrators hst The career paths of school administrators through coaching and athletic administration are changing in various part o... Read More
Marketing Your Program – It’s More than Filling Seats hst For many administrators, marketing means putting more fans into seats at athletic contests. While there is nothing wr... Read More
Strategies for Handling Difficult Conversations hst When it comes to high school activities, tensions often run high. From the parents who want to help their students su... Read More
Apps, Handheld Devices Offer Assistance with Weather Decisions hst While these methods may still work, licking your finger to test the wind direction or remembering your ninth-grade Ea... Read More
Illinois State Chess Tournament Continues Growth in Popularity hst On a cold Saturday in February, the Civic Center Grand Ballroom in Peoria, Illinois, is filled with more than 1,500... Read More
Inclusion Programs Continue to Expand Participation Opportunities hst In overtime, with the clock against him, Hampden Academy’s (Maine) David Manzo made the best of his opportunity. Th... Read More

February 2016

Cyberbullying: Challenging Legal Issues for Schools hst All 50 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws that prohibit bullying in school settings, provide legal... Read More
Marty Hickman: Not Only Will Football Continue to Survive, but Thrive hst In the fall of 1972, I started my high school athletic career on a football field at New Berlin (Illinois) High Schoo... Read More
Delaware Expands Unified Sports Competition with Flag Football Event hst This past October, Special Olympics Delaware (SODE) and the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) ca... Read More
States Employ Various Methods of Sanctioning Performing Arts Events hst In order to provide the best possible opportunities for talented performing arts students, many of our nation’s educa... Read More
Connecticut Sportsmanship Conference Sets the Standards hst In the world of sports fandom, one man’s insult is another man’s no big deal. Unless all cheering is specifically for... Read More
Illinois’ Student Section Showdown Recognizes Good Sportsmanship hst With 52 seconds remaining in the 2015 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 1A Girls Basketball State Champio... Read More
AZPreps365.com – One-stop Shop for Arizona High School Sports hst AZPreps365.com has developed into a one-stop shop of sorts for Arizona high school sports fans. Schedules, scores, ra... Read More
Minnesota’s WHY WE PLAY Initiative Teaches Purpose of Educational Spo. hst The continuation of an athletic career after high school is something that less than three percent of student-athlete... Read More
Michigan Collects Concussion Data from Member Schools hst As a part of its new initiatives related to concussions, the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is the... Read More
Addressing Mental-health Issues in Student-Athletes hst Through countless surveys over many years, it has been proven that participation in high school activity programs imp... Read More
Technology Independence: What to Do Before it Fails hst Our reliance on technology continues to grow with each new device, each all-in-one software program and each download... Read More
Education-based Sports and Activities: It’s Not Just for Entertainment hst Whenever schools have to make budget cuts, athletics and activities often are some of the first programs to be elimin... Read More
Effective Planning of Athletic Contests – Key Step in Controlling Cr. hst High school athletic administrators have an endless list of responsibilities. At any given time, each of these tasks ... Read More
Sage Advice from Two 40-Year School Board Members hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with two longtime school board members who each have served their local ... Read More
Student Leadership Conferences Thriving at State and National Levels hst Student Leadership Conferences – at the state and national levels – have become valuable tools for helping high sch... Read More

January 2016

Retention, Safety Among Officiating Concerns Across Country hst The list of officiating concerns at the high school level continues to rise – from pay-scale concerns, to safety of... Read More
It All Started Here: Damon Bailey hst Indiana is one of the country’s most famous basketball hotbeds, and Damon Bailey might be the perfect representativ... Read More
Minnesota Man is More than Just a Coach hst At Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (ACGC) High School in Grove City, Minnesota, David Blom is redefining what it means to... Read More
New Hampshire Community Rallies to Save Historic Ski Jump hst Skip Johnstone knew he didn’t have much time to waste. The school board in Plymouth, New Hampshire, was about to co... Read More
Performing Arts Students Develop Skills Needed for Life and Work hst Participation in education-based high school activities helps students develop important life skills such as dedicati... Read More
North Carolina Association Strives for Schools to be Ejection Free hst Sportsmanship is one of the seven core values of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA), encour... Read More
Prevention Key to Reducing Skin Infections in High School Wrestling hst In recent years, the issue of serious skin infections has come to the forefront in secondary school athletics – parti... Read More
Minnesota Program Helps Recruit and Retain Officials hst Officials are an important part of education-based athletics as they help ensure that fair competitions take place in... Read More
Activities: The Missing Variable in Many Education Reform Equations hst There is an ancient proverb that cautions, “to know but not to do is not really yet to know.” While some may find the... Read More
Developing a Culture of Community Service for Your Program hst The Cambridge Christian School boys basketball team donating Christmas gifts and volunteering at the Boys' and Girl... Read More
2015 Sports Law Year-In-Review hst Legal Issues in Athletics Administration Throughout 2015, lawsuits were filed, court cases were decided, legislati... Read More
The Role of the Superintendent in High School Athletics hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, superintendent of the Caesar Rodney School Di... Read More

November 2015

Alabama Football Teams Unite a Year After Tragedy hst When the start of any sporting event is delayed, chances are there will be some annoyed fans in the bleachers. For ... Read More
Liability of Schools for Encouraging Use of Illegal Techniques hst The Legal Issue Recent incidents involving allegations that schools and coaches have permitted or actively encourage... Read More
It All Started Here: Harbaugh Brothers hst John and Jim Harbaugh’s lifelong careers in football both started in 1979 on the same football field at Pioneer High ... Read More
In Their Own Words: Rob Manfred hst On August 14, 2014, Robert D. Manfred Jr., 56, was elected by the Major League Baseball team owners to succeed Bud ... Read More
Return-to-Participation Considerations Following Sports Injury hst One of the most often discussed topics among injured athletes and parents, coaches and healthcare personnel is “Whe... Read More
Unusual Nicknames: Barnwell Warhorses hst Located in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, Barnwell High School’s athletes are known as Warhorses. The nickname came a... Read More
Battle for the Golden Megaphone Boosts Ohio’s Longstanding Sportsman. hst Sportsmanship is a continually changing aspect of athletics. It seems that in order to combat the latest bad behavi... Read More
California’s Vista Murrieta: America’s Most Spirited High School hst Vista Murrieta High School In August of 2014, Varsity Brands released a study that revealed a powerful link betwee... Read More
Activities Associations Offer Variety of State Competition hst As the national leadership organization for high school athletic and performing arts activities, the National Federat... Read More
Using the New NFHS Online Education Courses hst No one can ever suggest that the NFHS rests on its laurels. With 39 education courses available online (www.nfhslearn... Read More
Voices of the Nation_ November 2015 hst What are your biggest challenges in dealing with concussed athletes? Cindy ClivioSupervisory Athletic TrainerKameham... Read More
Helping High School Students Work Together to Build Great Teams hst There are few things as important as helping high school students work in teams. It is critical that they learn ear... Read More
State Leaders Share Plans for Adding New Sports, Activities hst When it comes to adding a new sport or activity, knowing where to start can be overwhelming. From thinking about the ... Read More
Telemedicine Programs Provide Latest in Risk Minimization hst Minimizing the inherent risk of participating in interscholastic athletics has been a focus of the NFHS for many ye... Read More
Can Public and Private Schools Coexist in High School Athletics? hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Bill Gillispie, CMAA, director of athletics at Charleston (West Vir... Read More
An Emerging Issue: The Transgender Student-Athlete in Interscholastic. hst The transgender student-athlete has become the focus as the next group of young people that can benefit from partic... Read More

October 2015

It All Started Here: Andrew McCutchen hst For Pittsburgh Pirates star Andrew McCutchen, his road to becoming a major-leaguer began before high school. As an ... Read More
Sexual Assaults in High Schools and Athletics Programs hst The Legal Issue In April of 2014, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released ... Read More
Fine Arts Should be Spared from School Districts’ Budget Cuts hst As states continue to cut into school districts’ budgets and school districts struggle to avoid deficit spend... Read More
The Value of Solo and Ensemble Festivals within a Total Music Program hst Some music directors have been reluctant to involve their students in regional or state solo and ensemble festivals... Read More
Athletic Departments Must Design and Practice Emergency Action Plan hst Good emergency action plans for school sports and activities are critical. Although rare, life and limb-threatening... Read More
How to Become Involved in NFHS Network School Broadcast Program hst Heading into its third year, the NFHS Network is continuing to grow and deliver the high school experience to more ... Read More
Nevada School District Works Around Budget Cuts to Save Golf Programs hst Budget cuts can be an intimidating prospect – with dollar signs and deadlines looming, it is easy to act hastil... Read More
Sharing Students in Athletics and Performing Arts hst In education-based athletic programs, a broad-based participation rate is an extremely desired objective. After all... Read More
Personal Branding Course Helps Students Communicate in Digital World hst Today’s young people have a knack for technology that often causes adults to refer to them as “Digital ... Read More
Upton’s Baseball Success Began in Chesapeake, Virginia hst Justin Upton grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia, and attended Great Bridge High School from 2002 to 2005. While in hig... Read More
Principal Changes Sportsmanship Culture at Illinois High School hst The weather in central Illinois was cold on December 19, 2009, but not so unreasonably so as to require extra layers ... Read More
Georgia Sportsmanship Program Gets a Little Help from its Friends hst Sportsmanship is a group effort. A whole team or school promoting good sportsmanship is more likely to achieve its ... Read More
Remembering Gordy Gillespie – Legendary Coach from Joliet, Illinois hst As a kid growing up in Joliet, Illinois in the 1980s, it became apparent early on that there were generally three thi... Read More
From Disaster Comes Lifelong Connection Between Vermont Schools hst When members of the 2011 athletic teams from Essex High School in Vermont reflect on their accomplishments, they like... Read More
Unusual Nicknames: Kaukauna Galloping Ghosts hst The origin of the Kaukauna (Wisconsin) High School Galloping Ghosts dates to the 1920s. However, there are two diff... Read More
State Associations Continue Quest for Competitive Balance of Schools hst Not surprisingly, the competitive balance of schools in high school sports is a frequent conversation topic at Nation... Read More
Problems Facing Athletic Administrators at Urban High Schools hst Editor's Note: The following is an interview with Joanna Smith-Stephens, CMAA, athletic director at Potomac High Scho... Read More
Growth of Non-school Sports Leads to Fewer Multi-sport Athletes hst By all accounts, a growing number of high school student-athletes are competing in non-school (club, AAU, travel) s... Read More

September 2015

Voices of the Nation: How do you select your team captains? blog How do you select your team captains? Noble CottonSoftball CoachChurchland High SchoolPortsmouth, Virginia I coac... Read More
Cheerleading and The Law hst The History of Cheerleading In the decades following the first intercollegiate football game, the 1869 contest bet... Read More
California’s Grayson Lyman Letters in Six Varsity Sports hst In today's high schools, multi-sport athletes are becoming less common as sport specialization is seen by some as t... Read More
Is Your School Prepared to Handle Sudden Cardiac Arrest? hst Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is when the heart stops pumping blood effectively and fails to provide blood flow and o... Read More
Experts Gather to Discuss Overuse Injuries in Baseball hst Members from the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC), state high school associations and the USA Basebal... Read More
In Their Own Words: Don Showalter, Coach Excels with USA Basketball hst Don Showalter has been coaching high school boys basketball since 1976, when he became the head coach at Elkader (Iow... Read More
New York Offers Many Opportunities for Sportsmanship hst Trophies and banners are usually reserved for tournament or state champions in high school athletics. However, in t... Read More
Music Trips Abroad – Is the Cost Worth the Value? hst While travel has been part of our nation's school music programs for more than a century, the majority of those tri... Read More
From the Student Perspective - September 2015 hst What's the most important life lesson you’ve learned from participating in high school activities? Ashley Du... Read More
Ask the Athletic Director: Adding a New Sport to Your Program hst Editor’s Note: This column features frequently asked questions from high school athletic directors. This materi... Read More
Unusual Nicknames: Whitney Tech Screaming Owls hst Whitney Tech High School, in Hamden, Connecticut, was founded in 1956 and is named for Eli Whitney, the famous inve... Read More
It All Started Here: Chicago P.D.'s LaRoyce Hawkins hst If you turn on the television on a Wednesday night this fall, you might just see LaRoyce Hawkins. The 27-year-old i... Read More
NFHS Learning Center Continues Expansion with New Courses hst Since its launch in January 2007, the NFHS Learning Center (www.NFHSLearn.com) has strived to make the NFHS the natio... Read More
Ideas on Attracting More Teachers into Coaching hst Ongoing research indicates that the number of teacher-coaches continues to decline nationwide. School districts are u... Read More
Role of Cheerleaders in an Athletic Department’s Mission hst Each fall, in nearly every high school in America, Friday nights come to life. Swarms of students, parents and fans r... Read More
Defining Education-based Activity Programs hst The term “education-based athletics/activities” has been used frequently to describe the U.S. model of ... Read More
NFHS Student Leadership Summit Makes Big Comeback hst This past July, for the first time since 2010, the NFHS hosted student leaders from around the nation. Reborn this ye... Read More
States Adopt Plans to Limit Contact in Football hst The national leadership organization for high school sports since 1920, the NFHS is dedicated to providing a fulfilli... Read More

May 2015

Developing Solutions for Security Issues at High School Events hst From Saturday morning youth soccer to events such as the NCAA Final Four and the Super Bowl, the emphasis on the sa... Read More
High School Principal: Adults Present Biggest Sportsmanship Challenge hst Most high school athletic directors and administrators would agree that their greatest challenge in hosting an event ... Read More
Pennsylvania Schools Learn How to Address Change Through Merger hst One of the realities of life is that change is inevitable. The question then becomes, “How are we going to embr... Read More
Voices of the Nation: What Will You Miss Most About HS Athletics blog Bryan LeeBixby High SchoolBixby, Oklahoma As a senior in high school who plans to advance his athletic career at t... Read More
Jackie Stiles: One of Top High School Athletes in U.S. History hst Jackie Stiles was born in 1978 in Kansas City, Kansas, and went on to become one of the greatest high school athlet... Read More
Conn. Athlete Has Spirit of Sport; Ill. Musician Takes Heart of Arts hst Connecticut Three-sport Athlete is 2015 Spirit of Sport Award Recipient Since literally before she can remember, G... Read More
Recognition is Key in Montana’s Pursuit of Good Sportsmanship hst In Montana, good sportsmanship is not just promoted, it is recognized. No matter what your role is in Montana high sc... Read More
Development of the Sports Medicine Team hst In today’s secondary school athletic department, it is extremely important to have a team approach to athletic ... Read More
‘Take 24’: Striving for More Effective Communication may Dealing with situations that include tension or conflict is certainly not unusual for educators, administrators or ... Read More
Community Support: The Key to Success for Award-Winning School hst The instrumental music program at Diamond Bar (California) High School (DBHS) is considered one of the most successfu... Read More
Difficulties Females May Face as Athletic Administrators hst Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Susan Robbins, director of athletics at Yarmouth High School ... Read More
Top Ten Sports Law Issues Impacting School Athletics Programs hst Risk ManagementIn a society and an era where the trend is toward individuals with any grievance whatsoever – wh... Read More

April 2015

2014-15 Speech, Debate and Theatre Award Winners speech debate & theatre directors & judges article Section Awards Section 2 – Dana Higginbotham Tickle Dana Tickle has 23 years of teaching under her belt, an... Read More
Implementing A 3-4-5 Game Plan for Parents hst While most parents are supportive of the overall school athletic program, they are totally and singularly focused on ... Read More
Student Saves Girl’s Life at Illinois State Chess Tournament hst Chess can be a mentally exhausting game. Thinking of your opponent’s moves and the counter moves you can make, ... Read More
Soccer Olympian Rampone Played Four High School Sports hst Christie Rampone was born in 1975 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but grew up in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, where she a... Read More
New York’s Unified Basketball Program Thrives in Second Year hst The inclusion of students with disabilities is an important focus for schools and state associations. It provides e... Read More
Schools Should Utilize Free Courses in NFHS Coach Education Program hst The NFHS Coach Education and Certification Program is built upon two core courses, sport-specific courses and some el... Read More
Two Bands in One: Playing Another Instrument Provides New Perspective hst The complaints came from the front row to the back, year after year, with each instrument section complaining about... Read More
Wyoming “RIDEs” for Sportsmanship hst From the sign greeting visitors on the highway to the helmets of the state university’s football team, the Buck... Read More
Childhood Obesity Continues as Major Concern Across Country hst “Your child is fat.” No, that’s too straightforward. “Your child is obese.” Well, tha... Read More
Anti-Hazing Education: An Athletic Administrator’s Responsibility hst The earliest reports of hazing occurred in the early 1600s. At that time, it was referred to as “pennalism.&rdq... Read More
A House Divided: Homeschool Students on School Sports Teams hst As the number of high school students who are homeschooled continues to rise, leaders in high school sports across th... Read More
Components of a Successful Cheer/Spirit Program hst Cheerleaders are as much of a part of the history and tradition of high school sports as Friday night football and st... Read More
Trademark Issues with Use of College Names, Logos, Mascots hst The IssueUpon arriving at work one morning, with their to-do lists already filled with dozens of tasks to be comple... Read More

March 2015

2014-15 NFHS Music Association Award Winners hst Nineteen individuals have been selected to receive the 2014-15 Outstanding Music Educator Award given by the NFHS Mus... Read More
'Success’ Comes in Many Forms in High School Activities hst In our sports world in the United States, we generally equate success with winning a championship. While no one would... Read More
Focus on Health of Pitchers Continues in High School Baseball hst From youth leagues to high schools to the major leagues, protecting the health of baseball pitchers has been evolvi... Read More
School and Legislative Strategies to Prevent Cyberbullying hst The ChallengeThe 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey, the most recent study by the Centers for Disease Contr... Read More
Massachusetts Basketball Player Delivers Assist of a Lifetime hst Medfield (Massachusetts) High School’s Jack Cadigan IV knows the importance an assist can have in a basketball ... Read More
Technology Helps High School Percussionist Keep the Beat hst He was going to quit, but she wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. When percussionist Ethan Och, a j... Read More
Voices of the Nation: March 2015 hst As a school board member, what do you see as the benefits of high school activity programs to the local community? A... Read More
The Value of the Secondary School Athletic Trainer hst Worth, Return on Investment, Metrics, Safety, Value – what do all these words have in common? They all have b... Read More
Oklahoma’s “Win-win Week” Promotes Service Learning hst Basketball, football, baseball and even bass fishing are all sports sanctioned by NFHS-member state high school assoc... Read More
Arizona School District Approves Class Credit for Sports Participation hst The school days of high school student-athletes in Tucson, Arizona, are set to become a little less redundant next ... Read More
High School Sports Injury Surveillance System Now in 10th Year hst It has been 10 years since the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance System Study (High School RIO&... Read More
Banners Presented to Sportsmanship Winners in Oregon hst Enter a typical high school gym in America and you will be greeted by banners commemorating successful seasons in tha... Read More
Michigan’s Team Captains Course Moves Online hst After 10 years of providing an in-person clinic for high school athletic team captains, the Michigan High School At... Read More
The Role of Athletic Directors in Injury Prevention hst The benefits of high school sports are innumerable, but they come with an unavoidable drawback – injuries. The ... Read More
Online Registration Software – Saving Time (and paper) hst Whether your event is a one-time activity or an ongoing effort, being able to gather and store information in an orga... Read More
From the Student Perspective - March 2015 blog The following appears in the March 2015 issue of High School Today What are the most important things you have learn... Read More
Establishing a Coach Education and Certification Initiative hst   Mike Williams Editor’s Note: The following is an interview with Mike Williams, CMAA, who is in his s... Read More
The Challenges of School Reclassification for a State Associations hst In his book, Leading Change in Your School: How to Conquer Myths, Build Commitment and Get Results, Douglas Reeves st... Read More

February 2015

Why We Play – the Purpose of Education-based Athletics hst In today’s high school setting, a coach is one of the most influential people in a student-athlete’s life... Read More
Different Career Paths, Superintendents Stay Close to Athletics hst In the western suburbs of Chicago, Hinsdale Township High School District 86 and its 4,000-plus students at two high ... Read More
School Legal Challenges to State Association Rulings hst The Issue In recent years, an increasing number of legal challenges have been filed in courts by schools and athleti... Read More
Parents Play Crucial Role in Helping Students Achieve Success hst By the time a child has reached early adolescence, athletic programs have typically shifted their emphasis from broad... Read More
Rival School Offers Support in Aftermath of Tragedy hst Friday nights in the fall are part of the landscape that makes interscholastic sports special, and the memories of wh... Read More
Minnesota’s ‘Anyone Can Save a Life’ Program Available Nationwide hst A Life Saving Lesson Anyone can save a life, and the volleyball team at Two Harbors (Minnesota) High School knows th... Read More
LinkedIn – For an Educator? Really? hst LinkedIn, the business networking site, has more than 300 million members across the globe. It is accessed by compani... Read More
Survey Shows Students With School Spirit Are Top Achievers hst In addition to showing support for their school, high school students with “school spirit” perform better... Read More
Kansas Focuses on Sportsmanship hst For more than 25 years, the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) has been focused on not only spo... Read More
Electronic ‘To-Do’ List New Option to Traditional Method hst Each day, many administrators, with pen and paper in hand, generate a list of tasks or projects that need attention. ... Read More
It’s All in the Numbers for Cobre High School Concert Band hst The New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) has offered a state championship in concert band for almost 20 years, an... Read More
Unusual Nicknames: Pretzels vs. Cheesemakers hst Freeport (Illinois) High School and Monroe (Wisconsin) High School are separated by roughly 25 miles and one state li... Read More
It All Started Here: James Harden hst It is hard to ignore James Harden and his trademark beard. It is becoming even harder to ignore his play on the cou... Read More
Shot Clock in High School Basketball – the Debate Continues hst As high school basketball competition begins to wind toward state tournaments across the country, these events in mos... Read More

January 2015

New Jersey School Attempts to Rejuvenate the Three-sport Athlete hst The number of three-sport athletes, and in some cases four-sport athletes, in high school sports has decreased dramat... Read More
Trend Toward Sport Specialization Not Always Best Decision hst Fairfield (Ohio) High School athletic director Mark Harden knows all too well the debate on sport specialization. Not... Read More
Washington Football Team Cleans Bleachers After Games hst Traditionally at the conclusion of a high school football game the teams shake hands and disperse to opposite ends of... Read More
Voices of the Nation: January 2015 hst What are your suggestions for improving spectator behavior at high school games? Drew Potthoff, CMAAAthletic Directo... Read More
Unusual Nicknames: Watersmeet Nimrods january Being called a nimrod is an insult just about everywhere. Not in Watersmeet, Michigan, where the local high school ... Read More
It All Started Here: Jamaal Charles hst When Jamaal Charles gets the ball, the Kansas City Chiefs running back makes the most of it. Charles averages nearly ... Read More
Music Directors Have Important Leadership Role in High Schools hst High school music directors have an inherent opportunity to teach incredibly valuable life skills that lie far beyond... Read More
‘GIFTS’ Session – Great Ideas for Teaching Speech hst Collaborative sharing could very well be the best way to excite a new teacher or rejuvenate the veteran educator abou... Read More
NFHS Task Force Discusses Inclusion of Students with Disabilities hst The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has put together a task force to create and provide ... Read More
Addressing Medical Issues for Students in Adapted Programs hst In January of 2013, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a statement under... Read More
NFHS Begins Second Level of Certification for Coaches hst According to the latest sports participation survey conducted by the National Federation of State High School Associa... Read More
2014 Sports Law Year-in-Review hst Legal Issues in Athletics Administration Throughout 2014, court cases were decided, legislation was enacted and ad... Read More
Fostering a Positive Environment at High School Basketball Games hst It’s tolerated, oftentimes even encouraged, at college and professional basketball games – obnoxious, tau... Read More

November 2014

Gaining the Trust of Your Community as a New Principal hst When first getting to know a school community, it is important for a new principal to take time to learn about the cu... Read More
Social Media – ‘Delete’ May Not Mean ‘Delete’ hst You may not be able to find a doctor who will provide a medical diagnosis for “Tweeter’s regret,” b... Read More
New Mexico State Association Brings Sportsmanship Back Home hst After years of using outside initiatives, the New Mexico Activities Association (NMAA) decided it was time to bring s... Read More
Crosstown Rivalry Fuels Nebraska Speech Teams hst They appear cordial when not in competition. Some even have friends on the opposing team. But on the weekend, it&rsqu... Read More
Using Your Network in Leadership Positions to Build Relationships hst Relationship-building is a necessary leadership skill – professionals think of this as networking. Doing it wel... Read More
Successfully Defending Student Activity Programs hst Imagine that, by the first of next month, you had to justify the value of one of your school’s student activity... Read More
Disabled Spectator Access to Facilities: Contemporary Legal Standards hst Daubert v. Lindsay Unified School District On July 25, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, encomp... Read More
Administrators Should Develop Plan for Use of Social Media hst Issues surrounding social media have school officials running for cover as high school students around the country ha... Read More

October 2014

Learning to Observe the Signs of Student-athletes in Crisis hst Many student-athletes deal with emotional and personal issues in their daily lives that have the potential to develop... Read More
NFHS Taking Student Leadership to New Levels hst Thirteen years ago the NFHS planted a seed by hosting its first student leadership conference to help develop high sc... Read More
NFHS Sanctioning Meant to Protect Student-Athletes hst In the mid-1930s, there was growing concern surrounding high school basketball teams playing interstate competitions ... Read More
Return to Play After ACL Injuries hst One of the biggest challenges for sports medicine professionals is the decision about when to return an athlete to fu... Read More
Devereaux Excelled as Four-Sport Prep Star in Wyoming hst Michael Devereaux was born in Casper, Wyoming, where he was an exceptional three-sport student-athlete at Kelly Walsh... Read More
Massachusetts Offers Layered Approach to Sportsmanship hst Sportsmanship is an undeniable key aspect of interscholastic athletics, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athleti... Read More
Iowa Golfer’s Character Shines Despite the Cost hst Imagine a baseball hitter calling strike three on himself or a football wide receiver informing a referee that he ste... Read More
First Texas UIL Film Festival Receives Great Reviews hst Three years ago I sat watching the sci-fi summer blockbuster Super 8. The film tells the story of a group of young ... Read More
It All Started Here: Brownsburg High School hst It’s quite an accomplishment for a high school to have one of its graduates playing sports at the professional ... Read More
Unusual Nicknames: Fredonia Hillbillies hst While the Hillbilly mascot may not be unique to the Fredonia (New York) School District, the fact that a school in ... Read More
Legal Issues Related to Use of Drones in High School Sports hst Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Thousands of small UAS – miniature drones that fly using tiny versions of the ... Read More
Athletic Directors – Leading From the Middle hst High school athletic/activity directors are in a position somewhere between upper-level management (the principal and... Read More
Explaining Education-based Athletics to Parents hst For athletic administrators who embrace education-based athletics and direct their program using this philosophy, the... Read More
New Student-athlete Prototype: Two Sports in the Same Season hst One of the new trends on the high school sports scene is the increase in student-athletes who are playing two sports ... Read More
Transfers Present Challenges for State Associations hst Across the country, millions of high school student-athletes don the colors of the local community’s school, an... Read More

September 2014

Unusual Nicknames: Hickman High School Kewpies hst High school nicknames often pay homage to something significant from the school’s community – commonly a ... Read More
Football Outlook Promising With Rise in Participants hst This issue marks the beginning of our eighth year of publication for High School Today, and, as the cover story indic... Read More
Legal Perspectives, Recommendations on State Concussion Laws hst All 50 States and District of ColumbiaFollowing the January 30, 2014 signing by Governor Phil Bryant of the Mississip... Read More
Massachusetts School Returns Trophy after Realizing Mistake hst In leading the North Attleborough High School track and field team to its second consecutive Massachusetts Interschol... Read More
Monitoring Your School's Online Presence hst The advent of social media and the ease with which just about anyone and everyone can access it and contribute to it ... Read More
'Add A. Tude' Keeps Sportsmanship Alive in Illinois hst The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) founded an innovative sportsmanship program in 2006 that has evolved into... Read More
Virginia to Stage First Film Festival hst High school students in Virginia will soon have another opportunity to showcase their talents and skills during a sta... Read More
Vitamin D and Calcium: Are You Deficient? hst Vitamin D and calcium are essential parts of all diets. Both are important in bone health, but are also important in ... Read More
Self-advocacy – Helping Student-athletes Address Issues on Their Own hst For young people, staying connected with one another is vital, whether it’s through texts, tweets, vines, snap ... Read More
It All Started Here: Chris Paul hst It might be rather difficult to find another successful professional athlete who 10 years after graduating from high ... Read More
NFHS Network Begins Second Year of Covering High School Sporting Even. hst A little more than a year has passed since the NFHS Network was launched as a digital-content network in a joint vent... Read More
Developing Policies for Transgender Students on High School Teams hst As high schools and state associations nationwide continue to provide opportunities for all young people to participa... Read More
Participation Rates are Vital to Education-based Athletics hst As the article on page 12 indicates, participation in high school sports increased for the 25th consecutive year in 2... Read More
Derrick Coleman Overcomes Deafness to Excel on Football Field hst Seattle Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman was an ordinary three-year-old growing up in Fullerton, California until hi... Read More
Student-athletes and Community Service: A Win-Win Strategy hst Community service by athletic teams is a proud tradition at Salem High School in New Hampshire – one that benef... Read More

May 2014

April 2014

March 2014

February 2014

January 2014

State Associations Offer Athletic Opportunities for Students with Dis. hst Young boys and girls spend countless hours playing sports in backyards across the United States. Many of them dream a... Read More

May 2013