RIDGWAY, PA

The District 9 Committee held the October 23, 2002 meeting at Aiello’s Café in Ridgway, PA.

The following members were present: D.J. Bevevino, Roger Collins, Gary Elder, Tony Flint, Terry Hoover, Jeff Jovenitti, Jerry Linsenbigler, Jim Manners, Larry Stiner, Aaron Straub, Susan Valentine, Tom Wagner, and Bob Wicker.

Chairman Hoover called the meeting to order at 9:40 AM.

A motion was made by Jeff Jovenitti and seconded by Tony Flint to accept the minutes of the September 25, 2002 meeting. The motion carried.

A motion was made by Gary Elder and seconded by Jim Manners to accept the treasurer’s report. The motion carried.

A motion was made by Jim Manners and seconded by Susan Valentine to authorize the payment of bills. The motion carried.

COMMUNICATIONS:

A letter was received from Austin Area High School explaining their plan to solve a number of problems that occurred during the 2001 – 2002 basketball season. A motion was made by Larry Stiner and seconded by Jim Manners to accept the plan. The motion carried.

A letter was received from Mrs. Sandra Chlopecki, Principal of Kane Area High School, requesting that the committee consider Kane Area High School as a site for the District 9 Track and Field Championship Meet. The track committee will consider the request.

A letter was received from the P.I.A.A. notifying the district committee that A. C. Valley High School had been placed on probation in all sports pending the payment of a fine for not attending the mandatory rules meeting for football.

A letter was received from the P.I.A.A. notifying the district committee that Clarion Area High School did not attend the mandatory rules meeting for girls’ soccer.

A request will be made to the P.I.A.A. encouraging them to notify schools in a more timely manner if a coach or coaches did not attend a mandatory rules meeting.

A letter was received form the Southern Section D9 Basketball Officials Chapter recommending a replacement to fill the officials’ representatives position.

ELIGIBILITY REQUESTS:

A motion was made by Tony Flint and seconded by Jeff Jovenitti to grant athletic eligibility to the following foreign exchange students: Luana Bittencourt - Bradford Area High School

Ayazhan Seitkazina - St. Marys Area High School

The motion carried.

A motion was made by Jeff Jovenitti and seconded by D.J. Bevevino to grant athletic eligibility to Brandi Holsinger, a student at Otto-Eldred High School, under Article 6, Section 9b. The motion carried.

A motion was made by Gary Elder and seconded by Tony Flint to grant athletic eligibility to Joseph Cherry, Rudy Patrick Cherry, and Ted Richard Cherry (transferring from Elk County Catholic High School to Johnsonburg Area High School) under Article 9A, Section 9B. The motion carried with three abstentions.

A student from the Beacon Light School is requesting to compete as a member of an athletic team for Bradford Area High School. The eligibility request is made under Section 8. The District 9 Chairman will seek the advice from the P.I.A.A. Executive Director.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

FOOTBALL (Larry Stiner, - Chairman) The football committee will meet after the district committee meeting. The 2002 – 2003 football playoffs will be re-evaluated at the end of the tournament.

GOLF (Tony Flint and Bob Tonkin – Co-chairmen)

The financial reports for the golf tournaments were presented. Mr. Flint reported that the golf course conditions for the P.I.A.A. championships were excellent. The future sites for the boys’ and girls’ golf tournaments are as follows:

Girls’ Tournament:

2003 – Emporium Country Club

2004 – Grandview Country Club

Boys’ Tournament:

2003 – Bavarian Hills Country Club

2004 – Pine Acres Country Club

CROSS COUNTRY (D.J. Bevevino – Chairman)

The district meet will be held on Thursday at the Clarion County Park.

SOCCER (Tom Wagner – Chairman)

Mr. Wagner reported thtatusing E-mail to enter schools for the tournament went smoothly. There is still a concern with the number of suitable soccer playoff sites in District 9.

VOLLEYBALL (Aaron Straub – Chairman)

Mr. Straub provided the committee with breakdown of the number of teams entering the 2002 – 2003 volleyball tournament.

TENNIS (Larry Stiner – Chairman)

Mr. Stiner provided the committee with the results and the financial report for the tournament. The use of E-mail went smoothly.

OLD BUSINESS:

A motion was made by Jeff Jovenitti and seconded by Susan Valentine to appoint Mrs. Cindy Wagner as the District 9 female advisor to the P.I.A.A. Parents’ Advisory Steering Committee. The motion passed.

Bob Wicker and Jeff Jovenitti were appointed to the track and field committee.

A motion was made by D.J. Bevevino and seconded by Gary Elder to authorize Jeff Jovenitti to take a proposal to the P.I.A.A. Board of Directors recognizing cheerleading as a sport.

Dr. Hoover provided an up-date on the hearing held concerning a game contract between Punxsutawney Area High School and Greensburg Salem High School. The Board of Directors found the contract between the schools is not valid.

NEW BUSINESS:

The Board of Directors voted to hold a special election to fill the term of Mr. Frank Palaggo as the District 9 officials’ representative. The consensus of the district committee was that the position should be filled by an appointment by the committee not an election.

Discussion was held concerning the possibility of a school not geographically located in District 9 seeking membership in District 9.

Officials who reside inside of the geographic boundaries of Clearfield County but are members of an officials’ chapter located in District 9 to be considered a District 9 official by the P.I.A.A.

The district committee discussed the election of a female officials’ representative.

In the near future, representatives of the wrestling and basketball committees will meet with Mr. Bob Carlson, Athletic Director at Clarion University, to discuss security issues when District 9 events are held at the university.

THE NEXT DISTRICT 9 MEETING WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2002 AT 9:30 AM AT AIELLO’S CAFÉ, RIDGWAY, PA.

A motion was made by Jim Manners and seconded by Bob Wicker for the meeting to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 12:35 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Robert J. Tonkin

District 9 Secretary