NCHSTCA Meeting Minutes, January 2011
NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS COACHES’ ASSOCIATION
MINUTES FROM 2011 WINTER MEETING IN PINEHURST
SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2011 7:45-9:30 AM
Present: Tyson Thompson (NCTA), Marusa Pogacnik (NCTA), Donald Clark (Greene Central), Ken Hazen (Charlotte Catholic), Lindsey Linker (East Chapel Hill), Linney Teague (Hickory), Brad Fisher (RJR), Eric Rodgeman (Cedar Ridge), Gene Thomas (Athens Drive), Roy Hudson (Ardrey Kell), Scott Kniskern (Mt. Airy), Lynn Ward (Person), Jeff Kinlaw (Red Springs), Chad Oxendine (First Assembly Private), Laura Oxendine (Central Cabarrus), Gwynn Honeycutt (former coach), David Bolick (Team Connection)
I. Secretary’s Report. Minutes from June meeting were approved.
II. Treasurer’s Report. Eric Rodgeman reported an increase in deposits from $600 to $1200.
Donations can be sent directly to Eric for deposit. Linney Teague volunteered to help
Eric with paperwork necessary to EFile 2010 taxes for our organization.
III. Team Connection (David Bolick). David discussed the success of the Deserving Team of
The Year Award this fall and asked what else TC can do for us. We discussed the issue of
how best to make Athletic Directors and new coaches aware of Team Connection.
IV. NCTA Representatives. (Marusa Pogacnik and Tyson Thompson). Marusa introduced
Tyson as new staff member for Schools Program. Marusa plugged the JTT league and
Donald recommended it as a way to start summer programs. Marusa encouraged folks
to call her at NCTA for help getting JTT started.
V. Team Connection Men’s Deserving Team of the Year Award. Brad reported that 12
Applications were received. He gave each board member a packet to review, and asked us to
send him our top three teams by Tuesday so that David can present the award asap. The
suggestion was made to post the winner on the NCTA website, as well as our own.
VI. NCHSAA Update.
A. Regular season matches after conference tournaments – since scheduling is difficult with
men’s tennis due to three different spring breaks, the NCHSAA will allow teams to play
matches up until the Saturday before playoffs…THIS SPRING ONLY.
B. Proposal to NCHSAA board to play final week dual team matches on Monday/Wednes-
day, and to move start times to 10:00am and 1:00am. Motion passed unanimously.
VII. “My Tennis Network” Update. Plans to launch statewide next year. Two teams will
be “guinea pigs” this spring to test the setting up of rankings, etc. Expense seemed to be a
problem, so Jonathan Fralick is working with the NCTF on the possibility of providing it
free with a grant. It is important to stress that a parent or volunteer can enter the info, not
just the coach. Brad said he would meet with Jonathan to help assure the simplicity of send-
ing scores, ie. at the same time as sending to newspapers. Donald reminded us that the
NCHSTCA will get $5 per team, thus helping us to raise money.
VIII. Membership Drive. Donald reported that we have over 600 schools already involved in
NCHSTCA. We discussed ideas for getting more in 2011, ie. by sending out email blasts
to athletic directors and stressing that joining is free. Donald stressed the frustration and
importance of getting conference reps to send him the correct coaches’ names, since many
time his emails bounce back.
IX. Technology Discussion (Brad Fisher). Brad reported that due to high traffic in 2011, he
may need to increase the band width on our website. He has added an “Open Dates” section
which has been well-received. He will add a link to the NCHSAA at the bottom of the page.
Brad said the biggest challenge continues to be getting the conferences to send in results.
He suggested delegating this responsibility to a player or parent. He said the 2A uses the
“Message Board” a lot, but that the 4A hardly does at all. Brad said he would post a remind-
er to coaches on the website to update their message board.
X. Agenda Items Submitted by Members.
A. Officials for playoff matches. Gwynn Honeycutt, former Hoggard coach and now an
Official, proposed a need for officials at playoff matches. She stated that football spends
About $400 for officials each game and asked why they could not be provided for
tennis, at least for the quarter and semifinals. Linney’s concern is the expense required
for four divisions on the same day, as well as the challenge of finding enough officials
in each area of the state. A suggestion was made to add a statement to the NCHSAA
handbook that obtaining officials for matches was allowed if coaches see the necessity.
It was decided we will discuss this with Carolyn at our June meeting.
B. Expanding ranking to top 15 instead of 10 since getting more participation. Brad said
It was challenging enough to get voters to rank 10, much less 15, since getting the infor-
mation was not easy. The consensus of the group was to stay at 10, but to perhaps rank
more at the end of the season based on wins/loses. We will discuss this further in June.
C. Increase match participation requirement to 50% of regular season matches in order for
a player to compete in the postseason. Injuries or legitimate issues are covered by cur-
rent rule. Discussion involved pros and cons on both sides, like it may be tough to re-
quire 50% play at the lower positions since they change so much. We will continue this
discussion with Carolyn at our June meeting.
D. Mentor list for new/inexperienced coaches. Coaches who agree to be put on this list
should contact Brad and he will include their name on the website.
E. Adding a week to men’s season to make it equal to women’s season. Discussion about
this centered on the fact that although teams lose a week for spring break, starting any
earlier in February would be almost impossible due to the weather, and the NCHSAA
would have to hear about it from other sports as well.
F. Unintended consequences of new doubles rule. Consensus was that while this is not a
perfect solution, it is better than nothing, and no ideas were brought forth for change.
G. Who monitors scrimmages and what are consequences for not following rules? The
Athletic Directors should monitor their teams and the NCHSAA enforces if notified.
H. Monitoring “athletic eligibility” and “attendance zones.” Rules exist in each district
and enforcement varies. LEA’s enforce attendance and districts enforce eligibility.
I. Changing the number of regional representatives to align with the number of schools in
each conference (presented in email to board). After discussion it was agreed that while
this is a good idea, it would involve more loss of school time which the NCHSAA would
not approve. Also, there was concern as to how this would affect conference tourna-
ments. It was decided that there must be more solutions to these problems in order to
pursue this proposal.
XI. Cy King (NCTA) – NCTA 50th Anniversary Book. Cy introduced Tim Noonan who is
writing/publishing a book to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the NCTA. He is look-
ing for stories and pictures of high school tennis to include in the book. He may also offer
customized dust jackets which could highlight state championships, etc. He asked that
ideas be emailed to him at tnoonan@heritagehistories.com (#919-636-3908).
XII. New Rules. Clarification of new rule for the break between the second set and the tie-
breaker for the third set is now THREE MINUTES. The USTA recommends a player NOT
come off the court. A recommendation was made for Carolyn to make this change in the
NCHSAA Handbook.
XIII. Working Relationship with NCTA. Reminder that grant money is available - we can
apply if we come up with some good ideas.
XIV. Input into tennis session at July Coaching Clinic in Greensboro. Again we would like
Carolyn to hold a rules session. Also, the idea of breakout sessions for beginning/exper-
ienced coaches would be helpful. Much discussion centered on the continued frustration
of the time of registration/pictures. Brad will contact Mac Morris to see if the NCCA
could adjust the schedule for tennis, ie. breaking for lunch earlier since we are off-site, or
maybe even getting an extra camera for picture-taking at UNCG?
XV. Date and site for summer meeting: Thursday, June 16, 2011 at the NCHSAA office.
Respectfully submitted,
Lindsey Linker
Secretary, NCHSTCA