A presentation on women’s flag football, decisions on hosting sites for future championships and appeals against sanctions were part of the LHSAA Executive Committee’s summer meeting Thursday at the LHSAA office.
“It’s been an interesting year,” Bonine said. “For the most part, the weather hasn’t been a big issue for us.
“Once again, we will take a strong stance on sportsmanship (in 2024-25). We have some struggling fans and players there.
Multiple calls
Bonine’s point on sportsmanship came after an afternoon of closed-door appeals from several schools, several of which appealed for sanctions for fights involving students and/or spectators.
The executive committee’s decisions on these appeals will be sent to the respective schools in the coming days.
Flag football
The New Orleans Saints made the pitch for women’s flag football, asking the LHSAA to adopt a pilot program for the sport as a spring sport.
Bonine told the committee that flag football is the fastest-growing girls’ sport nationally, including in Section 3 of the National High School Federation, the group to which the LHSAA belongs.
The Saints launched a 10-team women’s flag football league in the New Orleans area this spring, which included East Jefferson, West Jefferson, Bonnabel and De La Salle.
“We have to survey the schools and the policy is that this is a two-year pilot (program),” Bonine said. “(The Saints) build the necessary data and then we have to commit 80 schools to play. This is what our policy says.
“Once you get that, you put it into a two-year probationary (pilot program) and that gives everyone the opportunity (to compete).”
Saints Head of Youth Football Development Austin Pasco and Senior Director Elicia Broussard Sheridan addressed the committee and gave a slideshow presentation.
More of the same
Only one LHSAA championship host site is subject to change, as sites have been approved in multiple sports by the committee.
Powerlifting, held at the Cajundome for the past two years, is tentatively scheduled to move to the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner for two years.
The Cajundome has been approved as a volleyball venue for the next four years.
Other familiar venues also receiving two-year offers include: football (Southeastern), tennis (Monroe), women’s basketball (Southeastern), swimming, softball and baseball (Sulphur), and wrestling ( Bossier City).
Congratulations to Bonine
The executive committee also completed its annual evaluation of Bonine in a closed executive session. He reported receiving a rating of 3.8 on a 4.0 scale.
“I am very grateful to the committee. I work hard to be as transparent as possible with what I can,” Bonine said. “I have open lines of communication with the executive committee.”
Boyer honored
The executive committee recognized Mike Boyer of Teurlings Catholic for his 50 years as a track and field announcer for LHSAA events including cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field.
To commemorate the honor, LHSAA Assistant General Manager Adam MacDowell presented Boyer with his own replica of the LHSAA championship trophy.
Boyer joked, “I never met a microphone I didn’t like.”
Etc.
Bonine said a mid-November trial date has been set for Newman’s lawsuit over LHSAA sanctions imposed on men’s basketball last year.
The LHSAA’s decision stripped Newman of two previous titles and suspended coach Randy Livingston for one year.
But a restraining order put Livingston back on the bench and Newman in the playoffs. The Greenies then defeated University to win the Division III select title.
