The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) Board of Control meets regularly to address the business of all school activities in the state of Nevada.
The NIAA is the governing body over all Nevada high school sports. Several of the items discussed and acted upon during their most recent meeting on June 13 will have a direct impact on three area high schools (Lowry, Battle Mountain and Pershing County).
One of the most anticipated items on the agenda was Dayton High School’s appeal to align all sports (football and non-football) in the Northern 2A League instead of their current 3A status.
Steve Henderson, principal of Dayton High School, wrote a four-page letter dated May 30 to the board detailing all the reasons Dayton wanted to move from 3A to 2A.
Henderson listed DHS’ sports programs unimpressive records for the past eight years, including the football teams 0-11, 0-9, and 1-9 performances for the past three years.
“The move would allow DHS programs to be more competitive, while not dominating in the 2A Division,” Henderson said in the letter. “Our success against the 2A in the recent past has been anything but dominating, all programs dropping games consistently to 2A opponents.”
Fernley High School went on the record in support of this move, while both Pershing County High School and Battle Mountain High School were strongly opposed.
Dayton had many school officials at the meeting to plead their case but the board voted unanimously to deny the DHS request.
• A proposal to allow the Northern 3A baseball teams to substitute two tournaments out for six additional league games was also on the agenda.
Ray Parks, principal at LHS and 3A liaison from Winnemucca, explained the case for this change.
“The addition of North Valleys allows us to play a full schedule without having to participate in tournaments,” Parks said.
The board voted unanimously to approve this item.
• Hall of Fame criteria for induction changes were presented by Board Vice President Rollins Stallworth.
“The purpose of the NIAA Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor those outstanding individuals who have had a significant and positive impact on the lives of Nevada’s young people through their involvement as an administrator, athlete, coach, contributor and/or official,” according to the NIAA website (niaa.com).
Current Hall of Fame applications state that a nominee must be “fully retired” before they are eligible for the Hall of Fame. Applicants (other than athletes) must have 25 years of service, and be retired from their area of work in order to be eligible.
Athletes may be nominated 15 years after their graduation from high school. In an attempt to make the application and the website match exactly, the proposal was to change the application to match the website.
This proposal intended to allow partially retired staff to be recognized for their accomplishments and contributions, while still allowing the school and students to benefit from their continued employment. This proposal was unanimously defeated, leaving the application wording as it is.
• At every meeting, each liaison gives a report on items of concern to the league. Parks recognized the LHS 3A girls track and field team, who won the state championship with only eight girls.
Parks reminded the board of the addition of North Valleys to 3A, making it a 10 team league now. He also noted that Lowry’s “Hall of Fame” football game would be held in Winnemucca this year, with LHS taking on Pahrump Valley in the first game of the season.
