REGIONAL CAUCUS MEETING
HOLIDAY INN - MARKHAM
Thursday, November 17, 2011
ELLESMERE WEST – 10:15 AM.
AGENDA / DISCUSSION TOPICS
Regions
North
NWOSSAA, NEOAA, NOSSA
Chair – Tim Lowe, NOSSA
West
WOSSAA, SWOSSAA, CWOSSA
Chair – Michele Van Bargen, WOSSAA
South
SOSSA, GHAC, ROPSSAA
Chair – Brian Fuller, SOSSA
Central GBSSA, LOSSA, YRAA
Chair – Mark O’Neill, LOSSA
East
EOSSAA, NCSSAA, COSSA
Chair – Linda De Jeu, COSSA
Metro
TDCAA, TDSSAA, CISAA
Chair – Patty Johnson, TDCAA
The following topics are intended to gather feedback and information. Please be prepared to report back to the
meeting on what is being done in your region.
1. Banquets are an important aspect of each OFSAA Championship. However, it is becoming more and
more challenging for host convenors to accommodate meals/venue/etc. for under $25, particularly in
larger cities. Please provide ideas on how OFSAA convenors in your area have been able to
accommodate this challenge and/or provide any ideas on how the banquets could be changed to avoid
increasing the cost to participants.
North:
NEOAA – not an issue, with Timmins being the city where they host the most championships (New
Liskeard as well). They do not see a problem with charging more.
NWOSSAA and NOSSA – no problem in having the ability to do the banquets under the current price
structure.
Ways to provide the banquet in a more frugal fashion would be to have the banquet in-house (at the
host school), as a ‘’bruncheon’’.
Also, the North would like to see the banquet occur PRIOR to the first games of the championship and
not after games have begun.
South:
having a breakfast banquet was suggested if it would fit into the 3-day championship
some banquets have been less formal in structure - more creative.
have the athletes interact more.
have social activities
keep the formal dress code - no one wants to look at butt cracks
East:
may not be as big a problem in small center as host schools find ways to make things happen
some championships have used parent volunteers
find unique ways to raise money to offset costs
costs are going up but the challenge is keeping costs down for all participants
possible range up to $30
possible extra sponsorship, but will cause other problems
do we need to look at changing the banquet mandate or format (Girls' like the banquet, but the boys'
may not be as impressed) Although the banquets are important to help teach the kids about proper
etiquette. Education through sport!
West:
more and more schools are trying to do them in house and use their own hospitality services
hold the banquet in the gymnasium of the school that is hosting
encourage schools, even in big cities to host banquets in schools.
What can convenors get as donations from city councils?
Central:
make use of sponsorship money to off-set costs to make it less than $25
Perhaps a lunch time banquet or even a breakfast time slot to lower costs would be acceptable
Use culinary program at host school or a close by sister school
??? Lynn questioned as to whether the banquet was past its prime???
Metro:
Metro does not see a problem with $25.00 at the moment – everything can be negotiated
Ideas to cut down costs – sponsorship
2. When associations do not hold an association championship in a sport or an OFSAA qualifying meet,
are schools allowed to enter OFSAA? What process does an association follow to allow these schools to
enter?
North:
The North Region Associations (NEOAA, NOSSA and NWOSSAA) all hold qualifying championships for
qualifications to OFSAA championships, with some minor exceptions;- swimming, lacrosse, and nordic
skiing. Also, if there is an event, there has to be a minimum number of teams involved. (these are
usually parent-driven).
South:
General rule is no championship then we have no OFSAA rep. However we did admit that for
gymnastics we allow individual schools to go - may be due to the history of the sport or that it is now a
festival.
East:
EOSSA no, they need to take part in a league or league championship.
NCSSAA no, they need to be a recognized sport.
COSSA no, if both districts do not run the sport, then the winner of the district league will go as the
representative but not the champion.
2
West:
SWOSSA only sends representatives in championships that are sanctioned.
Individual sports are somewhat different than team sports
In some cases where there is not a championship because there are not enough schools to sanction an
association championship, athletes are allowed to go on, but they are not association champions.
Some associations will twin championships in specific sports to accommodate athletes who do not have
a championship to attend.
There seems to be quite a bit of variation as to how associations handles these situations
Issues seem to be occurring in sports like gymnastics, snowboarding, lacrosse because championships
don’t run in these sports.
As enrollments decline, associations may need to look at changing their constitutions to seek creative
ways to allow students to compete at the next level
Central:
No, teams should not get a direct entry to OFSAA. The process is in place to “twin” with another region.
Further, how is that fair for a school who participated in a bonafide league and then gets beat out by a
school from a region without a league at all
Perhaps letting the single join the regional twinned league play if travel permits
Metro:
Yes – TDCAA – wrestling – 3 schools wrestle, enter tournaments and meets. The three coaches then
decide who the best athletes are to represent at OFSAA. TDSSAA has a championship in all sports. This
is not an issue.
3. Discussion has occurred over the past couple of years regarding the proliferation of sport schools and
academies in a variety of boards across the province. Concerns have been expressed at the association
level regarding the potential competitive imbalance these types of schools may have at the local level
and the OFSAA level. At last year’s Future Directions Committee meeting it was decided to draft a
motion to address these concerns.
A draft copy of that motion was discussed by each regional caucus at last April’s meeting. The Future
Directions Committee took the feedback from those meetings and has revised the motion as it appears
below. Please discuss this motion and present your feedback at the Representatives’ Council. A
finalized motion will be presented for a vote at the AGM this coming April.
WHEREAS sport schools and sport academies may create unequal competitive situations; and
WHEREAS OFSAA is committed to ensuring competitive opportunities for students are as equitable as
possible;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the following be added to By-Law 5, Section 4.
(h)
Sport schools and sport academies are schools that offer flexible or modified timetabling to
accommodate students’ athletic training, competition and/or travel schedules; or schools that
admit athletes due to their level of athletic status who are required to take additional credits in
health and physical education specific to fundamental and fitness training principles.
3
Sport programs are considered to be a course or courses offered by a school which are sportspecific curricular programs.
i.
Any student enrolled in a sport school, sport academy, or sport program will be eligible
to compete in all sports provided they are attending the designated school according to
school board boundaries (or the closest school where no boundaries exist).
ii.
Any student enrolled in a sport program and the school is not his/her designated school
according to school board boundaries (or not their closest school where no boundaries
exist), will be eligible to compete in any sport except the sport being provided through
their sport-specific curricular program.
iii.
Any student enrolled in a sport school or sport academy and the school is not their
designated school according to school board boundaries (or not their closest school
where no boundaries exist), will be eligible to compete in any sport except their declared
or designated sport of specialty.
iv.
The declared or designated sport of specialty shall be the sport played at the highest
level as determined by the student’s school.
v.
A challenge of a student’s declared or designated sport may be made by another
school’s athletic director, principal, or vice principal to the regional school athletic
association.
vi.
Students who were enrolled in a sport school, sport academy, or sport program prior to
Feb 29, 2012 shall be eligible for all sports provided they meet all rules of eligibility.
North:
We raised a few questions on this topic: What is a Program? Is it a course? A series of courses? Would
this impact on the High Skills Major?
As for the draft copy of the motion, we support it, and we conclude that the motion, if passed, would be
doing what it is supposed to do. However, we raise the question of recruiting violations and what, if
any, impact this would have on the private schools of CISAA – ie : Is what is happening with E.S. LouisRiel that much different than is happening in CISAA?
South:
Questions asked - how long is the student ineligible - one year or high school career.
Is catchment based on postal code or feeder school? In Hamilton it needs to be based on postal code as
we have elementary sport academies that could feed certain high schools.
How are other schools made aware of out of catchment students attending another school? It is far
more difficult with associations that have more than one board of education.
What will we do with students who are already in the sport academies are they grandfathered and good
to play.
When will the motion come into affect? Grade eight students will fill out their option sheets in late
march to go to high school and then find out later they can't play if the motion passes.
4
East:
seems reasonable
West:
the motion tries to capture the difference between the type of schools that exist those being sport
schools, sport specific schools and sport programs
where no school boundaries exist, it seems to be more complicated
the motion represents a good start and may need refining as it plays itself out
should there be a mention of classifications? This seems to be a question that many people want
clarification on, however point 2 and 3 may help with this.
point number four needs to be clarified to make sure that the specialty sport is declared
Central:
Is it time to re-classify? How would it look?
Take all the sports schools and pull them into the independent schools championship
Section iv leaves it open to individual interpretation…perhaps examples would be helpful? (ie. What is
the highest level…is house league a limiting factor?)
Sports specific schools perhaps need their own association/championships instead of re-classifying all
schools
Much discussion ensued on the eligibility of club trained athletes; also which championship should they
be eligible for. Discussion about the validity of seeking the information of the “club trained” athlete
ensued….
Suggestion to attach a sample form /application for a way for schools and associations to track the
“highest level” of their athletes might be helpful
Metro:
For example Eastern Commerce? Focus Courses – can have a series of related courses but cannot have just
sport specific. How do schools get around it’s course codes - grouping for example large group activities.
TDSSAA has four sport schools – Birchmount, Northview, Silverthorn, and Vaughan Road In terms of the Motion – By-Law 5, Section 4
TDSSAA determining what sport is their highest level – for identification to play in high school sports. (v)
Grandfathered section (vi) – Feb 29, 2012 – clarification start date to go into effect on Sept. 1, 2013
Definition of what a sport program is
How many courses constitutes a sport specific course? Suggestion to be a series of courses in that
specific course from grade 9 onwards.
What happens when a student is out of area?
What happens when a student drops out of the program? Do they sit out a year?
What about students that are taking focus courses to increase HPE sections/numbers
How does one ‘police’ a sport program?
Difficult to monitor within the school, too many variables (guidance, phys ed. head, athletic director)
Does having a sport specific course for example in grade 10 make the football program stronger, more
competitive? Example is Michael Power of TDCAA, answer was NO.
Metro Suggestion to remove sport program from the definition (all members in agreement)
5
Other Discussion:
North:
Volleyball – difference in rules for OVA and H.S. – specifically the first touch rule – we feel we don’t need that
rule.
Insurance : all of the Northern Associations are paying roughly the same, but a per student fee is not reflective
of WHAT is occuring – ie : students play multiple sports, but end up counting for each sport.
FIBA rules implementation : Not sure if this is good for us. The current H.S. rules are fine and we feel that they
promote skill development in a much more positive manner. As well, our concerns with FIBA rules include the
scorers table administration (another student-volunteer, or another paid referee?). We feel that this is NOT
good for the sport of basketball, pick one set of rules or the other, but don’t ‘’bastardize’’ one set to appease a
portion of the province, then set out to add the changes later.
Hockey – boys : We wonder if there is a movement (Future Directions?) to include non-contact hockey in the
near or far future?
South:
None
East:
None
West:
declining enrolment is having a huge effect in some areas
the “healthy choices” initiative is creating chaos. Athletic fees have increased dramatically and some sports
are in danger of folding.
reduction in number of on-calls and supervisions is a struggle for many schools (even for events like OFSAA
meetings)
- June championship dates need to be later in the month. CWOSSA has raised this issue.
Central:
We are looking for feedback on the seeding committee’s for OFSAA and other regions/associations
across the province in hope that we can use guidelines to help.
Discussion items:
Is the scope of the OFSAA Championships currently past what it was first intended? Championships are
across 4 levels and costs seem to be increasing more and more. This money is coming from parents and
kids.
Metro:
Kalantzakos – transfer students that are bii and at the new school are they allowed to play? School closures
in terms of transferring to the school closest to their address. If a school closes and there is a reopening of
the school under a new name – outline the situation to OFSAA and they will give feedback – find out why
they are not allowed in their home school – obtain letter from Polanyi
Fleming – Allen road and 401
Polanyi – Allen road and Lawrence
6