November 02, 2009

Monday Morning News Presented by McDonald's (11-02-09)

UPCOMING EVENTS:

11-01-09	Winter Rules Clinics On-Line (Nov. 1-30)
	Wrestling & Swimming & Diving
11-02-09	Volleyball District Tournaments- Class 3A-5A (Nov. 2-7)
11-02-09	Basketball & Wrestling Practice begins
11-02-09	Swimming & Diving Competition begins
11-05-09	Soccer State Championships (Nov. 5-7) APS Soccer Complex
11-05-09	Drama One Act Play Competition (Nov. 5-7)
11-06-09	Football State Six Man Semifinals (Nov. 6 or 7) Brackets
11-06-09	Football State 8 Man/ Class A Quarterfinals (Nov. 6 or 7) Brackets
11-06-09	Football State Class AA First Round (Nov. 6 or 7) Brackets
11-06-09	Volleyball State Class A & AA First Round (Nov. 6-7)
11-07-09	State Cross Country Championships (Rio Rancho High School)
11-07-09	Football Seeding & Selection- Class 3A-5A (NMAA)
11-08-09	Volleyball At Large Seeding & Selection- Class 3A-5A (NMAA)
11-12-09	Volleyball State Championships (Nov. 12-14)
11-13-09	Football State Six Man Championships (Nov. 13 or 14)
11-13-09	Football State 8 Man, Class A Semifinals (Nov. 13 or 14)
11-13-09	Football State Class AA Quarterfinals (Nov. 13 or 14)
11-13-09	Football State Class 3A-5A First Round (Nov. 13 or 14)
11-17-09	Hardship Petition Review
11-17-09	All-State Wind and Percussion Auditions (Nov. 17-20)
11-18-09	NMAA Commission Meeting (NMAA @ 9:00 AM)
11-20-09	Official Ballots Due- Commission & Board of Directors
11-20-09	Football State 8 Man, Class A Championships (Nov. 20 or 21)
11-20-09	Football State Class AA Semifinals (Nov. 20 or 21)
11-20-09	Football State Class 3A-5A Quarterfinals (Nov. 20 or 21)
11-25-09	NMAA Office Closed- Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov. 25-27)
11-27-09	Football State Class AA Championships (Nov. 27 or 28)
11-27-09	Football State Class 3A-5A Semifinals (Nov. 27 or 28)
11-30-09	Winter On-Line Rules Clinics Deadline
12-01-09	Winter Seeding & Selection Representives Due- Download Form
12-01-09	NMAA Hall of Fame Nominations Due- Download Form
12-03-09	NMAA Board of Directors Meeting (NMAA @ 9:00 AM)
12-04-09	Football State Class 3A-5A Championships (Dec. 4 or 5)

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

We are all educators and one of our primary responsibilities as educators is to teach and model trust, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

This administration of the NMAA is committed to ensuring that each individual associated with our membership who has any affiliation with our most precious commodity, our students, adheres to the principles of the Pursuing Victory with Honor initiative. As your executive director, I want you to understand that I will not tolerate undesirable behavior. By accepting the title of coach or official, you have each also accepted the title of role model, which in my eyes is the most important aspect of your professional responsibilities. I must ask one thing of you, right here and right now, “If you cannot or will not adhere to the principles associated with Character Counts and Pursuing Victory with Honor, please walk away from us.” In other words, “If you can’t or won’t help us make this most important change to the behavior displayed by coaches and officials, please don’t hurt us by tarnishing what we are attempting to accomplish.”

You need to understand that high school sports is about the student athletes and not about you. Your role, be it coach or official, is that you have been blessed with the opportunity to play a major role in the character development of our student athletes. The examples that you display are what they will understand as acceptable or even desirable. If you keep your composure and respond to adversity in a positive and productive manner, that is what they will understand as acceptable. If you respond with anger and frustration, they will understand that “losing their cool” during times of adversity is acceptable or even desirable human nature.

By making a commitment to work together and show complete and total respect to one another at all times, coaches and officials can tremendously impact the attitudes of each and every person attending an event. Why can’t coaches and officials communicate with one another without it being emotional and disrespectful? Why can’t we dispute a call without getting personal? Why can’t an official ask a coach to “settle down” without making a scene? As your executive director, I want you to understand that this is the major goal of my tenure. I realize that I am just one person but you need to know that I am going to do everything within my power to see to it that our coaches, officials, student athletes and fans who need to do so, make changes in their behavior. I have been an educator for a quarter century and I truly believe that this is the most important aspect of my role as a lifelong educator.

You need to get on board. I need you, our profession needs you, but most important, our young people need you to show them the way, the right way! Remember it’s not who you were that counts, it’s who you become from this day forward!

- GARY TRIPP (NMAA Executive Director)

IN THE NEWS:

OFFICIAL BALLOTS:
The Official Ballots are now available for the Commission and Board of Directors. The ballots are due to the NMAA on Nov. 20, 2009. Click on the links below to download.
Commission Ballots
Board of Directors Ballots

REFERENDA RESULTS:
The referenda results are now available for the referenda which was due on Oct. 30, 2009. Click here to download.

H1N1 INFORMATION:
A flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against influenza infections. Currently there are TWO flu vaccines available. These include the seasonal flu vaccine and a 2009 H1N1 vaccine to protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu virus (sometimes called “swine flu”). Both of these vaccines are safe, effective and important to have administered, especially among high-risk populations.

Each day brings the possibility of new developments regarding the 2009 H1N1 flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants to direct our partners to information that can be readily forwarded and shared with team members, colleagues, family and friends. Our goal is to help you disseminate current and developing flu information as quickly as possible.

For information about the 2009 H1N1 vaccines, please visit H1N1 Flu Vaccination Resources. For information about seasonal influenza vaccines, visit Preventing Seasonal Flu with Vaccination.

CDC has made it easier to answer your questions about the signs and symptoms of H1N1 flu by providing free H1N1 resources in the form of ready-made, multi-language brochures, flyers, podcasts and more.

2009 NMAA POST-SEASON FOOTBALL OFFICIALS’ ASSIGNMENT PROCESS
The NMAA Administration is ultimately responsible for assigning approved and certified officials for all football playoff games. Click here to download information......

NMAA TO BEGIN SELLING STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS ON-LINE:
Fans will be able to purchase tickets online in advance of selected New Mexico Activities Association State Championship events during the 2009-10 school year through an agreement reached recently between the NMAA and TicketLeap.

The service will initially be offered only in selected sports during 2009-10, but will be expanded to other sports in the future.

It is anticipated that the NMAA 2009 State Soccer Championships will be the first State Championship to utilize TicketLeap, but expansion is expected to the point where the service is offered for other NMAA Championships. Availability of the service will be through the NMAA Website – www.nmact.org.

TicketLeap is a Philadelphia-based company that provides web-based ticketing solutions to venues and event organizers all over the country, enabling them to promote and sell tickets online, onsite and on-the-go. TicketLeap’s web-based ticketing software requires no special hardware, software or contracts; and is free and simple to set up online. Consumers can use any major credit or debit card to purchase tickets in person, by phone or online. To learn more, visit ticketleap.com.

REMINDERS:

WILSON- OFFICIAL BALL OF NMAA CHAMPIONSHIPS:
As a reminder, Willson Sports is the official ball sponsor of the NMAA Soccer, Volleyball, Football, Basketball, Baseball and Softball State Championships. If coaches have any issues or problems with the use of the Wilson ball, they must contact the director of their sport.

NMAA TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP DATE REVISIONS:
On June 3, the Board of Directors approved a major calendar adjustment for the 2010 State Track & Field Championships due to the University of New Mexico hosting the 2010 Mountain West Track & Field Championships. Track & Field practice will begin on Week 32 instead of week 33 for the 2010 season. All District Track & Field Championships will be held Week 44 (April 26-May 1). The Class A-AA State Track & Field Championships will be held Wednesday and Thursday May 5-6, with the Class 3A-5A State Track & Field Championships scheduled on Friday and Saturday May 7-8.

STATE SPIRIT CHAMPIONSHIP DATE REVISION:
The 2010 State Spirit Championships will be held on April 16-17, 2010 at the Rio Rancho Santa Ana Star Center.

RESOURCES:

Sports Medicine Articles-
NFHS 2009 Anabolic Steriods Position Statement
NFHS 2009 Concussion Brochure
NFHS 2009 Supplements Position Statement
NFHS 2008 Concussion Update
2009 Position Statement on Invasive Medical Procedures
2009 Concussion Statement in Zurich

NMAA CORPORATE SPONSORS:

Special thanks to the generous NMAA Corporate sponsors who support New Mexico's students and their efforts to be successful. Click here to view the NMAA corporate sponsors.

Special Thanks to McDonald's for being the presenting sponsor of the Monday Morning News