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Jun 9, 2009 1:14 pm US/Central
Minn. High School League Issues New Travel Ban
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ―
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The board agreed Monday to ban any round trips of more than 600 miles.
CBS 42
The Minnesota State High School League's board of directors has put new limits on team travel to save schools and families money and it pushed back the prep golf season by a week.
The board agreed Monday to ban any round trips of more than 600 miles. That means no more trips like the one 21 Minnesota teams took this spring to Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla.
The Star Tribune reported the board also agreed to cut back on double-elimination postseason tournaments and put new limits on scrimmages and jamborees.
League director Dave Stead said the economy played a role in the decision on travel. He also said it promotes fairness.
"In hearing from school people -- superintendents, principals, athletic directors -- it's the whole economy," Stead said. "It's a matter of trying to limit the fundraising with the business community and all those kinds of things, and provide as much equity as we can when it comes to school programs."
At least one coach wasn't thrilled about the change. Bloomington Jefferson baseball coach Jim Gess has taken his team to Florida or Arizona over spring break for years. He said Monday that it's a sad change for teams willing to raise money for such trips.
"It changes our plans, and I think it's a sad deal for teams that are willing to work at raising money, enjoying the experience and bettering their play," he said. "I'm pretty disappointed in the way they made that decision."
The board also changed the golf season beginning next year. The season will remain 13 weeks long but will begin and end a week later. The board also ruled that golf coaches can coach players on the course during play, but not on greens or in bunkers.
In other action, the board eliminated neutral sites for section tournament games before the championship round, unless neutral sites would better accommodate large crowds or reduce travel costs for teams.
Information from:
Star Tribune
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Minnesota State High School League is headquartered in Brooklyn Center.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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