ALFCA Executive Drector Jack Wood and President Terry Curtis called to order the association's Board of Directors on Friday, Janaury 25th at 10 am. This is the annual meeting held on the morning prior to the opening of the annual ALFCA Convention.
All board members were present.
Steve Wilson of Coach Safety spoke briefly to the Board. His organization offers safety courses to youth coaches. Attendance for coaches who work with youth teams are required, and Wilson asked the members to encourage youth coaches to get their certification.
Coach Alvin Briggs, executive director of the AHSAA, visited for a few minutes and spoke to the board about football issues. These included the NIL bill proposed by Rep. Jeremy Gray. He said that the AHSAA was working with Gray on this bill, and he felt like the association's amateur rules would be continued in the bill. Coach Briggs spoke to the possibility of helmet communication in the future; the possibility of four days in shells in the summer for teams that do not have spring practice; and the hope that the AHSAA would be able to maintain all of the eligibility rules that now exist as the legislature gets ready to adopt a "school choice" bill this spring.
President Terry Curtis talked about a proposal that would prevent athletes from playing for one school during the season and then transferring to another to compete with a better team in the playoffs. The board discussed writing a proposal for such a rule and presenting to the AHSAA. There was also discussion about the possibility of AHSAA schools being able to play AISA teams in the future. Such a proposal would likely leave AISA schools to compete in their own championships but open the door to contests with AHSAA schools. The other issue discussed briefly was that next season officials would likely be assigned by districts instead of associations. This would create a scenario much like the playoffs. A school could expect to get officials from as many as four associations.
Coach Wood and Coach Curtis then covered board member assignments and speaker introductions at the clinic as well as banquet duties for the board members. They also discussed board member elections at the general assembly meeting at the convention. This year, districts 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 8 will all be electing new board members to represent them on the ALFCA board. Present board members may choos to run for re-election.
Coach Curtis talked about the powerful clinic agenda that the association had once again this year. He was particularly pleased with the selection of high school coaches presenting on Friday. Pre registration was still good despite schools in north Alabama being out of school for a week because of the snow and ice. Coach Wood reminded everyone the importance of our sponsors and the volunteers that he brings in every year to help with the registration and other duties. He also reminded everyone that assistant Jennifer Byrd is irreplaceable as we prepare for the 19th annual convention.
With their being no other business, the meeting was adjourned and the board went to lunch at Dreamland, courtesy of the Montgomery Sports Foundation.
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