GHSA opens up to more contests with GISA, GICAA

ATLANTA -- As the state Legislature pressures the body that organizes most high school sports competitions in Georgia, the GHSA is working on changes that could open up play with more independent or parochial schools.

The GHSA's board of trustees voted Wednesday morning to allow its schools to set up games with schools that are part of a different organization, the GICAA, GHSA executive director Gary Phillips told state lawmakers in Atlanta hours after the teleconference vote.

He said he also expects an agreement to be approved to open up GHSA football, basketball, baseball and softball games with the GISA, another group of schools.

That would put both organizations, which count private and religious schools as members, in the same relationship with the GHSA.

"We're not going to do one thing for one group and something for the other," Phillips said.

Before the action is official, it requires a vote by the full executive committee, which is next scheduled to meet in April.

"I do not anticipate a roadblock," Phillips said.

Schools from the GHSA will not get power rating points toward playoffs in football, basketball, baseball and softball if they choose to play a non-GHSA school. Right now, GHSA schools generally must stick to playing each other in those sports. There are a few exceptions, including games against schools that are members of sister federations in other states.

The GHSA action came a few days after bills were filed in the state House and Senate meant to ease GHSA rules limiting how much their schools can play with non-member schools. Phillips was in Atlanta to testify at the Capitol about the moves.

Legislators got involved when they heard complaints from constituents that GHSA rules made it hard for some of the non-GHSA schools in their districts to offer students athletic opportunities.

"These schools are having to travel around the state to find someone just to have a practice game with," state Rep. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, who sponsored House Bill 870, the House version of the bill meant to make GHSA open up some.

The state Legislature does not run the GHSA, a private organization. But it does sometimes seek to influence it in a roundabout way, by threatening to cut the funding of the GHSA's public school members.

That is usually enough to get GHSA's attention.

Strickland said his bill is still necessary despite the GHSA board of trustees vote because House Bill 870 would cover any additional school organizations that might come along in the future.

The legislative pressure also comes a few months after reports of a high school runner being disqualified from an event for breaking uniform rules by wearing a headband with a Bible verse written on it.

In response, the House and Senate bills also say they will bar cash from any school that's part of any organization that bans religious expression.

But the headband broke the rules not because of scripture, but because rules prohibit adornment of any kind, Phillips said.

He said his organization follows clothing rules from the National Federation of State High School Associations.

"What the National Federation rules basically, generally say is you can't wear articles of clothing that have adornments on the articles of clothing, whatever it might be ... anything beyond a manufacturer's logo," Phillips said.

That rule, he said, has been in place for years.

State Sen. Burt Jones, R-Jackson, is carrying Senate Bill 309, the twin of Strickland's bill. Jones said Georgia students should be able to express their religion on clothing that doesn't cause a distraction, such as headbands and wristbands.

"Just because there are national rules in place doesn't mean we have to abide by them," Jones said.

The House Education Committee unanimously passed Strickland's bill on Wednesday. Now it moves to the Rules Committee for a chance at a full floor vote.

The bills also come about a week after Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle wrote about the GHSA, the headband and Christian schools in an editorial that appeared in some newspapers in Georgia.

"There's simply no acceptable reason why an association made up of public schools should bar its members from participating with Christian schools, churches and families to allow students to voluntarily practice their faith and participate on an even footing in school activities," Cagle wrote.

The Legislature and the GHSA have squared off before. Two years ago, on complaints about governance, the Legislature passed a bill that forced the GHSA to publish an audit.

The GHSA is a private nonprofit that gets most of its revenue from member dues, corporate sponsorships and ticket sales.

To contact writer Maggie Lee, email mlee@macon.com.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 8:56 PM with the headline "GHSA opens up to more contests with GISA, GICAA ."