AHSAA waves member school dues for 33rd consecutive year:
Courtesy of the Alabama High School Athletic Association:
MONTGOMERY – The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control approved returning $2.25 million to its member schools under its Steve Savarese School Athletics Grants Program Wednesday at its annual summer Central Board meeting held at the AHSAA office.
In addition, the Central Board waived the membership dues for all schools for the 33rd straight year – a savings of more than $85,000 annually – and officially approved moving the Central Regional basketball tournament to Alabama State University beginning in 2025. The board also honored its longest-running board member Luke Hallmark, who retired from the CBOC after 16 years of service. He recently retired from his position as Superintendent of Marengo County Schools.
The AHSAA grant program, named in honor of former Executive Director Steve Savarese in 2024, was instituted in 2009-2010. That first year the AHSAA distributed $1.2 million to member schools. The $2.25 million payout for 2023-24, which will be distributed in October, matches last year’s payout for 2022-23 which was the largest single-year distribution in the program’s history. It also brings the total member school payout to $25,700,000 overall since it was implemented 15 years ago. The plan returns excess funds back to member schools each year when the AHSAA has at least one year’s working capital in reserve. The Central Board of Control’s waiving of membership dues for member schools also has resulted in a savings of approximately $2.7 million since the Central Board waived the dues for the first time in 1991-92.
“I am grateful the Central Board has approved the $2.25 million that will be returned to our schools from the 2023-24 school year,” said AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon, who was attending his first CBOC meeting. “This is great news for our member schools. We are also glad to waive the schools’ membership fees once again. The board’s approval of that savings means our schools have not paid membership dues for the last 33 years.”
Harmon also thanked outgoing CBOC board member Hallmark for his many contributions as a representative from District 3 for the last 16 years.
“It has been an enjoyable experience,” Hallmark said of his 16 years on the CBOC. “I served with a lot of outstanding individuals through the years. It has been a remarkable. I want to thank them all – past and present.”
In other business Wednesday, the Central Board approved the AHSAA Student/Parent Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Form and approved the use of the NFHS online program to satisfy the current state law requirements.
The Board heard several recommendations submitted by AHSAA coaches’ sports committees, which will be reviewed by the Central Board members and voted on at a later date.
Todd Tittle of Marion County Schools was sworn in replacing Jamie Chapman of Pickens County Schools as District 7 CBOC board member. Chapman, and District 2 board member Dodd Hawthorne of Crenshaw County Schools, who is stepping down from the board as he moves to the State Department of Education, will be recognized at the October CBOC meeting. Hawthorne’s replacement has not been officially announced.
Replacing Hallmark from District 3 will be Bibb County High School athletic director and head football coach Matt Geohagan.
The CBOC also reviewed and approved 2024-25 publications, including the 2024-25 AHSAA Handbook and AHSAA Sports Book. The Legislative Council also met and approved the AHSAA publications Wednesday afternoon and heard a review of the Central Board’s action.
Terry Curtis of UMS-Wright High School also assumed his role of Central Board president, replacing Mike Welsh of District 6, who finished his term as president.
In other Central Board action:
- Approved the request from Huntsville Christian Academy to become an associate member of the AHSAA.
- Approved the financial reports for the 2024 State and Regional Basketball Finals, the spring regional and state soccer championships.
- Approved the 2024-25 budgets for the AHSAA and the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA). and the June 30, 2024, financial reports for each group.
- Approved the AHSAA Catastrophic Insurance coverage.
- Approved Tuesday, Sept. 17, for the new Central Board member orientation. It will begin at 10 a.m.
- Set the following dates for the Central Board meetings for 2024-25 – October 16, 2024, January 22, 2025, and April 16, 2025.
Photo of Cold Springs XC/TK coach Casey Howell with AHSAA executive director Heath Harmon and administrator Kim Vickers during state championship luncheon July 19 in Montgomery.
Photo courtesy of the AHSAA.
