STEVENS POINT – Newly-hired coaches will be exempt from coaching contact restrictions after an amendment update was approved by member schools of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

It was one of two amendments approved by the membership at the 130th annual meeting Friday, April 24, at SentryWorld.

Previously, WIAA rules prevented a school from hiring a new coach if they coached any athletes during the restricted period prior to being hired. The new language lifts new hires from those restrictions, making it easier for schools to find qualified candidates. The updated amendment passed by an overwhelming vote of 359-10 to remove coaching contact restrictions for newly hired coaches who have not previously coached a student-athlete in the respective school’s program.

The new rule exempts only new coaching hires to a school from coaching contact restrictions. Returning coaches would continue to be restricted to the sport season and the sanctioned summer coaching contact.

WIAA executive director Steph Hauser thinks the rule change is a good one.

"This rule change would allow a brand new coach – never coached your team before – it wouldn't take them out as a potential candidate just because they coached your kids in a club, volleyball or travel softball," Hauser said. "You could be eligible as a candidate. But once you've established yourself, the [contact] rule remains. But it wouldn't take them out as a potential candidate, just because they coached your kids in AAU, club volleyball or travel softball. You could be eligible as a candidate.

"Now, once you're established and on staff, the rule remains. You can't do that during the school year. But this would allow at least more candidates that are qualified to be hirable."

The other amendment passed gave the WIAA's Board of Control the power of decision for matters "within the Constitution, Bylaws, Rules of Eligibility and sport-specific regulations."

The change removes language that required all rule and regulation changes to be approved by the Advisory Council before advancing to the Board. The membership’s vote returns the power of decision-making back to the Board of Control. The amendment passed by a 307-62 vote.

Previously, a 2021 petition amendment limited the BOC's power to efficiently conduct the business of the association, according to the WIAA. The WIAA said under the current process "the function of the association is delayed and limits the authority of the board."

Hauser said the 2021 amendment to limit the BOC's power was due to the shot clock discussion. The BOC had approved a measure to institute a shot clock in basketball in 2017 for the 2019-20 season, but disapproval from advisory committees tabled the measure soon after, leading to the 2021 amendment.

Hauser said there was a lot of frustration with the setup and possibly from the vote being virtual following the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We didn't even meet in person," she said. "It was virtual. So I think it was kind of the perfect storm that the membership voted to take that power away from the Board of Control and give it back to the Advisory Council. But even the name itself suggests – why is the Advisory Council empowered to stop a proposal? They're supposed to be advisement. So we've done some pretty intentional things since then."

Hauser said the WIAA has spaced out Advisory Council board meetings and that there's better communication due to the BOC president attending the Advisory Council meeting and vice versa.

"We do that so they can first-hand hear the discussion, the rationale, about why they voted," Hauser said. "And then we tell them that it's their responsibility as the elected officials to reach out to their respective reps and the Advisory Council and our Board of Control. Never should the Board of Control be making a vote that they didn't feel completely understanding of why the Advisory Council voted the way that they did. So we've taken some potential steps to build trust back with the process.

"There's still a key piece that's in there, that is if indeed something like the shot clock proposal would make it all the way through to the Board of Control, it would no longer be for adoption. It would still have to come to this membership to ultimately be voted on. That part wasn't changed today. So I think the bottom line is the process is just so much more efficient."

The membership also voted 301-64 in support of seven editorial changes, clarifying Board language outlined in the Constitution, Bylaws and Rules of Eligibility. The changes are clarifications to an existing rule or Board of Control interpretation. The rule changes passed will be effective upon publishing of the Bulletin on May 20, 2026.

There were representatives from 378 schools in attendance at the meeting. The membership oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 514 senior high schools and 30 junior high/middle level schools.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Member schools at WIAA annual meeting approve two amendments