Rule 2-7-3 was approved by the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee during its annual meeting March 23-25 at The Alexander in downtown Indianapolis. All recommended changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

The new, permissive rule allows backstroke ledges in pools that maintain a 6-foot water depth, measured from the starting end wall to at least 16 feet, 5 inches (5 meters) from the end wall. It also specifies the acceptable dimensions for the ledges.

Under Rule 2-7-3, if backstroke ledges are used in a competition, identical ledges must be provided by the host team for all lanes. Even if the ledges are available, individual swimmers are not required to use them.

The change follows years of discussions regarding backstroke ledges in high school competition, with the committee making its final decision based on research focused on risk minimization and alignment with national and international swimming standards.

“I think the most important thing to consider about this rule passing is that it is a permissive rule,” said Rod Garman, chair of the Swimming and Diving Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association. “State associations will have the choice of whether to allow backstroke starting ledges in their state. We recognize this is a major change in high school swimming, so it may take time for some states to adopt it.”

A strongly recommended teaching protocol for backstroke ledges will be available through the NFHS in the future.

“I think it’s going to create an opportunity for swimmers to improve in backstroke events,” Garman said. “Swimmers sometimes slip when placing their feet along the wall or touchpad at the start of a backstroke race. These ledges will help prevent that, allowing for stronger and more consistent starts. I’m excited to see the positive impact this will have on our sport.”

The rules committee also approved clarifying language in Rule 8-3-4a regarding relay exchanges, addressing the concern that swimmers using deck starts could run to the pool edge and launch into the water, creating both significant momentum and serious safety risks.

The amended language states: “On starts from the deck, the second, third, and fourth swimmers must assume a position with at least one foot stationary at the front edge of the deck. The remainder of their body may be in motion prior to the finish of the incoming swimmer.”

The original rule was not intended to penalize swimmers whose initially stationary foot engaged in slight movement for better balance or comfort.

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A complete list of swimming and diving rule changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. To access it, click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the homepage and select “Swimming and Diving.”

According to the 2023-24 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, swimming and diving is the 10th-most popular sport for boys, with 116,799 participants across 7,855 schools, and the ninth-most popular sport for girls, with 138,174 participants in 8,133 schools.

This is an issued press release from the NFHS. For more information, click here. 

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On a gender basis, girls’ participation increased faster than boys. Wrestling alone is up 250% over the last 10 years. Other sports including lacrosse, swimming, tennis, track, and volleyball all contributed to the uptick in girls’ enrollment. With more opportunities, it would not be surprising if this trend continues.

These numbers are a clear signal that athletic directors have a chance to further develop their non-core sports. These sports often play a secondary role in athletic departments, but some administrators might want to change their outlook.

When the athletic department, school personnel, and alumni show a heightened level of commitment to these less recognized teams, it has a ripple effect. It’s a big deal when the school is fully committed to all of its teams. Sometimes even an adjustment to the infrastructure of the athletic department is necessary, with a renewed prioritizing of certain programs. This can be reflected in an inclusive master plan, with a revised mission statement and goals.   

The commitment from the athletic department and school extends to being present for the lesser-known teams. I’ve heard from numerous coaches that athletic department staff only show up at the end-of-year championships. But when it comes to basketball or football, their presence is everywhere. When the teams who are not in the “spotlight” know that the school supports them in every way, there’s a boost in morale.

A Supportive Environment

An athletic director shows support for their non-core teams by consistently promoting them as valuable entities of the athletic department. This includes letting the coaches of these programs run workshops, camps, and other events. When the athletic department promotes these events, more students become involved, thus helping to promote the sport.

Coaches of these programs also have a responsibility to increase their team’s profile within the school. They need to communicate what their program needs to grow and succeed. When athletic administrators are often not as familiar with non-core sports, it’s up to the coach to bridge this gap. 

Using media and social networks are other means of showing support for a program’s non-core sports. Too often, a low-profile team doesn’t receive its due credit for a successful season. Social media is an excellent opportunity to reach the community. 

This type of acknowledgment also applies to awards ceremonies and similar events. Generally, students want to play on a team that gets recognition. I can vividly remember when I was coaching, my undefeated No. 1 tennis player did not win a top award for his achievements. He went over to the athletic director, and politely asked why he was not chosen for this particular honor. The athletic director bluntly stated that basketball was held in higher esteem at the school, and that carried more weight. While the athletic director was honest, this is an attitude that needs to change.

Athletic directors also must keep their non-core sports in mind when it comes to funding. These teams usually are in the lower tier of funding, while sports like football get the largest share of capital because of their popularity and sheer numbers. Plus, they frequently bring in significant revenue. But, with the rising nature of these other sports, finding creative methods to increase their budgets demonstrates a school’s commitment to every team. This is where the athletic director and coach need to explore joint fundraising solutions.

With this adjusted approach, there’s an understanding that non-core sports offer advantages to student-athletes. A prime example is their inclusive nature. These sports often have no-cut teams, which gives students an opportunity to participate when they otherwise might not have a chance. Oftentimes, students don’t bother to try out, fearing they might be cut. With more schools offering sports that are open to all, students are encouraged to participate. 

Lifetime Benefits 

Non-core sports offer additional benefits to student-athletes, one of which is lifetime participation. Tennis, volleyball, and golf are examples of sports that students can play for several years. Chris Hagman, president of Atlantic Recreation, has worked with athletic directors for many years, and he feels strongly that these sports offer many lasting advantages to students. 

“These non-core sports offer the advantage of lifetime fitness benefits, which is not talked about enough, and gives students the opportunity to succeed, which will carry over into their adult lives,” he said.

One area to look for guidance is in youth sports. According to The Aspen Institute, participation in sports for kids 6 to 12 has declined from 45% in 2008 to 38% in 2018. The reasons range from increasing costs to sport specialization. Many observers are worried that these levels have finally caught up to high school sports.

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Because of this, athletic administrators would be wise to assimilate their events into the local youth community, with their programs becoming more kid-friendly. Target marketing to youngsters and their parents is a good start. Almost every local region already has a solid infrastructure in place, with a diverse range of youth leagues. When athletic departments make it a priority to involve themselves in these organizations on a reciprocal basis, it enhances all programs involved.  

Despite the declining participation numbers of certain prominent sports, they are still very popular and will be for a long time. But there’s no denying that there are many alternatives available for all students who would like to be involved in varsity sports. With encouragement and support from athletic departments, there is room enough for these teams to continue their rise in popularity.

Bruce Knittle is a former sports camp owner, Hall of Fame inducted coach, and previously ran a sports consulting company specializing in working with athletic directors and coaches.

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In the statement from the athletic department, student-athletes from the lacrosse team held an indoor gathering on March 21 that violated the City of Newark’s indoor gathering ordinance. The Delaware city has a cap of 10 people inside a private residence.

“The health, safety, and well-being of our student-athletes and campus community are a priority at Delaware,” Athletic Director Chrissi Rawak said in the statement. “We have spoken to our student-athletes at length about the protocols and guidelines that must be followed for us to provide a safe environment not only for the University but our community as well. We will continue to communicate with our student-athletes how important it is for them to honor the social pledge and stay disciplined in their choices.”

Back on March 27, the Blue Hens canceled its home matchup against Towson due to the COVID-19 protocols within the program. Now, however, the team is set to face a six-week suspension, which would carry through the rest of the 2021 regular season.

Delaware last played on March 21, a 14-7 loss to Coastal Carolina, and finish the season with a record of 1-5.

The women’s lacrosse team becomes the second within the Blue Hens athletic department to be suspended for violations of COVID-19 protocols. According to a report from DelawareOnline.com, 19 members of the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams were suspended in October 2020 for a similar defiance of UD and city rules.

The Colonial Athletic Association, the conference which Delaware is a part of, released a statement supporting the Blue Hens’ decision.

“The Colonial Athletic Association respects and supports the decision made by the University of Delaware to suspend its women’s lacrosse season,” CAA commissioner Joe D’Antonio said in a league statement. “The conference will look to make adjustments to the upcoming regular-season conference schedule and plans to conduct the CAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship as scheduled on May 7 and 9, 2021.”

The University of Delaware shares COVID-19 related information regarding the status of campus activity this spring, along with positive cases among members of the campus community to aid in informing our community about public health.  This information is located on the University of Delaware COVID-19 Dashboard.

To read the full release from the Blue Hens’ athletic department, click here. 

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A recent survey from Match College released the 2021 Alternative College Ranking Index, which shows which colleges have the highest sports participation among the country’s 50 biggest institutions. The measurement key is the number of student-athletes per every 10,000 undergraduates.

Below is an excerpt from 247sports.com’s breakdown of the top 10 schools with the highest percentage of student-athletes on campus.

10. Missouri

• Student-Athletes: 2.44%

Recent information showed that Missouri had an enrollment just shy of 30,000 undergraduate students. There’s plenty of athletic talent in the Midwest region of the country and with a campus located in Columbia, Missouri, the Tigers find themselves just two hours away from the St. Louis area, where talent runs deep. Missouri was a longtime member of the Big 8/Big 12 Conference but made the move to the SEC which allows athletes to compete in a different region of the country, seeing some bigger schools and also opens up a recruiting base to some rather large areas in the south.

9. Ohio State

• Student-Athletes: 2.47%

There are not that many names in college sports that carry as much weight on name alone as Ohio State University does. In fact, most refer to it as THE Ohio State University. The colors, the stadiums/arenas and so much more make playing college sports in Columbus, Ohio, all the more exciting. Not to mention the success that the school has in its sports. Of course, the football program is the most notable of those programs.

• Student-Athletes: 2.65%

Nearly 25,000 undergraduate students share their passion for Volunteer athletics and of those students, Tennessee finds itself in the top 10 of this unique list. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have a school’s tradition like Tennessee and while the football program is incredibly historic, the women’s basketball program at Tennessee is one of the most notable ones in the history of the entire sport.

7. Wisconsin

• Student-Athletes: 2.71%

It’s such a popular location to attend school that over 43,000 students were actively enrolled at the school, according to recent records. And the athletic programs for the Badgers have been incredibly successful, with as many as 30 NCAA National titles claimed by the school.

6. Utah

• Student-Athletes: 2.81%

Located in Salt Lake City, the University of Utah has just over 33,000 students enrolled, which is an increase from its enrollment in the 2019 school year. Things got easier for the Utes in athletics when they made the move from the Mountain West Conference to the Pac-12 Conference at the start of the 2011-12 school year.

5. Oregon State

• Student-Athletes: 2.97%

Most people think of Oregon before Oregon State in athletics due to the flashy uniforms that the football team wears and the unique basketball floor that the teams play on. But over 33,000 students still decide to go to school in Corvallis, as opposed to going to Oregon in Eugene. The Beavers haven’t had as much national success in recent years but this year could be changing things.

4. UMass-Amherst

• Student-Athletes: 2.98%

Seeing Massachusetts so high on this list might come as a shock to some people. But with a student enrollment of 22,660 and plenty of sports for those students to compete in, one can see how the Minutemen make it so high on this percentage list.

3. California

• Student-Athletes: 3.06%

The impressive part of California being No. 3 on this list is the size of its enrollment. Over 42,000 students are enrolled at Cal, which means the number of student-athletes involved in sports with the Golden Bears is rather impressive.

It doesn’t look like enrollment is going to drop off massively either, so expect California to remain high on the percentage list for a number of years to come.

2. Iowa

• Student-Athletes: 3.15%

Iowa reports more than 30,000 students enrolled in the school, which is rather impressive considering all the area schools. In the same state alone, Iowa State fights for student enrollment, and nearby schools like Kansas, Kansas State, and Nebraska fight with the Hawkeyes for Midwest region students.

1. Michigan

• Student-Athletes: 26%

Recent information available shows that over 40,000 students are enrolled at Michigan and when it comes to success and tradition in athletics, who can blame them? The football program is one of the most successful in the history of the sport with 11 claimed National Championships and 42 conference titles in the school’s history. Even though it might get cold in Ann Arbor, Michigan is always an enticing spot.

To read the full story about the 2021 Alternative College Ranking Index and the percentage of student-athletes on campus from 247sports.com, click here. 

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As athletics resumed in the state, schools were limited to scheduling regional and conference-only competitions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But, now, according to a report in NBC-5 Chicago, schools in ‘Phase 4’ regions can begin looking out-of-conference for games and, possibly, look forward to postseason tournaments.

Low-risk sports like swimming and diving, bowling, gymnastics, softball, and baseball will be allowed to schedule out-of-conference games, out-of-state games, tournaments, and state series as part of the ‘Phase 4, Tier 1’ rollout guidelines, NBC-5 Chicago reported. Those schools in ‘Tier 2’, as well as ‘Tier 1’ moderate-risk indoor sports like volleyball and water polo, will be able to schedule out-of-region games within 30 miles.

High-risk sports, such as football, wrestling, and basketball, will be permitted conference-only schedules until their respective regions reach Phase 4, at which point IHSA schools will be able to schedule out-of-conference games within 30 miles, according to NBC-5 Chicago.

Competition will be allowed to resume this month in seven sports, including basketball, girls gymnastics, badminton, and boys swimming and diving, which was announced in late January. Boys soccer practice is slated to begin on March 1, while football practice begins two days later with IHSA games starting on March 19.

All student-athletes in indoor sports, with the exception of swimming and diving and gymnastics, will be required to wear masks during competition. All student-athletes not participating in events, along with all coaches and officials, will also be required to wear masks at all times. Student-athletes in outdoor events will be required to wear masks when social distancing is not possible, including in dugouts and on benches and sidelines.

Depending on the tier and phase of your region, up to 50 spectators can be allowed at games moving forward.

To read the full report from NBC-5 Chicago on the IHSA adding more flexibility in scheduling, click here. 

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