MASSACHUSETTS ALIGNS RULES WITH NFHS IN FOOTBALL, VOLLEYBALL AND BASEBALL

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA (Aug. 8, 2018) – At its August 7 meeting, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Board of Directors voted to adopt NFHS rules for football, boys and girls volleyball, and baseball for the 2019-20 school year. The approval followed a recommendation by the MIAA Tournament Management Committee to use NFHS rules in all eligible sports and eliminate inconsistencies.

“Change is hard,” acknowledged Bill Gaine, executive director of the MIAA to the Boston Globe. “Under the association, individually, this [change] has happened with half the sports. There has been backlash. But slowly, slowly, it has evolved . . . The unanimous vote by the TMC was significant.”

One of the concerns that was brought up by a volleyball coach and official regarded uniforms that are legal this year but won’t be next year under NFHS rules. Massachusetts and non-parochial schools in New York currently use NCAA women’s volleyball rules. Massachusetts and Texas use NCAA rules in football.

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