Retiring administrators were honored during today's Legislative Council meeting
CHSAA file photo
Retiring administrators were honored during today's Legislative Council meeting

General

Legislative Council Approves Classification, Transfer Bylaws

PARKER - The Colorado High School Activities Association’s Legislative Council met on Tuesday at the Douglas County School District Legacy Campus for its Spring 2025 meeting. 

The council, made up of 76-voting members, confirmed the comprehensive work that the Classification and League Organizing Committee, the CLOC Task Force and the Board of Directors have been doing over the course of the last two years by adopting bylaw policies ranging from a classification timeline and logistics to objective criteria that can be utilized relative to classification placements. 

Beginning with the 2026-28 cycle, classification data will be presented in the Fall of the odd numbered years preceding the beginning of the two-year classification cycle (ADM-1), with a process outlined for schools that don’t report their enrollment to CDE (ADM-6). In addition, schools will voluntarily be able to play up one or more classifications (ADM-2), while schools that have been dominating in a classification can be placed up (ADM-4) and schools that are placed down may participate in the postseason (ADM-5). 

Adjustments to transfer bylaws were also passed, with a formalized process and guidelines set around transfers due to military reassignment (ADM-8), a legal change of guardianship (ADM-9) and administrative transfers (ADM-10).

A bylaw to add clarification around amateur status and Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rules was also passed (ADM-12).

Changes that passed through the committee reports include:
  • Tackle Football: Starting in 2026, 3A football will align its regular season and postseason structure with 4A and 5A; 2A football will conclude its regular season after the ninth week and have a 24-team playoff; and forfeit language will allow schools that receive a forfiet to find a replacement game. 
  • Skiing: Scoring will change for the Nordic State Championship with the top-four finishers scoring now (instead of top-three).
  • Wrestling: A State Dual Tournament will be implemented at the start of the 2026-28 cycle and 3A will have 16 teams in regions rather than 12.
CHSAA's Corporate Partners gave out its yearly awards with Brevon Doss (University) and Lauren Sincock (Discovery Canyon) earning the SCHEELS All-Star Award & Scholarship and Delaney Pollard (Horizon) being named the recipient of the Children's Hospital Colorado Outstanding Sports Medicine Student award. CHSAA also honored a number of retiring administrators and ADs: Joel Albers (Limon HS), Gabe Dasko (Hoehne HS), Joe DeAngelis (Hoehne School District), Bryan Dermer (Merino HS), Carey DuVal (Thompson Valley HS), Robert Framel (Palmer HS/Kit Carson School District), Shawn Graves (Elbert School District), Paul Griese (Woodlin), Matt Heckel (Dakota Ridge HS), Steve Wilson (Big Sandy School District). 

The meeting closed with the five Board of Directors replacements being approved and Joe Brown – the Athletic Director at Niwot High School – being announced as the next Board President, replacing Ryan West – the Athletic Director at Regis Jesuit. Brown’s term, in addition to Trent Kerr (Wiggins School District, District 3), Patrick Simpson (Jefferson County School District, District 4), Jeff Hollway (Kent Denver, District 5), Reed Doughty (Flatirons Academy, District 6), Elly Naill (Pueblo East, District 9) and Dan Melendrez (Genoa-Hugo School District, CASE Appointee) will all begin in July 2025.