MPA forum to discuss new sports> Volleyball to join ranks

Volleyball, lacrosse and gymnastics will be the topics of discussion at the MPA’s Interscholastic Division Executive Committee’s public forum Thursday from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Brewer High School cafeteria.

The committee will entertain comments on proposed amendments to the MPA’s Constitution and Bylaws, which would establish lacrosse and volleyball as MPA-sponsored activities beginning with the 1997-98 season.

At least 24 Eastern Maine schools sponsor volleyball, including 16 Aroostook County schools, which play a three-week schedule between the winter and spring sports seasons. Western Maine schools field 27 boys teams and 18 girls teams.

The cost of outfitting a lacrosse player with equipment is about $250-300, said Cape Elizabeth coach Andy Burch.

Gymnastics would be eliminated as an MPA-sponsored activity if a second amendment is approved.

According to the 1996-97 MPA winter sports bulletin, 13 high schools field teams in the state. Individual athletes from an additional eight schools also compete.

A vote on the amendments will be taken Nov. 14 at the MPA’s fall conference meeting.

Hall-Dale of Hallowell and Augusta’s Capital Park will serve as the sites for Saturday’s Class B schoolgirl and schoolboy soccer state championship games.

The girls state game between Mount View of Thorndike and Yarmouth will be played at Hall-Dale at 10 a.m., prior to the 1 p.m. Class C boys state game between George Stevens Academy of Blue Hil and Falmouth.

Capital Park will play host to the 1 p.m. Class B boys title game between Ellsworth and York.

Cony’s Alumni Field was the first choice of the Maine Principals’ Association soccer committee but the school, which played host to the 1995 Class A and C boys state games, declined because of “wear and tear,” said Hampden Academy Athletic Director Bill Connors, chairman of the MPA soccer committee.

But some coaches whose teams played on that field for the 1995 state games weren’t happy with the site because of its narrow parameters.

The field, which doubles as the Rams’ football field, measures 110 yards by 61 yards, four yards narrower than the MPA’s ideal width of 65 yards.

“Every effort will be made to secure a field with a minimum of 110 x 65 yards,” the MPA’s 1996-97 soccer bulletin states.

“We try to get the best field possible,” Connors said. “While 110 by 65 is ideal, 110 by 60 is acceptable.”

A scoring error at Saturday’s State Class A Cross Country Championships has been corrected, giving the Brewer girls fourth place instead of fifth, according to Brewer coach Glendon Rand.

The error resulted when the bib number of a runner from Mount Abram of Salem, a Class D school, was entered into the computer instead of a similar number from Class A Mount Ararat of Topsham. When the mistake was detected and corrected Mount Ararat, which had originally scored 103 points, gained a point to finish in a numerical tie with Brewer.

The tiebreaker in that situation is the finish of the team’s sixth runner – Brewer’s finished 46th, while Mount Ararat’s was 73rd.

Caribou, Winslow, Oxford Hills of South Paris, and Gorham high schools recently received the Maine Center for Coaching Education’s first Leadership Awards.

The four were recognized for their efforts in providing educational training including coaching principles, sports first aid and CPR courses as required by the MPA’s new eligibility regulations for high school coaches.

Former Brewer High assistant principal and athletic director Bill Fletcher will receive a distinguished service award from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

Fletcher, who serves as the association’s site director for the basketball and cheering competitions at the Bangor Auditorium, will be honored with the Distinguished Service Award for someone outside of athletic administration.

Maine Basketball Commissioner Pete Webb is the only other Maine recipient to receive the award.