Two important themes have emerged over the years as individuals being inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame have spoken at the annual press conference and awards ceremony.

Beginning next year, pitchers in high school softball will be allowed to disengage both feet from the playing surface if the pivot foot is not replanted prior to the delivery of the pitch. Previously, the pivot foot was required to remain in contact with the ground.

In an effort to more clearly define false starts in high school track and field events, two new starting violations have been adopted for the 2024 season.

The use of a one-way communication device between a coach in the dugout and a team’s catcher for the purposes of calling pitches will be permitted in high school baseball beginning in 2024.

To foster conversation and develop strategies to continue the growth of women in the field of sports, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is hosting its second annual Better Together: Women and Sport Leadership Virtual Summit on Aug. 6-8.

The positive life lessons learned through education-based athletics and performing arts within our nation’s high schools have been documented time and time again: Teamwork ... Fair Play ... Self-Discipline ... Self-Confidence ... Hard Work.

For several years, we have drawn attention to the poor behavior exhibited at high school athletic contests, hoping to bring awareness to the issue and the damage it can cause to education-based athletics.

Beginning next year, high school basketball teams will shoot two free throws for common fouls when in the “bonus.” This change to Rule 4-8-1 eliminates the one-and-one scenario and sets new foul limits each quarter for awarding the bonus free throw.

In an effort to target the unique needs of interscholastic coaches at the middle school level, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced the addition of a new “Middle School Coaching” course on the NFHS Learning Center, with a corresponding national credential program currently in development.

High school wrestlers will be able to wrestle in six matches in any one day of competition beginning with the 2023-24 season. The six-match limit includes championship and consolation matches and excludes forfeits.

Swimming stroke changes and a new penalty for close diving board proximity stand out among the high school swimming and diving rules changes approved for the 2023-24 school year.

Another year of “March Madness” at the high school level is behind us, and what a year it was. NFHS member state associations held state championships in basketball, wrestling, ice hockey, swimming and diving, indoor track, gymnastics and a few others. In addition, other activities such as drama, debate, speech and music are a central part of the excitement that surrounds this time of year.

Ted Ginn Sr., the longtime football and track and field coach at Cleveland Glenville High School, has been elected to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame.