The Executive Committee of the Indiana High School Athletic Association voted to make a significant change to the format of the annual boys and girls basketball state tournaments.

In its final meeting of the 2021-22 school year, the group of school principals and athletic directors voted 15-2 to make the regional round a single game and the semi-state round a two-game format beginning with next winter’s tournaments. The previous format of a two-round regional and a single semi-state game had been in place since 2002.

This spring, Commissioner Paul Neidig conducted a survey of principals, athletic directors, boys and girls coaches and 73.4% of those 781 respondents voted in favor of the change with at least 70% in all four groups approving.

Regional pairings will be drawn and announced at the same time as the traditional sectional pairings with two regional championship games being played at the same site and potentially from different classes.

Another new wrinkle includes conducting an additional blind draw and announcing the semi-state pairings the day after the regional championship games on IHSAAtv.org.

“We really like the potential of a high-energy atmosphere at the semi-state level with a chance to advance to the state championship games the following week at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home of the Pacers and Fever,” Neidig said. “This new format will double the number of teams who play a week longer in the tournament and should create a lot of excitement in those communities and will be financially beneficial for those communities that serve as host sites.”

Tournament host sites will be approved by the Executive Committee later this fall.

Also from today’s meeting:

• The Executive Committee formally approved full membership for Dugger Union, Evansville Christian and Purdue Polytechnic. Those schools become officially eligible to compete in IHSAA state tournaments beginning this fall.

• The Committee approved modified restrictions on Indiana schools competing against schools from beyond the 300-mile travel limit. IHSAA schools will now be able to participate against out-of-state schools from beyond the 300-mile limit as long as they are in good standing with their state association, the venue is within the 300 mile limit, is and is sanctioned by the NFHS and IHSAA. Also, Indiana schools may now host out-of-state schools in Indiana from beyond the 300-mile limit as long as they are a member in good standing with their own state association and the event is sanctioned by the NFHS and IHSAA.

• A proposal to raise ticket prices in several sports including football and basketball sectional games from $6 to $7 was also approved as well as raising an officials stipend by $10 at all levels as well as bumping their mileage from 25 cents to 50 cents per mile.

Cloverdale will be in search of a new boys basketball coach.

According to a Facebook post Patrick Rady says he will continue as a teacher at Cloverdale.

After months of prayer, discussions with my family, and coaching colleagues, I have decided to step down as the varsity boys basketball coach at Cloverdale High School. I will continue to teach at Cloverdale HS. This was not an easy decision, as coaching has been a part of my life since I was a senior in 1988. However, right now I need a respite from the day-to-day grind of coaching.

As a young boy I dreamed of coaching HS basketball in the state of Indiana. My boyhood idol was my father, and with his guidance I was able to have doors open up for me to reach my dream.

I want to thank all of the administrators, secretaries, bus drivers, and custodians who helped make my time as a coach a lot easier! A thank you to the officials and opposing coaches whom I have learned from as well.

Most importantly I want to thank those who I went to work with on a daily basis, my assistant coaches and players. It truly has been a family. Through the good times and bad times, I wouldn’t want to go through it with anyone else!

So, to all my former players from the Terre Haute Boys Club, Honey Creek Middle School, Sarah Scott Middle School, Terre Haute South HS, Southwestern HS(Hanover), and Cloverdale HS, thank you for your time and your effort!

God-willing I look forward to coming and watching your sons/daughters and grandsons/granddaughters play!

To my assistants, thank you for your hard work and loyalty!

Rady was 100-77 at Cloverdale including sectional titles in his first three seasons, 2016-2018.  He’s 141-147 overall including five seasons at Southwestern (Hanover).

With a long career of distinguished service to education-based athletics in Indiana, Brian Avery has been named the next Director of the Champions Together program for the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA).

Avery’s appointment date is effective July 1, 2022, and he fills the vacancy left by Lee Lonzo who retired after nearly 10 years in the position.

Avery will be at Saturday’s Unified Track & Field State Finals in Bloomington – one of two Champions Together co-ed sports the IHSAA currently sponsors.

The Champions Together program began in 2012 as a collaborative effort between the IHSAA and Special Olympics Indiana (SOIN) as a means of providing a quality experience of sports training and competition. It brings together high school students with and without disabilities to compete together representing their high school. As a result of those efforts, the IHSAA began sponsoring a Unified Track & Field State Tournament in 2014 and a Unified Flag Football State Tournament in 2018.

Avery, who will assist in the administration and promotion of both Unified sports, joins the IHSAA after serving the last 11 years as athletic director at Speedway High School. Prior to that he was athletic director at Franklin Central High School (2000-11), and a teacher/coach at Lawrence Central High School (1988-2000) and Scecina Memorial High School (1983-88).

“We’re thrilled to have Brian join the Association with his extensive administrative experience to lead our Champions Together efforts,” said IHSAA Commissioner Paul Neidig. “He’ll be a great addition as we begin to expand our unified sports opportunities, particularly into the winter season.”

Avery has been a member of the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (IIAAA) Executive Board since 2005 and served as president of that organization in 2016-17. He has been honored by both the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) and the IIAAA numerous times in his career including the NIAAA State Award of Merit in 2009 and IIAAA State Athletic Director of the Year in 2014.

He is the current secretary/treasurer of the Indiana Crossroads Conference and is former president of Conference Indiana and former Marion County Athletic Association Coordinator.

Avery is a 1983 graduate of Marian College where he earned a bachelor's degree in Social Studies Teacher Education. He went on to earn a master's degree in Secondary School Administration from Butler University in 1990.

A LaPorte native, he is a 1979 graduate of LaPorte High School where he played basketball and ran track for the Slicers.

Avery and his wife of 30 years, Jennifer, have three adult children – Tanner, Cassie, and Hallie.

He is also a licensed IHSAA official in football and basketball following in the footsteps of his father, George R. Avery, who also was licensed in those sports for 25 years.