Board of Directors Meeting Release: June 3, 2025
Posted: Tuesday, June 3, 2025 - 4:51 AM
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. --- Adding a half day to the Wrestling State Tournament was among the many items of business conducted during the Minnesota State High School League’s Board of Directors final scheduled meeting of the 2024-2025 school year on Tuesday, June 3 at the League Office.
The approval will add an extra half day with Day 1 of the state tournament beginning on Wednesday afternoon. This approval adds flexibility to the state tournament schedule. With the ongoing growth of girls wrestling and the planning of additional qualifiers in this division, there is more time needed to create a reasonable schedule for the tournament. The actual schedule of the 2026 Wrestling State Tournament has not been determined and work will begin immediately in developing the new tournament schedule.
“The growth in Girls Wrestling is incredible to witness,” said Board of Directors President Don Peschel, the Superintendent of Sauk Centre Public School District. “The Board of Directors and all the administrators and coaches who play a role in the activity advisory proposal process did a great deal of hard work and reflection on this. It is exciting to support the expanding opportunities for students.”
The implementation of the three-and-a-half-day Wrestling State Tournament will begin in the 2025-2026 season. It will be the second time in League history that the Wrestling State Tournament will be a four-day event. It was first introduced as a four-day event in 2007 and continued with that format through 2010.
The Board of Directors approved a second wrestling activity advisory proposal that adds weight classes for sub-junior varsity level. The approved change creates additional weight classes at 100 pounds, 94 pounds, and 88 pounds for lighter-weight wrestlers in some of our lower levels of competition.
In other Action Items, the Board of Directors:
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Approved the Glossary, Interpretations and Board Policies sections of the MSHSL Handbook to reflect the inclusion of 9th Grade Governance. This final approval of updated language was necessary to implement 9th Grade Governance beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
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Approved clarifying policy language to Bylaw 411.G (Alumni Participation) to ensure that students in MSHSL programs are not in violation of Bylaw 411 or Bylaw 208. The policy reads: MSHSL participants may only participate with or against other MSHSL participants during their MSHSL season. The participation by MSHSL participants with or against alumni members violates Bylaw 208 and their participation is not covered by MSHSL-provided insurance policies. The scheduling of contests by an MSHSL team with non-MSHSL teams or individuals, including alumni, is a violation of Bylaw 413 Scheduling of Contests.
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Ratified the electronic voting for the Board Officers for the 2025-2026 school year term: They are Brent Schimek, president; Keith Cornell, vice president and LeRoy Fairbanks, treasurer.
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Approved the MSHSL Debate rules for 2025-2026 which included three proposed changes that emphasize Congressional Debate Session Structure, Congressional Debate Tie Breakers and Evidence Rules.
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Approved a Member School Program Limitation Policy that establishes clear and concise language as to the interscholastic programs that a Member School may offer. The approved policy outlines two exclusive options that are available to Member Schools when they host programs within the League. Schools may host either an MSHSL program or a non-MSHSL program, but not both.
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Approved a Coaching Education Requirement Policy that brings the League’s policies and practices into alignment. Member Schools and their coaches will now see clear and direct policy language that is easy to follow.
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Approved an Education and Leadership recommendation to host the Together 4.0 Student Leadership Meetings on Nov. 18 (Mankato); Nov. 20 (Bemidji); Dec. 1 (Twin Cities) and Dec. 3 (Willmar).
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, it has been a really rewarding school year of work in support of our Member Schools. The work done to advance the addition of all ninth graders into the MSHSL has been so impressive,” Peschel said.
