New CIF Director to Be Introduced

Marie Ishida, the new California Interscholastic Federation executive director, will be introduced this morning in Long Beach at the final Southern Section council meeting of the 2000-01 school year.

Ishida this month replaced Jack Hayes, who had held the position since 1995. A former president of the CIF, Ishida is the first woman to become chief executive of the organization that was established in 1914 and is the governing body for high school sports in the state.

She was most recently assistant superintendent of human resources for the Santa Cruz city schools.

Preceding Ishida’s introduction at The Grand, the council will vote on several proposals, including one that would increase the number of wrestling playoff divisions to six from five. The goal of this proposal is to establish uniformity in the number of leagues that compete in each division.

Another proposal before the council would limit schools to an equal number of football practices before the opening game of the season, regardless of a particular school’s starting date.

The council will also vote to decide whether its constituents should recommend proposals at the May 4 state council meeting that would:

* Establish a coach’s box for boys’ and girls’ basketball games. A similar proposal in October was defeated by the Southern Section council.

* Change enrollment figures for divisions in regional and state volleyball and basketball playoffs to conform to those currently used for cross-country.

* Reduce automatic team entries for the state cross-country and track and field championships.

* Change the schedule for the state track and field championship meets so there is no conflict with the NCAA track and field championship meet in June 2003 in Sacramento. If passed, the state meet would be held in Southern California in 2002 and 2003 and in Northern California in 2004 and 2005.