Coaches rally around shot clock

Much attention has been given to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Representative Assembly’s recent decision to alter the way in which high schools are classified.

But there was another intriguing piece of news that came out of the same meeting.

The WIAA Executive Board is apparently contemplating a rule change that would shake up high school girls basketball.

A proposal to eliminate the 30-second shot clock passed on first reading and is scheduled to get a second reading this month. Proposals must survive three readings to pass.

If passed, the change could be instituted for the 2004-05 season.

Edmonds School District athletic director Terri McMahan, a member of the WIAA Executive Board, said that there isn’t one particular driving force behind the proposal.

The state follows the National Federation of State High School Association rule book, but is allowed to make changes. Washington is one of seven states that uses a 30-second shot clock even though the national federation does not call for it.

Because Washington uses a clock for girls, it is not allowed to vote on rule changes.

Another reason the issue is drawing attention has to do with the differences between the boys and girls games. The boys games do not utilize a shot clock.

“There is some sentiment that we should be doing the same thing,” McMahan said.

For instance, boys and girls soccer matches are played under the same rules, McMahan noted.

Coaches we talked to weren’t overly thrilled with the proposal to eliminate the shot clock.

“It just makes for a better game,” Archbishop Murphy girls basketball coach Bill Kelley said.

The lack of a shot clock means that some boys teams employ the stall tactic. Kelley saw this occur at both the district and state tournaments.

“The girls games were more interesting than the guys games,” Kelley said.

Some coaches even started games by stalling, he added.

The proposal surely would alter the way coaches approach end-of-game scenarios, Shorecrest coach Don Dalziel pointed out.

“It changes the dynamic of the game, especially late in the game,” he said. “If you’ve got an eight- or 10-point lead, you’re not going to be shooting the ball every 30 seconds.”

Kelley doesn’t know of any players who like to stall and he would like the players to be in control of the game.

“It’s not very fair to players because they don’t get the opportunity to show what they can do,” Kelley said.

The general feeling is that most coaches are opposed to the proposed change. How much of the resistance is due to the feeling that it will hurt the game vs. the desire to keep the status quo is open for debate.

But there is little doubt that if the shot clock is eliminated, the impact will be significant.

“It brings a new element to the game,” Dalziel said. “It’s something else for coaches to ponder.”David Pan and Charlie Laughtland cover sports for The Enterprise Newspapers. Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to entsports@heraldnet.com, by fax to 425-774-8622 or by mail to Sports editor, The Enterprise, 4303 198th St. SW., Lynnwood, WA 98036.