Following an announcement in 2018 that changed the State Softball Championships format, the KHSAA Board of Control has officially selected a new host site for the event.
Another major result of the Board’s Wednesday meeting was the changes for the 2019 football season, which are effective immediately. For details about the overhauled format as well as mixed reactions from all four local coaches, read the full story here.
The Board also approved a new site for the State Archery Championship
Owensboro’s Jack C. Fisher Park played host to the softball tournament for 11 years. After reviewing information and options from both Lexington and Louisville, the Board approved a recommendation to award the 2019 and 2020 State Softball Championships to the University of Kentucky’s John Cropp Stadium.
In February 2018, the board voted for the state tournament to transition to a single-elimination format in 2019. The move to single elimination brings the softball championship more in line with the baseball state tournament, while also helping to alleviate concerns with the potential overuse of pitchers under the former double-elimination format.
In September, the board decided reduced the field from 16 teams to eight, as well as adding a semi-state round.
The State Archery Championship has been contested at the Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington for the last four years. A review of the state Archery site was necessitated by KBA transitioning to become the Kentucky Basketball Commission and the resultant changes to the financial structure around the event. Following discussion, the Board of Control ultimately approved a recommendation from staff to hold the 2019 and 2020 State Archery Championships at Ephram White Park in Bowling Green — tentatively scheduled this spring for April 30.
