Principals voted at the Louisiana Athletic Association Annual Convention Friday to effect various changes in the landscape of high school sports in the State.

One of the major changes is eligibility of athletes based on grades. A student athlete will now be required to pass six classes during a semester with a ‘C’ average. In Vermilion Parish that would require an athlete to pass six of seven classes with at least a ‘C’ average. The number for that average in Vermilion Parish will likely be set somewhere between 1.5 and 1.75. Erath High principal Francis Touchet said that number will be discussed and an official proposal will be brought to and voted on by the Vermilion Parish School Board.

North Vermilion principal Greg Theriot said this change, which passed on a vote of 237-42, is a step in the right direction.

“We’re requiring more of our kids because a kid needs 24 credits to graduate,” Theriot said. “By making them pass six of the seven, we’re keeping them on track to graduate. That’s what we are supposed to do.

“Our job is to make sure these kids graduate.”

Student athletes will be assessed at the end of the first semester in December. At that point, the athlete will be required to have passed the six classes. The requirements will be the same in May, with the ‘C’ average being taken into consideration at that point.

Other decisions include home school students not being able to compete in LHSAA athletics, spring football practice being cut to 10 days with no spring game and sports seasons being cut short so as to not have different sports overlapping. Schools will also not be allowed to play up and will continue to play in classes based on enrollment.

The vote to have Sports not run into one another passed 165-108. The new rule will be important for smaller schools, according to Vermilion Catholic’s Kim Guidry, who coaches both the Lady Eagles’ basketball and softball teams. The first official softball practice, for example will be pushed back until Jan. 17, rather than earlier in the month.

“That allows schools like use that use the same athletes,” Guidry said. “Now with power ratings, every game is important.

“I allows things not to overlap as much and put teams that much behind schedule.”

All new rules will go into effect at the beginning of the 2010/11 school year.