South Dakota High School Activities Association takes first step toward sanctioning high school baseball

The South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) is considering adding baseball to its list of sanctioned sports, following requests from member schools Mount Vernon and McCook Central. The SDHSAA Board of Directors voted to acknowledge the letters from these schools, signaling the first step in the process of potentially sanctioning high school baseball in the state.

Currently, South Dakota is one of only two states that do not sanction high school baseball, with Wyoming being the other. The proposal to add baseball as a sanctioned sport has sparked a debate among stakeholders, with differing opinions on the potential impact on existing baseball programs.

Mount Vernon superintendent Eric Denning believes that sanctioning high school baseball could help address the decline in participation in Legion and VFW baseball across the state. On the other hand, Dan Wyatt of Madison, representing the American Legion Department of South Dakota, expressed concerns that sanctioning high school baseball could threaten the tradition of Legion baseball in the state.

Despite differing opinions, SDHSAA executive director Dan Swartos emphasized the importance of gathering input from all relevant parties, including the American Legion, VFW, and the South Dakota High School Baseball Association, in the decision-making process. The timeline for the proposal and assessment process is estimated to take nearly a year.

In addition to the potential addition of baseball, the SDHSAA Board of Directors also approved new class and region alignments for the upcoming academic years, as well as the hire of Freeman’s Kristina Sage as the newest assistant executive director. The board will reconvene to address remaining agenda items, highlighting the ongoing efforts to enhance high school sports in South Dakota.