Glencoe’s Kinlee Montgomery scores a basket in the 3A semifinals Tuesday as Mobile Christian’s Hadley Kelly moves into position to defend. (David Holtsford| AHSSA)
Article submitted by AHSAA
The Alabama High School Athletic Association Central Board of Control made two historic decisions Wednesday at its April CBOC meeting held at the AHSAA office.
The much-anticipated shot clock decision moved the AHSAA’s girls’ and boys’ basketball programs into a new era.
“This is something we have been studying a good while, and our basketball coaches’ leadership has been at the forefront of this decision,” said AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon. “We think this is the right time. We felt it needed to be added at the beginning of a classification period and not in the middle.”
The Central Board also voted to extend the “Mercy” rule used in post-season basketball games to include the state finals. The Mercy Rule establishes a running clock when one team takes a 30-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Other sports changes included:
CROSS COUNTRY: Approved starting box assignments to be assigned randomly by the state meet director.
SWIMMING: Approved the use of ledges for backstroke competition; adjusted the state meet warm-up and competition start times; and approved use of aggregate times at certified meets for state qualifying for relays.
WRESTLING: Returning to pre-determined brackets for state tournament placement; expanded Class 1A-3A boys, 5A and 6A girls to 16-man brackets; approved points to be determined for wrestlers who have byes and win their next match; and approved requiring a mat requirement of weight class matches for seed points.
BASKETBALL: The CBOC also discussed moving from area play to district play for 6A in next season and moving from area play to district play for all classifications. No action was taken, however.
The AHSAA Legislative Council was set to meet Wednesday afternoon to vote on all by-law proposals submitted by member schools in the AHSAA. Proposals are submitted in January each year with school principals voting on each proposal in February and March. The Legislative Council, four elected representatives from each of the AHSAA’s eight districts, then meet in April to ratify the proposals. A two-thirds vote of the 32-member council is required for a by-law to be ratified.
The Legislative Council meeting was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., Wednesday. This story will be updated when that meeting concludes.
The Board also unanimously elected Kim Kiel of the Pelham City Schools as the first female president in the AHSAA’s 105-year history. And second, the CBOC voted to mandate the 35-second shot clock for AHSAA basketball beginning with the 2026-2027 season.
Kiel, who was inducted into the AHSAA Hall of Fame in the Class of 2026 last month, has served the CBOC as its current vice-president. She served the board as interim president for one meeting earlier this year when out-going president Terry Curtis was unable to serve due to health concerns. District 8 representative Brian Jett, the Superintendent of Fort Payne City Schools, was elected unanimously as the CBOC vice president.
Kiel serves on the Board as a District 5 representative. She has spent her entire career in education with the Pelham City Schools. She has been a teacher, coach, athletic director, principal and currently serves as Assistant Superintendent. Kiel served as a basketball official for many years at the high school and the college level – and worked the NCAA Division II Final Four national championships.
The new officers will officially begin their one-year tenures at the July CBOC meeting, which is scheduled for July 29, 2026.
In other board action Wednesday:
- Approved the date of June 10 for new Board Member orientation.
- Approved the Legislative Council member orientation for July 23.
- Heard a financial report from Executive Director Heath Harmon .
- Approved financial reports for the 2025 Super 7; 2026 Regional and State Bowling; 2026 Wrestling Duals, Section and State Tournaments; and 2026 Indoor Track Championships.
- Discussed the Medical Advisory Board meeting help in February.
- Approved 2026-27 Required Medical Forms.
- Approved the 2026-2027 AHSAA Sports Calendar, the 2026-2027 AHSAA Events Calendar, and the 2026-2031 Five-Year Calendar.
- Discussed possible rebranding for future state championships.
- Approved contract extension discussions for the sports of baseball and softball.
- Approved 2026 NFHS Summer Meeting expenses.
- Approved the NFHS Board Dinner sponsored by Assured Insurance Partnership.
- Discussed of AHSAA sanctioned events.
- Approved championship pathways for the 2026-27 school year.
- Discussed the 2026 Proposals submitted.
