GAINESVILLE The Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors has voted unanimously (15-0) to rescind its previous vote to reduce the number of contests in a season.

Under this vote, varsity basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball and water polo will revert back to 25 contests in a season; tennis, lacrosse, wrestling will go back to 18 from 15; swimming and diving, weightlifting, track and field and cross country will go to 13 from 11; golf will go to 14 from 12; and flag football back to 12 from 10.

In April, the board voted 9-6 in favor of reducing the number on varsity contests in a season, excluding football, by 20 percent and all sub-varsity sports by 40 percent. The initial idea behind reducing contests was to ease potential cutbacks in school districts facing a financial crisis.

The policy would be in effect for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons. It will be up for a vote in 2011.

Notes from the meeting:

1:22 p.m.—At this time, Mark Alexander, an attorney representing the FHSAA, is arguing the organization’s case against FPAE. Contrary to FPAE’s argument, Alexander said more boys were affected by the change in policy than girls. According to participation surveys, Alexander said there are 100,400 boys competing in sports while there are 95,792 girls. As a result, he said the FHSAA has filed a motion to dismiss the claim filed against it by FPAE.

1:30 p.m.—Members of the board of directors are offering their opinion on the matter. Tim Wilder, Superintendent of Gulf County Public Schools, said “Sixty-seven districts will be making 67 decisions to cut games on their own. Now they’ll have to fight their own battles.” Wilder argued that some school districts will struggle with its budget if the board rescinds the action and it will greatly affect sports programs. He said some programs will take advantage of the maximum number of games while others will struggle to play a complete schedule. “Playing for a state championship will become a disadvantage,” Wilder said. “You’re talking about one team playing 25 games and another playing 20. That’s a disadvantage.”

1:45 p.m.—FPAE attorney Nancy Hogshead-Makar is speaking to the board. Hogshead-Makar is saying the board’s vote was intentionally discriminatory by not including football in contest reductions. She says she’s upset and finds the board’s view of the situation disheartening because their approach is to avoid litigation, and not recognize they were in violation of Title IX.