IHSAA & IGHSAU to separate golf and tennis seasons starting in 2025-26

(Boone) The Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union have worked together to address the issue of spring schedule congestion by deciding to move boys’ golf and girls’ tennis to the fall sports seasons, starting in the 2025-26 school year.

The decision to make this change was supported by the boards of both organizations after discussions at a joint meeting in early July.

Executive director Erin Gerlich of the IGHSAU stated that member schools have been requesting relief from the crowded spring sports seasons for many years, and these changes aim to provide that relief and improve the state tournament experiences for tennis and golf.

The current spring schedule in Iowa includes eight sports, including golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field for both boys and girls, which overlaps seasonally with baseball and softball.

The decision to move boys’ golf and girls’ tennis to the fall was the result of discussions at district meetings, the IHSADA state conference, advisory committees, and the 2023 IHSAA membership survey.

Tom Keating, executive director of the IHSAA, stated that this move is a step toward relieving the congestion in the spring schedule, especially for Class 3A, 2A, and 1A golf competitions. This change aligns these classes with Class 4A, which has been competing in the fall since 1993.

Other Midwest states have already implemented separate golf seasons by gender and separate tennis seasons, which have proven to be successful in increasing the availability of facilities, coaching, and school resources while reducing scheduling conflicts.

President of the NFHS in 2023-24, Tom Keating is confident that Iowa schools will adjust to this new model and enjoy the benefits of reduced scheduling congestion in the spring, less lost class time, and the option of having the same coach for spring and fall sports.

The transition will take place in the 2024-25 spring and 2025-26 fall seasons, with boys’ golf (3A, 2A, 1A) and girls’ tennis (2A, 1A) taking part in both seasons. Updated 2025-26 calendar dates will be provided in due course.