Missouri schools will have the opportunity this spring to decide whether bass fishing should become a school activity sanctioned by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA). MSHSAA has announced bass fishing will be included on MSHSAA’s annual ballot to start as an emerging activity.
The ballot will be posted on the association’s website on April 1, 2013 and will be available for a school’s principal or superintendent to vote on until May 1, 2013.
“If 50 percent plus one school of the schools voting on the ballot vote yes to approve bass fishing as an emerging activity, then it will be recognized by MSHSAA,” stated MSHSAA Executive Director Kerwin Urhahn. “If it passes then the schools will be able to sign up for bass fishing for the 2013-14 school year. If we have two years of 50 or more schools signed up to participate, then we will have a state series for bass fishing beginning during the 2015-16 school year.”
MSHSAA will then begin working with the schools and fishing experts to formulate the rules and guidelines for the series.
Missouri would not be the first state to start a competitive fishing program. Illinois completed its fourth year of sanctioned bass fishing this year and Kentucky has sanctioned bass fishing as an activity for 2013.