Chris Noll is all for family time, especially during the holidays and on weekends. But the Doherty athletic director also believes in giving coaches and players ample practice time during the winter break.

That’s why he’s hopeful that Administrative Proposal 11, which would modify the winter practice schedule to allow for contact between players and coaches from Dec. 28-31, will pass when the Colorado High School Activities Association holds its Board of Control meeting at 9 a.m. today in Aurora.

“I think it does a lot of things,” Noll said. “No. 1, you work hard to get kids in shape and it’s hard to get things up and running. To take seven, eight, nine days off is a backslide.”Palmer boys’ basketball coach Jimmy Grantz couldn’t agree more.

“Nine to 10 days may not seem like a lot,” said Grantz, about the time players and coaches, currently, don’t see each other during the winter break, “but since early November we had six, 5½ weeks together. Then we had 13 days of practice after our last game leading into the break. To have such a long time since we last played is an awkward thing.

“I like having a break, but I’d be willing to go a couple of hours and kind of staying in a groove when they’re gone.”

Presently, CHSAA doesn’t allow contact between coaches and players from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1. The new proposition would still deny contact between Dec. 24-27, Jan. 1 and on Sundays, but would grant three to four practice days during the break.

According to Noll, area representatives proposed the amendment to no avail a year ago.

This time, CHSAA is behind the initiative.

Contact time is a recurring theme at today’s meetings when amendments 12 and 13 are considered.

Amendment 13 would prohibit coach-player contact from July 2-8.

Amendment 12 would allow contact with players on Sunday outside of their sports season, when many club tournaments are held. That would allow high school coaches to coach their players while on club teams.

Grantz is neutral on the issue while Noll opposes it. With games every other day of the week, including Saturdays, adding one more would be too much, he said.

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