Greetings fellow coaches,
Thank you for your commitment and dedication to helping young men and women become better versions of themselves through your influence and through their participation in the Minnesota State High School League's (MSHSL) competitive golf program.
After much deliberation, the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association (MSHSCA) Golf Advisory Committee has voted that we continue to conduct our All-State Awards program, but that the vehicle we use will be the iWanamaker/MSHSL app.
Instead of a weekly ratings this year, we will capture the final rankings on the MSHSL app after section play concludes on June 8th. The final number of All-State honorees has yet to be determined, as is the case with how many rounds the golfer will need to have posted through the season in order to be considered.
What is known is that only golfers playing for coaches who are members of the MSHSCA will be eligible, as has always been the case. Every year at the State Golf Banquet upset parents wonder why their child was not selected All-State. In the past, it may have just been that their coach had not submitted them in the weekly ranking. The iWanamaker/MSHSL app will solve this issue. The remaining sticking point will be "Is their coach a member of the recognizing organization, the Coaches Association?"
Here is a link to join the MSHSCA: https://www.mshsca.org/joinnow
Why did we vote to use the iWanamaker/MSHSL app?
The MSHSL has adopted the platform for exclusive use at the section and state tournament level. We feel that it would make sense for golfers to use the app during the regular season so they can be ready to go at section time. I would not prefer, as a player, to learn on the fly while playing in a section tournament.
Common concerns that we addressed in choosing the iWanamaker/MSHSL app:
What if we did not use the app at an earlier match or tournament?
You can go back and add them in.
Are the scores adjusted for course rating/slope?
Yes, team and player rating are based on the rating and slope of the tee box played. iWanamaker is a partner with the USGA and all tee box ratings are synchronized with the USGA National Golf Course Rating Database to ensure accurate team and individual ratings. It is the responsibility of coaches to select the correct tee box when setting the pairings for each event/match/tournament. Rankings are updated the instant a round for each event is closed. To learn more about the iWanamaker Ranking system please click the link: iWanamaker Ranking System
Why electronic scoring?
Most colleges, summer tournaments, and MGA events are scoring electronically now. We felt it is a good idea that we prepare our golfers for those situations.
Will my golfer be selected All-State if they qualify, but I'm not a member of the Coaches Association?
No.
I'm not a techie. What can I do?
Watch the videos. If you have learned how to use a smart phone, with a little practice, you will be successful with the iWanamaker/MSHSL app. Here's a link to the iWanamaker/MSHSL help videos: https://iwanamaker.com/tutorials. It takes a little time, but is do-able.
Sections and State:
From Jason Nickleby, MSHSL Golf: "We will need coaches to import and seed/rank their golfers for the Section Tournaments. The only way this will happen is if players are using the app and the coaches are registered. Coaches can begin this procedure as early as the end of next week (5/10/2021) on iwanamaker.com. In addition, we believe we can incorporate this process at the State Tournament as well. This will allow coaches to provide input on seeding/ranks for their golfers at the State Tournament versus seeding the golfers based on how they performed at the Section Tournament."
In summary:
We know this period of transition is coming at a bad time, but feel that it is in the best interests of high school golf in the state of Minnesota.
Sincerely,
The MSHSCA Golf Advisory Committee
Ben Jurgens, President
(Last edited: B. Wallin, 4/30/2021)