STEVENS POINT, Wis. –  The WIAA, in conjunction with the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association, will conduct the girls basketball Summer Slam for the first time on June 15-16 and the June Jam for the second time for boys basketball teams on June 23-25 at the Community First Champion Center in Appleton.

The events provide opportunities for boys and girls basketball programs at member schools to participate during the summer, using schools’ five allowed coaching contact days. The June scholastic event is sanctioned by the National Federation of State High School Associations and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Wisconsin is hosting one of 38 events conducted nationally for boys and 25 for girls, including our neighboring states of Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan.

The purpose of sanctioning at the national level is to diminish the influence of club sports in the recruiting process. The stated purpose of the scholastic event is to emphasize academic and positive recruiting interactions, develop and strengthen relationships between college and high school basketball coaches, develop a stronger pathway from education-based member high school to college participation and to minimize the leverage on harmful outside influences.

The Summer Slam and June Jam are attemptd to remove the unsavory aspects of the recruiting process and the exploitation of student-athletic and school program by individuals and handlers outside the educational confines that leverage access to prospects for considerable compensation.

To be in compliance with the NFHS sanctioning of the event, state associations are not permitted to charge school teams more than $250 for participating, which will be used to pay officials and workers. The only events NCAA Division 1 men’s and women’s coaches are able to attend during the month of June are those conducted by a state association or state basketball coaching association.

While other showcases are only focused on the super elite, the Summer Slam and June Jam will provide student-athletes that may not have the resources or connections to participate on elite club teams the opportunity to be seen and evaluated by college coaches.

The WIAA, as defined by its Constitution, is a voluntary, unincorporated, and nonprofit organization. The membership oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 517 senior high schools and 45 junior high/middle level schools in its membership.

# WIAA #