The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) is the governing body for girls' junior and senior high school sports in the
U.S. state of
Iowa
Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...
. The association promotes and regulates interscholastic sports among its member schools. Though its counterpart for boys sports in Iowa, the
Iowa High School Athletic Association
The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) is the regulating body for male Iowa high school interscholastic athletics and is a full member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. Its female counterpart, the Iowa Girl ...
, is a full-time member of the
National Federation of State High School Associations
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. NFHS's headquarters are located in White River State Park in Ind ...
, the IGHSAU is only an affiliate member. It is headquartered at 5000 Westown Parkway, Suite 150,West Des Moines, Iowa 50266.
Sports currently overseen by the IGHSAU are
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
,
bowling
Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The term ''bowling'' usually refers to pin bowling (most commonly ten-pin bowling), though ...
,
cross country,
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
,
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
,
softball
Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
,
swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
&
diving,
track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
,
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...
, and
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...
.
Sports previously overseen by the IGHSAU were
gymnastics
Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, s ...
,
synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming (in British English, synchronised swimming) or artistic swimming is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by FINA (the ''Fédérati ...
, and
indoor track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
.
Basketball
Classification guidelines
*5A- Largest 40 schools by enrollment
*4A- Next Largest 48
*3A- Next Largest 64
*2A- Next Largest 80
*1A- Remaining schools
State Champions
From 1920 until 1984, there was one tournament for teams with 6 players.
From 1985-1993, there was a tournament for 5-player teams and one for 6-player teams.
From 1994-2012, there were 4 classes, all with 5 players
From 2013–present, there are 5 classes, all with 5 players
Bowling
Classification guidelines
*3A- Largest 30 schools by enrollment
*2A- Next Largest 30
*1A- Remaining schools
State Champions
From 2007-2014, 2 Classes
From 2015–present, 3 classes:
Soccer
Classification guidelines
*3A- Largest 40 schools by enrollment
*2A- Next Largest 48
*1A- Remaining schools
State Champions
From 1998–2001, one class:
From 2002–2010, 2 classes:
From 2011–present, 3 classes:
Softball
Classification guidelines
*5A- Largest 40 schools by enrollment
*4A- Next Largest 48
*3A- Next Largest 64
*2A- Next Largest 80
*1A- Remaining schools
State Champions
From 1957–1987, one class, summer and fall seasons:
From 1988–1993, one class:
From 1994–2003, 3 classes:
From 2004–2011, 4 classes:
From 2012–present, 5 classes:
Tennis
Classification guidelines
*2A - Largest 48 schools by enrollment
*1A - Remaining schools
State Champions
Track and Field
Classification guidelines
*4A- Largest 48 schools by enrollment
*3A- Next Largest 64
*2A- Next Largest 96
*1A- Remaining schools
State Champions
From 1962 to 1976: one class
From 1977 to 2003: 3 classes
From 2004 to current: 4 classes
Volleyball
Classification guidelines
*5A- Largest 40 schools by enrollment
*4A- Next Largest 48
*3A- Next Largest 64
*2A- Next Largest 80
*1A- Remaining schools
State Champions
From 1970–1973, one class, winter season play only:
From 1973–1980, one class:
From 1981–1993, 2 classes:
From 1994–2002, 3 classes:
From 2003–2011, 4 classes:
From 2012–present, 5 classes
Defunct sports
Three sports were previously overseen by the IGHSAU. These three sports were:
gymnastics
Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, s ...
,
synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming (in British English, synchronised swimming) or artistic swimming is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by FINA (the ''Fédérati ...
, and
indoor track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
.
Gymnastics
Classification guidelines
Gymnastics was an IGHSAU sponsored sport from 1968–1988.
State Champions
From 1968–1988, one class:
Synchronized Swimming
Classification guidelines
Synchronized Swimming was an IGHSAU sponsored sport from 1970–1981.
State Champions
From 1970–1981, one class:
Indoor Track & Field
Classification guidelines
Indoor Track & Field was an IGHSAU sponsored sport from 1965–1997.
State Champions
From 1965–1997, one class:
IGHSAU Executive Directors
References
External links
Official website
{{NFHS
High school sports associations in the United States
Sports organizations established in 1927
High school sports in Iowa