WDA By-Laws
Mission
The Western Dakota Association (WDA) shall be to provide a well-regulated program of high school co-curricular activities consistent with the policy of service to youth within each respective school district and community. And with confidence these students who can profit from these services. Student-athletes are expected to be students first, with their participation in athletics/activities a part of a well-rounded educational experience. Their personal conduct is expected to be in the highest tradition of athletics and activities. Coaches/Instructors are expected to exhibit the highest qualities of character, teaching and leadership in their roles.
Conference Activities
The conference Board of Directors acts to organize and regulate the activities of its members' programs by the promulgation of rules and regulations for each sport/activity which are contained in the "By Laws" of the association. Each district and/or school is entitled to vote in Conference matters, which is exercised by the Activities Directors or a designated attendee.
Member Schools
Bismarck High, Bismarck Century, Bismarck Legacy, Bismarck St. Mary’s, Dickinson, Jamestown, Mandan, Minot High, Minot North, Turtle Mountain Community High School (TMCHS/Belcourt), Watford City, Williston; Associate members: Bottineau-Rugby, Hazen-Beulah, Northwest Stars (Ray-Stanley-Tioga)
WDA Current Directors
President: Guy Fridley, athletic director, Dickinson Public Schools
Past President: Dave Zittleman, activities director, Bismarck Public Schools
Officer: Robert Conley, athletic director, Williston Public Schools
Officer: Matt Crane, athletic director, Bismarck High School
Officer: Bradley Foss, athletic director, Watford City Public Schools
Officer: Ben Lervick, athletic director, Bismarck Century School
Officer: Mitch Lunde, athletic director, Minot High Public Schools
Officer: Dr. Shane Martin, athletic director, Turtle Mountain Community High School
Office: Brett Mitchell, athletic director, Bismarck Legacy School
Officer: Tanner Purintun, athletic director, Bismarck St. Mary’s
Officer: James Roaldson, athletic director, Jamestown Public Schools
Officer: Mark Wiest, athletic director, Mandan Public Schools
Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Western Dakota Association hereinafter referred to as the WDA
Article II: Purpose
Section 1 To stimulate competition through publications of comparative ratings in conference athletic activities
Section 2 To provide conference championships when practical
Article III: Membership
Section 1
Membership (Full) shall be composed of the following schools: Bismarck High, Bismarck Century, Bismarck St. Mary’s, Dickinson, Jamestown, Mandan, Minot, Turtle Mountain Community High School (Belcourt), Watford City, Williston Full Membership is attained by:
1. Formal application and acceptance
2. Competing in five or more sports programs recognized by the WDA
3. Paying annual dues
Section 2
Membership (Associate) shall be made available to those schools which are assigned to the West Region by the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) in fewer than five sports programs, and thus, would compete on a regular basis in the WDA with the full-membership schools for conference championships. Associate Membership is attained by:
1. Assignment by the NDHSAA to the West Region
2. Competing in fewer than five sports programs in the West Region
3. Paying annual dues
Article IV: Officers and Legislation
Section 1
The officers of this Association shall be a president and vice present. Assignment to these offices shall be on a rotating basis with two-year terms for each officer.
A: Rotation Schedule of Officers
Section 2
There shall be an Executive Committee, hereinafter called the Committee, consisting of the president, vice president and a representative who shall be elected annually at the June meeting.
Section 3
The newly-appointed officers shall take office for the ensuing year immediately after the June meeting.
Section 4
The duties of president and vice president shall be those common to such officials.
Section 5
Two members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum and two-thirds of the representatives shall constitute a quorum in the meetings of the conference.
Section 6
To pass, a measure must be approved by the majority of the entire membership of the conference, or the Committee, as the case may be.
Section 7
Specific requests for the Committee’s action on protests and disagreements shall be by a member school’s representative. The protest or disagreement shall include all necessary data to assist the Committee in reaching a decision.
Section 8
The president shall have the authority to appoint standing or special committees.
Article V: Meetings
Section 1
Generally, there will be five meetings per year of the WDA representatives with the dates, sites and times finalized at the annual meeting in June of each year. For current minutes, (Click on button)
Section 2
Other meetings may be called by the president, if deemed necessary
Article VI: Dues
Each member schools (full or associate) shall pay an annual fee as determined by the membership to be appropriate to the needs of the conference. The dues are payable on or before Sept. 1 each year to provide for conference expenses.
Article VII: Activities, Schedules and Championships
Section 1 Football:
The conference football championship shall be determined by the team having the higher percentage in games won and lost shall be declared the champion. Duplicate awards shall be provided in the event of two or more teams tie for the championship.
A. Conference schedules are to be arranged at a meeting of coaches and/or athletic directors.
Section 2 Basketball (Boys and Girls):
WDA schools will play a round robin WDA schedule, unless mutually agreed upon by the two schools involved. The team with the highest winning percentage of games won and lost will be declared the conference champion. Duplicate awards shall be provided in the event two or more teams tie for the championship.
A. Conference schedules are to be arranged at a meeting of the coaches and/or athletic directors.
Section 3 Wrestling (Boys and Girls):
The conference wrestling championship shall be determined by a single round robin of competition among member schools. In the event that member schools schedule two duals with each other, only the first dual shall count in the conference standings. The team having the highest winning percentage of duals won shall be declared the champion. Duplicate awards shall be provided in the event of two or more teams tie for the championship.
A. Conference schedules are to be arranged at a meeting of the coaches and/or athletic directors.
Section 4 Track and Field (Boys and Girls):
The conference championship will coincide with the West Region Championship.
Section 5 Tennis (Boys and Girls):
The team championships in both boys and girls tennis will be determined by regular season play. A round robin schedule will be arranged. The team with the highest percentage of dual matches won and lost will be declared the conference champion.
A. Conference schedules are to be arranged at a meeting of the coaches and/or athletic directors.
Section 6 Golf (Boys and Girls):
The team championships in both boys and girls golf will be determined by scoring averaged during the regular season conference meets.
A. Conference schedules are to be arranged at a meeting of the coaches and/or athletic directors.
Section 7 Cross Country (Boys and Girls):
The team championships in both the boys and girls cross country will be determined at the conference meet for each division.
A. Conference schedules are to be arranged at a meeting of the coaches and/or athletic directors.
Section 8 Volleyball: Effective in the 20018-19 school year, WDA schools play a unbalanced conference schedule due to an 11-team conference. Teams that meet just once in the regular season conference schedule will have that match count for 2 points in the standings. Teams that meet twice in the regular season conference schedule will have those matches count for 1 point in the standings. The team with the most points will be declared conference champion. Duplicate awards shall be provided in the event two more teams tie for the championship.
A. Conference schedules are to be arranged at a meeting of the coaches and/or athletic directors.
Section 9 Hockey (Boys and Girls):
WDA schools shall play double round robin schedule, unless mutually agreed upon by the two schools involved. The team with the highest percentage of games won and loss will be declared the conference champion. Duplicate awards shall be provided in the event two more teams tie for the championship.
A. Conference schedules are to be arranged at a meeting of the coaches and/or athletic directors.
Section 10 Baseball:
WDA schools must play a round robin schedule unless mutually agreed upon by the two schools involved. The team with the highest percentage of games won and lost will be declared the conference champion. Duplicate awards shall be provided in the event two or more teams tie for the championship.
A. Conference schedules are to be arranged at a meeting of the coaches and/or athletic directors.
Section 11 Other Sports:
Conference championships will be determined in any other sport in which more than 50 percent of the conference members participate. The championships will be determined by a pre-arranged program of play. Either round robin scheduling or a league tournament. In the event of a cooperative program, percentage will be based on units eligible: e.g. Bismarck and Bismarck St. Mary’s cooperative program in boys hockey reduced the number of eligible units to eight. Therefore, five participating units would constitute a majority, for that sport.
Article VIII: Awards and Honors
Section 1
Criteria for individual honors (WDA All-Conference, athletic, academic, other) will be established by the conference representatives. The Awards and Honors Programs will be reviewed periodically.
Guidelines for academic all conference teams will be as follows:
Must be a member (athlete) of a varsity team in a NDHSAA-sanctioned sport (this excludes managers, statisticians, trainers, cheerleaders). Participants need not be a letter winner in that sport. Must earn a minimum 3.6 Grade Point Average (Fall Sports, 3.6 GPA in 1st 9-week grading period or 1st 6-week grading period; Winter Sports, 3.6 GPA in 3rd 9-week grading period or 4th 6-week grading period; Spring Sports, 3.6 GPA in 4th 9-week grading period or 6th 6-week grading period.
Article IX: Other Business
Section 1
The conference representatives shall make recommendations to the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) relative to:
A. Tournament and meet sites.
B. Selection of officials.
C. Other recommendations called for by the NDHSAA.
D. Other recommendations as determined by a WDA conference majority vote.
Section 2 Tie Breakers:
In sports where position in the conference standings will determine seedings for playoffs or NDSAA tournaments, the following procedures will be used:
A. Football: Criteria
1. Head to Head meetings.
2. Won and Loss record among the tied teams.
3. Point differential among the tied teams with a maximum of 17 points.
4. Point spread among all teams with a maximum of a 17-point differential
5. Coin flip.
A. Basketball (Boys and Girls) Criteria:
1. Head to Head meeting.
2. Won and Loss record among tied teams.
3. Point differential among the tied teams with a maximum of 10 points allowed.
4. Point differential among all teams with a maximum of a 10-point differential.
5. Coin flip.
C. Wrestling (Boys and Girls) Criteria:
1. Most wins in Head-to-Head meetings.
If still tied...
2. Most individual matches won in head to head play among tied teams.
If still tied...
3. Most individual matches won against all
conference teams.
If still tied..
4. Coin flip
C. Other Sports: Criteria used in football basketball and wrestling shall be a consideration in resolving ties in other sports where tie resolution is appropriate
D. In all sports: If NDHSAA tie-break criteria exists, then it shall take precedence over any WDA tie-breaker criteria.
Article X: By-Laws and Amendments
Section 1
By-laws may be added at any meeting of the conference by a simple majority vote of all representatives of the Association.
Section 2
Amendments to the constitution may be made at any session by a vote of three-fourths of the representatives of the Association, provided that notice has been served in writing to all representatives 30 days in advance.
Adopted: May 10, 1982; Revised: May 12, 2000;
Revised: August 30, 2006; Revised: August 9, 2015; Revised: Aug. 8, 2020; Revised; Aug. 1, 2023