Opinion ID: 1393970
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: kentucky high school athletic association.

Text: The KHSAA is an unincorporated association with a membership of 286 public, private and parochial schools. It was originally formed in 1917 by principals of several high schools for the purpose of developing and regulating high school athletics within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It operates under the direction of its own board of control whose membership is primarily elected by its member institutions. (As noted, infra, four members are appointed by the Kentucky Board of Education.) The chief operating officer of the KHSAA is a commissioner appointed by the board of control. The KHSAA is funded primarily by profits derived from state high school football playoffs and the state high school basketball tournament. It also receives dues paid by its member institutions, but draws no money directly from the state treasury. See Horner v. Kentucky High School Athletic Ass'n, 43 F.3d 265, 268-70 (6th Cir.1994), 1978 OAG 239, and the deposition testimony of Louis Stout, present commissioner of the KHSAA. The KHSAA promulgates rules governing some, but not all, interscholastic athletic contests, rules relating to the eligibility of student athletes, and the duties and qualifications of coaches and game officials, etc. 702 KAR 7:065 § 3(4); Horner, supra, at 269-70. KRS 156.070(1) vests in the Kentucky Board of Education the management and control of the common schools and all programs operated in these schools, including interscholastic athletics .... KRS 156.070(2) authorizes the Kentucky Board of Education to designate an organization or agency to manage interscholastic athletics in the common schools. By 702 KAR 7:065 § 1, the Board has designated the KHSAA as its agent to manage interscholastic athletics at the high school level in the common schools, including a private school desiring to associate with KHSAA and to compete with a common school. As one condition for this designation, the Board requires the KHSAA to accept four at-large members appointed by the Kentucky Board of Education to its board of control. 702 KAR 7:065 § 2(1). At the time of Yanero's injury, the KHSAA had adopted the baseball rules set forth in the 1997 High School Baseball Rules and 1997 High School Baseball Case Book, both published by the National Federation of State High School Associations, of which the KHSAA is a member. The baseball rules require each batter, on-deck batter, runner, retired runner, and player/student in a coach's box, as well as any non-adult bat/ball shagger to wear a standardized batting helmet at all times. A first violation of this rule requires a warning; a subsequent violation requires ejection from the game. These, however, are game rules that apply to interscholastic varsity competitions, not practice rules. The KHSAA does not promulgate rules for practices or for junior varsity competitions. The KHSAA claims it is entitled to either sovereign immunity or governmental immunity. However, it is clearly not a political subdivision of the state, Wissel v. Ohio High School Athletic Ass'n, 605 N.E.2d 458, 462 (1992), cause dismissed, 64 Ohio St.3d 1434, 595 N.E.2d 943 (1992); and the fact that many of its member schools are private or parochial institutions, not enjoying governmental immunity, precludes its being characterized as a state agency. Coughlon v. Iowa High School Athletic Ass'n, 260 Iowa 702, 150 N.W.2d 660, 662-63 (Iowa1967). However, it is an agent of the Kentucky Board of Education and, in that capacity, functions the same as if the Board had designated an individual, e.g., KHSAA Commissioner Stout, to manage interscholastic athletics. As such, the KHSAA is entitled to the qualified official immunity available to officers and employees of the state. As with respect to Stewart, the athletic director, Yanero asserts negligence on the part of the KHSAA in failing to promulgate a rule requiring student athletes to wear batting helmets during baseball batting practice. The answer is the same: rule-making is a discretionary function in the performance of which a public officer is entitled to official immunity; and there is no evidence to support a finding that, in failing to promulgate such a rule, the KHSAA acted in bad faith, i.e., violated a constitutional, statutory, or other clearly established right, or acted with a willful or malicious intent to cause harm, or with a corrupt motive. Yanero also claims the KHSAA negligently failed to develop, implement and enforce rules and regulations pertaining to the proper hiring and training of coaches. However, KHSAA Bylaw 27 specifically describes the qualifications required of level 1 faculty coaches, such as Davis, and level 2 non-faculty coaches, such as Becker, as well as continuing education and training requirements for all coaches. Finally, Yanero claims the KHSAA is vicariously liable for the alleged negligence of Davis and Becker. Even if a public officer could be held vicariously liable for the torts of a subordinate, which he/she generally cannot, Franklin County v. Malone, supra, at 199-200, Moores v. Fayette County, supra, at 414, the fact remains that Davis and Becker were employees of the Jefferson County Board of Education, not the KHSAA. Accordingly, the summary judgments entered in favor of the Jefferson County Board of Education, Stewart, and the KHSAA are affirmed, and the summary judgments entered in favor of Davis and Becker are reversed; and this case is remanded to the Jefferson Circuit Court for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion. LAMBERT, C.J.; GRAVES, JOHNSTONE, KELLER and STUMBO, JJ., concur. WINTERSHEIMER, J., concurs in result only without separate opinion.