The NMHSCA has reconstructed its All-Star Basketball Format in 2019. The NMHSCA first hosted North vs. South all-star games in 1946. Most recently, a north and south team would be chosen in classes 1A/2A, 3A/4A, & 5A/6A for a total of six girls’ teams and six boys’ teams. Each team would play one game against the corresponding classification. Starting in the summer of 2019, the NMHSCA divided the state into four regions. Within each region, schools were determined to be either large school or small school based on whether the school’s enrollment was in the upper half or lower half of all schools’ enrollment. The new format has two boys’ teams and two girls’ teams for a total of four teams from each of the four regions. The first night of All-Star competition has regional teams playing a second region’s team. The second night of All-Star competition, the winning regional teams play and the losing regional teams play. The NMHSCA All-Star hosts sixteen all-star teams and sixteen all-star basketball games. One-hundred and ninety-two athletes and forty-eight coaches participate in New Mexico’s North vs. South All-Star platform. This is going to be a New Mexico tradition.
The NMHSCA is responsible for the selection and publication of All-State Basketball teams in New Mexico. All-State teams consist of 1st and 2nd team per classification and per gender. Five athletes make each team. The NMHSCA publishes a total ten 1st Team All-State student-athletes and ten 2nd Team All-State players in the sport of basketball.
The NMHSCA, in conjunction with the New Mexico Officials Association and the New Mexico Activities Association, is in its third year hosting the statewide “NM Coaches & Officials Basketball Symposium.” This professional development event brings all the best coaches and officials from the state to a collaborative training. Sessions are designed to allow the coach and the official to learn more about coaching, officiating, and basketball in a non-challenging environment. It is fun when there are four hundred coaches and officials in a room watching video and determining “foul” or “no foul” via a web-based app titled, “Kahoot It”.
The NMHSCA works closely with the New Mexico Activities Association advocating for New Mexico’s basketball coaches. The NMHSCA assigns member coaches to sit on a statewide basketball-specific committee with the state association. The NMHSCA represents New Mexico’s basketball coaches through its seat on the NMAA Commission.
The NMHSCA is extremely excited it has aligned with the National High School Basketball Coaches Association. Through that relationship, New Mexico basketball coaches have had the opportunity to provide input for basketball issues on the national level.
The NMHSCA hosts about 250 basketball coaches only at its annual summer coaches clinic. A highlight of this summer clinic is the “Basketball Coaches & Coffee” presentation where all coaches have an opportunity to discuss ideas, thoughts, and desires for New Mexico basketball.
