VHSL committee sets new direction for reclassification
By Robert Anderson
981-3123
The Virginia High School League is a big step closer to moving from three classifications to six while significantly reshaping current district alignments, beginning in the 2013-14 school year.
An ad hoc task force of the VHSL Executive Committee released data today from a Dec. 19 meeting that sets parameters for the first major realignment of VHSL schools since 1970 when the League adopted the current three-classification system.
The task force?s proposal ? which will be presented to the full Executive Committee for a vote Feb. 22 and final approval in April ? scrapped a three-classification realignment plan developed in November and called for the following changes:
- Six divisions (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A).
- A ceiling of 475 students in grades 9-12 based on March 31, 2012, enrollment figures for the smallest division (1A).
- Dividing the number of schools in the five larger classifications into equal fifths while not allowing schools to choose to "play up" in a higher enrollment group.
- Aligning schools in districts that "are not inherently tied to classification," directing the VHSL Redistricting and Reclassification committee to place schools based on "balance, geography and preferences" and that "enrollment disparity will no longer be crucial as a determining factor."
- A span of no more than three classifications between schools in any district.
- Eliminating the current regional setup in favor of a new state playoff system.
"This ? promises to be the most significant step the League has taken in more than 40 years," VHSL executive director Ken Tilley said in a VHSL release.
"Among the concerns that exist within our current system of division play is that disparities are created when schools are allowed to play up in classification and by setting divisions on a region basis rather than separating divisions statewide.
"The six-classification format recommended by the task force greatly reduces size disparities among the classes and eliminates regions altogether."
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That's pretty wild. Especially having districts where a 1A school could be in the same group as a 3A school and doing away with regions altogether. But I like that they are allowing different classifications to be in a district. That would make it more possible to preserve a more traditional LPD.
This really isn't fixing any issues smaller schools have it's actually taking a step backwards. Before they went to equal thirds change back around 2000 there used to be a hard cut off number of below 500 student's you were Group A, Below 1,000 for AA, above 1,000 you were triple AAA; equal thirds you divided number of schools an classified them by that way regardless on enrollment, this is how schools like Franklin, Riverheads, Buffalo Gap, etc. came down when they were AA. Schools like William Campbell, and Graham had A numbers but played up because of rivalries and other sports, yet WC decided to drop down, Graham stayed, this eliminates that altogether now.
It's a step back to before 1986 when the Division split was introduced, if it passes then basically playoffs will be what it was prior to Division split with exception of lowering the cut off 25 students. Where does this arbitrary number come from you ask, look no further than the head of the Principal's association this year who came up with the idea, than Eastside's Dante Lee! The number was supposed to have been lowered to around 375-425 but, when he was put in charge he began cooking up the numbers to accommodate his School's ADM so they would stay away from the other County School's. He is the designer of the new Playoff format, many asked why did it look like a Basketball Tournament Bracket; well it was designed by a former below average Basketball coach!
If you want it tweaked to lower the ADM number for reclassification and want the football playoff format changed call your principal and call Dante Lee at Eastside or talk to him at a Basketball game and voice your opinion.
Last edited by Sat_morning_QB; January 5th, 2012 at 11:04 AM.
If you lower the number much more it becomes usually watered down though as well. Yay were the state champs of our groups. We were better than 20 other schools! No one will be happy all the time, but with todays school sizes, its not a terrible number.
"Call me crazy, but I want to buy the Dallas Cowboys end zone and have the star right at the foot of my bed. That way when I score, I can spike the ball right on the star!" -Woody Paige, Around the Horn 10.9.08
Should of been this way from the start. Now the vhsl needs to have all 6 state championships in 1 weekend at the same location with some TV coverage like TN does with theirs. I say have them all at Virginia Tech (someonr has to put that field to use).
This to me is one of the better ideas that the VHSL has had in a long time. Im all for a 6 division system. To me itll do state wide what the new single A system for D1 and D2 done this season. One side of it that I really like is this will bring teams like Richlands down to 2A with teams like Union and Gatecity. Im a firm believer in playing better competition makes better teams and having Richlands in 2A would make for some fun playoffs. As far as the possibility of a 3 way district (1a through 3A being together) is a little far fetched. I mean yeah Clintwood was the best team in the LPD but could a 1A school consistantly compete with a 3A? Could William Campbell play year in and year out with Brooksville or EC Glass? I feel like If their are enough schools within a "comfortable" traveling distance that are classified together then they should be in the same district. Lee High will probably become and LPD team as will Gatecity, but JIB would probably be put into the Cumberland, if these districts still exist then. To me it wouldnt be fair to ask JIB to compete with Gatecity, Union, Central, Dickenson Co, Lee High every season in every sport. Each of those schools will more than double JIB's student body. Before anyone says it, I know JIB isnt affraid to compete with these schools Im just saying its not fair numbers wise to ask them to do so when the Cumberland has Castlewood, Eastside, Ryecove, Tiwn Springs, and TW all schools that are student body wise JIB's size. I know Ive said playing up makes a better team (and Ill stand by that till I die) but if JIB plays the above mentioned teams every year thats atleast two losses every season which can really kill playoff chances as to where JIB could schedule Central, Union, and other 2A schools while still playing in a 1A district. All in all Im ofr the 6A system and doing a little realigning. I think itll be better in the long run. Ofcourse their are some kinks that will have to be worked out but IMO itll be a better setup. Evolution is something that has to happen in order to survive for anything and the system we have now is nearing 30 years in age.
I may be wrong, but I don't see this passing. AAA controls the state, and don't think they will go for this.
So the redistricting deal....Take all of the Region D teams included some AA that might get in (Richlands, Abingdon etc) and split them into even geographical districts and lets see what it looks like. lets compare and contrast ideas. idk about you guys but im tired of the names of our districts, time to get rid of it all and start new.
It will. AAA will love it cause they get to be known as 5A and 6A now.
Renaming the districts isn't a bad idea as long as a "committee" from Wise County isn't utilized to come up with the new names.Originally Posted by gchs_devils
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