Legislative Council roundup: Classification structure will shift toward equal placement
AURORA — The structure of CHSAA’s classifications will see more equity after approval of the Classification and League Organizing Committee’s report at the Legislative Council meeting on Thursday.
It means that CLOC, which sets the league alignment, will evenly divide teams among classifications in a given sport beginning with the 2016-18 two-year cycle.
“There are a number of ways to measure equity,” said CHSAA commissioner Paul Angelico. “One way is this: If I’m the 50-yard dash champion in 5A, I’m the champion of 50,000 kids. If I’m the 50-yard dash champion in 1A, I’m the champion of 1,000 kids. And that’s not to say one’s more important than the other.
“But we can’t measure the number of kids competing in a classification. The only thing we have that’s measurable is the number of teams per classification.”
The change marks a shift in philosophy for CLOC, which in past years had simply divided classifications using enrollment splits determined upon the number of basketball teams in the Association. The hope is to get as close as possible to an equal number of teams competing in every classification.
This philosophy was actually used by the Association roughly 20 years ago. This return was modeled by something wrestling did at last April’s Legislative Council. It was first presented to the membership at the All-School Summit last July, and then hammered out at a meeting in November.
“It’s a system that worked for us 20 years ago,” Angelico said. “And swimming, as an example, was better competition when we split the teams in half than it is now with using the basketball numbers to do so.”
Now, equal classes will expand to all sports, including football. The new enrollment splits will be used to determine alignment for 2016-18.
Traditional play-ups and play-downs have been accounted for in initial projections of classification numbers, but unexpected plans from teams to play up a classification may shift the equity slightly.
In addition, the projections were based on October 2014 counts, so CLOC built in a 5 percent allowance which will allow them to adjust the enrollment splits based on October 2015 figures to preserve equity as best they can.
This also opens the door to potentially adding a third classification of girls swimming and diving, girls tennis and girls golf, as the numbers support doing so. (Additionally, a recent survey of athletic directors supported the idea.) That may happen as soon as April’s Legislative Council meeting.
Notables
- All three proposed changes to the transfer rule were shot down. It means the transfer rule will stay the same — for now.
- The cross country committee’s recommendation to keep the state meet at the Norris-Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs drew much discussion. Ultimately, it is just that: a recommendation. The state venue will be voted upon by the Board of Directors at its meeting in June, along with the rest of the state championship venues for other sports.
- The new pitch-count limits for baseball also passed along with its report, but not before some drama. First came a motion from the Southwestern League which sought to strike it entirely. That was defeated by the Council. Then the Santa Fe League moved to delay the new rule by one season. That passed. So, when the baseball report finally passed — by a wide margin — it meant that this new pitch-count rule would go into effect during the 2016 season.
- A proposal to bar teams which are playing down a classification from competing in the postseason passed. It means that, for example, a Class 4A-sized team which applies for and is granted the chance to play in 3A due to a lack of success will no longer be allowed to make the postseason. If this new rule were in effect two seasons ago, 3A football champion Coronado would not have been allowed to make the playoffs.
- Football’s new quarter limits passed. Here’s more information on that rule. This brings Colorado more in line with the rest of the nation.
- Golf will now mandate the use of iWanamaker to track scoring during all regular season and postseason events. This only applies to varsity.
- The new penalties in tennis for stacking a lineup were approved.
- A change to the Sunday contact rule was approved. It allows contact via social media, so long as it’s done in a group or public fashion, and is not a direct call-to-action, such as instructions on which pages of the playbook to study.
- Newly appointed CHSAA board members, who will begin their terms in June: Doug Pfau, the superintendet at Weldon Valley (District 3); Troy Baker, the athletic director at Buena Vista (District 7); and Wendy Ruben, the principal at Chatfield (CASE). Wendy Dunaway returns from CDE.
- As we reported this morning, Adams 12 district athletic director Eddie Hartnett will be the new president of the board.
