Legislative Council notebook: Boys soccer adds a fourth classification
Boys soccer will add a new fourth classification of competition beginning with the fall 2018 season.
The new Class 2A was created when the Legislative Council voted to approve a proposal to do so during its meeting on Thursday at the Radisson Hotel Denver Southeast. The motion passed easily with a 62-5 vote.
“We’re excited that the Association voted to add an additional championship for boys soccer in 2018,” said Bud Ozzello, the CHSAA assistant commissioner in charge of boys soccer. “It will enable our schools with smaller enrollments to compete in their own playoff bracket.”
The move brings the boys in line with girls soccer, which added a fourth class two seasons ago. When that decision was made, the girls had 74 teams playing in 3A. Boys soccer currently has 78 teams in 3A, and the new class will help bring that number down.
The proposal was supported by the soccer committee, the Classification and League Organizing Committee, as well as the equity committee.
The change will be effective with the 2018-20 two-year cycle, meaning the next season, in fall 2017, will still remain at three classifications.
When 2A boys soccer does begin play in fall 2018, it is likely that it will affect the structure of the championships, Ozzello said.
Currently, all three classes play their title games at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on a Saturday. A fourth classification could mean splitting the championships over two days, like girls soccer does, or using a separate venue for 2A.
“We’re limited by what the venue (DSGP) can do, especially because the (Colorado) Rapids are in-season at that time,” Ozzello said.
That decision likely will be made over the course of the next year.
Notables
- A few tweaks to the RPI formula became official. A full story is available here.
- Eddie Hartnett, the current Board president, noted that he would be introducing the next CHSAA commissioner the next time the Legislative Council meeting convenes in April. (Applications for the commissioner job are being accepted now.)
- Four new schools were approved for initial membership into CHSAA: DSST-Cole, Golden View Classical Academy, Stargate School and Victory Prep. This brings CHSAA’s membership to 355 schools. Additionally, Caprock Charter Academy, DSST-Green Valley Ranch, and Venture Prep were all approved as full members following a three-year probationary period.
- In the future, applications for membership will only be considered in odd years after a proposal passed. This will make it so new schools are only added during the beginning of a two-year cycle, which will help reduce complications of changing schedules and league structure.
- Officials’ fees got a $2 bump in all sports, at all levels, for the 2018-20 two-year cycle. There had already been a $1 increase scheduled.
- Cross country’s wish to move the 2A state meet to run six, score four was voted down. So 2A will remain at six runners competing, but only three scoring.
