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How can TSSAA justify NOT HAVING 4 CLASSES in Baseball?


BushLeague
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Earlier this year, TSSAA voted against going to 4 classes in Boys & Girls Basketball, Baseball, Softball.  They released the classification for 2017-2021 today.  TSSAA classification plan makes no sense whatsoever and is completely unfair.  There are a number of schools that the TSSAA slotted to compete in 4A Football (1102-827 enrollment), but AAA (largest class) in Basketball, Baseball, Softball (2513-1033 enrollment).  So, their Football team will compete for state titles against schools with as few as 827 enrolled students; while their Basketball, Baseball, and Softball squads will have to compete with schools as large as 2513 enrollment!!! 

 

It gets worse ... these same schools that are AAA in Basketball/Baseball/Softball and 4A in Football - are 2A in Volleyball and Soccer!!!  The AA Soccer enrollment numbers are as low as 668 and the AA Volleyball numbers are as low as 583!  To recap, these schools play schools with an enrollment as large as 2513 in Basketball/Baseball/Softball, but as low as 827 in Football; 668 in Soccer; and 583 in Volleyball!!! 

 

How does that make sense?  Whatever happened to playing in a league against other schools of similar size and geographical proximity in all sports?  Why does the TSSAA have 6 classes in Football, but only 3 classes in Basketball, Baseball, Softball? 

 

The following schools should be LIVID: Seymour (1102), Portland (1089), Liberty Tech (1083), Lawrence County (1082), Springfield (1081), Montgomery Central (1077), Kirby (1067), Stone Memorial (1061), Anderson County (1060), Spring Hill (1053), Tullahoma (1042), East Hamilton (1038) and Sequoyah (1033). 

 

If any of these schools advances in the AAA Region, Sectional, State Tournament rounds in Basketball, they will potentially do so by playing opponents that are MORE THAN TWICE THEIR SIZE!!!!!!!!!!!!  In many cases, they have to do this to get out of their own District!!!  For example: Stone Memorial's 1061 has to defeat Cookeville's 2203 to advance from their own District!!! 

 

TSSAA spent a lot of time considering the Division II changes and made sure Football kept their 6 classifications.  Class A schools pushed for the changes that made the majority of private schools to depart Division 1 for Division II.  Now, the large schools are stuck to play the MEGA-SCHOOLS.  But, I'm scratching my head why Baseball couldn't have 4 classes to make for competitive balance? 

 

TSSAA - you can fix this for Baseball - add a 4th class and keep the MEGA-SCHOOLS separate from schools that are LESS THAN HALF their size!

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Earlier this year, TSSAA voted against going to 4 classes in Boys & Girls Basketball, Baseball, Softball.  They released the classification for 2017-2021 today.  TSSAA classification plan makes no sense whatsoever and is completely unfair.  There are a number of schools that the TSSAA slotted to compete in 4A Football (1102-827 enrollment), but AAA (largest class) in Basketball, Baseball, Softball (2513-1033 enrollment).  So, their Football team will compete for state titles against schools with as few as 827 enrolled students; while their Basketball, Baseball, and Softball squads will have to compete with schools as large as 2513 enrollment!!! 

 

It gets worse ... these same schools that are AAA in Basketball/Baseball/Softball and 4A in Football - are 2A in Volleyball and Soccer!!!  The AA Soccer enrollment numbers are as low as 668 and the AA Volleyball numbers are as low as 583!  To recap, these schools play schools with an enrollment as large as 2513 in Basketball/Baseball/Softball, but as low as 827 in Football; 668 in Soccer; and 583 in Volleyball!!! 

 

How does that make sense?  Whatever happened to playing in a league against other schools of similar size and geographical proximity in all sports?  Why does the TSSAA have 6 classes in Football, but only 3 classes in Basketball, Baseball, Softball? 

 

The following schools should be LIVID: Seymour (1102), Portland (1089), Liberty Tech (1083), Lawrence County (1082), Springfield (1081), Montgomery Central (1077), Kirby (1067), Stone Memorial (1061), Anderson County (1060), Spring Hill (1053), Tullahoma (1042), East Hamilton (1038) and Sequoyah (1033). 

 

If any of these schools advances in the AAA Region, Sectional, State Tournament rounds in Basketball, they will potentially do so by playing opponents that are MORE THAN TWICE THEIR SIZE!!!!!!!!!!!!  In many cases, they have to do this to get out of their own District!!!  For example: Stone Memorial's 1061 has to defeat Cookeville's 2203 to advance from their own District!!! 

 

TSSAA spent a lot of time considering the Division II changes and made sure Football kept their 6 classifications.  Class A schools pushed for the changes that made the majority of private schools to depart Division 1 for Division II.  Now, the large schools are stuck to play the MEGA-SCHOOLS.  But, I'm scratching my head why Baseball couldn't have 4 classes to make for competitive balance? 

 

TSSAA - you can fix this for Baseball - add a 4th class and keep the MEGA-SCHOOLS separate from schools that are LESS THAN HALF their size!

Agree completely. This was needed as much or more than the changes they did make.
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IMHO, Tennessee has too many state champions in all sports.  Football is the worst.  The privates have a state champion in a division that only has 11 teams in it.

 

Baseball doesn't need 4 public school divisions.

 

Everything you say is true.  Tennessee high school football has nine (9) state champions and that is probably five (5) to many.  The numbers truly support Tennessee having three (3) or four (4) state champions in baseball and that is if the public schools and private schools are combined.  Too many soft people that want everyone to win a state championship and for everyone to be happy.

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Having to compete with schools more than twice your size is not being SOFT. All schools deserve the chance to compete with schools of similar size. Small or Large... With that logic, you might as well get rid of classifications all together. The system currently is set up for the private schools to be successful because that is where the money is. That is who the T$$AA is and will be concerned with...not the small schools or the large schools but...What is best for the Private Schools. Where did the classes get added? ..Private schools

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Why did the TSSAA put baseball/softball with basketball? There are a lot of schools that do not even play baseball I believe isn't that right? Wouldn't that change the balance of numbers per classification? Then you remove the private schools from DI that number is even less. Don't understand why baseball/softball wasn't done like volleyball. If you go to the TSSAA site under classification for this year I think there is almost 30 schools with most being in A that do not have baseball programs I believe if I was looking at that correctly.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have a theory, and only a theory. While football expands classes and makes playoffs more and more abundant to make more money, I think the smaller, non-revenue sports are kept smaller to save money. 

 

Ask an AD or coach what their biggest expense in-season is, and a majority of them will tell you buses. In baseball, because that's what I know, if you make more 'A's you spread teams out more which means longer bus rides which means the budget goes up in a non-revenue sport. 

 

I'll hang up and listen to your comments off air. 

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I have a theory, and only a theory. While football expands classes and makes playoffs more and more abundant to make more money, I think the smaller, non-revenue sports are kept smaller to save money. 

 

Ask an AD or coach what their biggest expense in-season is, and a majority of them will tell you buses. In baseball, because that's what I know, if you make more 'A's you spread teams out more which means longer bus rides which means the budget goes up in a non-revenue sport. 

 

I'll hang up and listen to your comments off air. 

 

That's a great point it is so much about expenses for sure. Then if that's the case why not group volleyball, golf, soccer the same as baseball/softball? Those are even more of non revenue making sports. Why wouldn't you group them as they did the rest of the non-revenue sports? The TSSAA termed that basketball/baseball/softball is "divided evenly" but then by volleyball they posted "divided evenly by participation"..so which is it because baseball/softball are not divided evenly..when you take out the schools that do not play these sports the number is a lot less especially in A and AAA. If you divided it evenly based on participants wouldn't that allow for more balance and less travel? I don't know but I think if you asked a coach which would you rather take longer bus rides or playing schools the you have a more competitive balance with as far as enrollment goes they will probably take the latter.

 

Here is an example..Tullahoma, Stone Memorial and Lawrence Co. are barely above the AAA cutoff..If you take out the schools who do not participate these schools would probably go to AA. That would put Tullahoma and Lawrence in a district with Marshall Co., Giles, Murf.Central, Nolensville and Stone would be in with Bledsoe, Cumberland Co., Grundy, Marion and Sequatchie I think.

 

I know there is not an easy solution there are4 variables on all sides for sure. Just think in my opinion that Baseball/Softball need to be separated like the other non revenue sports and not grouped into basketball. If you look under baseball districts they even have Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy listed in District 4 in Class A baseball. 

 

I guess saddest part as we will both agree for sure it is about money which is the worst. Most coaches who coach baseball and softball are underpaid or volunteers and all they really want is a chance to compete during the season. Will be tough for schools like stone to beat a Cookeville that is twice their size. And several of the smaller schools in AAA and AA don't have the capacity to expand to ever catch the other schools in enrollment numbers.

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