A Solution That Might Work!

[ELA]

Here is a solution I think most will agree with but I doubt the TSSAA would consider it.

 

Create a new classification (CLASS B?) for small rural schools and very small weak private schools like Mt. Juliet Christian, Zion Christian, and Lighthouse. Small teams who wish to compete in this new classification must meet certain requirements and be approved by the TSSAA. Requirements would be somewhat subjective but might include:

 

1. Size of student body (less than 300)?

 

2. Limit the size of the football team to less than 35-40?

 

The following measures would be taken to prevent the better programs from joining this group with the intention of dominating weaker sisters:

 

1. Allow the schools to play for a championship but take them out of the Blue Cross Bowl Series Championship. Play the championship game at a small college campus or a larger public school facility a week earlier than the other championship games.

 

2. Establish a rule allowing the "clock to run" if any team has more than a 33 point lead and add a "mercy rule" ending the game at any time during the 4th quarter if a team is behind by more than 48 points.

 

3. Allow each of the schools to send one representative to a special committee that monitors the progress of the new classification and to promote good sportsmanship within the class.

[Edited by ELA on 10-13-02 10:45A]

[Edited by ELA on 10-14-02 12:07A]

 

[ELA]

Possible teams that might qualify for the new proposed classification:

 

Small Rural Public Schools or weaker 1A Public Schools:

 

Oakdale (138)

Red Boiling Springs (205)

Pickett COunty (229)

Sunbright (197)

Lookout Valley (256)

Cornersville (241)

Gleason (190)

Lake County (220)

 

Unaka*

Cosby*

Mt. Pleasant*

Forrest*

Middleton*

* May be too large (over 300 students) or too far away from the rest of the other schools!

 

Small Private Church Schools:

CAK (264)

Lighthouse (105)

Nashville Christian (100)

Clarksville Academy (170)*

Columbia Academy (225)

Memphis Catholic (202)

Kings Academy (97)

Mt. Juliet Christian (108)

Zion Christian

Eliston Baptist (72)

St. Andrews (211)

Trinity Chsristian (137)

Temple High School (118)

 

* No football in 2002... maybe this would help them rebuild interest in football.

 

Other Notes:

1. There are two new church school football programs in Chattanooga area.

2. Clay Co. High School will have more than 300 students so I doubt we would qualify.

3. This might encourage other small public schools like Clarkrange, Santa Fe, etc. and very small church schools to start young football programs.

 

Many of these teams may not want to play in this class for various reasons! THE ONLY BIG PROBLEM WOULD BE TRAVEL!

[Edited by ELA on 10-13-02 10:36A]

[Edited by ELA on 10-13-02 10:38A]

 

[ELA]

This class would concentrate to teaching fundamentals and good sportsmanship. Every school who participates in this class would understand it is a SUB-A Class and it would need the "special" committee to keep things in perspective.

 

Also... this would only effect football, unlike the other proposals on this message board.

[silverpie]

If you're going to create something like this for football only, I have another suggestion that would allow even more schools to field teams in it. Play eight-man football in this new class.

[lazarus]

excellent suggestion. the only problem might be finding enough opponents within a reasonable travel range. 8 man football isnt just 11 man ball with 3 empty positions, so it might be tough finding non-8 man teams willing to play an 8-man game. (i think most teams need all the practice time available just to halfway learn the 11-man game!)perhaps the 8-man teams could have a prescribed number of games against the other 8-man teams, and could flesh out an adequate schedule with j-v squads from other schools?

[BiggestElk]

Good try, but----- way too subjective. Everyone would want to compete. Everyone would look for a competitive edge. Everyone would want to be the champ. A pecking order would be established, just as one exsts now. Some schools you include give financial aid and would therefore be accused of giving "scholarships" if they won.

[lazarus]

you are correct, and i think this highlights the flaw in our classification system. there is no impetus, no reward, for working your way up to a higher classification. instead there are more rewards for staying in the lowest classification possible. i am convinced that we were better off when there was a 4-team playoff for one state title and everyone else played bowl games. i like the idea of a "super class" that anyone could enter, and having that championship be the only one called "STATE championship". i cant see where all these gold balls have brought anything good to high school sports in tennessee.

[coachd]

I think ELA suggestions are worthy of consideration. Maybe this coupled with several other good ideas will be the beginning of a solution that will make most people happy and we can put the public/private debate away.

[ELA]

Posted by BiggestElk:

Good try, but----- way too subjective. Everyone would want to compete. Everyone would look for a competitive edge. Everyone would want to be the champ. A pecking order would be established, just as one exsts now. Some schools you include give financial aid and would therefore be accused of giving "scholarships" if they won.

 

Okay... I don't want to get back into this debate as much as I would like to stimulate some new ideas! What I think this would do is to shake up the existing lower classes in both Divisions (I & II) and further create more competition within the remaining DI teams. I would suggest to you that NO team that could compete in CLASS A (year in and year out) would want to drop down to CLASS B. It would become a class for small teams that would want to either "develop" into a CLASS A team, or a class for the small schools to compete in who can't compete in the other classifications. Football is more than just winning, but it is also more than just getting the snot beat of you each week by teams that are much more competitive than your team (i.e. Lighthouse). I also think that this would be a great place for the really small public schools that don't presently have a football program to start one (Summertown, Sante Fe. Clarkrange, etc.). If you don't want to make it competitive, just allow them to have BOWL games instead of a championship? :confused:

[VolunteerGeneral]

ELA....that`s not a bad thought. I like it because it takes in consideration to the quality of team rather than the type of school. I`m not opposed to change. I just think it should be done in regard to the quality of the program rather than the type. Travel would be a concern, but it would be a concern if privates were forced into a total split as well. I just hope people realize that if they are concerned with travel as a result of this plan, they should be concerned with travel if a split is proposed too.

[BDURHAM]

ELA,

 

I think the Class B classification is a good idea, especially for small schools who cannot win at least half of their games at the 1A level.

 

How would this affect the debate with the rural vs. private issue? There are rural schools who simply don't want to play against private schools in the playoffs. Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't the new movement focused to get the privates out of 1A?

 

Excuse for confusing the issue and bringing another factor into this thread. I think the small publics and privates need an alternative to 1A ball, especially the new privates and small publics who have not yet fielded teams. Some of the magnet schools might be interested in fielding a Class B or club football teams.

[ELA]

Posted by VolunteerGeneral:

ELA....that`s not a bad thought. I like it because it takes in consideration to the quality of team rather than the type of school. I`m not opposed to change. I just think it should be done in regard to the quality of the program rather than the type. Travel would be a concern, but it would be a concern if privates were forced into a total split as well. I just hope people realize that if they are concerned with travel as a result of this plan, they should be concerned with travel if a split is proposed too.

 

Vol Gen... I thought you would like this idea! I think the stigma of calling it a CLASS B would keep many teams away from this classification. I don't like the idea of 8 man football, so let's keep 11 man teams only. The secret to making this class work will be the committee of coaches/representatives. These teams must work together and learn from each other.

 

Who knows if this idea will go anywhere, but I think it might be an answer to some of the problems small schools now face. Stan is right, you will still have some complaints about private schools, but it will help the smallest schools. I think you will need at least 16-24 teams to make this thing work! If you have 24 teams, you could take the top two teams in each of four regions (6 teams per region with 24 teams). The rest of the games can be scheduled with CLASS A teams in your area for gates and to cut down on travel.