Chattanooga Reclassification Rumors

[ChattanoogaCannon]

I copied the following from the Times FreePress. I have heard these same various rumblings except for Boyd going to Division II.

 

"East Hamilton leaving District 6-AA and moving up to District 5-AAA. The Hurricanes are likely to make more money on gate receipts, but it's a step up in competition with the likes of Cleveland, Bradley Central, McMinn County and Ooltewah.

Signal Mountain changing districts, possibly moving out of 7-AA with Bledsoe, Grundy, Sequatchie, Notre Dame and CCS into 6-AA with Central, East Ridge, Hixson, Howard, Red Bank, Tyner and possibly Brainerd.

Notre Dame dropping from Class 4A in the playoffs to Class 3A, and maybe even Class 2A, and Brainerd might drop from 4A in the postseason to 3A.

Depending on how the numbers fall, Boyd-Buchanan considering a move to Division II-A."

Source - TImes FreePress

 

I personally would like Notre Dame to go to Division II-A as well, but it is not going to happen for various reasons. The main problem, as I see it, is the huge travel expense. There are only 3 Division II-A schools within 125 miles of Chattanooga- St. Andrews, Webb, and Kings Academy. But if Boyd goes, maybe the other smaller private schools in Chattanooga will follow. I don't think ND will drop all the way to Class 2A. I don't think this would affect what district they are in, regardless.

 

It is a foregone conclusion that East Hamilton is moving up. I've never been clear as to how they are in AA in the first place. They have a huge student population. Coach Millard needs to get them focused now on a state playoff run. It won't happen as a AAA school. Too many good soccer players go to private schools in Chattanooga for them to compete at that level.

 

I'm not sure of the reasoning of SM leaving District 7. I assume football is driving the decision. I also wasn't aware that schools could pick their district. if so, I wish ND would switch, too, to either District 5 or 6.

[Indian]

You can request a specific district and give the reasoning, geography, rivalries. That doesn't mean they'll approve it but they're supposed to take it under consideration when forming districts.

 

Even when East Hamilton moves up 6-AA will be larger; CCS and Notre Dame would be better geographic fits in 6-AA than Signal Mountain.

 

Boyd, Silverdale, Chattanooga Grace, Notre Dame would probably be Class A in Division II. David Brainerd and Temple would have made that an ideal district but of course now they're closed. I'm thinking CCS would be too large for the Class A group. Having Knoxville Webb in there too wouldn't seem unreasonable.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Indian

[Indian]

Correction on that: Chattanooga Christian was about the same size as Knoxville Webb in the last groupings so if Webb could play Division II, A, CCS likely could too. I'd still say Knoxville Webb would prefer being in a district with King's Academy, Boyd-Buchanan, Silverdale, Chattanooga Grace, Notre Dame and Chattanooga Christian, than King's Academy, Mt Juliet Christian, SAS, Ezell-Harding, Zion Christian, DCA, Bell Buckle Webb and Davidson Academy.

[ChattanoogaCannon]

Even when East Hamilton moves up 6-AA will be larger; CCS and Notre Dame would be better geographic fits in 6-AA than Signal Mountain.

 

 

District 5 would also be a better fit for ND and CCS than District 7. The people on the backside of Walden's Ridge would probably prefer SM to stay in District 7 as well. What rationale would move SM but not the other schools, to your point? I have assumed the powers-that-be in Chattanooga that influence districts want the Chattanooga schools spread in as many districts as possible. It doesn't make sense that the schools in our area our spread out into three districts.

[Indian]

CCS and Notre Dame have played the valley 7-AA schools for years, I'm sure they like the relatively short travel to Sequatchie and Bledsoe, possibly to Marion if Marion moves up. Grundy is a bit of a haul especially on a weeknight but in 5-AA they'd have Polk, Sequoyah, Sweetwater and McMinn Central. Also the visiting crowds are more than what they'd generally get from most of the current 6-AA teams.

[ChattanoogaCannon]

Indian did a great job in breaking down the enrollment numbers in this topic on on the football board. I'm sure Tommy Layne appreciates all of his hard work.

 

http://www.coacht.com/boards/index.php/topic/226418-enrollment-numbers-are-out/

 

It looks like East Hamilton is indeed going to AAA. Boyd Buchannon is on the cusp of being AA so that might be their trigger to go Division II. They love the fact they can beat up on the little schools in football more than CAK loves doing so in soccer. They won't be able to compete as well in football if they are classified as 3A in the football playoffs. I didn't see any other big changes. Knox Catholic remains the only private school in AAA.

[ballbasher30]

i saw an article from the paper in chattanooga that public schools are again pressing for a complete public-private spilt in the new reclassification. the artilce quoted the sequatchie principal who is the borad of control representative for the chattanooga area as saying it will eventually happen. the determining factor will be if a school charges tuition and not if they offer financial aid. anybody think this will happen this year and if so how big of a change in the tssaa landscape would it make?

[ChattanoogaCannon]

i saw an article from the paper in chattanooga that public schools are again pressing for a complete public-private spilt in the new reclassification. the artilce quoted the sequatchie principal who is the borad of control representative for the chattanooga area as saying it will eventually happen. the determining factor will be if a school charges tuition and not if they offer financial aid. anybody think this will happen this year and if so how big of a change in the tssaa landscape would it make?

 

I think it will eventually happen, though I can't say when. For whatever reason, Tommy Layne has made it his life mission to make the split. This seems odd to me given the number of private schools he represents on the Board of Control. He seems to forget frequently that he is doesn't just represent Sequatchie County, as Signal Mountain painfully found out last year. Regardless, I am also of the opinion that TSSAA will do whatever makes them the most money. It seems having as many state championship tournaments as possible is their goal to that end. As Canes has said on multiple occasions, call me when we have one champion.

[reaction]

Only way Boyd goes D2 is if football goes 3A. I think the Bucs will stay 2A football. So they will stay where they are here too I assume.

[Indian]

I think it will eventually happen, though I can't say when. For whatever reason, Tommy Layne has made it his life mission to make the split. This seems odd to me given the number of private schools he represents on the Board of Control. He seems to forget frequently that he is doesn't just represent Sequatchie County, as Signal Mountain painfully found out last year. Regardless, I am also of the opinion that TSSAA will do whatever makes them the most money. It seems having as many state championship tournaments as possible is their goal to that end. As Canes has said on multiple occasions, call me when we have one champion.

 

Most of the schools in his TSSAA district are public schools. Some of the largest that aren't forced to play private schools could probably care less but others I'm sure would vote for a full split.

 

What does Signal Mt have to do with it?

[ChattanoogaCannon]

Why do we need individuals on the Boad of Control if they are just puppets? Everything should just go up for a vote, then, by the schools directly rather than hide behind the I am just voting what the majority wants argument. A rep should be in position for everyone, large schools, small schools, public and private.

[ballbasher30]

If we let each school vote instead of the members of the board, I think it would be worse for the private schools. In the article it said that 70% of schools favored a complete spilt in public and private division. There is obviously more public schools than private schools in the sate so I don't think your idea of each school voting is going to favor privates.