That's a solid list. I would increase the number to 24. Add DSM Roosevelt, IA City Liberty as that school is growing very fast. Not sure what the other 2 would be off the top but a 5A is definitely needed.
Realignment Classifications
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After reading the proposals on this board and having read many of the school responses to the IHSAA questionnaire, I think it’s important to remember the purpose for the PO change and if the solutions will be effective. If I had to make a prediction, I’d say this new format will do nothing to diminish the top programs in the state and nothing to make the others more competitive. Now, will there be a few more wins at the bottom and a few more losses at the top...perhaps but will this “solution” really work? The more I think about it, the more I’m intrigued by the “super class” of 16 teams (that way all make the PO’s), whose selection is not necessarily by enrollment but competitiveness. Two districts of 8, two “non-district” games. It would be a brutal but competitive schedule for sure.
Waukee 2 is more than a rumor. The IHSAA webpage about 4A classification says Waukee Northwest will start its football program as a 4A school in the fall of 2021.
Why does no one speak of open enrollment when when we talk about the haves and have nots. If you live in urban school district and you were a good athlete why wouldn't you open enroll in a suburban school. Great facility, great coaching, and chance to win. It is forcing small schools to possibly spend money they dont have to keep kids in their districts. This just seems to be widening the gap, and i dont hear about very often.
Not the ones who are getting the recruits and winning.
Most of us could easily list 3-5 public school transfers who are the best players on their highly ranked basketball teams right now.
Those were the good days in st ansgar. When the football field doubled as the outfield for the baseball field, it allowed for the spectators to be right next to the action as there was no track around the field. The temporary bleachers for the visitors were less than desirable though. All new facilities now that are quite nice.
I think it is fair to question the IHSAA about the 8 man leniency with the 120 number. You get that number down to around 105 and you still have enough teams to particpate in the 8 man class. if 4A only has around 40 schools, not sure why other classes could not do the same.
I'm ok with the 120 number as the cutoff for 8-man football as participation overall has gone down statewide. I just don't know how IAHSAA can say that's the cutoff and then not stick with it. I would think any school that wanted to play 8-man could and would have the upperhand in a legal battle as the IAHSAA hasn't upheld that rule for any other schools. They opened a can of worms they should have left closed. What about some school with 144 kids like Alburnett who had a down year in 11 man, and then a 166 school like Central Springs who also wasn't competitive in 11 man, who's to tell them no if they said they want to go 8-man...
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I don't care what the number is. Make it 133 if that's what it basically is. But, once you set the number, the state should really stick with it.
But, then again, I don't even like the idea of 8 man football. Play the game as designed. Combine school districts if needed.
We don't allow other sports to downsize the game. There's no 3 v 3 basketball, 7 v 7 soccer, etc.
But, then again, I don't even like the idea of 8 man football. Play the game as designed. Combine school districts if needed.
We don't allow other sports to downsize the game. There's no 3 v 3 basketball, 7 v 7 soccer, etc.
What always has and always will frustrate me are the schools who consistently have 35+ kids out for football but choose to play 8 man, that is not what the game was created to be, it was for a school that may only have 15 kids out in 9-12.
You have no clue what you are talking about......... Put all schools that play 11 man in 1 class, they all have the same number of players on the field....... easy to see the ignorance in that statement
The private school bashing is comedy. A lot of sensitive souls out here upset that their kid isn't better, so turns to an untrue bias to bash people who work extremely had. Not saying others don't work just as hard. But the narrative is so repetitive, so whiny, it's pathetic.
I'm not talking about all schools in 1 class. I'm talking about all schools playing the game by the official rules. 11 players on the field. 100 yard field.
Not creating a mini version of the game. Especially with schools doing that who don't even need to be. We don't change the fundamental nature and rules of the game for any other sport to accommodate enrollment.
Combining programs is not easy, and often detrimental to the schools/communities. Even Sigourney-Keota have had their issues with combining their football program. For the schools and communities who play 8-man, it allows those kids to play the game they love with their classmates. If you don't like 8-man, don't watch it.
I do agree that schools that have 30+ on their roster routinely should be playing 11-man.
Let's say a school only has 5-7 kids out from each class. You might have enough upperclassmen to fill 11 spots (assuming you had one player per position). Now you have to rely on those 11-14 kids to play all special teams or play sophomores and freshmen on special teams. Over the course of a season, those upperclassmen cannot hold up to that many plays, even with the best strength and conditioning program, especially against the top teams. Playing 8-man, now those upperclassmen can get breaks in a game, stay healthy, and allow their team to be competitive, without having to play a 145 pound freshman. You are entitled to your opinion, for sure. But for 69 schools across the state (well, maybe 60) it is the right choice.
Which is why there were only 6-8 teams in the Class when it first was brought back in Iowa.
Almost 2,000 high schools in America play number reduced football. The most prominent is 8 man. This number increases each year and at a high percentage. Schools need this financially. Traveling to neighboring districts to join there team costs, loses gate, loses school spirit. 8 man works in Iowa. I would guess the chances of 2 8- man classes in the next 1-3 years is high!
Great point about the financial costs. It would destroy our athletic budget (not that it is much) to lose home football gates.
What will Sidney say in there appeal? They return 12 seniors in a district where most teams have 6? Comical.
Frankly, we should consider it fortunate that the state still allows school districts with enrollments so low to remain independent, let alone they’re able to sustain themselves financially. I can see the day coming soon when the state begins to dictate district size and begin consolidating rural...and metro schools...God forbid.
Private schools pull from all over, not just one district, and have to recruit to survive. That is not untrue. They also have plenty of time to get kids to their campus for visits and such. It is not that their kid is a better athlete, it is that they have the appeal of being "better" than public and pull a few kids from out of district to attend on a regular basis. It is BS to say they are on a level playing field when the numbers do not lie when it comes to championships, dropping down levels to compete for championships, and recruiting other schools on a regular basis.
Not with a roster of 16-20. At the varsity level it would not work on a year to year basis.
It is fine for you to say these things, but you have never experienced it first hand. So it is easy to be ignorant about it.
That is another debate all together, but not sure what it would solve financially to do this. Especially when a lot of the urban districts are also in the red financially as compared to the smaller rural districts.
There are very few people who actually want that. Most of the time the small districts in the state are the ones with the most community pride for the school. The biggest issue that I think you see across the state is where schools who should of consolidated didn't because the towns couldn't of gotten along. For example, Reinbeck makes more sense to go with Grundy Center then Gladbrook, Dysart with North Tama then with LaPorte City, Manly with Northwood Kensett then Nora Springs, and on and on and on. But they chose to make funky districts instead of making districts that made more sense.
Calm hawk, Clearly not smart hark. Noted. It is BS to think that is the case. A public school open enrollment is ten times more powerful than a private schools attempt at recruiting. Be better, Get better. Better coaching, and a better game plan. Whining clearly isn't working
“Campus visit” is this college? What the heck does this even mean? I would assume your talking bout Don Bosco again when you say dropping down levels? But isn’t Don Bosco within the IHSAA rules to do this? What about the 7 public schools playing down with BEDS of over 120 that is clearly against the rules and now gives them an advantage?
Don't spit facts on them, Kevin. Don't do it. Private school haters don't like hearing facts.
Multipliers would work as well as a shot clock in Iowa High School basketball or having a single State tournament combining all classes............just sayin.
Multipliers may have some affect on the smaller schools but would do nothing to DHS (nowhere to go), Assumption ( they’d remain in 3A even with a 2x multiplier), Xavier would move up to 4A (with 2x but @ 500 enrollment, lessor multiplier...?), they would probably be competitive.
The states that have put them in haven’t seen a significant change in championships won by private schools
https://www.iahsaa.org/resources/general/
Question to clarify if someone could. The above link contains enrollment info. Why is there such a discrepancy in student numbers when you compare bed count and the football classification resource for individual schools, there is significant variance in numbers. What is the reason behind this?
Question to clarify if someone could. The above link contains enrollment info. Why is there such a discrepancy in student numbers when you compare bed count and the football classification resource for individual schools, there is significant variance in numbers. What is the reason behind this?
Because even though the link says 2019-20 the data is actually 2018-19 as it says at the top of the page.
Kuemper and Regina both dropped down a level this year. Not hard to see why. Oh it is because we are small and that is the reason. Maybe it is because they were not competative? OH wait Regina was, but they want to win a championship. Lets drop down to 1A or A, or 8 man where other teams do not have the population base to compete with us at a year to year basis.
Private schools do have tradition and support from their alumni and community which is great, but if some private schools stop winning they start to drop down levels in sports to win again. Happens a lot actually.
Open enrollment is a tool that Iowa has used to try to combat this, some public schools do well, while it pulls kids away from other schools and hurts them. So really in trying to help, it has only made it worse.
If you do not think their are visits for private schools I do not know what to tell you, because their is. There are also commercials, radio ads, visit dates, billboards, etc that promote those schools. Which good from them. I keep hearing that it is hard to get more kids to attend because of the price, well a solution would be to lower to price to attract more kids, which would then get more money and more kids.
And having those schools in 8 man is a joke. Not sure why IHSAA cannot follow their own rules.
A muliplier used by Illinois would bump DB to A football. That would be fun to see them compete against Regina for a state title.
