Opt-up is the problem

[deansta]

Just wondering what everybody would think if the WIAA decided to set the percentages BEFORE the opt ups were allowed? Then, they gave the teams that wanted to opt up the option of doing so without it forcing other teams to move up because of it. I know that there was 20+ teams who opted up to 3A last cycle, and it seems to me that the teams below them in the 2A ranks were punished and created the greatest disparity in total enrollment (by percentage and overall numbers). If those teams wanted to opt up and it created a 45 team 2A they shouldn't punish the smaller schools and bump them up or allow those very large 1000+ schools to come down into 2A. I just don't buy the idea that each classification has to have the same number of teams. I just hate seeing such a large disparity in the 2A ranks.

Other options would be combining the B ranks, or creating a 5A classification in sports where total numbers makes a huge difference like wrestling and football. Unfortunately, none of these things seem likely under the current WIAA plan.

Just wondering what others feelings are who support the 2A schools.

I also don't buy the idea that the percentages are greater in 4A because of the two schools that have well over a 2000 kids. The idea that it makes a big difference between a school who has 2000 and 1500 kids is laughable. Any school with over 1200 kids is going to field a football team of 80+ kids and the athletes are going to be pretty darn equal. However, the difference between 500 and 1000 kids is huge in terms of participation numbers, fielding a csquad or freshman team etc.... I would just like to see us get a system that takes this into account. Just my opinion. I would also disregard all opt up schools in this situation, because it is their choice to do so.
This post was edited on 12/13 9:25 PM by deansta

 

[TricoGuy]

Not a bad idea!!

 

[col-pul]

"Other options would be combining the B ranks, or creating a 5A classification in sports where total numbers makes a huge difference like wrestling and football."

Ding Ding we have a winner. That's what a lot of people were saying when realignment was first discussed. There were ways to have kept the number of teams in each classification close, with in five or six, and had size veriation of less than 2X. The Bs never wanted to be divided and the two mega schools really slant 4A's size spand. You take them out and the gap from smallest to largest is pretty small.

 

[Warrant3]

Before we went to the new template of equal sized classifications, the 2A classification was shrinking every year. We were half the size of the 1A's. That didn't make a lot of sense either. The 2A's have been the problem child for the WIAA. Your ideas make some sense, but they need to incorporate a population disparity cap within each classification which would probably require a 5th classification.
I think the notion that a school with 2000 students has no competitive advantage over a school with 1500 students is ridiculous. The bigger school has a bigger talent pool.