Here is the news release from the VHSL:
The Virginia High School League (VHSL) and Liberty Christian Academy (LCA) jointly announce that they have reached a settlement of their antitrust lawsuit. The VHSL Executive Committee approved the terms of the agreement in a meeting on May 7, and today the agreement passed a review by the full membership of the VHSL at a special meeting held at Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville. LCA’s Board of Trustees likewise approved the agreement.
As a result of the agreement, all non-boarding private schools in Virginia will be permitted to apply for membership in the VHSL, and LCA will join the VHSL and compete as a regular member eligible for playoffs starting in August of 2015. LCA will eventually have the full benefits of required scheduling against member schools in the Seminole District. Initially, this requirement will yield for previous scheduling. LCA will be eligible to compete in playoffs within its appropriate conference (Conference 23 which includes Amherst, Charlottesville, E. C. Glass, Jefferson Forest and George Washington of Danville) and region (the 4A West).
Any private school that joins the VHSL must meet the same individual participant eligibility requirements and regulations as public school students currently meet with minor changes and adjustments.
Specifically, the transfer rules apply whenever a student transfers from one member school to another, but do not apply when a student transferring to a member private school attended a non-member school (to include home school, out-of-state, and non-member private school) for at least the previous year. Member private schools have the option of adopting the public school attendance zone where their campus is located or adding one additional contiguous attendance zone and being subject to a multiplier for the playoffs. LCA will use the Lynchburg City attendance zones (Heritage and E.C. Glass High Schools) with a multiplier of 1.5 on LCA’s high school enrollment number to set its classification. Single gender private schools that join the VHSL will have their enrollment doubled for classification purposes. VHSL amended its rules to make competitions with non-member private schools count the same as those against member public schools in its football rating system that determines seeding for football playoffs starting in the fall of 2015.
John Patterson, Liberty Christian Academy Superintendent said, “LCA is very pleased with this resolution which we believe will benefit all high school students and their families in Virginia. We very much look forward to becoming a member of the Seminole District."
Ken Tilley, VHSL Executive Director said, “The VHSL is gratified to reach an agreement in this case, and we are excited to focus our attention on meeting the League’s mission of service to its member schools and providing lifetime opportunities for students through participation in sports and academic activities.”
Someone help me out. In reading this press release. The part I've underlined and bolded, I'm wondering does this mean that any student that attends LCA but doesn't live in Lynchburg City is ineligible? I'm guessing if they decide to say, hey we want to include Jefferson Forest and Brookville attendance zones, they must multiply their school enrollment by such and such number to "even" the playing field. This would mean the school would play up to a higher class than the current 4A they are placed in. This is how I'm interpreting, someone please let me know if I've got it wrong.
