The recent re-alignment is to last four years instead of two years, as it was previously. Good thing, bad thing, or an irrelevant thing?
A topic I have not seen much discussion about
- Thread starter DinwiddieProud
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I always liked the two year realignments. I feel like four years is too long, especially with how some schools are growing so quickly, but maybe I'll get used to it.
I agree with Hoos, anything longer than two years, is to long. these schools in the Loudoun county area are growing out of control.
I liked "two years", too. But I would like to hear the arguments for four years. Obviously the arguments were compelling enough to force a change. (Or was it another secret conspiracy of those darn, a). Richmond teams, b). Tidewater teams, c). NOVA teams, d). SWVA teams or, e). tyrannical VHSL Executive committee members? Please pick one.)
This is an attempt at humor, so don't get upset at me!
This is an attempt at humor, so don't get upset at me!
I'm not sure what the argument for 4 year realignment would be, other than the VHSL would presumably have less work. Did they forget what happened with Briar Woods in just 2 years? They went from 1400 students to 2100. They may have won 4a regardless, but having that many extra students didn't hurt. Woodgrove could be in a similar situation given the 4 year realignment.
I just verified with my AD this morning that it is a four year cycle with the ability to appeal after 2 in case your numbers drastically change which is what John Marshall did to stay in 3a because they were put in 2a. He said it was pushed because schools were complaining about being in conferences for 2 years having to get conference info, plans, money, and other items together and figured out and then teams were then leaving, Using the 4 year plan allows the conferences to have more stability. So basically if you have a team that enrollment balloons and they don't want to move then you may be stuck with them a la Briar Woods and Broad Run in 4a.
Would it be possible to take advantage of both cycles? Seems to me the normal realignment could be a period of 4,5, or 6 years to give stability to planning, scheduling, etc. and then based on some %(10, 20, 25 or higher???) shift in ADM schools could be automatically reclassified every two years. If a reasonable percentage was set it seems to me that it would address extraordinary growth/reductions to maintain comparable size schools and the actual number of schools switching could be contained at a manageable number. IMO that would address conferences being stuck with schools with ballooning enrollments as well as schools shrinking rapidly.
That's a tough one to call. With 2 year plan, some schools seem to "move" every 2 years, which is not good.
I really don't mind this much. I think there should be a provision that if a school's ADM increases or decreases well beyond the established cut-offs they can be moved mid-cycle. Most schools enrollments aren't going to change so much that it matters, but we have seen schools in Loudoun gain 800 or 900 kids in 4 years, and if your school's enrollment is cut in half due to a new school being built or some mass exodus from your community (maybe they heard Matt Gilliam was moving in), you ought to be able to move down if you go far below the cut-off numbers.
After having watched 4a and 5a schools for some time, I don't believe there is any appreciable difference at the top. Briar and Tuscarora jumped up to 5a in 2013. Briar made it to the state title game in 2013 and Tuscarora made it in 2014. (and the 2013 Briar team was far weaker than its 2012 team due to graduation). If 5a was really so much better, then that would not happen because they would have been knocked off by the likes of Stone Bride, Massaponnax and North Stafford. Stone Bride has been a dominant team for a decade in 5a but didn't do anything special when it was in 4a. Long story short, I think these enrollment concerns are a lot to do about nothing. A lot of the championship teams are carried by a handful of kids. Briar was carried for 3 to 4 years by a core group of kids (Carter, Rolin, Serigne, McSorley, Polk, Colder, etc.). And Tuscarora was carried by Reimers and their offensive/defensive lineman. Once those kids graduated, the schools are competitive but not championship level.
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