The VHSL worked yesterday to input the Friday night games. They will work again today, after church, to input yesterday’s games. Afterwards, the calculations will be checked and double checked before being released and posted.
Information for in-state games is usually not a problem, but out of state games can often be an issue. In-state, official and even unofficial contacts are available. Out of state, access to individuals with official information can be a challenge.
What is often not recognized is the sheer volume of information that must be gathered and then input in the calculation softwear. Every game, every week, in Virginia, plus a multitude of out of state games must be factored in. As an example, let’s say a team in the western part of Virginia plays a team from Kentucky the first week of the season. The rest of the season, that Kentucky team must be followed. If, like me, you are in central Virginia, you might think, no big deal, there isn’t that many games played against out of state opponents. And we would be severely wrong. I don’t know the total, but I bet it’s well over 100. And if a team plays an out of state opponent late in the season, then it must be researched to verify their record prior to the game against a Virginia school. It all sounds simple, until you have to do it.
If all of this wasn’t enough, think about the number of changes that have occurred each week because of Covid. On top of that, add in the fact that games may be a forfeit, or a no contest, and that decision is often slow in being decided. Additionally, in several cases, the status was changed after the fact.
Well in excess of 4000 games go into the calculations. As hard as everyone tries, there will inevitably be an error or two. Hopefully, there will be no errors that affect the initial pairings, and Heaven forbid, an error that has the incorrect team listed as making the playoffs. Mrs. Bickley at the VHSL makes it her mission in life to be sure the ratings are correct each and every week. With 52 years of service to the member schools of the League, no one, and I mean no one, works harder to “get it right.”
Information for in-state games is usually not a problem, but out of state games can often be an issue. In-state, official and even unofficial contacts are available. Out of state, access to individuals with official information can be a challenge.
What is often not recognized is the sheer volume of information that must be gathered and then input in the calculation softwear. Every game, every week, in Virginia, plus a multitude of out of state games must be factored in. As an example, let’s say a team in the western part of Virginia plays a team from Kentucky the first week of the season. The rest of the season, that Kentucky team must be followed. If, like me, you are in central Virginia, you might think, no big deal, there isn’t that many games played against out of state opponents. And we would be severely wrong. I don’t know the total, but I bet it’s well over 100. And if a team plays an out of state opponent late in the season, then it must be researched to verify their record prior to the game against a Virginia school. It all sounds simple, until you have to do it.
If all of this wasn’t enough, think about the number of changes that have occurred each week because of Covid. On top of that, add in the fact that games may be a forfeit, or a no contest, and that decision is often slow in being decided. Additionally, in several cases, the status was changed after the fact.
Well in excess of 4000 games go into the calculations. As hard as everyone tries, there will inevitably be an error or two. Hopefully, there will be no errors that affect the initial pairings, and Heaven forbid, an error that has the incorrect team listed as making the playoffs. Mrs. Bickley at the VHSL makes it her mission in life to be sure the ratings are correct each and every week. With 52 years of service to the member schools of the League, no one, and I mean no one, works harder to “get it right.”
