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Showing solidarity

Almost 150 schools attend summit on major changes to state playoff system

STATE COLLEGE — Less than three weeks after it was planned, the PIAA Playoff Equity Summit was attended by nearly 150 school districts Tuesday at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center.

Just minutes into his opening statement, Harmony Superintendent Stuart Albaugh, one of the organizers of the event, brought up PIAA Executive Director Robert Lombardi’s comment which brushed off the “rogue” superintendents who were unhappy with the current playoff system.

Moments later, 30 percent of all the public schools in Pennsylvania had representatives with arms raised high in the air supporting the separation of boundary and non-boundary schools when it comes to the playoffs.

“We saw that we’re all on the same page,” Central Cambria Superintendent Jason Moore said. “You could see from the hands up it measured the temperature of the room. It was almost unanimous that it isn’t just an issue but a major issue. Out of this meeting, we have a common message to send to both the PIAA and the legislative oversight committee.”

Outgoing New Castle Superintendent John Sarandrea credited the group in attendance for fueling the PIAA’s latest actions of a firmer transfer policy and a competitive balance formula but also pointed out that those actions were not enough.

Laurel Superintendent Len Rich presented a pair of solutions, both of which involved the separation of boundary and non-boundary schools once the playoffs come around.

The first would create a seventh classification for schools of choice divided into two subdivisions for large and small schools which would change on two-year cycles.

The second would return the public schools to a four-classification model while 5A and 6A would be made up of schools of choice. The teams could still play each other in the regular season in both models.

“I don’t think there is a solution that exists that puts non-boundary schools with boundary schools in a playoff,” Rich said.

Many of the representatives who spoke Tuesday expressed frustration that the public schools’ voice has yet to be heard by the PIAA, despite the organization already hearing from the Catholic and charter coalitions.

“I have friends who are members of the PIAA,” Northern Cambria Superintendent Robert Rocco said. “They know there are some issues. I believe it is more of a problem with the top-level people in the PIAA. I feel they are out of touch with their own people. If nothing else, this sends a clear message to those people in those higher positions who have ignored us for years.”

William Hall, representing Mill Creek, said part of the issue is that the PIAA is using legislation passed in 1972 to block the separation of playoffs. However, Hall’s argument is that legislation does not apply, because the plan isn’t to keep non-boundary schools out of the PIAA playoffs, it is to put them in separate classifications.

It was decided at the Equity Summit that the next step would be to have independent legal experts define the legislation and that information would be presented to the PIAA and the oversight committee.

“We need to increase communication between the PIAA and our districts,” Bellwood-Antis Superintendent Dr. Thomas McInroy said. “We need to enforce regulations. Simply put, if the PIAA leadership doesn’t listen to us, perhaps it is time for a change.”

Issues with new rules

Woodland Hills Athletic Director Ronald Coursey spoke to the group and expressed concern about minorities not being able to get out of bad situations in their current school because of the new transfer rule which makes an athlete ineligible for the postseason in the first year at their new school.

Coursey said many minorities only have a chance at a college scholarship through athletics and that their inability to get out of a negative school atmosphere could limit those opportunities.

Rich responded to the comment by saying that the transfer rule “didn’t solve anything, and if anything, it caused more issues.”

“The transfer rule did nothing but hurt kids,” Albaugh added.

The competitive balance formula was also attacked by representatives at the meeting. Under that formula, schools which win too often or pick up transfers will be moved up in classification despite what the size of their school indicates.

“The question I have with the competition formula is, what happens when a team goes up and doesn’t succeed?” Hollidaysburg Athletic Director Homer Delattre said. “There has to be something in place for schools who have a group of kids who do well, but then that well runs dry.

“It’s the same with private schools. To move them up and have them stay there, I’m not sure about. Take Central (football) for example. They have had some really good teams, but some of those teams are once-in-a-lifetime teams.

“Dave Baker has coached for 50 years, and he’s only had two teams ever that have been that good. So we’re going to move them up? Well what happens when those kids are gone?”

Central Cambria Athletic Director Randy Wilson also expressed some anger about the formula.

“New Jersey’s success model, I believe, is just for the regular season,” Wilson said. “When they go to the playoffs, they play in their classification. We’re a relatively small school in Pennsylvania and we’ve been fortunate enough to have some great athletes and win some state championships. So I’m going to be penalized for getting kids to drink the Kool-Aid and for working their (butts) off? I don’t see how that’s fair at all.”

Local interest

Eighteen schools in the Mirror’s core coverage area attended the meeting and several other District 6 and District 5 schools were also represented.

“We wanted to get the information and see what’s happening across the state and how schools are being impacted by this situation,” Altoona Superintendent Charles Prijatelj said. “We’re the biggest supporters of public school athletics, and it should be structured in a way that’s fair for everyone. That’s part of the discussion, and that’s why we’re here.”

Though some attended the meeting to simply put a toe in the water and get a feel for what’s being planned, the sheer number of signatures that will be presented to the PIAA from the sign-in sheet are expected to have an impact.

“We have an interest in what is being proposed here as a school district,” Tyrone Athletic Director Luke Rhoades said. “Myself and Superintendent Cathy Harlow came over, and the meeting was very informative. They were very well prepared.

“I think the proposals that were talked about are worth looking at. With all these people coming together, it should catch the PIAA’s attention.”

Rocco, one of the last superintendents to speak, left the group with something to think about.

“It’s always been an issue,” Rocco said. “But where it became clear to me is when I was a principal and we went to a school at a neutral site for a state playoff game. We were playing against a charter school, and when I walked in, our side of the stands were completely full.

“I kid you not, on the other side of the stands, there were two people. Two people for a state playoff game. I realized then, they don’t really know each other. There’s no community, because they are pulled from all over. The playing fields are not equal.”

PIAA response

“The PIAA Board of Directors is made up of 32 diverse, elected representatives of all member schools and other constituencies, and represent each of the stakeholders present at today’s meeting in State College. It is grassroots representational democracy that has been effective for more than 100 years. Much of the information included in today’s presentations has been discussed by the Board, of which the overwhelming majority are public school employees. The Board anticipates that issues pertaining to eligibility and competitive equity will be forwarded to the Board through the proper channels, at which point they will be addressed. Open dialogue among all stakeholders will continue to be a strength of PIAA.”

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