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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
The PIAA held its summer meeting last week and plenty of news came out of it, but most of it is all unofficial for now, because a motion takes three readings and approvals to be accepted and each of the major topics are through just one accepted reading.
While it's best to wait until the proposed basketball qualifiers and upcoming state bracket reveal are official until after the third reading due to the possibility of things changing over the next couple meetings, it's worth exploring three other topics that could result in seismic changes to high school athletics.
Competition formula
Since the PIAA adopted its competition formula, only two teams in the Mirror's coverage area -- the Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic football team and boys basketball team -- have been forced to move up a classification.
The Bellwood-Antis girls basketball team nearly had to until an appeal proved that they didn't have the transfer required to trigger the move.
The PIAA is now moving toward making that appeal null and void.
On a first-reading basis, the PIAA approved dropping the inclusion of transfer students as a factor in the competition formula and also approved expanding it from just football and basketball to all sports.
Currently, a team must have six success points and the required number of transfers for its sport to be moved up, but this move would make success points the only factor.
That would mean programs like Southern Columbia football, which has battled moving up through long appeal processes to prove players weren't transfers, would finally have to move up in classification if it keeps winning.
But it could also really hurt a school like the Williamsburg girls basketball program, which is one of the smallest schools in the state and plays at Class 1A and is coming off an appearance in the PIAA semifinals.
Making it to a state championship game earns four success points, and getting to a state semifinal earns you two. So, if the years align right on the formula and Williamsburg had back-to-back special seasons with a special group of players it could be pushed up even with no transfers, which doesn't seem to be the original intent of the competitive formula in the first place.
NIL in high school?
The second issue seems like it's still a work in progress, but nonetheless, the PIAA voted on a first-reading basis to adopt a policy to address name, image and likeness for student athletes much like what is happening in college sports right now.
Again, this must go through two more readings, and we'll see how it develops. Right now, it's just a proposal to adopt a policy which currently doesn't exist for a situation that may or may not happen in the future.
I think it's a safer bet that the PIAA is just covering its bases here, and you won't be seeing West Branch football players signed as Barstool Sports athletes on Twitter any time soon.
Changes in track
One other potentially major move to keep an eye on is the PIAA sending a suggestion to have three classifications in high school track and field instead of the current two.
This hasn't even received a first reading yet, but it's been sent to the track and field strategic planning committee for further review.
Obviously, a change here would mean a lot more kids having a chance to win District 5 and 6 titles and even state championships, but it also means the titles would come while competing against lesser competition in most cases.
News and notes
There were a few other less seismic news items to come out of the meeting.
n The PIAA tennis championships will remain at the Hershey Racquet Club. The PIAA track and field championships will stay at Shippensburg's Seth Grove Stadium, and Medlar Field at Lubrano Park (PIAA baseball) and Beard Field at Nittany Lion Softball Park (PIAA softball) will continue to host the state championship games through 2026. The boys volleyball will be held at Penn State's Rec Hall, and lacrosse will be at Penn State's Panzer Stadium.
n PCN will continue to have the cablecasting/telecasting rights to golf, cross country, volleyball, field hockey, soccer, football, competitive spirit, swimming and diving, basketball, track and field, lacrosse, softball and baseball through 2026. Flo Sports will have the rights to team and individual wrestling in the same time period.
n A co-op was approved for Bishop Carroll and Bishop McCort in competitive spirit.
n A co-op was approved for James Buchanan and McConnellsburg in District 5 high school football and wrestling.
n The Tyrone Christian Academy was approved as a PIAA member in District 6 for high school and middle school sports.
Michael Boytim can be reached at mboytim@altoonamirror.com or 946-7521. Follow him on Twitter @BoytimMichael