IHSAA tables proposal for 4-class sports, will reconsider June 22

If proposal passes, Valley, Rochester girls basketball would move to 2A, Pioneer to 1A

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

The IHSAA tabled a proposal at its May 1 Board of Directors meeting that would classify schools by their enrollment for the four-class sports of volleyball, girls basketball, boys basketball, softball and baseball.

Since the beginning of four-class sports in 1997-98, the IHSAA has equally distributed schools among the four classes.

Under the new proposal, all schools with an enrollment of 1,400 or more would be in Class 4A, schools with an enrollment between 600 and 1,399 would be in Class 3A, schools with an enrollment between 325 and 599 would be in Class 2A, and schools with an enrollment of 324 or less would be in Class 1A.

IHSAA Commissioner Paul Neidig made the proposal on behalf of the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

The IHSAA Executive Committee will reconsider the proposal at its June 22 meeting.

If this proposal passes, Rochester and Tippecanoe Valley would be in Class 2A, and Pioneer would be in Class 1A.

Currently, Rochester is in Class 3A for girls basketball and Class 2A for the other sports. Valley is in Class 3A for all sports. Pioneer is in Class 2A for all sports.

Here are the current enrollment figures for all RTC area schools:

Argos – 192

Caston – 234

Culver – 255

Pioneer – 313

Rochester – 495

Tippecanoe Valley – 561

The Board also voted 17-0 to reduce the number of schools participating in an Emerging Sport from 150 to 100 before it would become an officially sponsored sport with a state tournament.

The Board also amended a rule that extends the deadline to renew an officiating license from May 31 to June 30. Also, the Board voted 18-0 to allow a high school student with a provisional officiating license to officiate contests other than high school contests. Also, the Board voted 18-0 to change the deadline to Sept. 1 for when a school must notify the IHSAA of their intention to play up one or more classes.