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SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

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  • SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

    For the record, I've been fed up with the number of classes in SD HS sports for many, many years now. The SDHSAA philosophy of making every high school student-athlete feel good about themselves simply makes me want to puke.

    Because of this, it doesn't surprise me they are considering this. But the fact the football coaches themselves are the ones that initially proposed it makes it even more appalling.

    Here is an article from the Yankton P&D:

    S.D. Enrollment Shifts Leading To Possible Playoff Changes
    BY RANDY DOCKENDORF
    randy.dockendorf@yankton.net
    Published: Monday, November 15, 2010 1:15 AM CST

    Major enrollment shifts may force changes in South Dakota’s high school athletic playoffs, according to a state official.

    Those shifts in student numbers are occurring for both the large and small schools, said Bob Lowery, assistant executive director of the South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA). Lowery spoke with the Press & Dakotan after addressing last week’s Yankton Quarterback Club meeting.

    Lowery was en route to Vermillion for the state football championships held Thursday through Saturday at the DakotaDome on the University of South Dakota campus.

    Some of the most dramatic playoff changes may come in the large-school category, Lowery said.

    The Sioux Falls and Rapid City public schools are two to three times the size of other 11AA schools, he said. In addition, fast-growing districts, such as Harrisburg, are moving quickly toward 11AA enrollment status while smaller 11AA members could drop down in classification.

    “I would say it’s one of the biggest challenges for our office right now,” he said. “Basically, you have three different groups and their interests: the Sioux Falls metro area, the Eastern South Dakota Conference and the West River schools.”

    Some talk has circulated about breaking the 17 largest schools into two divisions, creating a new Class 11AAA, Lowery said. Under that scenario, he estimated seven schools — primarily the Sioux Falls and Rapid City public schools — would form Class 11AAA while the other 10 schools would remain Class 11AA.

    (read more)

  • #2
    Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

    I'm with BTown. Already too many classes, no room for more. Smaller schools in larger classes need to do what they can to raise their level of play, not shrink the competitive pool. I'm in favor of eliminating one of the classes of 9 man football and remaining with 5 classes, A&B for 9-man, AA, A, B for 11-man. You don't need to make the playoffs every year to gain the benefits of participating in high school sports.
    We are here to add what we can to life, not get what we can from life. -Sir William Osler

    We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are.

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    • #3
      Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

      this is the dumbest idea ive ever seen. its just another championship game in the dome for the sdhsaa to collect on. jackmd is right on......2 classes in 9man and 3 classes in 11 man is where it should be.

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      • #4
        Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

        How about realignment of the districts so its not an all Sioux Falls semi and final. Have them play in one district and eliminate each other so its one Sioux Falls school against a school from outside of the Falls playing in the final.

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        • #5
          Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

          Originally posted by SturgisJeff View Post
          How about realignment of the districts so its not an all Sioux Falls semi and final. Have them play in one district and eliminate each other so its one Sioux Falls school against a school from outside of the Falls playing in the final.
          But don't you want the two best teams in the final? That is why they went to seeding the 11AA schools and went away with regional play.

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          • #6
            Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

            I, too, think it's dumb to add more classes.

            The discussion starts with the member schools, not the SDHSAA staff (sometimes the SDHSAA is unfairly criticized). If the SDHSAA membership says "More classes!" the SDHSAA staff will follow those directions. Well, give everyone a blue ribbon and pat on the back but don't add more classes!

            In time the Sioux Falls schools will go into a slump (just look back a few years) and the discussions will die down.

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            • #7
              Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

              Originally posted by JackJD View Post
              I, too, think it's dumb to add more classes.

              The discussion starts with the member schools, not the SDHSAA staff (sometimes the SDHSAA is unfairly criticized). If the SDHSAA membership says "More classes!" the SDHSAA staff will follow those directions. Well, give everyone a blue ribbon and pat on the back but don't add more classes!

              In time the Sioux Falls schools will go into a slump (just look back a few years) and the discussions will die down.
              Agree completely. These things tend be cyclical.

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              • #8
                Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

                Originally posted by JackJD View Post
                I, too, think it's dumb to add more classes.

                The discussion starts with the member schools, not the SDHSAA staff (sometimes the SDHSAA is unfairly criticized). If the SDHSAA membership says "More classes!" the SDHSAA staff will follow those directions. Well, give everyone a blue ribbon and pat on the back but don't add more classes!

                In time the Sioux Falls schools will go into a slump (just look back a few years) and the discussions will die down.
                Outside of metro SF, as a state we are not gaining population and new high schools. In fact some schools still struggle to keep the doors open. With 9 man we have already gone over board and I would agree with others who have said that some of the 9 man classes should be combined. This reminds me of a senior group I attend. We play bingo until everyone wins a prize of one dollar. No one goes home without a dollar winnings.

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                • #9
                  Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

                  Yesterday on "Calling All Sports" football coach Joe Kramer of Pierre said he thinks the cycle is over and has now become a trend that is not going back.

                  Don't get me wrong. There are so many things wrong with this proposal I don't even know where to start. Mostly I always thought that sports was about the lessons they can teach rather than championships. However, I wanted to share the thoughts of someone who is right in the middle of it. It was interesting to hear his perspective.

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                  • #10
                    Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

                    I think he's right, too. Every once in awhile you'll get that one or two players that is enough to swing a season for a Watertown or Pierre or Yankton, but for the most part, I think the Sioux Falls schools will continue to dominate, and the only question will be which one.
                    Originally posted by JackFan96
                    Well, I don't get to sit in Mom's basement and watch sports all day

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                    • #11
                      Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

                      Ridiculous.

                      Apples to corn comparison here, but here in Minnesota there's almost complete balance in the number of schools in each class (there are 5-11 man classes with about 70 schools each). Enrollment wise - where I live and coach, Rosemount, played in the state Championship game of the biggest class this year against Wayzata. Enrollment difference - Wayzata has 1,500 more students in grades 9-12 than Rosemount.

                      South Dakota is already too watered down IMO. Having a 7 team class???? That is almost absurd. So when a kid wins a state title he can say "We were the best team among 7!" So in that regard, couldn't they do a round robin so all of the teams play and then take the best two teams record wise from the round robin and have them play for the state championship. Would eliminate a lot of unnecessary games.
                      I updated my signature for the first time in six years.

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                      • #12
                        Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

                        IMO...and I've ran this opinion by many...The SDHSAA needs to come out and say...."In 5 years there will be no more 9-man football. Co-op or do whatever you need to do, but in 5 years there will be no more 9-man football. SD will then have 4 classes of 11-Man Fb based on co-op'd enrollment."

                        The reason that I feel this is important is that then you could use Football in SD as a springboard to creating new county/area schoos, which IMO is sorely needed. Co-op'ing in FB may start some dialouge between the schools, which hopefully down the road will turn into fewer SD high schools.

                        Full disclosure: I played 9-man football for 6 years growing up and graduated with a senior class of 25 kids. So this isn't coming from some guy that grew up in SF or some other big city. I've just been enough other places to realize and admit what this state is still doing, isn't working anymore, and at some point someone in Pierre has to have the sak to do something about it.

                        Go Jacks!!
                        SDSU...Passionate, Relentless, Champions.

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                        • #13
                          Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

                          Originally posted by propar80 View Post
                          Full disclosure: I played 9-man football for 6 years growing up and graduated with a senior class of 25 kids.
                          Go Jacks!!
                          Was that back when only juniors and seniors were allowed to play?

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                          • #14
                            Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

                            Originally posted by Rabbit74 View Post
                            Was that back when only juniors and seniors were allowed to play?

                            No, I counted Jr. High in that, but come to think of it...it was 11-man, we moved down to 9-man when I was a freshman, I believe.

                            Go Jacks!!
                            SDSU...Passionate, Relentless, Champions.

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                            • #15
                              Re: SDHSAA Considering More Football Classes - 11AAA

                              propar: who would you suggest places like Harding County and Faith co-op with? 9 man can't go away entirely, but there can certainly be a lot of consolidation.

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