Soccer is now classed- in two classes

[ENoblewrestling]

I know that class wrestling is a greatly debated topic on here, but I just saw on IHSAA.org that next year soccer is going to go to two classes.  This is interesting because too my knowledge all other sports have either a 4 or 5 class allignment.  Soccer would be the first with a two class allignment.

 

Here are a couple of thoughts/ questions I have about this.

 

- one argument that people have about classing is that a three class system would work best, but that it wouldn't work because the IHSAA isn't going to have speacial classes for wrestling-  we see know that soccer does, do you think this gives hope to wrestling as far as the possible classifications?

 

-  An argument against class wrestling even at the team level is that it will just create a new situation were the same teams win every year, ex.  EVMD would win the small school title each year.  In the case of soccer (which I only follow when there is local coverage) wont this same situation be achieved as Fort Wayne Canturbury will win the small class every year, and a larger school 5a will win the big class?

 

 

-  anyone else got any thoughts on this subject?

[Cale Hoover]

If the IHSAA viewed/labeled wrestling as a team sport it would already be classed.  Wrestling is currently considered an individual sport as is treated in a similar fashion to golf, tennis, swimming, and track & field.  The IHSAA would have to have a major shift in philosphy in order for this to happen.

[ENoblewrestling]

I remember you saying that at the spring coaches clinic, and was going to say something about it in my original post. I brought it up as more of a discussable scenario, and because it was the first sport I've seen with two classes.

[chambers]

Cale Hoover, why do you think wrestling would already be classed if the IHSAA viewed/labeled it a team sport? Soccer just became classed at the request of the soccer coaches. I don't think the IHSAA has ever viewed/labeled soccer as an individual sport.

 

buscowrestling, there has been a lot of speculation about how many classes the IHSAA would make for wrestling. Everyone has their own theory on how many classes there would be and why the IHSAA would do it. My theory is that they would follow the IHSAA by-laws that tell us exactly how they would do it. Here is the by-lay:

 

RULE 2 ? CLASSIFICATION OF SCHOOLS

2-1

Schools may be classified in team sports up to a maximum of four classes, except football which shall have five classes, according to the following criteria:

a. If 50 percent of the member schools sponsored a team and entered the IHSAA tournament in the previous year, that sport may have two classes.

b. If 75 percent of the member schools sponsored a team and entered the IHSAA tournament in the previous year, that sport may have three classes.

c. If 95 percent of the member schools sponsored a team and entered the IHSAA tournament in the previous year, that sport may have four classes.

 

There are 411 schools in the IHSAA. There were around 301 schools (by my quick count) that entered the state tournament series this year. That would put us in two classes by the IHSAA by-laws. We could have up to 307 schools and still only have two classes.

[Y2CJ41]

Usually there are around 310 schools with wrestling depending upon the year.  We will however be losing at least two with Elmhurst and Anderson Highland closing this year.

[Cale Hoover]

Soccer has not always been classed because of the number of teams participating.  They have had continuous growth in the number of schools participating.  Because they are considered a team sport, their coaches associations can request to have classes once they hit certain benchmarks.

 

We can request to have classes as well, but at this point they are not willing to render a decision because of the by-laws in place.

[KarlHungus]

The IHSAA sanctions a TEAM tournament and they still claim it is an individual sport?

[Cale Hoover]

Absolutely.  No one ever said they were logical.