GHSA votes to separate Class A public, private schools for playoffs and championships
By S. Thomas Coleman
For the AJC
MACON — The landscape of high school athletics in Georgia took an unprecedented turn on Tuesday when the executive committee of the Georgia High School Association voted overwhelmingly to hold separate public and private school playoffs and championships in all Class A sports, beginning this fall.
The resolution, which was introduced by Charlton County athletic director Jesse Crews, passed by a vote of 37-12, with one abstention. The result will be two, 16-team tournaments – one for public schools and one for private schools — that should keep more than 30 of Georgia’s smaller high schools from leaving the GHSA and forming their own sports league. Representatives from those schools believed there has been a competitive imbalance between public and private schools at the Class A level because of private schools’ ability to accept any student without geographic restriction.
The GHSA’s recently approved region assignments will remain in place because they had been approved prior to Tuesday’s vote, which means public and private schools will continue to compete against each other during the regular season.
GHSA officials said they will meet with various members in upcoming months to best figure out how to seed the 16-team brackets. Ralph Swearngin, executive director of the GHSA, said the process will be developed by the schools that are directly impacted by the vote, with a March timeline. It is unclear whether the public and private Class A champions will play a plus-one game when the five other classifications play for titles at the Georgia Dome in December.
“I think we have enough good minds [within the GHSA] to figure it out,” Swearngin said.
Tuesday’s vote apparently ends the movement to create the Georgia Public Schools Association. That group, which was attracting interest from more than 40 small, mostly rural, schools, held its last meeting on Monday. More than 83 representatives in the room were asked to cast ballots by Jan. 24 on what their schools planned to do in response to whatever the GHSA voted to do on Tuesday. The choices were commit to pull out of the GHSA and join the GPSA, stay in the GHSA or remain undecided.
Wilcox County principal Chad Davis, a leader in the movement, was prepared to vote for seceding from the GHSA. He seemed relieved that his school will not have to.
“I don’t think that there is the need for [the GPSA] now,” Davis said. “That’s my personal opinion, but we’re going to check with other schools that were involved in the process in the next few weeks.
“I’m very surprised by the [GHSA] vote,” he said. “I didn’t think they would do anything.”
Judging by the three-to-one margin of the vote and pleas from several executive committee members to preserve the current membership makeup of the GHSA, it appears as if the GPSA movement had a significant impact.
“I don’t think of this as a victory,” Davis said. “I’m just pleased.”
“[The vote] was a little stronger than I thought it would be,” Swearngin said. “I think there are a variety of reasons why people voted how they did. I think the pleas for unity being in the best interest of everyone was a factor.”
One such vote came from Albert “Pat” Blenke, a Georgia Department of Education Administrator who sits on the GHSA executive committee. During the meeting, he said: “This is one of the biggest decisions we have to make as an organization. Eventually, the state legislators are going to get tired of hearing the complaints from their constituents, and they will do something. And as sure as I’m standing here, whatever they do will not be beneficial to the schools.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand,” Blenke said.
But after the vote he added, “Every decision you make is going to have unintended consequences.”
Others expressed concern over the vote, as well.
“Our biggest thing is we feel the GHSA is one of the top four high school associations in the nation, and I think we just made ourselves weaker. The best should play the best,” said Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy athletic director Scott Queen, who voted no. “We want to compete against the Lincoln County’s and the Clinch County’s, even though we haven’t beaten them yet. I just think this is going to be very hard to pull off.”
Buford athletic director Dexter Wood cast a “no” vote as well, which was aimed at the process, more than the resolution.
“My chief point of contention is that as an executive committee member we’re seeing this [proposal] for the first time and we’re being asked to make such a huge decision,” Wood said. “I would like to have had more time.”
Wood is also concerned that the next “target” will be single-city school districts with one high school, similar to Buford and Calhoun. Those schools have begun to come under fire for their ability to attract county students and allow them to enroll for a minimal amount of tuition – usually around $200 per month.
“It seems to be that the time has come where we are trying to level the playing field everywhere, and that’s such a relative matter,” Wood said. “There are definite differences between private schools and a city high school.”
AJC staff writer Michael Carvell contributed to this story.
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417 comments Add your comment
Not Quite
January 10th, 2012
5:14 pm
Fair and Consistent enough for me.
This is-
Private, City and County play any and every one you want during the regular season. Then…
Private schools like Savannah Christian, GAC, ets., play private schools in their state play offs A-AAA no matter
City schools like Calhoun, Dalton, Marietta, Buford, etc play city schools in their state playoffs A-AAAAAA
County schools like Colquitt, Camdem, Hillgrove, etc play county schools in their state playoffs A-AAAAAA
Finals for all at home field, Georgia Dome, Macon, Kennesaw State’s soccer complex or Dream Parks in Cartersville.
NWCobb
January 10th, 2012
5:14 pm
Where is this going to stop? If someone can’t win a sports title are we going to go back to the 50’s mindset and segregate “black” schools because your team can’t compete with them. Maybe there should be an all Hispanic high school league for soccer according to this logic. A multiplier might be the answer, but segregation of private schools is not the way to go.
Rockmart Needs a Coach
January 10th, 2012
5:25 pm
The reason the private schools are winning is because they have advantanges, the competition is not fair. Unfair and scared to compete are not the same thing. This macho bs is just bs. Private schools should play in private leagues.
whatgoesaround
January 10th, 2012
5:40 pm
Congrats GHSA! Obama socialism has just entered high school sports. hand out trophys to everyone whether they deserve it or not-right? This is a travesty-we are showing our young people that you don’t need to work harder just stay mediocre and still get your championship.Also we have just told the kids in rural Georgia that they are not good enough to compete.They need a “special division” to succeed.
Korefa
January 10th, 2012
5:43 pm
If the playoff field is 16 teams then it would equate to only 4 rounds to reach the state championship. (14 games total vs. 15 total in the past) With that in mind, I say let them play a 11 game schedule. That would allow all the schools and additional game and gate (i.e. more $) before the playoffs start.
whatgoesaround
January 10th, 2012
5:49 pm
And why hasn’t anyone said anything about the families of private school students who still pay public school taxes. Not only do they have to pay tuition to get their kids the education they want, they have to continue to fund the public schools. That’s not an advantage for the public schools? Getting money from a child’s family that you don’t have to educate. Where does that money go? Private schools aren’t asking for money from families of public school students and don’t complain about funding your schools either. Public schools have millions given to them yearly and have nice facilities they have just squandered the money over the years and want to blame someone else.
indian
January 10th, 2012
5:50 pm
@ craZy…… “way to teach our future welfare recipients how to win in life!!!” ….. what a racist and insulting and politicaly incorrect comment!!!!! and to all who call the class A public schools whiners …we are not sore losers or cry babies we just won back what was origionaly ours in a political and mature way. If you ask me all the private school folks sound like the cry babies, whining about getting outsmarted by a bunch of public school southern boys!!!
whatgoesaround
January 10th, 2012
5:59 pm
Rockmart-you are clueless. I have seen a ton of class A football over the last few years and the publics have a load of athletes and are usually deeper across the board. Lincoln has more athletes than ELCA and Seminole more than Landmark by far. Campbell and his public school colleagues are getting outcoached by the like of Savannah and they can’t stand it. They aren’t scared, they just don’t want to step it up and teach discipline and fundamentals the way they used to-so they a running to their own little league where they can win championships and remain mediocre-easier that way.
Leighton Batiste
January 10th, 2012
6:04 pm
I play for a Class A private team,(OLM), and it’s gonna take some time to get used to but I guess it’s best for everyone. GO BOBCATS
Ole Towne guy
January 10th, 2012
6:07 pm
Not Quite is QUITE RIGHT!
It’s just not right for a private and/or city school to beat a public school in the playoffs with two of that public schools ex players.
former coach
January 10th, 2012
6:09 pm
well im glad to see that ga. high school still has no back bone. All you have to do is threaten them and they tuck their tails. what a lesson the kids have learned. if you dont like something just threaten to quit. i hope all these cry baby public school athletes will get together and threaten to quit the team if they dont get thier own way. ohhh my bad, they already do that and that is why public schools cannot keep up with the private schools. but that is what is wrong with public schools anyone. the 2 words that will get you fired in public schools are accountablity and responsibility. another great lesson taught. cry and complain and you get your way. why not bow your back and take responsiblity for the drop off and hold yourself accountable for your coaching and leadership.
Just Be Fair
January 10th, 2012
6:11 pm
The GHSA gave into the new league. Sure it was voted on but they did the GHSA did not stand up for what is fair for everybody. I bet that almost all private schools opt to play AA. Now I would like to ask Charlton, Wilcox and Lincoln is that fair for small AA schools like Atkinson, Bacon and Pelham? Now hell it aint. the GHSA might as well of kiss there asses.
Just Be Fair
January 10th, 2012
6:12 pm
I meant their.
former coach
January 10th, 2012
6:13 pm
what a joke indian. a mature and political way. sounds like our union agenda taught public school education. we are going to take our ball and go home. that sounds mature to me. that is called whinning and being a cry baby. i really think what the public school needs to do now is to bring all the players together and do like they do on upward basketball so everyone has the same opportunity and talent and not keep score so no one will lose.
Lan Fan
January 10th, 2012
6:14 pm
Indian. I don’t see where you won anything and I don’t feel like we lost. From here on it will be that publics said they couldn’t compete so they (the ones with more votes) changed things. That is the way it goes. Personally it just makes it easier for us to win what will always be seen as the better side of A sports. The thing I do feel bad about it that I think the same few bigger public A schools will go back to winning. If everyone who was afraid of the private schools is good with just losing to the same public schools, who used to win, each year so be it. I am guessing you are one of the ones that plans to win so I congratulate you. Personally I was always more afraid of the bigger public schools than the privates anyway.
Lan Fan
January 10th, 2012
6:19 pm
former coach that will be the plan next year. you have to take steps and not just jump into these things.
Ole Towne guy
January 10th, 2012
6:20 pm
Whatgoesaround
Spin it any way you want msprivateschoolmombich, the playing field between private and public schools has just been LEVELED by the GHSA.
“hand out trophys to everyone whether they deserve it or not-right?” WRONG. Hand out state championship trophies to the schools that win playing by the same set of rules!
“This is a travesty-we are showing our young people that you don’t need to work harder just stay mediocre and still get your championship”. WRONG. We are showing them that you can’t buy a state championship. You and your neighbors must EARN IT through a lot of hard work, fair play and blood sweat and tears.
“Also we have just told the kids in rural Georgia that they are not good enough to compete. They need a “special division” to succeed. RIGHT. And that special division is called apples to apples instead of the previous one that was called apples to oranges.
Get a life!
Weasel
January 10th, 2012
6:21 pm
And so public schools are innocent of recruiting? How do you think Wheeler remains a top basketball program year after year. How did Milton lose so many talented palyers last year and yet may be a better team this year.
There are better solutions to the GHSA knee jerk reaction to a vocal group that seems to think that winning is the only way to validate success. What a sad example for our kids who just want to compete.
Ole Towne guy
January 10th, 2012
6:27 pm
Whatgoesaround
Let me assure you that Larry Campbell and his public school colleagues are NOT getting outcoached by the coaches at Savannah Christian. They are getting out manned.
closATl
January 10th, 2012
6:31 pm
I think “Enough is enough” Got the Right Solution create Districts & just don’t allow those who live out of district play for the school even though they can attend the school! Sounds simple to me!!!! Infect you should only be eligible to play if you have proof of residence for a year!! Beside shouldn’t the team be structure around coaching and not recruiting in high school????
indian
January 10th, 2012
6:32 pm
Lan Fan…. your exactly right it will be said that we couldnt compete and it is most definatly true on the long run anyways how can you not see that private schools out of metropolitan areas have an advantage over public schools in rural areas
former coach
January 10th, 2012
6:33 pm
weasel, now now you know that milton and wheeler and other public schools that recruit are just trying to give kids the opportunity to better themselves. and we know why no one will address public school recruiting especially at wheeler and milton. ghsa has cowed to that pressure for years and will continue to to keep our politicians off their backs just like the banks were forced to give some loans knowing that couldnt afford but had to because the government told them they better or they would come after them. and when the bubble busted the banks got blamed for it. same way here. ask ghsa why they gave into tom murphy who threatened them because his daughter couldnt compete in debate with private schools. thank goodness for government run, union agenda, politically correct public schools.
showboat
January 10th, 2012
6:35 pm
So here’s the initial problems – and they aren’t small:
Will they create new banners for the teams that win Class A or will it just read Class A champion?
1) What’s the point in the regular season for private school teams? Half of them will now make the playoffs! For public schools, the odds of making the playoffs just increased dramatically as well. Because of the change, the regular season is nearly meaningless, as well as the phrase, “My school made the playoffs!” This will be something like the NBA playoffs – only eliminating the worst teams, not elevating the best.
2) They didn’t think at all about other sports, it seems. What will they do for public school teams that can’t put together a 32 team league? The same is true for privates.
3) Travel. There is now a much greater risk for private schools and referees who must travel longer distances to play. I promise you this: if there is an accident next year, this vote will be brought up.
4) It sounds like they couldn’t make a decision about the dome or the plus 1. I would imagine if the public schools are given the dome game and the privates are not, there will be a lawsuit.
5) What if a public school wants to play in the private league – would they be allowed? If so, could this create a Super Class A league, where elite public teams and private school teams compete?
6) How will this affect the regular season? Can privates still play public school teams in Class A? Could Lincoln schedule a yearly game with Savannah Christian?
7) If there isn’t a plus 1, how in the world will the AJC figure out who to call the best class A team? Will they separate the leagues? Half the fun in the rankings is seeing where your teams is judged.
And lastly,
It will be very interesting what happens in the coming weeks. Will private schools seek to play in AA? Will private schools sue for discrimination? How will public schools that will now have to travel a lot further view this – particularly when they don’t have the extra money for athletics(remember, this is true for all sports so all sports will have to travel further next year)?
Lan Fan
January 10th, 2012
6:35 pm
Ole Towne guy I think you are one still lying to yourself and others. This doesn’t make if fair for the real rural schools. Just means they are playing against fewer schools with more that they have. You want to make it even then at least give them the money to offer a better education. The extra 50 to 100 kids at some of the larger school means a lot compared to smaller schools. What you mean is now the bigger stronger A schools can beat them and not have to worry about the smaller private school who may be smaller but won last year. Fair is never really fair for all. But good luck to you and your bitterness.
former coach
January 10th, 2012
6:36 pm
let me assure you that the old public school coaches are coaching the same way they did 30 years ago when they were in control. maybe it is time to change some coaches. and no they are not out manned just out coached because of responsibility and accountablity.
indian
January 10th, 2012
6:40 pm
right said Ole towne guy
Jefferson
January 10th, 2012
6:47 pm
If a single A private school wants to play public schools, simply move up to AA and knock yourself out. There are several private AA schools and they do fine.
brick
January 10th, 2012
6:53 pm
CraZy are you really as naive as you come across here or do you just think you are smarter than everyone here? Its common knowledge in coaching circles that Buford recruits better than alot of colleges and so does Calhoun. Kids on free or reduced lunches are able to afford to pay tuition to go to an out of district school, you really believe that? You know, as well as anyone else knows, that if tuition is really charged that one of the local boosters, maybe even the schools own booster program will pick that tab up, 2k is a drop in the bucket to what has been spent on football facilities at BHS, and CHS for that matter. So don’t come on this blog and act like Buford is doing everyone a favor by being a member of the GHSA. Buford cried as much as the private schools are today when they had to move to AA ball, I bet between Buford’s choke job in the dome this year and having to move to AAA the crying towels are still damn. But don’t come here trying to act like Buford is doing nothing wrong about athletics, their academics are something to be proud of, but its really hard to be proud of something when the field is tilted so far in your advantage its a fluke when you lose. Yes Buford coaches do a great job, but play by the same rules everyone else is playing with and they are not. There are GHSA rules, which Buford basically follows, and there are ethical rules.
Now the GHSA needs to go after BB and do something to curb entire teams transferring into a school, easy thing to do would make participation in AAU would make players ineligible. Sure kids could give up HS BB, but not likely, they still need a diploma to get into college and they have to attend college for a year to get to the league.
yellowjacketfan
January 10th, 2012
6:55 pm
GISA needs to have a meeting and discuss how they can have a better brand of football. If they allow recruiting and out of state competition they could put a major dent in the GHSA image and ego. What could possibly result from this? Better competition, more athletic scholarships, and national recognition. I’m sorry class A football is a joke anyway. Private schools made the games worth watching. I’m sorry GHSA you shouldn’t have given in. Now they will go after Buford.
Ole Towne guy
January 10th, 2012
6:56 pm
Lan Fan
I am not lying to anyone. You can schedule anyone you want during the regular season. But when it comes times for advancement, you need to be playing schools that play by the exact same eligibility rules you do. (private’s play private’s, city’s play city’s and county’s play county’.
“This doesn’t make if fair for the real rural schools”. Really? How so?
What you call bitterness, I call passion.
becky williams
January 10th, 2012
6:57 pm
As a Christian woman working in a public school setting, I’ve been deeply disappointed at the un-Christian ways that many private schools appear to outsiders – and they’re so proud of their testimony … but it has often really hurt me to see how they gloat when they have expenentially more advantages. I wonder what they’d think if they could see themselves from an outsider’s viewpoint. Now that the stakes are more even, I hope those who post comments, will keep this in mind, such as this ugly comment from “craZy”: “Running from competition way to teach our future welfare recipients how to win in life!!!” Is that the perception of private school people? that public school students are all welfare recipients? It might surprise some of them, that there are many Christians seeking to be salt & light in a PUBLIC setting, including many of those who are wealthy and many who are not.
Just Be Fair
January 10th, 2012
6:58 pm
Jefferson – You are right, they can just move up to AA. Then your small AA schools get screwed. You think that A or the GHSA cares. They think they solved a problem. All they did was move it. Once again not enough thought put into it and did a knee jerk solution because of the new league.
loyal seminole
January 10th, 2012
7:01 pm
Enter your comments here
Ole Towne guy
January 10th, 2012
7:01 pm
Yellow jacket fan
“I’m sorry class A football is a joke anyway”. Speak for yourself little man.
“Private schools made the games worth watching”. Are you talking about one day in November (at the Dome) or the entire 100 day season in their community?
Cat Man Do
January 10th, 2012
7:04 pm
Just like a public school system…..bend the rules so your kids don’t feel they are “average”….that’s not the real world and a big part of what’s wrong with this country. Also, City schools recruit all day long…..
Sam
January 10th, 2012
7:05 pm
Old Town guy. I wish you ran the GHSA.
Ole Towne guy
January 10th, 2012
7:09 pm
“bend the rules so your kids don’t feel they are “average””
“Just like a public school system…..bend the rules so your kids don’t feel they are “average”….”
How about Just like a private school….bend the rules so you and your kids feel “superior”.
former coach
January 10th, 2012
7:12 pm
perfect example. no one wants to talk about wheeler or milton. wonder why. the problem is that when private schools were all white no one minded going and beating their brains in. but now with so many black parents putting their kids into private schools now public schools are being out manned. coaches have their politically correct way of talking. when a team gets off the bus, a coach will say, “look at all of those “athletes.” does anyone know what that means. If a team full of “athletes” get beat by a team without “athletes” they got out coached. so i understand what the comments that larry campbell is out manned. now i finally get what the problem is.
Jefferson
January 10th, 2012
7:12 pm
Look at the top 10 AA schools over the last 10 years, there are perinials and the small AA schools are not there anyway, The competition may be good for AA with Buford moving on. AA is compeditive at the top and will continue to be. Move on up, there will be plenty of good games.
Ole Towne guy
January 10th, 2012
7:13 pm
Glad to see privates play privates and publics play publics (in the playoffs only). Now when GHSA mandates citys play citys everything will be fair. You will still see Calhoun and Buford square off in the Dome!
Just Be Fair
January 10th, 2012
7:16 pm
Jefferson – why don’t the small AA schools get the same respect as Charlton (who should be AA anyway), Lincoln and Wilcox? Yea the big AA schools will be alright against the Private Schools but I thought the GHSA wanted a level playing field. The small AA schools should threaten to form their own league.
former coach
January 10th, 2012
7:19 pm
someone challenge ghsa on the breakdown of hardship cases they approve and disapprove based on race and see the huge disportionate number approved and turned down.
Ole Towne guy
January 10th, 2012
7:19 pm
“perfect example. no one wants to talk about wheeler or milton”.
I’m hesitant to because I don’t know enough about how magnet programs can be twisted to get good athletes into a school. But I have watched too many city schools (Dalton, Calhoun, Cartersville, Carrollton, Buford, etc beat their crosstown rival with kids that played for the crosstown rival the year before.
Just Be Fair
January 10th, 2012
7:21 pm
former coach – those hardship cases are a joke. I have seen white and black kids get screwed.
Jefferson
January 10th, 2012
7:26 pm
They dont get the respect because they don’t win. coaching plays a big role at most AA schools, if in small schools you mean small budget, there you are.
Just Be Fair
January 10th, 2012
7:29 pm
Jefferson – Oh so you are small so you don’t count. I hate to tell you but I know of small schools that have as good or better coaching than some of the big schools. I resent your statement about coaching. That has nothing to do with what was decided today.
Just Be Fair
January 10th, 2012
7:31 pm
If anybody thinks that if the AA schools move up, we solved a problem you are wrong. If that is the case why didn’t we put the multiplier back in.
Just Be Fair
January 10th, 2012
7:32 pm
I meant if the private schools move up to AA.
Jefferson
January 10th, 2012
7:37 pm
what happened today has nothing to do with small AA schools, why are they not in the top 10 among AA schools, why is Fitzgerald there every year? Lovett? Cook? Carver? I am talking about football respect, not their school. It’s a game,football.
Jefferson
January 10th, 2012
7:45 pm
In the end, GHSA has rules and votes and like what started it all, I guess you could pressure them if you dont like the new rule. It don’t mean nothing to me one way or the other, but the teams with the best coaches and boosters are the teams that win the most, public or private, city or county.