AP proposal reintroduced to WVSSAC

By Steve Keenan
Sports Editor

March 11, 2008 04:18 pm

— A controversial proposal that called for transferring the state’s private schools into a separate classification will be revisited next month.
Midland Trail High has prepared a proposal that is virtually the same as one presented by Meadow Bridge High in 2006 - one that would create an AP class for the state’s private schools for athletic purposes. The proposal will be one of several considered by the WVSSAC’s Board of Control (principals of member schools or their representatives) at its annual meeting in April at Stonewall Resort.
The AP plan was passed by the WVSSAC Board of Control two years ago but failed to garner enough support from the state Board of Education, the ultimate authority. Randy Halsey, MTHS assistant principal and athletics director, says not much has changed since then.
“There’s still a need for it,” he said last week. “A lot of coaches around here are very supportive.
“We hope we get it passed (by the Board of Control) again and get it on to the state board.”
In the past, many smaller public school supporters said private schools have an unfair competitive advantage. Included among their reasoning was the larger pool from which private schools, most located near more populous urban areas, can attract students. Private schools also have less-stringent attendance zones, public supporters allege. Allegations of recruiting have arisen, but private school supporters and others say that occurs in the public realm, as well.
In the last 10 seasons in Class A in West Virginia, private schools have captured nine girls basketball titles, eight boys basketball crowns and six football championships. In girls basketball in particular, non-public schools have had a stranglehold. In tournament history, which began in 1976, they have captured 24 of 32 titles.
Tucker County boys basketball coach Tom Gutshall, whose Mountain Lions were the last boys public single-A championship finalist in 2004, says he doesn’t ‘have a problem playing them (private schools).’ A distinct advantage for private school athletes is their accessibility to AAU and YMCA basketball, he adds.
“Their biggest advantage is being in the city playing AAU all year or (having access to) the YMCA,” said Gutshall. “But, you’ve got to beat whoever comes along.”
Wheeling Central Catholic girls coach Penn Kurtz, whose team rallied to win last weekend’s single-A trophy, doesn’t buy into the notion that private schools enjoy a geographic advantage.
“Frankly, I think it’s a disadvantage for us,” he told The Charleston Gazette last week. “We’re in an area where there’s probably 12 different high schools within a 15-mile radius.
“It creates almost an opposite effect of what people think. They think we go out and recruit players. We don’t do that.”
Meadow Bridge coach Ed McCall, the architect of the 2006 proposal, said not much has changed two years later.
“… An amazing number of coaches approach me without me saying a word to them and say they still believe that the proposal was a good one and that they appreciate that we tried to make the playing field level,” he said.
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Several other proposals will be considered during the April 6-8 gathering.
Halsey says Midland Trail principal Diane Blume has submitted another one which aims to alter the residence-transfer rule to force parents to be legal West Virginia residents in order for their child to be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities. The rationale is to “eliminate the unfair advantage that it creates from utilizing out-of-state athletes.”
In addition, a proposal by Paden City principal Warren Grace calls for adding a Class AAAA division for football and boys and girls basketball only. That, if approved, would decrease the “disparity in size between the largest and smallest schools in each of the respective classes.”
Also, Gilbert High principal Daniel Dean has submitted a proposal that would classify private schools according to the classification size of the nearest public high school. And, Parkersburg Catholic principal Marie Held proposes a B classification for football to “allow schools with smaller enrollments (who have smaller football teams) a realistic opportunity to compete for a state championship in football.”
There are also other proposals pertaining to residence/transfers, middle school participation, etc. Any proposal passed by the Board of Control must then pass muster with the state Board of Education.
— E-mail:
skeenan@register-herald.com