Not sure if this question was ask previously. Did the PIAA ever consider splitting district 1? I mean geographically it seems a bit much.
District 1
- Thread starter RCH13co18
- Start date
If they want to keep 6 classifications, honestly, what would be best for the state tournament is doing what Ohio does and making the regions flexible between classes and between years. So schools can move from region to region based on how many schools are in that classification in each cycle - so the state bracket is more evenly distributed (in terms of # of teams) each year and in all classes. It avoids the issue of there being 30 some odd teams in District 1 in 6A, but only 5 in District 7, but them essentially feeding into the same bracket.
Pennsylvania draws the district almost strictly by county lines, save for a few exceptions, but District 1 is District 1 whether the school is 6A or 1A. What might be better is to try and break up all of the schools by District evenly for football, but maybe some schools in Bucks County are playing in District 1 if they're smaller schools, but District 11 for bigger schools (just an example, I haven't given this a ton of thought to practically how it would work).
I'd need a map to plot out what this would look like in real life - it certainly takes a page out of the D10/D7 merger talk on other threads, but I think
Pennsylvania draws the district almost strictly by county lines, save for a few exceptions, but District 1 is District 1 whether the school is 6A or 1A. What might be better is to try and break up all of the schools by District evenly for football, but maybe some schools in Bucks County are playing in District 1 if they're smaller schools, but District 11 for bigger schools (just an example, I haven't given this a ton of thought to practically how it would work).
I'd need a map to plot out what this would look like in real life - it certainly takes a page out of the D10/D7 merger talk on other threads, but I think
Geographically, D1 is no bigger than D3 or D7. What separates D1 is the dense populations in the Philly suburbs. There's a ton of schools in the 4A-6A range but no smaller schools. So when playoffs starts, the small schools have to travel outside of the area early to advance in the PIAA playoffs while the big schools mainly 5A and 6A, play in the Bucks-Montco-Delaware-Chester County area until the State Quarterfinals (District 1 Championships). After that they then match up with D12 so they are pretty much locked into the Eastern side of the state unless they make the state championship game.
I suggested a few weeks back that the PIAA should consider a bracket that rotates who plays in the State Semi-Finals each year. An example would be instead of Garnet Valley playing SJP again this year, maybe this year they would rotate and play Harrisburg and State College has SJP. I think it brings some new juice to the playoffs as both games are more "regional" than "state" even though it's semi-final weekend. Harrisburg and SC are in the same conference for cripes sake and they're playing in the semi-finals. That shouldn't happen...
Sammy K -
How does "Choice Transfer" work?
Something needs to be done (it's getting boring at 6A).
I was all for the admission of D12 thinking the more the merrier and that it would improve overall play but instead it seems to have "dumbed it down" (as a whole).
And although I like the old community and local kids playing together rah-rah stuff the world has changed. Time to get into the modern era and open things up.
Hey, the NCAA is letting college players secure endorsements - this is America so let's make this happen (stop pretending, get it out in the open and see where it all shakes out, PA needs to get out of the dark ages -- no wonder it's an outflow state -- can't be living in the 1950s, '60s and '70s forever).
PS Back in the olden days there was a strip or area between Bensalem and Neshaminy where you could decide which school you wanted to go to. Some oddball set up but if it was Bensalem and you went to Neshaminy you paid 100 bucks or something and vice-versa. They don't do it anymore but the point is everyone acts like the boundaries are etched in stone by God (yikes). Look if a school has no particular sport or classroom opportunity I understand you can apply to another school (and that's A-OK).
Let's get with the program in PA - be progressive.
PPS Another benefit is the schools that don't care about sports can continue not to care about them (concentrate on excelling in the other equally as important areas). As for schools that put more importance on the athletic fields - very cool as they can ramp it up (and plenty of schools will push on both ends). There will be plenty of competition (in fact maybe academics will benefit too as you might need to ramp up that side to get the quality players - just thinking out loud).
Main thing is there has to be a change as 6A can't continue to be - in essence - The St. Joe's Show (it's not good for the game).
I'm off on a ramble today (seriously -- it's time as the ten year experiment is and has shown).
Get the "big brains" on this immediately.
How does "Choice Transfer" work?
Something needs to be done (it's getting boring at 6A).
I was all for the admission of D12 thinking the more the merrier and that it would improve overall play but instead it seems to have "dumbed it down" (as a whole).
And although I like the old community and local kids playing together rah-rah stuff the world has changed. Time to get into the modern era and open things up.
Hey, the NCAA is letting college players secure endorsements - this is America so let's make this happen (stop pretending, get it out in the open and see where it all shakes out, PA needs to get out of the dark ages -- no wonder it's an outflow state -- can't be living in the 1950s, '60s and '70s forever).
PS Back in the olden days there was a strip or area between Bensalem and Neshaminy where you could decide which school you wanted to go to. Some oddball set up but if it was Bensalem and you went to Neshaminy you paid 100 bucks or something and vice-versa. They don't do it anymore but the point is everyone acts like the boundaries are etched in stone by God (yikes). Look if a school has no particular sport or classroom opportunity I understand you can apply to another school (and that's A-OK).
Let's get with the program in PA - be progressive.
PPS Another benefit is the schools that don't care about sports can continue not to care about them (concentrate on excelling in the other equally as important areas). As for schools that put more importance on the athletic fields - very cool as they can ramp it up (and plenty of schools will push on both ends). There will be plenty of competition (in fact maybe academics will benefit too as you might need to ramp up that side to get the quality players - just thinking out loud).
Main thing is there has to be a change as 6A can't continue to be - in essence - The St. Joe's Show (it's not good for the game).
I'm off on a ramble today (seriously -- it's time as the ten year experiment is and has shown).
Get the "big brains" on this immediately.
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Here is how it works. If you are at school A and want to go to school B as long as you can provide transportation you are good to go. So let me and a few of my coaches come to Bucks County or Montgomery County and do this, we could take care of a lot of problems there in SEPA
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I don't know about NC, but I'm pretty sure that any kind of change like this in SE PA will have to be driven by a lot more than the quality of football at the 6A level--or at any level for that matter. I think CAMolskinner is onto something when he broadens the discussion to include academic differentiation / specialization, other extra curriculars, etc. Of course, the Philly public schools did something like this a long time ago, but I think it would look very different in suburban areas.
Paradoxically, I think the decline in the general interest in high school sports--look at attendance, at the decision of the Inquirer to drop coverage of hs sports, etc.--is partly responsible for certain kids gravitating to certain schools.
Here is how you sell it. School choice. It keeps charter schools away because you are providing students a choice of what school to go to. Also each school can have special programs that the others do not. CB West may have electrical classes, CB East may be an IB school, CB South may have a specialized ROTC. This way you can save the public schools and allow kids to move within the county. and it can all be based on academics not sports a Win Win. Then you can load the f up and take down the PCL
Borders isn’t the issue in SEPA and if so it’s not as big as ppl think it may be. There’s schools here without borders that aren’t winning. The entire PCL can bring in any student athlete they please (who have reliable transport). Yet the same teams win. The talent gap will continue to increase bc these schools aren’t investing in football. Roman now will have more visibility in jersey bc of the ties to our new OC. My grandson is in pop Warner and it’s been several occasions the entire prep staff is out there shaking hands n kissing babies. The only reason my sons went to Roman bc of the legacy. Prior to getting Prete we had no representation at these CYO/ Pop Warner games. Gotta be active. Lastly, it’s a copy cat society. If I’m a parent looking for a school that’ll give my son the best chance at playing at the next level. I’m picking a school with that track record.
If say this were allowed and say CB West could get kids from the Bucks county schools I think the power might swing pretty fast back to the public schools
