Thoughts on classification in LA?

[GonzoDawg]

After watching John Curtis destroy Kinder last night (my nephew plays for Kinder) it occurred to me what a disservice the LHSAA is doing the kids of these smaller schools. Kinder suits out about a third of the number of kids JCCA, and were considerable outsized and slower. This is in a quarter final game in state. To me once things have reached that point the competition should be much more even. So now its down to JC, Evangel, Calvary and Winfield. 3 private schools. It just doesn't seem right to me that these public school kid give their blood sweat and tears and have no real shot at a state title going in. The deck firmly stacked against them. Doesn't Arkansas use some type of multiplier to determine classification? Something like these needs to happen in LA.

[RealityCheck]

Louisiana does not need five classes in football. Having less than 60 schools in the entire state in each class is a joke with more than half the teams in the state making the playoffs. Reducing the state to four classes would eliminate 5-team districts but would keep the classes small enough so that 32 teams is the right number for playoffs.

It is also a mistake not to let teams play up at least one classification if they choose to do so. And if private schools have students from outside what would be a traditional attendance zone, they could be required to play up at least one class to level the playing field.

[counselingdawg]

John Curtis, Evangel, Calvary and several others would be playing in higher classifications if they had their choice. They did that until the Class 5A and 4A teams got tired of losing to the much smaller private schools. The only other viable option would be to have a private school classification or two. More public schools would win state titles, but the quality of competition would be lessened significantly. Private schools have played public schools for many, many years with the large number of Catholic schools in the state. I think the overall strength of Louisiana prep football is enhanced with private schools being in the mix.

[PawDawg]

I've heard very little discussion on this new rule and read NOTHING on it. Some of you may be familiar with the rule and how to look it up...

Beginning this year LHSAA allows an entering freshman to attend any high school he chooses to attend. If that student decides to leave his "freshman choice school" later he must go back to his zoned school if he wants to continue to play.

I know of a player or two who are out of zone freshman, but the new rule has not been talked up much. My point in bringing this up is that the private schools no longer hold the advantage they once held with out of zone players.

[Poisso3]

When I was at Winnfield, we were Class 3A, and now we are Class 2A. I understand the move was because of enrolment, but keeping the private schools in the LAHSAA Class organization means there is more of a chance that the private school will win in the lower Classes. I know there was talk back in the early 2000s that Evangel, and the other Class 3A private schools would be allowed to play in Class 4A, but apparently that never happened. I suspect they saw that they would not be able to feast on the smaller schools as they had been.

I pray that Winnfield wins--no pun intended--this Friday and makes it to the Dome for the first time since 1981..where they faced John Curtis. Both were undefeated that year, and Winnfield came away as the LA Class 3A champion...

[GonzoDawg]

John Curtis, Evangel, Calvary and several others would be playing in higher classifications if they had their choice. They did that until the Class 5A and 4A teams got tired of losing to the much smaller private schools. The only other viable option would be to have a private school classification or two. More public schools would win state titles, but the quality of competition would be lessened significantly. Private schools have played public schools for many, many years with the large number of Catholic schools in the state. I think the overall strength of Louisiana prep football is enhanced with private schools being in the mix.

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Yeah, I really don't blame those schools. They are doing what they were forced to do. It's just a disservice to the young men in these lower classifications that they really have to compete against 5A or 4A talent in 1 and 2A. What is really disappointing to me is that if I remember correctly this was voted on by the principals of the schools. I can't understand the logic of forcing these schools to play down when they would rather play up. I think they may have been trying to kill the programs at those private schools thinking that kids would not attend if they were not competing in the upper classification. I don't know. It just gets at my sense of right and wrong when every kid that plays ball starts each season with the dream of playing in the dome and for some the reality is they have to chance going in or the deck is stack so much that the odds are astronomical when in reality they are the outstanding team in their true classification.

[eagle2180]

Ask Kenny Henderson. I think he was the one that proposed the bill to make the privates play in their enrollment classification. Evangel played in 5a and won. John Curtis played in 4a for years and won.Most of JC's trophies are 4A trophies.

[Geaux Dawgs]

What is a complete joke is the class 5A schools that whined about Evangel winning in 5A.........when most of those schools held kids back and recruit kids. They can't even deny it either. Northeast La 5A schools are notorious for the holdback of players. Evangel also has the 8+ program.....taking 8th grade twice.

The schools should be allowed to play up to give these small town schools a chance in the playoffs. Evangel, Calvary, and John Curtis should not have to play Northwood Lena, Logansport, etc.

[PawDawg]

What is a complete joke is the class 5A schools that whined about Evangel winning in 5A.........when most of those schools held kids back and recruit kids. They can't even deny it either. Northeast La 5A schools are notorious for the holdback of players. Evangel also has the 8+ program.....taking 8th grade twice.

The schools should be allowed to play up to give these small town schools a chance in the playoffs. Evangel, Calvary, and John Curtis should not have to play Northwood Lena, Logansport, etc.

What's the big deal about hold backs? They have to do it prior to grade 6. It's been that way for YEARS. Don't know of any recruits at WM since back in the late 90s. Taking 8th grade twice is only possible if a student fails in the first year. A few may get away with that, but not an entire class.

That being said, I agree that small schools should be able to play up.

[LABulldog]

Evangel also has multiple PE's in the same day (or at least they used to). Seems unusual to me to be able to practice a sport twice during the class part of the day then again after school. But hey, that's just me!

[Geaux Dawgs]

What's the big deal about hold backs? They have to do it prior to grade 6. It's been that way for YEARS. Don't know of any recruits at WM since back in the late 90s. Taking 8th grade twice is only possible if a student fails in the first year. A few may get away with that, but not an entire class.

That being said, I agree that small schools should be able to play up.

Nothing is wrong with it I guess........but the argument about Evangel, Calvary, John Curtis, etc having an advantage due to recruiting is laughable, because THAT has been going on all over for years as well.

In the 1990s there were 8th graders held back at WM......but that is fine, Evangel, Calvary, etc all did it too......not sure how much of that goes on anymore. Maybe now it has to be done prior to 6th grade.

[PawDawg]

Nothing is wrong with it I guess........but the argument about Evangel, Calvary, John Curtis, etc having an advantage due to recruiting is laughable, because THAT has been going on all over for years as well.

In the 1990s there were 8th graders held back at WM......but that is fine, Evangel, Calvary, etc all did it too......not sure how much of that goes on anymore. Maybe now it has to be done prior to 6th grade.

Examples of kids recruited to public schools during the past 10 years? Urban myth for the most part.

The holdback rule changed in the late 90s. Everybody was doing it (except Ruston). I guarantee you that everybody does it now prior to grade 6.

Private schools have an advantage with recruiting, but the rules still apply. Students have to sit out a year if they are playing out of zone after year 6 except for the new freshman rule...

The new freshman rule I mentioned earlier should offset any advantage private schools may have.

[dawg80]

Any school should be able to play in a larger classification, if they choose to. Evangel, Curtis, whomever! want to play in 5A? Fine, do so. As for my alma mater I HOPE we continue the same policy, and that is no athletic recruiting. Now....does that mean that none of our coaches will ever ask, plead, beg, a good athlete to come to Rummel? I doubt it. They probably do ask. But, it's still up to the family to agree to pay the tuition, and the kid still has to pass the entrance exam.

While watching Rummel get soundly beaten by Evangel in the semis, 39-0, a few years back, some of we alums were just talking about how nice it would be for the school to use some of its HUGE endowment for football scholarships. We were just joking (mostly...) but whoa! we got rebuked by the school's Dean of Students, him saying Rummel would never do that, it's not the school's mission, etc.... But, we don't begrudge those that place football on that level of importance. And, we certainly welcome all comers to 5A.

I think schools should be able to "play up." Yes, Evangel and Curtis should join the WAC.

[techman05]

Louisiana does not need five classes in football. Having less than 60 schools in the entire state in each class is a joke with more than half the teams in the state making the playoffs. Reducing the state to four classes would eliminate 5-team districts but would keep the classes small enough so that 32 teams is the right number for playoffs.

It is also a mistake not to let teams play up at least one classification if they choose to do so. And if private schools have students from outside what would be a traditional attendance zone, they could be required to play up at least one class to level the playing field.

problem is that among the Evangel, Calvary, OCS type schools, you still have private schools like Cedar Creek. They have players from Monroe, Minden, Jonesboro, and other towns, but they still can't keep up with many of the public schools in their best years. I don't know what the answer is either, but just thought I would point out my opinion.

[Geaux Dawgs]

problem is that among the Evangel, Calvary, OCS type schools, you still have private schools like Cedar Creek. They have players from Monroe, Minden, Jonesboro, and other towns, but they still can't keep up with many of the public schools in their best years. I don't know what the answer is either, but just thought I would point out my opinion.

Yeah....put Loyola with the Creek Pride group, private schools that are not built to be football powerhouses!!! Maybe a Private School A and B