The WIAA recently announced its competitive balance initiative, an effort to give schools equity in competing in their respective sports tournaments. Hats off to the WIAA task force that worked on the plan, and while the plan has great intentions, the solution could be so much simpler. (Read about the entire plan HERE.
The plan, to be implemented in 2024-25, promotes school programs that reach a threshold of tournament success based on a performance point system allocated over a three-year period. School programs will be placed in the division with the next largest enrollments from where the schools’ enrollment would typically place them for each respective sport – other than track & field and swimming & diving. Schools will be restricted to moving up only one division from the previous year’s placement.
Simply put, schools that get to state and do well, will be moved up with repeated success in getting to state. The plan has good intentions, and resonates with fans who feel some schools enjoying repeated success should be moved up a level.
The plan has flaws, however, in that schools are punished for having solid programs that are successful, and are then moved up a division in the playoffs. Many that favor the WIAA plan of course point to private schools often dominating entries in the basketball and football state tournaments, and seek a solution to the perceived inequities. Fair enough.
An unintended consequence of the plan, however, will move up public schools who excel in sports, and in central Wisconsin, we can find examples of public school programs that have had sustained success over the years in reaching state tournaments. Should they be moved up? Examples include:
- Edgar Football
- Stratford Football
- Amherst Football
- Stratford Volleyball
These examples exist all over the state, and pose challenges for the WIAA. Are there better ways to address competitive balance questions and concerns? Perhaps so.
The Braintrust has a far simpler plan, a common sense approach that some will agree with, some won’t, but it’s a fair plan. Watch for The Braintrust Competitive Balance plan to be announced this week.
Norbert Durst, of wissports.net, has published a list of enrollment numbers, along with current and proposed divisional placements for basketball HERE
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
