Balancing competition in Ohio

[Flatulence]

Southeastern Ohio coaches:

This Sunday at The Ponderosa in Jackson at 3:00 p.m. will be a very important meeting. I need input from coaches from all levels concerning district and regional meets, alignments, etc. On Monday, April 19th there will be a meeting in Columbus concerning possible changes and if I do not have everyone's input it may become a useless trip and exercise. This, also, may be the only opportunity we get a chance to make some change, so I am asking for 100% participation from the coaches.

Many factors need to be considered: there is a push from the northern part of the state to combine boys and girls totals into one so that SCHOOLS are D-I, D-II, and D-III and this is being done due to travel issues and time constraints. Other suggestions are to place a curfew on times schools can get back to the home school which SHOULD press the OHSAA into locating district meet assignments more centrally. Greg Cronacher's push concerning the number of times the SE D-II schools had to travel versus the number of times the Central and Eastern district did not have to travel struck a chord. The fact that in the SE 33 girls D-III teams will have one district to qualify four has REALLY hit home to some from the NE.

Those of us in D-I from SE know full well we have to travel, BUT district meets and regional meets must become more centrally located. Also, just because we are D-I does not mean we should not be in the discussion about the lack of equality the D-III girls form the SE are facing.

I know for a fact that Dan Ross, Steve Neal, and, now, Dale Gabor are concerned with all of these issues. I hate to say this, but, unfortunately, it is true - if you are not a part of the solution then you are a part of the problem. Or, this Sunday, speak up OR forever hold your peace.

Greg Fraunfelter

[noreply66]

ttt

[Rich Hoffman]

Assuming this also pertains to cross country -I'd like to find a solution to the issue of boys and girls teams being sent to different districts. Last year, our boys moved to DI and got sent to Watkins. Our girls were in DII, and were sent to Rio. We qualified a boy on to regionals at Pickerington; had we advanced a girl, which most years we have done, they would have gone to Troy. Since I have no assistants, it put us in a bind. I am sure we are not the only school that has been placed in that situation.

[Flatulence]

You are correct, Rich. This is about both sports and one of the issues is just what you suggested.

[gunit]

To you have to be a MEMBER of the Southeast District Coaches Association to attend?? If you are a coach and not a member is your attendance still requested???

[coach k]

Sure you can still attend. The seasonal membership dues ensure there are funds available to purchase district banquet awards and cover any other costs. In order for athletes to be eligible to receive awards, their coach has to pay the dues.