Division Expansion Update

[PVBearcat2012]

This is a message that coaches got this morning! Really cool to see that division expansion is still possible, even for 2025!
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Greetings OATCCC Members!

The OHSAA Board of Directors had a regularly scheduled meeting on August 29, 2024, and has another one on September 26, 2024.

The day before each meeting, there is a lengthy “work session” meeting when the details of the agenda items are discussed amongst the Board members and decisions are made. The work sessions are not open to for others to attend.

At the August 28th work session, the majority of the meeting was dedicated to division expansion for cross country and track & field. The Board thoroughly reviewed the options including the OATCCC’s proposal presented in January 2024. There are new OHSAA Board Officers in place now and several new Board members. Everyone was updated on the discussions and options considered over the past calendar year.

Here is what you need to know about the outcome August 29th meeting:

The OHSAA Board decided to approve 3 divisions for track & field for 2025 as is their normal course of business to be prepared for the 2025 season. This does not mean that division expansion is off the table for 2025. They will continue to discuss and move toward a decision about an expansion knowing that the vote that approved 3 divisions can be vacated if the expansion is approved for 2025 at a future meeting.
The two main topics addressed in the work session were how our sports advance through the tournament and the disparity of the divisions in our sports. The OATCCC has provided information and data about both of these topics in our proposal to the OHSAA. The reports are that the OHSAA now better understands these topics which will help them get closer to making a decision about expansion for our sports.
So what happens next?

The OHSAA wants us to communicate with them solely through the OHSAA Sports Administrator for cross country and track & field. That person is BJ Duckworth. The OATCCC has a good working relationship with BJ and he understands our sports. This is promising not only for the division expansion issue but future issues as they arise.
We asked BJ to help the OHSAA Board understand that the OATCCC Board continues to be ready to work with the OHSAA to make division expansion a reality. We emphasized we want to continue the mutual respect our organizations have for each other so that we can continue to work together for the betterment of our sports and in the best interests of our student-athletes.
The next OHSAA Board of Directors work session and meeting are on September 25 and 26, 2024. The OATCCC will continue communicating with the OHSAA through BJ Duckworth to keep the discussion alive. I will be at the Board Meeting even though it is not a participatory meeting.

If you have any questions about division expansion or anything else related to our sports, please contact your OATCCC District Representative. We are here for you.

Thank you for all you do,
Anjanette Whitman
President, OATCCC