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Illinois 2007 XC Pre-Season Ratings, Previews
Big Changes with new 3-class system
From IllinoisPrepTopTimes.com
Previews/Rankings - 3A Boys - 2A Boys - 1A Boys - Girls (coming)
My Thoughts On The IHSA 3 Class Sysytem In Cross CountryBy Michael Newman
Illinois Prep Top Times
Leaderboard Editor and Reporter
[email protected]
I was a freshman in 1976 when the Illinois High School Association decided to move away from the traditional one-class system to split to two classes. There was uproar from the traditionalists:”How can you dilute the state meet?” The small schools loved the idea. This gave them the shot for a state championship. Over time, the move that the IHSA made was accepted and eventually embraced. The smaller schools had their own champs while the big schools went on. They had tradition and “The Long Green Line” on their side. 31 years later, tradition is being pushed aside…the IHSA has decided to go to 3 classes. Here again, there is outrage with the decision.
“The three class system has positives and negatives, but before I comment, understand that I am one who is in favor of only one class. Running is pure and simple, the fastest one wins. How can I tell someone I am the state champion when possibly dozens of runners ran the same course faster than me.”
- Jim Macnider
Schaumburg High School
Boys Cross Country Coach
The move benefits the middle sized and smaller private schools. The schools that were the smaller schools in the old AA were the “small fish in a big pond”. With the new alignment, the middle sized schools will get more of an opportunity to win a trophy. More student-athletes will get the opportunity to win a trophy and to participate at the State Meet, according to the IHSA.
Where the idea goes totally wrong is the way the largest class in the new system, 3A, is treated. One coach told me: “The three class system is a piece of crap.” Half of the schools that participate in cross country are in Class 3A. The IHSA decided that all the classes would be treated the same way. Each class would have 16 regionals and 4 sectionals, even though the Cross Country Advisory Committee thought differently:
“The original proposal provided that all classes were set up the same. The Advisory Committee believes that the new class system should reflect the old system relative to the number of sectionals. The old 2 class system provided the larger schools with an additional sectional meet (and 4 additional regionals) due to the large number of schools that competed with full teams. It was thought that the same philosophy should be present in the 3 class system. There will be more schools in class AAA and most of them will compete as a full team. Many times the smaller schools do not compete as a team, but rather as individuals. Obviously this improves the odds that those smaller number of schools competing for team honors will be successful. The motion was approved unanimously.”
-IHSA Advisory Committee Meeting
Bloomington, IL
January 4, 2007.
Most of the coaches that have contacted me have been indifferent about the IHSA moving to 3 classes. Where the problem stands is that in the biggest class, the IHSA failed to recognize what the Boys/Girls Cross Country Committee did. The old system qualified more for bigger schools than in smaller schools. The same should happen in this new system.
“The three class system is intriguing. I am not against it per se. However, I don’t think its introduction is fair to the larger schools. AAA represents 50% of the teams in cross country, yet we will only have 20 teams represented at State, the same as the other two divisions. Hopefully, the IHSA adds another sectional next fall but that does not help some good teams who are very deserving this year.”
- Paul Vandersteen
Neuqua Valley High School
Boys Cross Country Coach
“The biggest problem in the AAA division is going to be the sectionals. I am sure there is a way to geographically justify sending schools to different sectionals to help balance the talent levels. A DuPage County sectional is very scary for all. Then again, it would seem odd to send the Naperville schools to East Peoria for a sectional. In the past, schools have been sent to different sectionals to try to balance things out…and do it in a way that could be justified. I hope they make it work right for all.”
- David Racey
Naperville North High School
Boys Cross Country Coach
So what can be done to fix this mess for Class AAA? The easiest option would be adding a fifth sectional. At this point, that is not going to happen…the IHSA has already released its sectional sites and only 4 sectional and 16 regional sites were named. I would just hope that the IHSA will try to balance the sectionals so that the Schaumburg Sectional will not be as painful as people have projected it to be. If the IHSA is not willing to fix the mistake until next season, then let me suggest this: To give the opportunity for more runners to make it to the State Meet in the largest class, change the number of team qualifiers from 5 teams to six teams per sectional and from 7 individuals to 8 individuals per sectional. This would increase the total amount of runners from 168 to 200. This would only take place during this season. Though it is not the same as adding another sectional, it does give AAA an opportunity to add 4 more schools and 4 more individuals. I hope also that IHSA looks at the strengths of the schools assigned in each sectional for boys and girls and try to equal it out reasonably.
This is the main problem that needs to be dealt with right now. There are other changes that I think the IHSA should make, but that’s for another time, another battle. The thing that should be focused on at this time is how to fix a problem that should have been taken care of in January. What can the public do about it?
1. If you have a student that is in High School or you are a student in High School, contact your Principal or Athletic Director and let them know about your displeasure about this situation.
2. Contact the Illinois High School Association Offices in Bloomington and let them know how you feel. The main person that should be contacted is Ron McGraw, the IHSA administrator for Cross Country and an Assistant Executive Director for the IHSA.
This is what I believe in…I have been a fan of this sport since 1976 and it sickens me to see this happening to the sport. I hope that something can be done to fix something that is broke.
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