INDIANAPOLIS - The IHSAA announced on Friday a pair of major changes to high school sports. The first change, which only effects football, adds a 6A class to the gridiron. The 32 schools with the highest enrollment in the state of Indiana will make up the sixth class.
Region schools (based off of the 2010-2011 reclassification numbers) that will probably move into 6A are Lake Central, Portage, Crown Point, Merrillville & Valparaiso. Both the 5A & 6A classes will have a bye in the first week of the post-season, beginning their tournament when the rest of the classes are in the semi-final round. No other sport added a class.
While that change greatly affects football, the IHSAA passed another proposal that will have a major effect on all sports.
Passed by a 16-2 vote was a proposal that creates a two year tournament success factor in every team sport. On a sport by sport basis, schools will earn one point per round (sectional, regional, semi-state, state championship) of the state tournament they win. If a team earns six or more points in a given two year span (they can't earn more than four in a single year), they will move up to the next highest classification. The only two combinations of advancing would be to win semi-state twice in the two year period or winning state one year and regionals another.
Per IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille, a team can move up multiple classes in a four year span. If a team moves from 3A to 4A and earns the six points in 4A, they then move up to 5A. If they don't reach the six point mark, they will then be reclassified based off of their enrollment numbers.
As to who moves down when a team moves up based off of the two year success program, the Region Sports Network was not provided with a definitive answer, but hopes to have one shortly.
“I am extremely encouraged by the vision and valor of our Executive Committee in making these progressive decisions on behalf of student-athletes in the Hoosier state,” said IHSAA Commissioner Bobby Cox in a press release. “It is my belief that these changes significantly address competition issues in football and will prove to enhance the team sport experience across all other disciplines.”
The next reclassification will take place in 2013-2014. Class 6A football will begin then and tournament success from this past season as well as 2012-2013 will be factored into reclassification as well.
Based off of the two year success factor, the following teams can possibly move up a class, depending on how they perform in the 2012-2013 season.
Bowman Boys Basketball - Moves up to 3A if they advance to state
Hebron Baseball - Moves up to 3A if they win state championship
Andrean Softball - Moves up to 4A if they win regionals
Andrean Volleyball - Moves up to 4A if they win state championship
Wheeler Volleyball - Moves up to 3A if they win state championship
Washington Twp. Volleyball - Moves up to 2A if they win state championship
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