High School Split Playoffs..No More

[CajunRebel]

I hear you, and agree that any system will be manipulated. But I believe, and really I think it's been proven, that this arrangement overwhelmingly benefits the majority. It's about as fair as you can get in 2016 sports IMO. Most coaches were at some point players, and even if they weren't, they must have a competitive gene to be in coaching. You would have to believe that human nature would take over in all most all cases. Like I said before, most schools would take it as an embarrassment to get relegated (and in pro soccer, it's a huge deal - I get that it's different because they're being paid, but the principle is still solid). Over time, it would be even more so. Can you imagine if Breaux Bridge and Cecilia had a relegation game against each other? They might need to call in the national guard!

If you watch soccer you'll know that the relegation battles are often just as exciting as the championship battles. It really is an embarrassment to be relegated.

I honestly think that embarrassment you speak of is the biggest reason why promotion/relegation will never be considered by the LHSAA. The LHSAA isn't exactly in favor of a meritocracy.

[cjr3888]

If I read the spread sheet correctly, I think the public school principals in this area at Abbeville, Breaux Bridge, Delcambre, Jeanerette, Loreauville, North Vermilion and St. Martinville should be commended in their effort to save High School athletics in Louisiana by voting against the split.

I also have a question for the principals at Westgate, Vermilion Catholic, Rayne, Opelousas, Notre Dame, North Central, Livonia, Hanson and Church Point. Why did y'all not attend and cast your vote, or did you just abstain?

IMHO, this was a way too important a vote not to attend or not to step up and put your name in one column or the other.

They were having problems with the electronic voting. Could be that their vote wasn't recorded. For the close votes, they verified with a roll call vote.

[Mitch]

Bullcrap! You're saying that ALL athletes parents pay tuition? I don't think so! I know for a fact that some of the athletes, as well as other students get their tuition paid by a "fund" for the "Students that have financial hardship." There is a way getting elite athletes into these schools if they can't afford it. Just because I am public school educated doesn't mean you can ____ on my leg and tell me its raining! Now, tell me again how ALL students parents pay the tuition.

[Mitch]

Go Pios!!! Win and they will come

Notre Dame also does drug testing. Not the random cheap urine test, but the hair test that can detect toxins up to 6 months or more. You want to help your kid stay away from drugs? Send them to a private school that tests for it. You get what you pay for

LOL my friend! You do, get exactly what you pay for! Just like college. Top talent goes to the highest bidder! I was waiting for one of you holier than thou blowhards to say exactly this!

[CrazyCajun]

Bullcrap! You're saying that ALL athletes parents pay tuition? I don't think so! I know for a fact that some of the athletes, as well as other students get their tuition paid by a "fund" for the "Students that have financial hardship." There is a way getting elite athletes into these schools if they can't afford it. Just because I am public school educated doesn't mean you can ____ on my leg and tell me its raining! Now, tell me again how ALL students parents pay the tuition.

They don't, you know a lot of parents don't pay tuition and their kids don't play sports either. There are scholarships and financial aid available for a lot of kids. Also, those parents usually make up part of the tuition by volunteering time at the school for tuition credit. Why don't people get upset at academic scholarships? The private schools are taking away a really good student from the public schools but nobody cares about that. It's because grown men act like children over kids playing a game. Again, if it's better for the kid and his family, what's the problem with that? If it was your kid who could use his talent for a better situation you wouldn't see a problem with it.

[CrazyCajun]

LOL my friend! You do, get exactly what you pay for! Just like college. Top talent goes to the highest bidder! I was waiting for one of you holier than thou blowhards to say exactly this!

You really sound pretty ignorant about the whole situation.

[duggie85]

They don't, you know a lot of parents don't pay tuition and their kids don't play sports either. There are scholarships and financial aid available for a lot of kids. Also, those parents usually make up part of the tuition by volunteering time at the school for tuition credit. Why don't people get upset at academic scholarships? The private schools are taking away a really good student from the public schools but nobody cares about that. It's because grown men act like children over kids playing a game. Again, if it's better for the kid and his family, what's the problem with that? If it was your kid who could use his talent for a better situation you wouldn't see a problem with it.

Exactly. STM has a program where students stay after school and help out with various chores/jobs to receive financial assistance. Athletes & non-athletes have been in this program. That's a fact.

[Boomer]

Exactly. STM has a program where students stay after school and help out with various chores/jobs to receive financial assistance. Athletes & non-athletes have been in this program. That's a fact.

---I love my HS (Jesuit) and went there on an athletic/financial s-ship (a pretty tough academic admittance exam needed to be passed and many were denied entrance through the years)----the enrollment is about 1300 all boys from 8-12-----tuition is about $8k per year with fees added on and has always been a rich/poor school ------ about 150 kids go there on S-ship based on financial need----all this money for assistance comes from donated funds nearly all by alumni with endowments and yearly fund drives-----Nearly all grads go to college and a high percentage receive S-Ships from the finest Universities in the country----BTW this year we had about 25 Jays choose UL and an Alumni chapter was started last year in Lafayette!!!

[CharlieK]

If you watch soccer you'll know that the relegation battles are often just as exciting as the championship battles. It really is an embarrassment to be relegated.

I honestly think that embarrassment you speak of is the biggest reason why promotion/relegation will never be considered by the LHSAA. The LHSAA isn't exactly in favor of a meritocracy.

I'm no soccer expert, so correct me please. Isn't the promotion/relegation system to promote you to a "higher" or more prestigious level of competition? I'm sure some high schools would see being moved up a class as similar to that, but some may not. Currently there are classes based on school size. Winning 2A at a smaller school size is not less prestigious than winning 5A as a larger school size. For the promotion/relegation thing to work, all teams, regardless of size would need to be placed by past results. Then after a few years of promotion and relegation the system would settle out and you would have a mix of school sizes in all classes, with probably mostly smaller schools in the lower classes and mostly larger schools in the higher classes, but not necessarily.

And I don't think, by any means, that all or even most schools would always strive to be moved up. Especially if they know at the next level they will be mediocre. If everybody always wanted to play the best, this whole split catastrophe would never have occurred.

And, again for clarity, I think the promotion/relegation idea is better than the split.

[CajunJack55]

They don't, you know a lot of parents don't pay tuition and their kids don't play sports either. There are scholarships and financial aid available for a lot of kids. Also, those parents usually make up part of the tuition by volunteering time at the school for tuition credit. Why don't people get upset at academic scholarships? The private schools are taking away a really good student from the public schools but nobody cares about that. It's because grown men act like children over kids playing a game. Again, if it's better for the kid and his family, what's the problem with that? If it was your kid who could use his talent for a better situation you wouldn't see a problem with it.

I'll preface by saying I see both sides of the argument but think it has gone way to far. I do not have any children so I can't say that you are wrong. We all want what is best for OUR children and I'm honestly not sure what I would do in that situation if the opportunity came up. Critics of this would argue that this is not good for high school sports overall and it just shifts the competitive advantage towards private schools. You are 100% correct though in that no one gives a ____ about the academic advantages that are continuously shifting...but this is Louisiana we are talking about.

[CrazyCajun]

I'll preface by saying I see both sides of the argument but think it has gone way to far. I do not have any children so I can't say that you are wrong. We all want what is best for OUR children and I'm honestly not sure what I would do in that situation if the opportunity came up. Critics of this would argue that this is not good for high school sports overall and it just shifts the competitive advantage towards private schools. Your are correct though that no one gives a ____ about the academic advantages that are continuously shifting...but this is Louisiana we are talking about.

Well as a person who was "recruited" to a private school academically, tested in, received academic scholarship, parents volunteered a lot of hours to help with tuition and I also played sports...I do have some perspective. I also then transfered back to public and played sports. This is all about crazy ego of adults, not about the kids. You will never stop recruiting at public or private as long as grown men salivate over the accomplishments of 15,16 and 17 year old kids.

[CrazyCajun]

I'll preface by saying I see both sides of the argument but think it has gone way to far. I do not have any children so I can't say that you are wrong. We all want what is best for OUR children and I'm honestly not sure what I would do in that situation if the opportunity came up. Critics of this would argue that this is not good for high school sports overall and it just shifts the competitive advantage towards private schools. You are 100% correct though in that no one gives a ____ about the academic advantages that are continuously shifting...but this is Louisiana we are talking about.

A perfect example is the big DT from north side transferring to notre dame...if you were watching your kid jeopardize his future by hanging out with the wrong people and getting caught up in the wrong environment and you had a chance to totally remove him from that situation, I think every parent would do it. I don't see anything wrong with that.