6 Classes in Basketball?
- Thread starter Pure Swing
- Start date
I don't see a problem with putting all the privates in 1 class. However, all the publics should just have 4 classes. The field is watered down enough. Just look at football, and see what a joke that is with 6 classes. They pass out state championships like candy at Halloween.
LOL, that is funny. But I kind of agree with the gentleman who says one class for privates and 4 for the rest. It would put to rest a lot of friction about advantages and so on.
I've heard proposals for a super 48 as well, with the biggest and most affluent schools competing against each other. I guess that would give them a better shot at a piece of candy.
So CBC and Rockhurst should be in the same class as St. Joseph Christian and LeBlond?
Tennessee, which has a similar population (actually slightly larger) to Missouri, has three public school classes and two private school classes.
Hopefully there is no undue influence such as cars and or cash. Can't be too careful.
Tennessee has county schools. They have less public schools and more private schools. The comparison is not accurate. I think it is funny that a bunch of old people like us is complaining about adding another class. In 1975 the population of Missouri was 4.8 million, in 2010 the population was 6 million. 20% increase but no way we add another class.
In
2010 population had 6 million and there 5 classes (1.2 M a class)
2017 population has 6 M and there are 5 classes (1.2 M a class)
Seems to me, a class does not need to be added..
1975 population had 4.8 and there were 4 classes (1.2 M a class)
2010 population had 6 million and there 5 classes (1.2 M a class)
2017 population has 6 M and there are 5 classes (1.2 M a class)
Seems to me, a class does not need to be added..
Your stats are good for what they represent BUT the last I looked the school age population in our state is actually no higher than it was in 1970 (probably even less) so technically even though the state population has increased overall, there has been NO INCREASE in potential participants.
Understand, I do not object to the number of classes added over the years. I think they were appropriate for reasons other than enrollment numbers. But, until the private schools/open enrollment issue is changed, I think most state competitions are illegitimate.
Let me put this another way, Tennesse and Arkansas have been mentioned in this post. Tennessee has 137 school districts and Arkansas has 288. Watered down Missouri has 567. Looks like Missouri needs many more classes to be like those 2 states. I just think all this bellyaching is not warrented.
It does give more schools a chance to win a title, but I think there are some large gaps that would help it be more competitive. It will be fine either way. I do think privates should do their own thing though.
What we should do is introduce the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze AAU Basketball bracket model in every class and assign every team that places first through fourth in each district to the corresponding state championship bracket. You would have a Class 1 Platinum state championship bracket, a Class 1 Gold state championship bracket, etc., etc.
Then figure out how to introduce the wrestle back concept to each of the state championship brackets, that way, if you lose a game, you can keep playing.
MSHSAA would get rich with all these tournaments and games and everyone would go home happy. Eventually, using this model, everyone will go home with some sort of trophy. Which, as Glendale correctly pointed out, is the only thing most people really care about.
Then figure out how to introduce the wrestle back concept to each of the state championship brackets, that way, if you lose a game, you can keep playing.
MSHSAA would get rich with all these tournaments and games and everyone would go home happy. Eventually, using this model, everyone will go home with some sort of trophy. Which, as Glendale correctly pointed out, is the only thing most people really care about.
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Don't forget to add in the mulligan (you could buy one from MSHSAA for $200) to use if your team gets upset along the way as well!
Whether they recruit or not private schools have an advantage in the area that they can draw from and in that they can be selective in who they take at their schools. If you have a private school in Joplin, Springfield, St. Louis, Kansas City you can draw from a much larger population then any of the public schools in the area. I don't think there is a way to ever make it equal, although the multiplier helps class 1 in basketball. I don't think Missouri has enough small private schools that are in MSHSAA to make it work to split privates and publics, this has been a much discussed topic. I would be ok with going to 6 classes, I don't think having 6 teams out of 550 being state champions is giving out participation trophies. You have over 5000 kids dressing out for varsity basketball games and 75 or so get to be state champ, that's still far from everybody winning, so whats wrong with a few more kids getting to experience winning a district and the excitement that it brings.
While we agree that 6 classes is not a horrible idea we will have to disagree on the private school matter. Private schools may have a larger area so to speak but there are just as many transfers and "family moves" on the public side. If a kid or family want to go to a certain school they do, public or private and you will have a hard time convincing me otherwise.
Our local public school had a transfer this season. His parents bought a house in our district and his boys played for our school. There was no reason for the move other than a house became available in our small town and he left an even smaller town to buy it. He was good enough to start every game this season and his younger brother will be a big help to our teams in the future. To me that is different than a businessman deliberately hiring a kid's father just to get that kid to play for a school. That sucks whether it is done by a private school or a public school. My father told me of a job offer he got from a school close to ours. I told him if he took that job I would not play for the school. He laughed and said he wasn't even considering it, but wanted to see my reaction.
