Might ease tension between private, public schools

An issue that has brought much contention amongst the membership of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association could be resolved when school representatives vote on the latest proposals to end the select/non-select split today at the annual convention in Baton Rouge.

Football was the first sport to split in 2013 and baseball, softball and basketball followed in 2016. Before the split, seven championships were crowned in each sport. Currently, there are nine state football champions and 12 in baseball, softball and basketball.

“Our main focus is getting back together,” St. Louis Catholic Athletic Director Pat Neck said. “If we have to submit to a multiplier, that is a concession that we are willing to make.”

There are several proposed amendments to end the split, but one that seems to have garnered support on both sides of the aisle is one by North Vermilion Principal Thomas Byler. He proposed the LHSAA add a Class 6A and multiply the enrollment of all select schools by 1.25. Football-playing schools would be divided into six equal, or nearly equal, classes. For basketball, softball, baseball and track, schools would be divided into eight classes, meaning some schools could end up playing sports in multiple classes.

“I think it is a compromise, but a unified system is best,” St. Louis Catholic Principal Mia Orgeron said. “We have to put our egos aside. It is about student-athletes, whether public or select.

“I think (Byler’s) proposal is a decent proposal that has gained a lot of momentum.”

Sam Houston High School principal and LHSAA Executive Committee member Shannon Foolkes said Byler’s proposal could be the answer.

“Byler is thinking outside the box,” Foolkes said. “It’s a compromise and a good plan to bring the association together.”

The Executive Committee version of ending the split would bring back seven classes and add either a 1.5 multiplier (coed) or 2.5 multiplier (all-boys or all-girls) for select schools.

“It is a topic of a lot of conversation,” Neck said. “I have had talked with public and private schools.

“(Byler’s proposal) is more popular than the Executive Committee proposal. He has the respect of all types of schools and has had input from all schools. It closes the gap between largest and smallest schools (in each class). Does it have two-thirds of the vote? It remains to be seen.”

One item that had the potential to derail the end of the split was taken off the agenda on Thursday. The Executive Committee proposed that all select schools be required to reapply for LHSAA membership.

There is also a push to prevent ninth-graders from playing varsity or sub-varsity sports if they attend an out-of-zone school. Another proposal would prevent seventh- and eighth-graders from playing high school sports.

“The way it was explained to us is that any student who attends a school out of their attendance zone would be ineligible for a year,” Neck said.

“What does that do to the student?” Orgeron said. “You are taking away 25 percent of your high school career. Small schools like South Cameron need their freshman. It could decimate athletics across the state.”

More than 100 changes to the LHSAA bylaws will be voted on today. A list is available at lhsaa.org.lhsaa-logo-new