Ridger Sports : AAA members nix conference changes
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
If Siloam Springs keeps growing the way they are, the Panthers might well be the most traveled athletic teams ever.
Siloam has been creeping up on membership in the 6 A level for athletic competition. The top 32 schools in the state are classed into two classes, the 7 A and 6 A. The 5 A, of which Siloam is a member, is composed of the 33 rd through 64 th largest schools.
In the cycle just ended, Siloam ranked 38 th in the state with an enrollment of 661. The current tabulation saw them gain 80 more students in their average count, ranking them 34 th overall, the second biggest school in the 5 A, just a dozen students behind the smallest 6 A school, Forrest City.
Current growth patterns will push the Panthers into the 6 A ranks in two years and smack into a major dilemma. They would join either the 6 A East and travel to three Little Rock area schools along with three schools near Memphis, making Mountain Home their closest conference rival. Or they could join the 6 A South and play three schools in central Arkansas, two around Pine Bluff, a couple near the Louisiana border with Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs being their "close"game.
An amendment dividing the 32 6 A and 7 A schools into conferences divided by geography, and not by enrollment, was defeated by the school membership. So now the Panthers, if they want to play in AAA sanctioned competition, will be having a bus fuel bill like you wouldn't believe, not to mention having a lot of young athletes who may be spending a record amount of time riding in school buses.
While not facing the dire straits that Siloam is, Green Forest is having to deal with a much lengthened football travel schedule starting this year. With the jumble of reclassifications this year, the Tigers wound up being assigned to the 3 A-4 District. They will now travel to Perryville, Paris, Lamar, Atkins, Marshall, Mountain View and Yellville.
Luckily, the 'Hawks will actually have a lighter travel schedule this year with all opponents based in counties bordering our own. With the price of fuel the way it is, it will save the school a bunch of the green. The AAA said "yes"to …
… allowing junior high teams the option of playing multiple games on Saturday. Traditionally, basketball games are played one per day but with the surge in fuel costs, schools may now host day-long competitions with several teams to cut travel costs.
The AAA also said yes to requiring all coaches of all sports to have endorsements from the Arkansas Department of Education to be allowed to coach, as well as some other requirements. Previously, only football, basketball and track coaches had to wade through all that red tape. Most states require only that coaches be certified educators employed by the schools they coach. The AAA said "no"to …
… including 9 th graders in the count determining the average daily attendance figures that are used to classify high schools. The argument was made that many schools used 9 th graders in their high school sports programs and it was only fair to count them in their averages, as do most states. The argument failed.
There was a proposal to reunite the 6 A and 7 A classes back into one 6 A class for all sports except football which would remain separated. Argument failed. Basketball rules change Meanwhile, the National High School Federation changes a basketball rule.
They are adding a new marking on the floor of high school basketball courts that moves the players lined up for a free throw one space away from the end line. The new configuration was meant to limit the "banging"so prevalent under the backboard as players muscled each other for position for rebounds. The new position pushes everyone farther from the goal so speed and quickness will be bigger factors than the sheer size of opponents. Probably a good thing. High school season rapidly approaching High school gridiron hopefuls have been putting in some long hours getting ready for the upcoming 4 A season under second year head coach Mark Laster. Facing tougher competition in their new 4 A-1 District, Laster and his staff is working hard to forge a cohesive team before hosting now non-conference foe Elkins in the season opener.
This will make the second straight game that the 'Hawks have played the Elks, having ended the 2007 with a loss to the then-host Elkins. A slew of interceptions and costly turnovers flipped the game in the Elks' favor last year and the 'Hawks will be seeking some pay back to their long time rivals.
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