SIOUX FALLS (AP) – Plans for a radical overhaul of South Dakota's high school football system are gaining some traction.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account and connect your subscription to it by clicking here.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active, online-only subscription then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
SIOUX FALLS (AP) – Plans for a radical overhaul of South Dakota's high school football system are gaining some traction.
An advisory committee on Thursday advanced plans to reconfigure the seven-class system to five classes, a proposal to be considered by the state's athletic directors and ultimately the South Dakota High School Activities Association Board of Directors.
The committee took a look at the current system and considered trends across the state with respect to the increasing number of consolidations and co-ops, variances in enrollment and growth of the Sioux Falls metro.
"The committee took all those things and tried to balance it out," SDHSAA assistant executive director John Krogstrand explained. “(They) looked at what was best for everybody, and not just any one part.”
The Argus Leader reports the five classes would be renamed 11AA, 11A, 11B, 9A and 9B, just as they were in 1999, the last time South Dakota had five football classes.
"It's kind of like the family inheritance. You're going to make somebody mad," Bon Homme coach Byron Pudwill laughed. "We were just lucky enough to be on the advisory board and be the ones everybody hates. Thankfully, they're going to be moving it up to the activities directors."
