Quote:
Originally posted by rockyroad
Just heard this morning that our local area High Schools will be using three-person mechanics next season! WA State has approved it, and (as I understand it) will be using three-person at next winter's State tournaments!! Not sure about the financial end of things - and couldn't care less, but it's about time!
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This was approved a week ago at the WIAA executive board meeting. I have spoken with many officials and AD's since then and there are many ruffled feathers.
Actually, 3-person will be used at state AND at districts. Whether or not regular-season games will be 2-person or 3-person will be negotiated between the local associations and their leagues.
Lots of details yet to be worked out in the long run. Fees for varsity games the next 3 years drop from $48.00 per game (2 person) to $33.00 per game. Lots of officials unhappy about that. Officials are in favor of 3-person, but many officials I've talked to feel sold out by the way it is being implemented. I can understand why officials would feel that way. The schools voted 3-person down several times because of cost. Now the officials will bear the brunt of the cost rather than the schools.
From what I understand, the AD's of the 4A schools that voted against it felt that the 3-year plan was unfair to already underpaid officials.
This is a 3-year trial period. Schools can vote to go back to 2-person after 3 years. If they approve 3-person at all levels after 3-years, fees for 3-person will be 85% of the 2-person fee. Many AD's I've talked to have already made up their minds that it isn't worth the additional cost and are convinced they will vote it down after 3 years. The initial proposal required schools to accept 3-person after 3 years at 85% of the 2-person fee, but the proposal was changed to give them a "back out clause." That gives you an idea of how likely the schools will be to accept it after 3 years. It will be all-or-nothing and other than 3A and 4A varsity boys, I don't think schools feel like 3-person is necessary nor worth the expense.
By the way, Washington is also going to expand the coaches box from 6-feet to 14-feet.
The WOA will have a meeting on August 13 to give out more of the details of how this will all be worked out. It should be a raucous affair.
Z