IHSA Officials--4 Class System and the post season ramifications

[JRutledge]

If you guys did not already know, the Illinois High School Association is going to 4 classes starting the 07-08 School year.

I was down in Bloomington today attending a meeting (yes today) and I briefly asked the head of the IHSA Official's Department how the class system would affect officials working in the playoffs and the amount of officials that would work in the post season? His basic answer to me was there would be absolutely no change in the number of officials. What would happen is you will find officials will work multiple class playoffs at a specific site. Now if people are not aware Classes 1 and 2 will have there own weekend (in place of the Class A Finals) and Classes 3 and 4 will have their own weekend the following week. The teams that will go "downstate" will be 4 teams per class. So there still will be 8 teams, but there will be 4 semifinal games played (two per class of course) and the same number of officials working those games.

I know that in conversations with officials recently most thought there would be more officials used in the post season. That apparently is not the case and post season sites will host 2 classes at the same place.

I just thought I would pass along the information.