NFHS Denies Request for National Championships

[Tim C]

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 6, 2011) — In a re-affirmation of its longstanding opposition to national championships in high school sports, the membership of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) defeated a proposed amendment to the NFHS Bylaws that would have allowed the NFHS to conduct national championships in golf and cross country.

At the January 4 NFHS National Council meeting in Savannah, Georgia, the 43 member state associations in attendance defeated the proposed amendment to Article 17 of the NFHS Bylaws, 21-22. (21 opposed, 22 in favor). A two-thirds majority of the Council members in attendance was necessary to amend the NFHS Constitution or Bylaws. The Council is composed of one representative from each of the 51 member associations (the 50 states plus the District of Columbia).

Article 17 of the NFHS Bylaws states that “sanction shall not be granted for any tournament, meet or other contest to qualify for and/or determine a single national high school individual champion or championship team.” The proposed amendment would have added the following: “. . . with the exception of a team/individual golf championship and/or cross country championship, provided said championships are conducted by the NFHS.”

As a part of the 2008-2011 NFHS Strategic Plan, the NFHS staff was instructed to develop model national championships in several sports for consideration by the membership. After discussion at the 2010 NFHS Summer Meeting and at all eight section meetings this past fall, the NFHS Board of Directors – at its October 2010 meeting – forwarded the proposed amendment to the entire membership.

Since the original declaration by the membership against national championships in 1934, the NFHS has not supported or sanctioned national competition that leads to a single team champion. Prior to the action by the Council earlier this week, the only other recorded vote by the entire membership occurred in 1979, when the Council, by a 38-9 vote, turned down a proposal to conduct national invitational competitions in golf, tennis, and track and field during the summer. In the ensuing decades, the membership has revisited periodically the subject of national championships; however, in the absence of full membership support, the NFHS has not conducted or endorsed such events.

“The continued opposition to national championships by our membership reaffirms the belief that state championship competition should be the culminating activity for high school student-athletes,” said Bob Gardner, NFHS executive director. “The NFHS will continue to support the more than 7.6 million student-athletes involved in high school sports whose dream each year is to win a state title in their particular sport.”

[Jurassic Referee]

Gee, does that mean that ESPN's national high school champions aren't really official?

[jkumpire]

In 5 to 10 years, it won't matter what NFHS thinks.

For several reason, some blatantly political and OT on this thread, the absolute top athletes in most sports will migrate to club teams, AAU teams, or Prep Schools, and they will play for the HS age, or under 19 yr. old National title, flushed with money from ESPN or FOX SPORTS.

The state associations will running state championships for second tier athletes and schools, except for FB, and that will change over time too. State associations, and even some sports like Wrestling or Golf will disappear from the HS sports scene entirely.

As we sink into a -POS European Social Democracy, our sports landscape will change into one modeling Europe too, where the top rich or perceived most talented people will get all the $$$, all the funding, and all the exposure. they will be fed into top colleges, or the college system will be replaced by a new Farm system like MLB has now.

Or, we will end up like China, where the Party picks and chooses those who show some aptitude for a game, sport or activity, and they will be schooled in that activity.

Pretty ugly ending for a system that served us, and children, well for a long, long time.

[Publius]

“The continued opposition to national championships by our membership ..."

That, despite the question being supported by a majority present and voting.

Super-majority voting requirements are put in by-laws for one reason only: to preserve the status quo for as long as possible, especially in the face of waning support. Typically, and ironically, those by-laws pass with only a simple-majority requirement.

If the NFHS wants to justify its position, it ought to do so with an explanation other than one that flies in the face of reality.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

In 5 to 10 years, it won't matter what NFHS thinks.

For several reason, some blatantly political and OT on this thread, the absolute top athletes in most sports will migrate to club teams, AAU teams, or Prep Schools, and they will play for the HS age, or under 19 yr. old National title, flushed with money from ESPN or FOX SPORTS.

The state associations will running state championships for second tier athletes and schools, except for FB, and that will change over time too. State associations, and even some sports like Wrestling or Golf will disappear from the HS sports scene entirely.

As we sink into a -POS European Social Democracy, our sports landscape will change into one modeling Europe too, where the top rich or perceived most talented people will get all the $$$, all the funding, and all the exposure. they will be fed into top colleges, or the college system will be replaced by a new Farm system like MLB has now.

Or, we will end up like China, where the Party picks and chooses those who show some aptitude for a game, sport or activity, and they will be schooled in that activity.

Pretty ugly ending for a system that served us, and children, well for a long, long time.

What's so ugly about that? Will unrelated adults be forbidding children to play games? Children will find ways to play with or without adult supervision, and once the current panic over pedophilia subsides they'll have plenty of adult supervision available too.

I see nothing but improvement by abolishing big-time varsity sports, at least at the college level. Why shouldn't the major leagues run their own development systems instead of their being tied to institutions of higher learning? Actually college in general is a racket these days, even those that have nothing to do with sports. People are going to college who have no business being there other than to pick up some increasingly trivial piece of paper. I know, because I taught them.

I don't see what any of the trend you see has to do with social democracy. If anything, the current system is propped up by social democratic tendencies (credentialism in hiring, tax support of schools) more than vice versa.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

In 5 to 10 years, it won't matter what NFHS thinks.

For several reason, some blatantly political and OT on this thread, the absolute top athletes in most sports will migrate to club teams, AAU teams, or Prep Schools, and they will play for the HS age, or under 19 yr. old National title, flushed with money from ESPN or FOX SPORTS.

I think this is being a little overly dramatic. I do not see this at all for so many reasons it would take awhile to mention. Not all HS sports at the varsity level have top-notch players or the capability for those to go somewhere else to send their kids to a Prep School. My area does not even have Prep Schools and that model would not work very well in this state at this time.

Peace

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by jkumpire

In 5 to 10 years, it won't matter what NFHS thinks.

For several reason, some blatantly political and OT on this thread, the absolute top athletes in most sports will migrate to club teams, AAU teams, or Prep Schools, and they will play for the HS age, or under 19 yr. old National title, flushed with money from ESPN or FOX SPORTS.

The state associations will running state championships for second tier athletes and schools, except for FB, and that will change over time too. State associations, and even some sports like Wrestling or Golf will disappear from the HS sports scene entirely.

As we sink into a -POS European Social Democracy, our sports landscape will change into one modeling Europe too, where the top rich or perceived most talented people will get all the $$$, all the funding, and all the exposure. they will be fed into top colleges, or the college system will be replaced by a new Farm system like MLB has now.

Or, we will end up like China, where the Party picks and chooses those who show some aptitude for a game, sport or activity, and they will be schooled in that activity.

Pretty ugly ending for a system that served us, and children, well for a long, long time.

I agree with some of what you've posted.

I agree that in another 10-20 years all the top basketball talent will be playing at private and prep schools. The private schools in my area had varsity teams with middle school talent just 5 or so years ago. Now, those same schools are recruiting and hiring quality coaches as opposed to just giving the job to someone on staff. Many have ties with AAU and are "bringing in" top talent. (And that's a whole other issue.)

I don't see the same thing happening in other sports as quickly as in basketball. Football is far to expensive to experience the rapid growth we've seen in private/prep school basketball. Baseball and softball have always had summer venues that were available to lids. It hasn't stopped them from playing school ball. Wrestling clubs are getting bigger but they've helped scholastic wrestling in our area.

Finally, this decision wasn't made by a few guys sitting in an office in Indianapolis. The vote was made by the state association members who comprise the NFHS. No, HS sports is alive and well. There maybe some bumps down the road but it's not going away.

[parepat]

Originally Posted by Publius

“The continued opposition to national championships by our membership ..."

That, despite the question being supported by a majority present and voting.

Super-majority voting requirements are put in by-laws for one reason only: to preserve the status quo for as long as possible, especially in the face of waning support. Typically, and ironically, those by-laws pass with only a simple-majority requirement.

If the NFHS wants to justify its position, it ought to do so with an explanation other than one that flies in the face of reality.

Not true, Super majorities are put in place to protect the underlying structure of an organization. Without it, an organization can be changed drastically by the whim of a special interest. If the U.S. Constitution could be changed by simple majority think of the ramifications depending on who is in power.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by parepat

Not true, Super majorities are put in place to protect the underlying structure of an organization.

That's what I said.