Area coaches split on playoff expansion

[KFDM COOP]

Area coaches split on playoff expansion

By Michael Pineda

Baytown Sun 

Published January 12, 2008 - Updated 51 minutes ago

The UIL has decided that what is good for Class 5A is good for Class 4A. But do area coaches feel that it is good for high school athletics?

Pending approval from by Texas Education Agency Commissioner Robert Scott, the Class 4A playoffs will expand from three teams to four teams beginning with the 2008-09 school year.

Among teams affected by the rule change would be Goose Creek Memorial High School, Barbers Hill, Crosby and Dayton.

“Obviously I think its great,†GCMHS campus athletic coordinator Bret Boyd said. “When I saw it I thought it gives you one more shot and I was pleased with it because of the situation we’re in.â€

The trend to place four teams in the playoffs began in the fall of 2006 when Class 5A voted for the addition. At Killeen Ellison, Boyd was a beneficiary as the Eagles advanced out of District 13-5A as the fourth place team last season.

Despite being able to take advantage of the new system, Boyd does see the negatives as well as the positives in allowing four teams out of a district to advance in the postseason.

“I was leery when they went to three teams and then when 5A went to four teams,†Boyd said. “I liked it when there were just two teams, that was just right. Sometimes I think it is overdone.

“Some districts are pretty tough, there are teams that come out as a four and are pretty tough. Converse Judson finished fourth in their district this season and made it to the state championship game. There is also a negative when you get some 2-8 and 3-7 teams that get in there.â€

This season, Kingwood advanced to the playoffs out of District 21-5A with a 3-7 record.

One team that would have benefited from the addition of a fourth team in Class 4A this season is Barbers Hill. The Eagles missed out on the postseason after finishing fourth in District 21-4A with a 4-3 record.

“We voted for it,†Barbers Hill athletic director Don Price said. “We thought for our overall sports it would be beneficial because of our enrollment.â€

Under the latest UIL, there are 229 Class 4A schools with enrollment between 950 and 1,984 students. Barbers Hill is one of the smallest Class 4A schools in the state. Superintendents of Class 4A schools approved the change by a 186-38 vote.

“There are some positives because there is so much discrepancy in the small schools and the big schools,†Price said. “You have schools with 2,000 students on one end of the spectrum and schools with 1,000 on the other. We’ll adapt to whatever they do.â€

In the past two years, Crosby has qualified for the playoffs in football under head coach Kevin Flanigan who also serves as athletic director. With the addition of a fourth team, Flanigan feels strongly in the fact that making the playoffs will not have the same prestige as in years past.

“I think it waters it down but when it’s all said and done no one will complain about it,†Flanigan said. “In my opinion it’s a little league, everybody is a winner deal. I’d rather it stay the way it is. I think three is plenty. The prestige of making the playoffs isn’t what it used to be.â€

“To an extent, it’s a money deal for the UIL but not for the schools. It costs money for teams to travel for the playoffs.â€

[kicker]

: :  The UIL is making the BCS look like a genius. What about the 4 team districts in West Texas? I guess the pep talk at two a days is....Well kids, this year we arent gonna run, lift weights, of even practice. Heck, we dont care if we even win. We dont have to. Were going to the playoffs anyway. :

[KFDM COOP]

There will be no more 4 team Districts, 6 team Districts Minunim.