Other states watching competitive balance

After fall sports were adjusted for competitive balance, Dr. Dan Ross said curiosity is as its peak — from member schools and from other states wanting to see how Ohio’s system works out.

Ohio High School Athletic Association commissioner Dr. Dan Ross held a question-and-answer session during the annual Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association meeting April 19 at OHSAA headquarters in Columbus.

To the shock of no one, the first order of business was competitive balance.

Two weeks after the state governing body unveiled adjusted competitive balance numbers for fall sports, Ross said curiosity is as its peak — from member schools with questions and concerns and from other states around the country wanting to see how Ohio’s system works out.

“The question I get a lot is, ‘Is that what you expected?’ ” Ross said. “When we started on this, I think you’re aware this has been a conversation for a long time.

“Seven or eight years ago, there were groups that came together and wanted to split the tournaments into public and non-public. We very, very strongly believed that we have some of the best tournaments in the country, and we believe that keeping everybody together was best. I think most of our schools believed that, also.”

Ross emphasized it was important to take measured steps with the process, which is why roster data was collected this year but the new divisional alignments will not take effect until next school year.

The “biggest surprise,” according to the OHSAA commissioner, were instances of schools which took a dip in enrollment but, because of competitive balance addition, remained in the same division.

As was previously announced, adjusted competitive balance numbers for basketball are expected to be unveiled in early June and spring sports will be released in August.

Ross admits, in these early stages, competitive balance is a work in progress, and concerns raised by member schools will be considered for tweaking the system — although a formula revision would have to be voted upon in a referendum by OHSAA schools.

“The board is going to look at it, and if there is something we need to do with it, we will,” Ross said.

Among the possible tweaking discussed:

• The factor for international students.

• The fact that EMIS, or base enrollment, figures are grades 10-12 for the upcoming school year, but roster data collected was for 9-12.

• Non-public schools being allowed the choice of “all feeder schools within their county.”

• Teams moving more than one division on adjusted numbers because, currently, teams can move a maximum of one division.

“I’ve probably heard that one more than any of the factors — if somebody should go up two divisions, they should go up two divisions,” Ross said.

Ross was asked about a concern that has been raised in many circles — an “unintended consequence” as the questioner put it — of athletes being cut because coaches are concerned for what their competitive balance number would be the following year.

The former Avon Lake superintendent did not mince words on that prospect.

“I would say we’ve had a lot of conversations about that,” Ross said. “I guess the other side of that coin is — having been a school superintendent for a long time, if I had a coach that ever did that to a youngster, that would be the last time they would coach.”

Ross stated team sports would be tackled first with competitive balance, with so-called individual sports being brought into that mix later.

“We’re the flagship,” Ross said. “We’ve been hearing an awful lot of comments ... about watching us, wanting to see how this works.”