When the GHSA ratified the reclassification for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, two major changes were quite apparent: a sixth classification and a playoff split in Class A.Roughly 40 public schools located mostly in south Georgia were ready to defect from the GHSA to form the Georgia Public School Association if their demands of a separate Class A playoff bracket were not heard. The GHSA quickly voted Jan. 10 to split the Class A postseason, and the defection talk immediately died down. The 40 or so schools seemed pleased with the decision, and Georgia high school football fans readied themselves for seven trophies to be handed out starting next year.
However, not everyone was thrilled with the decision to split up Class A’s postseason. Several schools including 2011 Class A football champion Savannah Christian were quite upset with the decision. Savannah Christian head football coach and athletic director Donald Chumley raised some concerns with the planned split, which he says was not the way to go.
“The GHSA says they will work it out, but I don’t know how,” said Chumley Thursday. Chumley worried that the GHSA’s direction is unknown at this time. “The GHSA says to wait until March to hear about their playoff format.” That may be too late, though, according to Chumley, who said that he and many other Class A private and public schools must wait in order to finish scheduling.
Steve Figueroa, Director of Media Relations for the GHSA, noted that first the GHSA must survey all of the public and private schools in Class A to determine which schools will participate in each sport to determine whether a state championship can be decided. He noted that there is no concrete date for the unveiling of a plan, but that it will likely come after the spring State Executive Committee meeting.
On Wednesday, SCPS’s appeal to move up to Class AA was denied by the GHSA, though Chumley said he believed that, according to the GHSA Constitution and By-Laws (The White Book), he had two weeks in which to appeal to move up. The GHSA had given schools an earlier time period in which to petition to move up in class, but Savannah Christian did not then because “no one said (a split) was a possibility.” Chumley noted that his principal is checking on an appeal and exhausting every avenue while exploring options to help Savannah Christian.
Savannah Christian met with Savannah Country Day, Calvary Day and several other private schools Wednesday to put together a playoff format plan to submit to the GHSA. “It’s in everybody’s best interest to adopt a point system like they have in Louisiana,” suggested Chumley. He wasn’t certain of how the public schools in Class A would react, but he himself is still trying to figure out how the playoff teams will be selected for postseason play.
The GHSA has said it will unveil a plan in March, but Chumley worries about the issue of travel, with only eight private Class A schools outside of the metro Atlanta area. “The logistics were not considered,” said Chumley. “No one has any answers. The situation is sad. There’s just no thought process.”
Whether the GHSA adopts a point system or moves away from the proposed split, Chumley simply wants to avoid looking back at this move and wishing for a mulligan. “This split was not thought out. How do you implement something without a plan?”
Chumley realized that many public schools were looking out for their best interests and that is what he is doing now. “It will never be right one way or the other. This was not the way to go.” Now, Chumley and Savannah Christian can only wait for the GHSA’s next move.
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