Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Proposed Changes to High School Sports to be Outlined

The AJ's Leslie Bridgers is reporting that Todd Sampson, the athletic director at Westbrook High School, will outline proposed changes to Maine high school sports at the Westbrook School Committee meeting on Wednesday, January 14 at 7p.

According to a December 20 BDN article, the following cost-cutting changes have been recommended by a 15-member ad hoc committee affiliated with the Maine Principals' Association:
  • Decrease the maximum number of countable games in all varsity sports by two games, if the current schedule features 12 or more games; and by one game, if the current schedule contains 10 or fewer games.
  • Impose a two-year moratorium for all officials' groups regarding game fees and travel
  • Limit the number of non-countable games (i.e., scrimmages and pre-season or holiday tournament games) to two per varsity sport.
  • Reduce the number of playoff-eligible teams in Heal points sports to 50% of all teams, (rules currently allow 2/3 of all teams in a Heal points sport to qualify for the playoffs)
  • Withdrawal of all Maine teams from postseason New England competitions

The public will be allowed to comment on the proprosed changes, and Sampson will report back to the Interscholastic Management Committee before the panel votes on the proposed changes on Monday, January 26.

- John C.L. Morgan

Full disclosure: I've served as an assistant coach in the Westbrook High School boys' soccer program for the last two years.

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