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State High Schools to Vote on Playoff Changes

2009 Football Jamboree
Kevin Domingue
/
Kiwanis Club of Lafayette

The issue as to whether public and private high schools should compete in separate playoffs is a major topic at the annual Louisiana High School Athletic Association conference in Baton Rouge this week.

The proposals – one for football and one for all other sports - would divide schools into select and non-select categories. If the measure passes, select admission schools, including private and parochial schools, would only play non-select, public schools during the regular season. Playoff competition would be separate.  

School principals will vote on the issue Friday.

Athletic Director Tami Reynolds-McClure said St. Michael of the Arch Angel High School in Baton Rouge is voting no across the board because they see nothing wrong with the way things are now.

"There’s outstanding public schools out there, there’s outstanding private schools out there. You want to compete against the best," said Reynolds-McClure. "I think by separating them, you’re not going to have that everyone competing against each other. I think we should try to be one big unit and try to get the best of the best schools to win the title."

Reynolds-McClure suspects the football proposal is still going to pass, even though many of the private schools are probably going to vote no.

Church Point High School football coach and athletic director John Arceneaux said private schools are against the proposal because they are the ones with the advantage.  

"You know, where as, you’re a rural school like we are, I mean, we are just kind of locked in from where we can draw and they just have a much larger zone that they can draw as far as getting students and athletes. And that creates some inequity on the field of play," said Arceneaux.

Arceneaux said Church Point will be voting yes for the football proposal, which would go into effect immediately. He said if the proposals pass and the schools don’t end up liking the change, they can just repeal them in two years.