North Dakota Preps

Linton's win guarantees that we'll have a "small" class B school in the championship game.

A TL-M win would guarantee an all small school semifinal.

And this is the year of the three class plan "gaining momentum!"

Someone's going to come on and say that this year is the exception and not the rule, but we've now had a small school in the boys title game for three years in a row, and we had small vs. small in the girls championship game.

Someone else is going to come on and criticize Linton for the transfers that have helped their team, but a three class system does NOTHING to fix that problem.

Did anyone catch the interview with Sherm Sylling during the "B" on Friday night? He said the recommendation from the member schools was 80 something to 60 something against 3 classes but the board of directors voted down the recommendation!

Sylling went on to say that the next big date is April 20-something. Must be when they have their next meeting.

I am so darn mad at that board of directors right now!!!! I thought in a democracy that a board of directors was in place to carry out the wishes of the members. Evidently, in the NDHSAA, the board thinks they know better than the membership. I would like to see a list of what schools voted for the 3 classes. I can't believe, based on all the talk I hear around the state, that there were 60 schools in favor of 3 classes. That recommendation vote has to be a matter of public record, but I wonder if it can be found anywhere.

How do current board members get voted off???? Seems that is what is going to have to happen in order for this 3-class cr@p to stop. The membership needs to rise up and put their foot down on this issue!!!

For those who feel strongly about it here is the information on those who are deciding this issue.

http://www.ndhsaa.org/board_and_committees

I'm sure they would love to hear from everyone.



Re-Alignment Committee:

Chairman:
Maus(Grafton)

Members:
Eastgate (Beulah)
Schatz (Grand Forks)
Swiontek (Devils Lake)
Jacobson (Wyndmere)

Here is the agenda from 3/20:
http://www.ndhsaa.org/files/Dist_Chair_ ... _20_09.pdf

scruffy wrote:Very few want it.... most ....

The results of the NDHSAA survey indicated that 76 schools wanted the 3-class system, 87 against. The vote results were 47% in favor and 53% opposed.

There were 16 schools who didn't respond to the survey.

Of the 18 current Class A schools, 7 voted yes and 11 voted no.

Of the schools who would be in the middle class, 8 yes and 24 no (4 not voting). Because of coops, some 'teams' got more than one vote because each school can vote.

The small schools that are left favor the 3-class system by about 61-52.

You can no longer say that few schools want it. It appears those who do not want it are just more vocal (or control what is printed or voiced in the media).

It is a close issue, and one that won't go away quietly, no matter what decision is made.

Just read this from the board minutes of their MArch 13th meeting....

Maus reported on the realigment committee meeting on March 7th. With the study of the survey, it was recommendend by the committee to drop the 3-division proposal. Motion by Maus to accept the recommendation, seconded by Schatz.

Voting for the motion: Looysen, Maus, Schatz, Swiontek
Voting against the motion: Moe, Jacobson, Eastgate, Sanstead, Knodle, Lyson

Motion failed 4-6.

Seems strange that the committee made up of board members to study this issue came back and said that it should be dropped, but the entire board still doesn't drop it. I'd like to know the reasons of the 6 that voted the motion down.

Sylling said on TV at the B tourney that the board (assuming the six who voted against dropping the issue) wanted to see the timeline for making a decision followed. That timeline had the final decision being made at the April board meeting.

The NDHSAA board recently released results of a survey of schools about the 3-class system. Below are the votes of schools who have an administrator on the NDHSAA Board:

Grand Forks - no x 2 (Central and Red River)
Minot - no
Washburn - no
Grafton - yes
Devils Lake - yes
Wyndmere - yes
Beulah - yes (represents the ND School Boards Assoc, from Beulah)
Valley City - yes
Center/Stanton - yes

I think you got those votes messed up a bit. Swiontek (DL) and Maus (Grafton) voted for the motion (meaning they were in favor of dropping the 3 class proposal). I don't know where Looysen and Schatz are from, but they were the other two voting to drop the proposal. Four voted yes and 6 voted no.

I edited my prior post to clarify. My comment was on the response of schools to the NDHSAA board survey, not on the motion to discontinue proceeding with the proposal. Sorry for the confusion.

I think its interesting that Maus (Grafton) and Swiontek (DL) initially voted for the 3 class system to represent their school, but then voted to drop the proposal after the committee recommended doing so. At least they are listening to reason and following a process to make their decision, not just voting based on their own opinions. As for the others on the board, I'm not so sure. Will they listen to the committee and the vote of the schools or will they just go on how they think it should be for their own school or their own preference?

To me it seems that some on the committee have a personal agenda...isn't it their job to listen to the other member schools...and not just vote how they want. This system seems to have quite a bit of "scandal"

What do you mean Schwab? On the realignment committee are Maus (Grafton), Swiontek(DL), Eastgate(Buelah), Jacobson(Wyndmere), and Schatz(GF). Two class A, two possible middle class, and one lower class rep. According to the initial survey of schools, 4 of these guys were in favor on the 3 class plan and 1 opposed (Schatz from GF). However, through committee some must have changed their minds and overall as a committee they recommended to drop the proposal. I'm guessing looking at the final votes of the motion, Schatz, Maus, and Swiontek voted 3-2 in committee to drop it. The other two must have not changed their mind since they voted against the final motion to drop. How do you think these five in committee have a personal agenda based on their voting history?

not just based on their actions on this topic...I was making reference to the whole valley city thing.

coachh wrote:

scruffy wrote:Very few want it.... most ....

The results of the NDHSAA survey indicated that 76 schools wanted the 3-class system, 87 against. The vote results were 47% in favor and 53% opposed.

Because of coops, some 'teams' got more than one vote because each school can vote.

Why should a co-op get two votes? Each TEAM should get only one.

Well today is the day we find out the fate of Class B as we know it. If anyone finds out early how the NDHSAA meeting went today - please keep us all informed.

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/238067/

It failed 7-3.

SWEET.

What three reps voted for it?

ndlionsfan wrote:What three reps voted for it?

Board members who voted for the plan were Royal Lyson of Center-Stanton, Rick Jacobson of Wyndmere and Kim Knodle of Valley City.

Wonderful news! The topic won't go away and they won't give up until they get what they want but at least it buys us a couple more years!

I predict that the 3 class system never passes.

I think we have a strong backlash building against the 3 class system. People are sick and tired of the noisy minority on this one. There is no reason why we should have to take a vote on this deal every single year. The 2008-09 sports seasons proved that the small schools can compete in the current class B system.

Some small changes could help class B - (redistricting), but let's quit wasting our time with this 3 class nonsense!

larrybird33 wrote:I predict that the 3 class system never passes.

Some small changes could help class B - (redistricting), but let's quit wasting our time with this 3 class nonsense!

I hope you"re right! In addition, if you look ahead ten years, the problems we face today will be vastly different because many of the schools we call "small" today will be closed. We will be faced with a whole new slew of issues to deal with.

I can't wait tell it is county vs. county Ramsey County vs. Cavalier County or Pembina County vs. Walsh County.

Just a quick question, how many total teams and classes are there for football?

January 6, 2010
Three-class system for ND high school basketball is floated
By: Heath Hotzler, INFORUM

The three-division debate is back.

Less than a year after a proposal to split North Dakota prep basketball and volleyball into three divisions was defeated, a new three-division concept is being spearheaded by Beulah activities director Mitch Lunde.

“I think there is enough interest to continue to pursue it,” Lunde said Tuesday. “Just because it is defeated the first time doesn’t mean there isn’t interest in three divisions.”

The new concept would give schools with an enrollment of 200-500 students and all of North Dakota’s private schools an option to create a “middle division” during the postseason.

A predetermined amount of schools that opted before the start of the year to join the new division would come together after the completion of North Dakota’s district tournaments for a new boys and girls region tourney.

After the district tournaments, mid-level teams would be replaced at the Class A and Class B regional tourneys by the highest placing remaining schools. The mid-level teams would no longer be eligible for the Class A and Class B state tournaments.

A combined mid-level state tournament would be held on March 17-19 at a site to be determined later.

Lunde said the new division would likely need at least 12 participants to work. If there is enough interest, Lunde said the proposal could eventually go before the NDHSAA board of directors for a vote. Lunde would ask for a two-year trial period beginning next year to gauge success of the plan.

“If you are not looking at new ways to do things, you are not being progressive,” Lunde said. “Times have changed. Schools such as Valley City and Beulah don’t really have a place.”

Lunde has set a meeting with North Dakota prep activities directors and administrators from 17 schools for next Tuesday in Carrington.

Central Cass activities director Justin Fletschock said Tuesday he is against the new proposal.

“I’m going (to the meeting in Carrington) to ask why we are doing this again,” Fletschock said. “I think it’s messing around with something that works.”

A three-division plan that was orchestrated by the North Dakota High School Activities Association was defeated by the NDHSAA board 7-3 last April. That proposal called for 16 schools in Class 2A (enrollment of 400 or more), 32 schools in Class 1A and the rest in Class B.

A survey earlier in the year showed 87 member schools were opposed and 76 in favor of a 3-division plan.

In 2008, a straw poll of members conducted by the NDHSAA showed 78 against and 55 in favor of moving to three divisions.

A three-division plan was defeated 120-49 in 2005.

“I don’t think you can just slide under the table and say this is a dead issue,” Lunde said. “I think there is still a lot of interest in having the right plan come up.”