More divisions in OHSAA sports coming?

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Might we see two or three new divisions in some Ohio high school sports tournaments? Divisions V, VI and VII in sports such as volleytball and basketball? Divisions IV, V and VI in wrestling? Additional divisions in other sports?

It’s been rumored for weeks and now it appears there’s a strong possibility it’s going to happen.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association is considering adding more divisions in a number of sports outside of football. Principals and athletic administrators were notified of the possibility in a memo from OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute sent via email Wednesday morning.

A copy of the memo obtained by the VW independent said the OHSAA Board of Directors and staff have been discussing expanding tournament divisions in the competitive balance sports of baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and girls volleyball.

“With many member school administrators and coaches expressing their interest to me on expansion nearly from the time I started as executive director in September 2020, combined with the concern in the enrollment disparity of the teams from the top to the bottom of the larger divisions, the Board and staff began discussions on the issue earlier this school year,” Ute wrote. “The Board of Directors could act on a proposal as soon as early 2024.”

“Our No. 1 goal is to do what is best for the student-athletes,” Ute stated. “The Board and staff regard expansion as being extremely healthy, and it is something we believe you and your participants would support. We have seven tournament divisions in the sport of football, so why not give student-athletes, schools and their communities the same, or at least comparable, opportunities to compete for a state championship in some of our other sports.”

He also noted that during the discussions with the Board and staff, OHSAA officials have studied the number of tournament divisions and formats in other states and have found that several states, including many that have fewer member schools, have more tournament divisions than Ohio.

With the exception of football, the OHSAA has not had expansion in some of its traditional four-division sports since the late 1980s.

Ute said details will be announced after the holidays about opportunities for school administrators to share feedback on expansion and he said the OHSAA is collecting input from various state coaching associations. He also said expansion would not have a major financial impact on the OHSAA.

“Expansion would not mean playing more tournament contests overall, it simply would be putting the same number of teams into more divisions,” he wrote.

One of the key factors in considering expansion appears to be enrollment disparity in the OHSAA’s large school division.

“When looking at the current enrollment disparity in Division I in the sports of baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and girls volleyball, the enrollment difference from the top to the bottom of schools in Division I is an average of 939 students, with highs of 955 in boys soccer (an enrollment range of 346 to 1,301), 954 in boys basketball (346 to 1,300), 944 in baseball (356 to 1,300) and 940 in girls volleyball (319 to 1,249),” Ute said. “Expansion would likely address this disparity.”

Ute said any proposed changes in the number of tournament divisions would need to be approved by a majority vote of the OHSAA Board of Directors.