ARTICLE 34

3400. LEAGUES AND DIVISIONS

A.  General Information

   1. The league placement Committee shall consist of the Section Commissioner and the three League (Area) Commissioners.

   2. League placement for all schools in the Central Section shall take place every two years. Divisional placement shall take place every two years. Review of the Divisions for possible adjustments will take place every other summer, starting in 2011, using the point system outlined in Section E. The primary intent of Divisional Placement is to place schools where they can be competitive with other schools in that division, not necessarily win Section Championships.

   3.  A minimum of four schools is required to make up an official league in any sport.

   4.  Schools in leagues with less than four teams competing in a particular sport will not be considered an official league, and may freelance for competition, or appeal to another administrative league for league status in a particular sport. The acceptance of a school by another league in a particular sport must be verified by the accepting league to the Section Commissioner. Schools unable to obtain acceptance in a league have the right to appeal to the Section Commissioner for placement.

   5.  School Districts with multiple high school MAY request that all or part of the School District schools be placed in the same league, but the final determination of placement recommendation to the Board of Managers must be based on what is the best interest of the entire Section.

   6.   New schools that open during the cycle will be placed by the Commissioners in Leagues and Divisions determined by the schools projected growth and competition level. Schools entering the Section with Freshmen, and or Freshman and Sophomores, will freelance for the first two years they are members of the Section. Schools that enter the Section with Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors will be placed in Leagues and Divisions for immediate participation.

B. Criteria for Division and League Alignment

       1. The Commissioners shall consider the following criteria when placing schools in divisions or leagues.

               DIVISIONS                                                                                                                LEAGUES

·        Sport by sport  Gender by Gender basis                                          Financial Impact                                                                   

                                                                                                                     Scope of Athletic Program 

                                                                                                            Competitiveness of Programs

                                                                                                                                                                            

      2.   The final determination of placement must be based on the best interest of the entire Section. Changes and recommendations received from the schools on proposals previously recommended to the Commissioners may or may not result in additional changes in the proposal(s) submitted to the Board of Managers for a first reading at a special MARCH Board of Managers meeting.

 

C. LEAGUE PROCEDURE---- The schedule for realignment shall be as follows: 

           

                                  

1)       End of August

 

a)       The Section Commissioner will send to all schools in the Section a Request for Realignment Proposal.

 

     2)    October---

                         

                        Proposals shall be received in the Section Office one week prior to the League Placement meeting. ALL PROPOSALS RECEIVED WILL BE E-MAILED TO ALL SCHOOLS IN THE SECTION. PROPOSALS MUST INCLUDE YOUR LEAGUE AND ANY OTHER LEAGUE AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSAL. THE LEAGUE ALIGNMENT PROPOSAL DOES NOT HAVE TO INCLUDE ALL SCHOOLS IN THE SECTION. THE LEAGUE PLACEMENT MEETING WILL BE THE FIRST THURSDAY IN OCTOBER.

 

a)      Schools or Leagues submitting proposals for the Organizational meeting may present a brief reason for their proposals at the meeting.

 

      3)   October-November

 

               The Commissioners will review all proposals submitted at the Organizational meeting.

 

4)       November 15

 

                The Section Commissioner will send to all schools and the Board of Managers in the Section, THE COMMISSIONER’S proposal(s) NO LATER THAN THE 3RD MONDAY IN NOVEMBER.

 

 

5)       November- December

 

                Schools and Leagues will review the Commissioner’s proposal (s).

 

6)       January

 

               Proposed changes to the Commissioner’s proposal (s) must be in the Section Commissioner’s office by the THIRD WEDNESDAY IN January

 

a)      A meeting will be held the second week in FEBRUARY to hear the concerns of the Commissioner’s proposal (s).

b)      The Commissioners will consider recommendations from schools/leagues for changes to their November proposal, and make adjustment if necessary. The Commissioner’s final proposal will be submitted to all schools and the Board of Managers for a first reading at A SPECIAL MARCH Board of Managers meeting

 

7)       March-April

 

                 League discussion.

 

8)       MARCH

 

                 Board of Managers meeting---FIRST READING OF COMMISSIONER’S PROPOSAL(S) FOR LEAGUE REALIGNMENT.

 

     9)     APRIL-----FINAL VOTE

 

                   a) An adopted Realignment proposal will be implemented for a two year cycle.

    

 

D. Requests for Section Membership

 

              1. Schools must apply, in writing, to the Section Commissioner for membership. The written request must include an agreement to compete in at least one girls’ and one boys’ sport in each of the three seasons (fall, winter, spring). The written request must also include an entrance deposit of $750.00. The entrance deposit will be returned to the requesting school (s) upon the completion of one year of competition in an assigned league or free-lancing in the agreed upon varsity sports. The refund will also occur if the requesting school is not accepted into the Central section.

 

             2. Requests for section membership must be received by the Section Commissioner. The school's request may become an action item on the agenda of the next meeting of the Board of Managers. If the school is granted section membership, the Section Commissioner shall recommend placement in a division, subject to Board of Managers approval.

 

            3. Acceptance of out-of-section schools shall be for a probationary period for the duration of the realignment cycle in which they entered the Section.

 

            4. Schools accepted into the Central Section during the middle of a league placement cycle may:

                 a. Free-lance until the next league alignment cycle.

                 b. Appeal to an administrative league for acceptance. If accepted, the league must notify the Section Commissioner.

 

 

E. DIVISION ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE    

     IN THE SUMMER OF EACH ODD NUMBERED YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2011, THE SECTION COMMISSIONER AND THE LEAGUE COMMISSIONERS WILL MEET TO REVIEW THE POINT TOTALS ACCRUED BY THE SCHOOLS FOR REALIGNMENT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. AFTER REVIEW, THOSE TOTALS WILL BE SENT TO THE SCHOOLS FOR REVIEW AND CORRECTIONS WHERE NECESSARY.

    IN DECEMBER OF THE SAME YEAR, THE SECTION COMMISSIONER AND THE LEAGUE COMMISSIONERS WILL MEET TO REVIEW THE POINTS ACCRUED BY THE SCHOOLS FOR THE RECENTLY COMPLETED FALL SEASON. THOSE POINTS WILL BE ADDED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR’S TOTAL FOR DIVISION PLACEMENT PURPOSES FOR THE NEXT CYCLE. THOSE TOTALS WILL BE SENT TO THE SCHOOLS FOR REVIEW AND CORRECTIONS. THE COMMISSIONER’S PROPOSAL FOR  FALL SPORTS DIVISIONAL PLACEMENT WILL BE PLACED ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS AGENDA IN JANUARY FOR A FIRST READING, AND VOTE IN APRIL.

        IN MARCH OF THE SAME SCHOOL YEAR, THE SECTION COMMISSIONER AND THE LEAGUE COMMISSIONERS WILL MEET TO REVIEW THE POINTS ACCRUED BY THE SCHOOLS FOR THE RECENTLY COMPLETED WINTER SEASON. THOSE POINTS WILL BE ADDED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR’S TOTAL FOR DIVISION PLACEMENT PURPOSES FOR THE NEXT CYCLE. THOSE TOTALS WILL BE SENT TO THE SCHOOLS FOR REVIEW AND CORRECTIONS. THE COMMISSIONER’S PROPOSAL FOR WINTER SPORTS DIVISIONAL PLACEMENT WILL BE PLACED ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS AGENDA IN APRIL FOR A FIRST READING, AND VOTE IN OCTOBER OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

     IN JUNE OF THE SAME SCHOOL YEAR, THE SECTION COMMISSIONER AND THE LEAGUE COMMISSIONERS WILL MEET TO REVIEW THE POINTS ACCRUED BY THE SCHOOLS FOR THE RECENTLY COMPLETED SPRING SEASON. THOSE POINTS WILL BE ADDED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR’S TOTAL FOR DIVISION PLACEMENT PURPOSES FOR THE NEXT CYCLE. THOSE TOTALS WILL BE SENT TO THE SCHOOLS FOR REVIEW AND CORRECTIONS. THE COMMISSIONER’S PROPOSAL FOR SPRING SPORTS DIVISIONAL PLACEMENT DIVISIONS WILL BE PLACED ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS AGENDA IN OCTOBER FOR A FIRST READING , AND VOTE IN JANUARY OF THE SAME SCHOOL YEAR.

     USING A POINT SYSTEM, LISTED BELOW, THE TOP SCORING SCHOO(S) IN A DIVISION MAY BE MOVED UP 1 DIVISION. THE BOTTOM SCORING SCHOOL(S) MAY BE MOVED DOWN 1 DIVISION. IN CASE OF TIES, THE MOST RECENT YEARS POINT TOTAL WILL BE COUNTED TO DETERMINE WHICH SCHOOL(S) MOVES UP OR DOWN.

 THE INTENT OF DIVISIONAL PLACEMENT IS TO PLACE SCHOOLS WHERE THEY CAN BE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER SCHOOLS IN THAT DIVISION. IT IS NOT TO WIN SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS.

1)       DIVISION POINTS

            BRACKETED SPORTS                                              NON-BRACKETED SPORT 

           SECTION CHAMPION                      40                            SECTION CHAMPION                    40     

           SECTION RUNNER UP                    25                            SECTION RUNNER UP                   25

           SECTION SEMI-FINAL LOSER       15                             3rd AND 4th                                      15  

           SECTION QUARTER FINALIST      10                             5th THRU 8th                                    10 

 

            SEEDING POINTS                                                      LEAGUE PLACEMENT

            #1 & #2                12                                                        LEAGUE CHAMPION                        6

            # 3 & #4               10                                                        LEAGUE RUNNER-UP                      5

            #5 & #6                  8                                                       THIRD PLACE                                     4

            #7 & #8                  5                                                        FOURTH                                            3

                                                                                                        FIFTH                                              2    

 

                                                                                                         OTHERS                                         1

F. LEAGUE AND DIVISIONAL APPEALS PROCEDURE

 

1)       SCHOOLS OR LEAGUES MAY APPEAL THE BOARD OF MANAGERS ADOPTED PROPOSAL BY SUBMITTING A WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE SECTION COMMISSIONER WITH 15 SCHOOLS DAYS OF THE VOTE. THE STATEMENT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:

A)      HOW DUE PROCESS RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED

B)      THE CONCERNS OF THE LEAGUE (S)/SCHOOLS

C)      THE SCHOOL’S/LEAGUE’S ALIGNMENT PROPOSAL WHICH MUST INCLUDE EVERY SCHOOL EFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED CHANGE

2)       THE APPEALS COMMITTEE WILL RENDER A DECISION WITHIN 10 SCHOOL DAYS AFTER RECEIVING NOTIFICATION OF AN APPEAL FROM THE SECTION COMMISSIONER.

3)       BY-LAW 1103 GRANTS SCHOOLS THE RIGHT TO APPEAL THE FINAL DECISION TO THE STATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR POSSIBLE MEDIATION ARBITRATION.