Barry and Lubrano have already threatened to investigate the PIAA BoD for fiscal improprieties unless they name it the Joe Paterno Flag Football Championships.
Bigger question is: how could you not keep from getting whistled for a holding penalty on every dang play?????Is that touch football?
We will be entering our 3rd season here in the NYSPHSAA. It's exploding in popularity. We had a great deal of financial support from the 3 NY NFL franchises.
The Ravens have sponsored school systems here in MD for the past two years. We now have 5 counties (roughly 60 teams) organized through that venture and I would assume that by next fall we could potentially have half of the state playing (~ 200 public schools in MD). If the Team formerly known as Redskins joins the party we will probably get full sanctioning next year.
New York will host state champions in at least 3 classifications this spring. We have noticed that participation numbers are declining in softball and lacrosse ( some smaller schools are unable to field programs at all 3 levels( jr hi, jv and varsity).
Trust me when I tell you this is not a PIAA issue alone. Nor is it ignored or swept under the rug. The hurdles to resolution are many and quite complex. Some of the issues believe it or not are state legislators who don't see it like we do.... add the fact that legal counsel warns us that each non public member has the right to sue indivdually...presenting the potential of liability in the tens of millions. The fatal mistake occurred decades ago when state associations admitted non publics as full members.
That’s similar with us. We have noticed some other sports losing participants, specifically field hockey. I could see that sport really dropping off quickly as flag football grows
My oldest grandaughter , who graduated from HS this year played her junior & senior years in Tennessee. The Tennessee Titans got the game going with their sponsorship two years ago in Williamson (Nashville suburb) & Davidson (Nashville city) counties. Tennessee also decided at the end of this season that it would become a statewide sanctioned sport in 2025. She was bummed it didn't happen her senior year. There was great participation from all the high schools. My grandaughters HS team had tryouts and had to cut girls.
There were rumors a few years ago that the PIAA had a proposal to classify all privates in one classification. Then it died and wasn’t heard from again. You are correct, it is a deep, complex issue. I’m sure there’s some greasing the wheels going on behind the scenes also. In the meantime, schools recruit from multiple states and then are allowed to participate in PIAA playoffs.
The issues with grouping non publics in one classification then becomes enrollment, travel and in approving this solution, since the non publics are members....would require their cooperation and consent. Otherwise the dreaded process of litigation. I have issues each year in the league I administer. Private schools dominate soccer, basketball and volleyball. They are not very competitive in the others...football is up and down. Andrew Rappelya (spelling)...attended a public and later transferred to a Catholic school in my league...before he then again moved to a prep.
Well, since the parents of the kids from NJ, Delaware, etc can get their kids to football practice at St. Joe’s Prep, then they certainly can figure out transportation to their games. I get what you are saying, but I have zero sympathy for the privates in that scenario. You are correct, the mistake was letting the privates compete in PIAA in the first place.
I get the frustration. I heard it coming from my ADs as recently as Wednesday at our league meeting.
