article Board of Control on Future Hoops Calendar, Regional Alignment & State Advancement

For Immediate Release: November 16, 2017

The Board of Control conducted a regularly scheduled meeting at the KHSAA Offices on Wednesday morning, during which time it addressed a future basketball scheduling conflict, the placement of a new school in 2018-19 and revised state qualifying in two championships.

With a facility conflict pending at Rupp Arena in 2021 due to the venue hosting first round games of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, an adjustment to the basketball calendar was necessary to accommodate the Sweet 16®. In addition, the girls’ basketball tournament was previously awarded to Rupp Arena in 2019 and 2020, with an option to extend to 2021 and 2022.

Based upon recommendation from staff, the Board approved a proposal to shift the start of the basketball season forward one week, for the 2020-21 season only, and adjust the corresponding dates calendar accordingly. The Commissioner was also authorized to begin final negotiations with the arena and hotel properties, and return data to the Board for a final determination of dates for both the 2021 boys’ and girls’ basketball tournaments.

With the opening of Great Crossings High School next year, and the desire of the Scott County schools Superintendent to keep the new school aligned with Scott County HS, the Board needed to address the alignment in the 11th Region. With the Board’s preference being to avoid six-team districts, an adjustment in several other districts became necessary to keep Great Crossing paired with Scott County. After examining several possibilities, the Board approved a recommended option to move Scott County and Great Crossings into the 41st District, while relocating Woodford County to District 30 in the 8th Region. The new alignment, which will be shared with the membership for comment could be finalized in January, and if approved, will place five teams in District 30, 41 and 43, and four teams each in district 42 and 44.

The Board also took action in the sport of Swimming and Diving and the sport-activity of Bass Fishing to address overcrowded regions and competitive balance. The Commissioner’s Advisory Committee on Swimming and Diving met on November 14, at which time it reviewed the situation created in northern Kentucky following the statewide realignment to nine regions. Dating back historically to the days of six-lane pools, regional performances were capped at the top-12 times/marks being considered for at-large advancement to the state meet (twice the number of lanes). The expansion from five regions to nine, however, has had a potentially adverse impact on overly large regions.

While most regions were “spread out” evenly through realignment, the Northern Kentucky region remained the largest meet with well over 500 competitors, and splitting the region into multiple regions was determined not to be advantageous due to facility options. To remedy the situation and create competitive equity within the regions, the Board approved a recommendation to increase the cap to be considered for at-large qualifying from 12 to a maximum of 16, which corresponds to the fact that all regional facilities now have eight lanes (allowing consideration of all competitors in the consolation and championship finals for state qualification). In addition, staff was directed to consult with schools in Madison County (including Berea) about voluntary relocation to Region 9 in order to remedy a potential overcrowding problem at the regional meet.

With the continued growth of Bass Fishing among member schools, an imbalance in the regions has developed over the last three years, particularly in region two. When the KHSAA conducted its first state championship in 2013 there were 108 entries at the regional championships, a number which has grown every year and reached 314 entries in 2017. This growth resulted in region two having nearly twice as many teams entered in its championship as two of the other regions.

Due to the limited options available to host a regional championship, expanding the regions was not deemed to be a practical option, therefore the Board approved a recommendation to address the competitive balance. Beginning with the 2018 season, each regional will advance a minimum of 16 competing boats to the state championship (as has been done previously), and an additional one boat for every five competitors entered over 72 boats to a maximum state field of 80 boats.

In other action taken Wednesday, the Board:

Approved the InBody 120, InBody 270, Tanita TBF-300WA plus as the three bioimpedance devices for determining wrestling minimum weight along with the BodPod, while allowing the Hydrostatic weight to remain as the appeal device. This change was necessitated by the fact that the older Tanita model in use by a large number of members schools is no longer being supported by the manufacturer.

11/16/17 – Board of Control Addresses Future Basketball Calendar, Regional Alignment and State Advancement | Kentucky High School Athletic Association

Wow. I guess Scott County is all powerful. Three Kenton county schools in 3 regions, but they move wood ford County out of region to keep Scott county in the same district. 8th region schools continue to drive through Frankfort to play other regional teams. Crazy.

Wow. I guess Scott County is all powerful. Three Kenton county schools in 3 regions, but they move wood ford County out of region to keep Scott county in the same district. 8th region schools continue to drive through Frankfort to play other regional teams. Crazy.

If Scott County was all powerful I don't think they would have been moved from the 10th to the 11th to begin with.

No mention of football changes, which makes it very clear Tackett's "proposal" was nothing more than an idea and they're still working on a potentially new format. (I know this is the basketball forum but not sure how/where to respond with this statement).

True. They also wanted to stay in the 8th where they dominated. But you would have to agree the khsaa does not seem to care about some locations, yet they prioritize other locations. Three Kenton County schools in three regions is absurd.

True. They also wanted to stay in the 8th where they dominated. But you would have to agree the khsaa does not seem to care about some locations, yet they prioritize other locations. Three Kenton County schools in three regions is absurd.

If anything it should help the Kenton County Cream to rise to the top.

If anything it should help the Kenton County Cream to rise to the top.

I agree. I would love for the opportunity for my county to be represented 3 times in the sweet 16.

The shifting in the 11th region did nothing to alleviate the brutal schedule the 43rd district has to go through every year with Dunbar, Lafayette, Lexington Catholic, Tates Creek, and LCA. There will still be 18 teams in the 11th region- which is always a tough one to get out of.

If anything it should help the Kenton County Cream to rise to the top.

Scott and Dixie have done their part. SK not so much.

Wood ford should love this move.

If Scott County was all powerful I don't think they would have been moved from the 10th to the 11th to begin with.

You mean the 8th to the 11th.

They were in the 10th years ago.

You mean the 8th to the 11th.

They were in the 10th years ago.

Thanks guys.

No matter how we cut it the KHSAA moved one of the most powerful basketball programs in Kentucky into the already loaded 11th Region.

I'm with Q, I hate driving through Franklin County, to go play seems silly and now, we get to do it twice. Also think about Woodford to SK or Walton or for that matter, Spencer has already been doing that, my option get them more geographical and not worry about the size of the districts.

Nothing about the Bullitt County schools either. I know they want out of the 6th and either back into the 8th or into the 5th...away from Louisville/Jefferson County schools.

If anything it should help the Kenton County Cream to rise to the top.

Scott has won regionals in Boys Basketball, Boys Soccer, Baseball, and Volleyball since moving to the 10th region twelve years ago. Can't see them complaining much lol

Does anyone else find it "convenient" that the Chair of the Board of Control is also the Superintendent of Woodford County Schools? Or am I just the only one who will point that out? Listen, I understand its hard to move 3 schools from one region to another and all that. I'm not even saying the Frankfort schools should be in the 8th, but its absurd that Woodford is going to the 8th region. Woodford County borders 1 county that's in the 8th region, Anderson. Franklin County borders Owen, Shelby, Anderson, and Henry County. Think about that for just a second. There is no easy fix to this situation. Personally I think they should've just moved Great Crossing to the 41st and then the 11th Region would have three 5 team districts and it be no issue. I know the Scott County superintendent requested that Great Crossings and Scott County be placed in the same district. I guess we cant tell people no these days haha. Or how about this, move both Scott County schools to the 41st, move Woodford to the 43rd, and then move Tates Creek to the 42nd. Many other ways this all could've been fixed, but its all about politics and if you don't realize that then youre just missing the point.