Schools

GHSA Approves New Classification Plan

The GHSA's Executive overwhelmingly rejected the controversial 4/8 plan and approved moving from Class AAAAA to Class AAAAAA starting with the 2012-'13 school year.

MACON -- Georgia high schools will crown six state champions in each sport next year as the state moves from a Class AAAAA to Class AAAAAA system.

By a vote of 26-24, the Georgia High School Association Executive Committee approved the six-classification system proposed by former Brookwood High School Athletic Director Dave Hunter.

That vote came shortly after the committee overwhelmingly rejected the controversial 4/8 proposal advanced by Executive Committee Chairman Stan Ethridge of Savannah. That vote was surprisingly lopsided with 35 of the 50 members opposed.

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Final numbers will be based on October FTE count of each school. Regions will be determined and schools will be placed at that time. That will take place in November or December.

“I think for Loganville High School it puts us in a region that we can be more competitive in all sports,” said LHS athletic director Tommy Stringer. “Because of GHSA going to percentages we were going to lose some schools in Region 8 AAAA. The majority of schools will remain in 5-AAAA. We will drop down because of the new Walnut Grove school taking some of our students.” 

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North Gwinnett Athletic Director Mark Karen said he thinks Georgia is too small to add a Class AAAAAA.

"It wasn't that long ago that we only had four classes," he said. "Five was perfect for this state."

The Macon Telegraph reported that Metro Atlanta schools voted 17-0 against the 4/8 plan and, by the save vote, approved the six-class plan.

"It seems there is a clear divide between Atlanta and the rest of the state," Hunter told the newspaper. "That’s unfortunate."

Stringer said he didn’t think the vote went metro Atlanta vs. the rest of the state.

“Metro Atlanta has enough schools to be placed in regions and travel distance is not a concern,” Stringer said. “Outside metro Atlanta travel distance gets to be a problem.”

The new Class AAAAAA system will be implemented starting with the 2012-13 school year.


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