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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 31, 2003
Contact: John Johnson or Randy Allen
517.332.5046 or www.mhsaa.com
2003-04 School Classifications
Announced
EAST LANSING, Mich. - April 1 - The 2003-04 school year classifications
for Michigan High School Athletic Association elections and post-season
tournaments in traditionally classified sports
(A, B, C, D) have been announced.
Classifications for the upcoming school year are based on a second
semester count date, which was February 26. The enrollment figure
submitted for athletic classification purposes may be different
from the count submitted for school aid purposes, as it does
not include students ineligible for athletic competition because
they reached their 19th birthday prior to Sept. 1 of the current
school year and will not include alternative education students
if none are allowed athletic eligibility by the local school
district.
After all the counts are submitted, the 758 tournament-qualified
member schools are ranked according to enrollment, and then split
as closely into quarters as possible. For 2002-03, it works out
that 190 schools are in Classes A, 188 schools are in Class B,
and 190 schools are in Classes C and D.
Effective with the 2003-04 school year, schools with 1,042 or
more students are in Class A in MHSAA competition. The enrollment
limits for Class B are 497 to 1,041; Class C is 233 to 496; and
schools with enrollments of 232 and under are Class D. The break
increased 16 students between Classes A and B; increased 5 students
between Classes B and C; and the break between Classes C and
D decreased by 10.
Schools were recently notified of their classification. MHSAA
Executive Director John E. "Jack" Roberts said that
schools may not appeal their classification if the appeal is
to play in a lower class.
However, if revised enrollment figures indicate that a school
should be playing in a higher class, that school would be moved
up.
The new classification breaks will see 13 schools move up in
class for 2002-03, while six schools will move down.
Schools have the option to play at any higher classification
for a minimum of two years, but must exercise the option by April
15 for fall sports, August 15 for winter sports, and October
15 for spring sports.
MHSAA tournament sports conducted in traditional classifications
are Basketball, Girls Competitive Cheer, Girls Gymnastics, Skiing,
and Girls Volleyball. Sports which will compete in nearly equal
divisions are: Baseball, Boys and Girls Cross Country, Boys and
Girls Golf, Ice Hockey, Softball, Boys and Girls
Swimming and Diving, Boys and Girls Tennis, Boys and Girls
Track and Field, and Wrestling. Boys and Girls Soccer will have
20 percent of sponsoring schools in Division 4 and the remaining
schools divided equally into Divisions 1, 2 and 3. The division
breaks in those sports, except football, will be announced in
April. (Media can visit the respective sports pages on the MHSAA
Web Site to review the divisional alignments) The eight divisions
of the MHSAA Football Playoffs will be announced on Selection
Sunday, Oct. 26, 2003.
Here is a complete list of the schools changing classification
for 2003-04 (Note: This list does not include schools opting
up in class/division for tournaments):
Moving Up From Class B To Class A
Rochester Hills Stoney Creek
Walled Lake Northern
Redford Thurston
Clio
Moving Down From Class A To Class B
Stevensville Lakeshore
Livonia Ladywood
Moving Up From Class C To Class B
Plymouth
Dundee
Farwell
Moving Down From Class B To Class C
Calumet
Riverview Gabriel Richard
Moving Up From Class D To Class C
Ecorse
Hale
Potterville
Detroit School of Industrial Arts
Saugatuck
Pellston
Moving Down From Class C To Class D
Allen Park Cabrini
Carsonville-Port Sanilac
New Post-Season Tournament Schools in 2002-03
Interlochen Arts Academy (Class C)
Detroit Universal Academy (Class D)
Otsego Baptist Academy (Class D)
Saline-Washtenaw Christian Academy (Class D)
Enrollment Breaks By Classes - 2003-04
(Number of schools in parenthesis)
Class A 1,042 and above (189)
Class B 497 to 1,041 (189)
Class C 233 to 496 (190)
Class D 232 and below (190)
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary
membership by over 1,300 public and private senior high schools
and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common
rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government
funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such
association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament
entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules
are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract
approximately 1.6 million spectators each year.
Farm Bureau Insurance and MEEMIC Insurance
are year-round MHSAA Corporate Partners
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