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WIAA Competitive Balance Ad Hoc Committee provides update on findings and planning

08/11/2022, 10:00am CDT
By WIAA

After reviewing the committee's purpose statement and operating principles, the committee reviewed new information collected through the feedback portal. The committee then met in small groups to consider various plans, including those from other states.

The committee then met in a large group format to answer key questions. The first question was whether the group felt, after considering data that had been collected, analyzed and reported by Baird to the committee, whether competitive balance problems exist that should be addressed. The committee unanimously agreed that a competitive balance issue does exist and that it should be addressed.

Next, the committee worked to identify specific competitive balance problems. Among the items, committee members agreed that athletes, coaches, parents and administrators perceive some schools have unfair advantages or disadvantages. Moreover, in responding to data presented by Baird based on data collected by the firm, correlations exist between particular variables and tournament success. Finally, while enrollment is currently the only factor used for divisional placement, committee members agreed that times have changed such that other factors should be considered to create more competitive balance.

The committee then discussed how the various plans under consideration could address the problems that have been identified. Without addressing the plan's details, the group agreed that some of the basic parts of the Colorado Plan provide the best fit for Wisconsin.

Before adjourning, the committee discussed some next steps, including creating a subcommittee to meet in the coming weeks to address some of the details of a plan that will be presented to members at the upcoming WIAA Area Meetings. The committee will meet again, virtually, on Wednesday, Aug. 31.


As always, for more information on the proceedings of the Competitive Balance Ad Hoc Committee, access the Competitive Balance homepage at:  http://www.wiaawi.org/Schools/Competitive-Balance.

In addition, members are encouraged to provide feedback after each of the committee's meetings on the WIAA website portal at:  https://schools.wiaawi.org/Forms/Feedback/FeedbackSelection/


About the Author

Travis Wilson serves as the WisSports.net General Manager, Football Editor, and contributing writer for other parts of the site. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisWSN.

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.

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