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The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Executive Staff is considering a five-division model that will be presented to its membership for future feedback and deliberation today.



After a four-member committee comprised of Roger Foegen, WIAA Board of Control President from Bangor; Jim Dyer, Board of Control nonpublic school representative from Pacelli; Jerry Petitgoue, WBCA Executive Director; and Debra Hauser, WIAA Associate Director met and reviewed four plans that arose from the Area Meeting discussions last fall.



The plan advanced from the meeting was a modified version of the plan originated by Steve Board of Richland Center. Other plans reviewed include one authored by Jim Blaine of Benton, a straight five-division model using face value enrollments that divided schools equally between each of the five divisions, and a fourth plan that would have subtracted the open enrollment students from all public school reported enrollments.



Following are details regarding the idea that is being advanced by the WIAA Board of Control along with support from the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. It divides the basketball playing member schools into five divisions for tournament competition.



The proposed five-division model below will focus on face value enrollments as the determining factor as to where all schools would fall into a given division. A 2:1 enrollment ratio was the fundamental criteria.



The divisions would be constructed as follows:

Division 1 - schools with an enrollment of 1200 and above

Division 2 - schools with enrollments ranging from 600 - 1199

Division 3 - 50% of schools with enrollments between 200 and 600

Division 4 - 50% of schools with enrollments between 200 and 600

Division 5 - schools with enrollments of 200 and less



Linked is a spreadsheet that shows the placement of schools for the 2011 boys basketball tournament within the above divisions. Please note that Division 1 would be comprised of 76 schools; Division 2 would  have 88 schools; Division 3 would have 98 schools; Division 4 would have 99 schools; and Division 5 would have 122 schools. The same enrollment ranges would also be applied to schools sponsoring girls basketball.



From each division, four teams would advance to the State Tournament. This would also mean a change to the traditional State Tournament schedule. Following is the proposed State Tournament schedule:



Thursday afternoon - Division 5 semifinals

Thursday evening - Division 4 semifinals

Friday morning - Division 3 semifinals

Friday afternoon - Division 2 semifinals

Friday evening - Division 1 semifinals

Saturday late morning/afternoon - State Championship games in Divisions 5, 4 and 3

Saturday evening - State Championship games in Division 2 and 1



As was the case with the football district plan, this is an idea in need of membership review and feedback.



A possible timeline would be as follows:



WADA Caucus Agenda Item - Spring 2010

March 31 - Basketball Coaches Advisory Committee review

April 28 - Annual Meeting Discussion Item

June 14 - Sports Advisory Committee Meeting

June 23 - Advisory Council Meeting

June 24 - Board of Control Meeting



If adopted, possible implementation could be as early as the 2011 basketball tournament series.



Full Press Release



WisSports.net has mapped out their projections by sectional and by division.  In these google maps, use the dropdowns on the left to change division and/or sectional and click on the pointer to see the school name.



By Sectional:

http://www.wissports.ne...s/hoopsb/5divmap_all.asp



By Division:

http://www.wissports.net/sports/hoopsb/5divmap.asp



An alpha list of the sectionals is available on the WIAA site:



D1 Alpha

D2 Alpha

D3 Alpha

D4 Alpha

D5 Alpha



Lastly, WSN President & Founder Nicholas Kartos shares his thoughts on the plan.