SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer Can or should Soccer have its own class in High School??

I believe Kevin Heise et al proposed a system to the High School League over 5 years ago that would classify schools by historical soccer success rather than by attendance numbers. As I recall, it went over like a lead balloon.

I don't know what the league's reaction was back then, but I could imagine that the other sports' coaches would say something like: "If the current class system is good enough for all of the other high school sports, why does soccer think they are so special that they need a different system?"

Maybe for the same reason we keep seeing "School X will participate in Region Y in every sport EXCEPT FOOTBALL..."

While we're dreaming, how about this based on the midseason Massey ratings:

DIVISION I
Upper Conference: Dorman, Mauldin, TL Hanna, Riverside, Woodruff, Eastside, Spartanburg, Greenville, Christ Church, Boiling Springs, Byrnes, Wren, JL Mann, Hillcrest
Middle Conference: Ft Mill, South Aiken, Clover, Spring Valley, Lexington, Brookland-Cayce, Dutch Fork, Irmo, Blythewood, White Knoll, Ridgeview, Dreher
Lower Conference: Wando, Waccamaw, Hilton Head, Bishop England, West Ashley, Academic Magnet, West Florence, James Island, Summerville, Myrtle Beach, St James, Beaufort

DIVISION II
Upper Conference: Wade Hampton, Travelers Rest, Walhalla, Seneca, Southside Christian, Belton-Honea Path, Easley, Pickens, Woodmont, Blue Ridge, Westside, Broome, West-Oak
Middle Conference: Chapin, Barnwell, Northwestern, Nation Ford, Airport, North Augusta, Gilbert, AC Flora, Rock Hill, Swansea, Aiken, Lancaster
Lower Conference: Stratford, Carolina Forest, Bluffton, Ft Dorchester, N Myrtle Beach, Berkeley, Ashley Ridge, Socastee, Colleton County, Hanahan, Conway, Sumter

DIVISION III
Upper Conference: Gaffney, Southside, Greenwood, Greenville Tech, Chapman, Greer, Daniel, Union, Carolina Academy, Berea, Pendleton, Landrum, Laurens
Middle Conference: Richland NE, York, South Pointe, O'burg-Wilkinson, Indian Land, Andrew Jackson, Pelion, Lugoff-Elgin, Chester, Lewisville, Fairfield Central, Camden
Lower Conference: Hampton, Loris, Goose Creek, Hartsville, Garrett Tech, Timberland, South Florence, Woodland, Burke, Andrews, Crestwood

SCHEDULE: Each team would play all of the teams in their conference once and schedule non-conference/interdivisional games to complete a 16 games schedule.

PROMOTION/RELEGATION: Each year there would be promotion/relegation of four teams between the divisions of each conference. For example, the bottom two teams from D1-Upper would move down to D2-Upper and top two teams from D2-Upper would move up to D1-Upper.

PLAYOFFS: The top four teams from each conference would enter a 12 team playoff system at each division level. For example, at D1, the top four Upper, top four Middle, and top four Lower would make the playoffs. The top teams from each of the three conferences and a wild-card with the best record would get byes in the first round. The playoffs would then progress to quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship rounds. So there would be a D1 Champion, D2 Champion, and D3 Champion like there are AAAA, AAA, and AA/A champions now.

I love the concept. The geography is not too bad either.

Of course, it's an athletic director's nightmare!

I'd take that plan--it would be fewer miles traveled than what's been set out for us over the next two years, too!

Of course--much like the agreement Region 7-AAAA has with Region 8-AAAA schools now; we play our region teams twice, the other region's teams once, and alternate years traveling to the other region's schools. If you make it a two-year relegation/promotion cycle instead of every year, like region alignments are now, that would guarantee that each away date would be reciprocated.

Coach P you are a genious as well as your plan, Unfortunately that is exactly why no one in charge will give it a chance.

wow you put a lot of thought into this. I like it just would like to see at least 8 teams from each division. Especially since each division has 15 teams. and it would only add one exta game