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At the coaches meeting this summer I brought up the topic of how of the playoff seeding is done. Long story short it has gained SOME traction and was discussed at the AD meeting at the HSL last month and an email was sent out this morning to all the 2A AD's with some proposed changes. I would encourage all of you to give your opinion to your AD's. Changes need to be made to the seeding process so teams aren't punished or rewarded based on the geography of where their school is located.

Here is the email...

Coaches and ADs,

This past summer, at the coaches’ clinic, the AA boys playoff selection process was a topic of concern. Several coaches expressed their frustrations with our current system and inquired whether we could replace the system altogether. Again, the topic was discussed at the AA classification meeting earlier this month and the athletic directors agreed that the current seeding process is not equitable and should be considered for restructuring.

Although, it is important that we understand that no system is perfect, some of us seek to implement a more efficient and equitable process of selecting and seeding playoff teams for AA Boys Soccer. The athletic directors recommended using a bracket to determine who and where each team will play.

Together with Chad Cary of Newberry (AA soccer chairperson) and Dave Anastasia of Barnwell, we have developed a couple of options for you to consider. Listed below are three options discussed at the classification meeting. Also, I have attached copies of each system and what last year’s playoffs would have looked like if either of the proposed systems were In place at the time of the selections. If anyone has any other suggestions or ideas, please feel free to share them.

1. Leave the seeding process as it is currently structured. The committee seeds teams based on their overall record, strength of schedule, and head to head competition. Geography is taken into account in all possible cases. If the commissioner or assistant commissioner feels that a team is traveling too far for a first round game, they reserve the right to change the seeding in order to accommodate the team’s travel.

2. Use the same bracket system that basketball uses. Region 7 only has two teams that play boys soccer. The #1 and #2 seeds from Region 8 will receive first round byes.

3. Use the same bracket system that football uses. Teams would be bracketed 1-16. In the lower state the rotation is Region 6, Region 8, Region 7, Region 5. Region 6 champion would be the #1 seed, Region 8 champion would be the #2 seed, Region 7 champion would be the #3 seed, and Region 5 champion would be the #4 seed. In the upper state the rotation is Region 2, Region 4, Region 3, Region 1. Travel may be an issue in the lower state with this method.
Please submit your vote for the system that you would like to see implemented for our playoffs selection process. Once a majority has been established, that system will be submitted to the high school league for approval. If a system is agreed upon by February, it will be effective and used to select playoff teams at the end of the upcoming 2016 soccer season. There were several teams that could not find a suitable email, so please forward this email to the appropriate individuals at the following schools: Strom Thurmond, Batesburg-Leesville, Woodruff, Buford, Cheraw, Edisto, Ridgeland-Hardeeville, Andrews, Marion, and Mullins. Thank you.

That e-mail went out to as many AD and coaches e-mails as the sender could find. I know that my AD is not on that e-mail.

I forwarded it to him and voiced my opinion to leave the seeding structure the way it is for the 2016 season and let those of us who stay in 2A after reclassification debate the playoff structure going forward. The seeding system works because it rewards the deserving teams with the better seeds. Just because a team has a great record does not mean they are deserving of a top seed.

The alternatives presented do not solve any of the issues that have been debated. They actually create more problems by 1) giving undeserving teams better seeds and 2) creating potential travel headaches.

Jason the issue that I brought up is teams that are undeserving getting a better seed based COMPLETELY on where there school is located and thus punishing schools that are more deserving being punished based on where they are located. I personally witnessed a school be moved 4-5 spots this year because the high school league deemed that the first round game was to great of a distance to travel.

I am for leaving the seeding system as is as well with the exception the HSL not having a say. We as coaches take a day out of our schedule to go to the meeting and get it done and go about it in a very diplomatic was as you well know. The HSL does not change 1st round games in football or any other sport for that matter. Soccer is the only one and it should NOT be that way.

I understand your point. Thanks for the clarification.

I totally understand the seeding issue and have often wondered that myself. There was one year that Wando football had to travel to Gaffney for a playoff game and the kids missed almost half a day of school for a first round game. Plus, there seems to be nothing wrong with 2+ hour region trips with a 7:30pm kickoff on a weeknight.

I would support a proposal like you suggested that keeps the seeding committee as it is but adds language like "the seeding committee will take into account travel considerations, but no team will be moved more than 1 seeding position to account for travel."

I like the basketball bracket option--other than 2 teams in region 8 getting first round byes, it looks very fair. It is cut and dry. All regions have 4 reps based on region finish. HSL has no say so in first or any other round games.

The problem with pre-set brackets is that there are teams who finish second in their region who are better than teams who win their region!

The pre-bracketed system is NOT fair! Pre-bracketed playoffs reward teams who play in bad regions rather than appropriately ranking the teams based on the quality of the team.

The question becomes- who has a problem with the actual seeding of the teams and who has a problem with the SCHSL changing those seedings for travel purposes? I am hearing that people are fine with the Seeding Committee but they are frustrated with the SCHSL changing the seeds.

Not necessarily advocating option 2, just suggesting it as a viable option. Although I personally have no problems with the seeding meeting, I see many coaches scratching their heads after they see changes made by the league and it is the reason this link was started.
With the travel problems outlined in football option 3, by default option 2 could be a possibility.
You know before the season starts based on conference finish who you will play and where you will go.

There is a message in the "realignment" thread that says there is not enough teams for a 1A boys state championship. If that is true, we may have to stay with the seeding committee b/c there would be no way to create a bracket that would cross classifications.