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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 5, 2024 03:58 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Robert F. Matzie |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Tackling PIAA governance and continuation |
| Over the past several years, House and Senate members from across the Commonwealth have expressed their deep concerns about the policies, procedures, and decision making of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). Despite my repeated attempts, as a member of the PA Athletic Oversight Committee, to address some of these concerns directly with PIAA leadership, the organization either refuses to acknowledge the identified problems, or simply ignores them. In that light, and in an effort to safeguard our student athletes, I will be introducing legislation that will look to comprehensively overhaul the structure and authority, review the finances, and examine the continued viability of the PIAA. Step one is making a change in the way that our schools are classified for athletic competition. As you may know, when the PIAA determines the athletic level at which our high schools will compete, they use a formula - called the competition classification formula – which is based upon three factors (enrollment, success, and transfers) to determine that level. Using that formula, schools can be forced, by the PIAA, to move up in classification. The formula is applied, and all member schools are reclassified in all sports every two years. But there is a dangerous flaw in their formula that they are stubbornly unwilling to address. When considering enrollment as part of the formula, schools that voluntarily play up in a higher classification are pigeonholed by the PIAA into that higher classification used for the formula, ignoring the actual enrollment size of the school. In football, for example, schools with 144 males grades 9 through 11, can be forced to play schools with 424 males grades 9 through 11. This is not only patently unfair, but it is a potential danger to the health and safety of the smaller schools who simply do not have the bodies to field larger rosters or the financial resources to match athletic budgets. In effect, smaller schools that voluntarily seek better competition are punished for their success. This is not the type of lesson we should be teaching our kids. Please join me in making this much needed change. As I said, this is just the first step. It’s been nearly 25 years since the last thorough review of the PIAA. It’s well past time for the legislature to have another look. There will be more bills to follow. Our student athletes deserve nothing less. |
Introduced as HB1972