NIAA announces proposed realignment

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) released a letter Monday outlining proposed cost-cutting measures for the 2009-10 school year, including a three-division realignment proposal.

The move would essentially combine the Northern 3A with the smaller current 4A schools in what would be called Division II. Division I would be made up of the larger 4A schools. It would be most-likely be in effect for all sports except for football.

The proposed changes were discussed in a meeting this past Thursday with NIAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine and the state's 17 superintendents.

"As all of you know the current status of our State economy seems to be dismal at best, and no doubt will have a direct (effect) on educational budgets, which in turn directly (affects) our athletic and activities budgets," Bonine's letter reads.

"... the NIAA worked diligently to propose reductions and reorganization of classification, to address travel, loss of instructional time, rivalries, and competitiveness."

The letter was forwarded to the superintendents as well as the Board of Control and NIAA member schools in hopes of receiving "immediate feedback," it states. Another meeting between the NIAA Board and superintendents will be held in June for approval.

Meanwhile, the reduction proposals are being considered on an "urgent basis," with some possibly to be put in place as soon as the 2009 fall seasons, according to the letter.

NIAA Assistant Commissioner Donnie Nelson, however, said via e-mail that the proposals were sent out "just for the superintendents to digest," and that the changes "could happen soon, (or) may wait for a long time."

Bob Shaffer, Truckee's athletic director and head football and track coach, said last week that realigning between now and the fall 2009 season would create havoc among fall coaches who have already finalized their schedules.

"It's basically impossible to do (for the fall season)," Shaffer said, talking specifically about football. "Most of the teams in our league already have their schedules set in stone ... It would have to be the year after next."

As part of the proposed realignment plan, 30 schools statewide would become members of the Division I " the largest-school division. Division II also would include 30 schools and Division III would have 46 schools. Each division would be made up of three regions, according to the proposal.

The Northern Divsion I would include Manogue, Carson, Damonte Ranch, Douglas, Galena, McQueen, North Valleys, Reed, Reno and Spanish Springs.

Division II would be Fallon, Dayton, Elko, Fernley, Hug, Lowry, ROP, South Tahoe, Sparks, Spring Creek, Truckee, Wooster and Yerington.

Division III would look similar to the current 1A, with the addition of 2A schools Incline, Whittell, Silver Stage, Hawthorne, North Tahoe and Lovelock.

With the exception of football, which will likely retain its four divisions, Nelson said, Truckee would share the Division II Northern Region with the other six current members of the Northern 3A, as well as current 4A schools Churchill County (Fallon), Elko, Hug, South Tahoe and Wooster. Rite of Passage from the 2A would also join.

North Tahoe and Incline would lose Rite of Passage from the current Northern 2A while gaining Coleville, Excel Christian, Gabbs, Gerlach, McDermitt, Pyramid Lake, Sage Ridge, Sierra Lutheran, Smith Valley, and Virginia City.

Again, Nelson stressed that the proposed changes were released simply for the superintendents to consider, and that any decisions are still far from final.

"There are a whole lot of steps involved before anything is approved. Nothing is set in stone," Nelson said.

Besides the consideration to lump the four current divisions into three, thus reducing travel costs for most schools, the NIAA also proposed cutting back the maximum number of games allowed during the regular season in each respective sport.