Edgy Tim: Pros and cons of IHSA district football

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The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) approved 11 separate amendment proposals Tuesday in its annual bylaw referendum. Included in the approved proposals was Proposal 23 (passed 324-307-69), which involves implementing a statewide district regular season schedule system for football, thus eliminating the current regular season conference scheduling system. The changes will take place beginning with the 2021 IHSA football season.  

So what are some of the potential pros and cons of the passing of Proposal 23?

"I can see the pros and the cons of this proposal," according to Joliet Catholic athletic director Dan Sharp. "I just had a feeling that this would pass since the issue really has impacted everyone across the state."

The potential positives of Proposal 23? 

"It's a definite positive when it comes to conference stability," Sharp said. "Football, no question, has been the main factor that has driven conferences splitting apart over the last several years. The conference system has been unfair especially when it comes to other sports and this will hopefully eliminate conferences in the other sports from breaking apart."

"I also love the fact that the first two games don't count towards the playoffs. I can see us going out and getting to play some huge opening season games and getting to play against some schools who we've played in the past like a Mount Carmel for example. I also like the fact that we will know our class before the start of the season and play against schools in the same class now. Conferences started to become more enrollment-based several years ago and that trend has continued. So playing against same sized programs under this proposal makes sense."

Sharp also relayed some of the negatives regarding Proposal 23.

"Some schools will need to travel more. I'm thinking of this area and schools like Minooka and the Plainfield schools will be impacted. In our case, our travel could get cut considerably compared to playing in the East Suburban Catholic Conference. Also you will no longer be able to play against bigger enrollment schools in district games and we've played against bigger schools for years. Will a district schedule be as challenging as the current conference scheduling? In a lot of cases I can see schools not being happy not getting to play up to challenge themselves."

Several longtime traditional conference will also be lost under this proposal.

"Long time traditional conferences like the Chicago Catholic Blue and the West Suburban schools are now non existent and you hate losing those traditional rivalries. I'm sure those schools will use some of the two non district games to keep some of those rivalry games going." 

Yet the biggest negative of all with the passing of Proposal 23? Who will you be playing in your district starting in 2021?

"The biggest issue a lot of coaches and ADs had was the unknown factor. Who will be in your district and how will the IHSA divide up those districts? Will we be heading towards the Rich Township schools or maybe out West? Maybe we will need to travel down south?"
 

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