By Kyle Roberts
Today marks a critical date of voting for the Louisiana High School Athletic Association at its annual convention. The main topic will likely be the principals ratifying the current setup of divisions in the LHSAA, possibly doing away with the classification system for athletics.
We caught up with Ruston High School principal Dan Gressett to break down what can be expected at the Crown Plaza in Baton Rouge.
The conversation has been lightly edited for continuity.
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Lincoln Parish Journal: What are we expecting is going to happen today regarding any propositions that may be put forth?
Dan Gressett: I think we’re going to have a chance to ratify the divisions that we’re in now, as opposed to the classifications that we were in. I expect that to be ratified. If it doesn’t get ratified, it would go back to classifications: 5A, 4A, all of that. But I expect it will overwhelmingly pass and be ratified.
LPJ: So that would mean the classifications ultimately would dissolve.
DG: As far as the LHSAA is concerned. You still have five classifications for enrollment. But as far as the LHSAA is concerned, yes, you would play in divisions.
LPJ: So we’re expecting select and non select the most likely stay as well.
DG: Yes. There’s no proposal to put select and non-select back together. So yes, I expect select and non-select to just they stay the way that they are.
LPJ: Just for clarity, what’s a good way to differentiate between select and non-select?
DG: Some people still don’t really know the definition. When you used to say public and private, people mostly understood. But when you say select and non-select, you are strictly dealing with the way your admissions are handled. So select doesn’t just mean private schools; it also includes some charter schools, some magnet programs where they have a selective admissions process.
But when you say non-select, that includes all your public schools that do not have any type of magnet program, or they’re not a charter school, or they don’t have any type of selective admission process. It’s all deals with and how kids are enrolled or how you’re allowed to to take in kids into your to your school.
LPJ: Do you think anything could possibly be a surprise out of today?
DG: You know, it’s really not one of those years where there’s like a really big, hot topic item. One item up for vote will be for students to have a one-time transfer, basically, like the NCAA does. We’re against that.
LPJ: And that transfer would it be for public to public, or if you went from public to private, could you play right away?
DG: It’d be for anybody.
LPJ: How much do you think any of these votes would affect Ruston’s chances to remain highly competitive at the state level athletically?
DG: Zero.
LPJ: What would you, as the principal, like to see as the long term solution for all of this?
DG: I think we’re in a really good place right now. I’m pleased with the way it’s set up with divisions. Nobody said it’s perfect. I’m not against coming back together at some point. I just don’t see that happening in the near future. I think it’s been tried so many times that people have kind of lost interest in it. I think if you do come back together, there’s gotta be some some things put in place, that everybody could agree on. I don’t see that happening in the near future.
But in my opinion, we’re in a pretty good spot right now. I know some people would disagree with that, and that’s totally fine. I think (LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine) does a great job. He’s been very open about things. Not everybody always agrees with the things he does. But that’s the nature of the business that he’s in. I think we’re in a pretty good spot right now.
