Chattanooga: TSSAA plans ’09-13 classifying in November

The TSSAA’s reclassification plan for the 2009-13 seasons will be based on attendance figures from the 20th day of the current school year.

The state high school athletic organization will go from five classifications to six in football playoffs but will split the state into three classes for regular-season play — 6A and 5A schools, 4A and 3A and 2A and 1A — in trying to cut down on travel expenses.

“The 20-day figure is something that all schools are required to turn in to the state or their local BOE (board of education), who then turns it in to the state,” said Matthew Gillespie, assistant to TSSAA executive director Ronnie Carter. “Our goal is for the Board of Control to place the schools in districts and regions at the November meeting.”

Fling nets $15,000

Some expenses have yet to be filed from the 2008 Spring Fling in Murfreesboro, but Gillespie said the net profit should be around $15,000, similar to last year’s figure. There was no profit the first year the Fling was in Murfreesboro.

East Hamilton applies

East Hamilton, the new Hamilton County school going up in the Ooltewah area, has applied for TSSAA membership beginning with the 2009-10 school year.

Unlike Signal Mountain principal Eddie Gravitte, who had to attend the Board of Control meeting when that school applied for membership, new school representatives do not have to be present to make applications. The board voted at its last meeting to no longer require that.

In another move, the board denied a proposal by an 8-1 margin to extend the basketball coach’s box from 6 to 14 feet.

In wrestling, coaches must now present an alpha chart and a pre-match weigh-in form to the host administrator or coach. If the alpha charts are not exchanged, there can be no meet.

Also, if a wrestler exceeds the 1.5 percent weight loss as computed by the NWCA (weight-loss) program and competes at a lower weight class, his win will be overturned and any points earned will be removed. If a wrestler violates the 1.5 percent weekly weight loss but does not change weight classes, there is no violation.