A majority of Louisiana High School Athletic Association principals voted Friday to bring the association back together, but it failed to get the two-thirds majority necessary to change the constitution – meaning the organization will remain divided for championships in five sports.
At the general session of the association’s annual convention in Baton Rouge, 179 principals voted “yes” and 165 voted “no” on Vermilion Catholic principal Tommy Byler’s proposal to come back together with six classes in football and eight in all other sports, with a 1.25 multiplier for select schools.
screenshot/lhsaa.org
With 344 principals voting, it would have taken 230 “yes” votes to pass and bring to an end a seven-year split in football and four-year divide in basketball, baseball and softball.
A passionate discussion on both sides preceded the vote.
“It doesn’t fix the competitive balance issue,” said Northwood-Shreveport principal Shannon Wall, who came to the microphone multiple times against unification.
“We are stronger together,” Catholic-New Iberia principal Stella Abadie said. “That’s the best for kids. I would suggest that Mr. Byler’s proposal does address the unfair advantage. If you don’t think (the multiplier) is large enough, make it more.”
Archbishop Hannan principal Fr. Charles Latour made a classroom analogy to drive home his point.
“You don’t punish the class for the acts of two or three people. I think we’re doing that now. We’re divided. We’re not strong divided. Let’s not punish our solidarity for our actions.”
A series of measures as bylaws for individual sports to bring championships back together also failed.
Baseball-playing schools voted 178-130, basketball-playing schools voted 199-135, football-playing schools voted 167-87 and softball-playing schools voted 173-115 against the proposals. As a bylaw and not a constitutional amendment, each would have only required a simple majority.
Proposals to help select schools better operate their championship events under the split did pass.
