Reviewing and examining ideas that possibly could improve any aspect of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference is a common practice for Executive Director Dirk DeCoy.
That is why, as football teams across the OVAC are extending or ending their seasons, DeCoy wonders if the time has arrived to vote again on mandatory scheduling across all male and female athletics. He recalls two votes on the proposal, one several years ago when it was defeated by a single vote, and a hand vote more recently when the scheduling practice attracted little support.
When proposals for the OVAC are voted on, it is the 51 athletic directors who represent their respective schools that cast ballots.
“There were much fewer schools the last time that wanted the new scheduling idea, and that’s why mandatory scheduling hasn’t moved since,” he said. “Maybe the schools that were in favor of it in the past have since found something else that works for them when it comes to sports like football. Unfortunately, there’s probably only a few OVAC teams involved with what they have found, and I don’t believe that’s not a good thing.
“That’s why I do believe we could have another vote on mandatory scheduling because I hear about it all of the time,” DeCoy said. “I have no idea what the vote totals would be right now, but I do know we have some schools that would in favor now because they would love to take a swing at the kings of the divisions. But, yeah, it would all have to make sense for everyone involved.”
He’s heard complaints from several athletic directors about some schools refusing to continue annual scheduling pracxtices despite rivalries, community traditions, and travel, and he’s been contacted by others who have been forced to “play up” week after week in order to fill out a 10-game schedule. These sorts of issues have plagued schools of all sizes and in many locations throughout the athletic conference, and the fix, DeCoy believes, is implementing “make-sense” solutions.
But, if the OVAC did adopt mandatory scheduling, other rules would have to change, he explained.
“Right now, in football, to be eligible to win an OVAC championship, the school has to play at least three OVAC opponents. Mandatory scheduling would increase that number, I believe,” he said. “I hear from people all of the time that they would like to see more local teams playing each other, and I’d like to see that, too. So, we’ll see.”
On Paper Only
It’s a “championship point” system that crowns the OVAC football champions in five divisions, and last year’s titlists included Parkersburg South (5A), Edison (4A), Linsly (3A, Wheeling Central (2A), and Cameron (1A).
According to DeCoy, the standings are determined by a defined mathematical system, and then, in most OVAC sports, four-team tournaments decide championships.
But not in football.
“I think about how we could implement a playoff system in football a lot because I love the idea,” DeCoy said. “There’s nothing official about the idea, though. It’s just an idea that I hope we can figure out somehow someday. We have playoffs for other sports, so who knows what could happen.
“I understand why some schedules look the way they do, and anyone who has coached can understand it, too. All you’re trying to do is what you feel is best for your kids so they can experience all of the best parts,” he said. “But is it really what’s best for the kids?”
Quickly after explaining his postseason ideas, DeCoy launched disclaimers.
“There have been some conversations, and I, personally, have given it a lot of thought. But, as far as officially on the part of the OVAC, there’s nothing but the thought,” he revealed. “Officially, nothing has been talked about. It’s only sketch-pad stuff at this point.
“The reason I’ve been thinking about it so much is because, believe it or not, a track coach I was speaking with a while back said something to me,” the executive director explained. “That coach said to me that he wanted to see his team play more competition and not the same teams over and over again, and when one of your coaches expressed something like that, it has to sink in, and it has to be discussed. I feel the same way about mandatory scheduling.”
So Many Ifs with No Answers
IF there is mandatory scheduling, and IF a playoff system is in place, when would the semifinals and finals take place during the high school football season?
In sports like basketball and baseball, there’s more than a week in between the end of the regular season and state playoffs, but that is not the case when it comes to football in the OHSAA or the WVSSAC.
“If a playoff system would become a part of football, the playoffs would have to take place during the season somehow. I see it including the top four teams so there would be a semi and then a final with both games taking place a little later in the season,” DeCoy shared. “Maybe the semis take place in week eight and the championships in week nine. Again, that’s just me thinking out loud with none of it being official at all. But if that’s the case, all of the rivalry games could still be scheduled for week 10.
“Again, we want OVAC teams playing against OVAC teams as much as possible, so another thing that would have to be discussed is the mandate as far as how many OVAC teams that have to be played to qualify a school for a title,” he said. “Maybe five or six would be that number, and that still would allow a school to play plenty of other games against any opponent they want. Right now, that minimum is three games in football, and if anything is proposed, it’s voted on by the schools.”
The final IFs with unknown answers?
If votes are taken pertaining to the implementation of mandatory scheduling and a football playoff system, would either proposal win approval?
“If the scheduling and the playoffs were approved, I think the schools would love it. I really do,” DeCoy said. “I think it might take a little time, but I believe the schools would accept both wholeheartedly. And I think it would be good for everyone involved because it would mean the football championships would be decided on the field. Right now, though, it’s still an idea I’m working on, but if someone has thoughts on it, I’d love to hear them.
“I think most people feel the way I do,” he added. “Sports championships should be won on the field, on the courts, wherever the sport is played, and maybe we’ll figure out how to accomplish that in football, too.”
