For the week of Nov 27 - Dec 3, 2002

Big ideas for 
small town football

Carey coach proposes 
changes in 8-man ball 

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By JODY ZARKOS 
Express Staff Writer

Carey coaches Lane Kirkland and Lee Cook, along with Steve May of Rockland have a December date with board members of the Idaho High School Activities Association to present their ideas for realignment of the 1A eight-man football conference. 

The Sawtooth Conference coaches are proposing a division in the classification of eight-man football. The split would take place based on high school population, male and female, at 100. 

At the root of the proposed alignment is the dissolution of the Class 1A 11-man conference in which only five teams compete statewide. 

The new plan calls for two divisions; schools fewer than 100 students, and schools over 100. Each conference would have three divisions with up to nine teams each. 

Some of Kirkland’s points for the split at 100 are; schools with 100-plus kids have a larger base to choose their athletes from, thus creating better teams than those from smaller schools.

Also, competing against schools similar to your own will create more parity on the field and lead to better sportsmanship and fair play. 

Also suggested is any small school that wanted to play in the upper classification would have to sign a five-year contract and be approved by a simple majority of coaches.

Any team that wanted to play down could do so by a 2/3 vote of the conference they wished to join. This could be done on a year-to-year basis. 

Under Kirkland’s proposal, eight teams from each division would qualify for the post-season and two state championships would be held. 

Kirkland, Cook and May will go before the IHSAA board in Boise on December 2. 

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