Sunday, December 23, 2012
Thursday, December 20, 2012
2013 AA Alignments
AA Varsity 2013
The current round of proposals for tiering etc, if passed, would take effect in 2014. Suffice it to say, the decisions to be made by the membership will be important. In the interim, aka 2013, the following divisional alignments will manifest themselves.
West
1. Argyle
2. Ballenas
3. Carson Graham
4. John Barsby
5. Nanaimo District
6. Sentinel
7. Windsor
East
1. Abbottsford Collegiate
2. G.W. Graham
3. Langley
4. Pitt Meadows
5. Mission
6. Rick Hansen
7. Robert Bateman
8. Samuel Roberts Technical
South
1. Eric Hamber
2. Frank Hurt
3. Holy Cross
4. Hugh Boyd
5. Seaquam
6. South Delta
7. Spectrum
Interior
1. Clarence Fulton??
2. Kalmalka
3. Mount Baker
4. Norkam
5. Okanagen Mission
6. Salmon Arm (League Only)
7. South Kamloops
North
1. College Heights
2. Correlieu
3. Dutchess Park
4. Kelley Road
5. Nechako Valley
6. Prince George
Schedules are currently being drawn by the BCSSFA executive and ought to come out via e-mail prior to 25 December.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
2012-2013 BCSSFA Numbers
BCSSFA School Enrollment 2012-2013
2012-13 Number of Boys G. 11 and 12 combined/Projected 2013-14 Enrollment (current 10/11)
591 Kelowna 597
540 New Westminster 506
516 Rutland 461
473 Mt. Boucherie 511
454 Belmont 448
451 Centennial 404
390 Earl Marriot 396
382 Lord Tweedsmuir 381
381 Eric Hamber 326
376 West Vancouver 363
364 Terry Fox 380
364 WJ Mouat 388
360 Spectrum 327
348 Prince George 303
332 Mt. Douglas 294
323 Vancouver College 325
318 Salmon Arm 303
316 Mt. Baker 318
313 Handsworth 310
311 Georges P. Vanier 317
309 Moscrop 334
300 Argyle 279
298 Correlieu 287
296 South Delta 312
292 Seaquam 284
291 South Kamloops 290
287 Frank Hurt 256
284 Carson Graham 268
269 Abbottsford 236
262 Robert Bateman 277
224 Okanagen Mission 242
223 Langley 226
222 Pitt Meadows 249
218 College Heights 211
217 Rick Hansen 237
214 Hugh Boyd 202
211 Samuel Robertson Technical 201
210 Timberline 213
205 Vernon 188
203 Sentinel 217
200 Ballenas 216
199 Mark Isfeld 209
199 Nanaimo District 217
196 Howe Sound 186
194 Windsor 202
192 Mission 195
189 Duchess Park 204
176 Holy Cross 161
171 GW Graham 181
158 Edward Milne 161
157 Westsyde 160
157 Kelley Road 174
154 Kalmalka 144
154 Valleyview 167
151 John Barsby 168
126 St. Thomas More 128
126 Notre Dame 140
90 Nechako Valley 127
Friday, December 14, 2012
2013 Alignments
The Vote
Well, it would seem that the vote to hybridize did not pass. The status-quo at varsity will by and large stay the same with several programs joining AA Varsity, notably Spectrum, GW Graham and SRT. I believe that due to numbers we will likely see Belmont and Handsworth joining AAA ball. Tier 2 will likely continue to exist as is.
JV ball however, could be in for some big changes. It appears that there is a distinct possibility that AAA/AA conferences may blend into regional groupings, play each other during the season and then seed into their respective playoff pools. The cost of travel for the current AAA groupings is the driving force behind this direction. It has little or nothing to do about competition and I predict spates of forfeiture when for instance a struggling quasi-tier 2 squad is scheduled to play a Mount Douglas or Fox type program. Dollars and convenience from the smallest grouping of programs in the association are set to alter the majority of programs who have been for the most part, thriving with league play amongst themselves.
Let's be honest gang, at the provincial level, AAA is going to whither on the vine until the one factor that cannot be couched, manipulated, massaged, contextualized, etc. is altered. That my friends is numbers of boys in g.11/12 combined. The number currently used to separate the herd is 300. It has been very, very successful in terms of providing stability and withstanding the human tendency to gerimander and fiddle to gain advantage. The only problem is that 300 is archaic. Schools are on balance smaller than when 300 was determined to be the dividing line.
The number to be used? Something between 250 and 270 would be more appropriate. Arguments against this with demographics as their starting point be damned. Humans are humans and they all respond to proper motivation. The right formula, well that's the nut that has to be cracked.
In closing, I would humbly suggest that sustainability and growth be the driving factor with our provincial structure as opposed to perception/aesthetics. The latter will come along if you take care of the former.
Scenario A
The Guiding Rule: Thou shalt not move down out of your number driven tier, only up and then by choice.
BCSSFA Super-League: 6-8 historically dominant AAA programs. Great Football and can deservedly be media divas all they like
AA 250 and up numbers of boys g. 11/12 combined. Competitive and geographically represents a true provincial league. Monsters that emerge may want to try their hand at the super league.
A 249 boys g. 11/12 combined. Competitive, geographically represents a true provincial league, room for movement to AA league by choice. Can petition for 9 man league if coaching/resources/participation are historically limited.
B-9 Nine man ball. (Football would spread like wildfire and some of these programs would germinate into single A league programs.) Keeps hope and the game alive!!
Net effect: There is a spot for everyone, the game will grow and do so in health. The tired arguement that there are not enough teams to justify 4 banners will lose even more validity. Lastly, A or AA teams that may fold (will actually be only a few) will by their absence, strengthen the provincial herd so to speak.
Scenario 2
Same as above, no super league and raise cutoff from 250 to 270.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
The Vote
To Hybridize or Not To Hybridize
Last January BCSSFA formed a competition committee to accept proposals and study alternatives to BCSSFA's current competitive structure/tiering. The perceived problem, only 14 teams at AAA level of play. Though balleyhooed, celebrated and propagated as the best, the league is tiered within itself, not truley provincial in scope, inbred and quite frankly, dying on the vine. A call for solutions was sent forth and the competition comittee composed of former and current AA and AAA coaches was struck to filter, digest, ruminate and report.
The complete report may or may not be posted on the BCSSFA site (for the sake of transparency, it should be). All programs were e-mailed the report months ago. A vote on the comittee reccomendation is currently taking place. Ballots will be accepted til Dec. 7th or Dec. 8th depending on which e-mail from the executive you read. Use the 7th to ensure your voice is heard.
A thought, keep Tier 2 around ,but make it 9 man ball. The main excuse for "folding" year after year has always been numbers and inability to compete. Well hec, have tier 2 be 9 man ball. It "keeps hope alive", it acts as a way to float programs til they can play 11 man ball, it helps schools which for a variety of reasons cannot sustain large rosters year-after-year to maintain football. If a program wants to play 11 man ball, we have it, at AA and AAA. The true sandbaggers would have very little to go on in terms of hiding at tier 2.
BCSSFA benefits by having more stability at the AA level as a result, a larger membership and importantly, a platform for future growth, particularly in the smaller communities and frontier areas of the province geographically. There is no downside to this at all and we are quite frankly missing a strategic opportunity to improve our overall health as an organization not to do it!
Nuff for now. Go vote.
GI
2012 BC Champions
South Delta Wins AA Varsity and Mission Wins AA JV
Congratulations to both squads on their decisive victories at this year's Provincial Championship games. I am quite sure that the road to victory is rich and replete with lessons and memories that will pollinate lives and future groups of footballers for years to come. Well Done!!
All,
Enjoy your upcoming holliday break and a big thank you for a very entertaining 2012 season! Am looking forward to 2013 and what it brings. Be sure your HC votes on the executive proposal regarding hybridized AA/AAA conferences. The deadline is 7 Dec. according to one e-mail and 8 Dec. according to another. Use the 7th as your deadline. Your votes go to Mr. Kris Pechet. One vote per-school/program.
All The Best,
GI
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