NewsAthleticsUpper School
Darlington to Change Division
May 1, 2000 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) made two decisions this year that will effect Darlington’s competitive programs. First, the areas where private schools can pull their students for extracurricular activity competitions will be limited to the county where the school is located. Second, they have modified the state classification system.
Currently, the classification system is comprised of four divisions. They are adding a fifth division, AAAAA, next year. Schools are placed into divisions based on the number of students enrolled. In the new system, private schools must multiply their student body by 1.5 to determine their new classifications. The 367 member schools have been reclassified into one of the five divisions.
“This doesn’t affect Darlington at all, except the 1.5 rule,” Athletic Director Jerry Sharp said. “This means that competition will be tough because Darlington must compete in AA, whose public schools are up to twice Darlington’s size.”
Currently, competition requirements allow incoming ninth-graders to compete and restrict from varsity competition those students entering Darlington in the tenth grade or above. “Nothing is changing at Darlington with the county ruling. Our school district is Floyd County. Who this really affects are schools in the Atlanta area like Lovett whose school district includes more than one county,” Sharp said.
The GHSA revamping is due, in part, to the insistence of Speaker of the Georgia House Tom Murphy. Murphy complained that private schools were recruiting players giving them an unfair advantage. His pressure instigated the decision.
Currently, the classification system is comprised of four divisions. They are adding a fifth division, AAAAA, next year. Schools are placed into divisions based on the number of students enrolled. In the new system, private schools must multiply their student body by 1.5 to determine their new classifications. The 367 member schools have been reclassified into one of the five divisions.
“This doesn’t affect Darlington at all, except the 1.5 rule,” Athletic Director Jerry Sharp said. “This means that competition will be tough because Darlington must compete in AA, whose public schools are up to twice Darlington’s size.”
Currently, competition requirements allow incoming ninth-graders to compete and restrict from varsity competition those students entering Darlington in the tenth grade or above. “Nothing is changing at Darlington with the county ruling. Our school district is Floyd County. Who this really affects are schools in the Atlanta area like Lovett whose school district includes more than one county,” Sharp said.
The GHSA revamping is due, in part, to the insistence of Speaker of the Georgia House Tom Murphy. Murphy complained that private schools were recruiting players giving them an unfair advantage. His pressure instigated the decision.
