Realignment Talk

[Damefan]

Totally agree with you which further re-enforces my position that they could put better resources to work by merging existing schools and hiring better teachers/coaches and creating better quality educational opportunities for students. This would also reduce the number of jobs that currently are unfilled in many counties. Teachers, Coaches and Student Athletes want to teach, coach,learn and play at the best.

[Onion Rings]

agree with you guys on school size 100%

more money, more resources, better facilities

for the people that say to reduce class size, is there talk for Clemson or USC to reduce the number of students they admit, no

the bigger the school, the more quality programs that are available to all students

they say the times are a changing but it doesn't seem like it in public education and high school athletics in SC

[Fortfor5]

Exactly .5 or 6 k size highschool can work it does elsewhere.

[Penguin]

Our local School Board caved in to parents who didn't want to have to get their kids up 30 minutes earlier to catch the bus to a school that was 5 minutes further away. Isn't it amazing how 50 or 60 years ago, kids could make it to and from school from twice as far away, and still manage to get by? Kids are being coddled so that parents do not have to put forth any effort what so ever for their children to get an education. No wonder we have the current corruption and disfunction in our elected officials. Adults really do not want to be bothered with doing anything that requires any effort, critical thought, or common sense.

[Rebel-Fan-74]

Based on 135 day numbers from SCHSL website which are out of date. However it was accurate 18 months ago.

Boiling Spring High School
Byrnes High School
Dorman High School
Hillcrest High School
Mauldin High School
Spartanburg High School

Clover High School
Fort Mill High School
Gaffney High School
Nation Ford High School
Northwestern High School
Rock Hill High School

Blythewood High School
Dutch Fork High School
River Bluff High School
Spring Valley High School
Sumter High School
White Knoll High School

Ashley Ridge High School
Fort Dorchester High School
Goose Creek High School
Summerville High School
Wando High School
West Ashley High School




REGION ONE

Easley

Greenwood

T L Hanna

Walhalla

Westside

REGION TWO

Belton Honea Path

Daniel

Pickens

Woodmont

Wren

REGION THREE

Eastside

Greenville

J L Mann

Laurens

Wade Hampton (G)

REGION FOUR

Blue Ridge

Greer

Riverside

Travelers Rest

Union County

REGION FIVE

Lancaster

Lugoff-Elgin

Ridge View

South Pointe

York

REGION SIX

Airport

Brookland-Cayce

Chapin

Irmo

Lexington

REGION SEVEN

AC Flora

Dreher

Lower Richland

Richland Northeast

Westwood

REGION EIGHT

Crestwood

Darlington

Hartsville

Lakewood

Marlboro County

REGION NINE

Conway

Lake City

South Florence

West Florence

Wilson

REGION TEN

Carolina Forest

Myrtle Beach

North Myrtle Beach

Socastee

St. James

REGION ELEVEN

Berkeley

Cane Bay

James Island

Stall

Stratford

REGION TWELVE

Beaufort

Bluffton

Colleton County

Hilton Head Island

May River

REGION THIRTEEN

Aiken

Midland Valley

North Augusta

Orangeburg-Wilkinson

South Aiken

[eagle93]

The only problems I see off the bat are Boiling Springs is no where near the student count close to being on this group.

If you read my original note, I am using the previous 135 day admission numbers and here they are:

1 Wando High School 4,365
2 Dorman High School 3,344
3 Summerville High School 3,012
4 Carolina Forest High School 2,425
5 Byrnes High School 2,368
6 Sumter High School 2,336
7 Boiling Spring High School 2,313
8 Mauldin High School 2,310
9 Ashley Ridge High School 2,283
10 Fort Dorchester High School 2,280
11 Clover High School 2,191
12 Fort Mill High School 2,133
13 Dutch Fork High School 2,132
14 Hillcrest High School 2,128
15 Spring Valley High School 2,079
16 West Ashley High School 2,060
17 Gaffney High School 2,032
18 Rock Hill High School 2,015
19 Goose Creek High School 1,990
20 Blythewood High School 1,987
21 Nation Ford High School 1,962
22 River Bluff High School 1,934
23 Spartanburg High School 1,913
24 Northwestern High School 1,904

Hanna, Woodmont, Mann, Easley, Wade Hampton, Westside, Riverside alone are larger in population. Going down the list on the net I still hadn't gotten to Spring Valley and Lexington, and Lugoff are bigger. In your count for #4 West Ashley is dwarfed by Stratford, Cane Bay, Colleton, and James Island.

I don't really understand this portion of your post, I"m guessing it has something to do with the list you were looking at, which is not what the SCHSL looks at.

Carolina Forest which is listed as being the 4th largest school behind Wando, Summerville and Dorman isn't even list!

Carolina Forrest not being part was the BIG ISSUE I mentioned in my first post.

In reference to the Carolina Forest problem, with several SC schools now traveling to other states for games especially in AAAAA I don't see it as a major issue for teams to travel anymore. In Georgia it is not uncommon for some teams to travel a couple hours every week for games. Teams get upset if they have to drive an hour now a days.

The travel problem is not based upon just football, but all other sports where home and home games are scheduled, and sports that do not produce any revenue like wrestling, volleyball, softball, baseball, golf, track & field. This is where travel expenses create a major dilemma for Athletic Directors. That is why I offered the suggestion of strictly football regions, and then localized regions for the remaining competitive sports.

There was a time not terribly long ago where one of the Pee Dee regions (forget which one) would do all of their region duals for wrestling on one Saturday in January. It a.) saved them dates so they could schedule more freely and b.) it reduced travel costs by simply having everyone meet in one place on one day as opposed to everyone scheduling 4 or 5 separate dual meets.

I remember within the past 10 years situations where regions before AAAAA teams such as North Augusta and South Aiken having to travel to Columbia for all their contests. 1 hour drive minimum for them. Bad during Basketball, Baseball, and Softball seasons but they did it for 4 years. Greenwood having to travel to the Greenville area can't be easy for them either. That was the reason Berkeley petitioned to be in AAAAA instead of AAAA during the last realignment. They would have had to travel to Hilton Head, Beaufort and so on for games. Again that is why I say having a Open Division would be easier to accommodate the needs. You are going to always have rural towns that are going to be affected. You can't tell Greenwood and Emerald to balance out their school populations so they can be in the same classification no more than Aynor and Carolina Springs. Until someone realizes that you can build one large super school for a community instead of multiple schools (High Schools) the problem will persist. Texas and other states have learned to deal successfully with this issue. Remember also all tax bases are different. some schools receive a athletic budget between 25,000-100,000 before they play their first game. Others receive nothing and have to be creative raising money to fund their athletics beyond tickets.

https://www.dallasnews.com/high-school- ... -of-texas/

I know this is a little off track. But Greenwood isn't that far from Greenville. Very easy drive up Hwy 25. Nothing for me to drive down to Greenwood.

[Damefan]

I understand that the drive to Greenville is an easy drive, but it is one hour from Greenwood to Hanna. During a regular school week where you play games on days other than Friday and you get home after 11:00 which I had happen many times back when I was coaching. It is a issue with parents and students. Especially if you are in a region where it happens regularly.

Changing the subject, Greenwood would have been a perfect model for one large school in a town instead of two like the Allen, TX article talked about. Could you imagine the powerhouse Summerville would still be if the had built a larger Summerville High instead of building West Ashley! They would still be dominant! Sometimes bigger is better in more ways!

I do want to acknowledge that I know you want to be in AAAAA but still don’t think it will happen this time around. Best wishes on your appeal if it comes to that.

[Penguin]

I understand that the drive to Greenville is an easy drive, but it is one hour from Greenwood to Hanna. During a regular school week where you play games on days other than Friday and you get home after 11:00 which I had happen many times back when I was coaching. It is a issue with parents and students. Especially if you are in a region where it happens regularly.

Changing the subject, Greenwood would have been a perfect model for one large school in a town instead of two like the Allen, TX article talked about. Could you imagine the powerhouse Summerville would still be if the had built a larger Summerville High instead of building West Ashley! They would still be dominant! Sometimes bigger is better in more ways!

I do want to acknowledge that I know you want to be in AAAAA but still don’t think it will happen this time around. Best wishes on your appeal if it comes to that.

Ashley Ridge is the school built to take students from Summerville. West Ashley is the result of combining the old St. Andrews High School with the old Middleton High School.

[Damefan]

You are correct. I had my Ashley’s backwards. Actually live only about 10 minutes from West Ashley and 15 from Fort D. 3 of my 8 grandkids will be going to Ashley Ridge.

[eagle93]

I understand that the drive to Greenville is an easy drive, but it is one hour from Greenwood to Hanna. During a regular school week where you play games on days other than Friday and you get home after 11:00 which I had happen many times back when I was coaching. It is a issue with parents and students. Especially if you are in a region where it happens regularly.

Changing the subject, Greenwood would have been a perfect model for one large school in a town instead of two like the Allen, TX article talked about. Could you imagine the powerhouse Summerville would still be if the had built a larger Summerville High instead of building West Ashley! They would still be dominant! Sometimes bigger is better in more ways!

I do want to acknowledge that I know you want to be in AAAAA but still don’t think it will happen this time around. Best wishes on your appeal if it comes to that.

I see. Yes, during the week it would make a difference. But just about either way you go you're going to have to travel an hour or more for 4A or 5A football opponents.

One big Greenwood school would be cool, but the powers that be have made the decision on that. There is enough talent in Greenwood to win though. That's just based on demographics alone. A good system and some creativity breeds success. Can't always win on just talent alone, especially if your opponent is equally as talented. I'm not sure we would've faired well in 4A this year either. Teams like Greenville use more creative plays and it works.

Yes we would like to stay 5A. To prove that with a better system and creativity that we can definitely compete. If we drop to 4A and win not much has been proven. But again. I'm not sure we would've won in 4A currently either. Teams like Greenville, BHP, Wren, Eastside, and especially South Point do things more creatively and are more balanced looking offensively.

May I ask which school did you coach at?