Soccer playoffs should go
Speaking Out
By Richard Atkinson
As the first coach of the Whitefish High School girls' soccer program, I am directing this letter to all the athletic directors in Class A and also to all the parents of high school soccer players throughout the state. This inane three week play-off system (called the state playoffs), which the ADs installed a few years ago has got to stop. It sucks the camaraderie, the non-stop tension, hopes and expectations (which are inherent in soccer tournaments throughout the world) out of our state championships on an annual basis. One tournament one weekend each October is the way it was (and still is in the Montana AA schools and club soccer), and the way it should be! It seems to work for basketball, volleyball, golf, track and field, cross country, tennis and wrestling. I agree that it doesn't work for football.
Why did the ADs change the Class A format to the football format? In talking to some ADs I have heard two reasons and neither one makes much sense.
1. The schools make more money. Even assuming that is correct, the playoff schedule annually imposes excessive costs on some school parents and gives others almost a free ride. In 2005 Whitefish High hosted all three of its playoff games. Therefore, Whitefish players, parents and fans had to drive about four miles round trip each weekend. That cost 12 miles or a little over a half a gallon of gas for the parents of our girls. On the other hand, Belgrade parents had to do round trip drives from Belgrade to Columbia Falls, Hamilton and Whitefish in a span of 15 days. According to those parents I chatted with, they had to drive over 2,000 miles or more than 100 gallons of gas per vehicle. That's ignoring other costs of rooms, food, etc. All this so that the schools could make a little more money and I'm quite sure it was a piddling amount.
Solution: If the main or secondary purpose of the tournament is to make money, then put it out to bid and slap a minimum bid equal to the average money the schools have made over the last three years. If no city or town bids, you can be pretty sure you are overcharging. If you get bids, you make more money AND the sport is better served.
2. The single weekend tournament is not equitable because some towns can't host it. Tough nougies, that's life, get over it. However, there are several pluses;
a. You can add two weeks to the very short season and that would add at least two more games for EVERY team and the season would still end at the same time as it now does (very equitable).
b. The tournament could be held in more places and on better fields because AA school towns would be eligible to bid - possibly NO home field advantage to any high school. (really equitable).
c. Every parent would only have to set aside ONE weekend a year, rather than up to three weekends. (thank you ADs for thinking of us!).
d. Parents with children on both the boys' and girls' teams could probably watch each of their children's games. (fair to the kids).
e. Our children get to meet and spend some time with players from all over the state (isn't this education at its best?). Parents renew friendships with parents from previous tournaments. (isn't friendship one key to a good life?).
f. All families will have similar costs for the tournament, as this format is about as equitable as it can be.
Athletic directors - you are a pivotal part of our high school education system. Survey the coaches, soccer parents and the players. Then do what you expect of the children -- when you make a mistake, admit it and then correct it.
Parents - it is up to you to call your high school athletic director and express your concerns (pro or con) for yourselves and for your soccer playing children.
Please do it today.