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Districts get thumbs up

Sports

Friday, 17 December 2010 13:40

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

Liberty’s Will Watson (1) challenges Osceola’s Josh Antoine during their game Tuesday. The Chargers and Kowboys will remain rivals for the next two seasons in 7A District 5. They will be joined by Gateway in a three-team district.

Local ADs say new alignment should cut travel expenses

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
If you were paying attention when the proposed football districts for the upcoming two seasons were released, then you pretty much get the gist for the districts in other team sports.
The Florida High School Athletic Association released the tentative volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball and soccer districts for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons this week. The state’s prep sports governing body has expanded those team sports from the current six classifications (five in soccer) to eight (seven in soccer).

Osceola and Liberty will be Class 7A (the current Class 5A) schools next year. Gateway moves down from the current Class 6A to join its county rivals to form the new three-team 7A District 5.
For Osceola and Liberty, the new district eliminates travel to Polk County to play Haines City, Lake Wales, Davenport Ridge and Winter Haven, as they do now in district 5A-5. Gateway, now in 6A-6, can quit traveling to Palm Bay Bayside, Port St. Lucie Centennial, Treasure Coast and Vero Beach.
The elimination of so many charter bus trips makes Gateway Athletic Director George Sullivan very happy.
“We’re thrilled with it. We were competitive in that district and it was good for our kids, but it’s time to get off that bus,” he said. “Transportation is a big issue in this county.”
He said that while having just four district games means scheduling more out-of-district and conference games, it shouldn’t be a problem.
“Other areas of the state have three-team districts out of necessity; for us it makes sense financially,” Sullivan said. “We have options. Haines City, believe it or not, is closer for us than Vero Beach or Port St. Lucie.”
Celebration, Harmony, Poinciana and St. Cloud currently play together in 4A-6, and will continue to do so in the new 6A-7. They join Eau Gallie and Palm Bay which will replace current district foes Tavares, Eustis and Oak Ridge.
By population numbers, Poinciana next year is a small 5A school, but it requested to play up a class to cut down on travel. Playing a 5A schedule would have meant longer trips to Polk or Lake counties.
PHS AD Mal Harpell said the school’s administration is considering a petition to move into the three-team 7A District 5.
“It’s important for us to stay with local competition, and input from our coaches was they could compete with those at that level,” he said. “Travel is one of the discussions, but as of now we’re okay with it.”
In football, Poinciana will be a 5A school, in District 7 with Bishop Moore, Eustis, Lake Nona and Tavares.
Harmony volleyball coach Eric Trowbridge said that since the school is centrally-located in its new district, it’s a good fit while maintaining local rivalries.
“The toughest part is the very long drive to Celebration and Poinciana, and we already do that,” he said. “We’re in between them and the Melbourne schools, so it’s not too bad for us. It’s closer than going to Tavares and Eustis.”
New Dimensions goes from 2A to 3A in the new format and is in District 7 with Fort Meade, Lakeland Christian and Sante Fe Catholic.
City of Life Christian and Life Christian now are in 2A, the new small-school Urban classification, with Brevard Christian, Melbourne Community Christian, Palm Bay Covenant Christian, Merritt Island Christian and Melbourne RFM Christian.
Schools may appeal their assignments, and have until Jan. 7 to do so.
Ryan Adams, Osceola County’s Athletic Coordinator, hopes the current assignments become permanent. He said the county requested that the local high schools be grouped together.
“The state was willing to take suggestions, rather than get 740 appeals. We were eager to approach them,” he said. “Anytime we can save on travel and keep that money in the county is a huge advantage. We want to compete with each other, It’s good for gate and a win-win opportunity. It’s exciting to keep the county together rather than teams going off by themselves.”