Page 20 - 2022 IHSAA Annual Report

2021– 22 YEAR IN REVIEW 2021– 22 YEAR IN REVIEW

Serving All Students From Every As opposed to class realignment, Cue the Pep Band: It’s Time Hoosier women and men were national
Member-School in the State sectional realignment is much more to Celebrate Title IX trailblazers who helped Title IX carve its
nuanced—and unfortunately, alignment path of fairness. And in addition to honoring
While student-athlete transfers seem to be changes cannot be decided upon Coincidentally or not, the recurring the select few whose legacy lives on in our
a perennial issue for the IHSAA, the issue simply by looking at the numbers. issues surrounding transfer policy and state and nation’s history, this Annual Report
of sectional realignment is biennial. The class realignment are rooted in the is dedicated to and applauds the more than
IHSAA’s policies surrounding both transfers The IHSAA realizes that there is no perfect same concern as Title IX: Fairness. And 1 million past and present Indiana female
and realignment are rooted in our priority to solution when it comes to aligning sectional if Title IX were to be distilled into one student-athletes.
create a level playing field within education- tournaments. However, the sectional word, it would be just that: Fairness.
based athletics—but we can’t just make a realignment process (which folds into Let’s make some noise as we affirm our female
level playing field; we must maintain it. and impacts the entire state tournament) As we conclude the 2021-22 year-in-review, lifelong learners for all they’ve accomplished
includes checks and balances that ensure let’s prepare to get loud and take our positive over the last 50 years. And let’s make even
An example of a protocol established to equitability for all member-schools. energy to the grandstand as we celebrate more noise as we encourage our current and
maintain that level playing field is revisiting and honor the last 50 years of Title IX. future female student-athletes to continue
class alignment in team sports every two To provide as equitable of a tournament their excellent work in the second classroom
years. A member-school is moved up or down landscape as possible, the IHSAA has In our state especially, we have so they can shape their future as they see fit!
a class based solely on numbers—enrollment established committees that purposefully reason to get extra loud.
size and the Tournament Success Factor. audit and scrutinize sectional alignment
every two years to remedy any unforeseen
inequalities. For example, the committee The benefits of education-based athletics aren’t limited to just student-athletes. The coaches, officials,
that oversees the realignment for football fans, and even pep bands all have an important role to play in coming together to support their school—
sectionals is made up of 19 principals and which leads to a stronger community for everyone.
athletic directors who represent the different
regions and school sizes around the state.

The committees’ discussions and debates
are always motivated by the consideration
of the entire membership, and no decision
is ever made with the intent to punish or
benefit any team. Many issues debated
by committees are more far-reaching
than one would expect. In addition to
deliberating the fairness of competition,
logistical considerations must be weighed.

For example, regarding transportation,
one must not only consider the total
distance a team must travel but also
consider the ease of the route (interstate
versus backroads) and travel time.

The benefits of competition and maintaining
a level-playing field should always precede
the desire to win. When realignment occurs,
the quality of education our student-
athletes receive is never compromised.

The Association’s mission to preserve
the purity of education-based athletics
means that it will always do its best
While there’s no single solution that creates a to rule on the side of fairness.
perfect sectional alignment for everyone, the IHSAA
remains committed to maintaining a level playing
field by re-evaluating alignments every two years.

20 INDIANA HIGH S CHOOL A THLE TIC ASS OCIATION Annual Report 2022 21