Discussions Underway About An Alternative To The LHSAA
The Louisiana High School Athletic Association, the mere mention of that group can shivers down the spines of Louisiana citizens. The association was formed to be a governing body for high school athletics. Many people believe their methods of administration and decision making could use a lot of help.
While it's true that you can please all the people all the time. The LHSAA has made a recent habit of making everybody mad from parents, to game officials, to school principals, to fans and players of high school sports.
Is there a need for a new governing body for high school sports?
If you ask Paul Rainwater, the former Chief of Staff to Governor Bobby Jindal, then the answer is yes. The recent decision by the LHSAA to expand the championship split in football to other sports has really gotten chins wagging around the state. Says Rainwater,
I'm working with a steady group to come up with a structure, come up with a constitution, come up with a budget.
Rainwater said in a story published by the Louisiana Radio Network that he has spoken to several athletic directors and principals around the state and the support for a new governing body is there. One issue in forming a new athletic association will be how the new organization will be received by the National Association of State High School Federations. That group only recognizes one governing body per state and right now that body is the LHSAA.
Obviously there is a way to reach out to a national federation and see what they're willing to do and what the criteria is to recognize another school and if there is some kind of process.
Rainwater believes the new organization will have a plan and a constitution ready for interested schools to review by May.
We're looking at revenue sharing among schools, waving some fees. There are some things that we think we can do that could be a more efficient use of money.
Should there be enough interest you can count on the Summer months to be anything but time off for high school athletic directors, coaches, and principals. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. Let's just hope that somewhere in the midst of all these adults posturing for power they remember that high school sports are supposed to be for student athletes.