What is the optimal number of classes?

[DanteEstonia]

I’d set it at 3 for all sports outside of football.

[Irishman]

2 hours ago, DanteEstonia said:

I’d set it at 3 for all sports outside of football.

The problem is one of optics. For this round of classifications, we are the smallest 4A school with around 900 total students. While our boys team pulled off a HUGE upset for the sectional title beating Homestead last year, it is not a common thing. Homestead has about 2,000 students. The Regional opponent was going to be Carmel before the cancellation hit. Even though it is a cut sport, the size of the talent pool does matter. To have a school of 900 competing against a school of over 5,000 looks off. Eliminate another class, and that number becomes more drastic. 

[DanteEstonia]

32 minutes ago, Irishman said:

The problem is one of optics. For this round of classifications, we are the smallest 4A school with around 900 total students. While our boys team pulled off a HUGE upset for the sectional title beating Homestead last year, it is not a common thing. Homestead has about 2,000 students. The Regional opponent was going to be Carmel before the cancellation hit. Even though it is a cut sport, the size of the talent pool does matter. To have a school of 900 competing against a school of over 5,000 looks off. Eliminate another class, and that number becomes more drastic. 

I’ve coached football at a school that had 30 students per graduating class, so I’m familiar with the issue of a talent pool. However, where then should the cutoff be? Four classes? Five classes?

[Irishman]

23 minutes ago, DanteEstonia said:

I’ve coached football at a school that had 30 students per graduating class, so I’m familiar with the issue of a talent pool. However, where then should the cutoff be? Four classes? Five classes?

4 seems to work well....I do know a couple of coaches associations are looking at proposing 3. There are small things we don’t think of. As far as baseball goes, 4 works well. Our coach has said the bigger the school, the more likely you have depth in pitching without having to rely on one or two guys who really are not pitchers. Track and Field is looking at 3 classes. Where some schools lose out in track is in field events. If they go to a large meet and teams have pole vaulters and others don’t, they miss out on even having a chance at the points that come from that. I believe Wrestling is looking at 3 classes as well. 

[Muda69]

6 hours ago, DanteEstonia said:

I’d set it at 3 for all sports outside of football.

The optimal number of classes for Indiana High School basketball?  One.

 

[Gipper]

On 12/25/2020 at 5:41 PM, Muda69 said:

The optimal number of classes for Indiana High School basketball?  One.

 

Exactly.  Play like a champion.

[Irishman]

On 12/25/2020 at 6:41 PM, Muda69 said:

The optimal number of classes for Indiana High School basketball?  One.

 

Thank travel ball and the big schools for where we are now though. 

[TRCJunkie]

What is the argument against 6 classes, just like football (obviously success factor schools might differ)?

[DanteEstonia]

9 hours ago, TRCJunkie said:

What is the argument against 6 classes, just like football (obviously success factor schools might differ)?

Too few schools competing for a State title.

[TRCJunkie]

11 hours ago, DanteEstonia said:

Too few schools competing for a State title.

But there are more total schools across that play basketball than football? I just don't understand why the argument is acceptable for one sport vs the other. 

[DanteEstonia]

42 minutes ago, TRCJunkie said:

But there are more total schools across that play basketball than football? I just don't understand why the argument is acceptable for one sport vs the other. 

I am in agreement with both of these points; things are worse in Nevada, where I teach and live. I would argue having 3/4 classes in baseball, basketball, etc is optimal in Indiana because those sports have roster limits and a wider set of State champions. I think 6 classes (I would disperse the classes a bit differently) is optimal for football in Indiana because of the smaller pool of tournament champions and the ability to roster an unlimited number of kids. 

[Basementbias]

I'll say probably 5, though with more schools playing basketball than football, I could see 6 depending on how it was broke down. I think 4 is working ok, but not the best. I think the issue lies within 2A & 3A as well as those small 4A schools. There are a lot of 1A football schools that are 2A basketball schools competing with truly 2A football to almost 3A football schools.