Seattle Schools Confirms Sports Change

Yes, all our comprehensive high schools will be moving to the Metro league (including Roosevelt, Ballard and Garfield).  Roosevelt will be the second-largest in the league but keep in mind, they count ONLY the numbers of 10,11and 12th graders to decide school size.  That's why Roosevelt will fit into the Metro league.

Boy, that will save transportation dollars AND be one less reason to change to later start times for high school students (and middle school, as well).

Comments

Anonymous said…
Actually, we were told last night that they count 9th through 11th and they don't count 11th graders who should be 12 graders. This will be great for transportation but it will be rough on the smaller schools until things even out.

HP
1/9/14, 7:11 AM
Catherine said…
Why did SPS leave Metro in the first place? Have those concerns been addressed?
1/9/14, 7:50 AM
Anonymous said…
Catherine, most SPS high schools have been in the Metro League. Roosevelt, Ballard, and Garfield were in a different league due to their size and were classified as 4A schools. With the reclassification just announced by the WIAA, these three schools move back to 3A.

All it means for me is that there are now more schools for O'Dea and the other Catholic high schools in the conference to beat up.

--- GO IRISH!!!
1/9/14, 9:52 AM
Anonymous said…
The Metro league will probably be set up with the private schools in one division and the public schools in another division, so the Catholics won't meet up with the public schools until the championship. I have to say, if the Raiders have to take a beating like they did in football, I prefer O'Dea to Eastside Catholic. O'Dea, while looking like the Borg during practice, were much more sportsman like and took mercy on the Raiders. Eastside Catholic never shows any mercy even after it is more than clear that they are going to win.

HP
1/9/14, 11:58 AM
Anonymous said…
The Metro league will probably be set up with the private schools in one division and the public schools in another division, so the Catholics won't meet up with the public schools until the championship. I have to say, if the Raiders have to take a beating like they did in football, I prefer O'Dea to Eastside Catholic. O'Dea, while looking like the Borg during practice, were much more sportsman like and took mercy on the Raiders. Eastside Catholic never shows any mercy even after it is more than clear that they are going to win.

HP
1/9/14, 11:58 AM
Anonymous said…
HP, the league was split into two divisions previously, with the private schools and Bainbridge in one division and the SPS high schools in the other. O'Dea still played SPS teams during the regular season.

This division ensures a SPS high school gets to play for the league championship and qualify for districts; otherwise, the Catholic schools would dominate and the SPS schools be locked out of playoffs entirely.

But with the addition of the three SPS schools, the league may need to go to three divisions or at least one SPS school if not two would need to be in the division with the private schools.

--- GO IRISH!!!
1/9/14, 12:55 PM
Anonymous said…
O'Dea did play some of the public schools but that was out of division and did not count for Metro championships. Nathan Hale played Lakeside and Roosevelt, neither counted because they were out of division and the Roosevelt was out of league. Nathan Hale won their division and O'Dea won their division so the met at Metro championships which is where I saw O'Dea play with great sportsmanship and compassion, unlike what I had witnessed when Eastside Catholic played. I think they will strive to keep the separate divisions because the public schools cannot recruit with neighborhood schools.

HP
1/9/14, 3:15 PM
Anonymous said…
Yo Irish,

I guess you must be talking about football but there are many other sports in Metro that the Catholic schools don't dominate. Rainier Beach won the state title in boys basketball in 2012 & 2013.

- Go Vikings!
1/9/14, 8:23 PM
Anonymous said…
Yep, tiny Rainier Beach is top dog in basketball and are amazing to watch.

O'Dea dominates in football and baseball.

HP
1/10/14, 7:30 AM
Cindy Jatul said…
Won't this reclassification facilitate a move to later starts for secondary schools, if travel time to games are decreased? One of the common arguments against later starts has been the concern over student athletes missing more class time. If they don't have to leave as early next year to get to games, then later starts will be less problematic- no?
1/14/14, 4:45 PM
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