Student athletes are missing too much class time to travel,

a recent report says.

With recent changes to how schools are classified for athletic competition, Bainbridge High School has a decision to make.

Should the Spartans stay in the Metro League, or should they go?

Classroom time lost by student athletes traveling to Seattle for road games is among the issues facing Bainbridge school officials.

“I talked to some of the people in the Metro and I told them, ‘I don’t know what we’re going to do,” BHS athletic director Neal White said this week. “I don’t know which direction we might go.”

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association has for several years wanted to change how schools are classified – student populations determining whether they are 4A, 3A and so on – and a plan was finally adopted in April, with a new classification added as well.

The changes will go into effect for the 2006-07 prep season.

The change will help even out the interscholastic athletic tournaments. Under the current rules, there are 91 schools in 4A, 77 in 3A, 50 in 2A, 61 in 1A and 111 in B.

Under the new system, the smallest 16 percent of schools in the state will be under the new classification, tentatively titled Class C.

The rest of the schools will be divided among the five tiers using new enrollment ranges to help create a more level playing field for teams to qualify for state tournaments. That evens out to an average of 64 teams per tier, not including those that opt up.

The WIAA also changed whether a tournament will hold eight or 16 teams, depending on how many schools participate in a sport. The old rule dealt with hard numbers, but the new rule says that 60 percent of schools need to field a team in a particular sport for a 16-team tournament. Less than that, and the tournament is pared down to eight teams.

White said that based on its current enrollment, Bainbridge will stay in the 3A classification.

But under the new classification, Olympic, Peninsula, Shelton, Port Angeles and Bremerton would be considered 3A schools instead of their current 4A classification. Some Metro League schools, including O’Dea, Holy Names, West Seattle, Chief Sealth, Cleveland and Rainier Beach would qualify to go down to 2A, but some may stay in 3A.

White has talked with those schools’ athletic directors about staying in the Metro League but has also talked with athletic directors along with the directors from North Kitsap, Sequim, North Mason, Klahowya and Port Townsend about reforming the old Olympic League under a 3A/2A multi-classification.

Also a factor is the new high school opening in Kingston in 2007 in the middle of the two year cycle, which would take away enough students from North Kitsap to make them a 3A school.

White said that the various athletic directors are still trying to decide whether to stay in their current leagues or move to a new league.

“Everybody’s back talking with their folks and seeing what everybody wants,” he said. “We figure we need eight teams to make the league. Nine or 10 teams might be better, but right now that would work.”

Class conflict

Bainbridge school officials will take several factors into consideration for their own move, including travel time, costs and whether being in a different league will affect the teams’ competitive level.

One of the main factors is how much school is missed by students attending games.

A recent BHS accreditation report recommended that the athletic department “seek solutions to minimize missed academic time for student-athletes, particularly those athletes involved in the spring sports season.” According to the survey, varsity football, boys water polo, gymnastics, wrestling and cheerleading were the only sports that didn’t miss class time participating in events.

Players in all of the spring sports missed time for road contests, while fastpitch and baseball missed class time for both home and away games.

BHS Principal Brent Peterson said he has heard from parents who are concerned with how much school their kids miss.

“It does come up,” Peterson said. “It’s most noticeable during spring season when most activities are daylight and weather permissible. We share parents’ concerns and we would like to lessen that impact if possible.”

White said the time away from school is a factor, but that the students work hard in getting their homework done. He also said the travel times aren’t flexible, because many Metro schools use Seattle park facilities that must be scheduled because of heavy use.

While agreeing that less travel time would help Spartan students, he also noted that many Bainbridge parents work in Seattle, which makes it easier for them to travel to their children’s games. White and some parents also like the competitiveness of the schools in the Metro League. Seven Metro schools besides Bainbridge won state championships last year.

“The Metro League has raised our level of play,” White said. “In the division we’re in (Mountain), it’s like a state playoff game in every doggone game you play in.”

White has talked with coaches and players about the move, and will hold a meeting on Sept. 27 with parents and another meeting with Metro League athletic directors and principals in early October. A meeting with athletes, parents and coaches is also planned.

He must ultimately make a recommendation to the Bainbridge school board, as they will ultimately make the decision.

And the other schools need to decide what they will do, as the leagues have set a deadline of the first week of October. White fears they may not make a decision by that time.

“We’re really waiting for other people to decide,” he said. “There may be some surprises that I don’t know about.

“We’ve got to start scheduling already for next year, especially for fall sports and football. (And) we’re not even ready to make the move yet, but we’re going to have to make some decisions really quick.”

* * * * *

League play

Bainbridge School officials will discuss athletic league alignment, 7 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Bainbridge High School library with parents, students, coaches and others. Information: 842-2534.