HELENA — A proposal to eliminate high school divisional tournaments for basketball, volleyball, and softball in Class AA for the upcoming school year has been approved by the MHSA, according to executive director Brian Michelotti as reported by 406 MT Sports on Wednesday.
The measure received a 15-1 vote of approval among Class AA schools, and the MHSA board approved it on June 20.
Due to the rejection of ten mill levies in various Class AA districts in Montana in May and other budget cuts, athletic directors were facing budget shortfalls, explained Michelotti.
“If the mill levies had passed, this probably wouldn’t have been a discussion,” stated Michelotti.
Divisionals were reintroduced in Class AA in 2017-18 after a 29-year hiatus.
“From the ADs’ perspective, there are multiple factors, and one is the desire to maintain the integrity of the conference and continue offering everything we currently offer,” said Helena Activities Director Tim McMahon to 406 MT Sports. “We didn’t want to see schools or districts cutting programs to balance their budgets.”
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“It was a proactive move with support from the administrations to find ways to save money while maintaining our current offerings and ensuring consistency across the Class AA conference,” McMahon added.
McMahon highlighted the importance of consistency in the number of teams advancing to the state level across various team sports in Class AA.
The proposal had to be approved by the MHSA as it affects the postseason structure.
“It needed approval from our board, but ultimately, it was a Class AA decision,” Michelotti clarified. “We do reject some proposals, but in this case, there was overwhelming support for it.”
Michelotti emphasized that the MHSA wouldn’t cut any sports unless there was a significant decrease in participation, but individual schools in Class AA could have considered cutting sports if divisional tournaments were not eliminated.
“The focus was on maintaining the current system and offerings to avoid any drastic changes,” explained Michelotti.
McMahon reiterated the financial challenges faced by districts and the importance of maintaining activities like divisional tournaments.
“We value tournaments and other activities that students are involved in,” McMahon said. “It’s crucial to support a variety of activities to benefit all students.”
Both Michelotti and McMahon acknowledged the impact of budget constraints on activities and the need to strike a balance while ensuring academic standards and extracurricular opportunities for students.
For tips, email: chris.peterson@406mtsports.com or text/call: 406-475-4292.
