News: It's a Wrap! VHSL Adopts Final Conference Alignment Plan for 2013-14 and 2014-15 Cycle

(Dec. 11, 2012) - Just about a year after the Virginia High School League proposed an overhaul of its classification and playoff system, final approval was given by the Executive Committee Monday for a Conference Alignment plan for 2013-14 and 2014-15 two-year school cycle.

The plan basically doubles classifications for Virginia public high school sports from three to six levels and starts postseason play at a new conference level. Currently only football holds championships in six classifications with most sports crowing state titles in three classifications.

As expected, Loudoun's 13 schools fell into three classifications: 5A (Briar Woods, Broad Run, Freedom, Potomac Falls, Stone Bridge, Tuscarora), 4A (Dominion, Heritage, Loudoun County, Park View, Woodgrove) and 3A (Champe, Loudoun Valley).

News: VHSL Alignment Committee Meets Tuesday

(Nov. 12, 2012) - The Virginia High School League's new Alignment Committee will meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at the VHSL office in Charlottesville.

Breaking News: Majority of VHSL School Back New Six Classification Model as AAA Bid to Stop Plan is Defeated

Charlottesville (Oct. 16, 2012) - The Virginia High School League's radical revamp of its postseason play model in the state survived a challenge at today's general membership meeting and the new six classification system is now cleared for takeoff starting in 2013-14.

With 292 out of 313 member schools in attendance this morning, a proposal was brought to the general membership to scuttle the plans approved in emergency legislation last month by the VHSL executive committee. AAA schools voted 78-40 in their meeting to overturn the plan, advancing it to a vote on the floor in front of the general membership.

Needing almost 200 schools to vote to overturn the plan (as a two-third vote is needed to overturn an executive committee decision) just the opposite happened after debate as only 110 schools voted to overturn and 189 schools voted to move forward with the change.

News: VHSL New Alignment Still Faces Hurdles

(Oct. 12, 2012) - Change is certainly not easy and the Virginia High School League major overhaul of its classification and alignment system for public high school athletic programs still has a few hurdles to clear after the Executive Committee's emergency legislation approval of the new six classification system on Sept. 20 by a 23-3 vote.

For starters, the Franklin News-Post reported on Wednesday that the Franklin County School Board has opted to see legal counsel to address Franklin County High School's placement in the Piedmont District in the new plan. And looming on Tuesday at the Double Tree Hotel in Charlottesville is VHSL Group Board and Membership meetings in which member schools could challenge the VHSL emergency legislation from the floor but would need two-third of the membership in support of overturning the new plan.

News: VHSL Recommends Final Alignment Plan

(Sept. 13, 2012)- The Virginia High School League took another big step this week in dramatically changing the playoff structure of public high school athletics in the state of Virginia with a Redistricting and Realignment committee unanimously sending a final plan for the 2013-15 cycle to the Executive Committee for approval on Sept. 19.

Schools unhappy with this final plan have until tomorrow, Friday Sept. 14, to file a written appeals request with the VHSL office. Earlier this week the R&R committee heard and rules on a variety of appeals.

News: VHSL Takes Another Step on Road to Overhaul of Classification and Playoff System

(Aug. 16, 2012) - The Virginia High School League's R&R Committee and Ad Hoc Conference Committee met last week to take action on requests received from member schools in regards to their district and conference assignments in the proposed 2013-15 two-year cycle.

There was no movement for any Loudoun-based schools from the proposed plan, which switches Virginia basically from a 3-classification model to six classifications for almost all sports. 

If passed, Loudoun schools would be place in the following districts and conferences under the revamped playoff system:

For regular-season play

Liberty District: Stone Bridge with Fairfax, Langley, Madison, Marshall, McLean, South Lakes, TJ

Dulles District: Champe, Dominion, Heritage, Loudoun County, Loudoun Valley, Park View, Woodgrove

Potomac District: Briar Woods, Broad Run, Freedom, Potomac Falls, Tuscarora

For postseason play (all teams advance to conference tournaments)
5A North: Conference 14: Briar Woods, Broad Run, Freedom, Potomac Falls, Stone Bridge, Tuscarora
4A North Conference 21: Dominion, Heritage, Loudoun County, Park View, Woodgrove with Handley, James Wood, Millbrook and Sherando.
3A East Conference 28: Champe, Loudoun Valley with Central-Woodstock, Skyline, Warren County and William Monroe

Action VHSL took last week on the requests to districts and conferences:

News: VHSL to Meet Aug. 8 to Develop District and Conference Alignment Plans for 2013-15 Cycle

(Aug. 7, 2012) - The Virginia High School League R&R Committee will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday Aug. 8 to develop its initial district alignment plan for schools using March 31, 2012 ADM figures. The plan would be effective for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years.

The Ad Hoc Interim Conference Committee will meet at 11 a.m. on Wednesday to develop its initial conference alignment plan using March 31 figures for the same 2013-14 and 2014-15 period.

News: Ad Hoc Playoff/Postseason Study Group Minutes - Joint Meeting with Redistricting and Reclassification Committee

(April 23, 2012) - Catch up on the latest VHSL realignment news by reading the full Ad Hoc Playoff/Postseason Study Group joint meeting meeting minutes with the Redistricting and Reclassification Committee from April 16:

News: VHSL Makes Minor Adjustments to Proposed Realignment Model

(April 23, 2012) - The Virginia High School League released a revised preliminary draft model for its proposed realignment on April 16 and the only Loudoun school affected is Freedom High School which under the model is shifted into a conference with schools closer to South Riding.

News: VHSL Realignment Model Still on Track Despite Reservations, Especially from Eastern and Central AAA Regions; Region II Unanimously For 6-Classification Plan

(March 2, 2012) - The Virginia High School League realignment proposal for 2013-15, which would radically alter the high school sports landscape in the state is still on track after the Realignment and Reclassification Committee met on Feb. 27.

While there were some minor changes approved, including the splitting of the Dulles District into two districts -- a seven-team Dulles District and new five-team Potomac Disrict -- the VHSL is moving ahead -- despite objections from the larger schools in the Eastern and Central regions -- with a model for play in the state in six classifications for all sports and the elimination of the current A, AA and AAA model based upon regions.

A new postseason plan, with a new conference level above districts, feeding into sectionals and then states would have to be approved. The proposed plan is especially supported among the smaller schools in the state at the current A and AA levels with Region II, which hosts nine of the 12 Loudoun schools currently, voting unanimously for the plan thus far.

Revised #VSHL Aligment Model for 2013-2015

R&R Committee Minutes

News: VHSL Initial Proposed Plan for 2013-15 Puts 12 of 13 Loudoun Schools in Dulles District

(Feb. 7, 2012)- Are you ready for a Super Size Me Dulles District? It may only be a couple of years away as the initial proposed alignment plan for 2013-15 released by the Virginia High School League Monday puts 12 of Loudoun's 13 high schools in the Dulles District.

The plan, which if approved would signal a radical shift in how the VHSL classifies teams and holds postseason competition, puts the current nine Dulles District schools (Briar Woods, Dominion, Heritage, Loudoun County, Loudoun Valley, Park View, Potomac Falls, Tuscarora, Woodgrove) in a 12-team district along with current Cedar Run District schools Broad Run and Freedom and new school John Champe which opens in 2012.

The only Loudoun school not in the Dulles in the proposal would be Stone Bridge which would remain in the Liberty District.

News: VHSL Says Membership Figures Used for Initial Realignment Plan were Incorrect, Will Issue Revised Figures and Plan

(Nov. 30, 2011) - The Virginia High School League apparently was using incorrect school enrollment figures from the Virginia Department of Education to formulate the initial alignment plan for 2013-14 and 2014-15 that was released this morning. Correct enrollment figures and a revised initial alignment redistricting and reclassification plan will be reposted soon.

Here is the statement from the VHSL, issued at 1:48 p.m. Wednesday: "The DOE has advised our office the September 30, 2011 Membership Figures provided earlier to the R&R Committee are incorrect. We will post the correct September 30, 2011 Membership Figures as soon as possible. In addition, the revised Initial Alignment Plan Redistricting and Reclassification Plan for 2013-14 and 2014-15 will be reposted."

News: VHSL Initial Proposal Alignment Plan for 2013-14, 2014-15 Moves Briar Woods, Potomac Falls, Tuscarora, Woodgrove All up to AAA

(Nov. 30, 2011) - In the next two-year alignment plan proposed by the Virginia High School League, Loudoun will have more AAA schools (seven) than AA schools (six) with Briar Woods, Potomac Falls, Tuscarora, Woodgrove slotted to move up from AA to join current AAA schools Broad Run, Freedom and Stone Bridge. The proposal, which will be approved in the spring after debate and appeals, covers the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years.

A proposed Cedar Run District in the Northwest Region would have six Loudoun schools -- Briar Woods, Broad Run, Freedom, Potomac Falls, Tuscarora, Woodgrove -- joining Sherando. Current Cedar Run schools Battlefield, Osbourn, Patriot and Stonewall Jackson would shift to the Cardinal District.

Stone Bridge would remain in the Liberty District in the Northern Region though there may be a push for some in Loudoun to get the Bulldogs into the Cedar Run District, which would give that district 8 teams, and create some tremendous local district rivalries with Broad Run, Briar Woods and Stone Bridge all based near each other in Ashburn.

The proposed slimmed down Dulles District, currently nine teams, would have six schools with John Champe High School, opening in the South Riding/Stone Hill area next year, joining Dominion, Heritage, Loudoun County, Loudoun Valley and Park View in an all-Loudoun AA district.

View the entire proposal.