Emma Otto's Berthoud team would move back up to 4A if the proposed new classification breakpoints were to take effect next fall. Photo by Alan Versaw.
The Classification and League Organizing Committee has forwarded its recommendations to the CHSAA Board of Control. And, if you live on the edge of a classification breakpoint, it's going to mess with your psyche for the next year or so.
The constant battle of the CLOC committee is to maintain balance within classifications. It isn't easy and it involves a lot of fine tuning. The committee recommendations being forwarded to the Board of Control indicate the following upper limits for the various classifications (starting in 2012 - 2013):
1A - 85
2A - 240
3A - 600
4A - 1410
5A - no upper limit (but Cherry Creek is the largest school with a listed enrollment of 3448 for October, 2010)
In the CLOC committee report (linked here) are included enrollment counts for each of the various CHSAA member schools. That makes it easy to see which track and field/cross country programs would move up or down under the new classification breakpoints. It should be noted, however, that a couple of the enrollment counts appear suspiciously far away from the last set of counts. I've tried to indicate which of the listed enrollments counts from the CLOC committee report seem to be in error (based on recent enrollment counts for the same school) with an asterisk:
Berthoud (626) - would move back to 4A
Broomfield (1435) - would move to 5A
Caliche (89) - would move up to 2A
Centennial (248*) - would move to 2A if it moves at all, there's no way the tiny community of San Luis supports a 3A high school
Coronado (1420) - would move back to 5A
Fort Lupton (600) - would move down to 3A by the skin of their teeth
Fountain Valley School (260) - would move back to 3A
Haxtun (93) - would move up to 2A
Kent Denver (668*) - would move up to 4A, but stay tuned as the 668 count shown seems much too high
La Veta (86) - would move to 2A
Lyons (255) - would move back to 3A
Mead (488*) - would stay 3A, but this enrollment count likely won't stay where it is and the Mavericks should be moving up to 4A next cycle
Merino (96) - would move up to 2A
Pine Creek (1387) - would move down to 4A
Plateau Valley (93) - would move up to 2A
Rifle (630) - would move back to 4A
Sangre de Cristo (87) - would move back to 2A
Sierra Grande (88) - would move to 2A
Simla (99) - would move back to 2A
Springfield (88) - would move back to 2A
Weld Central (640) - would move to 4A
Yuma (254) - would move back to 3A
The implications for track and field and cross country in the lower classifications are fairly significant. 1A track and field would wave farewell to several traditionally productive programs almost as soon as the classifications gets its own state meet. While picking up some schools on the lower end, 2A track and field would lose Yuma, Fountain Valley, and Lyons. Other schools, like Hotchkiss, which were on the cusp of moving down to 2A likely won't see that happen.
For 2A cross country, the loss of Fountain Valley and Lyons would considerably dilute the level of competition in a classification that's already struggling with fielding a healthy number of highly competitive teams. As such, the proposed new breakpoints aren't great news for 2A.
But cross country isn't the only consideration for the CLOC committee. Arguably, basketball, volleyball, and to an extent wrestling and baseball are the bigger fish to fry for the committee. So, what's good for those sports may not necessarily be good for cross country.
Football operates under a separate classification system.
Although Sterling's enrollment this October (608) would keep the Tigers 4A for the next cycle, the rate at which they are dropping suggests it's very likely that Sterling could yet end up as a 3A school for the next cycle. Another year might easily knock off the additional eight students required for Sterling to move down. Englewood, currently at 606, is another school primed to make the move down to 3A if trends continue.