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Sports

Class AA Pushes Winter Events Back a Week

Officials decided to give student-athletes a longer break between sports seasons

By 406mtsports.com
Glacier's Drew Deck looks for an open teammate during the crosstown game on Jan. 11, 2019. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

Class AA officials decided to give their student-athletes a little breather between high school sports seasons this year.

While basketball players, wrestlers and swimmers started practice Nov. 18 in Classes A, B and C, Class AA started practices on Nov. 29.

In Class AA, winter sports teams can have their first events Friday, Dec. 10. In all the other classifications, the first events can be Friday, Dec. 3.

“Class AA has proposed it for a couple of years, and because it is a calendar change, it has to be approved by MHSA membership and the board,” said Billings Public Schools Athletic Director Mark Wahl. “We had proposed it for a couple of years and it wasn’t passed. Our basketball and wrestling coaches all voted for it in last year’s meetings.”

While the general Montana High School Association membership opposed the idea of starting practices and competitions later, Class AA still wanted to go forth with the process, explained Wahl, noting the MHSA “said we could do it alone.”

Wahl said the ADs then voted along with the coaches in March, and beginning the winter sports season a week later was approved by the AA principals in June.

Wahl said it really only affects the start date for wrestling competitions. Most basketball teams in Class AA have typically started a week later than the other classes. Wahl noted typically AA basketball programs start with “cross-conference” contests and in Billings no basketball schedules were changed.

“In basketball, the biggest adjustment they make is their kids only get 10 practices and they have to make all 10 to participate on the first weekend,” Wahl said.

There have been some mixed feelings in wrestling with other classes first getting started, and then ready to compete, especially with the Sidney Invitational this weekend.

“There was some frustration. I’m not sure they realized every class wasn’t doing it,” Wahl said.

However, Wahl said those in the conference believe the positives outweigh any potential negatives.

A positive of a later start date: With practices beginning the Monday after Thanksgiving, it gives provides time to spend with family and friends over the holiday.

Another plus, Wahl, said is giving players who participate in a fall sport a longer break between seasons. Some football and volleyball players make extended postseason runs.

“You think about it, two of our major holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, they have to work over it,” Wahl said. 

Wahl said the hope is the other classifications will also adjust their start dates in the future.

“Our hope is we do this for a couple years and it prompts the other classes to do it,” he said. “We think it’s the right thing for student-athletes to have that break.

“We told our coaches we’ll do this for a couple years. Our hope is the other classes follow. If not, we’ll take another look at it.”