VHSL reclassification

[Dodgers]

On 2/24/2026 at 1:23 PM, Stelley said:

I’ve heard that this was almost a reality as chilhowie was protesting Lebanon joining the hogo again

Lebanon should be back in the Hogo if they drop down no matter what anyone protest. They have been there in the past and already play Honaker, PH and Rural Retreat in football which is half of the teams in the Hogo. They would be better suited competition wise as well. The only reason I could imagine Chilhowie not wanting them in the Hogo would be baseball if what you say is true. I don't think football or basketball would have a problem playing them.

[VHSLhelper]

On 2/22/2026 at 1:04 PM, Bluebird said:

With four schools consolidating into Southern Gap that will change the region alignments and some 2A schools will go down to 1A.  

Don't count on it. 

[ehcwasp]

The A/AA/AAA setup was a pretty good setup overall.  I know our state has changed a lot since then, but it will never be perfect.  The clamoring from the coaches of other sports to have the same setup as football drove the bus to the six classification model.  Some say it doesn’t mean as much because it is watered down, which is all relative.  I'd bet that the 2025 state football final run meant as much to the Rye Cove players, coaches, and community as the 1986 championship did to the Tazewell players, coaches, and community.

I feel that the football setup was somewhat ahead of its time when divisional play was put in place in 1986, being it has survived for 40 seasons in this state.  If a four classification model does become a reality, I would look for nearly half of the lowest classification to go to 8 man football. 

[Bluebird]

They can already go to 8 man football if they want to. There is an 8 man football league in Virginia.  

[ehcwasp]

3 hours ago, Bluebird said:

They can already go to 8 man football if they want to. There is an 8 man football league in Virginia.  

Very true, but we haven't seen that trend in this area yet for some reason.  Reclassification would add close to 30 class 2 teams to the existing 50 class 1 teams, which could be the change that pushes the smaller schools toward 8 man football.

[VHSLhelper]

On 2/26/2026 at 5:41 PM, Bluebird said:

They can already go to 8 man football if they want to. There is an 8 man football league in Virginia.  

True. But it isn't sanctioned by the VHSL. AND those schools can STILL play a game or two with 11 kids.. Tri-Cities Christian did that.

[Bluebird]

Two VHSL schools play eight man football. Chincoteague and Rappahanock.  

[Bluebird]

You could start with Bland, Auburn, and Castlewood, then throw in Jenkins and Montcalm.  

[Dodgers]

Any word on what direction the VHSL is headed to? Someone said the 4 or 5 classification model is gaining a lot of support. I can see 5 becoming reality.

[Fairlawncat]

11 hours ago, Dodgers said:

Any word on what direction the VHSL is headed to? Someone said the 4 or 5 classification model is gaining a lot of support. I can see 5 becoming reality.

5 possible. 4 equals too much money lost for the bureaucratic beast. The beast will have to crunch numbers to ensure it doesn't need to lose too much money in order to go to 5 classes.

[BigWinners]

Why the need to even go smaller? I don’t get why people feel like their own feelings about ‘watered-down’ titles means more than some of these kids getting to go to the postseason for maybe the first time. 

[Fairlawncat]

20 minutes ago, BigWinners said:

Why the need to even go smaller? I don’t get why people feel like their own feelings about ‘watered-down’ titles means more than some of these kids getting to go to the postseason for maybe the first time. 

Post season is watered down. It has about 1/5th of the same meaning it did in 1995. Over 50 percent of teams in Class 1 and 2 make it to the post season. So, when the kid that made the playoffs with his school as the 8th seed with a 3 and 7 record tells the guys at the party 10 years later at the backyard BBQ that his team made the post season, it has less weight compared to what it was 30 years earlier.

For people that feel the playoffs or titles are watered down, its a subjective emotional feeling. But, so is the emotional feeling of a kid making the post season. I think both matter. I've worked. I pay taxes. I've given thousands to Radford High athletics. My emotional state as an adult counts just as much as the 15 year old kid who hasn't worked yet or paid taxes. I think 5 classes meets both needs. Never should have been 6. 4 is not enough.

[BigWinners]

1 hour ago, Fairlawncat said:

Post season is watered down. It has about 1/5th of the same meaning it did in 1995. Over 50 percent of teams in Class 1 and 2 make it to the post season. So, when the kid that made the playoffs with his school as the 8th seed with a 3 and 7 record tells the guys at the party 10 years later at the backyard BBQ that his team made the post season, it has less weight compared to what it was 30 years earlier.

For people that feel the playoffs or titles are watered down, its a subjective emotional feeling. But, so is the emotional feeling of a kid making the post season. I think both matter. I've worked. I pay taxes. I've given thousands to Radford High athletics. My emotional state as an adult counts just as much as the 15 year old kid who hasn't worked yet or paid taxes. I think 5 classes meets both needs. Never should have been 6. 4 is not enough.

I like you but no, it doesn’t, at all. You’ve already had your high school experience, the kids now haven’t. It shouldn’t be in place to placate adults who feel a certain way at the expense of the kids at JI Burton or Twin Springs or any small 1A school that would inevitably be hit the hardest by cutting classifications. 
 

A state title is a state title. I can guarantee you not one player in any sport feels like their title means less because it was ‘easier’ to get (which btw I don’t buy either, more kids are specialized, more kids have access, etc). 
 

So it boils down to this: you’d rather see a 7-3 or 8-2 team who might have not gelled early (in football) and is now maybe rhe best team in their division get left out as opposed to a 4-6 team make the playoffs and let the higher seeds, who earned it, get an easier game to gear up for a title run. 
 

The cream rises to the top, but larger classifications means you’ll have Rye Cove competing with teams like Graham and Union, maybe even Abingdon, and in sports like basketball and football, those numbers matter a lot. 

[Bluebird]

Maybe athletic directors or principles already know what will happen with the next realignment.  

[Fairlawncat]

36 minutes ago, BigWinners said:

I like you but no, it doesn’t, at all. You’ve already had your high school experience, the kids now haven’t. It shouldn’t be in place to placate adults who feel a certain way at the expense of the kids at JI Burton or Twin Springs or any small 1A school that would inevitably be hit the hardest by cutting classifications. 
 

A state title is a state title. I can guarantee you not one player in any sport feels like their title means less because it was ‘easier’ to get (which btw I don’t buy either, more kids are specialized, more kids have access, etc). 
 

So it boils down to this: you’d rather see a 7-3 or 8-2 team who might have not gelled early (in football) and is now maybe rhe best team in their division get left out as opposed to a 4-6 team make the playoffs and let the higher seeds, who earned it, get an easier game to gear up for a title run. 
 

The cream rises to the top, but larger classifications means you’ll have Rye Cove competing with teams like Graham and Union, maybe even Abingdon, and in sports like basketball and football, those numbers matter a lot. 

Respectful take BW, but we disagree. On a lot. First, I think the HS playoffs should be earned, not given or gifted. I have had my HS experience, true. Mine was working my arse off to make the playoffs of which only 4 teams in the region made it. The kids haven't had their experience yet. Thats true, but Im an adult and I'm emotionally more stable. I've worked. I pay taxes. Im raising kids. I work in a field that works with kids psychologically/educational and i set my ass in class for 6 years of college (and barely passed) and raised kids to have enough knowledge to have a decent idea of what is best for a kid.....Compared to the 15 year old kid himself or herself. If they knew better, there would be no such thing as parents. So yes, I get a Say So. I do not defer to the kid automatically. I defer to them as a second choice and so should every adult. On placating of adults. I think it's the opposite in our country. We placate kids far to often which is......adults fault.

I agree with everything you wrote on a state title. No argument there. As for 5 classes, Sixcat made the point I agree with. Leave Classes 1 and 2 alone. Don't touch them (he said something to this effect-not an exact quote). The class trimming-combining needs to be done at 4 through 6

Lastly, your first statement is one I agree with on premise. Meaning, its not about placating adults. I agree, but its equally about not placating kids. Trimming the amount of teams that makes the playoffs may actually make making the playoffs far more meaningful for those that do make it, and that benefits kids 30 years later More than simply giving a gift that is undeserved. There are far more lessons of life learned from this angle than the other approach in my opinion.

And remember, with your argument, there should be no debate about going to 10 classes. Let's expand to 10 state champions. If you disagree, then your disagreement is the exact same reason that I would disagree with 6. The bottom line is, somebody has to come up with how many classifications there are. I think 5 is the sweet spot that places value on playoffs and titles, but is also not so low that teams like Rye Cove have no chance. Like I said, I wouldn't touch Clas 1 or 2. 

What is my angle? It's this to sum it up and many people dont know this, much less believe it, but its true and here it is....we are told to "be careful with hurting the self esteem of our youth because it's fragile and self esteem must be critically protected."<----that statement has probably caused more problems for kids than any other statement and is a new approach that's only about 25 or so years old and the APA (American Psychological Association) eats it up and promotes it. Want the truth? Self esteem is actually the problem! Many kids in our country have a horrific self esteem problem. They have too much of it. Their self esteem needs checked. Its end course is exactly what's happening among those future adults running rampant in our society. Narcissism. 

[Bluebird]

Does anyone know when the new adm numbers will come out. I’m curious on how reclassification will turn out?

[CPF]

49 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

Does anyone know when the new adm numbers will come out. I’m curious on how reclassification will turn out?

When the numbers are on the sheet it always says march 31st of whichever year it is so my guess is soon.