NJSIAA to study alignment

ROBBINSVILLE, N.J. - The NJSIAA has formed a League and Conference Committee that will eventually recommend the realignment of leagues around the state.

The committee, whose goal is to create more equitable competition among varsity teams, will meet through June and, if need be, work into the summer, said Steve Timko, the NJSIAA's executive director.

Timko said the changes had "the potential to happen across the board."

The committee is divided into five sections: Non-Public, North I, North II, Central and South. The South portion of the committee is composed of Chuck Earling, Collingswood principal; Christine Dziczek, Highland athletic director; Frank D'Alonzo, Toms River athletic director; Kevin Murphy, Washington Township athletic director; Joe Schramm, Cherokee athletic director; and Ken Soboloski, Buena principal.

The committee will not attempt to put parochial and public schools in separate leagues, Timko said. "They're not looking to segregate, but to possibly redesign," he said.

Last month, a plan that would have forced parochial and public schools to have separate leagues in all sports was narrowly defeated by a 186-178 vote.

Transfer rule update.

Changes in the transfer rule will be voted upon by the Executive Committee in March. The committee will be presented the proposed changes at the Feb. 6 meeting, giving members a month to examine the proposal.

Currently, an athlete who transfers must sit out 30 days if he/she had competed in that varsity sport at his/her previous school.

The proposal would force athletes to sit out one calendar year - if a student transferred without a bona fide change of residence and was in 10th, 11th or 12th grade. Students in ninth grade would be restricted from athletic competition for 30 days, if they participated on the varsity level.

The NJSIAA said there might be legitimate hardships that necessitate the waiving of the one-year sit-out or "wait" period. Such athletes would be allowed an appeals process.

The one-year sit-out period exists in at least 38 states and was the rule in New Jersey until 1982, according to the NJSIAA.

Ice hockey finals.

For the first time, the NJSIAA will crown three ice hockey state champions. The finals will be held March 22 at the Prudential Center in Newark. The Non-Public final will be at 2 p.m., followed by the Public A championship at 5 p.m. and the Public B final at 8 p.m.

Tidbits.

A field hockey proposal, initiated by the Tri-County Conference, was passed on first reading and could be approved next month.

The proposal would allow players to play three halves during the same calendar day, one more than the current allowance. Salem athletic director Dave Suiter said that, if the proposal is approved, it would enable schools with a low number of participants to continue to field more than one level of field hockey. Those schools, he said, would not be as likely to postpone/cancel games.

A request to allow baseball teams to begin practice on March 1 was rejected. Spring practice will begin March 7; the season will begin April 1.

Suiter said the request was turned down because teams "still have 24 days to get ready for the season. We give football players 25 days," he said.