The NJSIAA Executive Committee met on Wednesday morning for more than three hours to discuss multiple proposals on the table and then vote on them.
One of those proposals is to create a separate conference for football only that would house non-public schools. The executive committee heard from public school and non-public school officials during the meeting who were both in favor of and against the proposal.
Despite what they heard, the NJSIAA Executive Committee voted 24-7 with two abstentions to push forward with the proposal.
If the proposal is approved by the general membership, which will vote on the issue in December, it will take effect beginning with the 2016 season.
Should it pass the NJSIAA general membership vote, the landscape of high school football in New Jersey would change dramatically. Non-public schools would only play non-public schools.
Public schools would lose long-standing rivalries with non-public schools, but would be allowed to schedule games with teams from outside New Jersey.
This means that Cinnaminson would lose its rivalry with Holy Cross, which has been incredibly competitive over the last five to six years.
Pirates head coach Mario Patrizi offered his thoughts on whether or not this proposal will pass the general membership vote.
“I think you can never say never, especially since it has been brought up in the past. I think it could absolutely pass, but I would be surprised if it did. There is too much involved with scheduling that could create a lot of havoc.”
In regards to possibly losing Holy Cross from the schedule, Patrizi said, “I wouldn’t want it to happen and I don’t think Holy Cross would want it to happen. We would have to pick up somebody.”
Other proposals voted on by the Executive Committee of the NJSIAA that will move to the general membership vote in December that affect football include a new transfer rule and earlier start dates.
The general membership will vote on changing the start of the fall season practice schedule to August 10 and games to September 1 beginning with the 2016 season.
The updated transfer rule will also be voted on by the general membership and would strengthen the rule. Varsity athletes would be required to sit for a period of 30 days and miss the state tournament if they transfer from or to an “open” enrollment school.
Open enrollment schools are defined as non-public schools, schools that participate in the choice program and those that accept tuition students.
The updated transfer rule was approved by the NJSIAA Executive Committee on Wednesday by a 25-7 vote, but decided against implementing the new rule beginning this June. Instead, the committee moved the updated rule to a general membership vote in December.
