Most public-school coaches want private schools out of GHSA 6A, 5A playoffs
Most football coaches at public schools want all private schools — including Benedictine, Blessed Trinity, Marist, St. Pius and Woodward Academy from classes 5A and 6A — to play in private-only state championships, according to an AJC Varsity survey.
All GHSA private schools play against public schools in the regular season, but the 27 football teams in classes 2A, 3A and 4A funnel into private-only playoffs.
Only those five in 5A and 6A can meet public schools in the playoffs. Marist, Blessed Trinity and Benedictine have Top 10 teams in this year’s AJC Varsity rankings and have won at least one state title since 2019.
The survey reached out to the GHSA’s 413 football coaches beginning in preseason. It drew 195 respondents overall, 192 to the question about the best way to treat private schools in the playoffs.
Public- and private-school coaches see the issue much differently, as expected.
The majority of private-school coaches (71.4%) want public and private schools to compete together for the same state championships in all classes.
“All high school athletes in the state of Georgia deserve a chance to win a true state championship,” a private-school coach said. Coaches were promised anonymity in their responses.
A stronger majority of public-school coaches (88.3%) support private-only playoffs with most (52.6%) wanting the five 5A and 6A schools included in that.
“Not all, but many of the private schools have an unfair advantage that even the best public schools can’t overcome,” a public-school coach said.
Among all coaches, less than half (47.4) said they want all private schools in their own playoffs, but only 18.2% want privates and public schools to play together for the same state championships.
Public schools have the voting clout within the GHSA as they outnumber private schools 413 to 44 among member schools and 381 to 32 among football teams.
Public schools have argued that private schools have an unfair competitive advantage because they have selective enrollment and no district boundaries.
The GHSA instituted an enrollment multiplier on private schools in 2000 to push many of them into higher classifications, although private-school dominance continued.
In 2012, under threat of an exodus among small public schools, the GHSA implemented private-only championships for the first time, but only for Class A.
In 2024, the GHSA expanded private-only playoffs to three classifications, and no private schools were allowed in the smallest classification, Class A.
Private schools won about one-third of state titles in all sports in 2023-24 but only one-sixth in 2024-25, the first year of the broader private-only playoffs.
“I have (coached) at both, and private schools have an advantage and should play others schools that share that advantage,” a public-school coach said.
Public schools have an advantage in enrollment, 75% more students than private schools from the same classification because of the GHSA’s out-of-zone enrollment multiplier.
“While private schools have an advantage of saying no to a student (selective enrollment), they have just as many challenges when it comes to enrollment,” a private-school coach said.
Survey results
What is the best way to treat private schools in the playoffs?
All coaches (192 responding)
- 34.4% - Smaller private schools should compete for private-only championships, as they currently do.
- 47.4% - All private schools, including those in 6A and 5A, should compete for private-only championships.
- 18.2% - Public and private schools should compete together for state championships. Do not separate them.
Private-school coaches (21 responding)
- 23.8% - Smaller private schools should compete for private-only championships, as they currently do.
- 4.8% - All private schools, including those in 6A and 5A, should compete for private-only championships.
- 71.4% - Public and private schools should compete together for state championships. Do not separate them.
Public-school coaches (171 responding)
- 35.7% - Smaller private schools should compete for private-only championships, as they currently do.
- 52.6% - All private schools, including those in 6A and 5A, should compete for private-only championships.
- 11.7% - Public and private schools should compete together for state championships. Do not separate them.