Today’s interviewee is Athens Academy athletic director Kevin Petroski, a member of the GHSA’s board of trustees. The GHSA placed schools into classes and regions this week. Class A Private tentatively has 28 football-playing schools, down from 37, and it’s expected to dwindle further.
Kevin Petroski, Athens Academy athletic director
1. How do you and other Class A Private administrators and coaches feel about Class A Private shrinking? “There is always a heightened level of stress among member schools during a reclassification cycle, but with the changing landscape among Class A Private schools, there is definitely a concern and more importantly an unknown end result with how the classification will look moving forward.”
2. Are you concerned it’s going to shrink further, maybe sooner than later, and has your school at least considered the possibility of other options? “With the GHSA’s decision to reduce each private school service area and the financial impact that will have on schools, all of which rely on tuition, I doubt there’s a private school that has not at least considered the value of GHSA membership and explored other potential options. In the end, Athens Academy’s priority is a quality experience for its students, and we will always do what’s best for the school and its families. Having said that, at this time the school is planning to continue its partnership with the GHSA, but I am confident there will be additional schools choosing to leave.”
3. Is having fewer than 32 Class A Private football teams OK, and if not, what would you like to see happen? Should there be fewer regions? “The GHSA office has communicated with current member schools that there will be a place for each school to compete in both the regular season and postseason. It’s their responsibility to create classifications and regions, but having fewer than 32 football playing schools seems to be an added challenge to the decisions they will have to make while striving to ensure all member schools have the same opportunities. By my count, there are currently 26 Class A Private varsity football playing schools, so further departures would seemingly require the GHSA look at options not previously considered.” [Petroski’s count of 26 represents those football teams in the class currently that are slated to return in 2022. GHSF Daily’s reference to 28 schools in another story today added three potential new football teams while subtracting one, Heritage of Newnan, which announced after GHSF Daily spoke with Petroski that it was pulling out of the GHSA next year.]
4. Three private schools with Class A attendance numbers are choosing to play in Class 4A. Is that something that more successful private schools such as Athens Academy might consider in the future? If Aquinas is allowed into 2A, wouldn’t Athens Academy be allowed to play in 3A with Oconee County, Monroe Area, etc.? “I’m pleased for the public and private schools that were approved to move up or down in classification. The reclassification committee made it clear they do not want private schools in 2A or 3A. Aquinas is isolated and, from what I was told, presented a great case for moving to AA. So even if the school chose to request to play up in classification, we’re confident it would’ve been denied. We are considerably smaller than the private schools approved for 4A, so we’re pleased to continue to compete against similar size schools.”
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