Today’s interviewees are four Class A Private football coaches, each discussing reclassification. The GHSA’s reclassification committee will meet today to discuss proposals, one that would put Greater Atlanta Christian, Lovett and Pace Academy down into Class A Private. Until this idea was floated, Class A Private schools were not directly affected by plans to mitigate private-school dominance in classes 2A through 5A. However, Class A Private schools share common interests with the 10 private schools that currently compete in classes 2A and higher.
1. Trinity Christian’s Kenny Dallas, whose team is ranked No. 1 in Class A Private
On the plan to put GAC, Lovett and Pace in Class A Private: “What I like about this proposal is that it is a compromise that keeps private schools still a real part of the GHSA. The tough part I see is that now A Private enrollment will go from schools that have 150-200 students up through 700-plus, whatever GAC is [GAC was 675 during the 2020 reclassification]. That means that there are schools 3.5 times bigger, which is a pretty tough number. Trinity is a larger A Private school, so that does not affect us as drastically as it does schools with the enrollment more in the 150-200 range. Can you imagine a school of 1,000 playing in the same division of schools with 3,500? All that said, I truly hope that a compromise can be reached that allows private schools to continue to compete with public schools in a meaningful way because I do believe great competition makes everyone better.”
On private schools’ collective concerns: “I first start any discussion of realignment fully understanding that private schools are a bit like a Democrat in Mississippi or a Republican in New York. Privates have a vote, but we are in such a minority that most everything is going to be decided by the public schools. That said, I believe the combination of all of our incredible public and private schools competing together has produced the best high school football in the nation.”
2. Prince Avenue’s Greg Vandagriff, whose team won Class A private in 2020
On the plan to put GAC, Lovett and Pace in Class A Private: “Honestly, I think it is bad. Already in all classifications, the GHSA works to keep schools twice the size as other schools from playing each other. Everyone recognizes that having 270 students, like we do, is different from having 550 or 600. I mean, it is awfully nice of GAC and Lovett to volunteer to do that. What a humanitarian thought by them [said tongue in cheek]. Understand these views represent Coach Vandagriff solely and do not represent anyone else, even the administration and athletic department at Prince Avenue.”
On private schools’ collective concerns: “Remember that little history lesson, Taxation Without Representation? It’s the same thing. They take our money, tell us what our attendance zones are. Add a multiplier, will not allow the single-A privates to move up. Some tried the last time to move up to AA and were denied. We always get the earliest championship times. Even in Congress they understand that just because you are smaller does not mean you do not get a vote - Senate - Rhode Island rule - House represents Population.”
On why private schools might consider leaving the GHSA, especially those in Class A Private, which aren’t as directly affected as the larger private schools: “We can then address issues that are strictly private. We could set our own attendance zones, or not. We could find a venue that wanted to host our championships and believe it is beneficial for them.”
3. Eagle’s Landing Christian’s Jonathan Gess, whose team has won six Class A private-school championships.
On the plan to put GAC, Lovett and Pace in Class A Private: “I’m fine with it. I just need a region schedule that is more than two teams. [ELCA currently competes in a three-team football region.] I’m about willing to go up to 7A just to get a region schedule. I think the GHSA should have five classifications and go ahead and give privates a 3.0 multiplier. Five hundred students and down is A; 1,000 students and down is AA; 1,500 students and down is AAA; 2,000 and down is AAAA; anything over 2,000 is AAAAA. Give privates a 3.0 multiplier. Everyone deal with it just like life and have a great time. No complaining allowed.”
4. Stratford Academy’s Mark Farriba, who won two state titles in the Georgia Independent School Association, then in 2007 became coach at Prince Avenue, developing that program into a GHSA state contender before returning to his alma mater in 2013 to guide Stratford’s entry into the GHSA.
On private schools’ collective concerns: “My high school playing years as well as most of my coaching years have been in an independent school league. We had great rivalries, championships and relationships in those leagues. When I took the job at Prince in 2007, it was my first experience in GHSA. While it was very difficult to compete early on, the challenge and eventual success of our football program has been one of the most satisfying experiences of my 44 years as a coach.
“The GHSA Class A region and playoff structure as well as the top-end enrollment number is totally different now from where it was in 2007. Basically, the GHSA has created a Class A independent school league within their organization and apparently is now trying to separate all independent schools from postseason play with public schools. Had this been the structure of GHSA all along, my guess is that the vast majority of independent schools would never have considered joining the GHSA.
“It’s ironic that all the years I was involved in independent school athletics, we were told we couldn’t compete with GHSA schools because we weren’t good enough. After competing in the GHSA as an independent school, we are now being told we can’t compete because we’re too good.
“We should have classifications based on enrollment numbers and possibly some other factors like metro or rural, but if a school is admitted to a league, they should have every right as every other school. If I thought the GHSA and its member schools could get this right, I would love to be a part of that. This has certainly not been the trend since 2012, and I don’t think it will ever change short of some type of legal or state legislative action.”
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