The Georgia High School Association elected Mary Persons principal Jim Finch as its new president this week. Finch is a former coach in four sports and was the defensive coordinator on Peach County’s 2005 state-championship football team. He’s now strictly an administrator in his 15th year as principal of his Middle Georgia high school. Finch has volunteered on the GHSA’s executive committee for 11 years and the board of trustees for six. He is succeeding Glenn White of Rome for a two-year term.
Finch answered questions this week with the AJC’s Todd Holcomb about his new role and some of the GHSA’s pressing issues, including reclassification, transfer rules, out-of-zone multipliers and the neutral-site football finals.
Q: What is the role of the GHSA’s president?
A: The GHSA president presides over the executive committee and board-of-trustees meetings. The president also works hand in hand, but not on a daily basis, with the executive director (Robin Hines) on key issues and legislative lobbying and helps set the agenda for meetings. It is a volunteer, non-paid position that is voted on by the full executive committee. The only sub-committee the president is a member of is the reclassification committee.
Q: What do you feel are the most pressing GHSA issues as you take office?
A: This question could cover so many areas that I don’t know if I’ve really had time to consider the most pressing issue. Competitive balance, undue influence and recruiting and travel considerations will always be issues that face the reclassification committee. Let’s be honest: What the reclass committee does every two years is what generates the most concern to everyone. But on the horizon, I could see issues like the NCAA is dealing with right now, issues like the transfer portal, NIL and gender identification. Fortunately, we haven’t had to deal with those issues yet in the way of bylaws, but it’s coming.
Q: The GHSA in January ratified reclassification, putting its more than 450 member schools into classes for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years. Why does reclassification always generate the most concern? What are the challenges?
A: It’s about competitive balance. I believe the transfer criteria, out-of-zone enrollment and the multiplier all play into that. It used to be that two schools with an enrollment of 1,500 could year in and year out compete with each other. But that’s not the case if one of those schools has a larger percentage of its students from outside of its attendance zone. The data that we’ve seen over the past several reclassification cycles has mostly indicated that schools who have the most successful athletic programs are also schools with larger percentages of students from outside their school district. (The GHSA in the recent reclass employed a 3.0 multiplier on out-of-zone students for the latest classification in an effort to mitigate perceived unfair competitive advantages gained by schools that get a high percentage of students outside of their attendance zones. This had the most impact on private schools. Marist, Blessed Trinity, Woodward Academy and St. Pius were moved up to Class 6A. The GHSA previously had used a 2.0 multiplier.)
Credit: Mary Persons High School
Credit: Mary Persons High School
Q: The larger private schools proposed to use a competitive-balance model that considers schools’ success in sports and not just enrollment. It could’ve put a school’s soccer teams in one class and basketball teams in another. Is that a realistic option for the GHSA down the road?
A: I think this model is coming soon. We saw some pretty good proposals this last cycle that can serve as jumping off points for this new venture. But the devil is in the details on this matter. I think we all have a vision of what it should look like, but we have different methods and paths in which we get there.
Q: The GHSA voted this week to reduce its number of classifications to six (or to seven if Class A’s divisions are considered separate classes) beginning in 2024. That will reduce the number of regions to 56 from 64. The goal was to reduce travel by making regions larger (i.e., more schools). On average, though, this will add only one school to each region. Is it really going to help that much?
A: You’re probably correct on this issue. But going back to six classes is something that I have wanted to do and it’s definitely something that Dr. Hines has wanted. We felt like this was a step in the right direction to address concerns the legislators had as well. At the end of the day, I’m not sure we will ever really address concerns of travel. When we hear appeals for classification or region assignment, there is always a different reason for the travel issue. The extreme North Georgia schools cite the mountainous region and traveling conditions for buses and teenagers late at night in that area. The metro schools always mention traffic congestion. And the South Georgia schools always speak about the proximity in which those schools are located.
Q: Attendance was down at the state football finals. What are the chances the GHSA will explore another venue? If not, why is Georgia State the best option?
A: My choice would be to use Mercedes-Benz Stadium. But I also recognize the budget restrictions for using that venue. It can control the weather elements, too. Several people have spoken to me about relocating the games back to the campus stadiums. I somewhat like that idea as that’s the way it was when I coached football. The excitement level is certainly there, but only if you’re hosting. But, most importantly, I like the neutral-field aspect. I don’t like home-field advantage being determined by a coin flip, not for a state championship game. Plus, not all home stadiums have the same quality playing surface or viewing experience for the fans. The best part about Georgia State is the neutral location, cost, and the fact that all the games can be televised from one location. (Rental costs for Mercedes-Benz Stadium reportedly is up to $300,000-$400,000 more expensive than playing the games at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium.)
Q: The GHSA’s decision-making process is often misunderstood. There a common message that you like to get across to fans and parents and others that might explain how it works?
A: The GHSA is run by its member schools. The representation of the GHSA is very much like that of our state legislature. Currently, there are seven classifications - but really eight since single A is split into two divisions. There are eight regions in each classification. Each region has a member who represents the best interests of the schools in that region. Since there are eight classifications, there are 64 members – eight times eight - on the executive committee representing their regions.
Other educational organizations who have an interest in high school athletics are also represented, like the GADA, GACA, GASSP, etc. In fact, state school superintendent Richard Woods sits on the executive committee representing the state DOE office. These additional agencies bring the total number of members on the executive committee to 75 (click here to see the executive committee) The executive committee ratifies new bylaws. Bylaws begin in smaller sub committees and then progress to the full committee (remember, think state legislature). The executive committee also listens to appeals involving student eligibility or other hardship appeal matters.
Additionally, each classification elects a representative who sits on the board of trustees. That means eight representatives who represent the best interests of their classification. The BOT also has three at-large members who represent private school interests, female and Title IX issues, etc. This brings the total of the BOT to 13. The BOT can rule on matters in exigent circumstances that carry the full weight of the executive committee.
The bottom line is that when decisions are made or appeals are ruled upon, they are done so by the membership and the people representing their regions and schools who are making those decisions. Dr. Robin Hines is not a voting member. He is the executive director who manages the day-to-day operations and can rule on some, usually less complex, matters of eligibility of student-athletes. But neither he, nor anyone in his office, can make up rules as we go. The voting power and decision power, for the most part, rest and reside within the GHSA membership.
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