The Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA) is reviewing requests from 25 high schools to reclassify 54 athletic teams for the upcoming season. This move could significantly alter sports leagues and competitive landscapes across the state, as schools aim to place their teams in more suitable divisions.
Key Takeaways
- At least 54 teams from 25 Idaho high schools have formally petitioned the IHSAA to change classifications.
- Many schools are seeking to move struggling programs to lower divisions to rebuild and foster competitiveness.
- Reasons for the requests include prolonged losing streaks, safety concerns, and logistical challenges like extensive travel.
- Conversely, some highly successful programs are asking to compete in higher classifications to face tougher competition.
- The IHSAA board will make the final decisions, which will impact league structures, scheduling, and rivalries statewide.
A Statewide Push for Athletic Realignment
The Idaho High School Activities Association is facing one of its most consequential decision-making periods. The private nonprofit organization, which governs high school sports in the state, must rule on a large volume of petitions from schools looking to adjust their competitive standing. These decisions will directly influence the athletic experiences of thousands of student-athletes.
Under current IHSAA rules, schools can request to move specific sports programs up or down a classification, a change from the previous system where an entire school's athletic department competed in a single division. This flexibility is designed to help programs that have consistently struggled find more balanced competition, allowing them to rebuild and develop.
The Reclassification Process
The IHSAA provides guidelines for schools seeking reclassification. For instance, a program with a combined winning percentage of .250 or lower across all levels (varsity, junior varsity, freshman) over two seasons may be eligible to move down. However, the IHSAA board holds the ultimate authority and can consider other factors, such as player safety, travel time, and overall program health, when making its final rulings.
Boise-Area Schools Address Competitive Imbalances
Several schools in Southwest Idaho have submitted petitions citing years of difficulty competing at their current classification levels. Public records reveal detailed accounts of low participation, consistent losses, and the need for a fresh start in a new division.
Centennial High School's Rebuilding Effort
Centennial High School, with an enrollment of 1,743, is requesting to move its football and girls' basketball teams down to 5A. The school's football program, once a powerhouse, has not achieved a winning season or made the playoffs since 2010. In the last two years, the combined varsity and freshman teams had a record of 4-32 (.111).
"Reclassification would restore a sense of hope and motivation to our athletes and coaching staff by placing us in a more appropriate competitive landscape," Centennial Athletic Director Keelan McCaffrey wrote in the school's petition.
The girls' basketball program has also faced challenges, with a combined record of 17-74 (.187) across all levels recently. The school argues that a move to 5A would provide a realistic opportunity for growth and success.
Capital High School's Soccer Struggles
Capital High School is petitioning to move its boys' and girls' soccer programs to 5A. The girls' soccer team has been in a prolonged slump, with a varsity record of 11-84-6 (.116) from 2018 to 2024 and has not reached the state tournament since 2008. The program has also struggled to field a junior varsity team.
The boys' soccer program has faced similar difficulties, with a combined varsity and junior varsity record of 7-50-1 (.123) over the past two seasons. The school has qualified for the state tournament only once, back in 2002.
Ridgevue and Nampa Seek New Placements
Ridgevue High School has requested to move four of its programs—football, boys' soccer, girls' soccer, and softball—to 5A. The school's athletic director noted that competing in 6A would be "devastating" for its football team, citing lopsided losses such as a combined 117-19 score in two junior varsity games against 6A opponents.
Nampa High School is asking to move its girls' soccer program to 4A, the lowest soccer division. The team has a varsity record of 10-150-8 (.063) over the past 11 seasons and has struggled with player retention due to consistent, large-margin losses.
Successful Programs Embrace a Higher Challenge
While many schools are looking to move down, a few dominant programs are petitioning to compete against stronger opponents in higher classifications. This demonstrates a commitment to pushing their student-athletes to excel at the highest level.
A Trend of Playing Up
Some schools with strong athletic traditions voluntarily "play up" in higher classifications to ensure their teams face the best possible competition, even if their enrollment numbers would place them in a lower division.
Bishop Kelly and Skyview Continue to Lead
Bishop Kelly High School has requested to keep its boys' and girls' soccer and swimming programs in the 6A classification. The private school's teams have consistently performed well at this level, with the girls' swim team winning a state title and setting four all-classification records. The school is considering moving other dominant sports, like football and tennis, up in the future.
Skyview High School's volleyball program, which has won six state titles in the last decade, will also remain in 6A. After moving up last season, the team won its 14th consecutive district title and finished second at the state tournament, proving its ability to compete at the highest level.
Statewide Petitions Reveal Diverse Challenges
Schools from across Idaho face a variety of issues, from geographic isolation to enrollment numbers that place them just over a classification threshold. These unique circumstances are central to their petitions to the IHSAA.
Canyon Ridge Cites Travel Burden
Located in Twin Falls, Canyon Ridge High School is the only 6A school in its region. This forces its teams to travel long distances for league games, with some trips reaching 190 miles to Rexburg. The school is petitioning to move seven sports programs back to the 5A Great Basin Conference to reduce travel time and compete against geographically closer opponents. Despite several programs exceeding the .250 winning percentage guideline, the IHSAA has previously granted waivers based on these travel considerations.
Safety and Participation Concerns
Other schools have cited player safety as a primary reason for their requests. Moscow High School, which moved its football team to 4A last season, wishes to remain there despite a successful 7-3 record. The school's athletic director noted that with only 36 players, competing against larger 5A schools with deeper rosters poses a significant safety risk.
Similarly, Wood River High School is seeking to keep its football program in a lower division. Its athletic director wrote that without the reclassification, the school may not be able to field a varsity football program at all. The school's basketball programs also meet the criteria to move down with winning percentages below .150.
The upcoming decisions by the IHSAA board will be closely watched by schools, coaches, and communities throughout Idaho, as the outcomes will redefine the competitive balance of high school athletics for years to come.
