SOSSA approves restructuring
The Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association officially approved its restructuring at it’s meeting Tuesday.
Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, SOSSA will be divided into four zones. Zone 1 will consist of Hamilton Wentworth District School Association members schools. Zone 2 will be made up of Niagara Catholic Athletic Association schools. Zone 3 will include Niagara Region High School Athletic Association schools and independent schools that are presently members of Zone 3 and Zone 4 will be made up of NRHSAA schools and independent schools that are presently members of Zone 4.
“A 45-minute discussion examining all restructuring motions/proposals allowed everyone present to express their thoughts and opinions,” wrote Brian Fuller, SOSSA’s executive administrative director. “In short, a motion passed on restructuring which will create four zones from the remaining three. The motion needed and received a two-third majority vote to pass.”
The restructuring came as the result of the Grand Erie school board wanting all its schools that played in SOSSA’s Zone 2 to compete in the Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association with all of its other high schools.
Zone 2 was made up of Robert Land Academy in Wellandport and Grand Erie high schools Cayuga, Dunnville, Hagersville and McKinnon Park in Caledonia.
“We have been bouncing the restructuring conversation at SOSSA executive around for a year or more,” Fuller wrote. “The whole idea was tabled when Grand Erie schools (Zone 2) let SOSSA know there was a possibility of them leaving in the 2019/20 school year. There was no common sense in reorganizing the organization before Zone 2 departed and then again after.”
On June 30, SOSSA was officially informed of the decision of Grand Erie’s schools leaving Zone 2 and the restructuring was taken off the back burner.
“The resolution can only come before SOSSA if submitted by a member school and the motion must have a seconder,” Fuller said. “ In this case, (the) Zone 1 District Athletic Council (and its) 17 schools had their names on the motion, which indicates the proposal had unanimous support from every member school in that zone.”
After Tuesday’s meeting, Fuller had a brief conversation with representatives of the Robert Land Academy.
“There is certainly nothing official at this point, but it seems they may be a good fit to join Zone 3 on geographic considerations,” he wrote. “We are certainly happy with them staying in SOSSA if they wish to.
“There are numerous details to work through when a change such as this occurs. SOSSA will be very busy preparing for the 2019/20 athletic season.
The NCAA was hoping for a different outcome at the SOSSA meeting.
“Essentially, we are good with being our own zone, but would like to take some time to investigate other options with a committee,” Dino Germano, the NCAA’s athletic convenor, wrote earlier this week. “There may be some unintended consequences of rushing into a decision and would like to have representation from all three remaining zones to have a thoughtful solution.”
The eight-member NCAA is made up of Saint Paul, Saint Michael, Saint Francis, Holy Cross, Denis Morris, Notre Dame. Lakeshore Catholic and Blessed Trinity.
In 2019-20, Zone 3 will be made up of A.N. Myer, Centennial, Confederation, E.L. Crossley, Eastdale, Greater Fort Erie, Jean Vanier, Stamford, Westlane, Great Lakes Christian, Port Colborne and Niagara Christian.
In 2019-20, Zone 4 will include DSBN Academy, Beamsville, Eden, Governor Simcoe, Grimsby, Heritage Christian,, Laura Secord, Sir Winston Churchill, Smithville Christian, St. Catharines Collegiate and Thorold.
