SOSSA to restructure for 2019-20
The Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association will vote Tuesday on how it will restructure once Zone 2 schools leaves after the 2018-19 school year. A resolution is suggesting the Niagara Region High School Athletic Association be given two spots at SOSSA championships and one each to the Niagara Catholic Athletic Association and the Hamilton Wentworth Association. BPSN file photo.
Change is on the horizon for the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association.
“We have been informed by Zone 2 schools their senior board management wanted all Grand Erie Board schools to be playing in the same association; four currently play in SOSSA and nine play in CWOSSA [Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association),” wrote Brian Fuller, SOSSA’s executive administrative director.
“The nine schools carried the vote so starting in the 2019-20 school year they will be gone. It is too bad as they did not want leave.”
Zone 2 is presently made up of Robert Land Academy in Wellandport and Grand Erie high schools Cayuga, Dunnville, Hagersville and McKinnon Park in Caledonia.
Grand Erie schools already in CWOSSA are Brantford Collegiate, Delhi District, North Park Collegiate in Brantford, Paris District, Pauline Johnson Collegiate in Brantford, Simcoe Composite, Waterford District and Valley Heights in South Langton.
“We are restructuring SOSSA to adjust for this change,” Fuller wrote. “There are a few proposals which will be discussed and voted on this coming Tuesday. Unfortunately, those motions on the table stay in camera until after the meeting.”
BPSN obtained a copy of the resolution which is provided below.
Whereas: The existing SOSSA constitution and sport playing regulations have been written for a SOSSA playoff structure involving four teams.
And whereas: The most logical and practical solution to the restructuring issue is to create four zones from the remaining three zones.
Be it resolved: Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year the four zones of SOSSA be as follows.
Zone No. 1: Hamilton Wentworth District School Association members schools.
Zone 2: Niagara Catholic Athletic Association schools.
Zone 3: Niagara Region High School Athletic Association schools and independent schools presently members of Zone 3.
Zone 4: Niagara Region High School Athletic Association schools and independent schools presently members of Zone 4.
Dino Germano, the NCAA’s athletic convenor, likes some of the proposal.
“Essentially, we are good with being our own zone, but would like to take some time to investigate other options with a committee,” he wrote. “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.”
One NCAA coach, who requested anonymity, had one major concern.
“All of the classifications — junior A, junior AA, senior A, senior AA and senior AAA — are unbalanced among the three bodies so awarding NRHSAA two bids is illogical as it would be to award either of the other two bodies across the association,” the coach wrote.
The coach suggested the fourth berth at the SOSSA championships could be determined by either giving a spot to the host school or giving an extra berth to the association which won SOSSA the previous year.
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.
The 22-member NRHSAA is made up of A.N. Myer, Beamsville, Centennial, Confederation, DSBN Academy, E.L. Crossley, Eastdale, Eden, Governor Simcoe, Great Lakes Christian, Greater Fort Erie, Grimsby Heritage Christian, Jean Vanier, Laura Secord, Niagara Christian, Port Colborne, Sir Winston Churchill, Smithville Christian, St. Catharines Collegiate, Stamford, Thorold and Westlane.
