Athletics

Click here to download the GHSA Classifications for 2010-2014

The FTE count shown for each GHSA school was determined in one of three ways:

1. The FTE count for each public school from the Spring 2009 semester is averaged with the FTE count for the Fall 2009 semester.
2. School systems that have recently opened new schools or will open new schools in the first two years of the new reclassification cycle have projected the enrollments of their schools for the next two years.
3. Private schools submitted an actual headcount of their enrollments in September, 2009.

A school administrator who believes the enrollment count for his/her school is inaccurate may send a written statement to the GHSA office explaining why he/she believes there is an error. That written appeal must be received in the GHSA before 4:00pm on November 24, 2009. In the event that a verifiable error is found in the student count, modifications will be made that could change the original placements of schools in classifications. Any such changes will be placed on the GHSA web site as soon as they are made.

A school administrator, who desires for his/her school(s) to play at a higher classification than their numbers place them, may exercise that option. The GHSA office must be notified of this decision before Noon on November 25, 2009. This decision must be submitted to the GHSA on the proper form – “Request to Move Up in Classification”. This form is found on the GHSA web site – click “Forms” at the top of the home page and then look under “Miscellaneous Forms”. A list of schools declaring their intent to play at a higher classification will be kept on the GHSA web site.

The GHSA Reclassification Committee will meet on Wednesday, December 2, 2009, at the GHSA office to place schools in regions. The reclassification Committee will also meet on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, to hear appeals from any school seeking a lateral transfer from the region to which it was assigned.

The entire GHSA Executive Committee will meet on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, at the Holiday Inn in Forsyth, Georgia, to finalize the reclassification of schools for the 2010-2014 cycle. No binding game contracts may be made until after the GHSA Executive Committee has finalized the reclassification process.

Update - 11/17/2009

The following schools have been approved for an adjustment on their projected enrollments:

1. The GHSA projected incorrectly the feeder school patterns for River Ridge (Cherokee County). Their projection is now 906 and that moves the school from AAA to AA.
2. The GHSA projected incorrectly the feeder school patterns for Waltnut Grove (Walton County). Their projection is now 1233, and they will remain a AAA school.
3. Muscogee County Schools modified its projections for the following three schools because of uncertainty about the timing of military transfers into Fort Benning:
   • Columbus H.S.: New projection = 1276.5 (Move from AAAA to AAA)
   • Hardaway H.S.: New projection = 1846 (Move from AAAAA to AAAA)
   • Northside H.S.: New projection = 1836.5 (Move from AAAAA to AAAA)
4. Whitfield County Schools rescinded their projections and will rely on the FTE count provided by the Georgia Department of Education because of uncertainty with the attendance zones of a new school in the county.
   • Northwest Whitfield: FTE count = 1752 (Move from AAA to AAAA)
   • Southeast Whitfield: FTE count = 1305.5 (Remains in AAA)

Update - 11/19/2009

The schools that will open in the 2011-2012 school year were inadvertently left off the list of schools in classifications.

Bethany Bend H.S. in Fulton County will not open until 2012, so it will not be included in these numbers.

Schools Opting to "Play Up"

To AAAAA

To AAAA

To AAA
Dougherty High School (From AA)

To AA

• Clinic credit is no longer available for the Basketball and Swimming/Diving clinics. There will be NO credit extensions and NO further on-site clinics for these sports.

• Coaches and Officials - In order to receive clinic credit in a particular sport, you must complete the clinic for that sport by the date listed. For credit to be recorded, you must watch the entire presentation and fill out an attendence form that will be presented at the end of the presentation. However, after the clinic deadline has passed, the attendance form will no longer appear.

• If you are having trouble viewing the clinic presentations, try these troubleshooting tips.

• We have had many clinic confirmation emails bounce back to us due to incorrect email addresses or spam filters. If you did not receive a confirmation email, please send an email to clinics@ghsa.net.

• The following online rules clinics are available - click on the clinic title to start the presentation.

In keeping with By-Law 2.69(c), the "Dead Week" for the summer of 2010 will extend from Sunday, July 4th through Saturday, July 10th.

During the “dead week” no school teams may conduct conditioning drills, practices, or be involved in competitions on or off the school’s campus. This means that weight training, running drills, passing league games in football, school-based summer league games in baseball, team camps in a variety of sports may not occur during this week. Violations of this rule will be handled similarly to out-of-season practices.

Non-school programs organized by such groups as AAU, JO, ASA, etc., are not covered by this rule.

Here are the dates and locations of the On-Site Rules Clinics for 2009-2010.

Cheerleading

Gymnastics

Riflery

GHSA Rules Clinics in Riflery will be held in conjunction with the Area Meetings to draw schedules at each Area designated site.

Wrestling

Lighting athletic fields provides more opportunities for participants and allows increased family and community attendance at evening events while also contributing to better overall safety for participants and spectators alike. These standards incorporate the most current data available regarding the desired performance, lighting electrical and structural issues that apply to installation of a safe, effective lighting system. Lighting technologies currently available vary greatly in efficiency, with the most effective providing life cycle savings equal to or greater than the initial cost of the system, depending on hours of usage.

The standards are divided into recommended minimum standards and desirable features. The minimum standards establish criteria that are important to safe conduct of GHSA activities and include evaluation of operating costs over the expected life of the lighting system. Desirable features are established to give added values (such as durability, energy efficiency, environmental sensitivity to spill and glare issues, and cost-efficiency) where appropriate for a member school’s needs.

Click here to download the GHSA Recommended Lighting Standards. (Revised 6/15/2009)