Proposal Offers Details on State Championship

The beginning of an arduous process to institute state championship football bowl games in three enrollment-based divisions began in earnest Friday in San Diego, where a Southern Section representative read a proposal before the California Interscholastic Federation’s Federated Council.

The proposal, which will be discussed at the Federated Council’s next meeting in February and could be voted on as early as May, focuses on the formation of three season-ending games matching Northern California teams against those from Southern California. The games, proposed for a two-year trial run in 2006 and 2007, would be played on the same day at a still-to-be-determined site in Southern California, where the December weather is more favorable.

Each participant must be a section champion and would be selected by a committee representing each of the state’s 10 sections. A computerized ranking system would aid the committee in its selections, said Walnut High Principal Ken Gunn, who presented the proposal to the CIF, the state’s governing body for high school sports.

Southern California would be composed of the San Diego, Los Angeles City, Southern and Central sections. The enrollment divisions would be 1,900 and above for Division I, 900 to 1,900 for Division II and below 900 for Division III.

“It’s just like how the NCAA selects members for its basketball championships,” Gunn said.

Gunn said a major impact of state championship bowl games would be financial. The CIF brings in more revenue from its current state championships than any other source, according to President-elect Kathy Wheeler. At the same time, legal expenses are expected to climb 27% higher than two years ago. “It will help kids throughout the state,” Gunn said of the new revenue stream.

Although no council members spoke against the proposal, Gunn said concerns he has heard include costs of staging the game and the lengthening of the season.

Santa Ana Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson understands the prestige involved with a state championship. California is the only state that doesn’t crown football champions.

“Obviously at Mater Dei, if we were honored to be chosen to play, we’re playing,” Rollinson said. “What I’m interested in is what inducement does the high school get? We have to practice an extra week, prepare another week for another opponent, and then it backs up to the Christmas holiday.

“We can’t just be playing for a sweatshirt and a cap. Great, Mater Dei gets to play on TV, but is it the same split at the gate -- 50% for CIF and the two high schools get 25% each? It impacts everybody

Gunn said travel expenses would be paid for players and coaches but added that it was still to be decided how many players would constitute a team and whether expenses would be paid for other entities of the program, such as the band and cheerleaders.

Gunn and CIF President Bob Wallace also voiced concerns that if the CIF does not organize a state championship in football, another organization might attempt to field its own.

“There’s an overwhelming feeling that no one can put on such an event as we can,” Gunn said.

Southern Section executive committee member John Dahlem, the Anaheim Loara principal, has heard mostly positive feedback.

“I think it was favorable on why to do it -- we’re the only state in the union who doesn’t have a high school football state championship,” said Dahlem. “And the money will go toward coaching education, and with the steroids and supplements [issues] out there, we need coaches getting that education.”

If the proposal should pass, the first games would be played Dec. 16, 2006. After the second year, the Federated Council can review the impact and decide whether to continue with the series.

“We’ll never know unless we try it,” Gunn said. “If at the point and time it ends, we’re not making money and not generating interest, then we will vote it out.”

State Executive Director Marie Ishida said proposals also have been drawn up for state playoffs in soccer and softball, but the CIF is waiting for feedback to determine whether to bring them to the council’s attention.

The CIF sponsors state championships in boys’ and girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ track and field, boys’ and girls’ cross-country, wrestling, boys’ and girls’ golf and girls’ volleyball.