Indiana High Schools Consider Cutting Down From Four Class System

The Indiana High School Athletic Association is considering cutting back from its current four class system. The IHSAA made the controversial move to four classes in the 1997/98 school year. Inidana high school basketball purists disliked the move at the time, as it ended the legendary open competition that had existed in the Indiana state tournament (and which was celebrated in the film Hoosiers). No longer could small high schools from small towns hope to make a name for themselves by beating teams from bigger, urban high schools.

But after 10 years, it looks like Indiana has decided that four classes is too many.

Illinois (the IHSA) went from a two class system to a four class system this year. And I thought that it watered down the IHSA Tournament.

Indiana high school officials seem to have come to a similar conclusion about their state tournament. Most of all, they worry that the current 4-class system causes problems with regard to travel distances/transportation costs, playoff brackets, and revenue.