Athletics overlaps studied

S.C. High School League looks for ways to avoid clashes of sports season dates

Web posted October 6, 1998

By Jimmy DeButts
Staff Writer

The South Carolina High School League is searching for ways to lessen overlapping of its athletic seasons.

With basketball season beginning before the end of football season and baseball season under way in February, athletic directors and coaches are looking for alternatives to avoid overlapping. Shortening seasons or beginning earlier are a couple of ideas being thrown around.

Regardless of what is decided, changes won't be instituted until 2000. Other changes under review are fewer practice hours and earlier championship games.

North Augusta football coach and athletic director Joe Long is a member of the committee proposing ideas for high school principals throughout the state to vote on. Long said the committee will reconvene Oct. 14 to offer its suggestions to the high school league.

Long said the consensus is to avoid cutting the amount of games played in each season. What the committee is trying to do is limit overlapping while not disrupting exam schedules and the focus on academics.

``We'd like to work around exams,'' Long said. ``It's hard because some schools have exams after Christmas break and some have them before.

``The biggest problem is trying to end things before school is out. Some schools are finished the third week in May while others end in June.''

Another concern is the beginning of football season. Schools that begin in late August have the opportunity for more two-a-days than schools that start in mid-August. Later openings mean that while some schools have classes, other schools have the opportunity for another practice.

To shorten the football season, one proposal is to have the North-South and Shrine Bowl the same weekend. The two all-star games are currently played on consecutive weekends in December. The proposal would have the North-South game played on Friday in Myrtle Beach and the Shrine Bowl played on Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.

That could hinder college scouts' attempts to see some of the best seniors in South Carolina if they are forced to choose one to attend. The Shrine Bowl pits the top seniors in North Carolina with the top in South Carolina.

Jimmy DeButts covers high school sports for The Augusta Chronicle. He can be reached at (706) 724-0851.