The Missouri State High School Activities Association has updated classification rules for non-public schools, which could have an effect on rural private schools such as St. Vincent and Saxony Lutheran athletics programs in the coming years
During its three day June meeting, the board adopted a new re-classification model. After classification is completed in a certain sport, non-public schools that achieve specified points based on advancement in the district and state series over the six years prior to the current school year in the applicable (gender-specific) sport or competitive activity will be re-classified upward.
Schools earn points towards re-classification based on state titles, runner up finishes, final four finishes, and district titles over a six year period. The two-class maximum shift has been removed, meaning schools can now continue moving up as they gain points, potentially leading to small schools playing in classes with much larger schools.
To address these changes, MSHAA also implemented these new thresholds for accumulation of points and re-classifications.
0-4 points: remain classified by raw enrollment classification.
5-10 points: reclassified one class above raw enrollment classification.
11-17 points: reclassified two classes above raw enrollment classification.
18-22 points: reclassified three classes above raw enrollment classification.
23-26 points: reclassified four classes above raw enrollment classification.
27+ points: reclassified five classes above raw enrollment classification.
Raw classification is based on the amount of students enrolled at the school.
“This is a first step toward continuing to examine competitive equity more closely in an effort to be responsive to our member schools,” MSHSAA Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad said. “Our conversations will continue this fall as we explore additional ways to provide fairness and equity within a diverse membership.”
St. Vincent’s raw classification puts them in class one initially, but several sports are already in class two. Athletic director Creston Moore said he is concerned about what the removal of the two-class maximum shift could mean for St. Vincent and other smaller rural private school programs.
“Personally, I don’t know if that is really fair to the small schools,” Moore said. “I get it for the schools that hand out athletic scholarships, but we don’t do that.”
Moore said he thinks the new rules will benefit schools in bigger towns who are able to recruit players from around the region, but isn’t sure the changes will be positive for schools like St. Vincent who have a smaller class size.
“I understand if they wanted to do re-classification just for them, but if we have a few solid good years, we could be class 5 or 6,” Moore said. “And now, taking into account that we are a small school, if we were to jump up it would be hard for us because those schools just have a much bigger pool to select from. I am not a big fan of it”
Moore also said that the potential upward re-classification could be tough on St. Vincent logistically, leading to a lot more travel for the Indians athletic teams.
“We have one bus and we have to get our own drivers, we are not like the public schools who have a bus barn and a fleet of drivers, so logistically, we could be traveling a lot farther,” Moore said. “Other than Cape and Jackson, most everybody in our area is in class one and two, so if we were to be bumped up even two classes, you’re talking logistically of a bunch of games being in the St. Louis metro area.”
Moore said the recent success of the school’s athletic program, such as the state championship in volleyball and the third-place finish in girls soccer could lead to big changes in classification for St. Vincent as early as this upcoming school year. Saxony Lutheran, initially a class 2 school, could also see themselves promoted multiple spots as a result of their class 3 fourth place finish in volleyball in 2025 and their third place girls soccer finish in 2024.
The MSHSAA website will reflect all changes to classification by July 15.
The board also made updates to the clock rules for basketball They approved a recommendation from the Basketball Advisory Committee to allow the use of a 35-second shot clock in preseason jamborees involving varsity teams, expanding the current allowance beyond regular season varsity tournaments and shootout-style events. A provision allowing tournaments or shootouts that utilize a secondary facility without a shot clock to operate games both with and without a shot clock was also approved, provided all participating teams assigned to the secondary facility agree to play without a shot clock.
