(4-10-19) Yesterday the OHSAA announced some major changes to two state championships, girls basketball and wrestling. But….in the long run it will impact several other OHSAA state championships.

It has been a tough go for the OHSAA with state tournament issues and ‘quick’ venue changes –

So here is the explanations from OHSAA officials on the wrestling and girls basketball changes-

Jerry Snodgrass, OHSAA Executive Director

“Recently we moved the wrestling state tournament a week later so we aren’t competing with the Arnold Sports Festival downtown and use of the Schott by the OSU men’s ice hockey team in their postseason. We had already published the future basketball season calendars for several years and we determined we couldn’t move the basketball seasons a week later right away, so for these next few years, the wrestling and girls basketball state tournaments will be on the same weekend.”

Tyler Brooks, OHSAA Director of Sport Management and the OHSAA’s wrestling administrator

“Starting the state tournament on Friday has been an internal discussion point for a long time. Starting on Friday will mean less school and work time will be missed by those coming to the state tournament. This will also help with the state tournament staff and the Schottenstein Center’s staff working the event. In addition, the change will help avoid traffic and parking congestion on Thursday around the OSU campus, especially the nearby OSU medical center, which uses some of the Schottenstein Center parking lots and other nearby parking areas.”

Reasons for the changes and impact they will have –

  • wrestling moved to  a week later due to competition with the Arnold Sports Festival
  • use of the Schott for OSU men’s hockey postseason play
  • wrestling and girls basketball championships on the same weekend
  • basketball seasons couldn’t be moved back a week later
  • Thursday wrestling eliminated to avoid missed class time
  • moving to Friday will help with the state wrestling tournament staff and the Schottenstein Center’s staff working the event
  • moving to Friday will help avoid traffic and parking congestion on Thursday around the OSU campus, especially the OSU medical center
  • no new venue in place for girls basketball

The statement issued has brought up some questions for the future –

Will numerous Thursday OHSAA  state semifinal events in other sports be eliminated in the future?

If basketball is moved back a week how will that effect the entire OHSAA sports calendars?

The OHSAA has not yet finalized the location for the 2020 girls basketball state tournament, will this be a one year location or a long term deal?

Will venue issues linger for the future, after yesterday’s announcement you can see a long road ahead for the OHSAA.