Another District Football Proposal In Illinois…Here We Go Again

(11-14-23) Yogi Berra said it best…

‘Deja vu all over again’

Death, taxes and IHSA football district proposals are guaranteed to be a part of life in Illinois.

In the past…

• A look back at the roller coaster ride on district votes…Football Districts Rescinded By IHSA Member Schools
• IHSA District Play, ‘This Calls For A Revote’
• Surprise! Illinois Passes Football District Proposal…By Just 17 Votes
• Proposal 23, Football Districts In Illinois, Will It Pass?
• Why Illinois Membership Will Not Approve District Football Play In The Future (Again)
• Chicago Suburb Schools Submit ‘Hail Mary’ – New Illinois HS Football Playoff Proposal
• IHSA Legislative Commission Forwards 11 Proposals to Schools, Including District Play In Football
• IHSA Football Advisory Committee To Propose Districts, Remedy For Constant Conference Alignment

This coming weekend the 32 final teams in state semifinal games in the 8 divisions will look to make the trip to Illinois State’s Hancock Stadium for the chance to win an Illinois state title.

Playoff qualifications might need to be tweaked in the future, take a look at some of these items—

• The 5A final four teams should draw some major attention…it is a guaranteed private school title. The four schools were seeded #8, #12 and two #15s. Three of the schools with 3 losses, 4 losses and 5 losses.
• Only 7 of the 32 remaining teams were #1 seeds.
• 10 of the 32 teams are private schools.
• 5 teams have double-digit seeds
• Only one #1 vs. #2 seed game in 4A will be played.
• There are 11 12-0 teams remaining

Districts could solve a lot of the items above.

This past year 12 schools played as independents (Althoff Catholic), Breese Mater Dei,Riverside-Brookfield, Collinsville, Red Hill, Quincy Notre Dame, Aurora Central Catholic, Madison,Alton Marquette, Decatur St. Teresa, Granite City and Oblong [Coop]), districts would solve many of the issues they faced this year and in the past.

This proposal has the support of the Apollo Conference ( 6 members), Big Twelve Conference (11 members), DuPage Valley Conference (9 members) and Interstate 8 Conference (14 members?).

2023-24 By-Law Amendment Proposals

A total of 23 proposals for amending the IHSA Constitution and By-laws were received from principals and official representatives of IHSA member schools.

The IHSA Legislative Commission will review the proposals at its first meeting on Monday, November 6.  The proposals will be discussed at town meetings held in person and virtually between November 9 and 21.  The Commission will reassemble on Monday, November 27, to decide whether to submit each of the 23 proposals to a vote of the general membership.  The final vote by IHSA member schools will take place between December 4 and December 18.

• A PDF of the proposals can be viewed here.