(11-3-24) A total of 26 proposals that could potentially amend the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Constitution and By-laws were received from principals and official representatives of IHSA member schools for the IHSA’s 2024-25 legislative cycle.

The IHSA Legislative Commission will review the proposals at its first meeting on Monday, November 4.  The proposals will be discussed at Town Meetings held in-person between November 7 and 20.  The Commission will reassemble on Monday, November 25, to decide whether to submit each of the 26 proposals to a vote of the general membership.  The final vote by IHSA member schools will take place between December 2 and December 16.

One of those proposals would end the Chicago Prep Bowl.

The game was first played in 1927 in a game between Mt. Carmel and Carl Schurz High School and drew an estimated 50,000 fans at Soldier Field

The Prep Bowl gained national attention in 1937 when 120,000 fans watched -Austin and Leo play at Soldier Field.

In 1981, the IHSA membership voted on a limitation that prohibited member schools from participating in more than nine games, plus the IHSA state series. The Prep Bowl was given a special exemption from this. With the start of the IHSA state series, the Prep Bowl was contested by the winner of a special playoff in each league played by teams not qualifying for the state playoffs, and teams that were eliminated in early rounds of the state playoffs. It is traditionally played on the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is the same day which the IHSA plays its smaller school state championships in football.

The proposal was submitted by Chauncey Carrick from Sycamore. Carrick has been a long-time advocate for district play to help with scheduling and qualifying for the playoffs. A vote to go to districts was approved several years ago, but was stopped by the IHSA before it had a chance to be implemented.

Simeon football coach Sinque Turner told the Chicago Sun-Times…

“I played in two Prep Bowls at Soldier Field. It’s crazy they are trying to eliminate that. It’s a part of history and it is ridiculous to try and change it now.”

St. Rita football coach Martin Hopkins told the Chicago Sun-Time

“Trying to take games away from these kids is kind of sad. I would highly encourage them to get the IHSA to allow them to start their own [consolation playoffs]. It was so beneficial for us to make the Prep Bowl run last season.

I wouldn’t have a problem with that at all,” Turner said. “But to shut someone else’s down because you don’t have something of your own, it doesn’t make sense.”

There are 11 conferences in the Chicago Public School system, four of them are not eligible to participate in the IHSA Football Playoffs.

  • Chicago Public, Blue-Central Conference
  • Chicago Public, Blue-North Conference
  • Chicago Public, Blue-South Conference
  • Chicago Public, Blue-West Conference

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