Barden Comments On GSHA Reclassification Policy Changes

Stephens County High School Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Frank Barden is among those waiting to see how new re-classification policies affect things later this year for high school athletics.

This week, the Georgia High School Assocation Executive Committee voted to implement two new policies for the re-classification that is coming up later this school year.

First among those is the creation of a new classification, “The Big 44,” that would encompass the largest schools in the state.

The other rule is one that will require schools with more than three percent of its students coming from outside the county to play up a classification.

Barden said that the GHSA is trying to do the best it can to create the fairest playing field possible.

“It is so hard to make a right decision for everybody because the Atlanta area is so much different than south Georgia,” said Barden. “They are doing the best they can. When the time comes for us to get put in a region or in a classification, that is where we go and that is where we prepare.”

Barden went on to say that he does not think the new three percent rule will affect Stephens County.

However, as far as what region the Indians will be in after this year, he said it is still too soon to tell.

“We are going to be possibly be on that bubble again, AAA or AAAA,” said Barden. “It all determines where they hit that mark between what is AAA and AAAA for us.”

Enrollment numbers to be used for re-classification by the GHSA will come out in the fall and classifications and regions will be set after that.