Wisconsin Soccer Central

The proposed "multiplier" rule won't go into effect for WIAA tournaments in the 2014-15 school year, but the differences between public and private school athletics in Wisconsin high schools will remain a hot topic for at least the next year.

At Wednesday's annual meeting in Stevens Point, WIAA members voted to form an ad-hoc committee that will study possible solutions to address concerns raised by a group of mainly smaller, rural schools about the impact of non-public schools.

The committee will share its findings with WIAA executive staff by Sept. 1, and the staff will take the proposals to the area meetings they hold at seven locations across the state each fall. Recommendations will then be presented to the WIAA Board of Control by Dec. 1, with possible amendments to be considered at the 2015 annual meeting.

WIAA members were presented with a proposed amendment that would multiply the enrollment figures of private schools by 1.65 before placing them into divisions for tournament play. More than 10 percent of the WIAA's 505 members signed a petition backing the amendment, which automatically brought it to the organization's annual meeting.

After listening to comments from school representatives on both sides of the issue, members opted not to vote on the amendment and instead voted 352-77 to send it to committee – the motion to do so included the specific dates for action.

In boys soccer, private schools have won 29 of the 41 state championships awarded since the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association dissolved in 2000 and its schools joined the WIAA. On the girls' side, private schools have captured 19 of 37 titles since 2001 – including the past 10 Division 2 titles and five of the past seven Division 3 championships. (With the tournament expanded to four divisions this year, those are now equivalent to divisions 3 and 4.)

The members also spoke loudly and clearly on the topic of conference realignment.

An amendment that would have returned the responsibility of forming conferences to the schools – as it was before the WIAA took over the challenging role – failed by a 400-26 vote. The amendment was proposed by the WIAA, which is often criticized in the seemingly constant push-and-pull that is conference realignment across the state.

Members also voted on one soccer-specific item, voting 346-74 to make its unlimited non-school coaching contact opportunities uniform. Previously, the unlimited non-school contact for soccer coaches ended on July 31. The new policy means that coaches can use unlimited non-school contact any time school is not in session.

• The Waukesha Catholic Memorial girls team won all three of its matches on its annual southern trip, extending its unbeaten streak to 36 games (35-0-1). The Crusaders posted a 2-0 victory Saturday over Hilton Head Island, the three-time defending South Carolina High School League Class AAA state champion. Sophomore standout Emily Cervantes scored both goals against the Seahawks (11-2-0), who had their 10-game winning streak snapped. Catholic Memorial also beat Hilton Head Christian 5-0 and Bluffton 7-0, while a scheduled match against Savannah (Ga.) St. Vincent's was rained out. The Crusaders have outscored opponents 175-10 and have posted 28 shutouts in their unbeaten streak, and have allowed more than one goal in a game only once in that span: A 3-2 victory over Hartland Arrowhead on April 10.
• Catholic Memorial moved up one spot to 27th in this week's Student Sports Fab 50, while Milwaukee DSHA (4-0-1) fell 10 places to No. 47. The Crusaders remained fourth in the website's Great Lakes Region rankings, which also include No. 7 DSHA and No. 10 Neenah (4-0-1).

Do you know of other prep coaching changes for the 2014 season? Email us