AISA applies for membership in national high school federation
Members such as coach Glynn Lott and Macon East would be allowed to participate against members of other associations if allowed to join the NFHS. The AHSAA would have to approve the move to allow teams from the other association to play its teams. (File Photo)
By TIM GAYLE
The Alabama Independent School Association has formally applied for affiliate membership in the National Federation of State High School Associations, the first step toward permitting competition between AISA schools and Alabama High School Athletic Association members.
AISA executive director Michael McClendon made the announcement in a statement released on Friday afternoon, noting his organization “aims to foster enhanced collaboration and standardization among its member schools and their athletic programs through membership with the NFHS, taking a significant stride toward advancing high school sports and activities.”
The application is contingent upon the approval of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Central Board of Control. The Central Board, and then-AHSAA executive director Steve Savarese, approved a similar decision in 2013 but the move was denied at the regional level.
“After so many years of restricting competitive choice in Alabama, we are hopeful that the AHSAA Board of Control will support our application for NFHS affiliate membership and support competitive choice by allowing their members to compete against our members if they choose to do so,” McLendon said. “In addition to providing more local opponents for middle and high school students to compete against, which will work toward improving travel expenses, the competitive choice will lift community spirit and create local interest in the respective schools and programs.”
In a survey of 19 states that include Mid-Atlantic states, Southeastern states and Texas, only Alabama and Louisiana do not allow competitive choice among associations within their respective states.
“The more we surveyed states and learned about the various relationships shared by associations within each state, the more disappointed and discouraged we became that Alabama continues this practice,” McLendon said. “In every state we surveyed, we discovered that competitive choice resulted in positive outcomes, including less travel time and more instructional time for student athletes, enhanced competitive opportunities, and stronger communities through local public and independent school competition.”
The National Federation of State High School Associations has 51 member state associations, then has an additional 40 organizations that are offered an affiliate association -- with the permission of the member state association in their respective states.
A recent update to AHSAA bylaws allows its members to compete against out-of-state opponents who are NFHS affiliate association members. AHSAA schools may compete against any of the five NFHS associate member associations in Canada, the two in the Virgin Islands, affiliate associations in Guam, Puerto Rico or the Bahamas as well as members of the Mid-South Association of Homeschool Athletics, an association of home school athletic programs located in Mississippi and Alabama.
Under the current AHSAA bylaws, Daphne’s Bayside Academy, an AISA academic member who plays sports in the AHSAA, can play Mid-South Association of Homeschool Athletics member Evergreen Christian Academy of Mobile but not fellow AISA member Snook Christian Academy, which competes in sports in the AISA.
Currently, AISA schools may compete against public schools in neighboring states but not against AHSAA members in the same neighborhood, such as AISA’s Evangel Christian Academy and AHSAA’s Trinity in basketball.
The Central Board will meet on Wednesday to vote on the request.
“With renewed optimism, AISA anticipates a positive outcome that ushers in a new chapter of cooperation and collaboration within Alabama and the broader region,” the AISA statement concluded. “The association is unwavering in its mission to deliver exemplary experiences for its student-athletes and views NFHS affiliate membership and competitive choice as cornerstones in this quest.”