2011FeatureITCLTierChange

Big Changes in Store for the ITCL for 2012

    With the release of the new enrollment numbers at ITCL schools, a sweeping change is coming. The by-laws that were put into place when the ICL and TCL merged leagues called for the movement of teams in the two divisions or tiers, depending on overall enrollment of boys and girls in grades 9-11. The schools with the top eight (8) enrollment numbers would be included in the top or upper tier, while the lower eight (8) would make up the lower tier.
     After the census was taken in the fall of 2010, it was found that Jackson-Milton now has more students than Columbiana, and according to the by-laws, irregardless of athletic competitiveness, the league has now made the switch of Columbiana going to the Lower Tier, despite moving up to division 5 in football, and Jackson-Milton will now move up to the Upper Tier. In other words, if you look at the numbers, Columbiana had more boys which generated their move up to division 5 on a purely football basis.
     "It is strictly a numbers situation," ITCL commission Paul Andraso would say. "The figures come from the EMIS numbers, a school count taken in every school district in October. Then the OHSAA uses the numbers from grades 9-11 minus any special need students to formulate the divisions and regions every two years."

    And according to the by-laws there is no appeal process for either Columbiana or Jackson-Milton to contest the change. "There is not," according to Andraso. He would go on to explain, "The numbers in (fall) 2012 will then determine the (ITCL) divisions for 2014. Unless there is a change in the by-laws."
     "Personally, I was shocked," Blue Jays head coach Mark Assion would admit. "We have so much of our student population that attends vocational school that I was not expecting it." But the change also gives him, and the program a new challenge. "I think once you get past that shock, the intimidation moment (of playing the Crestview's, South Range's, etc.), then you think, let's go and compete against the big boys. Why not challenge yourself. It's definety a challenge for us," Assion would go on to say.
     Right now Assion is focused on the 2011 season, and competing in the roughed ITCL Lower Tier, but the future hopes of the Blue Jays program may lie in the players coming up through the program. "The 8th grade team went 6-2 last year, now I don't expect a lot this year from them as freshmen, but when we go to the Upper Tier we are going to count on them to be the backbone of our team. It's going to be a challenge for them," Assion pointed out. He would add, "I watched my son play in the lower levels of football with the Springfield's and some others, and be competitive. Now saying that doesn't predicate that they will be successful at this level. We have a lot of work to do when we get into the Upper Tier."
     But what about the Clippers, who have been near the top of the ITCL Upper Tier the past five years and now will move "down" to the Lower Tier? Clipper Coach Bob Spaite doesn't neccesarily see it as a totally advantageous move for them either, "I've said this all along, there is both good news and bad news as far as the Clippers are concerned. Good News - as the Atheltic Director my non- league scheduling headaches are over. I will have NO trouble filling what has sometimes been a problem in Boys and Girls Basketball AND a 100% pain in the rear as far as football goes. The down side.... Lower level games will be a major issue particularly in Football - we have always had a 7th and 8th or an A and B team; not one team in the lower tier does. JV Baseball, freshman Basketball all will be a BIG PROBLEM. Also our Travel time increases as we trade trips to EP, South Range, Crestview and Springfield for Wellsville, Lowellville, Sebring, & McDonald." Spaite also thinks that despite the big change, the ITCL will still be the envy of many, "As to the entire league - we all have to adjust. I think the ITCL is one of the really solid leagues (around). Very competitive. No one can argue it has helped all 16 schools, and given some a realistic shot at making the playoffs and getting their programs ramped up. We have our bumps, but I think the league is strong, and the proof is that we are constantly fielding inquires about expansion. People see a good thing and want to be part of it."

Before anyone gets too shook-up by this move, Andraso would caution, "When you look at the league on a whole, all of the schools are close in enrollment. Jackson-Milton will be very competitive in volleyball and some other sports. Some sports they won't, but the same could be said of the divsion one (Upper Tier) schools too. Unfortunately, everything in Northeast Ohio is driven by football."
It will certainly take some getting use to. And it could be difficult for the casual fan to understand why the change was made at all, but it will keep the league from becoming stagnate. If your just focused on football, the change certainly doesn't benefit the Jackson-Milton program as they try building up the program. But as Coach Assion pointed out, this is a great opportunity for the program to step up it's competitiveness. While Columbiana will add a new element to a league that has been dominated by McDonald, Western Reserve and Leetonia. As they say, "the one constant in life is change", and the ITCL will see an interesting change when it enters the 2012 football season.