It is Time

When we began the Competitive Equity Playoff system a few years ago, we were very clear that it would evolve over time in the effort to improve it and make it the very best it could possibly be. What we have seen since we started is what we expected: closer games, especially in the earlier rounds, and schools who have never had the opportunity, or have not had the opportunity in a very long time, to compete for championships and get those chances. With all the successes we have all experienced since we started, the job is not finished, and it is time to get to work on accomplishing that task.

As you know, we began this model for divisional placement utilizing data from the previous two years to formulate divisions, but it has always been our ultimate goal to use data from the current regular season to create the most accurate divisions we can possibly create for each year.

Since the competitive equity system was launched, we have been building toward the concept of current regular season data being used with examples like Open Divisions, where teams are selected for the Open Divisions based on their current regular season performance, and Division 1/2 combinations all season long, where Divisions 1/2 are decided at the end of the current regular season, which has addressed this concept in our highest divisions. Those examples are bridges that were built in various sports to help get us closer to achieving our goal. It is time to cross those bridges to the other side.

Two years ago, football became the first team sport to form divisions at the end of the current regular season, using the data from that season, and only that season, to do so. We have now seen what that looks like and have been very pleased with the results. The key element in being able to make that happen is the ability to have every score, from every game, entered into CIFSSHome so power rankings can be created, and divisions created from those power rankings. Our member schools have had several years to grasp the concept of the necessity to enter their scores from every game into our database so our power rankings can be complete. It is time to have that done during the regular season so power rankings can be tracked throughout that season as results are entered and we can all see how divisions will begin to take shape prior to the final divisional placements at the end of the season.

It is time for Baseball, Boys/Girls Basketball, Boys/Girls Lacrosse, Boys/Girls Soccer, Softball, Boys/Girls Tennis, Boys/Girls Volleyball and Boys/Girls Water Polo to join Football and do the same thing. There is nothing left for us to do to help us prepare for this better and more accurate system. It is time to take that leap forward.

Therefore, what are the next steps that can be taken during the 2023-2024 school year to implement these changes in time for the 2024-2025 school year…

1. A proposal will need to come forward from a league, or several leagues who may wish to co-author it, to revise CIF Southern Section Bylaws 3419 and 3419.1 to allow for current regular season data, and only current regular season data, to be used to formulate divisional placement in the following sports listed above.

2. That proposal can come forward as early as the Sept. 28, 2023, Southern Section Council meeting, for a vote on Jan. 30, 2024, but must come forward no later than the Jan. 30, 2024, Southern Section Council meeting for first reading, for a vote on March 21, 2024, for implementation in the 2024-2025 school year.

It is time to get this discussion started, prepare for the responsibilities our member schools must fulfill in entering scores from every game in a timely manner and continue to move our organization forward in service to our member schools and the young people we are so fortunate to serve.

Together, we have made a tremendous difference in improving the experiences our student-athletes and member schools have had since Competitive Equity Playoffs started. It is time to make it even better!

As always, I sincerely thank you for your continued help and support, it is truly appreciated.

All the best,

Rob Wigod is the CIF-Southern Section Commissioner of Athletics.