Latest OHSAA competitive balance proposal passes

Change is coming to high school athletics across the state.

After three years of failed attempts and many trips back to the drawing board, the Ohio High School Athletic Association was finally able to announce the approval of a competitive balance referendum Friday afternoon.

While many questions remain, there’s no doubt change is coming.

“As we stated from the beginning for the process, this is a journey; this is a starting point for us,” OHSAA commissioner Dan Ross said. “We’re going to be very, very busy working on getting this started.”

In an attempt to account for open enrollment schools competing in different divisions, a multiplier formula will be applied to adjust enrollment numbers for students who don’t live or didn’t grow up in the school district they’re attending.

The new modifying factors will be applied on a sport-by-sport basis and the plan is expected to go into effect at the start of the 2016-17 school year.

The proposal passed by 88 votes (411 to 323) after falling 10 votes shy last year.

For more details, read Saturday's Vindicator or visit Vindy.com.