A lot of people are upset about the number of teams in the high school playoffs this year. The concerns range from complaints that too many teams made the playoffs to the rising cost of the travel. But to me, it was a great and necessary call for the NCHSAA. The reasons for not expanding just don’t add up.
For one, there are not really more teams. In the beginning of the 2000’s, there were around 96 teams in each classification. There were four classifications. 64 teams made the playoffs in most sports and most brackets. There were adjustments for some divisions, like 1A and some sports (like wresting and swimming(. So, over 70 percent of the teams made the playoffs.
It’s now 2026. There are eight classifications and 64 teams going to playoffs in each one. There are exceptions, just like 26 years ago depending on the sport and class. This year, 1A did not send 64 teams to the sports in its division, and we have opt-outs and different sports (just like back then) for schools that do not have enough to field a 64-tournament bracket. To make my point, this means about 74 percent of the teams in the NCHSAA will make the playoffs this year.
The NCHSAA had to do this for the future. The expansion was needed to try to keep up with the growth of schools popping up in North Carolina. At the turn of the century, there were fewer than 400 schools in the NCHSAA. There are close to 550 this year and they’re growing like weeds every day. Prep schools, Christian academies, academies, not to mention the natural growth of schools due to increasing population. Expansion was necessary for the NCHSAA try to get ahead of the growing number of high schools in North Carolina.
The cost of travel is an issue. Gas prices will continue to soar as long as we breathe. The NCHSAA has to work on that just like we do as individuals.
Some people complain about the ticket prices and the food costs at the concession stand. A lot of schools have gotten “upgraded” in the concessions department. Food trucks are coming to the games. Concessions are offering plates that are worth every dime. I traveled to one school this year that had a slushy machine in its concessions and another school had a Chic-Fil-A. The costs were reasonable at these high schools. It sure does beat a hot dog and popcorn.
The parents are not a problem. They love to spend money on their children, despite what they say. These are the same parents buying $150 Nike Ja 3’s, travel ball equipment for softball, and personal training so their kids can be the best. So, money is not an issue with mom and dad. But let’s be truthful. Money is an issue for the schools and the NCHSAA. Do not think that the NCHSAA is not thinking about making money. They would not have done expansion.
But the truth is as a coach, I love it.
The kids get to play one more game, maybe even for something bigger. Some teams do have bad records going into the playoffs. In this area, a lot of our local teams get beat down in non-conference because they have to play bigger schools. Records sometimes hurt their RPI.
But that is why you play the game!
If records or the number of teams mattered, West Columbus would not have pulled off an upset last week in softball to win its first post-season game ever. In November of 1999, #15 East Bladen would not have beaten #2 undefeated Roanoke Rapids 29-28 in the first round of the 2A football playoffs.
In 2008, East Bladen (9-13) in basketball went into the 1A playoffs as a wildcard, the last seed. They lost to eventual State Runner-up Pamlico 81-70 in the Sectional Finals. The next year the Eagles (9-11) returned to the 1A playoffs again as a wildcard, defeated #5 in the state Ayden-Grifton 64-59 and #7 James Kenan 59-51 to again return to the Section Finals. Both teams were conference champions. To this day, those kids who are now adults, talk about those upsets every time I see them. Everybody wants to be Jim Valvano for a day.
So for all you too-many-playoff-team people, I disagree. I love the competition and to watch the kids play. Keep the sportsmanship rules for sports, like the 35-point rule. Let the kids play ball. If we have to spend money or even waste it, I’m all for doing it for kids and athletics. So, let them play ball!
