New Jersey To Start Fall Sports A Week Earlier

The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.), Matthew Stanmyre

http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/football/index.ssf/2013/01/njsiaa_approves_waiver_to_start_2013_fall_sports_seasons_earlier.html

The state’s governing body for high school athletics approved a waiver today that allows all New Jersey high school sports teams to begin playing games on Sept. 6 over the next two fall seasons, a week earlier than originally scheduled.

Although all high schools and sports teams will be affected, the waiver will allow greater scheduling flexibility of out-of-state competition for powerhouse Non-Public football programs such as Don Bosco, Paramus Catholic, Bergen Catholic, St. Joseph’s of Montvale and St. Peter’s Prep, among others.

Before the waiver was granted, the high school sports season was scheduled to begin the weekend of Sept. 13, which would conflict with the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur. The move was approved by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Executive Committee, which passed the waiver by a vote of 17-5.

“It gives you options,” NJSIAA Executive Director Steve Timko said. “Especially as tight as the schedule was. It gives flexibility to open things up for everybody. It’s a good move.”

The changes are optional for high school teams and expire after two years. The move is expected to not only benefit scheduling for top football programs, but also allow greater scheduling options for all sports teams.

The proposal was originally formulated by administrators from the Big North Conference. River Dell athletic director Denis Nelson and Bergen Catholic athletic director Jack McGovern presented the proposal to the executive committee today in Robbinsville.

According to Nelson, several conferences across the state, including the Super Essex Conference, are in favor of the earlier start date. Allentown High, Ramapo High and schools from the Cape-Atlantic League also previously expressed interest in an earlier start.

The official start of fall practices will also be adjusted to allow 25 days before games begin, officials from the NJSIAA said.

“It will provide a great deal of flexibility in scheduling,” Nelson said. “By making it optional we’re not saying the state needs to require schools that have already created schedules to juggle and adjust and move their schedules around if that’s not what they want to do.”

The changes will greatly help scheduling for football programs at Bosco, Bergen Catholic and the like, which often play as many as three national opponents. New Jersey typically begins its fall sports season later than many other states. With another week to work with, it will be easier to schedule top opponents.