WIAA Tournament Classification Change Request

Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, member schools have the opportunity to request a move up or down one division in each WIAA-sponsored tournament series (note that Track & Field, Swimming & Diving, and Football are exceptions and will only be allowed to request a move up one division).

To request a move up or down one division, please complete the following application form. This information will be used by the Classification Committee when considering your request.

Due dates for requests are as follows:

• Fall Sports - October 1, 2024
• Winter Sports - February 1, 2025
• Spring Sports - May 1, 2025
   

Please fill in all eight areas below in your request. The examples given are just that, examples, and you are encouraged to include other information in your narrative as you see fit for your school’s situation.

Also, note that the final question on this survey must include a response from your District Administrator/Superintendent/School President with their signature on school letterhead. In this statement, include the following: 1) official name of the WIAA school, 2) whether this application is requesting a move down a division or a move up a division, and 3) any pertinent information the classification committee should consider in support of the request.

It is the final required question on this survey. 

Complete the questions below. Use each of the eight categories below to provide a compelling response to support your request.

1. Competitive history and balance

This narrative should primarily address the competitive history of the program in the WIAA-sponsored tournament series only. Competitive history during regular season or conference play is a matter for the Conference Realignment process, not the Competitive Balance Plan. Explain your tournament performance history for the past five years including your division, the number of teams in your bracket/competition, your seed, and your results. Providing this information in a chart/table with the past five years of data is preferred (Include Year, Division, Seed # and Results.)

The questions/information you provide below should support your lack of competitiveness in this sport only, and give the committee the necessary evidence to make an informed decision on your request.

2. Prior year out-of-building student percentage on roster or historical movement of student athletes.

The membership feedback provided suggests some programs gain a competitive advantage through open enrollment and transfer students.  This question is designed for the committee to determine if there is significant movement of athletes in or out of your program.

The narrative may address factors that have led to substantial roster turnover in the program, such as, how many open enrolled and/or transfer students are on your current rosters and past rosters (at all levels)? 

3. Socioeconomics of the school’s population

The narrative may address your school’s free and reduced lunch percentage and/or median income level of the school. Include how this specifically affects or does not affect your team's tournament performance.

4. Demographics of the school’s population

The narrative may address the school’s or the community’s demographics over the last 5 years. Include how this specifically affects or does not affect your team's tournament performance. (Demographics can include ethnicity, socioeconomics, disability; along with population characteristics, such as median income, education, etc.)

5. Geography

The narrative may address the geographic location of the school (rural, suburban, urban, etc.) Include how this specifically affects your team's tournament performance. (Examples - access to training facilities, club sports, community programs, etc.)

6. School's enrollment trend

Provide your high school’s WIAA enrollment for the past five years. You may also include WIAA enrollment projections. Include how this specifically affects your team's tournament performance.

7. Student participation rate in WIAA-sponsored activities

Provide participation numbers in this sport for the past five years, including the percentage of total number of male or female students it represents. Also, include the number of teams or levels there are within the program (V, JV1, JV2, etc). Include how this specifically affects your team's tournament performance.

8. Student enrollment factors (i.e. open enrollment, students from outside your school's location)

Provide data regarding the percentage of open enrolled students and transfers that make up your athletic rosters in your team's entire program (V, JV1, JV2, etc). Include how this specifically affects your team's tournament performance.