You know, football enrollment was known as the Althoff Rule when it was implemented in 1991 after we won two 3A titles after playing a 6A regular season schedule.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-10-30-9104070817-story.html
IHSA Associate Executive Director Don Robinson admitted the new format, which classifies some teams on their opponents` average enrollment as opposed to their own, was adopted to curb the domination of Catholic schools in football. ''Nobody is trying to pick on the non-public schools,'' Robinson said.
'But take a situation like Belleville Althoff (1990 Class 3A titlist). They`ve produced nine Division I scholarship players in the last three years. I defy you, Judge Burns or anyone else to show me a public school of the same size that has produced nine Division I players in the last 10 years.
''Catholic and private schools have no restrictions on who can attend their schools. Althoff draws from a metropolitan area of 500,000. So does Alleman. They have more opportunites for quality athletes. Anyone can look at that and see the inequity.''
Last year, four Catholic schools won titles in the six classes. Under the present format, the IHSA said Sterling Newman (1A), Joliet Catholic (4A) and Mt. Carmel (5A) would be moved up a class. Althoff would have competed in 5A. ''If you`re competing at the 5A level during the regular season, don`t come back to me during playoffs, drop down to 3A and expect to be handed a trophy,'' said Robinson. ''How is that fair to the small public schools who`ve been competing at 3A all season?''
How is it fair to the follow graduating class of 140 kids to be bumped up because the genetic lottery hit and we had a collection of good athletes come up at the same time?