Scheduling Rules are hurting competition

[RD_Watcher]

WSC scheduling rules require 2 Gold/Silver crossover games, and playing everyone in your division. With divisions of 7 schools and a 10 game season, this leaves 1 opportunity for a WSC member to test themselves outside the “echo chamber”.

This fall (I believe every season, but can’t confirm definitively) those tests are only available in Week 1 on August 27-28.

Just looking at WSC Silver, Glenbard West will play Grandville, MI, who appears to be a good team; Hinsdale Central will play Naperville Central; York will play Schaumburg; DGN will play Hoffman Estates; Proviso West will play Wauconda. OPRF and Lyons haven’t posted their schedule on 8to18.

HCs two crossover match-ups for the next two years (Home and Away) are Proviso East and Hinsdale South. HS/HC is played every year as a natural D86 match-up, which is understandable.

Is this type of scheduling rule common in the larger conferences? In my opinion, it really hurts the top teams in the conference.

 

[ClownBaby]

GW, DGS and DGN have all won state titles with the same scheduling set up so no it doesn’t matter.

OPRF hosts WWS in week 1 next year.

 

[RD_Watcher]

GW, DGS and DGN have all won state titles with the same scheduling set up so no it doesn’t matter.

OPRF hosts WWS in week 1 next year.

That is a fair point.
I’ll point out DGS win was 2001, DGN win was 2004. Take that for what it’s worth.
GW was 7A Champions in both 2012 and 2015, winning the WSC Championship in both years. The 2015 team may have given Loyola a run for their money in 8A, but I don’t know anything about that LA team.

From my observation, the CCL teams have a model that allows for figuring everything out on the field. Yes, the teams have an advantage in building their rosters out - which is a conversation outside the scope of the question I posed - but their scheduling allows for scheduling top competition throughout the season. I

I may be way off though. Scheduling rules may be just an understood variable.

The OPRF/ WWS matchup may be a good one.

 

[shep99]

South Suburban has 2 seven team divisions. One crossover which goes by place the previous year and two non-cons.

 

[Solid Snake Pliskin]

That is a fair point.
I’ll point out DGS win was 2001, DGN win was 2004. Take that for what it’s worth.
GW was 7A Champions in both 2012 and 2015, winning the WSC Championship in both years. The 2015 team may have given Loyola a run for their money in 8A, but I don’t know anything about that LA team.

From my observation, the CCL teams have a model that allows for figuring everything out on the field. Yes, the teams have an advantage in building their rosters out - which is a conversation outside the scope of the question I posed - but their scheduling allows for scheduling top competition throughout the season. I

I may be way off though. Scheduling rules may be just an understood variable.

The OPRF/ WWS matchup may be a good one.

The problem as you stated is the odd number and mandatory crossovers. I don't think it's necessarily problematic, but another nonconference game would be welcome IMO. The WSC could add two schools. The two schools could be district rivals or natural rivals to keep the theme going ie Romeoville to the Gold and Bolingbrook to the Silver. I am not sure if this is beneficial for Romeoville to lose the Joliets and Plainfield Central and pick up Willowbrook and the rivalry crossover. I would call that a push for The Ville. We'd get more diversity of schedule, but longer drives. The other half of this scenario probably gets closer games and is no longer getting dominated by The Griffins and Vikings and Porters, but they pick up GBW, HC, and Oak Park. I can see how it could be enticing.

I don't see Romeoville having reason to switch though so it's for nought. Another school that may be able to be poached is Matea. The Gold would be much better than the DVC for them.

The WSC could also do away with the crossovers. The rolling one is eh and not everyone has a true rivalry with their rivalry matchup. Those that want to keep it can just schedule it.

But the WSC doesn't really seem like they need or want the change. When was the last change, R-B?

 

[ramblinman]

WSC scheduling rules require 2 Gold/Silver crossover games, and playing everyone in your division. With divisions of 7 schools and a 10 game season, this leaves 1 opportunity for a WSC member to test themselves outside the “echo chamber”.

This fall (I believe every season, but can’t confirm definitively) those tests are only available in Week 1 on August 27-28.

Just looking at WSC Silver, Glenbard West will play Grandville, MI, who appears to be a good team; Hinsdale Central will play Naperville Central; York will play Schaumburg; DGN will play Hoffman Estates; Proviso West will play Wauconda. OPRF and Lyons haven’t posted their schedule on 8to18.

HCs two crossover match-ups for the next two years (Home and Away) are Proviso East and Hinsdale South. HS/HC is played every year as a natural D86 match-up, which is understandable.

Is this type of scheduling rule common in the larger conferences? In my opinion, it really hurts the top teams in the conference.

This is what happens when schools/conferences are more interested in ease of scheduling than scheduling well. In a later post you state that the CCL/ESCC has it figured out well, but I've been howling in the wind for years about mismatched crossover games within the CCL and now CCL/ESCC.

 

[johnndoe]

Consider the SWSC cross-over situation. Two divisions of 5 teams, one of larger enrollment schools (LWE, H-F, Bolingbrook, Lockport, Sandburg) to the tune of 500+ students minimum compared to smaller side. So both divisions lead with 2 non-cons, then the smaller programs must cross-over with 3 of the 5 bigger ones. Statistically, during the few years in effect, this saddles all the lower enrollment schools with, at least, 2 baked-in losses per season. Acknowledging enrollment differential has exceptions, these are actual won-loss results factually occurring here in this conference. Private schools or public school outliers are not relevant in this instance.

 

[redmen85]

This is what happens when schools/conferences are more interested in ease of scheduling than scheduling well. In a later post you state that the CCL/ESCC has it figured out well, but I've been howling in the wind for years about mismatched crossover games within the CCL and now CCL/ESCC.

Isn't the basic premise for conference affiliation ease of scheduling?

 

[johnndoe]

Isn't the basic premise for conference affiliation ease of scheduling?

Yes, "ease of scheduling" for all, but far from an equitable and level competition model for many. Playoff advancement records are poor for the divisions that must "play-up" during cross-overs, qualify with 3 or 4 losses to then go on the road against the highest seeds in their class for Round 1.

 

[RD_Watcher]

Consider the SWSC cross-over situation. Two divisions of 5 teams, one of larger enrollment schools (LWE, H-F, Bolingbrook, Lockport, Sandburg) to the tune of 500+ students minimum compared to smaller side. So both divisions lead with 2 non-cons, then the smaller programs must cross-over with 3 of the 5 bigger ones. Statistically, during the few years in effect, this saddles all the lower enrollment schools with, at least, 2 baked-in losses per season. Acknowledging enrollment differential has exceptions, these are actual won-loss results factually occurring here in this conference. Private schools or public school outliers are not relevant in this instance.

The 2 “baked in” loses are a great point, however, for a team like Willowbrook and DGS the crossovers appear to be a benefit. For teams like Addison Trail, Lyden and RB, the crossovers are not. Morton is an extreme outlier, as with their sheer population, they should have a much more competitive program.