1/11/17 

FIELD HOCKEY ALIGNMENT APPEALS 

 

Time  School  City  Proposed Alignment  Requests Change to:   

10:30am  Grafton High School  Grafton  Central Division 1  Central Division 2 Attending:  John Patratis, AD, and Jim Pignataro, Principal 

10:45am  Masconomet Reg HS  Topsfield  North Division 1  North Division 2 Attending:  John Daileanes, AD 

11:00am  Needham High School  Needham  North Division 1  South Division 1 Attending:  Micah Hauben 

11:15am  Plymouth South HS  Plymouth  South Division 1  South Division 2 Attending:  Mark Forniciari, Principal and Scott Fry, AD 

11:30am  South High Community  Worcester  Central Division 1  Central Division 2 Dave Shea unable to attend.   Please use information submitted. 

11:45am  Canton High School  Canton  South Division 1   South Division 2 Attending:  Danny Erickson, AD and Derek Folan, Principal 

 

Masconomet Enrollment Projections Fall 2016‐Spring 2022 Grades 9‐12 

    16‐17      BOYS    GIRLS      TOTAL Grade 9    147    140      287   Grade 10    140    140      280 Grade 11    139    152      291 Grade 12    167    167      334       593    599      1192  17‐18      BOYS    GIRLS      TOTAL Grade 9    138    150      295 Grade 10    147    140      279 Grade 11    140    140      277 Grade 12    139    152      287       564    582      1138                18‐19      BOYS    GIRLS      TOTAL Grade 9    131    145      276 Grade 10    138    150      288 Grade 11    147    140      287 Grade 12    140    140      280       556    575      1131  19‐20      BOYS    GIRLS      TOTAL Grade 9    145    145      290   Grade 10    131    145      276 Grade 11    138    150      288 Grade 12    147    140      287       561    580      1141   20‐21      BOYS    GIRLS      TOTAL Grade 9    125    126      251 Grade 10    145    145      290 Grade 11    131    145      276 Grade 12    138    150      288       539    566      1105  21‐22      BOYS    GIRLS      TOTAL Grade 9    125    125      250 Grade 10    125    126      251 Grade 11    145    145      290 

Grade 12    131    145      276       526    541      1067 

Masconomet HSMIAA Divisional Alignment Appeal for

Fall 2017-Spring 2021

Masconomet Regional HS

• Masconomet Regional HS was placed in the following divisions for the fall of 2017 through the spring of 2021 alignment cycle based on our 15-16 enrollment figures of 1272 students (fall/winter seasons below).

• 2017-2021 Proposed request• Cross Country D2 East D3 East• Football D2 North D3 North• Field Hockey D1 North D2 North• Volleyball D1 North D2 North• Indoor Track D2 East D3 East• Girls Basketball D1 North D2 North• Girls Swim (winter) D1 North D2 North• Boys Swim (winter) D1 North D2 North

Population Decline

• The Masco enrollment number of 1272 students is not indicative of what the school population will be during the upcoming four-year cycle.

• Masconomet has experienced zero or negative population growth during the past eight school years, and this trend is projected to continue during the 2017-2021 alignment cycle.

• School year 2015-16: 1272 students• School year 2016-17: 1192(593 boys/599 girls)

Enrollment 2017-2021

• Year 1: 2017-2018 school year: 1138• Year 2: 2018-2019 school year: 1131• Year 3: 2019-2020 school year 1141• Year 4: 2020-2021 school year: 1105

Year 1 of Alignment Cycle

• 9th grade: 295• 10th grade: 279• 11th grade:277• 12th grade: 287• Total: 1138 (17-18 school year)

Year 2 of Alignment Cycle

• 9th grade: 276• 10th grade: 288• 11th grade: 287• 12th grade: 280• Total: 1131 (18-19 school year)

Year 3 of Alignment Cycle

• 9th grade: 290• 10th grade: 276• 11th grade: 288• 12th grade: 287• Total: 1141 (19-20 school year)

Year 4 of Alignment Cycle

• 9th grade: 251• 10th grade: 290• 11th grade: 276• 12th grade: 288• Total: 1105 (20-21 school year)

Masconomet Appeal Request

• During the next MIAA Alignment four-year cycle, the enrollment of Masconomet Regional will be between 1105-1141 students.

• We are requesting that the fall/winter sports listed in this presentation are placed in a Division consistent with other schools of our size with the projected enrollment figures for 2017-2021 (football, cross country, field hockey, volleyball, girls basketball, indoor track, winter boys & girls swimming)

1

Jan Martin

From: Sherry BryantSent: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 10:48 AMTo: Jan MartinSubject: FW: Needham Field Hockey Alignment Appeal

 From: Micah Hauben (NHS) [mailto:micah_hauben@needham.k12.ma.us]  Sent: Friday, October 14, 2016 6:30 PM To: Robert Pearl <rpearl@medway.k12.ma.us> Cc: Sherry Bryant <sbryant@miaa.net> Subject: Needham Field Hockey Alignment Appeal  I would like to submit an appeal on behalf of Needham High School Field Hockey to request we be considered for Division I South. Field Hockey is currently the only Needham HS sport where we are in the North Division and it has created significant travel and distance issues as we have advanced in the tournament, along with putting us in situations where we are competing against schools that we have no prior relationship with and have never played before in Field Hockey or any other sports. Micah Micah Hauben, CMAA Director of Athletics Needham Public Schools (O) 781-455-0800, x 2143 (C) 781-690-4610 Fax: 781-455-0818 http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/athletics GO ROCKETS!!!

Follow us on Twitter @NHSRockets 2016 Boston Globe Dalton Award Winner (274 wins) 2015 Boston Globe Ames Award Winner (258 wins)

1

Jan Martin

From: Micah Hauben (NHS) <micah_hauben@needham.k12.ma.us>Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2017 2:50 AMTo: Jan MartinCc: Sherry Bryant; Aaron Sicotte (NHS); Daniel Lee (NHS)Subject: Re: Field Hockey Alignment Appeal InformationAttachments: Needham HS Field Hockey Align Appeal D1N to D1S.pdf

Jan, Hope all is well. Please find attached the Needham High School Field Hockey Alignment Appeal request for movement from Division 1 North to Division 1 South. This request has the support of NHS Principal, Aaron Sicotte, and he is included on this email. I will be the representative at Thursday's appeal meeting. Please confirm Needham's slot is still scheduled for 11:00am at the MIAA Offices. Please let us know about any questions and if any additional information is needed. Thank you. Micah Micah Hauben, CMAA Director of Athletics Needham Public Schools (O) 781-455-0800, x 2143 (C) 781-690-4610 Fax: 781-455-0818 http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/athletics GO ROCKETS!!!

Follow us on Twitter @NHSRockets 2016 Boston Globe Dalton Award Winner (274 wins) 2015 Boston Globe Ames Award Winner (258 wins)

NEEDHAM HIGH SCHOOL January 11, 2017 ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT “HOME OF THE ROCKETS”

MIAA State Field Hockey Committee 1/12/17 Meeting Needham HS Alignment Appeal to Division I South (Currently in Division I North)

School Representative: Micah Hauben, Director of Athletics Needham High School and the Needham High School Athletic Department respectfully request consideration to be shifted to Division I South for the new 2017-2021 alignment cycle. In all other MIAA and MSSAA recognized sports Needham HS offers (33 other sports) we participate and compete in South, or in a few cases, Central-East, based divisions. Field Hockey is the only sport where Needham HS is in the North Division. Geographically speaking, Wellesley High School, who is in our own league (BSC), is located north of Needham, but is in the South for Field Hockey. As we participate and compete with and against mainly schools from the South in the regular season for our sports, and in most sports outside of Field Hockey, in postseason play as well, relationships have been established with the South schools, their Athletic Departments, administrations, and communities. There is also a general familiarity and comfort level with school locations, facilities, and spectator seating arrangements. This allows for smoother transitions and game management, and a mutual understanding for the approach to operations and event oversight, even with the raised levels of intensity and emotions that come along with tournament competition. Competitions that have often seen reduced crowd sizes, home and away, due to travel distance and general lack of interest. With many of the North schools, we do not have the same type of relationships, if any, as with the South schools, and for many, we have never worked with or competed against any of their programs in the past. Here are opponents and locations for Needham D1 North postseason play going back to 2012:

2016 1st Round: Host Lowell HS** 2015 1st Round: Host Newton North 2nd Round: Host Acton-Boxborough 2nd Round: Host Winchester HS

Semi-Final: vs Andover HS** @ Reading HS 2014 1st Round: @ Concord-Carlisle 2013 1st Round: Host Danvers HS**

2nd Round: @ Acton-Boxborough 2nd Round: @ Beverly HS** 2012 Prelim: @ Reading HS

**No events in past 10 years with school or any teams. While we have been competitive enough over the last two years to earn a high seed in the North and to host home tournament games each year, we strongly feel and believe Needham High School Field Hockey belongs in Division I South. On a separate note, we also feel it important that the difference between when the North and South tournaments move to a neutral site (North one round earlier for the semi-finals) be looked at and discussed. Thank you for your consideration and attention to this appeal request. Respectfully submitted,

Micah Hauben Director of Athletics

DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS � NEEDHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS 0FFICE: 781-455-0800 x2105 � FAX: 781-455-0818

micah_hauben@needham.k12.ma.us � https://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/athletics 609 Webster Street, Needham, MA 02494

1

Jan Martin

From: Shea, David <SheaDavid@worc.k12.ma.us>Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2017 12:53 PMTo: Jan Martin; Shields, SandyCc: Sherry Bryant; Lynch, Diane (sage)Subject: FW: South High Field Hockey alignment appeal

Importance: High

Good afternoon Sherry and Jan, Unfortunately there will be no one from South on Thursday for the field hockey appeal meeting. The reason for that is that I have to be in Grafton for 4 football appeals and no one from South can free up some time to get down to Franklin. Maybe in the future the MIAA would consider doing opposite days for different sports and their appeals to help ADs out with making it to all of them. In the meantime we do NOT want the committee to think this is not important to us but rather the timing of the meeting just didn’t fit the schedules. Please see the email below from South High Community School regarding the field hockey appeal. If there is anything else you need from me or from South High please notify us right away and we would be more than happy to comply with your requests. Thank you so much, David Shea Director of Athletics Worcester Public Schools   Dear Field Hockey Committee Members, It is with respect that our principal, Diane Lynch, asks your consideration to realign the South High Community School Varsity Field Hockey program to Central D2. While the numbers at our school would initially lend itself to a Central D1 alignment, we believe that several factors speak to the need for our request to be considered. First, our program is consistently in building mode. With over 75 countries being represented within our student body, that means many of our students are new to our country. Many have never played an organized sport. We do not have a feeder program from which to pull. Our population is transient so our rosters will look very different from year to year. Secondly, as is evidenced by our record from this past season, we have difficulty competing at the D1 level. With 7 hard losses at D1, we could not rise to that level of play. Of course the concern for elevated play would include an increase in injuries as our players would be physically outmatched. But the psychological toll may be even greater. Though we had 4 losses at the D2 level, our competitive chances were much more within reason. Obviously our goal in athletics is to teach life lessons through hard work and competition. We certainly welcome any questions you may have and look forward to the decision of the committee. Sandy Shields

Wellness Educator Athletic Liaison South High Community School 508-799-3325 office

Canton Field Hockey Appeal Information   The rationale for our appeal‐ moving from D1 South to D2 South‐ is as follows:  Data from the past 4 years shows that the proposed dividing line between D1 and D2 in the South Section should be moved up several schools, thus moving Canton and about 4‐5 others down to D2.   As you look at the data of who has made the State Tournament from the South over the past 4 years, you can see that the D1 Tournament has been significantly larger than the D2 Tournament each season. I am sure that the intent of the Field Hockey Committee is to have its sectional tournaments be as balanced as possible.   Here is the data:  1.  # of teams in each section:  2013‐ D1‐ 22, D2‐ 13 2014‐ D1‐ 23, D2‐ 18 2015‐ D1‐ 23, D2‐ 18 2016‐ D1‐ 22, D2‐ 16  The above data represents an average of 6.25 more teams qualifying each year in D1 than in D2.   2. Thus‐ the following data deals with the number of teams forced to play a preliminary game in each of those sections over the past 4 years:  2013‐  D1‐ 12, D2‐ 0 2014‐  D1‐ 14, D2‐ 4 2015‐  D1‐ 14, D2‐ 4 2016‐  D1‐ 12, D2‐ 0   3. Furthermore, the difference between the largest school in D1 and the smallest is 1634 girls. The difference between the largest school in D2 and the smallest is 286 girls.   Therefore‐ we believe that in order to get the most appropriate placement of teams for the South Section, the committee take the 4‐6 smallest schools in D1 and move them to D2.  If that is not possible, we are asking that our school be granted relief based on the above data.   Thank you!