None of the 20 -- not even the delegates from the two sections that sided with Section 1 in the recent ad hoc committee vote -- seconded the motion, formally killing it.
Section 7 delegate Joshua Harrica effectively summed up the mood of the room.
"People are tired of hearing it and we realized again that Section 7 and some of these other sections may not have the influence that Section 1 has," he said. "It felt like beating a dead horse; at some point you have to move on."
That writing had been on the wall for months, though the latest development does not prevent the Section 1 Athletic Council from moving forward with a referendum at the local level to amend its constitution to remove its four non-public schools from postseason competition against public schools.
The Section 1 membership is likely to pass the measure, potential leading to the four affected schools going to court. If Section 1 prevails there, it may be left to the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee to develop a new pathway to state tournament eligibility for Albertus Magnus, Keio, Leffell, and Ursuline. It's also not out of the realm of possibility that Section 1 sues the NYSPHSAA.
That's speculative at this moment. What isn't speculative, though, is that Section 1 has burned some currency by pressing so hard at the behest of the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents.
Alden (Section 6) Superintendent Adam Stoltman, a NYSPHSAA officer and chair of the Schools Without Boundaries committee, expressed his displeasure with people who have been casting aspersions on the office staff. Suggestions of Section 1 having to overcome a stacked agenda had simmered under the surface since October and became public in recent weeks.
"Simply ridiculous," he said from the podium.
A late addition to the agenda
The outdoor track and field committee asked the Executive Committee to call a late audible based upon recent news, resulting in a switch of venues for 2027 and '28.
Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island in Manhattan is in convention to host the Olympic Trials in track and field in 2028, in about the same time frame as it was scheduled to host the NYSPHSAA championships.
The Executive Committee gave the OK to flip hosts, so Icahn will get the 2027 meet and Cicero-North Syracuse will host in 2028.
As the track people pointed out, the move also gives Icahn (managed by the same people who operate the indoor Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex) a chance to host before the next three-year contract goes up for bids. That will give the track committee and the NYSPHSAA office an idea of Icahn's viability to land some or all of the dates for 2029-31 if the venue submits a bid.
Notable
The reaction to Harrica following adjournment was telling. Several Executive Committee members made their way over to him, and they were clearly happy about the thoughts he shared.
It occurred to me on the drive home that the topic of private schools in NYSPHSAA competition is a second-generation topic for him. His father, Paul Harrica, was a NYSPHSAA officer a decade ago when some Section 5 superintendents tried making a move against non-public and charter schools.
One guy in particular had a really good day
During the meeting, Joshua Dann, a Section 7 rep on the Central Committee from Saranac Lake, was approved as the next NYSPHSAA officer, with his term set to begin in the fall as 2nd Vice President. That puts him in line to become the organization's president in 2030.
Coincidentally, Saranac Lake's school board also met on Wednesday and promoted Dann from principal of the high school to superintendent of the district.
Dann succeeds Superintendent Diane Fox, who will retire this summer after 13 years of leading Saranac Lake.
More later
I'll come back to an additional note or two from the meeting on Friday or Saturday. For the moment, though, I'm hopelessly behind on responding to emails. The rest of my Thursday will consist of catching up on that and some site updating.
