North Carolina High School Athletic Association Explained

North Carolina High School Athletic Association
Size:220px
Map:Map of USA highlighting North Carolina.png
Msize:250px
Abbreviation:NCHSAA
Formation:1913
Status:Association
Purpose:Athletic/Educational
Headquarters:222 Finley Golf Course Rd.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515
Region Served:North Carolina
Language:English
Leader Title:Executive Director
Affiliations:National Federation of State High School Associations
Website:nchsaa.org

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) is the governing organization of high school athletics in North Carolina, United States. The association maintains the official rule books and governs the officiating standards across the state.[1]

The NCHSAA organizes member schools into conferences and oversees the state championships for each of the sanctioned sports. The NCHSAA headquarters is located at 222 Finley Golf Course Road, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The mailing address for the NCHSAA is PO Box 3216, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515.

History

The NCHSAA was founded in 1913 by Dr. Louis Round Wilson, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The university served as the primary source of funding and leadership for the Association from 1913 through 1947, before the organization adopted its current model, which provides school administrators with direct influence through the presence of the NCHSAA Board of Directors. The NCHSAA remained affiliated with UNC-Chapel Hill until 2010, when it became an independent organization.[2]

The first state championships were held in the NCHSAA's inaugural year of 1913, in both football and track. Baseball (1914), basketball (1915), and tennis (1916) were added over the next three athletic seasons. The NCHSAA would continue to sanction a variety of different sports throughout its history, including soccer (1927), wrestling (1931), golf (1937), swimming (1950), cross country (1956), softball (1975), volleyball (1976), indoor track (1987), and lacrosse (2010). Women's sports were first sanctioned in 1968, with women's golf being the first sport having an NCHSAA championship.[3]

Classifications

Early years

High schools within the state were first organized into classifications in 1929, based by the size of the student population. Prior to 1929, all schools played in a single "open" format and postseason play was decided within "east" and "west" regions by meetings of school administrators. The east versus west postseason approach continues to this day. In 1929, the NCHSAA first split schools into "Class A" and "Class B", with Class A consisting of schools with a larger student population. Several other changes occurred to NCHSAA classifications between 1929 and 1958, which eventually went to three classifications.

The NCHSAA, due to segregation, also did not include African American high schools. These historically black high schools competed in the North Carolina High School Athletics Conference (NCHSAC) and would start to merge into the NCHSAA in 1967.[4]

In December 1929, in the Piedmont and Western Foothills region of the state, 16 charter member high schools formed the Western North Carolina High School Activities Association (WNCHSAA). This association grew to as many as 42 high schools and four different conferences. The WNCHSAA schools would merge into the NCHSAA in 1977.[5]

1A, 2A, 3A, 4A era (1959–2025)

In 1959, due to growth and consolidation of North Carolina high schools, member schools were split into four classifications, identified by 1A, 2A, 3A, & 4A. The states 4A class is made up of the largest high schools, and 1A the smallest. These four classes have remained as the different classification sizes of North Carolina high schools to the current day.

Prior to 1993, a set minimum enrollment number delineated each school's classification. In 1993, schools were split so that approximately 25% of the schools were in each of the four classifications. A new approach was instituted in 2017, known as the 20-30-30-20 model, with the largest 20% in 4A and the smallest 20% in 1A. The middle 60% was split between 2A and 3A. This model received considerable criticism for the unbalanced classes, and the NCHSAA moved back to the 25-25-25-25 model in 2021. The classifications and conferences of each school are assessed every four years based on updated student population numbers.

All NCHSAA sanctioned sports have a separate state championship competition and title for each of the 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A classifications. The only exceptions are sports in which the 1A and 2A classifications are combined (in some instances 1A, 2A, and 3A are combined).

Football adds subdivisions for each classification (2002–2021)

In football, starting in 2002, each classification was separated into a single "A" and double "AA" classification, with the double "AA" classification being made up of larger schools than the single "A". Classes were 1A, 1AA, 2A, 2AA, 3A, 3AA, 4A and 4AA for football only. This single "A" and double "AA" format lasted until the fall of 2021, when the NCHSAA went back to football being only 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A class sizes.[6]

2025–26 school year marks expansion to 8 classifications

Starting in the 2025–26 school year, the classifications will expand from 4 to 8.[7]

There are a number of different high school conferences throughout the state for local play. Many conferences are grouped with high schools all being in the same classification, with some conferences consisting of schools from two different classifications.

Sports

The NCHSAA sanctions the following sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Track and Field, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Cheerleading, Volleyball, and Wrestling.

Many North Carolina schools, particularly in larger metropolitan areas, have programs in field hockey, girls and boys beach volleyball, and gymnastics, but these sports are currently not sanctioned by the NCHSAA.

Conferences

These are the conference alignments starting with the 2021–2022 school year. With minor adjustments to accommodate new schools, these alignments will remain through the 2024–2025 school year.[8]

4A

CAP 6All schools located in Raleigh, North Carolina
Central PiedmontSchools located in Davie and Forsyth counties
DAC-VIISchools located in Durham, Orange, and Alamance Counties
Greater Neuse RiverSchools located southern Wake County and northern Johnston County
Greater MetroSchools located along the I-85 corridor north of Charlotte
MetroSchools located in Guilford County
Northern AthleticSchools located in northern Wake County
South MeckSchools located in Mecklenburg County
Southern CarolinaSchools located in Union County
Southwest WakeSchools located in southwestern Wake County
SouthwesternSchools located in Mecklenburg and Union counties

3A–4A

All American Conference

Schools are located in Cumberland and Harnett County Areas

Big East

Schools located in the central-eastern portion of the state.

Mideastern

Schools are located in the southeastern corner of the state.

Mountain

Schools located in Asheville and surrounding communities

Northwestern

Schools are located in the foothills and high country areas of northwestern part of state.

Queen City

Schools located in Charlotte

Sandhills

Schools located in the Sandhills region of the state

United 8

Schools located in the Fayetteville and surrounding areas

3A

Big SouthSchools located in Cleveland and Gaston counties
CentralSchools located in the north-central portion of the state
Coastal

Schools located along the Southeastern coast of North Carolina

Mountain 7Schools located in the western North Carolina mountains
Mid-PiedmontSchools located in Davidson, Montgomery, and Randolph counties
Mid-StateSchools located in Guilford, Rockingham, andForsyth counties
Quad CountySchools located in Johnston, Wake, Wayne and Wilson counties
South PiedmontSchools located in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, and Rowan counties.
Western FoothillsSchools located in Catawba, Iredell, and Lincoln counties

2A–3A

The Big EastSchools located in Franklin, Nash, and Halifax counties
Northeastern CoastalSchools located in the northeastern corner of North Carolina
Northern LakesLocated in the north-central portion of the state
Rocky RiverSchools in the south-central portion of the state

2A

Catawba Valley AthleticSchools located in Caldwell, Lincoln, and Burke counties
East CentralSchools located in Duplin, Lenoir, and Onslow counties
Eastern PlainsSchools located in the Pitt, Edgecomb, Greene, and Craven counties
FoothillsSchools located in Surry and Wilkes counties
Mid-StateSchools located in Stokes and Rockingham counties
Mountain Foothills 7Schools located in the southwestern corner of the state
Neuse 6Schools in Johnston, Wilson, and Wayne counties
Southeastern AthleticSchools located in Sampson, Robeson, and Bladen counties

1A–2A

Catawba Shores AthleticSchools located in Davidson, Lincoln, Iredell, and Mecklenburg counties
Coastal PlainsSchools located along North Carolina's central coast
Central CarolinaSchools located along the I-85 corridor
Mid-CarolinaSchools located in Alamance, Chatham, and Moore counties
Piedmont AthleticSchools located in Randolph County
Southern PiedmontSchools located in Cleveland and Gaston counties
Super SixSchools located in the Triangle region
WaccamawSchools located in the southeastern portion of the state
Western HighlandsSchools located in the western North Carolina mountains
Yadkin ValleySchools located along the Yadkin River in the northwest

1A

Atlantic 5Schools located in the Outer Banks region
CarolinaSchools located in the east central part of the state
Central Tar HeelSchools located in the southern Triangle region
Four RiversSchools located in northeastern North Carolina
Metro 8Schools located in the Metrolina region
NorthwestSchools located in the northwestern corner of the state
Northwest PiedmontSchools located in the Triad region
Tar RoanokeSchools along the Tar and Roanoke rivers
Triangle NorthSchools located in the northern Triangle region
Smoky MountainSchools located in and around the Smoky Mountains
Independent

Awards

Commissioner’s Cup

Awarded to NCHSAA teams and athletic programs that highlight community service. Teams identify a community need, host a service project, and host a service project to meet that need.[9]

NCHSAA Athlete of the Year

The NCHSAA Athlete of the Year Award is awarded annually to a nominated male and female high school athlete in North Carolina, who have demonstrated success in multiple different sports. Winners of this award earn the Pat Best Memorial Trophy, named after the late Pat Best, who was a former principal at Goldsboro High School and president of the NCHSAA at the time of his death in 1988.[10]

Hall of Fame

The North Carolina High School Sports Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for high school athletics in North Carolina. It is administered by the NCHSAA and includes athletes, coaches, officials, broadcasters and others who have supported high school athletics in the state. The hall was created in 1987 with Bob Jamieson of Greensboro, Leon Brogden of Wilmington, and Dave Harris of Charlotte as charter members.[11]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NCHSAA Conferences. 27 September 2013.
  2. Web site: NCHSAA History. 9 January 2014. 8 August 2016.
  3. https://www.nchsaa.org/sites/default/files/attachments/WOMENS%20GOLF%20STATE%20CHAMPIONS%20%26%20RECORDS%2010302019.pdf Women's Golf State Champions
  4. https://www.nchsaa.org/about-nchsaa/history-nchsaa History of the NCHSAA
  5. https://www.nchsaa.org/sites/default/files/attachments/WNCHSAA%20Football.pdf WNCHSAA Football
  6. Sirera, Joe. (December 3, 2020). NCHSAA shortens football season and reduces number of state champs starting in 2021-22. Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  7. Web site: Holland. Monica. NCHSAA votes to expand classifications in 2025-26: What it means for Wilmington. Star News Online. December 6, 2023. November 29, 2023.
  8. Web site: NCHSAA conferences . 14 January 2014 . 31 January 2022.
  9. https://www.nchsaa.org/students-parents/nchsaa-commissioners-cup#:~:text=Two%20teams%20or%20schools%20from,earmarked%20for%20that%20sports%20team. Commissioner's Cup
  10. Web site: NCHSAA Athletes Of The Year. 13 December 2013. NCHSAA. 16 February 2022.
  11. Web site: User account.