Each week, five high school coaches will discuss one issue that affects Georgia high school sports. | Last week: Teaching adversity
At Issue: Georgia's elected officials in the Senate and House often have directed their legislative focus toward the Georgia High School Association during the past 20 years, introducing some bills of great import, others borderline frivolous. There have been two home runs. The Ryan Boslet bill, named in honor of a young Chattahoochee football player who died from heart failure during offseason workouts in 2002, mandated more thorough pre-competition physicals for high school athletes. Another push from the statehouse led to wet-bulb heat and humidity testing, which took athletes off the field during late-summer and early fall workouts if the readings showed danger. Unfortunately, many other bills were sparked by "fandom," including an attempt three years ago to dissolve the GHSA and let the state take control after fans in one area of the state complained about former GHSA executive director Gary Phillips, who decided to retire.
So exactly what role should state lawmakers have in relation to the GHSA?
The Skinny: Chris Slade has been the head football coach at Pace Academy since 2013 and has experienced solid success with the Knights. Pace won the Class AA state championship in 2015, the first for the program, before it reclassified to AAA in 2016.
Slade attended the University of Virginia from 1989-1992 and was a first-team All-America as a junior in 1991. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1993 and played in the NFL until his retirement in 2001 as a member of the Carolina Panthers. In 1996, Slade and the Patriots lost in the Super Bowl, 35-21, to Brett Favre and the Packers at the New Orleans Superdome.
During his NFL career, Slade played in 142 games, made 656 combined tackles, 429 solo tackles and 227 assisted tackles with 53.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. His perspective at every level of football provides a wealth of knowledge when asked about the GHSA and its supervision of high school sports.
Slade: "Those guys at GHSA, they probably have the most difficult job of anybody, especially trying to monitor and govern all the high school sports in the state of Georgia. For us, football is so intense and so in-depth. From 7-on-7s to padded camps to passing leagues to eligibility to hardships to transfers. That's just a lot that they have to be responsible for. For one, it is not a big operation. My understanding is that there are not a lot of employees. I do know that they have a big responsibility with the things that they have to monitor. They make big decisions on some things, and some of these decisions that they make, a lot of times, it's about livelihoods, players' futures and college decisions and all that. I think, across the board, it's hard.
“I do think, in some instances, the state probably needs to come in. I don’t want to use the phrase ‘micro-manage’ but to come in and make some executive decisions on things that might not be able to get solved through the GHSA. But I think overall (the GHSA) does a pretty good job. They don't always get it right. But I don't think any governing body does. I think that they do a really good job of monitoring the kids in South Georgia, as well as the kids in programs right here in metro Atlanta. It's a tough job.
“I think the whole multiplier (format) in the reclassification cycle ... that’s so difficult in terms of the GHSA really digging their heels in and really getting true numbers, true enrollment numbers in terms of where the kids live in a district. Obviously with the private schools, that's a whole different animal. I think the job that they do is very underrated in trying to get it right. Because you're not going to make everybody happy. Obviously there will be school people getting upset with the private schools and then city schools like Calhoun, Cartersville and Buford. But they do a really good job in trying to keep everybody competitive.
“I think they do a much better job than people give them credit for in terms of just making everything as competitive as they can with the kids and with the enrollment and this whole reclass thing. But I thought they got it right this past time. I think that it's tough, and I think it's difficult making everybody happy. I think it's one of the thankless jobs. They do a good job making sure that everyone has an opportunity to make your programs better, not just in one sport, but all sports.
“I do wish the state would step in and somehow, some way, get together and get the (football) state championships back at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. I know it's costly, but you know it's worth it. I can't sit and say what they can and cannot spend, but I know just from a memory standpoint that's what's made Georgia high school sports, in my opinion, so special and unique. It's not like that in every state. We play at your local professional football team’s stadium. And that’s what everyone plays for — the opportunity to give yourself a chance, to put yourself in position to play in the Mercedes-Benz.”
AT ISSUE: Legislating high school sports
• Kelby Cronic, Banks County softball coach
• Dean Fabrizio, Lee County football coach
• Eric Godfree, Parkview football coach
• Anson Hundley, Carver-Columbus basketball coach
• Chris Slade, Pace Academy football coach
» MORE: Previous topics
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