Volleyball ruling could impact other sports

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The state Supreme Court, in two rulings this week, said circuit courts have no say in how rules are applied by those running high school athletics in West Virginia.

David Price, executive director of the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission, reacted Friday to the latest ruling.

“We’re just happy that we have a decision, so that we can get the focus back on our student athletes instead of all of the drama,” he said.

Last December, Price and the SSAC announced how teams would fit in the state’s new four-tier classification system for certain sports.

In August, the SSAC’s appeal board expressed concern in a ruling that triggered SSAC to move 22 football teams down a classification, but that was for football only.

Tyler Consolidated High School, in northern West Virginia, won a local injunction arguing it should also apply to volleyball and cheer.

Thursday, the state Supreme Court disagreed and reaffirmed SSAC’s authority to use its rules to determine each school’s classification.

Paul Saluja represented Tyler Consolidated. His client’s winning volleyball team now has no chance to compete for a state championship.

“There is some disappointment, but we do respect the Supreme Court’s decision,” he told WSAZ.

The Supreme Court’s ruling likely has broader impact, meaning the 22 schools reclassified for football only in August cannot use the court system to argue for a smaller classification in basketball, baseball or softball.

“Do you believe other schools could follow your path and go to a local court and argue for a lower division in one of those other sports, given the ruling yesterday?” Johnson asked Saluja.

“I’m not sure they could that in light of yesterday’s ruling,” he answered.

Price also gave his view on the ruling’s impact.

“I think the decision is very clearly stated that the SSAC, within its own organization, has the right for reclassification and to reclassify schools using the process we do,” he said.

Yet, in the litigation opposing attorneys criticized SSAC for implementing and not appealing bad court injunctions — moves those attorneys argue led to added confusion.

“If you believe the argument, should SSAC be more aggressive in fighting these injunctions?” Johnson asked Price.

“I think moving forward that we are going to be very aggressive in that,” he answered. “There’s no question about it. I think the Supreme Court has spoke loudly and has in the past.”

Saluja hopes recent litigation will produce a swifter appeals process within SSAC.

SSAC plans for basketball, baseball and softball to move forward with the current classifications.

With a new formula for classifications now working its way through approvals for next school year.

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