THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 14, 1996 TAG: 9607120210
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER SUFFOLK
LENGTH: 79 lines
A stalled attempt to enlist the aid of the American Civil Liberties Union hasn't deterred Kevin Alston, who is seeking a private law firm to continue his effort to force the Virginia High School League to align the seasons in which girls sports are played throughout the state's three classifications.
The ACLU, which felt the VHSL's practice was a Title IV violation - all boys sports are played in the same season, regardless of classification - and was preparing to take the organization to court, has pulled back after the lawyer working the case left the country for another job.
``They tell me they still think it's a valid case,'' said Alston, a Nansemond River High School assistant principal. ``But until they hire another lawyer, the case is in limbo.''
Currently, girls basketball, girls volleyball and girls tennis are held in one season in Group AA, another in Group AAA. Alston contends that this nonalignment will force several girls at his school to give up one or two of the sports they played last year because of Nansemond River's VHSL-mandated move from the Group AA Bay Rivers District to the Group AAA Southeastern.
The ranks of the girls affected by the nonalignment include Alston's daughter Ashley, a rising sophomore who played field hockey in the fall and tennis in the spring as a freshman but will have to choose between the two this fall since both sports are played in the fall in Group AAA.
Ken Tilley, the VHSL's executive director, has maintained that the vast majority of schools are against any changes. He said the VHSL has been braced for Alston's suit for weeks and is willing to take its chances in court.
Alston said he realizes his actions may be unpopular among the VHSL's membership.
``I just hope people aren't so narrow-minded they don't see that this will wind up being good for everybody,'' he said. ``All I'm trying to do is end an inequity.''
Alston said he sent out questionnaires to the VHSL equivalent in all 50 states. Of the 30 responses, 23 have all sports aligned for both boys and girls, two aren't aligned for either, and two are aligned for girls but not boys. The remaining three refused to reply until getting the VHSL's permission.
Although Alston is acting alone with his suit - in conjunction with neither Nansemond River nor the Suffolk school board - he said the use of a private firm will come at little or no personal expense. Alston said since the complaint involves Title IV, his lawyers receive their fees only if they win. ILLUSTRATION: Kevin Alston wants to force the VHSL to align seasons
for girls sports in all three classifications.
THE CONFLICT
Some of the Virginia High School League's arguments (point) and
Nansemond River assistant principal Kevin Alston's rebuttals
(counterpoint) regarding having all girls sports played during the
same season, regardless of classification.
Point: Moving Group A-AA girls basketball to the winter (it's
currently played in the fall) would put a strain on the facilities
at smaller schools since boys basketball is also a winter sport.
Counterpoint: Ninety-one percent of Group A schools and 85
percent of Group AA schools already play boys basketball and girls
volleyball in the winter, a tougher combination to pull off since
time is lost setting up and taking down the volleyball standards.
Point: With girls basketball in one season and boys basketball in
another, smaller schools are able to share coaches.
Counterpoint: Since when do we put what's best for adults ahead
of what's best for the young people?
Point: The number of girls affected by the present arrangement is
relatively small - approximately 20 at Nansemond River according to
Alston - compared to the thousands that would be affected if all
schools had to change.
Counterpoint: That's true for a one-year period. But each time a
school moves up or down, another small number of girls are affected.
Add up enough small numbers and you wind up with a really big one.
Point: Girls basketball in the fall means the best officials can
work more of those games.
Counterpoint: The VHSL would never move Group A football, or
Group AA boys basketball, to another season for this reason. So why
do it for the girls? by CNB