LHSAA New Seeding System

[jus4kicks]

I'm sure many of you are aware of LHSAA adopting a new seeding system for basketball, baseball, & softball, where the coaches from the playoff teams vote on the seeds, as opposed to it being generated by a computer program. While this is seen as an improvement to the old system, it is still flawed in that coaches have to vote on teams from around the state that they potentially know nothing about.

Would this system work for soccer?

[ShreveDad]

It would work better than what we have now. There would still be complaints about where certain teams are seeded but at least the top teams will more than likely not have to play each other in the first or second rounds.

They will still use the current procedure to pick the teams, just seed them instead of preset brackets like they use now. It would be a good first step in changing the soccer playoffs as well.

In time I think all the sports will use some sort of computer program to rank the teams and set the brackets.

[Timbertwin]

The Louisiana High School Soccer Coaches' Association is preparing to offer a similiar proposal to the ones that just passed for basketball, softball, and baseball. (Interestingly enough, a version similar to the ones that passed this year didn't make it last year.)

On the encouraging side, once the proposals passed this year they were effective immediately. If we are successful in sponsoring a proposal and it is adopted, there is the possibility it would take effect in time for next year's playoffs.

Once we iron out the language, it will be circulated among the member coaches, and we will ask one or more of the principals from the schools represented to sponsor the initiative.

[northshorefan]

I think it is important to proceed with a plan for seeding for the playoffs. However, we have to get our soccer coaches and school's athletic departments to have some type of score reporting system. Right now, one of the only way to get scores from around the state is from parents and some coaches who use www.lahssoccer.com.

For District III, we have to rely on this. As you can see from our district standing threads, there are many schools that do not report, so how will a coach be able to vote on seedings if coaches do not report their scores as well as their opponents.

These are just a few of the wrinkles that need to be ironed out, but in the meantime, the soccer community through the school principals and athletic directors will have to push the LHSAA to have seedings for soccer.

The sports with seeding and future seedings are: football, volleyball, baseball, softball and basketball.

Soccer is the last team sport without seedings. Let's make our voices heard!!

[rocksccrstar]

Just a suggestion but has anyone spoken to the LVCA (Volleyball). They use a seeding program that is computerized. Coaches are required to report scores to LHSAA three times during the season. There is a $100 fine if you do not report. This seems to work in getting coaches to report scores. Form is easy to fill out, etc.

The program works based on points system. If you beat a team you get 5 points and 100% of that team's win points, if you lose to a team you get no points, but 33% of their win points. They then do some average of games into points to get an average win point number and they rank you based on that.

I like this system because it rewards teams for playing, and losing, to harder teams. For example my volleyball squad played SJA twice (and got creamed) however we earned like 12 points per game for playing such a hard opponent, but when we beat a weaker team, (no names) we only received 6 points. I really like this system and think it would very well with soccer.

It would reward teams for taking on great squads like the SSAs, mandevilles, STMs, etc of the soccer world but would also reward those top teams for playing each other. Just like that it is objective rather than subjective.

[jus4kicks]

Are the actual scores of the games taken into consideration, or is it strictly wins and losses?