Private School Promise

In a move to help change the perception of how the private schools operate athletically, a group of administrators from private schools all across the state, met with the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association on Wednesday. Starting July 1 of 2009, private schools will decrease their boundaries by about 80 percent. "We're addressing the concern that our districts are too big,'' said Dallas Caldwell, Oklahoma Christian School athletic director. Bishop McGuinness, which has won the past two state football championships in Class 4A and the title in basketball the past three seasons, will reduce its boundaries from 180 square miles to about 25. Student athletes who move into Oklahoma City and, for example, want to attend Bishop McGuinness, and play sports, must now either move into the new, smaller district in Oklahoma City or sit out an entire school year. To be eligible immediately, a student must move into the new designated district. "This is a significant decision by these private schools,'' said OSSAA executive secretary Danny Rennels. The move by the private schools was made to address concerns from OSSAA member schools suggesting the private schools are able to take advantage and attract more student-athletes. "The appearance is that private schools have enormous districts to draw students,'' Caldwell said. "The goal of all this is to address concerns. We're still playing be the rules.''