Coaches Confidential: Gastonia, Shelby baseball, softball coaches talk NCHSAA realignment

Change is coming to the NCHSAA.

Last year, the organization’s board of directors approved a plan to expand from four classifications to eight, going into effect at the start of the 2025-26 school term. During a recent meeting of NCHSAA board members, it moved forward with adoption of a “Big 32” model, lumping the state’s largest 32 schools into a single class.

Though no schools in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties will be part of the state’s largest classification, area coaches and athletic directors understand they are on the precipice of a new normal.

We granted local baseball and softball coaches anonymity and asked them several questions in a series called “Coaches Confidential,” allowing them to offer their perspective on a bevy of topics affecting high school athletics. Today’s questions: How do you feel about the NCHSAA’s impending expansion to eight classifications? What effect do you think it will have on high school baseball and softball?

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Coaches throughout Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties were emailed and asked to submit their answers. Here are their responses.

Disaster in the making

“Do not like it; too many classifications.”

“I think it’s great for football, but not great in any other sport. It will make classes too small and just feed the “everybody is a winner and gets a trophy” mentality.:

“Disaster. Football coaches are dominating this decision, along with charter schools who somehow have influence over our politicians. Nobody cares what is best for communities and rivalries anymore!”

“Gonna make non-conference scheduling even more difficult than it already is.”

Cautiously optimistic

“I think it is long overdue. Worried on the (athletic director) route how long this process is going to take. What are they going to do with charter and parochial schools? What are they going to do with non-football playing schools, etc.? A lot of questions, but I do believe the NCHSAA is doing the right thing. I just worry for the small 1A and 2A schools having to battle charters that — like it or not, and they can write it up 40 different ways — have no boundaries. It is killing the small public school and starting to invade the bigger schools.”

“Hopefully it will be beneficial, but I am worried that this many classes will create issues when populations inevitably shift.”

“(I’m) all for it. More competitive.”

“Excited to see how it affects competition.”

“I’m excited for something new. Not sure if it will be a good thing or not, but looking forward to seeing it in action.”

“I think that this would give schools more opportunity for postseason play.”

“More opportunities for other schools to become successful if playoffs are not split classes.”

“I think it’s a good thing. Baseball coaches are really good at adapting.”

What’s in the details?

“I have a few questions about it: Why do we need eight classes? Why not five or six? How will schools’ classifications be determined (because I’m not a fan of only using enrollment; I might be in the minority, but I like the current system that uses three different criteria)? How will conferences work with teams becoming more spread out? How many teams will get into the playoffs? What will the playoff format look like?"

Business as usual

“Honestly, I’m not really sure how it will affect baseball.”

“It will be interesting to see where everyone lines up and how conferences and classifications shape up.”

“Nothing I can do about the expansion — I just show up and coach. And that’s what I want to do.

“I don’t really know what to expect or how it will change the game.”

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gastonia, Shelby area coaches discuss NCHSAA's planned 8-class system