THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: Getting more out of less in winter

The high school sports seasons seem to fly right by in this part of the state. 

If some around the state get their wish, those winter ones might seem a lot shorter. 

And for good reason. 

AT A recent Idaho High School Activities Association board meeting in Boise, a motion to shorten the winter sports calendar by a week beginning with the 2027-28 season passed 12-2. As a result, boys and girls basketball teams will lose two games. Wrestling will lose one date off the schedule. Practice for each season will begin one week later.

“I’ve always been a proponent of shortening the season,” Coeur d’Alene wrestling coach Jeff Moffat said. “Wrestling practices are so physically demanding day in and day out, that the long season really takes a toll on the kids. Shortening the season by one week is better than nothing.” 

Under the proposal, the first wrestling practices will fall on Nov. 22, with the first competition on Dec. 8. The state tournament is scheduled for Feb. 25-26.

“As far as losing a date, I do not like this,” Moffat said. “I think even with a week shorter season, that 16 dates would work fine.” 

“I think the biggest hurdle will be Week 1 of practice will be Thanksgiving week,” Post Falls coach Jeremy Zender said. “It’s difficult to get things rolling during a week like that.” 

Lake City coach Corey Owen agreed. 

“Starting the week of Thanksgiving is going to be very challenging with families traveling and missing those practices,” Owen said. “It will also bump back our first competition, so we may not be as ready for Tri-State (in mid-December).” 

In the proposal, girls basketball teams will begin practice on Nov. 8, with the first games on Nov. 19. Boys basketball starts on Nov. 22, with the first games on Dec. 3. Teams will be limited to 19 games, down from 21 as currently constructed. 

“I’m disappointed in this decision by the state of Idaho,” Post Falls girls basketball coach Brian Carlson said. “I thought that when they made the decision a few years ago to add a game if you played in a tournament, was a great move. I honestly don’t mind them taking a week off from the season, but in a time when high school athletics numbers are declining, I’m not sure why we would take games away from our student-athletes.” 

Lake City athletic director Troy Anderson said that there has been early talk between athletic directors around the state to get those dates back, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet. 

“There was a significant push-back response to that decision that was made,” Anderson said. “I think they are trying to solve the right problems, but haven’t heard from everyone yet.” 

In the past, the first girls basketball practice fell on the Monday after the state volleyball tournament. Boys basketball and wrestling often fell during the week of the state football semifinals. 

“I’ve been told the reason we are doing this is to give the athletes time from volleyball/football to basketball/wrestling season," Carlson said. "I don’t think changing the rules for a few makes sense. Very few football teams are playing in the state championship games, and even fewer of those kids are wrestling or playing basketball. Same with volleyball. Very few play in state volleyball, and even a smaller number play basketball or wrestle.” 

As high school programs compete against club programs — whether it be soccer, volleyball or basketball — participation numbers have decreased. 

“Club sports are encouraging specialization, which hurts the numbers, especially in girls sports,” Carlson said. “It’s not because they don’t want to play basketball. They just finished volleyball season. High school sports are taking a back seat to club sports because parents invest so much money and time into club sports. Club sports are great, and my daughter plays them. But most of the time, they tell parents what they want to hear because they’re paying customers. If you keep your customers happy, they keep throwing money at your club. This can make it challenging for high school coaches, who are playing kids for slightly different reasons.” 

WRESTLING TOURNAMENTS that begin on Fridays before 1 p.m. have always been counted as two dates, unless it is held during the school’s Christmas break. Such tournaments are the Tri-State Invitational at North Idaho College, Rollie Lane Invitational at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa and the Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic at Sentinel High in Missoula. 

Moffat added that if a wrestler is eliminated on the first day of a tournament, it only counts as one date for them. 

"I really do not feel like this will impact the program in a negative way,” Moffat said. 

“Most of our athletes don’t hit the 16 dates, so I don’t think it will affect all that much,” Zender said. 

Owen is also supportive of the move to a shorter season, with a few more ideas. 

“I would like to see us move the state tournament up a week, or even two,” Owen said. 

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 1206 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on ‘X’, formerly Twitter at @JECdAPress.