Georgia High School Association
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The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) governs athletic and club events for member high schools in Georgia. The GHSA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. 402 public and private high schools comprise the association. The GHSA organizes all sports and academic competitions as well as overseeing registration, training, and evaluation of officials for member events.
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[edit] Membership
Membership to the GHSA is voluntary and open to every high school in the state of Georgia. Schools that do not enter the GHSA are members of the smaller Georgia Independent School Association (GISA), which is primarily small private schools. Member schools of the GHSA make most decisions by appointing region representatives who vote on proposals in the GHSA Executive Committee. Individual decisions by regions are made by the schools in the region on such issues as region tiebreakers and hosting of region tournaments. Members are divided into five classes by size and then further divided into regions based on geographic locations.
[edit] Classification
The GHSA has currently has five Classess, AAAAA, AAAA, AAA, AA, and A. Each Class has 8 Regions based on the geographic location of the schools involved. The most southern regions are usually Region 1, and move north as it increases in numbers.
Currently the largest 15% schools are placed in AAAAA with the smallest 15% in class A and the other schools evenly divided between the other three classes. Starting in 2008 classes will be determined with a clear cut off of 1850 enrollment for AAAAA schools and 150 for A schools and the rest of the schools evenly divided. Schools can elect to play up to a higher classification but cannot play down to a lower classification than their enrollment places them.
[edit] Competitions
[edit] Athletics
Boys athletics governed by the GHSA are: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, riflery (co-ed), soccer, swimming, tennis, track and wrestling. Girls athletics programs overseen by the GHSA include basketball, competiton cheerleading (co-ed), cross country, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, riflery, fast pitch softball, slow pitch softball, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball.
[edit] Other
Literary activities governed by the GHSA are debate, dramatic interpretation, essay, extemporaneous speaking, one act plays, quartet, spelling, trio and vocal solo.
