| Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) |
|
|---|---|
| Established | 1907 |
| Association | Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association |
| Region | Western Pennsylvania |
| Website | wpial.org |
The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The league is colloquially known as "WIP-ee-al". As of 2006, the Executive Director is Tim O'Malley.
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The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) was founded in 1907 by a small group of educators who recognized the need to provide a set of eligibility rules and regulations in order to insure a level playing field for interscholastic athletic competition among the schools in Western Pennsylvania. WPIAL schools would hire the best local players to play for their teams. In 1903, Allegheny Prep, Pittsburgh Central High School, and Shady Side Academy began working on developing the league. In 1906, E. W. Rynearson of Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue with Headmaster Jones of Allegheny Prep and W. R. Crabbe of Shady Side Academy wrote the first eligibility rules.
In the beginning, the league was poorly received by the public, and the league found it difficult to enforce the rules. However, the league slowly spread throughout the Pittsburgh area. The league controlled the growth to small numbers that they could handle. As such, the only organization absorbed as a whole was the old Allegheny Valley League. Following the local success of WPIAL, the idea was brought to the whole state in 1914 when the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) was founded. Within PIAA, WPIAL has been designated as District 7, and since 1982, WPIAL/District 7. Although officially known as District 7, the WPIAL is grandfathered to keep the older name due to it predating the PIAA.[1]
Originally numbering three high schools, WPIAL had a high of 156 participating school as late as the 1981-82 school year. Currently there are 138 high schools and 147 junior high school members in the WPIAL.[1]
The league is made up of 136 public school districts and private schools located in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland and Indiana counties.
Exceptions include:
Alphabetical List of WPIAL Member Schools:
http://www.wpial.org/memberschools.asp
Addresses and school district website links:
http://www.hsfootballweb.com/wpial.htm
Fall: Football, Golf, Tennis (girls), Cross Country, Volleyball (girls), Field Hockey, Soccer
Winter: Rifle, Gymnastics, Swimming & Diving, Wrestling, Basketball
Spring: Lacrosse (girls), Tennis (boys), Softball, Baseball, Volleyball (boys), Track & Field
Class AAAA:
Class AAA:
Class AA:
Class A:
Class AAAA:
Class AAA:
Class AA:
Class A: