High school athletics provide students with opportunities to develop teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and character. Every student-athlete deserves the opportunity to compete, improve, and receive recognition for their hard work and dedication. However, the current New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) playoff structure does not fully account for the differences between public and non-public schools.

Public schools generally enroll students within defined geographic boundaries, while many non-public schools can enroll students from a broader geographic area. These different enrollment structures can create different opportunities for schools to recruit students, build athletic programs, and develop competitive teams.

We are calling on NYSPHSAA to establish separate playoff brackets or divisions for public and non-public schools across its athletic programs. Public and non-public schools could continue competing against one another during the regular season, while postseason championships would be determined within separate divisions.

The goal of this proposal is to create more opportunities for student-athletes from both public and non-public schools to compete for championships, earn recognition, and experience postseason success. By creating separate playoff divisions, more schools would have a meaningful opportunity to advance through the postseason, compete for a championship, and celebrate the accomplishments of their athletes. This system would allow more students to experience the rewards of their hard work while creating a postseason structure that better accounts for the different circumstances under which schools operate.

This proposal is not intended to diminish the accomplishments of non-public-school athletes or suggest that one group of students is more deserving than another. Both public and non-public schools have dedicated athletes, talented coaches, and successful athletic programs. Every student-athlete who competes and succeeds deserves recognition. The issue is not the athletes themselves, but whether the current playoff structure provides comparable opportunities for schools operating under different enrollment circumstances.

Our research examined NYSPHSAA championship results across multiple sports and years. While championship results alone cannot determine whether the current system is equitable, they raise an important question about whether separate postseason divisions could create more balanced championship opportunities and allow a wider range of schools and student-athletes to earn recognition.

A separate playoff structure would not eliminate competition between public and non-public schools. Schools could continue to compete against one another during the regular season, preserving the rivalries, challenges, and learning experiences that make high school athletics valuable. During the postseason, however, schools would compete for championships within their respective divisions. This approach would create additional opportunities for both public and non-public school athletes without taking away the accomplishments or opportunities of either group.

We ask NYSPHSAA to review its current playoff structure and consider establishing separate postseason competition for public and non-public schools. A system that creates more opportunities, recognizes more student-athletes, and accounts for differences in school enrollment structures would give more students a chance to experience the excitement and achievement of postseason competition.

If you believe every New York student-athlete deserves a fair opportunity to compete for a championship and receive recognition for their hard work, please sign this petition and support a review of NYSPHSAA’s playoff structure. Together, we can encourage a system that creates more opportunities for both public and non-public schools and celebrates the achievements of more student-athletes across New York State.