Wrestling
decision overturned by education commissioner
Saturday,
January 17, 2009 BY
MIKE MORETTI From the Times' news Services
The decision to create public and non-public qualifying for the state wrestling tournament was overturned yesterday by State
Commissioner of Education Lucille E. Davy.
Davy rejected the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association's
plan to have separate public and non-public competition for district and regional tournaments, a move that has been roundly
criticized within the state's wrestling community since the Dec. 1 vote by member schools.
The plan, which would have gone into effect with the 2010 tournament,
prompted the first overturning of an NJSIAA measure by the state commissioner of education since 1983.
"The unconditional separation of public school wrestling
programs from non-public school programs at the district and regional levels is inconsistent with the principles articulated
by the commissioner - and upheld by the courts - in previous legal decisions concerning the administration of school athletics
in New Jersey," Davy wrote in her decision.
"Further, if the NJSIAA determines to submit a future proposal for a rule change regarding the organization of athletic
competition, it should be supported by a fully developed record that demonstrates how such an amendment would be in accord
with past precedent."
Davy ruled that
the state's 275 public and 35 non-public programs will continue with the same format of eight regional and 32 district
tournaments. Regional and district qualifying has been used since the 1930s for the state tournament, which is one of just
three in the U.S. that results in a single champion in each weight class.
Joseph Luongo, the Hasbrouck Heights superintendent and wrestling official who sponsored the original
proposal, would not comment on Davy's ruling.
Steve Timko, the NJSIAA's executive director, also refused to comment on the commissioner's
action.
Bloomfield coach Sam Fusaro was among
the proponents of the separation.
"I'm
disappointed," Fusaro said. "It seems like the non-publics always win or get what they want. When is the last time
the public's had a decision go their way? None of us are afraid of the competition, but it's difficult wrestling against
teams that have a new roster every year. We want a level playing field."
Brian Luciani, coach at Brearley of Kenilworth, was among those applauding the decision.
"I'm very glad to hear the news," said Luciani,
whose teams regularly compete with non-public schools Seton Hall Prep of West Orange and Delbarton of Morris Township in district
and regional competition. "I thought it lessened the sport by separating the public's and non-publics. As a public
school we have the option to schedule each other during the regular season and it's always great competition."
The measure, approved in December, which passed by a 130-102 vote with three abstentions, was similar to past proposals that
had not gotten past the NJSIAA's wrestling and advisory committees. Some claimed that the low voting turnout of 235 schools,
slightly more than half of the 438 member schools eligible to vote, may have led to the passing of the measure.
The new non-public tournament
was to have four district tournaments and one regional tournament and then advance the top three place-winners in each weight
class to the state tournament in Atlantic City. The public schools would have continued with the current format of 32 districts
and eight regionals.
The measure had been rejected
by both the wrestling and advisory committees but was still placed on the ballot at the Dec. 1 annual meeting based on the
signatures of 20 schools. Under state law, any legislation adopted by the NJSIAA is subject to review by the commissioner.
The state commissioner of education has had jurisdiction over NJSIAA
legislation for the past 30 years but had not overturned a measure since March 1983,
when the Olympic Conference of South Jersey was found by the commissioner to have excluded inner-city schools, Timko said.
The NJSIAA has adhered to all final decisions made by that office.
Fusaro said the separation would have been a good step. "I thought the separation would have
been much better," Fusaro said. "We all would have met at the state tournament anyway. It's hard to compete
against these schools, but we will. It's not every non-public school, but there are enough that fill their rosters every
year with super talent."
Luciani said taking those wrestlers out of the district and regional tournaments
would have lessened the significance of a title. "It
continued to be a great mix in the districts and regions and would've diminished the competition somewhat having them
split," Luciani said. "By having all the wrestlers allowed into the state tournament, it only makes this great sport
of wrestling stronger. New Jersey is unique that way that you get a true state champion (at every weight class)."
Msgr. Michael Kelly, headmaster
at Seton Hall Prep, who brought the case to the commissioner, was pleased with the ruling. "We felt, for a variety of philosophical reasons, there
is a benefit to kids of different backgrounds competing together," he said. "Additionally, there would have been
a lot of practical aspects of it that would have caused a burden. We were concerned with the travel and cost of additional
officials needed to handle the new districts and region."
Watchung Hills coach Danny Smith,
whose team is preparing to defend its Somerset County Tournament title tonight, said the separation was not fair to any of
the competitors.
"I didn't think the original measure was really fair," Smith said.
"I thought it penalized the kids in both regards. The public/non-public issue never really bothered me. You always try
to schedule the best competition for the kids regardless of what school it is."
Bob Behre and Chris Orlando contributed to this report.
