Massachusetts Coaches Revolt Against MIAA, Plan Alternative State Tournament Meets

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The high school sports landscape in Massachusetts was de-stabilized this week when the state's powerful coaches' association, the MSTCA, broke ranks and declared that it would stage a different, and "better" state championship meet than the MIAA. 

The Boston Globe reported Thursday that disagreements between the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association and the MSTCA have caused a serious rift. The coaches dispute the MIAA's claim that the state tournaments for track and field and cross country are losing big sums of money, and they also feel strongly that they could conduct the meets more efficiently. 

The MSTCA's outdoor track and field committee chairman, Weymouth coach Mike Miller, issued an open letter on Thursday in which he laid out a new plan to hold divisional and all-state championship meets on May 25 and June 1, the same dates as the MIAA meets. 

Without taking direct aim at the MIAA, Miller's declaration suggests that the current system is failing. The MIAA's recent move to trim tournament costs and impose new entry fees has exacerbated the situation. 

On Jan. 18, state representative Christopher Markey put forth House Bill No. 524, which basically seeks full disclosure and transparency of the MIAA's finances. 

It's apparent that some people in Massachusetts don't believe the MIAA's claim that so-called non-revenue sports tournaments are losing money to the tune that the state association claims. 

The MSTCA's move to start up its own state tournament amounts to a schism between the member schools' association and its track and cross country coaches. What remains to be seen is whether coaches in other sports, such as tennis and golf and swimming and wrestling, follow suit. 

It's also unclear how many coaches (and schools) will depart the MIAA framework and attend the new meets if reprisals and penalties for doing so are severe. 

MIAA rules state that schools participating in unapproved tournaments face a one-year ban from any multi-school sporting event.