Succession Factor

[RainMan231]

Who is expected to move up next year via the succession Factor?

 

[Jenny27]

I believe if any of these schools make it to state, win or lose, they move up. This doesn’t take account the schools that petitioned up (St. Rita) because that I’m not sure about.

Althoff Catholic 2024 1A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Chicago Christian 2024 2A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
DePaul College Prep 2024 4A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Nazareth Academy 2024 5A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Joliet Catholic Academy 2024 5A Runner-up 2nd trophy → Success Factor
St. Francis (Wheaton) 2025 5A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Providence Catholic 2025 5A Runner-up 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Fenwick 2025 6A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Brother Rice 2025 7A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
St. Rita 2025 7A Runner-up 2nd trophy → Success Factor

 

[4Afan]

I believe if any of these schools make it to state, win or lose, they move up. This doesn’t take account the schools that petitioned up (St. Rita) because that I’m not sure about.

Althoff Catholic 2024 1A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Chicago Christian 2024 2A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
DePaul College Prep 2024 4A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Nazareth Academy 2024 5A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Joliet Catholic Academy 2024 5A Runner-up 2nd trophy → Success Factor
St. Francis (Wheaton) 2025 5A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Providence Catholic 2025 5A Runner-up 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Fenwick 2025 6A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
Brother Rice 2025 7A Champion 2nd trophy → Success Factor
St. Rita 2025 7A Runner-up 2nd trophy → Success Factor

Only private schools that made title games last year have the possibility to move up because of success factor next year if they make it to the title game this year.

Those schools that won trophies in 2024 wouldn't move up regardless of what they do this year as the Success factor rule is that a school must win a trophy in consecutive years in the same class. For example, Montini won 3A in 2024 and 4A in 2025 but they were never Success factored because their back to back trophies were not in the same class.

The only schools who could possibly be success factored up are as follows.

-Montini 4A to 5A with a title game appearance
-Franny and Provi 5A to 6A with a title game appearance
-Fenwick 6A to 7A with a title game appearance
-BR and Rita 7A to 8A with a title game appearance.

JCA and Naz who are in the 2nd year of their success factor will likely drop down to 5A after this year unless either makes the title game, and in that case I believe they remain in 6A.

 

[Wittymoniker1]

A huge and very tall task, but if Rita gets to State, then I think they'd stay right were they are: 7A. Not sure, though.

Let's hope this matter comes to fruition and we'll type about it then.

 

[Jenny27]

Only private schools that made title games last year have the possibility to move up because of success factor next year if they make it to the title game this year.

Those schools that won trophies in 2024 wouldn't move up regardless of what they do this year as the Success factor rule is that a school must win a trophy in consecutive years in the same class. For example, Montini won 3A in 2024 and 4A in 2025 but they were never Success factored because their back to back trophies were not in the same class.

The only schools who could possibly be success factored up are as follows.

-Montini 4A to 5A with a title game appearance
-Franny and Provi 5A to 6A with a title game appearance
-Fenwick 6A to 7A with a title game appearance
-BR and Rita 7A to 8A with a title game appearance.

JCA and Naz who are in the 2nd year of their success factor will likely drop down to 5A after this year unless either makes the title game, and in that case I believe they remain in 6A.

Didn’t it change to twice in a three year rolling period? https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports...ed-classes-waiver-success-factor/82515900007/

 

[4Afan]

Didn’t it change to twice in a three year rolling period? https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports...ed-classes-waiver-success-factor/82515900007/

Was second guessing myself and looking into that, but it's not making sense the way it's been interpreted with teams like Naz and JCA. They had 2 trophies over a rolling 3 year period but it doesn't say anything about the success factor being a 2 year committment. Nor does it mention having to be in the same class so not sure why Montini wouldn't be success factored. The rule also just went into effect for the 2025-26 school year, but references 2022-23 school yesr.

IHSA - Illinois High School Association

The official site for the Illinois High School Association, providing schedules, scores, and news for high school sports in Illinois.

www.ihsa.org

 

[USD24]

Was second guessing myself and looking into that, but it's not making sense the way it's been interpreted with teams like Naz and JCA. They had 2 trophies over a rolling 3 year period but it doesn't say anything about the success factor being a 2 year committment. Nor does it mention having to be in the same class so not sure why Montini wouldn't be success factored. The rule also just went into effect for the 2025-26 school year, but references 2022-23 school yesr.

IHSA - Illinois High School Association

The official site for the Illinois High School Association, providing schedules, scores, and news for high school sports in Illinois.

www.ihsa.org

Shocker-the IHSA has a policy that is confusing and hard to interpret.

 

[CCL65]

So, if you make the finals in 25 and 26 you’re sentenced up for the next two years. If you made it in 24 and 26, your punishment is one year up. What happens in either of those situations if the make it again in 27, I don’t know

 

[HRCJRHRCJR]

I asked Claude to explain it to a 10 year old

High School Sports Rules in Illinois, Explained Simply​

First, some background: In Illinois, high schools are put into groups called "classes" based on how many students they have. Big schools play big schools, and small schools play small schools. That keeps the games fair.


But some schools, usually private schools, can pick students from anywhere instead of only from their own neighborhood. Because they can gather good players from lots of places, Illinois pretends those schools are bigger than they really are. It multiplies their number of students by 1.65. So a school with 1,000 students gets counted as if it had 1,650, and it has to play tougher teams.

Change #1: Asking for a "pass"​

Sometimes a private school gets bumped up to play bigger schools, but it isn't very good and keeps losing badly. That's no fun. So there's a "pass" (called a waiver) that lets a team skip the 1.65 rule and play schools its real size.


The old way: Teams got the pass automatically based on a formula. But the formula made mistakes, and sometimes really good teams got the pass when they didn't need it.


The new way (starting in 2025-26): Teams have to ask for the pass every year. But a team can't even ask if it has been doing really well in the last three years. For example:

• Basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball: You can't ask if you've won a big playoff game called a sectional semifinal.
• Football: You can't ask if you've won even one playoff game.
• Wrestling and Scholastic Bowl (a quiz game): You can't ask if you've won a regional tournament.
• Track, tennis, cheer, and dance: You can't ask if you've won a sectional or finished in the top 10 at State.
• Cross country and golf: You can't ask if you've won a regional or made it to State.

If a team is allowed to ask, it fills out a form online. The people who run Illinois high school sports vote yes or no, and they can't see which school is asking, so they can't play favorites. The bosses (the Board) get the final say.

Change #2: The "you're too good" rule​

There's also a rule for private schools that win a LOT. If a team wins two state trophies in three years, it moves up one class to play tougher teams.


Every year, they look at the three years before. So if a team won trophies a while ago but hasn't lately, it can move back down.

Why are they doing this?​

They want games to be fair, so teams play other teams that are about as good as they are. Nobody wants to be crushed every game, and nobody wants an easy win just because the rules were unfair. The leaders say they'll keep checking the numbers and might change things again, maybe even the 1.65 number itself, but only the schools can vote to change that.

 

[CCL65]

Don’t like the three year window bit. If a team makes it to the finals in 24 and 26, they get moved up in 27. So, the juniors on next years team are penalized for that team’s success when they were in eighth grade

 

[cigaros]

Only private schools that made title games last year have the possibility to move up because of success factor next year if they make it to the title game this year.

Those schools that won trophies in 2024 wouldn't move up regardless of what they do this year as the Success factor rule is that a school must win a trophy in consecutive years in the same class. For example, Montini won 3A in 2024 and 4A in 2025 but they were never Success factored because their back to back trophies were not in the same class.

The only schools who could possibly be success factored up are as follows.

-Montini 4A to 5A with a title game appearance
-Franny and Provi 5A to 6A with a title game appearance
-Fenwick 6A to 7A with a title game appearance
-BR and Rita 7A to 8A with a title game appearance.

JCA and Naz who are in the 2nd year of their success factor will likely drop down to 5A after this year unless either makes the title game, and in that case I believe they remain in 6A.

You are mostly correct. They would be success factored if they won a trophy or appeared in the SAME CLASS in 2 of the past 3 seasons. This is per the IHSA Assistant Executive Director. Montini won in 3A (2024) and then won in 4A (2025). Thus, they were not success factored. But could be if they appear again in the 4A title.

 

[CCL65]

Do you think that if over the last fifteen or so years, that if four or five schools CCL schools out of the total 500 football programs in the state, say MC, LA,JCA,Montini… had not existed, would there even be a success factor?
,

 

[CCL65]

Do you think that if over the last fifteen or so years, that if four or five schools CCL schools out of the total 500 football programs in the state, say MC, LA,JCA,Montini… had not existed, would there even be a success factor?
,

I forgot Naz

 

[Wittymoniker1]

I asked Claude to explain it to a 10 year old

High School Sports Rules in Illinois, Explained Simply​

First, some background: In Illinois, high schools are put into groups called "classes" based on how many students they have. Big schools play big schools, and small schools play small schools. That keeps the games fair.


But some schools, usually private schools, can pick students from anywhere instead of only from their own neighborhood. Because they can gather good players from lots of places, Illinois pretends those schools are bigger than they really are. It multiplies their number of students by 1.65. So a school with 1,000 students gets counted as if it had 1,650, and it has to play tougher teams.

Change #1: Asking for a "pass"​

Sometimes a private school gets bumped up to play bigger schools, but it isn't very good and keeps losing badly. That's no fun. So there's a "pass" (called a waiver) that lets a team skip the 1.65 rule and play schools its real size.


The old way: Teams got the pass automatically based on a formula. But the formula made mistakes, and sometimes really good teams got the pass when they didn't need it.


The new way (starting in 2025-26): Teams have to ask for the pass every year. But a team can't even ask if it has been doing really well in the last three years. For example:

• Basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball: You can't ask if you've won a big playoff game called a sectional semifinal.
• Football: You can't ask if you've won even one playoff game.
• Wrestling and Scholastic Bowl (a quiz game): You can't ask if you've won a regional tournament.
• Track, tennis, cheer, and dance: You can't ask if you've won a sectional or finished in the top 10 at State.
• Cross country and golf: You can't ask if you've won a regional or made it to State.

If a team is allowed to ask, it fills out a form online. The people who run Illinois high school sports vote yes or no, and they can't see which school is asking, so they can't play favorites. The bosses (the Board) get the final say.

Change #2: The "you're too good" rule​

There's also a rule for private schools that win a LOT. If a team wins two state trophies in three years, it moves up one class to play tougher teams.


Every year, they look at the three years before. So if a team won trophies a while ago but hasn't lately, it can move back down.

Why are they doing this?​

They want games to be fair, so teams play other teams that are about as good as they are. Nobody wants to be crushed every game, and nobody wants an easy win just because the rules were unfair. The leaders say they'll keep checking the numbers and might change things again, maybe even the 1.65 number itself, but only the schools can vote to change that.

LOL! I highlighted words and phrases for the "10" year-old that had me LMAO! Great stuff!