Jewish Academy Sports Growing, Bigger Competition to Come

will field a softball team this spring — with the first pitch scheduled for Wednesday — for the first time. Last winter, the Jaguars started a freshman boys basketball team, because according to its' athletic director, to not do so would mean that "12 interested, passionate kids wouldn't get a chance to play."

The growth of the Jaguars' athletic department, which now fields teams in nine different sports, is reflected in recent growth of enrollment. The Michigan High School Athletic Association last week announced it reclassified the private, Jewish high school as one of 10 to move from Class D to Class C for the purpose of elections and postseason tournaments in sports which use "traditional classifications" — football, basketball, and volleyball.

Effective in the fall for the 2012-13 school year, schools with 217 to 448 students are in Class C; the Jewish Academy has 218. That figure is based on a second semester count date, which for MHSAA purposes was Feb. 8. 

'A delicate balance'

The new classification may be indicative of a schoolwide trend, but the way it will manifest on the field varies by sport. Jewish Academy teams compete within the Catholic High School League during the regular season, however, in those traditionally-classified sports that the Jaguars participate in — the Jewish Academy does not field a football team — its' postseason opponents are determined by its' class.

That's why Jewish Academy athletic director Alan Ramsden said that, as a basketball fan, he may have reason for concern. Both the Jaguars' boys basketball team and girls basketball team were defeated in the first round of their respective playoffs by Birmingham Roeper Schools, which remained in Class D.

However, the girls' season was marked by a seven-game improvement upon last season's record. The teams will now move from being one of the largest schools in their class to being one of the smallest, with that could come more first-round exits in spite of such marked improvement.

"We're trying to figure out that delicate balance between how many teams we can successfully field and how many students we have who want to participate," Ramsden said.

"We certainly have an active, engaged student body here who love athletics, so from one perspective, I'm very glad we've moved up. But, as an athletics enthusiast, I wish we weren't."

Sports outside of traditional classifications cross a wide spectrum; at the Jewish Academy, they consist of bowling, baseball, cross country, golf, softball, and tennis. Those schools were similarly reclassified — their postseason opponents are determined by skill level.

Schools have the option to play in any higher division in one or more sports for a minimum of two years. Ramsden said that the school is currently considering moving up from the lowest division in boys tennis.

The Jaguars softball team are scheduled to play Pontiac Notre Dame (1300 Giddings Rd.) on the road Wednesday. First pitch is at 4 p.m.