STEVENS POINT – High school football fans across Wisconsin are looking ahead to Wednesday when the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control votes on proposed changes including redistricting and the end of season schedule.

Too many teams have problems finding games and there are too many inequities in conference alignments as far as football is concerned for the status quo to remain. Also, the raised awareness about the dangers of concussions has caused the WIAA to rethink its late-season schedule, which calls for teams to play three games within a 10-day period.

Does the WIAA have the answer?

Its proposal ends conference play and puts each team in the state in an eight-team district based on its location and enrollment. The plan calls for an eight-game regular season instead of nine. Every nonconference game is played in Week 1.

If the Board approves the measure, it will take effect next season. Opinion is split.

On Jan. 11, the sports advisory council, which is made up of athletic directors, voted, 11-2, against the plan The state coaches association polled its members and came back with about a 50-50 split on the proposal, a much different view from the one left from the 6-1 vote in support of the measure by the Football Coaches Advisory Committee in December.

A poll by Homestead coach Dave Keel of about 40 coaches of teams that regularly make the playoffs found that 90% didn't have a concern about the risk of injury with the current playoff format.

Besides the additional travel some schools will have, opponents balk at the plan because it doesn't include the junior varsity and freshmen levels, which could strain coaching staffs. Some simply don't like where they've been placed.

"There are more questions than answers," Keel said. "I think we can find a better alternative that can help all the schools."

Football finds itself in this fix because teams must have a winning conference record to make the playoffs. It is also a sport in which the size of one's rosters increases the chance of success.

"Travel became the sore spot for people and is kind of outweighing their desire to play schools of similar size," said Deb Hauser, associate director of the WIAA.

“I think the days of a conference being 25, 50 years in existence is something we’re going to have set along side the road and move forward,” Hauser said. “It just isn’t going to be that way anymore.”

Conference play isn’t gone yet, though. On Tuesday, the Advisory Council will vote on the proposal. The next day, the Board of Control will take that opinion as well as those of the Football and Sports Advisory Councils into consideration before making a decision.

Whether it’s Wednesday or later, however, the consensus is that something must be done.

Preps on the Net has provided extensive coverage and coach's opinion on the redistricting proposal. If you would like to predict what happens on Wednesday, e-mail judy@prepsonthenet.com. Please note your school affiliation and be aware your comment may be published in an upcoming article.