Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
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| Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) |
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| Established | 1907 |
| Association | Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association |
| Region | Western Pennsylvania |
| Website | wpial.org |
The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The league is colloquially known as "WIP-ee-al". As of 2006, the Executive Director is Tim O'Malley.
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[edit] History
The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) was founded in 1907 by a small group of educators who recognized the need to provide a set of eligibility rules and regulations in order to insure a level playing field for interscholastic athletic competition among the schools in Western Pennsylvania. WPIAL schools would hire the best local players to play for their teams. In 1903, Allegheny Prep, Pittsburgh Central High School, and Shady Side Academy began working on developing the league. In 1906, E. W. Rynearson of Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue with Headmaster Jones of Allegheny Prep and W. R. Crabbe of Shady Side Academy wrote the first eligibility rules.
In the beginning, the league was poorly received by the public, and the league found it difficult to enforce the rules. However, the league slowly spread throughout the Pittsburgh area. The league controlled the growth to small numbers that they could handle. As such, the only organization absorbed as a whole was the old Allegheny Valley League. Following the local success of WPIAL, the idea was brought to the whole state in 1914 when the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) was founded. Within PIAA, WPIAL has been designated as District 7, and since 1982, WPIAL/District 7. Although officially known as District 7, the WPIAL is grandfathered to keep the older name due to it predating the PIAA.[1]
Originally numbering three high schools, WPIAL had a high of 156 participating school as late as the 1981-82 school year. Currently there are 138 high schools and 147 junior high school members in the WPIAL.[1]
[edit] Member schools
The league is made up of 136 public school districts and private schools located in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland and Indiana counties.
Exceptions include:
- Ligonier Valley School District in Westmoreland County, which opts to participate in District 6.
- Pittsburgh Public Schools in Allegheny County, which create District 8. However, the Pittsburgh "City League" has applied to have some of its sports teams join the WPIAL as early as the 2012-13 school year.
- Slippery Rock and Moniteau high schools in Butler County, who participate in District 10 and 9 respectfully.
- Wilmington Area in Lawrence and Mercer Counties, a District 10 member.
- Altoona Area High School in Blair County from District 6 as of Fall 2010 as a "conditional member." [2]
- Hollidaysburg Area High School in Blair County from District 6 as of Fall 2010 as a "conditional member." [3]
- McDowell High School just outside of Erie in Erie County from District 10 as of Fall 2010 as a "conditional member."[4]
Alphabetical List of WPIAL Member Schools:
http://www.wpial.org/memberschools.asp
Addresses and school district website links:
http://www.hsfootballweb.com/wpial.htm
[edit] Sports
- Note: While some sports are dominated by one sex, there is no rule that mandates sex segregation in PIAA sports, even if a school has teams for each sex.
Fall: Football, Golf, Tennis (girls), Cross Country, Volleyball (girls), Field Hockey, Soccer
Winter: Rifle, Gymnastics, Swimming & Diving, Wrestling, Basketball
Spring: Lacrosse (girls), Tennis (boys), Softball, Baseball, Volleyball (boys), Track & Field
[edit] Recent Football Champions
Class AAAA:
- 2011: North Allegheny
- 2010: North Allegheny
- 2009: Woodland Hills
- 2008: Bethel Park
- 2007: Pittsburgh Central Catholic
- 2006: Upper St. Clair
- 2005: McKeesport
- 2004: Pittsburgh Central Catholic
- 2003: Pittsburgh Central Catholic
- 2002: Woodland Hills
- 2001: Woodland Hills
- 2000: Mt. Lebanon
Class AAA:
- 2011: Montour
- 2010: Central Valley
- 2009: West Allegheny
- 2008: Thomas Jefferson
- 2007: Thomas Jefferson
- 2006: Thomas Jefferson
- 2005: Franklin Regional
- 2004: Thomas Jefferson
- 2003: Pine-Richland
- 2002: Hopewell
- 2001: West Allegheny
- 2000: West Allegheny
Class AA:
- 2011: Aliquippa
- 2010: South Fayette
- 2009: Greensburg Central Catholic
- 2008: Aliquippa
- 2007: Jeanette
- 2006: Jeanette
- 2005: South Park
- 2004: Seton-LaSalle
- 2003: Aliquippa
- 2002: Seton-LaSalle
- 2001: Washington
- 2000: Aliquippa
Class A:
- 2011: Clairton
- 2010: Clairton
- 2009: Clairton
- 2008: Clairton
- 2007: Serra Catholic
- 2006: Clairton
- 2005: Duquesne
- 2004: Rochester
- 2003: Springdale
- 2002: Rochester
- 2001: Rochester
- 2000: Rochester
[edit] Recent Boy's Basketball Champions
Class AAAA:
- 2011: Gateway
- 2010: Mt. Lebanon
- 2009: Peters Township
- 2008: Pittsburgh Central Catholic
- 2007: Bethel Park
- 2006: Mt. Lebanon
- 2005: Upper St. Clair
- 2004: Chartiers Valley
- 2003: Penn Hills
- 2002: Uniontown
- 2001: Chartiers Valley
- 2000: Penn Hills
Class AAA:
- 2011: Montour
- 2010: Chartiers Valley
- 2009: Hampton Township
- 2008: Blackhawk
- 2007: West Allegheny
- 2006: Moon
- 2005: Moon
- 2004: Moon
- 2003: Blackhawk
- 2002: Steel Valley
- 2001: Brownsville
- 2000: Blackhawk
Class AA:
- 2011: Monessen
- 2010: North Catholic
- 2009: North Catholic
- 2008: Jeanette
- 2007: Aliquippa
- 2006: Aliquippa
- 2005: Beaver Falls
- 2004: Aliquippa
- 2003: Aliquippa
- 2002: Sto-Rox
- 2001: Sto-Rox
- 2000: Aliquippa
Class A:
- 2011: Vincentian Academy
- 2010: Sewickley Academy
- 2009: Sewickley Academy
- 2008: Serra Catholic
- 2007: Leechburg
- 2006: Clairton
- 2005: Duquesne
- 2004: Sewickley Academy
- 2003: Union Township
- 2002: Monessen
- 2001: Monessen
- 2000: Cornell
[edit] See also
- Timko sisters, first girls to win a WPIAL Boys Doubles Tennis Title
- Chuck Heberling, long-time executive director of WPIAL
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.wpial.org/history.asp
- ^ http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2009/03/piaa_meeting_altoona_hollidays.html
- ^ http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2009/03/piaa_meeting_altoona_hollidays.html
- ^ http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2009/03/piaa_meeting_altoona_hollidays.html
