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The Bellaire athletic director knows she is in the minority, on believing the Michigan High School Athletic Association aligning itÕs sports schedules with colleges and other states, is a positive change. ÒI know thatÕs not the popular choice,Ó Larson said. ÒI never had a problem with the seasons changing, yet, I appreciate the MHSAAÕs stance also.Ó

Larson, says she already has experienced having volleyball in the fall and girls basketball in the winter, opposite of the scheduling of high schools in Michigan until this point.

ÒIÕve lived in Ohio and Indiana, both had schedules aligned with colleges and it worked well,Ó Larson said. ÒI actually think this is overdue.Ó Larson sees the immediate benefits for volleyball players, with having a schedule coincide with college.

ÒIn volleyball, the schools like to offer tickets and visits to potential players, to let them see their university,Ó Larson said. ÒNow, that will be much easier for those volleyball players, as they will be in the season with college, and be able to make such visits.Ó

A saving grace for Bellaire and other schools in the Ski Valley Conference, Larson says a contingency plan has been in place, in preparation for a potential season shift.

ÒThe Ski Valley Conference has been very good in making contingency plans and I think we are in good shape,Ó she said. ÒThe burdens will be about the same for our facilities, in fact, in some cases it may be an easier transition, going from one sport to another in the gym.Ó

A potential problem has alreadyÊis beingÊaddressed - basketball game scheduling.

Larson says boys and girls basketball, likely will alternate nights for games. For instance, for the first 10 games of the season, the boys will play on Tuesday and Thursday, while the girls play Wednesday and Friday. Then, that will reverse for the second stretch of 10 games. This is a pattern, she hopes other conferences will follow. The conference already has started lobbying to neighboring colleagues, to have a similar plan, which would be crucial in continuing rivalries between non-conference opponents.

ÒAlready, other conference have been made aware of our scheduling, so that we can continue to play against teams that neighbor us, but arenÕt in our conference,Ó Larson said. ÒThe non-conference scheduling is the hard part and itÕs why we were hoping that conferences around here, would see what we were doing and follow.Ó

She does admit, however, choices will need to be made in certain situations, including coaching.

Stan Sexton, who coaches both boys and girls for Bellaire, will be forced to decide which team to coach. Sexton led the EaglesÕ boys team to the state semifinals this year, with a coaching staff that may be scrambled, due to them also coaching the girls.

ÒChoices will have to be made, and Stan is a good example,Ó Larson said. ÒHe will have to choose and so will assistant coaches. ItÕs going to be a challenge.Ó

Referees, on the other hand, may not end up being a problem.

Larson says the area officials already were making two schedules, trying to be prepared to cover for either schedule.

ÒItÕs not the popular opinion, but being an athlete from this state and being in other stateÕs with this schedule, I believe itÕs better to be aligned with colleges,Ó she said.